Month: November 2009
- Phuket
Phuket toy boy murder suspect: ‘I acted alone’
PHUKET CITY: The 21-year-old man suspected of murdering elderly Japanese citizen Yukiho Yamada and burning his body in Phuket continues to insist he acted alone, but police remain skeptical. Suwit Maengsri told police his 50-year-old lover Tubtim Saehak – Mr Yamada’s wife – was not involved in either the killing or the disposal of the body. Mr Suwit said he…
Read More » - Phuket
King’s Cup Regatta returns to its roots
PHUKET: Action at the 23rd King’s Cup Regatta got underway over the weekend with two days of competitive dinghy racing off Kata Beach.Now in it’s 22nd year, the event is Asia’s biggest and most popular regatta.Inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the event has been held every year since then during…
Read More » - Phuket
Tourist found dead off Phuket beach
PHUKET CITY: The body of a man presumed to be a foreign tourist was pulled from the sea off Karon Beach earlier today.Chalong Police were notified of the body’s discovery by staff at Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort around noon today.Phuket Ruamjai Kupai Foundation workers used one of the resort’s boats to recover the floating body, which was discovered about…
Read More » - Phuket
HM The King’s birthday celebrations cut back
The Royal Household Bureau announced today that His Majesty the King has ordered the indefinite postponement of many functions relating to his birthday celebrations.The Trooping the Color, scheduled on December 2, and HM the King’s birthday speech on December 4 have been indefinitely postponed.HM the King will still grant an audience to royal family members, the cabinet and Members of…
Read More » - Phuket
Readers’ Poll: Plastic initiative good for Phuket
PHUKET: Over half of Phuket Gazette voters think the new charge for plastic bags is a good idea. The results come in as Phuket prepares to implement a one- or two-baht charge for plastic bags at the island’s major retail stores beginning in February. Of the 580 voters who took part in the poll, 306 (or 52.8%) agreed that the…
Read More » - Phuket
Court sentences killers of British sailor
PHUKET CITY: Two Burmese fishermen were sentenced to 25 years in prison for the March 2009 murder of British yachtsman Malcolm Robertson off the coast of Thailand’s Satun province, The Guardian has reported. At the time of the murder, the semi-retired couple were on their way from Phuket to Malaysia’s Langkawi Island, where they planned to leave their yacht and…
Read More » - Opinion
OPINION: A tough time for Phuket police
PHUKET: The past week has seen a real change in the weather in Phuket, literally and figuratively. The monsoon season appears to finally be drawing to a close and with temperatures dropping in colder northern climes, high season is upon us. Hotel occupancy rates are rising and the island’s population continues to swell. By some estimates Phuket’s actual population is…
Read More » - Phuket
Man nabbed over killing of Japanese in Phuket
PHUKET CITY: A man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of killing a 75-year-old Japanese national, reportedly out of rage at the victim for abusing his Thai wife, with whom the alleged killer was romantically involved. Suwit Maengsri, 21, was wanted for conspiring to murder Yukiho Yamada, stealing his cellphone and burning his body to cover up the crime. He was…
Read More » - Phuket
Transport officials inspect Ao Por wave attenuator
PHUKET CITY: High-ranking Transport Ministry officials paid a visit to Ao Por Grand Marina on Thursday morning to inspect a newly-deployed floating wave attenuator installed on a trial basis at a cost of 20 million baht. Deputy Transport Minister Kuakul Danchaiwijit, Marine Department Director Chalor Kotcharat and other officials arrived at the marina at about 11am. Ao Por Grand Marina customer…
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Grass gets greener for Phuket sea cows
PHUKET CITY: The grass will be greener for sea cows (dugongs) visiting Phuket thanks to a seagrass fertilization project currently underway.Bangkok Hospital Phuket and the Mekawanich Foundation are teaming up to produce 20,000 ‘effective micro-organisms’ (EM) balls that will be introduced into the sea off Pa Khlok and into the fetid waters of Klong Pakbang in Patong.The project will be…
Read More » - Phuket
Andaman Travel Trade show starts tomorrow
PHUKET CITY: The 4th Andaman Travel Trade (ATT) show starts tomorrow at the convention area on the first floor of Central Festival Phuket. With the tagline ‘Three Destinations – 1,000 Activities’, the fair aims to promote tourism-related business throughout the Andaman coastal region. Representatives from more than 120 organizations will take part, including 75 from Phuket, 15 from Phang Nga…
Read More » - Chiang Mai
Dutch crash victim’s remains to be repatriated
SAKHOO, PHUKET : The remains of Dutch national Klaas Verbeek, who was killed in a motorbike accident on Monday evening, will be repatriated to Holland over the weekend.Pol Maj Rassada Kleongwong of Tha Chat Chai Police, identified the driver of the vehicle that collided with Mr Verbeek’s motorbike as Pol Sgt Maj Thavorn Tongkham, who is assigned to the Tah…
Read More » - Phuket
Woman confesses to arranging murder of Japanese husband
CHALONG, PHUKET: Chalong Police say a 50-year-old Thai woman has confessed to having her elderly Japanese husband murdered after he asked if he could keep a mistress. Seventy-five-year-old Yukiho Yamada’s skeletal remains were found in a burning car in Chalong at around 4:30am Wednesday morning. His wife, Tubtim Saehak, said she hired Suwit ‘Kai’ Mansri, a 21-year-old Thai man from…
Read More » - Phuket
Phuket jet-skis now insured
PATONG, PHUKET: More than 200 people with a complement of 70 machines turned out for today’s ‘jet-ski jamboree’ on Patong Beach.The event, organized by the Phuket Jet-ski Rental Club, was held to mark the official launch of the compulsory insurance scheme that the government hopes will put an end to the infamous ‘jet-ski scam’ in which tourists are overcharged for…
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Alleged ladyboy killer nabbed in Phuket Town
PHUKET CITY: The suspected killer of a ladyboy found dead in Wichit on Saturday morning was caught early Wednesday morning at a short-time hotel near Saphan Hin. A Phuket City Police press release identified the suspect as 22-year-old Phichai ‘Muk’ Lakkor. Mr Phichai was initially arrested by Phuket City Police crime suppression officers for the illegal possession of a firearm.…
Read More » - Other News
Fear of girlfriend leads to death plunge
BANGKOK: A man fell to his death November 15 as he tried to lower himself onto the balcony of his fifth floor flat – rather than go in through the front door and meet his angry girlfriend. The body of 29-year-old Surasak Kasan was found lying on the ground under the balcony of his apartment in Din Daeng. He had…
Read More » - Phuket
Phuket TV star in ICU following smash
PHUKET: A Thai soap star and former Miss Teen Thailand from Phuket is in serious condition following a car accident in Pathum Thani. Ameria ‘Amy’ Jacobs, 21, and 25-year-old Buphakorn Nilat are being treated in Krung Siam St Carlos Hospital in the central Thai province. Mr Buphakorn was driving Miss Jacobs home to Nonthaburi province when he lost control of…
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German tourist takes on foul latrine in Kamala
KAMALA, PHUKET: A German tourist disgusted with the state of a public toilet at Kamala Beach has taken it upon himself to give the bog a thorough cleaning every day. The German, 56-year-old Rohlofe Jeck, is in Kamala on a one-week holiday, staying in a rented accommodation near the Kamala Public Health Office. Yesterday afternoon, Mr Jeck was spotted by…
Read More » - Phuket
OPINION: A positive step at last for Phuket
PHUKET CITY: In a show of public-private sector co-operation, Phuket’s major retailers are working with the government to institute a nominal fee for shoppers who carry off their purchases in plastic bags. The first of its kind in Thailand, the initiative is a sensible and long overdue attempt to deal with Phuket’s waste management crisis. With each passing day, approximately…
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Dutch biker killed in Phuket collision
MAI KHAO, PHUKET: Dutchman Klaas Verbeek was killed and his Thai passenger seriously injured when the motorbike they were riding collided with a pickup truck driven by a policeman in Tah Chat Chai early yesterday evening.Mr Verbeek, 53, was an annual visitor to Phuket for at least 15 years and was highly regarded in Phuket’s expat community.His body is being…
Read More » - Phuket
Patong Carnival plans announced
PATONG, PHUKET: Plans for this year’s Patong Carnival are starting to take shape, with entertainment set to include shadow puppetry, Northern Thai drumming and a host of Thai musicians of various genres. The event sponsor, Beer Chang, is spending more than 40 million baht to ensure there are plenty of famous names on the bill for the festival, which takes…
Read More » - Phuket
Reckless driver kills Phuket monk, merit-maker
PHUKET CITY: A man drove a pick-up at high speed into an elderly monk and a man donating alms on his 23rd birthday early this morning, killing both. Luangpor Samarn Narakea, 60, was accepting alms from Grissada Nootngiewngarm, 23, when they were hit by an Isuzu pick-up at around 6am. The pair were standing on Takuapa Road, across the canal…
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