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Phuket officials to face charges for Freedom Beach land titles
PHUKET: The Royal Forestry Department (RFD) will press charges against at least seven officials for illegally issuing land titles for plots at Phuket’s Freedom Beach. “Seven officers were involved in issuing land titles for plots within the protected forest at Freedom Beach,” said Cheewapap Cheewatham, the former Sirinath National Park chief who now serves as director of the RFD’s Forest…
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Cilic crushes Nishikori to claim US Open title
PHUKET: Croatia’s Marin Cilic swept past Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-3 to win the US Open on Monday and reach the pinnacle of the sport one year after a doping ban kept him out of the year’s final grand slam. The big-serving Croatian overwhelmed a weary Nishikori in one hour, 54 minutes to clinch a ruthless victory and deny…
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Firm faces probe after sex killing by guard
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Firm faces probe after sex killing by guard The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police will investigate a firm that provided security guards to a Bangkok condo project after one of its guards was charged with sexually molesting and killing a four-year-old girl last week. The…
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UK’s Prince William and wife Kate thrilled at second baby news
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UK’s Prince William and wife Kate thrilled at second baby news Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Britain’s Prince William said on Monday he and wife Kate were thrilled to be expecting their second baby, after news of the pregnancy was released early because the Duchess had…
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Body found off Phuket beach by jet-skiing tourists
UPDATE: After this initial report was posted online, the Gazette was informed that one of its own editors, Jeremie Schatz, enjoying his time off, discovered the body while surfing with a friend. It was Jeremie and his surfing buddy who pulled the body to shore. PHUKET: An unidentified body was found floating in the ocean off Phuket’s west coast by…
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Moshe David gets life for Phuket murder of Hungarian businessman
PHUKET: Hungarian-Israeli dual national Moshe David was today sentenced to life in prison for the gruesome murder of Peter Reisz in Phuket in 2012. The life jail term was handed down by the Phuket Provincial Court early this afternoon. Mr David earlier confessed that he killed Mr Reisz in a fit of rage after Mr Reisz had allegedly swindled him…
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Phuket yachts ordered out of Ao Yon Bay
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has ordered all yacht owners with vessels moored in Ao Yon Bay to move them to other anchorages in Phuket or face six months in jail. Local Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut admitted to the Phuket Gazette this morning that he had signed the order a full three weeks ago, on August 18, and gave…
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Thai Navy deploys warship to rescue Phuket fishermen
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy base in Phuket deployed the HTMS Chonburi to rescue six fishermen after their longtail boat engine stalled and their anchor rope broke in strong waves off Koh Mai Thon yesterday. Lt Cdr Natthanai Lekjaikla, captain of the HTMS Chonburi, explained that the Navy was notified of the men’s predicament at about midday. “We kept in…
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Williams beats Wozniacki for 18th grand slam title
PHUKET: World number one Serena Williams swept past good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-3 6-3 in the US Open final on Sunday to move into the record books with her 18th grand slam title. The third straight and sixth overall US Open crown for the 32-year-old American, her 18 career slams put her into a tie with Chris Evert…
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Study exposes scams in stream of stolen cars crossing from M’sia
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Study exposes scams in stream of stolen cars crossing from M’sia The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Sadao border checkpoint in Songkhla sees up to Bt300 billion in border trade per year – but it is also a top entry point for smuggled goods and…
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Guard held for murder of 4-year-old girl in Thon Buri
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Guard held for murder of 4-year-old girl in Thon Buri The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting and killing a four-year-old girl in Thon Buri in Bangkok. The girl went missing in her neighbourhood on Wednesday and was…
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Sukhothai and Ayutthaya hit hard by floods
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sukhothai and Ayutthaya hit hard by floods The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Flooding in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya remains critical with hundreds of homes inundated, while a flash flood hit Chiang Rai’s Muang and Mae Sai districts yesterday morning. Meanwhile, ML Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who resumed as…
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Police take down armed teens for Phuket Town street shootings
PHUKET: Police have arrested two teenagers, and expect to soon take into custody a third suspect, for shooting into a shop and then a family home in Phuket Town late Tuesday night. Butrprom Choopeng, 18, was arrested yesterday at a house in Bangthong village in Kathu. He was found in possession of a homemade .22-caliber handgun with one round of…
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Phuket airport taxi driver charged with reckless driving
PHUKET: A taxi driver based at Phuket International Airport has been charged with reckless driving causing injury after slamming into a motorcycle with a sidecar late last night. The accident occurred on Thepkrasattri Road, about 800 meters north of the Keha housing estate in Thalang, just after midnight. Taxi driver Jeerasak Kakate, 46, said he could not avoid hitting the…
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Chinese tourist dies after day trip to Phi Phi Island
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist has died after being pulled unconscious from the water during a day trip with friends from Phuket to Phi Phi Island yesterday afternoon. Tour staff spotted Wang Yuhua, 61, floating face down in the water, prompting the boat crew to quickly recover her from the water and speed her to Phi Phi Hospital. Ms Wang was…
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Customs staff face probe over 500 ‘missing’ cars
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Customs staff face probe over 500 ‘missing’ cars The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Two officials from the Customs Department have been moved to inactive positions pending investigation into their role in the disappearance of some 500 luxury vehicles that went missing from the customs’ bonded…
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Sukhothai fights flood, as barrier on Yom breaks
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sukhothai fights flood, as barrier on Yom breaks The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Floods have wreaked havoc in 25 provinces and claimed eight lives over the past two weeks. Five of the flood-hit provinces – Sukhothai, Nan, Chaiyaphum, Tak and Nakhon Sawan – are still…
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U.S. moves to gain allies against ISIS
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. moves to gain allies against ISIS Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The small country of Georgia, one of the United States’ key partners in Afghanistan, will discuss ways it might be able to help in the battle against Islamic State fighters during a visit by…
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Phuket Marine chief plays down ‘get AIS connected or go to jail’ order
PHUKET: Phuriphat Theerakulpisut, chief of the Phuket Marine Office, today played down an alarming report that all foreign yachts in Phuket had to be fitted with AIS (Automatic Identification System) devices by October 1 or face six months in jail. The news follows Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday signing an order to make AIS receivers mandatory on all craft in…
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Phuket taxi brawl lands Aussie tourists in hospital, custody
PHUKET: A drunken brawl inside a Phuket taxi landed three Australian tourists in hospital with minor injuries late last night. A fourth Aussie tourist, Todd Taylor, 31, who was blamed for starting the fight, was taken to Thalang Police Station for questioning. Taxi driver Jaran Chamnankaow told police that he picked up four passengers in Patong at about 10pm, and…
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Phuket Cycling Fest 2014 ready to roll
PHUKET: If you have some untouched reserves of stamina and feel like exploring the beauty of Phuket in a more natural, personal manner, head for the Phuket Cycling Fest 2014, which kicks off tomorrow, September 6, at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town. A bustling bicycle fair boasting booths and stalls from bicycle specialists will be held at the park,…
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Authorities to sweep Phuket for illegal tour companies, guides
PHUKET: Authorities will sweep through Phuket from Monday in a move to rid the island of illegal tour companies and illegal, foreign guides. The news follows a brainstorming session yesterday between Phuket officials, authorities and officers from the MOTS Phuket office on how to tackle the issue of illegal tour companies and guides operating on the island. “We have 1,601…
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Phuket officials order illegal beach wall to be demolished
PHUKET: An illegal beach wall built near Bang Tao Beach after the tsunami in 2004 will be demolished today, officials have told the Phuket Gazette. “We received a complaint from a local landowner who said the wall cuts off his legally-owned plot of land from the beach,” said Cherng Talay Mayor Ma-ann Samran. “Following an inspection of the area [yesterday],…
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Costs, lack of demand delay Phuket Airport Bus service to Karon
PHUKET: High costs and lack of demand has forced the operators of the Airport Express Bus service to push back the launch of its new route from Patong to Kata-Karon until at least October. However, bus company chairman Prakob Panyawai is working on adding two more bus stops in Patong, Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) chief Terayout Prasertphol confirmed to…
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Ukraine, rebels back peace plan, ceasefire from Friday
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ukraine, rebels back peace plan, ceasefire from Friday Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and the main pro-Russian rebel leader said they would both order ceasefires on Friday, provided that an agreement is signed on a new peace plan to end the five-month…
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DDPM prepares to combat potentially deadly blazes in Phuket
PHUKET: A full-scale fire drill was held today as the Phuket-based Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office, Region 18 (DDPM-Region 18), prepared to prevent any further deadly blazes on the island. “Though the fire drill must be carried out annually by law, we are really doing this to make sure that when the time comes, we are able to…
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Phuket Opinion: A sobering approach
PHUKET: Recent reports of “sobering new alcohol laws” by some English-language news outlets have led to a great deal of bar-stool conversation, as well as speculation among social media. The truth of the matter is that the Alcohol Sales Act of 2008, and subsequent ministerial regulations, have remained completely unchanged since the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO) took…
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Special Report: Police “hungary’ for Phuket murder conviction
Special Report CONFESSED killer Moshe David is expected to be sentenced on Monday for the gruesome 2012 murder of fellow Hungarian Peter Reisz. Although police believe he will escape the death penalty, they do have faith he will be handed a “very long sentence”. Following Mr David’s first murder trial will be a second, for the murder of another Hungarian,…
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Serena crushes Pennetta to reach Open semi-final
PHUKET: Two-times defending champion Serena Williams, in her black and white leopard dress, started quietly before roaring past 11th seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. The world number one lost her first two service games to Pennetta to fall behind 3-0 before snapping to attention and rattling off the next six…
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Attorney General declines to prosecute Yingluck – for now
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Attorney General declines to prosecute Yingluck – for now The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Attorney-General’s Office on Thursday decided to set up a joint committee of public prosecutors and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to conduct further investigations into the rice-pledging case against former…
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