Year: 2010

  • Phuket NewsPhuket education fair this Sunday | Thaiger

    Phuket education fair this Sunday

    PHUKET: More than 20 Phuket-based Thai, bilingual and international schools are taking part in the Phuket Private Education Fair at Central Festival this Sunday. The schools will be occupying booths at Central Festival’s Event Hall on the 2nd floor from 11am to 8pm on February 14, giving prospective students and their parents the chance to meet school representatives and find…

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  • Phuket NewsCar crushes cobra in Mai Khao

    Car crushes cobra in Mai Khao

    PHUKET TOWN: A cobra trying to cross Thepkrasattri Road in Thalang got crushed by oncoming traffic late yesterday afternoon. Estonian freelance photographer Ardo Kaljuvee, who happened to be driving past at the time, was among the many motorists who stopped to view the remains of the flattened serpent, which was at least three meters in length. The snake’s final slither…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket fishing boat scuttled after blaze

    Phuket fishing boat scuttled after blaze

    RASSADA, PHUKET: A wooden fishing boat that burst into flames during repair work this morning was deliberately sunk in the waters of Klong Tha Cheen. After receiving a report of a boat fire at about 9:30am, Phuket City Police, Marine Police and four fire engines from Rassada Municipality and Phuket City Municipality rushed to the scene. Arriving at the Pichai…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket Readers’ Poll: closing times | Thaiger

    Phuket Readers’ Poll: closing times

    PHUKET: Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop is reportedly lobbying the government in Bangkok to have the closing time for bars and nightclubs in Patong extended to 4am. What do you think is the best closing time for nightlife venues in Patong? Click on the icon on the top right of this screen or  here to cast your vote in the latest…

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  • Phuket NewsMan killed in bypass road collision | Thaiger

    Man killed in bypass road collision

    RASSADA, PHUKET: A young man was killed last night when he drove his motorbike at high speed into the back of an 18-wheel truck parked on the bypass road. Police believe 22-year-old Uthen Thepohol failed to notice the truck because its tail lights were switched off. Mr Uthen, from Nakhon Phanom province, died instantly in the smash, which happened around…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket Gazette Readers Poll: Don’t enforce drugs law | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette Readers Poll: Don’t enforce drugs law

    PHUKET: Most Phuket Gazette readers think current Thai laws regarding the sale of prescription drugs like diazepam (Valium) should not be enforced, according to the results of our latest poll. More than half of the respondents to the last survey thought over-the-counter sales of such drugs should either be legalized or tolerated, as they are now. The poll followed the…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket prepped for Super Bowl | Thaiger

    Phuket prepped for Super Bowl

    PHUKET TOWN: Super Bowl XLIV (that’s 44), the culmination of the NFL season and the biggest annual sporting event in the USA, will kick off early tomorrow morning, Thai time. The New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts will meet in Miami to decide the destination of the next Vince Lombardi trophy. It will be an historic occasion for the…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket bar destroyed in arson attack

    Phuket bar destroyed in arson attack

    RAWAI, PHUKET: Police are investigating an arson attack that completely destroyed the popular Roxanne Bar on Wichit Rd in Rawai early yesterday morning. Chalong Police were notified of the blaze at 3:30am. It took two Rawai Municipality fire engines about 30 minutes to put out the flames, but not before they destroyed the bar and everything inside. Located near the…

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  • Phuket NewsMaimed pilot in Phuket: ‘I will fly again’

    Maimed pilot in Phuket: ‘I will fly again’

    PHUKET TOWN: Cathay Pacific airline pilot Scott McDonald is trying to put his life back together after his lower calf and foot were sliced off by a speeding motorbike in a freak accident in Phuket late last month. As the American lay bleeding on the pavement, a passerby who witnessed the accident used the victim’s cellphone to call for help…

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  • OpinionPHUKET OPINION: Stop ‘zero fare tours’ before they start in Phuket

    PHUKET OPINION: Stop ‘zero fare tours’ before they start in Phuket

    PHUKET: Plans by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and three tourism business associations to stop ‘zero tour fare’ operators from setting up in Phuket are laudable, especially given the damage such outfits have already done to the inbound Chinese market in places like Chiang Mai and Pattaya. (See story here.) Often run out of Bangkok, zero fare tour operators…

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  • Phuket NewsPaddlers go for gold in Phuket

    Paddlers go for gold in Phuket

    PA KHLOK, PHUKET: One of the more colorful events taking place this weekend is the 6th Annual ‘Hua Tong’ Boat Paddling competition at Ao Por Pier in Pa Khlok. Eighteen teams with ten paddlers each are taking part in the main competition, which began at 9am yesterday with an opening ceremony presided over by Phuket Vice Governor Smith Palawatwichai. In…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket passes on swine flu vaccine | Thaiger

    Phuket passes on swine flu vaccine

    PHUKET TOWN: Phuket residents at high risk of contracting swine flu are failing to get vaccinated due to fears of side effects. Fewer than 7% of those identified as being at high risk have taken the vaccine, according to figures from the Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO). The PPHO says there are around 10,000 people in Phuket listed as having…

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  • Phuket NewsDonations sought for Phuket road project completion

    Donations sought for Phuket road project completion

    PHUKET TOWN: Wichit Municipality is seeking donations to help build a new house for a family of squatters who are holding up completion of a new road running behind Darasamuth School. Wichit Mayor Kreetar Saetan told the Gazette the municipality currently lacks the funds to build a new home for Chamnan Rungklin and his family, even though they already have…

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  • Phuket NewsAmerican found dead in Phuket home

    American found dead in Phuket home

    PHUKET TOWN: Police are investigating whether an Immigration Police Volunteer found dead in his Rawai home committed suicide or was murdered. American national Richard Johnson, 67, was found slumped against his bedroom door with electrical cord around his neck yesterday evening. There were wounds to his neck and forehead. The death was discovered by an unidentified friend of the deceased,…

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  • Phuket NewsRed shirts plan big Phuket rally

    Red shirts plan big Phuket rally

    PHUKET TOWN: Leaders of Phuket’s small red shirt movement yesterday declared the group will no longer back down against parties denying them their right to free speech – and say they are planning a large regional rally in Phuket. Four leaders of the ‘Phuket Protect Democratic Group’ [sic], the local branch of the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket cops speak on tourist murders

    Phuket cops speak on tourist murders

    PATONG, PHUKET: Patong’s most senior cop says perceived injustice, drunkenness and robbery attempts are the three factors that lead Thais to assault foreigners. Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark says it is important to examine the underlying causes of Thai-on-farang violence. The comments come just after the announcement of Col Grissak’s transfer from the bright lights of Patong to Phang Nga’s…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket villagers burn red flags

    Phuket villagers burn red flags

    WICHIT, PHUKET: Villagers burned flags belonging to a band of red shirts who attempted to rally in front of the Thai naval base in Cape Panwa this morning, warning them: ‘You are not welcome here’. A local man told the Gazette, “I don’t think they’ll come back, but if they do, we’re ready for a fight.” At around 9:30am a…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket to benefit from EVA – Bangkok Air agreement | Thaiger

    Phuket to benefit from EVA – Bangkok Air agreement

    PHUKET TOWN: Bangkok Airways and Taipei-based long-haul carrier EVA Air have signed a ‘code share’ agreement for services from Amsterdam, Vienna, London (Heathrow) and Taipei to Phuket, Koh Samui, Phuket and Chiang Mai. A code share agreement enables two airlines to sell seats on the same flight. Under the agreement, EVA will operate the international flights and Bangkok Air will…

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  • Phuket NewsNo more free visas for Phuket tourists and expats | Thaiger

    No more free visas for Phuket tourists and expats

    PHUKET: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, who oversees the Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates worldwide, today confirmed that visa fees will be levied for all visa classes from March 5, 2010. Tourist visas are valid for a 60 day-stay and may be extended at local Thai Immigration offices. Foreigners entering Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category (free…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket red shirt rally foiled by residents | Thaiger

    Phuket red shirt rally foiled by residents

    WICHIT, PHUKET: Plans by supporters of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to hold a peaceful rally at the Navy Base at Cape Panwa early this afternoon got off to a bad start this morning, when the red-shirts got into a fight with local residents. Following the argument, the red-shirted members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) were…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket could benefit from Finnish retirement community plan | Thaiger

    Phuket could benefit from Finnish retirement community plan

    PHUKET TOWN: Finland plans to build serviced apartments for retirees in Thailand, the Finnish website aamulehti.fi has reported. The move is intended to help Finnish retirees enjoy their golden years in this country, where their pension savings and other benefits will go much further than in Finland. According to Finnish government projections, the population of people aged  65 years and…

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  • Phuket NewsUSS Nimitz readies to ship out after Phuket visit

    USS Nimitz readies to ship out after Phuket visit

    PHUKET TOWN: Servicemen and women from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and her two companion vessels USS Pinckney and USS Rentz have been painting the town in recent days, both figuratively and literally. As part of the US Navy’s community relations work during their current visit to Phuket, a team of sailors yesterday painted the canteen at the Baan Ao…

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  • Thailand NewsCell phone fears grip the North | Thaiger

    Cell phone fears grip the North

    CHIANG MAI: People in Northern Thailand have been afraid to answer their cellphones in recent weeks, following claims that calls from certain numbers cause instant brain haemorrhages. People are warning each other to watch out for numbers containing the sequence 3333. If the gossip is to be believed, when calls from the numbers are answered the phones send out a…

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  • Phuket NewsTAT moves to keep “zero fare tour’ packages out of Phuket

    TAT moves to keep “zero fare tour’ packages out of Phuket

    PHUKET TOWN: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is working to establish a standardized system of ‘branded’ tours to Phuket specifically for the Chinese market. The initiative, intended to keep ‘zero tour fare’ package operators out of Phuket, was discussed at a meeting of tourism industry leaders held at The Metropole hotel last week. Presiding over the meeting was TAT…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket firemen battle inferno

    Phuket firemen battle inferno

    WICHIT, PHUKET: It took over fifty firefighters three hours to bring a blaze at a recycling center in Wichit under control last night. The blaze started at about 7:40pm at the Naka Recycle warehouse, located just north of the turnoff to Wat Naka on Chao Fah West Road. A total of 18 fire engines rushed to the scene: six from…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket Immigration chief transferred

    Phuket Immigration chief transferred

    PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Immigration Superintendent Col Chanatpol Yongbunjerd is taking a transfer order to Immigration Headquarters in Bangkok in his stride, saying the new post will allow him to be near his family as he nears the civil service retirement age. Col Chanatpol arrived in Phuket from Pattaya in late 2007. Although initially perturbed about not having been given advance…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket Old Town Festival

    Phuket Old Town Festival

    PHUKET TOWN: The annual festival showcasing Phuket Town’s distinctive blend of Chinese and Thai culture is set to return this month. This year’s Phuket Old Town Festival will take place from February 19 to 21, after the arrival of the Year of the Tiger that falls on Valentine’s Day. The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Phuket City Municipality are promising…

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  • Phuket NewsRawai to set trash collection times

    Rawai to set trash collection times

    RAWAI, PHUKET: A recycling campaign launched by Rawai Municipality will include the removal of public garbage bins from streets and the introduction of fixed collection times. Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos said locals and tourists visiting Rawai tourist sites generate about 20 tons of solid waste daily in the high season. “The municipality has an ongoing campaign encouraging both local residents…

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  • Phuket NewsCol Grissak to leave Phuket in police reshuffle

    Col Grissak to leave Phuket in police reshuffle

    PATONG, PHUKET: In the latest police reshuffle, Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark has been transferred to the position of Superintendent of Kuraburi District Police in Phang Nga. His replacement, effective February 19, will be current Tung Tong Police Superintendent Arayapan Pukbuakao. Col Grissak seemed saddened by the news of the transfer to rural Kuraburi, Phang Nga’s northernmost district and a…

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  • Phuket NewsUSS Nimitz arrives in Phuket

    USS Nimitz arrives in Phuket

    PHUKET TOWN: Thousands of US servicemen stationed aboard the USS Nimitz and its support vessels arrived in Phuket yesterday morning for five days of rest and relaxation. Anxious to get off the 333-meter vessel after a month on board, sailors and marines quickly formed a long line extending almost the entire length of the hangar deck. As enlisted men and…

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  • Phuket NewsFrom Phuket to California by kayak

    From Phuket to California by kayak

    PHUKET: Two Phuket kayakers are getting ready for a spot of exercise: the world’s longest paddling expedition, a 14,000-mile voyage from Phuket to California in a 20-foot wooden boat. American Ryan Doran, 26, and Phatum Thani born Piya ‘Mr X’ Sukunthai, 28, plan to leave Nai Harn Beach on March 10 – and they won’t be back for a while.…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket camp owner defends berserk elephant

    Phuket camp owner defends berserk elephant

    PHUKET: The owner of an elephant that recently went berserk and injured two Swedish tourists has defended the beast, blaming its mahout for the incident. Trin Khanwilaikul, owner of ‘Camp Chang’ in Kalim, said the elephant named ‘Captain’ would not be punished for the rampage, which also damaged a car. “He is a nice elephant, but he had the wrong…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket: More tourists, fewer baht

    Phuket: More tourists, fewer baht

    PHUKET: With hotel occupancy rates on the island currently reported at around 90 percent, hoteliers and other tourism business operators find themselves for the first time in two years unable to complain about a lack of tourists. This is obviously good news, but businesses on the island are finding that strong arrival figures haven’t translated into the kind of revenue…

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  • Phuket NewsNo go: Phuket road projects stalled

    No go: Phuket road projects stalled

    PHUKET TOWN: Two controversial road projects slated for Phuket face indefinite delays and the province is already seeking alternatives, the Gazette has learned. A high-ranking source in the Department of Rural Roads said plans to complete a road connecting Nanai Road in Patong to Chalong have stalled, as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) failed to sign off…

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  • Phuket News‘Splash Jungle’ opens in Phuket

    ‘Splash Jungle’ opens in Phuket

    MAI KHAO, PHUKET: ‘Splash Jungle,’ Phuket’s first state-of-the-art water park, opened today on the grounds of the West Sands project in Mai Khao. Among the park’s many attractions are a 335-meter ‘Lazy River’ water ride that meanders through seven themed sections: Inca-Maya, Africa, Asia, Turkey, Northern Europe, North America – and even the North Pole. Two high-octane slide rides are…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket telephone book launched today

    Phuket telephone book launched today

    PHUKET: The 2010 edition of the Gazette Guide, (Phuket’s ‘yellow pages’), goes on sale across the island and in major cities throughout Thailand this morning. Printed on traditional telephone book paper this year, the new directory contains even more information than last year, yet is half the weight of the 2009 edition. It’s significantly lighter in price, too – 50…

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  • Phuket NewsDead sea turtle washes up at Saphan Hin

    Dead sea turtle washes up at Saphan Hin

    PHUKET TOWN: Marine biologists think a dead hawksbill sea turtle that washed ashore at Saphan Hin yesterday morning may have fallen victim to fishing equipment. Kanjana Adulyanukosol of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) at Cape Panwa said workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation delivered the 30-kilogram carcass to the PMBC’s Endangered Species Unit for examination around noon yesterday. Although the…

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