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Phuket gold heist: Arrest warrant issued
PHUKET: Police have issued an arrest warrant for the man who held up a Phuket Town gold shop on Saturday. “We have issued the arrest warrant for a ‘Mr Ake’. We don’t know his full name, but we know he is from Surat Thani. He is a big, dark-skinned man who wore a wig and used a fake gun, as…
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Phuket Breaking News: Karaoke owner gunned down in Karon
PHUKET: A karaoke owner in Karon was shot at close range by gunmen this morning after a night of drinking on Phuket’s west coast, the island’s primary destination for tourists. Sompong Saenim was drinking with five men at his karaoke bar and restaurant on Patak Road when at about 7:30am two of the group pulled out guns and fired about…
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Nadal clinical on clay
PHUKET: The “King of Clay” Rafael Nadal Parera turned in a majestic performance on Sunday to defeat world number three Roger Federer and win a record equaling sixth French Open tennis title. Nadal won the Coup des Mousquetaires [name of the French Open trophy] at his first attempt in 2005 aged 19 and made the grand slam event his own…
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Asia gets first grand slam victory
PHUKET: Li Na stamped her name on sports history on Saturday by winning the French Open at Roland Garros, becoming the first tennis player from China to win a Grand Slam singles final. A straight sets victory 6-4, 7-6 over defending champion Francesca Schiavone from Italy was completed in less than two hours by the world number seven. Li was…
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Manhunt launched after man steals B4mn from Phuket gold shop
PHUKET: Police have launched a manhunt after a lone robber made off with 4 million baht in jewelry from a gold shop in Phuket Town earlier today. Chantana Thanetthanasombut, owner of the Thong Thanet gold shop at the Yee Teng complex at the Slaughterhouse Intersection, told the Phuket Gazette that a man entered her shop about midday today posing as…
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F1 back in Bahrain
PHUKET – Quote of the day: “The Bahrain Grand Prix has always been a source of national pride and it is an event that transcends politics.” – Zayed Rashid Alzayani, chairman of the Bahrain International Circuit gushes over the reinstatement of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Yesterday’s unanimous decision by Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) means October 30 will see the…
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Phuket Election: Cherng Talay votes for new mayor
PHUKET: Residents in Cherng Talay today cast their ballots to put a new mayor and six council members into office. Suniran Rachatapreuk, 48, is running for re-election. He has served as Cherng Talay mayor since July 1999. His only opponent is 51-year-old Somsak Sophanon, who served as a Cherng Talay Municipality Council member during Mr Suniran’s second term, between 2003…
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Phuket politician arrested on drugs, weapons charges
PHUKET: A local politician and two other men have been arrested and charged with possession and sale of narcotics after a raid on their jungle hangout in Phuket yesterday. At a police press conference at Phuket City Police Station this morning, Phuket Provincial Police Superintendent Pekad Tantipong identified the suspects as Cherng Talay subdistrict councilor Nakhin “Poo” Wisuttharom, 36, and…
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Phuket tour van crushed by overturned 10-wheeler
PHUKET: A 10-wheeled truck bound for Bangkok caused misery for Phuket commuters last night when it crashed into a tour van at the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang. Thalang Police were notified of the crash at 6:40pm. At the scene they found the truck on its side, pinning a crumpled van, operated by the Phuket Adventures tour company, against a traffic…
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Phuket double murder was drug deal gone sour
PHUKET: Police have arrested two men for their part in the murders of a man and a woman whose bodies were dumped over a beachfront cliff in Nai Thon before dawn on Tuesday morning. Sittipong Chareonrak and Ammarin Pantip were presented to the media today at a press conference at Tah Chat Chai Checkpoint. The men were identified by Sanit…
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Officials investigate more Phuket beach encroachment
PHUKET: A handful of bars and restaurants built on Bang Tao Beach are being investigated to determine whether or not they are encroaching on state land. Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak on Wednesday led a team of investigators to the site. Accompanying him were representatives from local authorities such as Cherng Talay Municipality, Thalang District Office, Phuket Marine Office and Cherng…
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FC Phuket accept 5-2 loss
PHUKET – Quote of the day: “If we have to travel [to Bangkok FC] to play a mere six minutes, I think it will be an non beneficial waste of expense…and so we’ve made an official report stating this reason as why we won’t travel to play the rest of the game…and are ready to accept the loss with the…
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Portrait FC sitting pretty atop Phuket’s AFL
PHUKET: Round six of the 2011 Five-a-side Adult Futsal League season seven took place last evening at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) in Thalang, Phuket. A mid-table battle between Jitjongrut FC and Thalang Tigers was first on the card. Both teams created plenty of chances, but were met with stubborn defense and goalkeeping. The match finished in a 1-1…
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Former meth addict saws own neck, dies
A MENTALLY-ill man killed himself on a building site by pushing a rotating saw into his own neck, police said. Saemdam Police were called to the scene in Bang Khun Thian district in Bangkok after the body of Ek Boonmee, 34, was found next to the saw. Mr Ek’s father, Nawi Boon-mee, 56, told police that his son suffered from…
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No more Glory for Robbie Fowler
PHUKET SPORTS: Former Liverpool FC star Robbie Fowler is in Bangkok this weekend playing in the Tesco Lotus Masters football sevens tournament, which includes teams from Asia, Europe and a selection from Phuket. Known as “God” to the Liverpool faithful, Fowler joins other ex-professionals such as Lee Sharpe and Ian Rush at Patana International School in Bangkok for the annual…
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Phuket F1 fans await Bahrain bid today
PHUKET: Formula One fans in Phuket eagerly await a decision on whether the Bahrain Grand Prix, originally scheduled for March 13, will be re-scheduled to November 20 later this year. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone may move the season’s last race in Brazil back to October 2 which could result in the Indian GP being cancelled. Bahrain was due to host…
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Phuket expats urged to ask visiting friends to insure themselves
PHUKET: The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has called on British expats on the island to remind their visitors to take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy before heading to Phuket. The request comes as new research reveals that young people are more likely to buy a present for their host than take out a travel insurance policy. The…
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‘Streets of Phuket’ maps added to Gazette web news
PHUKET: By popular demand, Phuket Gazette online readers can now view accurate pop-up maps embedded in news stories with the single click of a mouse, thanks to a new partnership with IMAGE Asia and their best-selling Streets Of Phuket atlas. For example, see our news about the recently opened Phuket Provincial Administration Organization Hospital on Srisena Road. Click on the…
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Phuket sailing legends line up for Raceweek
PHUKET SPORTS: The Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, winner of the Asia Boating Award for “Best Asian Regatta of the Year 2011”, returns with four days of international-standard yacht racing, from July 20 to 24. Now in its eighth year, the event attracts a host of yachts with a range of competitive standards across several classes. Critical to being voted best…
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Phuket Democrats get police protection
PHUKET: Phuket Democrat Party candidate Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr has been provided two police officers as personal bodyguards in the run-up to the July 3 election. Also to receive police protection is Wirasak Suksomboon, president of the Democrat Party office for Phuket 1 constituency. “I, Mrs Anchalee and the president [of the Democrat office] for Phuket 2 constituency, have requested security…
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Opening of new Phuket bridge postponed
PHUKET: The unofficial opening Phuket’s new bridge, the Srisoontorn Bridge, originally scheduled for this week, has been postponed, officials say. Arun Sa-nae, director of the Provincial Highways Office in Phuket, said some last-minute changes in the work plan meant that the new span would probably open to off-island traffic around mid-June. The final work by project contractor Italian-Thai Development involved…
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Phuket night clubber escapes disaster
PHUKET: A Thai man whose surname translates to “likely to escape disaster” was walking home from a Phuket karaoke bar last night when he was assaulted and left for dead by the side of the the road in Thalang. When Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived at the scene just after midnight, they found 33-year-old Wiwat Khongrodpai lying on the road…
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Fifa’s one horse race
PHUKET SPORTS – Quote of the day: “We will put Fifa’s ship back on the right course in clear, transparent waters.” Sepp Blatter, again re-elected as president of FIFA, hopes to prevent his “family’s” vessel from being dashed on the reef of corruption. — Neil Quail
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Phuket steps up fight against illegal timeshare touts
PHUKET: A multi-agency task force will be set up to investigate timeshare companies operating in Phuket, especially Patong. Tasked with investigating the companies, their workers and any officials involved in allowing the timeshare companies to operate, the “committee” is expected to launch an investigation by October, just before the annual tourism high season begins, Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak announced. The…
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Crackdown ordered on religious tattoos in Phuket
PHUKET: The Culture Ministry has attacked the growing trend for tourists in Phuket and other parts of Thailand to have religious images tattooed on their bodies. It has ordered provincial governors across the country, including Phuket, to crack down on such tattoos, igniting a debate on the human rights implications of forbidding the practice. Culture Minister Niphit Intharasombat told reporters…
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Cricket and tax
PHUKET SPORTS – Quote of the day: “The ACG (Alan Cooke Ground) will in a small way do for cricket what the reduction in boat tax did for marine tourism.” Alan Cooke MBE in a small way underestimates the value of his legacy to Phuket cricket and sport. — Neil Quail
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Phuket developers shine at int’l property awards
PHUKET: Phuket based developers have won top honors in the Asia Pacific Region division of the International Residential Property Awards. Since the inaugural awards in 1995, the competition has established itself as one of the premiere programs recognizing excellence in the field of residential property development. The 2011 Asia Pacific Awards set a new participation record with 21 countries taking…
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New Phuket hospital opens its doors
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Hospital opened today with more than 200 people registering as patients. “The purpose of the hospital is to reduce the workload of other government hospitals. The OrBorJor bought the land and the Phyathai Hospital building and renovated it under a budget of 845 million baht,” explained OrBorJor Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Manop Leelasuthanon.…
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Phuket Red Cross launches June blood drive
PHUKET: The Phuket Chapter of the Thai Red Cross Society has announced its schedule for its June 2011 blood drive. “Blood types A+ and O+ are needed. Our stock of these two types is depleted. However, every blood type is welcome,” said Suphawan Rattanachan, an officer with the Phuket Red Cross. Mobile donation clinics will be set up as follows.…
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Phuket Survivor: Man survives slaughter by “playing dead’
PHUKET: Phuket police are investigating the murder of a man and woman whose bodies were discovered thrown off a cliff along a coastal road in Thalang this morning. The key witness, a man who apparently escaped the same fate by playing dead, is now in police custody and under heavy guard. Tah Chat Chai Police were notified of the deaths…
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