Month: October 2001

  • PhuketDuongchalerm: Pressure mounts for arrest | Thaiger

    Duongchalerm: Pressure mounts for arrest

    BANGKOK (AFP): Pressure mounted Wednesday for Thai authorities to arrest MP’s son Duongchalerm Yoobamrung, who is accused of killing a police officer on Sunday. But first they have to find him, which appears to be causing some difficulty. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called on the military to arrange for Duongchalerm to be handed over to police for interrogation after a…

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  • PhuketSeized speedboat to be auctioned | Thaiger

    Seized speedboat to be auctioned

    PHUKET: A nine-meter British-built speedboat with twin 200hp Mercury engines, seized from a dive company in Ao Chalong earlier this year, will be put up for auction on November 8 at the Phuket Customs Region 5 offices on Phuket Rd. As with previous vessels put up for auction, the speedboat, “Seafarer”, was seized for alleged non-payment of Thailand’s crushing boat…

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  • PhuketRoad injuries toll nearing 10,000 | Thaiger

    Road injuries toll nearing 10,000

    PHUKET: Road deaths in Phuket between January 1 and September 20 are down on the past two years, according to the latest government statistics, but the number of people injured this year is heading rapidly for five figures. According to statistics from the Wachira, Thalang and Patong government hospitals, 11 people died as a result of traffic accidents between August…

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  • PhuketRise in babies named Osama | Thaiger

    Rise in babies named Osama

    BANGKOK (AFP): The name Osama has become popular for newborn babies in Thailand’s predominantly Muslim south since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, officials said today. “The name Osama can be applied to both boys and girls, and to my knowledge there are many newborn babies [receiving this name],” said Irfan Sulong, a member of the Yala…

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  • PhuketNew Provincial Palad takes office | Thaiger

    New Provincial Palad takes office

    PHUKET: Vithit Jiannai took office yesterday as Phuket’s new Provincial Palad, Governer CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi announced this morning at the monthly meeting of provincial department heads. K. Vithit, who was transferred from Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, replaces Dr Sumeth Chailertvanitkul, who yesterday moved to a new post as Palad of Nakhon Sawan Province.

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  • PhuketKata Group win Suratin Cup | Thaiger

    Kata Group win Suratin Cup

    PHUKET TOWN: Kata Group won the Suratin Football Cup on Saturday in a bruising final against Anupharp Trading at the Chai ground on Narisorn Rd. The two teams were evenly matched throughout the 20-minute first half, both creating scoring opportunities, but both failing to find the net. Kata stepped up the pressure after half time, to the point where Sinchai…

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  • PhuketMurder warrant issued for Chalerm’s son | Thaiger

    Murder warrant issued for Chalerm’s son

    BANGKOK (AFP): Thai police today issued a warrant for the arrest of Duongchalerm Yoobamrung, 29-year-old son of top MP Chalerm Yoobamrung, for shooting dead a police officer in a Bangkok nightclub. Inspector General Suraphon Kanchanajittra said he ordered the arrest of Sub-Lt Doungchalerm for premeditated murder after witnesses reported seeing him fire the fatal shot last night. “There were two…

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  • PhuketTop businessman dies of heart attack | Thaiger

    Top businessman dies of heart attack

    PHUKET: Banlue Tantiwit, former President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) died this morning of a heart attack. Phuket-born K. Banlue, who was 70, was also the Founding Chairman of the Phuket Rotary Club, a former Chairman of the Kathu Shrine and Chairman of the Phuket Sports Association. A well-known businessman, he was Chairman of the Board of the…

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  • PhuketUS tourist drowns in Krabi | Thaiger

    US tourist drowns in Krabi

    KRABI: American tourist Michael George Smith, 48, died while snorkeling at Koh Pai on Friday. Tour guide Suchart Aonrutee of Phi Phi-based Chao Koh Tour reported to Krabi police that he took Mr Smith and 10 other tourists from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Pai on a snorkeling trip. After they had spent an hour at Koh Pai, K. Suchart…

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  • PhuketIllegal labor raids to resume in earnest | Thaiger

    Illegal labor raids to resume in earnest

    PHUKET: The drive by the Phuket Provincial Employment Service Office (ESO) to register all Burmese, Laotian and Cambodian laborers working in Phuket came to an end on Thursday. The ESO has warned that raids to find unregistered workers will now resume in earnest. In a campaign that began on August 28 as part of a national effort, the ESO registered…

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  • PhuketTop brass tackle crimes against tourists | Thaiger

    Top brass tackle crimes against tourists

    PHUKET TOWN: Top police commanders met today to discuss how to tackle problems affecting tourism in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi. Speaking after the meeting, Pol Gen Kovit Wattana, Deputy Commissioner-General (Crime Suppression 1), said that the meeting was held to find ways of ensuring tourists’ safety, including ways to stop people cheating tourists, and ways to protect the environment.…

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  • PhuketExperts enter burned-out ammo dump | Thaiger

    Experts enter burned-out ammo dump

    KORAT (AFP): Thai army experts today entered the smoking ruins of a badly damaged ammunition dump to search for victims of yesterday’s massive explosions that are thought to have killed at least 13 people and injured 80. The warehouse complex in Pak Chong District was torn apart yesterday when a truck overturned, setting off a deadly chain reaction that engulfed…

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  • PhuketStrange day as Patong gets new Mayor | Thaiger

    Strange day as Patong gets new Mayor

    PATONG: The Patong Municipal Council has elected a new mayor for the town after former Mayor Pian Keesin was forced to step down last week when his budget plan was rejected by a vote of 9-2. Oddly, the new Mayor is Surasak Maneesri, one of the two councilors to vote for Pian’s budget – the other being Pian himself. Sakorn…

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  • PhuketDrowning victim identified | Thaiger

    Drowning victim identified

    KARON: The foreigner who drowned off Karon Beach on October 13 has been identified as 53-year-old Per-arne Sivertsen of Norway. Pol Capt Chana Sutimard, of Chalong Police Station told the Gazette, “Today I received a call from a member of the reception staff at the South Sea Resort to tell me that a guest who was supposed to check out…

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  • PhuketSlow economy boosts Festival crowds | Thaiger

    Slow economy boosts Festival crowds

    PHUKET: Slow times in the Thai economy and higher unemployment have had an effect on the Vegetarian Festival, with the number of people going to Chinese shrines for free vegetarian meals sharply up on last year’s figures. Partly, shrine spokespeople said, this was because they could save money. But it was also because believers felt that by taking part in…

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  • PhuketPatong Mayor forced to quit | Thaiger

    Patong Mayor forced to quit

    PATONG: Members of the Patong Municipal Council have forced the resignation of the town’s Mayor, Pian Keesin, by rejecting his budget plan for the coming year. Pian lost by a vote of nine to two, the two being the mayor himself and Councillor Surasak Maneesri. Councillor Sakorn Cheua-yuan, who is secretary to local Member of Parliament Chalermlak Kebsab, said that…

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  • PhuketKrabi killer gets life | Thaiger

    Krabi killer gets life

    KRABI: Kasem ‘Maew’ Dumdee was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday for the October 1 murder of German tourist Cao Ghu. Pol Lt Col Somdej Sukkarn, the case investigator, told the Gazette today, “Kasem was charged with murder for the purpose of robbery and with concealing his crime. He was also charged with robbery resulting in death. He pleaded guilty…

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  • PhuketThailand may triple visa fees | Thaiger

    Thailand may triple visa fees

    BANGKOK (AFP): Despite an alarming slump in the country’s critical tourism sector, Thailand is considering a plan to triple visa fees for tourists. Non-immigrant visas, including those for business people, whether resident or visiting, would also rise sharply, a report said today. Thailand’s finance ministry is expected to seek cabinet approval this week for the move, claiming that it would…

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  • PhuketNew park fees spark fury among dive firms | Thaiger

    New park fees spark fury among dive firms

    PHUKET: The good news is that the discriminatory fee system for entry into the Similan and Surin National Parks has been abolished. Thais and foreigners will pay the same fee. The bad news is that, from November 15, the entry fee for all divers will be 200 baht. And on top of that they must also pay a user fee…

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  • PhuketMore trouble in Paradise | Thaiger

    More trouble in Paradise

    PATONG: A bus driver employed by Seatran Travel was arrested Thursday for attacking a Paradise Complex business owner with an iron bar over a parking dispute. Rick Hooper, the new director of Simple Computers, told the Gazette that he and his pregnant wife, Chatchada, went to their car parked outside the office, and found that it was blocked by two…

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  • PhuketCSD arrests Phuket policeman for murder | Thaiger

    CSD arrests Phuket policeman for murder

    PHUKET: Officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) in Bangkok yesterday arrested a fellow officer working in the Phuket Forensic Science Department on charges of murder and robbery. Pol Lt Col Chatkanok Keawsongsang, Deputy Commissioner of the CSD, explained that it was alleged that Pol Sgt Maj Soonthorn Krodtem stopped an airport limousine driven by 26-year-old Sampakorn Temtup of Krabi…

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  • Phuket

    Injured writer’s family appeals for funds

    PHUKET: Friends and family of writer Karla Doberstein yesterday appealed for people to help Karla with her rising medical bills by making donations into an account specially set up to pay the hospital. Ms Doberstein, 38, fell down the stairs in her home late at night on October 3, striking the back of her head as she fell. She was…

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