Month: September 2012
- Phuket News
Thai Smile launches new Phuket routes
PHUKET: Thai Smile Air, the new regional sub-brand of Thai Airways International (THAI), will launch daily direct flight services from Phuket to Bangkok and Chiang Mai starting next month. Prasert Tanhansa, manager of the THAI district sales office in Phuket Town, announced the new flights yesterday.“We are going to start one daily round-trip from Phuket-Chiang Mai-Phuket and Phuket-Bangkok-Phuket on October…
Read More » - Phuket News
Asean in Phuket: Immigration to launch fast-track entry for tourists
PHUKET: The Commissioner of the Thai Immigration Bureau has announced that a new automated entry system will be installed at all airports in the country, including Phuket. The system will allow passengers to enter the country without having to endure long immigration lines.The technology, called “Advance Passenger Processing” system, or “APP”, will be installed at all international airports in Thailand…
Read More » - Phuket News
Patong Hospital staff get wet for fire safety
PHUKET: As the rain continued to drench Phuket, staff at Patong Hospital this afternoon staged their annual fire and evacuation drill. “The exercise simulated a fire starting in a medical storeroom in a building next to the inpatient ward. The flames spread into the recovery ward, forcing us to evacuate the entire inpatient building,” explained Hospital Director Phumin Silapunt. As…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket baby elephant probe sparks raids
PHUKET: The inspection of elephant camps in Southern Thailand, geared to ensure that all pachyderms on the premises are legal, started on Monday and will include searches of the locations in Phuket where elephants were seized earlier this year. “We received an order on Monday from National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department [DNP] Director-General Damrong Phidet to send Regional…
Read More » - Property
Phuket Property: The future expansion of Central
PHUKET: THE Central Group have engaged in dialogue about the prospects of expanding Central Festival Phuket to include the land situated on its south side across Wichit Songkram Road. The leasing rights to develop the 30-rai (48,000 square meters) plot, currently occupied by the iconic Thai Naan restaurant, were recently acquired by Central, the Phuket Gazette has learned. The dialogue…
Read More » - Phuket News
Weather warning issued for Phuket, Andaman
PHUKET: The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued its second weather warning in 24 hours for Phuket and other provinces along the Andaman coast, advising the public to beware heavy rain, rough seas and possible flooding. The latest advisory, issued by the Southern Meteorological Center at Phuket Airport at 11am today, repeated the TMD’s warning of “abundant rain to very…
Read More » - Phuket News
“It’s a huge challenge…”
“It’s a huge challenge – probably the biggest I have ever undertaken, especially in such a short timeframe”. PHUKET: The 34-year-old former England cricketer, Andrew Flintoff, has been training with boxing legend Barry McGuigan and his son Shane McGuigan in preperation for his boxing debut on November 30. The popular 6’4 cricket legend is yet to announce his heavyweight opponent…
Read More » - Phuket News
ASEAN in Phuket: Australians to assist handling of Rohingya landings in Thailand
PHUKET: The Commissioner of the Thai Immigration Bureau announced yesterday that immigration officials from Australia will assist Thai officials in their handling of ethnic Rohingya refugees who enter Thai territorial waters illegally.“They have a serious problem with Rohingya and Sri Lankans illegally entering their country,” Lt Gen Wiboon Bangphamai explained to the meeting of ASEAN immigration chiefs held at the…
Read More » - Cannabis News
Phuket Police bust heroin dealers in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: Police in Phuket yesterday arrested a heroin dealer from Narathiwat, in Thailand’s troubled Deep South, seizing more than 80 grams of the drug as well as a stash of dried marijuana from one of his agents.The arrest was announced at a press conference led by Cherng Talay Police Superintendent Jirasak Siangsak yesterday morning. Col Jirasak presented to the press…
Read More » - Thailand News
Viagra facing stiff competition in Thailand
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thai version of ‘Viagra’ to be launched next month Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) will launch its erectile dysfunction drug “Sidagra” on October 15 at a fraction of the price of Viagra.The treatment for the men’s disorder has already been registered with…
Read More » - World News
World News: Separatist Parti Quebecois victory sparks shooting – 1 dead
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gunman kills 1 during victory speech of Quebec’s first female premiere Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: A gunman opened fire outside a building where Canadian politician Pauline Marois was addressing her supporters after being elected the new premiere of Quebec, police said. One person was…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket Sports: US Open – Federer out, Murray through
PHUKET: The US Open is about to get into the business part of the tournament and some of the world’s best tennis players are still in with a shout of the title. Roger Federer, who was gifted entry to the quarterfinals as his fourth round opponent Mardy Fish retired before the match due to health reasons, has been knocked out…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket Lifestyle: Hanging out at the Monkeypod
PHUKET: We’ve been hearing about an exciting new dining experience out in the newly fashionable eastern zone of the island, past the Heroine’s Monument, but we were surprised to find such an elegant white designer restaurant as Monkeypod Coffeehouse sitting at the side of the road in Pa Klok.Monkeypod is the creation of Chaiyos Pinpradab, a local Phuketian who studied…
Read More » - Business News
Phuket Business: Interfering with the navigation systems
PHUKET: Your aircraft has just landed at Phuket International Airport and out comes the ubiquitous mobile phone, despite the flight crew asking you to keep it switched off until the plane arrives at the gate, because of concerns it may interfere with the aircraft’s avionics, thus endangering all on board. A familiar scene to everyone arriving on Phuket and particularly…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket Lifestyle: Secret dinners keep guests guessing
PHUKET: Picture Phuket in 1785 (called Thalang then) when most of the island was still covered in virgin rain forest. Local people lived off the bounty of the nearby forests – roots, vines, leaves, barks, fruits, and seeds – and fresh seafood from the Andaman sea. At the time, when synthetic medicine was unheard off, people believed in the healing…
Read More » - Business News
Phuket Business: The tree that bears fruit
PHUKET: At the helm of Anuphas Vividhkarn Co Ltd’s CSR program is Montavee “Tommy” Hongsyok. The 35-year-old Assistant Managing Director of Phuket’s exclusive Honda dealership follows in the footsteps of his father, Montri Hongsyok, an accomplished executive and respected community figure in Phuket. Following is a Q&A session that the Phuket Gazette recently had with Tommy about the Honda dealer’s…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket Lifestyle: A place for old bones
PHUKET: Dinosaurs are taking a holiday in Phuket, along with all the other old bones on the island, in a travelling museum exhibition which opened on August 28. The free-entry exhibition, about paleontological and geological discoveries in Thailand, will be open daily at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) between 8:30am and 4:30pm until September 16. “Our aim is to…
Read More » - Thailand News
Ghostly visit leads man to mom’s body
PHUKET: A man in Ayutthaya claims he discovered the gruesome body of his own recently murdered mother after her ghost came back to tell him what had happened to her. The body of Mrs Sukkhapha, 56, (full name not reported) was discovered in a field on July 31. She had been sexually mutilated. Mrs Sukkhapha’s remains were found in a…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket Lifestyle: On the road to Mandalay
PHUKET: Thailand’s western neighbor, Myanmar (Burma), is now one of the hottest destination for a holiday. After decades of international boycotts and sanctions, the April elections in Myanmar brought not just hopes of democracy and investment, but also a surge in travellers once reluctant to journey to this amazing land. If you want to see Myanmar at its best, don’t…
Read More » - Phuket News
Vachira Phuket Hospital staff scrub up
PHUKET: Staff at Vachira Phuket Hospital yesterday staged a hand-washing contest and other fun activities to highlight the importance of basic hygiene in combating the transmission of infectious diseases.Hospital Director Dr Jessada Chungpaibulpatana presided over the event, dubbed “Clean Hand Project II”.The project was held to remind all staff of the hospital, the largest on the island, about the importance…
Read More » - World News
World News: Destruction in Syria is reaching ‘catastrophic proportions’: UN envoy Brahimi
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UN envoy says destruction in Syria is reaching ‘catastrophic proportions’ Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: The new Joint Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) and the Arab League on the Syrian crisis, Lakhdar Brahimi, yesterday said the death toll as a result of the ongoing civil…
Read More » - World News
World News: Fact-finding mission to investigate violence against Rohingya
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityOIC fact-finding mission travels to Myanmar to investigate violence against Rohingya MuslimsPHUKET: THe Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has announced a mission is traveling to Burma (Myanmar) today to investigate the recent violence against Rohingya Muslims.The fact-finding mission is scheduled to last for ten days and will also…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket Live Wire: Wait until Christmas
PHUKET: Last week I talked about the direction the computer industry is headed as we barrel along toward the Christmas season. If you’re thinking about buying any new electronics – computer, tablet, phone, maybe even a TV – it would be worthwhile to stay on top of developments between now and Christmas. Some of the stuff coming down the pipe…
Read More » - Phuket News
Weather advisory for Phuket, Andaman Coast
PHUKET: The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a weather advisory for the six Andaman Coast provinces of Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun.Southwest monsoonal conditions prevailing over the west coast will bring wind gusts and heavy to very heavy rain in some areas. Flash flooding may occur in risk areas; people are advised to proceed with caution. Wind-driven…
Read More » - Business News
Phuket Business: Pineapples please
PHUKET: A pineapple trading center was opened in Phuket recently in a move aimed at centralizing provincial supply of the fruit, and thus increasing its market penetration potential across Southeast Asia. Vinai Kwankaew of the Phuket Agriculture Office said that pineapples have become the province’s most significant revenue-generating fruit. Phuket pineapples are known for their sweet flavor, tasty and yellow…
Read More » - Business News
Phuket Business: Beware of the hammer and nail approach
PHUKET: There is a very famous quote that often comes to mind when speaking with many of my colleagues in the wealth management industry: “When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”. Unfortunately many advisers fall into this trap, and despite the fact that everyone’s situation is different, they will recommend the same solution…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket poll: Have you ever cheated on your partner?
PHUKET: Results of the annual international sex survey by condom manufacturing firm Durex reveal Thai couples to be among the most promiscuous on the planet. The results have stirred up controversy, denials and debate throughout the country. To get a local angle on all this alleged infidelity, the Phuket Gazette online asks its own esteemed readers whether they have ever…
Read More » - Business News
Phuket Business: Beer, wine and automobile excises poised for revision
PHUKET: In light of Cabinet’s recent approval of tax hikes for cigarettes and liquor, the Excise Department is now looking to increase revenue shares from the trade of beer, wine and automobiles.Quoted in a report by the Nation, Benja Louichareon, director-general of the Excise Department, said, “The department is also looking at whether it should increase tax on beer and…
Read More » - Business News
Phuket Business: AMCHAM affirms commitment to saving the environment
PHUKET: The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Greater Phuket Chapter assembled at Holiday Inn Patong for its third meeting of the year recently. Organized in conjunction with environmental organization, SEEK, the evening’s discussions focused on ways that hospitality and tourism stakeholders can implement “Green Tourism” practices while reducing operational overheads and thus increasing profit margins. The meeting followed an all-day,…
Read More » - Phuket News
Body of Burmese worker found at Phuket construction site
PHUKET: The decomposing body of a worker from Myanmar was left undiscovered at a Phuket construction site for at least three days before being found late yesterday afternoon. Thalang Police were notified of the body at 6:15pm. Arriving at the scene with Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation workers, police found the body pinned between a wall and some metal scaffolding at the…
Read More » - Phuket News
DNA tests confirm French tourist as Tiger Disco fire victim
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bangkok has confirmed that the fourth – and last – victim to be identified from the Tiger Discotheque fire in Phuket on August 17 is that of French tourist Emmanuel Becard, aged 30. Friends of Mr Becard reported him as missing the day after the fire, which killed four people.…
Read More » - Phuket News
All silent on “insecticide’ causing deaths of Canadian sisters
PHUKET: A spokesperson at the forensic laboratory at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok today declined to confirm or deny reports that insecticide containing DEET had been identified as the cause of death of Audrey and Noemi Belanger. The sisters, Audrey, age 20, and Noemi, 25, from Quebec, Canada, were found dead in their hotel room on Phi Phi Island on June…
Read More » - Phuket News
Hunt continues for suspect in Phuket Police shooting
PHUKET: Chalong Police continue to search for a suspect who remains at-large following the June shooting of an on-duty officer in a live music venue in Phuket. Lt Col Boonlert Onklang of the Chalong Police told the Phuket Gazette today (September 4) that his officers are still searching for Phiromchai “Un” Tuaktham, the only one of five suspects wanted in…
Read More » - Phuket News
French tourist killed, another comatose in Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: One French tourist is dead and another remains in a coma after the motorbike they were riding crashed on the beach road in Karon before dawn yesterday.Chalong duty officer Boonlert Onklang said that police were informed of the accident, at a curved section of the beach road near the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort, at 3.40am. Arriving at the scene,…
Read More » - Phuket News
“Hungry ghosts’ inspire new Phuket TAT chief to push cultural tourism
PHUKET: The new director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office is drawing up plans to push Phuket’s cultural festivals after witnessing his first Por Tor festival in Phuket.Director Chanchai Doungjit told the Phuket Gazette this morning that he is devising a four-year plan to bring tourists in from around the world by expressly focusing on Phuket’s cultural…
Read More » - World News
World News: Michael Clarke Duncan dead
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community “Green Mile” star Michael Clarke Duncan dead at 54 Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: American actor Michael Clarke Duncan, who starred as a death row inmate in ‘The Green Mile’ and in other box office hits such as ‘Armageddon and ‘Kung Fu Panda’, died at…
Read More » - Thai Life
Land of Smiles: The mallification of Phuket
PHUKET: Get ready, Phuket people. It’s coming. It has already saturated Bangkok, and is moving rapidly southward, like an alien slime. I’m talking about mallification: the process by which a nation becomes overrun with enormous shopping malls. Now the mallification of Bangkok has progressed to the point where they are considering appointing a Minister of Malls to oversee the process.…
Read More »
