Month: October 1998
- Phuket
Sailors Convicted In Theft Incident
TOKYO: The two American sailors who sparked a manhunt after cash was discovered missing from their navy vessel’s safe following a liberty call in Phuket, have been convicted and sentenced in general court-martial proceedings at the Yokosuka Naval Base, the U.S. Embassy and naval criminal investigators have confirmed. Petty Officer 2nd Class Roger Alden Chain, Jr, who served as the…
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Eleven Injured By Fireworks
PHUKET TOWN: Despite a plea from Governor Chadej Insawang to exercise extreme caution when lighting fireworks on the final night of the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival, eleven local residents were admitted to Wachira General Hospital Wednesday with fireworks-related injuries. A hospital spokesman told the Gazette that one of those admitted, a 15-year-old boy, had to undergo amputation of his left…
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Foreign Residents Face Crackdown On Registration
PHUKET TOWN: Pol Col Phirojana Paresakul, Superintendent of the Phuket Immigration Office, confirmed yesterday that immigration authorities nationwide have begun to enforce a law requiring all aliens who remain in Thailand for longer than 90 days to notify the department of their residential address every three months. The superintendent said the alien registration requirement has been on the books for…
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Sea Canoe Manager In Stable Condition
PHUKET TOWN: Panwong Hirunchai, the Day Trip Operation Manager for Sea Canoe Thailand’s Phang Nga-based operations, was reported in stable condition at Bangkok Phuket Hospital this morning, one day after being shot outside the expedition company’s office. Sea Canoe Director and General Manager Noah Shepherd, who visited Khun Panwong earlier today at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, told the Gazette…
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Canoe Manager Shot Outside Office
PHUKET TOWN: Police are hunting for two suspects in connection with the shooting earlier today of Panwong Hirunchai, the Day Trip Operation Manager for Sea Canoe Thailand’s Phang Nga-based operations. According to Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Somjai Sirikul, the 39-year-old manager was shot as he arrived at Sea Canoe’s offices on Yaowarat Road at 10:20 a.m. The gunman, described…
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THAI Winter Program Announced
BANGKOK: Thai Airways International (THAI) has announced its new Winter Program, which will be in effect from October 25, 1998 to March 27, 1999. The carrier will maintain its flight frequencies on Northern Pacific routes, including seven flights per week on the Bangkok-Osaka-Los Angeles route. The total number of weekly flights operated between the Kingdom and Europe will be increased…
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“Dark Horse’ Wins Laguna Triathlon
CHERNG TALAY: Marc Lees broke away from the pack and held on to capture the men’s pro division title in today’s Thai Airways Laguna Phuket Triathlon. Lees, who had been off the race circuit since tearing hamstring muscles in May, finished in 2:29, nearly five minutes ahead of fellow Australian Greg Welch. “I wanted to be the dark horse,” Lees…
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Toll Rises To Five In Ferry Tragedy
KOH SAMUI: The death toll in Wednesday’s ferry boat accident has risen to five as authorities recovered the bodies of two more victims yesterday afternoon. Searchers discovered the bodies of two Thai male passengers floating in the water at around 1:30 p.m. Friday near the point where the Panmaneesap 9 capsized and sank. Pol Lt Col Wisoot Seekong, Deputy Superintendent…
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Stage Set For Triathlon
CHERNG TALAY: Final preparations are underway for tomorrow’s Thai Airways International Laguna Phuket Triathlon. Australian pros Greg Welch and Jackie Gallagher will be seeking to defend their men’s and women’s titles, as are Paisarn Sangvirul and Napaporn Boonthum, last year’s top finishers in the Thai men’s and women’s amateur divisions. The race will also boast a large contingent of local…
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Boxing Champ To Kick Off Festivities
PATONG BEACH: Former international muay Thai champion Samart Payakaroon will be on hand this evening to help launch a new 20-million-baht multi-purpose entertainment venue at the Phuket Simon Shopping Arcade on Soi Bangla. The kick boxer is scheduled to step into the ring at 9 p.m. for a one-hour demonstration of the very traditional Thai sport. A spokesman for Phuket…
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Ferry Boat Accident Claims At Least Three
KOH SAMUI: Three passengers, including two foreigners, drowned and more remain missing and feared dead after a ferry boat bound for Koh Tao capsized early yesterday morning north of Surat Thani. Authorities believe a heavy storm caused the overladen Panmaneesap 9 to take on water and capsize off the coast of Koh Wow, a small island northwest of Koh Samui,…
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Delegation Heading To Las Vegas
PHUKET TOWN: A 30-member delegation led by Phuket Governor Chadej Insawang is scheduled to visit Las Vegas November 2-8 in a biennial Sister Cities visit, the governor’s office announced today. Local officials, prominent business operators, and members of the media will accompany the governor on the overseas trip, designed to develop stronger ties between the two popular tourist destinations. Las…
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Donors Help Save Accident Victim
PHUKET TOWN: Local residents answered a plea for blood donations over the weekend and helped save the life of local resident Michael Ilijass, who was severely injured in a motorbike accident last Friday night. Early Saturday morning, calls for donations of type A Positive blood went out to the general public while doctors at Wachira General Hospital battled to save…
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It’s Time To Wear Your Whites
PHUKET TOWN: Vendors along Ranong Road got a jump on the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival last night when they started serving up spring rolls, dumplings and other treats. Booths selling white cotton T-shirts and pants were doing a brisk business as residents prepared for the nine-day festival, which runs from October 20-28. A schedule of events, including a map of…
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Enhancements For Sunset Lovers
RAWAI: Plans are afoot to improve facilities at Cape Promthep, one of Phuket’s most popular sunset viewpoints. Aree Somboon, Chairman of the Rawai Tambon Administration Organization, told the Gazette today that his office is seeking funding from the provincial government to upgrade lighting, expand parking, and install new seating areas to accommodate the large crowds that descend on the picturesque…
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Sea Walker Guide Arrested
CHALONG: Tourist Police apprehended an unlicensed guide who was allegedly conducting sea walker expeditions at Coral Island. The Region 2 Tourist Business and Guide Office notified Tourist Police on Thursday that a Thai male was leading a group of tourists to the popular offshore island for a sea walking trip. At approximately 3 p.m., Tourist Police intercepted a boat as…
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Authority Plans New Sports Complex
PHUKET: If all goes as planned, a 220-rai site in Thalang district will become the home of southern Thailand’s newest major sports venue. Officials of the Sports Authority of Thailand are planning to construct a 20,000-seat multi-purpose stadium, a 5,000-seat gymnasium, a shooting range, and athlete housing on a tract located along Thepkasattri Road in Tambon Tachatchai at the northern…
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Pian Regains Mayor’s Chair
PATONG: Rak (Love) Patong Party leader Pian Keesin was installed as mayor this morning following a vote earlier this week by the city council. Khun Pian, who finished second in the municipal election on October 4, received six of eleven council votes on Monday, with council member and former mayor Dr Anan Anantanawat abstaining. Council members also elected Uthai Karnchana…
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Drug Rehab Program Launched
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Governor’s office has announced the start-up of a new confidential drug treatment program to provide counselling and treatment for substance abusers. The Phuket Drug Prevention and Suppression Center was launched by the governor’s office in conjunction with provincial health officials as part of a nationwide initiative by the prime minister’s office to deal with drug addicts…
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U.K. Tourists Lead The Way
BANGKOK: International tourist arrivals to Thailand surpassed the five million mark during the first eight months of the year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced. From January 1 through August 31, a total of 5,043,449 tourists were recorded by the TAT – a 5.6 percent increase over the same period last year. European markets, led by the United Kingdom,…
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New Tuna Vessel Launched
PHUKET: In the latest bid to maintain Thailand’s position as the world’s leading exporter of canned tuna, officials launched the country’s newest deep sea tuna fishing vessel in a ceremony last Friday at Ao Makham. Pongphon Adireksarn, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, along with representatives of the Thai Deep Sea Tuna Fishing Cooperative, was on hand to christen the 61-meter-long…
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Pitak To Guide Thai Tourism
BANGKOK: Newly-appointed Prime Minister’s Office Minister Pitak Intrawithayanunt has assumed supervision over the Tourism Authority of Thailand, replacing Phang Nga MP Julin Laksanawisit, the TAT has confirmed. The change follows the cabinet reshuffle approved earlier this month. In his new position, Khun Pitak will be the minister responsible for the government’s tourism policies.
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