Month: September 2002

  • Phuket NewsBlackout mars mayor&’s policy launch | Thaiger

    Blackout mars mayor&’s policy launch

    PATONG: A blackout sparked a security scare and interrupted a policy speech by Patong Mayor Surasak Maneesri during the launch of his re-election campaign Saturday night. As the unscheduled lights-out struck the gathering of about 1,000 people, bodyguards rushed to pull the heavily-garlanded mayor down onto the stage and surrounded him in case there had been a security breach. The…

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  • Phuket NewsNon-stop singer sets world record | Thaiger

    Non-stop singer sets world record

    PHUKET TOWN: He sang for his supper. He sang for his breakfast. He sang for his lunch. And Issarakul “DJ Dedduang” Thamangraksat eventually sang his way into the record books in a 24-hour marathon that ended today at the Royal Phuket City Hotel. The 28-year-old has earned a place in Ripley’s Believe it Or Not! by singing almost 500 songs…

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  • Phuket NewsPolice upgrade special skills | Thaiger

    Police upgrade special skills

    PHUKET TOWN: About 60 police graduated today from a three-week course designed to improve their ability to deal with VIP visits, security breaches and a variety of other situations. Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi told the officers that increased crime and marine accidents were byproducts of the growth in tourism and related industries. “Phuket has to prevent crimes and disasters of…

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  • Phuket NewsGov lobbies for lower import duty on yachts | Thaiger

    Gov lobbies for lower import duty on yachts

    PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday urged a panel of central government financial experts to reduce the import duty on yachts. “Import taxes on yachts are too high. If charges and taxes were lower, more investors would import boats legally,” he said. The governor made his comments at a meeting to discuss provincial financial relations with the central government…

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  • Phuket NewsNew work permit fees in force | Thaiger

    New work permit fees in force

    PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette today confirmed that new work permit fees are in operation. Acting on a tip-off, the Gazette visited the offices of the Phuket Provincial Labor and Social Welfare Office, on Sakdidet Rd Soi 1, where the new fees are posted – in Thai only. The new charges, which came into force quietly on September 18, are as…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s ecofuture “starts here’ | Thaiger

    Phuket’s ecofuture “starts here’

    RAWAI: Key government and private organizations met today to start a serious campaign to protect Phuket’s environment – including Patong, which some say is already “worse than Pattaya”. Backed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, the gathering at Rawai sought cooperation across city planning, marine life protection and urban issues such as garbage recycling. Suwan Nantasarut, Director of…

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  • Phuket News4,000 invited to mayor’s campaign party | Thaiger

    4,000 invited to mayor’s campaign party

    PATONG: Invitations have been sent to 4,000 Patong people to attend the launch of Mayor Surasak Maneesri’s municipal election campaign on Saturday. Festivities, set for the field next to Patong beach, will included a free buffet and drinks and performances on two stages, including sets by popular Look Thoong singers. Mayor Surasak’s Patong Gao-na (Patong Progress) group is running against…

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  • Phuket NewsSeized yacht fails to sell at auction | Thaiger

    Seized yacht fails to sell at auction

    PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Customs sold an impounded dinghy at auction today but retained a yacht that failed to bring a satisfactory bid. The yacht, “Silachai”, was seized at the Boat Lagoon on March 7 last year and sent for auction after the case was closed. Only one bid of 480,000 baht was received today. A new auction date will be…

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  • Phuket News“One Tambon’ project earns B87 million | Thaiger

    “One Tambon’ project earns B87 million

    PHUKET TOWN: The “One Tambon, One Product” project has earned 87 million baht for Phuket in eight months, a provincial community forum was told yesterday. Suthep Wuthisak, of the Phuket Provincial Development Office, told 80 representatives from government and private industry, including local shops and department stores, that it was important for suppliers and dealers to get together. More products…

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  • Phuket NewsAnti-foreigner sentiment runs high at local chamber meeting | Thaiger

    Anti-foreigner sentiment runs high at local chamber meeting

    PHUKET: Just when foreigners in Phuket were beginning to regain confidence in Thailand as a place in which to invest, a Member of Parliament has once again clouded the skies by suggesting a massive rise in the fees for an initial work permit, from the current 300 baht to as much as 300,000 baht. The astonishing announcement was made today…

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  • Phuket NewsLaguna appoints new Deputy MD | Thaiger

    Laguna appoints new Deputy MD

    CHERNG TALAY: Laguna Resorts & Hotels (LRH) has appointed American Bill Barnett to the newly created post of Deputy Managing Director of the company. Mr Barnett, 43, will be responsible for overseeing the portfolio of non-hotel businesses at Laguna. These include Laguna Services Co, Laguna Property Sales, the Allamanda Vacation Club, Canal Village Laguna Shopping and Laguna Travel & Tours.…

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  • Phuket NewsLarge turnout tipped for King’s Cup | Thaiger

    Large turnout tipped for King’s Cup

    PHUKET TOWN: Organizers expect about 80 yachts and up to 700 sailors from 20 countries to take part in this year’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta. The event dates of November 30 to December 7 were confirmed today at a meeting between regatta officials and Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi. He said the 16th annual regatta would also form a part of…

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  • Phuket NewsGreen fuel puts smugglers out of business | Thaiger

    Green fuel puts smugglers out of business

    PHUKET: Lateral thinking by authorities appears to have won the day with official Green Fuel far outselling smuggled fuel in the Andaman Sea. The green-dyed diesel fuel is sold free of excise tax and VAT to Thai fishing boats as a way to stop them buying cheap fuel in international waters, or smuggled fuel in Thai waters. Pol Maj Prasert…

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  • Phuket NewsCrackdown on cough syrup abuse | Thaiger

    Crackdown on cough syrup abuse

    PHUKET: Authorities have begun a campaign to fight the abuse by Phuket teenagers of cough syrup containing codeine. More than 1,000 bottles of the syrup have been seized since August 19. The cough syrup, the latest “in” drug among Phuket teenagers, is commonly mixed with alcoholic drinks or soft drinks. Dr Wanchai Sattayawutthipong, chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office,…

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  • Phuket News84 fined for after-hours drinking | Thaiger

    84 fined for after-hours drinking

    PHUKET TOWN: Vice-Governor Manit Wattanasen led raids at the weekend on two nightspots in Phuket Town, netting 84 revelers who were fined 500 baht each for after-hours drinking. During the raids on Variety on Rassada Rd and Mondo on Yaowarat Rd, the urine of three women and two men tested positive for illegal drugs. Samples have been sent to Bangkok…

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  • Phuket NewsSpectacle launches Pian&’s election campaign | Thaiger

    Spectacle launches Pian&’s election campaign

    PATONG: Former mayor Pian Keesin launched the Palang Patong Party’s (Patong Power – PPP) municipal election campaign at the weekend with a spectacular fair and a stage show that drew an audience of 500 people. PPP supporters who gathered outside the candidate’s house on Phra Baramee Rd enjoyed a free buffet, drinks and the show, plus a big-screen presentation of…

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  • Phuket NewsB10m log cargo floats free | Thaiger

    B10m log cargo floats free

    PHANG NGA: Heavy monsoon seas unleashed a 10-million-baht cargo of Indonesian logs and scattered them across waters off Phang Nga at the weekend. Now the company that owns the cargo is offering a 500-baht reward for each of 532 logs and has asked police to prevent Thai villagers “salvaging” them. On Friday evening, the logs were being towed on a…

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  • Phuket NewsUnhappy workers blamed for boss’s murder | Thaiger

    Unhappy workers blamed for boss’s murder

    RAWAI: Police believe that the murder of a man at the wheel of his pick-up early yesterday morning was probably carried out by his disgruntled employees. Kongsin Wongpran, 40, a builder, was found slumped over the wheel with the driver’s door open on Wiset Rd, some half a kilometer from Chalong Circle, about 12:15 am on Friday. Two men on…

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  • Phuket NewsTwo held for mobile phone scam

    Two held for mobile phone scam

    PHUKET TOWN: Police have arrested a Briton and his Burmese partner and accused them of an international mobile telephone scam that was netting them thousands of baht each day. Police named the men as Gaser Jaba, 35, and Lux Chuman, 18. The pair were arrested at a house in Moo Baan Jom Thong on Kwang Rd yesterday afternoon. Police confiscated…

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  • Phuket NewsRevenge&’ motive for stabbing murder | Thaiger

    Revenge&’ motive for stabbing murder

    PHUKET TOWN: Police believe a Thai was murdered in a stabbing frenzy by a group of Burmese bent on revenge. Crewmen discovered the body of Pairat Singkam, 39, in the engine room of the “Sinnumchai 5” on Wednesday afternoon, while the boat was berthed in Rassada Port. Pol Capt Watcharin Jiratthikarn, of Phuket Town Police Station, said K. Pairat, a…

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  • Phuket NewsMass juvenile jailbreak: eight on run | Thaiger

    Mass juvenile jailbreak: eight on run

    PHUKET TOWN: Eight young escapees are still on the run this afternoon following a mass breakout from the Phuket Juvenile Observation and Protection Center (PJOPC) at about lunch time. Within a couple of hours, seven youths had been caught and returned to the center. Some later told reporters that they broke out because of beatings by older children. The seven…

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  • Phuket NewsRoad rage over Thepkrasattri name change | Thaiger

    Road rage over Thepkrasattri name change

    PHUKET: In response to public backlash, the Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) has removed its signs along the northern section of Thepkrasattri Rd indicating the road’s original and official name, Sathienthapanakij Rd. The new signs were posted as part of a Highways Office national program to have all highways marked clearly with their proper names. PPHO Chief Visute Maiwattana today…

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  • Phuket NewsCloud seeding brings 80 mm of rain | Thaiger

    Cloud seeding brings 80 mm of rain

    PHUKET: A week of rainmaking to increase Phuket’s water supply has so far produced 80.3 millimeters of rain, Sanae Varit, Consultant to the Royal Bureau of Rainmaking and Agriculture Aviation in Bangkok, said at Phuket International Airport yesterday. The program to use chemical drops from airplanes to “seed” clouds and induce rain started on September 9 after Governor CEO Pongpayome…

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  • Phuket NewsHillside houses limited to 150 sqm | Thaiger

    Hillside houses limited to 150 sqm

    PHUKET: The head of the National Environment Board committee set up to evaluate construction laws in Phuket announced yesterday that, if the law restricting construction above 80 meters is to be repealed, the size of buildings should be limited to a maximum interior size of 150 square meters. Prasong Iam-anun made the announcement after a two-day public hearing about the…

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  • Phuket NewsVeggie Fest fun to be closely watched | Thaiger

    Veggie Fest fun to be closely watched

    PHUKET TOWN: The Deputy-Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8 has ordered Phuket’s police force to strengthen security, especially during the Vegetarian Festival from October 5-15 when there will be many tourists, both foreign and Thai, visiting the island. Pol Maj Gen Pramote Pansakul warned yesterday that Phuket police would be vigorously enforcing the law, and would pay particular attention to…

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  • Phuket NewsBan on lofty buildings extended | Thaiger

    Ban on lofty buildings extended

    PHUKET: The ban on building construction at heights of 80 meters above sea level or higher will continue for at least another year, it was announced today. Prasong Iam-anun, head of the National Environment Board committee evaluating construction laws in Phuket, made the announcement this morning at The Metropole hotel, where 400 people gathered for a public hearing of proposed…

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  • Phuket NewsAerothai inks deal with China | Thaiger

    Aerothai inks deal with China

    PHUKET: Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai), the regulatory body for the air traffic industry in Thailand, has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to boost Thailand’s chance of becoming regional air transport hub. The deal was signed at Aerothai’s office at Phuket International Airport, in recognition of Phuket’s importance to tourism in Thailand. Aerothai President Capt Padet Limpisavasti announced the…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket to launch a world-first | Thaiger

    Phuket to launch a world-first

    PHUKET: The Phuket yachting community stands to make history later this year with the launch of the Phuket Sports 8 racing/recreational yacht designed especially for local conditions. Mark Horwood of Phuket-based yacht builder Latitude 8 Yachting told the Gazette the first models ever built would be assembled in Phuket. “We expect the parts to arrive in about five weeks and…

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  • Phuket NewsThepkrasattri Rd renamed – again | Thaiger

    Thepkrasattri Rd renamed – again

    PHUKET: The section of Thepkrasattri Rd from Kositwiharn temple to the Sarasin Bridge has been renamed Sathienthapanakij Rd, it was announced today. Visute Maiwattana, Chief of the Provincial Phuket Highway Office (PPHO), said at a meeting with the press, “Sathienthapanakij Rd was the name given to the road in 1950. It was named after the first Chief of the Provincial…

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  • Phuket NewsDolphin rescued at Kamala | Thaiger

    Dolphin rescued at Kamala

    KAMALA: A 2.4-meter bottlenose dolphin beached at Kamala yesterday was rescued by local residents and is now being cared for at Phuket FantaSea theme park. Kamala residents Inge and Don McMahon helped rescue the dolphin after villagers called for their assistance just after midday. Ms McMahon today said, “We ran down to the beach after Thai villagers told us about…

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  • Phuket NewsCrown Prince to come to Phuket | Thaiger

    Crown Prince to come to Phuket

    CHALONG: HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej has named HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn as his Royal representative for a religious ceremony to be held at Wat Chalong on September 23. During the ceremony, the Crown Prince, accompanied by his wife, Mom Srirath Mahidhol Na Ayuthaya, will place a bone fragment of Buddha in its official resting place in the new chedi…

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  • Phuket NewsBurmese body found in locked room | Thaiger

    Burmese body found in locked room

    PHUKET TOWN: A 37-year-old Burmese fish factory worker was found stabbed to death and locked in his room on Thursday morning. Pol Lt Parichat Chaturonpan, from Phuket Town Police Station, named the victim as “Leesaw” and said a neighbor and co-worker of Leesaw called the police at about 10 am after he had failed to turn up for work. Officers…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket plans against Apec terrorism | Thaiger

    Phuket plans against Apec terrorism

    PHUKET: Lertkiat Vongpuaphan, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Governor’s Office, today announced that a team of high-ranking provincial officers have drawn up plans to defend against terrorism during the 3rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting next year. Phuket will host a peripheral meeting of the summit from August 14-23, with senior government officials from 21 Apec member economies expected to…

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  • Phuket NewsNew website targets top-end tourists | Thaiger

    New website targets top-end tourists

    PHUKET: In a campaign to target high-end tourists and the Mice (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) business, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Los Angeles design firm Ignition yesterday officially launched the website ExperienceThailand.com. Napasorn Kakai, Assistant Director of the local branch of the TAT, said, “We’re focusing on the Mice market, especially from America. Despite the current situation,…

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  • Phuket NewsGovernor’s foray closes noisy venues | Thaiger

    Governor’s foray closes noisy venues

    PHUKET: Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi last night ordered the closure of 30 entertainment venues for trading without proper licenses or for creating excessive noise. Gov Pongpayome, with Vice-Governor Manit Wattanasen and 28 officers from the Provincial Defense Office and Phuket Town Police Station, began the “silent night” raids at 9 pm in Saphan Hin, Phuket Town. No less than…

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  • Phuket NewsRecycle and save Phuket | Thaiger

    Recycle and save Phuket

    PHUKET TOWN: Schools, community groups and families are being urged to take part in a recycling contest aimed at making the people of Phuket understand the importance of classifying garbage correctly. The concept came from Wipapan Kusuwan, President of the Satree Phuket Former Students Association, who held a press conference at the Pearl Hotel yesterday to highlight the importance of…

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  • Phuket NewsImmigration warns visa runs are DIY | Thaiger

    Immigration warns visa runs are DIY

    PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Immigration Office (PPIO) warned today that foreigners needing their visas renewed must complete the process themselves. Many non-Thais in Phuket have to leave the country every three months on so-called “visa runs” in order to obtain fresh visas and/or entry permits at Thai embassies and/or consulates. Assigning another person to perform the task is considered illegal…

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