Year: 2010
- Phuket News
Phuket private healthcare gets a thumbs-up: poll
PHUKET: A majority of Phuket Gazette on-line readers have a favorable opinion of private health-care services in Phuket, the results of the latest Readers’ Poll reveal. Last week readers were asked: “With two international hospitals and numerous private clinics, Phuket has been much touted as a medical tourism hub. Cost considerations aside, how would you rate the overall quality of…
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Phuket to host Asian Beach Games 2014
PHUKET: Phuket is set to host the fourth-ever Asian Beach Games in 2014 after Thai officials inked a deal with the Olympic Council of Asia on November 13. Thailand was the only country that made a bid, said Olympic Committee of Thailand president Yutthasak Sasiprabha. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradecha said the sporting extravaganza could bring as much as one billion…
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Princess Sirindhorn to visit orphans in Phuket, Phang Nga
PHUKET: HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will visit Phuket and Phang Nga on November 23. Her visit, announced by the Phuket Provincial Governor’s Office yesterday, will start at 9am at the SOS Children’s Village in Koh Kaew, where she will chair the opening ceremony for a new school building. The orphanage, built following the 2004 tsunami, is the fifth SOS…
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Volleyball challenge: Let’s keep Phuket a winner in tourism and sports
PHUKET: By all accounts, this year’s Phuket Thailand Open, the globe-trotting women’s beach volleyball tournament, was the biggest, best and most entertaining to date. A real boon for tourism at the tail end of the low season, the competition showcased the considerable talents of these professional athletes and culminated in an exciting day of finals with a rivetting tie-breaker for…
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FC Phuket beats Loei City 2:1
PHUKET: FC Phuket came from behind to beat Loei City 2-1 last night, greatly improving their chances for promotion to Division 1 of the Thai Football League. FC Phuket dominated play in the first half, but failed to convert on numerous scoring chances. A goal by Loei City early in the second half silenced the crowd, but a converted penalty…
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Bizarre murder-suicide in Phuket Town restaurant
PHUKET: A restaurant owner shot his sister-in-law in the head and then turned the gun on himself in front of shocked patrons at a Phuket City restaurant last night. Phuket City Police received a report of the shooting at at the Khrua Pailin Restaurant on Surin Road in Phuket Town at about 9:20pm. Led by Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai…
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Phuket land dispute stalls sea gypsy culture center project
PHUKET: More than a hundred sea gypsies handed a letter of protest to Phuket Vice Governor Nivit Aroonrat on Thursday, demanding action over alleged encroachment at the site of the planned Urak Lawoi Culture Center on Koh Sireh. The protesters, who live in the nearby Laem Tukkae community, said they were at first unconcerned when they noticed workmen removing barbed…
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US Navy back in Phuket
PHUKET: The USS Peleliu dropped anchor in Phuket today, bringing along a complement of 960 sailors and about 1,900 Marines. The 5th Fleet support ship arrived straight from the Arabian Sea following 10 weeks of emergency relief work in flood-stricken Pakistan. The Peleliu, with its 254-meter-long and 40m wide flight deck, helped evacuate nearly 9,000 displaced persons and deliver more…
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Sink or swim Saturday for FC Phuket
PHUKET: Tomorrow evening’s clash at Surakul Stadium is a must-win for FC Phuket in their quest for promotion to Thai League Division One. Kickoff for the AIS Regional League Division 2 match against Loei City will be at 6pm. The Southern Sea Kirin need an immediate return to winning after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Bangkok FC last weekend. FC…
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More rain for Phuket, Andaman coast
PHUKET: The heavy rains Phuket is experiencing will continue over the next 24 hours, according to the latest Meteorological Department (MET) forecast. According to the latest report issued by the MET’s Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) at Phuket Airport, a monsoon trough remains fixed over the Southern Thailand. More rain, with isolated heavy rain, is expected along the west coast,…
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Norwegian dies in Phuket suicide plunge
PHUKET: A young Norwegian man took his life this morning by jumping from the 13th floor of a Phuket hotel. The 26-year-old, whose name is being held pending notification of kin, was found dead on the grounds of the Phuket Palace Hotel in Patong just after 10:30am. Capt Weerapong Rakkitteo of the Kathu Police said CCTV camera footage taken at…
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Phuket landing fees slashed to lure more tourists
PHUKET: Airlines that launch a service connecting Phuket with a “new” destination will have their landing fees for all flights on that service slashed by 95%. As an added bonus, airlines that open any such new routes will receive 70 baht per passenger on any scheduled flights landing in off-peak hours: from 1am to 8:59am and 10pm to midnight. Effective…
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Internet in Phuket: Khun Woody speaks at IBAP meeting tonight
PHUKET: Local computer guru Woody Leonhard will be the keynote speaker at a meeting of the International Business Association of Phuket, or IBAP, this evening. Khun Woody will speak on the current state of Internet access in Phuket in a program entitled: Internet in Phuket: 3G, 4G, No G 4U. He will talk about 2G, 3G, and 4G phones, and…
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Phuket blackout schedule for November
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced scheduled blackouts to carry out maintenance on high voltage power lines, install new lines and move power poles. The blackouts – in Rassada, Chalong and Kathu – will last from 9am to 4pm at the following dates and locations: November 15, Rassada: Thepprathan Road on Koh Sireh, from the T-Junction at…
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Temple thief shooting “self-defense’: Phuket Police
PHUKET: A man gunned down by police on Sunday was shot in self-defense, police say. “Police were chasing him, and the robber started shooting at the officers, so they returned fire,” Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit said. The man was shot four times in the chest. “He died instantly at the scene,” Col Wanchai added. No identification was found…
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Phuket health workers battle HIV/Aids, STDs – and social stigma
PHUKET: It’s no secret that prostitution, while illegal, is rife on Phuket. While most public agencies turn a blind eye to the reality, the Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) however, continues to run its ongoing campaign to ensure sex workers have voluntary regular health checks. On the front lines as head of the PPHO’s HIV/Aids division is Eam-orn Kittitornkul, a…
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Phuket Poll: Are Phuket hospitals up to scratch?
PHUKET: With two international hospitals and numerous private clinics, Phuket has been much touted as a medical tourism hub. But just how good are the services offered at these facilities? In the latest Phuket Gazette poll, we ask readers to rate the overall quality of private healthcare facilities on the island. Have your say by clicking here or on the…
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Phuket cabbie returns German tourist’s purse
PHUKET: A Phuket taxi driver saved a German tourist from holiday hell yesterday when he arranged for the purse she left in his vehicle to be returned. The tourist, Hebecca Lexamora, went on a solo shopping trip to Central Festival Phuket yesterday morning. When she was finished at 11am, Central Festival taxi stand manager Pom Sukkasem arranged for driver Sompote…
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Phuket surf claims two more victims
PHUKET: Friends and relatives watched in horror as Thai construction worker Kittisak Thongtirat was swamped by a big wave, then disappeared in rough surf at Karon Beach on Monday. He was one of two people who drowned at the popular beach that afternoon. Duty officer Nitikorn Rawang of Chalong Police said Mr Kittisak, 25, went swimming near the Centara Grand…
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Patong taxis to get meters, call center
PHUKET: Following numerous complaints about overpricing and poor service, the Phuket Land Transport Office will impose order on black-plate taxis and tuk-tuks operating in both Patong and Kamala, it was announced yesterday. The news followed a meeting yesterday between Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, Police Civil Service Commission board member Pol Gen Pichit Khuantechakup, Phuket Land Transport chief Kanok Siripanichkorn and…
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House top prize in 2011 Phuket Red Cross raffle
PHUKET: A new home will be the grand prize in the raffle held during the upcoming Phuket Red Cross Fair. Plans are already well in place for the joint Red Cross Fair and New Year celebrations in Phuket Town, which will take place over 11 fun days at Saphan Hin public park. The “Good Things of Phuket and Red Cross…
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Iced beer is queer: Phuket poll
PHUKET: A majority of Phuket Gazette readers frown on the practice of putting ice in beer as a way of keeping it chilled, the results of a recent readers’ poll reveal. Of the 689 people who voted in the twelve-day poll, 53.7% overall answered: “It’s wrong. Beer isn’t meant to be drunk that way.” However a significant number, 37.7%, approved…
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Phuket City Police investigate spate of car arson attacks
PHUKET: Phuket Police are investigating a wave of arson attacks, all with the same modus operandi, that have damaged or destroyed six vehicles on the island over the past week The latest attack, at 1am today, took place on a passenger car parked on a small soi off Phang Nga Road, in the heart of Phuket Town. Phuket City Police…
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Phuket picks up Condé Naste awards
PHUKET: Phuket has once again made its way into top global travel rankings, claiming several honors in Condé Naste Traveler’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards. Phuket was ranked third in the Top Islands Asia category, with a score of 80.2 out of 100. The Maldives scored 86.4 and Bali 84.4, claiming the top two spots respectively. Koh Samui was 8th, with…
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AirAsia to launch Phuket – Bali flights
PHUKET: AirAsia will operate four flights weekly between Phuket and Bali starting December 17. “I know it’s a challenging route, but with the high number of people visiting Bali, I believe that some of them may want to visit Phuket, too,” Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijileveld said at the launch yesterday. “I also believe that Scandinavian tourists in Phuket want…
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Krabi – Andaman Festival this weekend
PHUKET: The Krabi Chamber of Commerce (KCC) expects its annual festival, that starts Friday, to generate about 500 million baht for the local economy. KCC President Phuvadit Preechanont told the Gazette that more than 10,000 tourists are expected to join the Krabi – Andaman Festival 2010-2011, which will feature a range of activities designed to highlight Krabi tourist attractions, local…
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Shock and fall: Burmese worker plummets to his death in Phuket
PHUKET: A Burmese laborer fell to his death yesterday after suffering an electric shock while trimming tree branches in Chalong. Chalong Police were informed of the accident just after dusk. At the scene, inside the Andaman residential estate off Chao Fa West Road, officers found the body of 53-year-old laborer Nui Yong. He had suffered severe head trauma after falling…
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PIWC ready for annual Phuket ball
PHUKET: The Phuket International Women’s Club (PIWC) annual ball will take place on the night of November 13 at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa. The PIWC has been hosting extravagant parties for more than 20 years to raise funds for its local scholarship program for needy students. Under the exotic theme ‘One Night in Rio’, this year’s ball…
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FC Phuket draw with Bangkok FC; Camara improving
PHUKET: FC Phuket drew 1-1 with Bangkok FC in the Division Two “Champions League” on Saturday, their first match since midfielder Camara Ahmed suffered a heart attack during a match a week earlier. FC Phuket supporters at the match wore white t-shirts bearing the stricken midfielder’s image. About 5,400 baht raised through shirt sales will go towards his growing medical…
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US Embassy announces consular outreach services for Phuket
PHUKET: The Consular Section of the US embassy in Bangkok has announced its staff will be in Phuket on December 17 to provide consular outreach services. “Dates are subject to change, but we intend to stay as close to this schedule as possible,” the embassy wrote in a recent release. During the outreach session, US consular staff will provide the…
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US wins Phuket Thailand Open
PHUKET: American Kerri Walsh won her 39th career FIVB world tour gold medal, part of a historic day in the US$190,000 Phuket Thailand Open, the women’s beach volleyball finals played here yesterday. Along with partner Nicole Branagh, the US side defeated surprise opponents Marta Menegatti and Valeria Rosso of Italy, 21-23, 21-14, 15-11. Carolina and Maria Clara Salgado of Brazil…
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PHUKET OPINION: Saving lives is not an ‘internal affair’
PHUKET: The dismissal en masse of Patong-based volunteer rescue workers by the Kusoldharm Foundation once again raises the need for better standards in emergency medical rescue services – not just in Patong, but across all of Phuket. As a privately administered organization, the Kusoldharm Foundation has the right to dismiss volunteers whose conduct is inappropriate, but to terminate the services…
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Phuket keeps on truckin’ for flood relief
PHUKET: Hundreds of people descended on the Phuket Merlin Hotel in Phuket Town yesterday to donate items for flood relief. The hotel meeting room was overrun by people handling the donations, while more than a hundred donor organizations were setting out their stockpiles in the car park. With Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at the helm, many lent a hand stowing…
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Phuket Thailand Open final: US vs Italy
PHUKET: Marta Menegatti and Valeria Rosso defeated Brazilians Carolina and Maria Clara Salgado in a semifinal match in the US$190,000 Phuket Thailand Open to become the first Italian team to ever compete for a gold medal on the FIVB women’s beach volleyball world tour. Their opponents will be Americans Nicole Branagh and Kerri Walsh, who swept Sanne Keizer and Marleen…
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Blazing bikes at Boat Lagoon
PHUKET: Police are investigating what caused the blaze that engulfed seven motorbikes at the Boat Lagoon yesterday afternoon. Somruedee Polmat, a 21-year-old gardener, spotted the bikes ablaze at about 3pm. She yelled for the nearby security guard to summon an on-site fire truck and the fire was extinguished within minutes. Seven bikes in the front row of the motorbike parking…
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Phuket rescue volunteers seek redemption
PHUKET: Volunteer rescue workers in Patong are demanding a clear explanation after being sacked by the Kusoldharm Foundation. The September dismissal affected all 33 Patong volunteers, who were locked out of their operations center near Kathu Police Station. The move leaves just seven paid foundation workers to continue the rescue work in Patong, despite the fact that Phuket’s thriving tourism…
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Foul weather may prompt Phuket seafood price hike
PHUKET: The severe rains that have plagued the country over the past two weeks may cause significant revenue losses for Phuket’s fishing industry. Teerapong Apaip-atdee, a researcher at the Phuket Fisheries Operative Center, said the rains may cause damage to livestock in ponds that are used to farm saltwater fish and shrimp. “It may cause the salt content in saltwater…
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