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Failed Phuket tsunami warning towers spark full test
PHUKET: After two weeks of waiting for official requests to inspect tsunami warning towers that failed to sound the alarm on April 11, Chutichart Boonchuwit will bypass the bureaucratic hurdle and go ahead and have the towers tested anyway. Mr Chutichart, who is the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry representative tasked with ensuring that the tsunami warning towers in…
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Expert calls for NDWC to revise tsunami warning protocol
PHUKET: Lertsin Raksaskulwong, director of the Environmental Geology and Geohazard Bureau under the Department of Mineral Resources, yesterday called for the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) to revise its procedure for issuing tsunami warnings. Speaking at a meeting at Provincial Hall held to review Phuket’s tsunami-response procedures, Mr Lertsin said, “The events of April 11 were chaos. It seemed they…
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Phuket Gazette Reader’s Poll: How tolerant is Phuket to gay tourists?
PHUKET: A week-long Phuket Pride Festival that officially began yesterday is expected to attract thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) tourists from around the region. In the latest Phuket Gazette online readers poll, we ask how tolerant is Phuket society of LGBT lifestyles compared with other places readers have lived in or visited? To have your say vote…
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Phuket Bike Week rolls to a close
PHUKET: After being moved forward a few weeks, the 18th Annual Phuket Bike Week was a success over the weekend, despite heavy rains that threatened to wash out festivities. Among those in attendance were Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukbal, Royal Thai Navy officials and representatives of sponsor Chang beer. As in years past, most activities took place along the beach…
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Phuket officials threaten to swoop down on illegal swiftlet barn owners
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak has warned local authorities that they will suffer written warnings if they do not file updated reports on any swiftlet barns in their respective areas. Speaking at a meeting of high-ranking local officials at Phuket Provincial Hall on Thursday, Vice Governor Somkiet said officers had confirmed there are at least five swiftlet barns in…
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Weird World News: Serving surf ‘n’ turf – from love to six feet under
PHUKET: This week’s Weird World News round-up serves up an awkward and dangerous mix of surf ‘n’ turf, taking you from cheap love, to a fishy and possibly untimely death and finally wrapping you up like a filet mignon and burying you. Japanese chefs balloon up over new blowfish laws A NEW law coming into affect in October is cutting…
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Airlines voice confidence in Phuket Airport emergency evacuation measures
PHUKET: Following the evacuation of Phuket International Airport after the 8.6-Richter earthquake on April 11, several airlines on Friday expressed their confidence in how officials handle the emergency exercise. At a press conference at the airport chaired by Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham, Thai Airways representative Jittrapong Narongwanich said all airlines that use Phuket Airport remain confident in the evacuation procedures…
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Phuket Opinion: Tsunami evacuation shortfalls resurface
PHUKET: THE pair of powerful earthquakes that struck off the coast of Sumatra on April 11 served as the perfect ‘live test’ of Thailand’s preparedness to conduct emergency evacuation of tsunami risk areas, exposing, once again, serious shortcomings in the government’s ability to relay important information to the public in a timely fashion. The 8.6-magnitude quake that hit at 3:38pm…
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Buses roll out of Phuket Bus Terminal 2
PHUKET: The Phuket Bus Terminal 2 finally went into operation this morning – more than 28 months after the completion of the structure. “I think the first day has gone well so far,” said Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) chief Teerayut Prasertpol. Mr Teerayut estimated that about 70 per cent of the public is already aware that almost all inter-provincial…
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Phuket to be ‘Atlantis of the East’? Not on Gov Tri’s watch
PHUKET: In the face of widespread rumors of Phuket becoming the “Atlantis of the East”, Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha has jokingly declared that he would be happy to resign his position if the island sinks into the Andaman Sea. “Rumors are rumors,” Gov Tri said. “I don’t think Phuket will sink. In fact, I’ll stake my position as a guarantee.…
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FC Phuket ready for Suphanburi elephant charge
PHUKET: FC Phuket are back into action with a tough match against Suphanburi FC this afternoon at Surakul Stadium. The field should be sloppy, as the stadium was hit with heavy rains last night and again this afternoon. Coming into the sixth fixture for the 2012 Thai Yamaha 1 league, Phuket are in 10th place with a win, three draws…
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Phuket pickup crash: Thalang trembles
PHUKET: A speeding pickup truck crashed into a pedestrian footbridge in Phuket last night, spreading fear of yet another earthquake tremor and causing a one-hour traffic tailback. Thalang Police were notified of the crash in front of the Muang Thalang School on Thepkrasattri Road northbound at 5:45pm yesterday. Arriving at the scene, Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers found the wreckage…
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Villagers worry as aftershocks continue to rock Phuket
PHUKET: The fourth and largest tremor of the day hit Phuket at 3:10pm today, a 3.3 magnitude tremor clearly felt across the island with a large sonic boom clearly heard at the offices of the Phuket Gazette, about eight kilometers southeast of the epicenter near the municipal market in Thalang. Other tremors recorded by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) earthquake…
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Phuket Airport included in B4bn upgrade
PHUKET: Aerothai, the state enterprise that operates air traffic control at airports throughout Thailand, including Suvarnabhumi and Phuket International Airport, will spend 4 billion baht on upgrading its computer and communications network. The upgrade to replace outdated equipment will be privately funded, said Aphinun Vannangkura, Aerothai Vice President for Air Traffic Management. “The upgrade will introduce more computer systems into…
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ICT Ministry plans disaster communications fix for Phuket
PHUKET: A team of Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experts yesterday consulted with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on how to improve communications during future disaster evacuations. The team, led by ICT communications expert Chaiyun Pengkiatpairot, aims to prevent a mobile phone network overload, such as that which hindered communications during the evacuation of tsunami-risk areas on April 11.…
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Brother claims sister’s body from Phuket hospital
PHUKET: A relative of the young Burmese construction worker whose body was left unidentified at Thalang Hospital has come to claim her remains, Phuket Police have confirmed. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkwan told the Phuket Gazette that the body of the woman, identified only as “Ms Way”, was claimed by a man named “Mr Jorso”, her brother. Ms Way,…
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Fear of recurring earthquake stresses Phuket villagers
PHUKET: A team of mental health professionals on Wednesday visited villagers at Srisoonthorn Moo 2 to provide counselling after the 4.3-Richter earthquake struck fear into their hearts on Monday. Data from the Thai Meteorological Department has identified Thalang as the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake, with the villagers being rattled several times a day since by recurring aftershocks. Leading the team…
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Phuket fishmeal factory probe takes a twist
PHUKET: Phuket officials investigating a complaint about foul smells emanating from a fishmeal factory yesterday found little amiss – and now suspect that the complaint may be more about business than bad odors. Led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak and Phuket Damrongtham Center Director Prapan Kanprasang, the officials toured the Saeng Aroon fishmeal factory on the banks of Klong…
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Phuket opens ‘village watch’ earthquake monitoring center
PHUKET: Srisoonthorn Municipality have set up an ‘earthquake monitoring center’ after discovering that Thalang was at the epicenter of the recent aftershocks that rattled Phuket. The center aims to provide accurate information and to warn local villagers in the case of an emergency, said Srisoonthorn Mayor Worawut Songyot. “The earthquake monitoring center has been established to coordinate efforts in the…
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Phuket gears up for opening of new bus terminal
PHUKET: The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is in the process of negotiating set fares for all forms of local transportation that will operate out of the new Phuket bus terminal in Rassada, which will open on Saturday. “We will set standard fares for all types of local transportation, with tickets that passengers can buy at a counter in the…
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Phuket Business: ThaiVisa penetrates neighboring markets
PHUKET: ThaiVisa.com, the leading English-language social networking website about Thailand, is expanding its operations to Myanmar and Cambodia.“We have carefully studied internet traffic trends and we see a sharp rise in search traffic and interest about our neighbor Myanmar,” said Barry Main, marketing director of Bangkok-based ThaiVisa Expat Group Co Ltd.“We believe it’s pretty easy for us to get a…
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Phuket Police seek help in identifying dead hospital patient
PHUKET: Phuket Police are trying to identify the body of a woman, thought to be from Myanmar, who died in the emergency ward of Thalang Hospital yesterday. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkhwan was notified of the woman’s death at 7:30am by staff at Thalang Hospital, who asked officers to assist in identifying the body. The woman’s body was left…
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Stay calm and enjoy your holiday, says Phuket tourism chief
PHUKET: Phuket tourism industry leaders are calling on the local media not to exaggerate in their reporting of the recent seismic activity in Phuket, as doing so could adversely affect the local economy. Phuket Tourist Association President Somboon Jirayus said yesterday that tourists from places like Japan and parts of Europe where earthquakes are common were more likely to view…
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Phuket Songkran road toll ends: 3 dead, 43 injured
PHUKET: The “Seven Days of Danger” Songkran road-safety campaign ended in Phuket yesterday with no road fatalities over the final four days, resulting in a final tally of three dead and 43 injured in 44 reported accidents. As anticipated by many, the most dangerous day was April 13, when two people died and 10 others were injured in 11 reported…
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Phuket dam passes post-quake safety inspection
PHUKET: Phuket officials have declared the dam at Bang Neaw Dum Reservoir in Thalang structurally sound following a safety inspection earlier today. The inspection was prompted by a series earthquakes centered in Thalang over the past few days, including a 4.3 Richter tremor yesterday morning. That quake left local residents living downstream fearing the structural integrity of the dam might…
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Phuket residents seek assistance for earthquake damage
PHUKET: Srisoonthorn Municipal engineers today visited homes in Baan Bangkham in Thalang to survey the damage caused by yesterday’s earthquake. Assistant village headman Somnuek Jaturacoopkullapong reported today that the earthquake, felt by most Phuket residents yesterday, damaged more than 30 houses in the village, four severely. “We were inside at about 4:30pm when we heard a loud noise and then…
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Police crack Phang Nga drug network linked to “kingpin prisoner’
PHUKET: Acting on a tip-off police raided two separate addresses in Phang Nga yesterday resulting in the arrest of six men and the recovery of drugs, weapons, cash and other valuables. The gang was reportedly controlled by an inmate at Nakhon Sri Thammar at Provincial Prison who ordered drugs to be delivered to one of the suspects netted in the…
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Phuket “aftershocks’ likely Sumatra-related: experts
PHUKET: The eight small earthquakes that have rocked Phuket over the past 24 hours are most likely related to the much larger earthquakes off the coast of Sumatra last week, experts from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) said. The latest quake, which hit at 12:18pm today, was a magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale, according to preliminary data released…
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Tiger Group considers suing MP Chuwit as police probe fails
PHUKET: A spokesman for Phuket’s Tiger Group told the media over the weekend that his company is still considering legal action against politician Chuwit Kamolvisit following his allegation that a casino had operated out of one of the company’s venues in Patong. The threat of legal retribution follows the failure of two police investigations to uncover any wrongdoing at any…
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Phuket Songkran Seven Days of Danger road toll latest: 3 dead, 32 injured
PHUKET: With the Songkran “Seven Days of Danger” road-safety campaign ending at midnight tonight, the road toll for the Thai New Year stands at three people dead and a further 32 admitted to hospital as a result of road incidents. Witthaya Piraka, 42, died on April 12 when while under the influence of alcohol he drove his motorbike into a…
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