Year: 2013
- Phuket News
Phuket resort staff receive lifeguard training to stave off tourist drownings
PHUKET: Amid concerns over the high number of drownings in recent years, the Phuket Marine Police are providing lifeguard training to staff at hotels and resorts in Patong.The officers are also recruiting more volunteers from Patong’s hospitality industry to join a network of people trained to swiftly report crimes.The two-day training program at the Patong Resort Hotel ended yesterday. “A…
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Phuket Gazette World News: West preps for Syria strike; Mexico’s drug war scaled down; US seeks release of missionary jailed in N Korea; Bishop of Hong Kong warns of violence
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S., allies prepare for probable strike on Syria Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The United States and its allies geared up for a probable military strike against Syria yesterday that could come within days and would be the most aggressive action by Western powers in the…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Push for bigger cigarette warnings; Rubber rally leaders face arrest; Appeal dropped in police killing; Bt11m to clean up Klity
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ministry to appeal ruling on cigarette box images The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Public Health Ministry is planning to file an appeal with the Supreme Administrative Court so it can go ahead with making the warning graphics on cigarette packets larger. The Administrative Court…
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Phuket Police on standby to counter farmers’ protests in Deep South
PHUKET: Phuket Police are on standby to provide reinforcements for the Nakhon Sri Thammarat Provincial Police as the Deep South province braces for further protests by palm oil and rubber farmers.Oil palm and rubber farmers protesting against the depressed prices for palm oil and rubber blocked the railway at Ban Tun junction in Cha-uat district this morning.In response, Phuket Provincial…
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Manhunt in Krabi: Murderer out on bail slays stepson’s wife, toddler
PHUKET: A man out on bail for murder is charged with killing again and is being sought by Krabi Police for slaying his stepson’s wife and toddler. Police in the Khao Phanom District of Krabi received word just after midnight last night that two people had been shot dead in Phru Tiao subdistrict. When police and rescue workers arrived at…
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Still fond of Phuket: Poll
PHUKET: The island fell one spot to 3rd in the Top 10 Holiday Destinations in Asia list of this year’s “Smart Travel Asia Awards”, which was based on an Internet travellers’ choice poll that ran from May to July. Although Bali narrowly edged Phuket, just like last year, the Indonesian leisure hub didn’t have highest honors this time, as there…
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New evidence in American expat death points to natural causes
PHUKET: A tombstone unearthed in the tiny village of Bang Phuying last month has led a crack team of local forensic scientists to speculate that the apparent death of one of Phuket’s first American expats, Carter J. Wyatt, may have been the result of perfectly natural causes. The head of the team, Police Detective Chadjen Maikaojai, told the Phuket Gazette…
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Passing on your condo – Phuket Property Legal
PHUKET: Pursuant to the current Condominium Act of Thailand, and per the common practices used at the Thai land offices, the transfer of ownership of your freehold condominium unit to your spouse or children, in whole or in part, can pose a problem to those who wish to make such a transfer. Section 19 of the Condominium Act of Thailand…
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Italian expat arrested for stealing from Phuket temple
PHUKET: An Italian expat down on his luck was arrested yesterday after he stole 100 baht from a donation box at a Phuket temple. Monks at Karon Temple (Wat Suwankirikhet – map here) reported to police that a man had stolen money from a donation box several times, said Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Sophon Borirak. When police viewed the temple…
Read More » - Food
A taste of Tokyo in Phuket Town
PHUKET: GINZA, located on Yaowarat road, is a relatively newcomer to the Phuket culinary scene. But within the space of just four months since it opened, the restaurant has already managed to garner quite a following. The popularity is largely due to the establishment’s strict adherence to the pillars of Japanese cuisine – the freshest and highest quality ingredients. The…
Read More » - World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Kerry – Syrian chemical weapon use undeniable; Indian Govt criticised over rape cases; Homeless man crushed in Ireland
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kerry: Use of chemical weapon in Syria ‘undeniable’ Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday that the evidence of a massive deadly chemical attack last week was “undeniable” and accused the Syrian government of trying to cover it up, signalling the United…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Flavored meth for kids; Illegal van kills 9; Photo visas; Govt to placate farmers; Red Bull heir case deferred – again
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Flavored ‘yaba’ aimed at kids The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Parents should keep an eye on their children as a new form of flavoured meth-amphetamine pill is being distributed via Facebook, authorities said yesterday.“We found that yaba makers are trying to change their product to meet the…
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Brown Patong Bay blamed on algae bloom
PHUKET: Phuket’s leading environment officer today speculated that the color of the seawater at Patong Bay turned an off-brown over the weekend possibly due to a “plankton bloom”. The news comes two days after officials staged a press event, led by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut, promoting the launch of a campaign to regularly test the quality of seawater at Phuket’s…
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Airport drug-scam allegation puzzles authorities
PHUKET: An Australian couple who told the Australian media that their luggage was tampered with and marijuana planted in it as they were leaving Bangkok may not have been telling the truth, the Phuket Gazette has found. Georgia (not her real name) told an Australian radio station (see here) that she and her boyfriend believe they were being set up…
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Phuket police call for public’s help in identifying cafe thief
PHUKET: Phuket City Police today released CCTV images of a man who robbed a cafe at the top of Rang Hill on August 5. “We’ve searched for the man ourselves, but couldn’t find him. We are now releasing these images with the hope that the public can identify him,” said Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Prawit Engchuan.The robbery took place…
Read More » - Entertainment
Phuket Books: An entrepreneur’s journey in life – Don Battles
PHUKET: A book that is self-published is called a vanity project. Don Battles shows a big chunk of vanity. Subtitled An Entrepreneur’s Journey in Life, his autobiography Merchant of the Orient (Xlibris Corp. 2013, 292pp) is printed on glossy A4 sized paper and costs over 60 American dollars. The text is clear and free of typos, yet weakened by the…
Read More » - Thai Life
Adventure on Koh Yao Noi – Phuket Explore
PHUKET: Koh Yao Noi is a little island located in between Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi and is part of the Phang Nga province. The island has not yet seen a massive invasion of tourists and it has gained a reputation as a quiet place to escape from the buzz of Phuket, in particular for local expats and for all…
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Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut
PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut has just come back from a long meeting – part of the “fin free” campaign to dissuade the public from consuming sharks’ fin. The day before it was a group discussion with various government agencies on tsunami awareness and early warning systems. The whole week prior to this has followed more or less the same pattern…
Read More » - Business News
Asia-Pacific consumers careful
PHUKET: Economy-related matters appear to be on top of the list of concerns for today’s Asia Pacific consumers. According to the latest global survey by GfK, two in every five surveyed were worried about recession and unemployment as well as inflation and high prices, and at the same time, one in three said they are concerned about having enough money…
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Ensure fiduciary duty – Phuket Finance
PHUKET: Fiduciary duty basically means that an agent is meant to act in the best interest of his client, and not his own. It is a very simple concept, yet not surprisingly, the real world all too often does not work this way. When it comes down to it, human beings very often fall victim to greed. If I told…
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Phuket bartender saved from drunken swim at Patong
PHUKET: Friends of an intoxicated Phuket bartender saved him from drowning this morning after he decided to go for a swim at Patong Beach. Surachai Junmee, 29, and five friends were drinking at Loma Park (map here), after they got off work at about 2am, Patong Police Capt Teerasak Boonsang explained. “At about 6:30am, by which time they were quite…
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Staying in touch with Facebook – Phuket Investor
PHUKET: One of the main things I like about Facebook is that I can stay in touch with my family and friends all via one platform. Before I had to keep emailing, making phone calls and writing the occasional letter to and from the US. Now with Facebook, I don’t have to do that anymore. I’m able to share my…
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My house for your car: B2B
PHUKET: Looking to expand locally what is touted as the “world’s largest international barter network”, BBX Thailand is offering to slash its sign-on fee for new members in Phuket. The barter-credit network facilitator, founded in Australia in 1993 and currently operating in nine countries globally, held a Phuket network meeting last week at Ban See Nam restaurant. A BBX representative…
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Chinese, Russian influx a boon for Phuket
PHUKET: Despite a dramatic decline of visitors from Western Europe, Phuket’s tourism industry thrives, thanks to the throngs of Chinese and Russian travellers who fill up hotel rooms but also strain the infrastructure. “For the first time, travellers from legacy markets such as Western Europe are no longer present in the top five arrivals. What has replaced them are Asian…
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Last Call – Table for three, please
PHUKET: The intersection, or better yet juxtaposition between the mythical Cyclops of desire and loathing is hardly visible to the naked eye. I might be going a little too “fru fru” here so let’s back away from the table a bit. Slowly, making sure not to stumble over a nearby sleeping soi dog. Back we go to the beginning of…
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Phuket Town to hit new heights: condominium
PHUKET: Local developer Phanason has broken ground on its next “city-living” project – the Height Condominium, an eye-catching medium-rise development in Phuket Town. The 15-storey project is sure to attract wide interest among buyers and speculators in the city’s ever-fluid, yet lucrative residential real estate market. Elaborating on the project’s concept, Phanason marketing manager, Cheurchan Panvikarn told the Phuket Gazette…
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Smartphones stolen at gunpoint
PHUKET: An armed robber and his driver escaped by motorbike last night after stealing smartphones from two university students visiting Phuket.Duangnapa Janta and Nupong Kongpimp, who had come from Mahasarakham University in the northeast of Thailand as interns at a hotel at the Laguna Phuket complex, reported the incident to Cherng Talay Police at about 8pm last night.“When we arrived…
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Phuket FC mauled by Port Lions, promotion looks slim
PHUKET: If there was any hope left for Phuket FC to still get promoted following Wednesday’s home draw to Air Force (see story), then it was all but relinquished following their away-loss last night to Singhtarua FC. Played in front of an energetic blue-and-orange-clad “Klong Toei Army” crowd at the PAT Stadium in the heart of the Thai capital, the…
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So far today that Cardiff had a 4-4-2 was…
Quote of the day: The only point of the game so far today that Cardiff had a 4-4-2 was on the list at the start of the match, the rest of the match they seem to have been playing a 1-9-1 a variation of the flat back eleven… – Trevor Fisher (Man City fan & Phuket resident) PHUKET: Fraizer Campbell…
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Americans renouncing tax liabilities
PHUKET: The number of US taxpayers renouncing their citizenship or permanent-resident status reached a new high in Q2 of 2013. The figure of 1,130 people who the IRS listed as renouncing their status is two-thirds higher than the previous recent high, set in Q1 of 2013 and six times higher than Q2 of 2012. It is also the largest number…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Obama weighs Syria options; Yosemite Rim fire grows; Mexican migrant train derails; Myanmar unrest resurfaces
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. says Syria’s offer to show chemical attack sites ‘too late’ Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A U.S. military response to alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria appeared more likely on Sunday after Washington dismissed the Syrian government’s offer to allow U.N. inspection of the sites as “too…
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Phuket illegal resorts next on list, warns Parks chief
PHUKET: Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) director-general Manopat Huamuangkaew has warned that Phuket is now at the top of his priority list in demolishing illegal resorts encroaching on national park land.Mr Manopat specifially identified Sirinath National Park, on Phuket’s west coast, as his key interest in protecting public land in Phuket.The news follows work beginning on…
Read More » - Hua Hin News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Laughing gas crackdown; Ranong highway blockades; Inhumane attacks in South; Extortion cops on the run
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Laughing gas not so funny The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The widespread use of illegal balloons containing laughing gas among tourists at entertainment venues has prompted police in Bangkok’s Chanasongkram Police Station to crack down on vendors selling these balloons on Khao San Road.Sale of balloons filled…
Read More » - Hua Hin News
Police move to detain Rohingya at purpose-built regional shelters
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police are lobbying Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to build regional detention centers to house Rohingya refugees across Southern Thailand. The move aims to relieve the pressure on already-overflowing detention centers at immigration offices in Phuket, Phang Nga and Ranong. Maj Gen Kraibun Suadsong from the Royal Thai Police Office of Police Strategy, which oversees the Thai…
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Landslide warning device installed in Phuket hills
PHUKET: A landslide early-detection system costing 4-million-baht has been installed in the Patong Hills. The system was installed in Phuket because of the high risk of landslides in Patong, Kathu and Karon, Thawan Sukkho of the Bureau of Geotechnology, Department of Mineral Resources, explained to Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut during an inspection on Friday. “The system is comprised of steel…
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Deputy PM calls for “one-stop’ police counters for Phuket tourists, expats
PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok today called for every police station across Phuket to have a dedicated section to receive complaints from foreigners.The call came at a meeting at The Metropole Hotel in Phuket Town attended by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut, Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat and other top-ranking police officers from the Andaman provinces of Phang Nga and…
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Ten more Rohingya escape Thai Immigration, this time from Ranong again
PHUKET: Ten Rohingya detainees escaped at dawn yesterday from a detention facility at the Immigration Office in Ranong, the popular visa run destination for many expats and tourists in Phuket. The incident is the latest in a series of Rohingya escapes from various facilities in the past few months. The 10 escapees were part of a group of 118 Rohingya…
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