Month: March 2009

  • Phuket News

    Anchalee denies involvement in governor’s transfer

    PHUKET CITY: One of Phuket’s leading Democrat Party figures has denied any involvement in the transfer of former governor Preecha Ruangjan and revealed that Dr Preecha requested the transfer. Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr, Deputy Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangkok and wife of Phuket MP Tossaporn Thepabutr, said media reports that she had something to do with the transfer…

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  • Phuket News

    Youth stabbed to death in Suan Luang Park

    PHUKET CITY: In the latest fatality from teenage gang violence, a 17-year-old boy was found stabbed to death inside Suan Luang Park in the early hours of Sunday, March 15. Phuket City Police received a report of a murder in the park on the emergency hotline (‘191’) at about 1:45 am. Arriving at the scene with rescue workers from the…

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  • Phuket NewsCherng Talay teen charged with attempted murder | Thaiger

    Cherng Talay teen charged with attempted murder

    CHERNG TALAY, PHUKET: Police on Thursday morning held a press conference to announce the arrest of a local youth wanted for shooting a rival gang member in late January. Cherng Talay Police Inspector for Investigation Tongchai Matitum identified the suspect as 19-year-old Pharuhat Choochit, a resident of Cherng Talay Village 5. According to the press release, the shooting took place…

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  • Phuket News

    First day in office for Governor Wichai

    PHUKET CITY: Today marks the first day in office of Phuket’s new governor, Wichai Phraisa-ngop.Mr Wichai was greeted at the Governor’s Mansion yesterday morning by numerous officials and well-wishers, some traveling from as far away as Phang Nga and Surat Thani to attend the ceremony.Transferred to Phuket from his previous posting as governor of Sing Buri province in the Central…

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  • Phuket News

    PAD to hold huge rally in Phuket

    PHUKET: The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will stage a large rally at Saphan Hin in Phuket on April 18. All five core PAD leaders – Sondhi Limthongkul, Chamlong Srimuang, Pipop Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuk and Somkiat Pongpaiboon – are set to attend. Mr Sondhi’s Asian Satellite Television (ASTV) is organizing the rally, which will start at 4 pm and go…

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  • Phuket News

    Siam Indigo damaged in Sunday morning fire

    PHUKET CITY: The popular Siam Indigo Exotique Bar and Restaurant on Phang Nga Road was partially damaged in a fire that broke out at about 10:20 am yesterday. Taweesak Suwit, an officer at the local Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) office, told the Gazette that two Phuket City fire trucks managed to get the blaze under control, though…

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  • Phuket NewsSuspects held for stealing 1.7 million baht from a Briton | Thaiger

    Suspects held for stealing 1.7 million baht from a Briton

    BANGKOK: A Thai graduate student and two female accomplices were arrested for allegedly stealing 1.7 million baht from a Briton via e-banking facilities and ATMs, police said yesterday. Tourist Police Division Chief Maj-General Adis Ngamjitsuksri yesterday presented three suspects at a press conference along with 10 items of evidence that included five mobile phones, a notebook computer and a PC.…

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  • Phuket NewsBattered body found in rubber plantation | Thaiger

    Battered body found in rubber plantation

    CHALONG, PHUKET: Police have yet to identify the body of a man found beaten to death in a rubber plantation off Soi Nakok early Friday morning. Chalong Police Duty Officer Anukul Nuket was notified of the body’s discovery at 9:30 am and went to the scene, about half a kilometer from Chao Fa West Rd on Soi Nakok in Chalong…

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  • Phuket News

    Komkai killing: second suspect surrenders

    PHUKET CITY: The second of five suspects wanted for conspiracy to commit murder in the high-profile contract killing of Jintana Plaza heiress Komkai Kositkoon turned himself in to police on Thursday afternoon. The suspect, 46-year-old Sopol Latrana, surrendered himself to Region 8 Police Commander Santarn Chayanon and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong at Phuket City Police Station at 5…

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  • Phuket NewsDanish man found dead in Kata hotel | Thaiger

    Danish man found dead in Kata hotel

    KARON, PHUKET: In what police are treating as a case of death by natural causes, a Danish tourist was found dead in his hotel room at Kata Beach on Wednesday morning. Chalong Police Duty Officer Parichat Jaturonphan identified the deceased as 60-year-old Svarre Mortensen, a guest at the Tropical Garden Resort in Kata. Mr Svarre’s body was discovered lying face…

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  • Phuket NewsBody found at sea presumed to be missing cook | Thaiger

    Body found at sea presumed to be missing cook

    PHUKET: Earlier today, Marine police found what they suspect is the body of the last victim from the Choke Somboon 19 dive boat accident in which seven people went missing on March 8 when the vessel capsized during a storm about 12 miles off the coast of Phuket. Having found and identified the bodies of six missing tourists who were…

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  • Phuket News

    Car crash cash cow

    SRISOONTHORN, PHUKET: Road accidents can be costly for insurers, so when a dead ox was the cause of a two-car collision on Wednesday local police came up with a pragmatic way to ease one insurance company’s financial burden. Thalang Police Duty Officer Prakorb Boonkwan, notified of the unusual accident on Wednesday morning, was the first to arrive at the scene.…

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  • Thailand News

    Thai Obama sings to a different tune

    SARABURI: While your average Southeast Asian would struggle to make his way in the world as a Gerorge W Bush lookalike, America’s dashing new president is providing some exciting new career prospects for some men across the region. One Indonesian has already found fame in the Philippines owing to his uncanny resemblance to President Barack Obama. He was well compensated…

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  • Phuket News

    Irishman fights off crazed attacker

    RAWAI, PHUKET: An Irish guesthouse operator is lucky to be alive after fending off a brutal nighttime assault by a crazed, gun-wielding intruder on Tuesday, March 3.Roger Corrigan, 48-year-old proprietor of the Majestic Villas resort on Saiyuan Rd, was awoken at about 4:30 am by a man who jumped on him as he slept in his bed and began beating…

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  • Phuket NewsBillionaires Lead Phuket’s Top 5 Rich and Famous Villa List | Thaiger

    Billionaires Lead Phuket’s Top 5 Rich and Famous Villa List

    PHUKET: Thailand’s resort island of Phuket is fast becoming the place for the rich and famous in search of tropical island living coupled with great investment. According to the recently-launched Phuket Insider blog, two of Forbes magazine’s leading billionaires have uber-luxury villas in Phuket. Phuket’s “Top 5” are reported as: 1. New Zealand’s wealthiest brothers, Richard and Christopher Chandler (one…

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  • Phuket News

    Dive boat disaster: Japanese victim recovered

    PHUKET CITY: The body of missing Japanese dive tourist Hirotsuga Yuba was recovered by divers this morning, leaving only the Thai cook of the ill-fated Choke Somboon 19 unaccounted for after the vessel sunk during a storm on Sunday night. The bodies of four European tourists who were trapped in their cabins when the vessel capsized were recovered by divers…

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  • Pattaya News

    Pattaya, not Phuket, to host ASEAN meetings in April

    BANGKOK (TNA): Citing a lack of facilities in Phuket, the government has chosen Pattaya as the venue for two meetings for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) leaders and their dialogue partners next month, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya. Thailand earlier said that it had planned to host the Asean+3 and Asean+6 in Phuket, but Mr Kasit…

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  • Phuket News

    Trang woman commits suicide in Rassada

    RASSADA, PHUKET: A woman who committed suicide by hanging was found in the living room of her daughter’s home late Tuesday morning. Phuket City Police Duty Officer Anek Mongkol identified the deceased as 45-year-old Lamoon Injan, a resident of the Wangwiset District in Trang. At about 11:30 am, Mrs Lamoon’s daughter discovered her mother’s body suspended by the neck from…

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  • Phuket News

    Slight drop in demand for residential properties

    PHUKET CITY: Demand for residential projects in Phuket has dropped slightly due to the global economic downturn, the Government Housing Bank’s Real Estate Information Center (REIC) confirmed recently. According to an REIC survey, residential projects ready for sale in Phuket now numbered 139, or 12,334 units, said REIC Director-General Samma Kitsin at a recent seminar at the Royal Phuket City…

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  • Phuket NewsFour bodies found in sunken dive boat | Thaiger

    Four bodies found in sunken dive boat

    PHUKET: The Phuket branch of the Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) confirmed this afternoon that the bodies of four more victims from the dive boat Choke Somboon 19 have been discovered inside the sunken vessel.Deep sea divers have been working with Marine Police since first light this morning to reach the sunken vessel, which lies 70 meters below…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket has a serious new blog | Thaiger

    Phuket has a serious new blog

    PHUKET: ThePhuketInsider.Com, a major new blog described as “The Source for All Hotel & Real Estate News”, was launched today by Phuket Gazette columnist Bill Barnett, the well-known local property and hospitality consultant. Barnett is the Managing Director of Phuket-based C9 Hotelworks. His blog is slated to become something quite special for readers with an interest in the ‘Greater Phuket’…

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  • Phuket News

    German youth arrested for sexual abuse of young boys

     PATONG, PHUKET: A 17-year-old German national has confessed to charges of sexually molesting young boys following an investigation by the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) and Kathu Police. The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested at 11.30 pm in Rawai on Monday. The German is accused of conspiring to sexually abuse two young boys together with…

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  • Phuket News

    Red Cross Vigo auction on March 18

    PHUKET CITY: The Toyota Vigo that was top prize in the 2009 Phuket Red Cross Fair raffle is to be auctioned on March 18. The 650,000-baht pick-up remained unclaimed at the midnight deadline on Saturday February 28, prompting the auction. Bidding will take place at the Phuket Red Cross Office on Narisorn Rd. Prospective buyers should arrive at the office…

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  • Phuket NewsThai AirAsia to add direct Hong Kong flights in June | Thaiger

    Thai AirAsia to add direct Hong Kong flights in June

    PHUKET / BANGKOK: Thai AirAsia is planning to start direct flights between Phuket and Hong Kong in June and will push Phuket as a second hub in Thailand. An executive of the budget airline said daily flights between the two cities would use new A320s, scheduled for delivery in June. Phuket will be given more links with major destinations in…

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  • Phuket NewsDrowning victim’s body recovered off Rawai | Thaiger

    Drowning victim’s body recovered off Rawai

    RAWAI, PHUKET: A fishing trip ended in tragedy on Sunday, when a small fiberglass boat with three men aboard sank in a storm off Koh Bon in Rawai. Kathu resident Attakorn Chaiboon, 40, drowned in the accident, which happened at around 8.30 pm. His body was finally recovered from the sea at 3.10 pm on Tuesday. Two survivors, 33-year-old Sittichai…

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  • Phuket NewsBody of sunken dive vessel victim identified | Thaiger

    Body of sunken dive vessel victim identified

    PHUKET CITY: The identity of the female tourist whose body was recovered by a Royal Thai Navy vessel this morning has been confirmed as that of Austrian national Gabrielle Jetzinger, a source at the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) has revealed. Ms Jetzinger was among seven passengers still listed as missing after the dive…

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  • Phuket News

    Gov Preecha transferred out in civil service reshuffle

    PHUKET: Governor Preecha Ruangjan is to be transferred to Phitsanuloke province in the north of Thailand, a source in the Governor’s Office has confirmed. Dr Preecha, a native of Phichit province (which borders Phitsanuloke), was appointed as governor of Phuket less than five months ago under the government of Somchai Wongsawat and his now disbanded People Power Party (PPP). Dr…

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  • Phuket News

    Body of Caucasian woman recovered at sea

    AO MAKHAM, PHUKET: The body of a Caucasian woman was this morning found floating near the site of the sinking of the Choke Somboon 19, which capsized about 12 nautical miles off Phuket on Sunday night. For the original story, click here. The identity of the woman has not yet been confirmed. Her body, recovered by a Royal Thai Navy…

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  • Phuket News

    Strong evidence against alleged British pedophile: Kathu Police

    PATONG, PHUKET: A British man arrested for allegedly molesting four young boys was returned to Kathu Police Station for a press conference last night, but the conference was delayed pending the arrest of a second suspect on similar charges. A team of Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officers, with the assistance of Kathu Police, arrested 41-year-old UK national Dax J.…

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  • Phuket News

    Seven still missing after freak storm sinks boat near Phuket

    PHUKET: Following the sinking of a boat last night that was carrying tourists returning to Phuket from a diving trip near the Similan islands, six foreign tourists and one Thai member of the boat’s crew are still missing. Police have issued the following list of seven people who were on the boat but remain unaccounted for: German national Ms Jetzinger…

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  • Phuket NewsBritish expat denies child molestation charges | Thaiger

    British expat denies child molestation charges

    PATONG, PHUKET: A British man is being held for alleged sexual assault on four young schoolboys between the ages of nine and 14. Department of Special Investigations (DSI) officer Pol Maj Jatuporn Arunleaktawin identified the suspect as British national Dax J. Young, a 41-year-old Caucasian arrested by DSI officers and Kathu Police over the weekend in his rented home in…

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  • Phuket NewsBoat sinks off Phuket, six still missing | Thaiger

    Boat sinks off Phuket, six still missing

    BANGKOK / PHUKET: A boat carrying foreign scuba divers sunk off Phuket province late last night. Six of the divers are still missing. The Royal Thai Navy base in Phuket was alerted this morning by a tour operator whose boat, carrying 31 divers, failed to arrive at Chalong Pier (at Phuket island’s southern tip) at 2am as scheduled. The company…

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  • Phuket News

    Jyoti scuba dives his way to win the Singha Thailand Open

    LAGUNA PHUKET: After starting the day as joint leader in the final day of the Singha Thailand Open golf tournament in Phuket, Indian national Jyoti Randhawa won the four-day event to take home the King’s Cup and nearly US$80,000. Jyoti led at the 40th Singha Thailand Open at the start of today’s play with fellow Indian SSP Chowrasia and Welshman…

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  • Phuket NewsAnother murder as meatball dispute turns fatal | Thaiger

    Another murder as meatball dispute turns fatal

    RASSADA, PHUKET: A dispute between rival meatball (look chin) vendors ended in murder last night when one man slashed the other’s throat and left him lying dead in a pool of his own blood. The murderer turned himself in to police soon after, claiming that he had acted in self defense. Phuket City Police Duty Inspector Peeraphan Meemak was informed…

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  • Phuket News

    Six arrested in Degioanni murder case

    PATONG, PHUKET: The suspected mastermind behind the murder of Canadian real estate developer Francis Alex Degioanni is in police custody. Police say Singaporean national Go Li Fun, 32, confessed she had Mr Degioanni killed after he refused to pay several million baht in personal loans. Better known as “Diana”, the Singaporean is alleged to have paid four men from Petchaburi…

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  • Phuket NewsWarrant issued in Farang restaurant murder case | Thaiger

    Warrant issued in Farang restaurant murder case

    PHUKET CITY: Police have issued an arrest warrant for the man suspected of murdering the owner of Phuket’s popular Farang restaurant chain. Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit revealed the name of the wanted man as Prapan Inkong, 27. He declined to release the man’s address or other information for fear of jeopardizing the investigation. Police believe that Prapan was…

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  • Phuket NewsSmash scatters workmen over Thepkrassatri Rd | Thaiger

    Smash scatters workmen over Thepkrassatri Rd

    SRISOONTHORN, PHUKET: A pickup truck with nine workmen in its rear crashed into the back of a 10-wheeled truck, scattering its human cargo over Thepkrassatri Rd in Baan Lipon, Phuket, early Tuesday night. Nine men were injured in the incident, though none seriously hurt. An image of the aftermath of the smash can be seen here. The 10-wheeled truck had…

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