Month: April 2013
- Phuket News
Filipino caught with 7kg of crystal meth at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: Customs officials at Phuket International Airport yesterday arrested a Philippine national trying to smuggle seven kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice) into the country.Officials estimated that the drugs netted had a street value of 30 million baht.The suspect, identified by police as Sonny Pasong Cornel, 31, initially claimed he had no knowledge the bag he was carrying contained drugs.However,…
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Phuket dignatories mark Thai New Year with Songkran mass blessing ceremony
PHUKET: Hundreds of people gathered at Saphan Hin this morning to join a Songkran blessing ceremony to celebrate their Thai New Year.At 7am, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut chaired the opening of the ceremony, joined by Vice Governors Sommai Prijasilpa, Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak and Chamroen Tipayapongtada.Among the other leading Phuket figures to join the mass ceremony, offering alms to 399 monks, were…
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Phuket Songkran starts early, Governor urges ‘Safety First’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut has called for all officers island-wide to make public safety their top priority during the Songkran celebrations, which unofficially started early in Patong late today.Governor Maitri specifically ordered that extra officers be posted at the six official water-play zones on the island: – Saphan Hin Park, Phuket Town– Kata-Karon beachfront– Soi Bangla and Patong beach…
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British sex fiend arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: British national Hugh Glass, 57, wanted for multiple sex crimes involving children, was arrested yesterday afternoon while walking along the beach road in Phuket’s key tourism town of Patong.Col Chayawut Jansomboon of the Immigration Police in Bangkok led officers to arrest Mr Glass on Thaweewong Road at 3:30pm.The arrest followed a meeting between Jonathan King of the UK-based Serious…
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Unidentified body found off Phuket Deep Sea Port
PHUKET: Police are trying to determine the identity of a man whose body was discovered off Cape Panwa, on the east coast of Phuket, today.Local villagers found the body floating near the channel marker to the Deep Sea Port at about 12:30pm.“We believe the body was in the water for more than five days before it was found,” Sub Lt…
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Phuket Songkran: Four accidents but no deaths on Day 1
PHUKET: The first 24 hours of Phuket Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for the Songkran holidays passed with zero deaths.The annual road-safety campaign this year began at midnight Wednesday night.In the 24 hours that followed there were four accidents, including two involving drinking and driving, according to statistics released today by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket…
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Phuket Marine officials bolster sea safety for Songkran
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office and Marine Police joined forces yesterday to launch a water-safety campaign aimed at ensuring the well-being of beachgoers and boaters during the Songkran holidays.“Our mission is to be on hand to help people and decrease the risk of marine accidents during the Seven Days of Danger,” said Phuket Marine Police Inspector Chatchai Sakdee, who was…
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Phuket Opinion: Let Songkran sanity prevail
PHUKET: As this edition arrives at newsstands across the island, readers can judge for themselves whether the Royal Thai Police are adequately enforcing the controversial nationwide ban on using pickups and other conveyances to fuel roadside water fights over the Songkran holidays.We sincerely hope that the ban will have a significant impact on the number of deaths and injuries related…
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Wolfpack torpedo the Phuket Cricket Group
PHUKET: The Wolfpack, led by Will Badger, deservedly lifted the Kata Group International Cricket 7’s Cup yesterday afternoon at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG), after overcoming local side Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) in the final. The PCG had earlier defeated both Wolfpack and the CBB’s in two exhilarating finishes, but they had no answer to the batting of ‘Player of…
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The Formula 1 soap opera
PHUKET: In the lead up to Shanghai, Formula 1 is full of questions. Can McLaren possibly get it together? The news says “no”, but I think they could surprise us. We are all hoping that Force India will be a force to reckon with, after they sort out the problem with their nuts. Lotus will be intending to get back…
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The fall of sporting idols
PHUKET: Sports stars are among some of the most revered men and women on the planet. Those who excel at their chosen sport are seen as gods among us mere mortals and they are rewarded accordingly. But a fall from grace for someone at the top of their game is viewed with as much, if not more, interest than any…
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Phuket’s ACYC gives notice of race
PHUKET: The Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC) has announced the 2013 ACYC Keel Boat and Multihull Club Championship Race Series 1 – FCI Watermaker Series. The fourth race is this Sunday, April 14. Eligibility and entry: The series is open to all keel yachts and multihulls with an overall length greater than six meters. Eligible boats may enter by completing…
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Phuket beefs up bus services, driver drug tests for Songkran
PHUKET: More buses and drug and alcohol tests for drivers have been ordered at the Phuket bus terminal in Rassada to ensure that everyone can travel, and travel safely, during the Songkran holidays.The Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) added 20 per cent more buses to accommodate the crowds returning home for the Thai new year and make sure no one…
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Phuket Opinion: Solving water problems with rain, prisoners, and solar
PHUKET: Many places on this planet, including Phuket, are going through one of the driest spells of the last decade. My home state of Colorado is no exception. Denver, the state’s capital, only two weeks ago declared a stage-two drought, based on a scale on which four is an emergency.With its two prime reservoirs at 59% and 73% capacity (sound…
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On the menu: Trisara hosts Mozaic’s Chef James Ephraim
PHUKET: There have been some pretty spectacular sunsets in Phuket in recent weeks, or maybe I have just been fortunate enough to witness them from spectacular locations. The Trisara’s ‘Seafood’ restaurant is one of those places that reaffirm the reasons one has chosen to live on a tropical island. Another island that has glorious sunsets is Bali, and I am…
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Phuket Gardening: From fetid to fragrant
PHUKET: Shakespeare’s father, John, was fined for digging a “midden” in front of his neighbor’s house. Very unneighborly. Today the word has almost vanished from the English language as modern sanitation systems have replaced the foul cesspits of yesteryear. But make no mistake, a “midden” is neither pleasant to behold nor smell. Originally a hole in the ground, a dump…
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Phuket survives first day of Songkran Seven Days of Danger
PHUKET: The nationwide Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for the Songkran holidays came into effect in Phuket at midnight last night.As of 5:30pm today, Phuket had yet to record its first fatality for the period, which is notorious for the number of deaths and injuries on Thailand’s roads as millions of people make the journey home to celebrate Thai…
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Phuket gold shop killing: Leads point police to two suspects
PHUKET: Testimony from witnesses has helped police narrow their focus to two possible suspects in the gold shop shooting on Monday (story here), Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat told the Phuket Gazette today. However, no match has been found for the killer’s fingerprints. “We are continuing to get information from witnesses,” said Gen Choti, “which has led us to…
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Topper Sail Phuket is tops
PHUKET: Topper Sail Phuket is the first sailing school in Southeast Asia to gain Royal Yachting Association (RYA) approval for dinghy sailing and power boating. The center also offers dinghy sailing, keelboat sailing (day boats), power boating, safety boats, and shore-based theory courses. Topper Sail Phuket can now offer RYA qualifications, which are highly regarded worldwide due to the high…
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Phuket’s TSLC will again host International Tennis Federation round
PHUKET: Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club (TSLC) will once again host a round of the prestigious International Tennis Federation (ITF) pro tennis circuit. The 2013 ITF round, sponsored by Chang (ThaiBev Pcl) and the Sports Association of Thailand (SAT), will consist of two consecutive women’s tournaments, from April 20 to April 27, and then April 27 to May 4. This…
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Phuket gets first Evolution Cinema Planetarium in Thailand
PHUKET: Island residents and tourists alike earlier this week welcomed the opening of the Evolution Cinema Planetarium, a new ‘edutainment’ attraction in Phuket Town. Located in front of Central Festival Phuket’s main entrance, the new mobile cinema planetarium is the first of its kind in Thailand. “The Evolution Planetarium is the newest generation of visualization systems for entertainment and studying,…
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Tour of Thailand official slams into power pole during Phuket storm
PHUKET: An official of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup Tour of Thailand 2013 cycling event, whose riders were in Phuket earlier this week (story here), was injured when his pickup truck slid off the road during the storm yesterday afternoon and slammed into a power pole. Surasak Ritphirat, 39, suffered a head wound in the impact and was rushed…
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Phuket Gazette World News: South Korea on high alert; Uruguay says yes to gay marriage; Louvre closes to pickpockets; Lufthansa danger flight
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community South Korea, U.S. remain on missile watch as North lauds Kims Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: South Korea and the United States remained on high alert for any North Korean missile launch on Thursday as the hermit kingdom turned its attention to celebrating its ruling Kim dynasty and…
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Phuket Cricket 7s start in a blaze of glory
PHUKET: Play got under way on a glorious morning of the second running of ACST’s ‘Kata Group International Cricket 7’s at Phuket’s Alan Cooke Cricket Ground (ACG – click here for map). Teams from Australasia and Asia joined local outfits to play in matches consisting of five overs per side. Tournament Director Brad Tarr paid tribute to the facilities on…
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Gold shop owner increases reward for killer-thief; police issue warrant
PHUKET: Though the identity of the man who robbed a gold shop and killed a man on Monday night is still unknown, there is now a warrant out for his arrest, and the bounty on his head has been doubled to 400,000 baht. (Story our earlier story here.) Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat has told the media, “We believe…
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Russian boy, 9, saved from drowning at Phuket beach lagoon
PHUKET: Following a Russian boy about 9 years old almost drowning at Nai Harn lagoon yesterday, the chief lifeguard at the popular Nai Harn Beach (map here) has called for parents to keep a close eye on their children playing in the water over the Songkran holidays this weekend. Nai Harn chief lifeguard Jula Nontree told the Phuket Gazette this…
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Looking Back: Thailand’s paradisal prison
PHUKET: Koh Tarutao, one of Thailand’s southern most islands, is located off the coast of Satun province. The island is situated close to the Adang-Rawi archipelago in the Andaman Sea, close to the famed Lipe Island and just a few kilometers north of Langkawi island, which is part of Malaysia. Koh Tarutao boasts some of the most secluded and pristine…
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Phuket Business: Budgeting tips and concerns for expats
PHUKET: Becoming and remaining an expat in Phuket, Thailand will require careful budgeting to avoid potential minefields or serious financial problems down the road. With that in mind, here are concerns or tips to keep in mind to help you avoid blowing a hole in your expat budget: Track your living expenses Most personal finance software like newer versions of…
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Phuket Finance: Buy Priceline and book your visa run
PHUKET: Just the other day I had a client ask me how he can save some money on his next visa run. He wants to explore more of Southeast Asia and has gotten tired of making the usual trip to Cambodia, Laos or Kuala Lumpur. That’s when I told him about Priceline.com. Priceline (PCLN) is the famous “Name Your Price”…
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Phuket Health: When I’m 64
PHUKET: Early in the New Year I woke up to the stunning realization that “When I’m 64” wasn’t just the title of a Beatles hit, but in my case had become a statement of reality. In a lather of vitamin supplements and desperation I set out to discover whether there was in fact a Fountain of Youth in Phuket. In…
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Phuket Arts: The lion sleeps tonight
PHUKET: The cast and crew of the British International School (BIS) production of The Lion King which took place between April 1-3, probably had to catch up on some sleep, too. They earned it. For four months the whole school has been a hive of activity in anticipation of this, their largest production, and on the first night the full…
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Victim of Phuket gold shop shooting remembered as good Samaritan
PHUKET: Apichet Chooklang, killed in a gold shop robbery Monday evening (story here), was remembered by his girlfriend as a man who greatly enjoyed helping others. As relatives and friends waited at Vachira Phuket Hospital yesterday for doctors to finish removing the bullets from his chest and release his body for the trip home to Nakhon Sri Thammarat for his…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Iran quake near nuclear town; Texas stabbing spree; FBI probes KPMG
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Quake hits near Bushehr, Iran’s nuclear city, 37 dead Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A powerful earthquake struck close to Iran’s only nuclear power station on Tuesday, killing 37 people and injuring 850 as it destroyed homes and devastated two small villages, Iranian media reported.The 6.3 magnitude quake…
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Phuket Gazette World News: North Korea warns foreigners to leave South
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community North Korea warns foreigners to leave South Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: North Korea intensified threats of an imminent conflict against the United States and the South on Tuesday, warning foreigners to evacuate South Korea to avoid being dragged into a “merciless, sacred, retaliatory war”. The North’s…
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Phuket Gazette World News: “Iron Lady’ Thatcher mourned, but critics speak out
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher mourned, but critics speak out Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Britain and admirers worldwide are mourning Margaret Thatcher, who has died aged 87, as the “Iron Lady” who rolled back the state and faced down her enemies during 11 years as Britain’s first…
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Phuket bikes burned again by teen gangsters
PHUKET: Patong Police are looking for a gang of teenagers who were seen setting alight four motorbikes in the beach resort town early this morning. Firefighters were called to Soi Klong Bang Wad, near Wat Patong (map here), at 4:30am after local residents saw the motorbikes, parked opposite the Aood Watch and Optic store, go up in flames. “Firefighters from…
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Phuket Media Record: Gazette Facebook breaks through 10,000 fans in four months
PHUKET: Anna Bolkowska this afternoon became the 10,000th person to ‘like’ the Phuket Gazette on Facebook since the new fan page was launched just four months ago. In so doing, this stunning professional model from Scotland received a large surprise: a free flight over Phuket and Phang-nga Bay in a luxury private plane, courtesy of Pat James of Aero Pro…
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