Year: 2013
- Phuket News
Nigerian arrested in Phuket with visa stolen from Malaysia, cocaine
PHUKET: A Nigerian man arrested for possession of cocaine in Phuket yesterday was also found to be carrying a passport with a visa stolen from the Thai embassy in Malaysia.Karon Police on patrol were notified by an undercover officer of the location of the Nigerian, who was believed to be in possession of drugs.“We approached the man and asked to…
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Phuket Town Hungry Ghost festival underway
PHUKET: Phuket Town is honoring its strong Chinese cultural roots with the annual Por Tor Festival, which was launched yesterday in the town’s Queen Sirikit Public Park (map here). More commonly known as the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts across Asia’s Chinese communities, the festival comprises a variety of cultural displays and activities. “The Por Tor festival is an annual…
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Phuket Gazette World News: US moves Navy, ponders Syria strike; Tripoli mosque blasts; Yosemite’s Rim on fire; Child dies in Bolivia prison war
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. repositions naval forces, no decision on Syria strike Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The United States on Friday was repositioning naval forces in the Mediterranean to give President Barack Obama the option for an armed strike on Syria, although officials cautioned that Obama had made no decision…
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Phuket drug suspect found with ‘stolen’ visa
PHUKET: A Thai visa sticker believed stolen from the Thai Embassy in Malaysia has been found in the passport of a suspected drug smuggler in Phuket, according to an informed source.The suspect was arrested by Phuket Immigration police yesterday morning on charges of possessing an undisclosed amount of cocaine.“Further checks reveal that he entered Thailand with his passport containing one…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Police wanted for tourist extortion; Chiang Mai train derails; Egypt exodus; Royals in better health
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police officers suspended over alleged extortion of tourists The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Four Bangkok-based policemen have been suspended for allegedly extorting Bt2 million from two Italian tourists after making a false allegation against the victims and holding them captive.Arrest warrants have been issued for two of…
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Phuket man denies being multi-million-baht extortion artist, blames official
PHUKET: A Phuket businessman and adviser to the Thailand Trade Organization turned around allegations of being a Patong extortion artist today, pointing his finger at a government official. However, Chart Chindapol was unwilling to name the official, who he claimed raked in 50 million baht a month, pocketing 3 million for himself. A letter accusing Mr Chart of “distressing, threatening…
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Officials tackle Patong Beach’s “big brown’ water problem
PHUKET: An order was made to review operations at the Patong Wastewater Treatment Plant following tests of the seawater at Patong Beach this morning. The director of the Phuket-based Regional Environmental Office 15, Pornsri Suthanaruk, announced the news as Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut joined environment officials conducting the water-quality tests. Dr Pornsri explained that private and commercial premises in Patong…
Read More » - Opinion
Phuket Opinion: Corruption-fighter says it’s time to cleanse the island of graft
Surin Bamrungphol, 53, is a founder and President of the Phuket Anti-Corruption Network. He is a Phuket native with a PhD in Development Strategies from Phuket Rajabhat University. Mr Surin is CEO of SureMed Corporation and vice-president of the Federation of Thai Industries, Phuket Chapter. He also serves on the board of a variety of companies. Here, he talks about…
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Spa speed splashes spills and spunk – F1
PHUKET: Well, F1 is back after the mid-season break. Before Hungary I asked if Lewis Hamilton could continue the trend of British global sporting dominance to win in Hungary. He could. I said Red Bull was looking very powerful, but Sebastian Vettel was not my favourite to win Hungary. As I predicted, Mercedes out-qualified him and Lotus outperformed him. But…
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Phuket Opinion: Needed – more greenery for our souls
PHUKET: When I lived on Racha Island, I could never really figure out where Thalang was. The only time I encountered it was taking a taxi to the airport. Around Koh Kaew I’d ask the driver, “Is this Thalang?”, then again at the Heroines’ Monument. Finally, as we whizzed through the Ton Sai Waterfall intersection, he’d say, “This is it.”All…
Read More » - Thai Life
Happy Ukrainian Independence Day, Phuket!
PHUKET: With all the Russian writing on Phuket signs and in beachside restaurants’ menus, you might think that there are many Russians in Phuket…and you wouldn’t be wrong. But keep in mind that not all of them are actually Russians. With some 30,532 Ukrainians having visited Thailand since the beginning of this year, chances are that the Russian family you…
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Phuket land probe: officials receive protection of anonymity
PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday declined to name anyone under investigation for allegedly issuing land titles for plots within Phuket’s Sirinath National Park. The news came as Chief of the DSI’s Consumer and Environment Protection Office Prawuth Wongsinil, publicly announced that his office will investigate only two of the 11 resorts identified by former Department of National…
Read More » - Opinion
Phuket Opinion: Not backing down in Phuket’s edgiest district
Veera Kerdsirimongkol, 57, originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, has been District Chief of Kathu for four months. He was a district chief for 13 years before coming to Phuket, most recently in Palian, Trang. He has a master’s degree in Management Sciences from Prince of Songkla University. Here, he talks about what he has done to stop illegal activity in…
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Phuket Opinion: Waste not, and waste not wanted
PHUKET: I was recently contacted by a man named David, a graduate-level research assistant from a reputable University in Bangkok, who had come to Phuket for the first time – but not for the typical reasons. The destination luring David to our “paradise island” was not any particular beach, cove, resort, restaurant or bar, but was in fact the Waste…
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Phuket Opinion: This could be heaven or this could be”¦
PHUKET: A recent report about the problem of “homeless foreigners” from the West becoming a burden on the Thai state (see here) set off an unprecedented flurry of comments on popular online blogs. Like so many dimensions of modern life, the problem of “homelessness” has reached global proportions, as cases like the diaspora of the stateless Rohingya from Myanmar show.…
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Phuket Immigration on the lookout for stolen visa stickers
PHUKET: The theft of 300 visa stickers from Thailand’s embassy in Malaysia has put Phuket Immigration on high alert.Phuket Immigration was notified about four days ago to be on the lookout for stickers bearing the stolen numbers, Phuket Immigration officer Angkarn Yasanop said.A Foreign Ministry investigation revealed that 259 of the 300 stickers had been used and 55 visa holders…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket Explore: Blazing saddles – Capering “round the cape
PHUKET: Seeking quieter backwaters where the cycling is relaxed and relatively traffic-free, the locals laid-back and the scenery dramatic, is a challenging task these days in Phuket. However, one corner in the island’s southeast certainly ticks all these boxes with the added bonus of offering one of the island’s cleanest, most beguiling swimming beaches. Last week I took a trip…
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Phuket’s Outrigger T20 cricket: Round 7
PHUKET: On a sunny Sunday for round 7 of Phuket’s Outrigger T20 Cricket league, ICC took on the Youth side in the morning session, while the Village faced Patong in the afternoon session. In the morning match, ICC notched up a solid 162-7 batting first while the Youth could only manage 125-6 in reply. The much anticipated afternoon encounter between…
Read More » - World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Manning wants to be a woman; Congo city shelled; Syria gas attack unprobed; New leaks at Fukushima; Nicely framed, says Bo
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Congo civilians amid city shelled Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The head of the U.N. mission in Congo on Thursday ordered peacekeeping troops to act to protect civilians after shelling hit the city of Goma in renewed fighting between the army and M23 rebels. The fighting…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Iranians jailed over bomb plot; Thai visas stolen from KL embassy; DNA shows Nenkham fathered child with minor
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 300 visa stickers missing from Thai embassy in Malaysia The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Border checkpoints have been ordered to stay on high alert after 300 Thai visa stickers were stolen from the Kingdom’s embassy in Malaysia.The Foreign Ministry cancelled the missing visas and launched an investigation…
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Decommissioned warship bursts into flames – again
PHUKET: The decommissioned warship RTMS Lanta burst into flames yesterday while workers were repairing damage caused by a previous fire that broke out at the tourist attraction on July 3 (story here). No injuries were reported. It took Krabi Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) firemen about an hour to squelch the flames on the warship, which is a tourist attraction in…
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Phuket’s Organized Crime Center keeps eye on the prize – illegal taxi industry
PHUKET: An officer at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Organized Crime Center clarified today that the current goal of the center is solely to dismantle the illegal taxi operations in Phuket, which officers believe are at the core of tourist extortion and local money laundering issues. “The center (story here) at this point is designed to tackle all the…
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Bangkok big gun praises Phuket police work
PHUKET: Big gun from Bangkok Gen Wuthi Liptapallop of the Royal Thai Police reviewed Phuket police progress yesterday on the island-wide crackdown on crime from August 16 to September 31. The crackdown, aimed for sweeping results in preparation for the Asian Economic Community (AEC), is targeting everything from immigration issues to prostitution, said Gen Wuthi. Phuket Immigration Police presented their…
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Dokset trial: Phuket Forensic Police recount gruesome details of body
PHUKET: The senior officer in charge of collecting forensic evidence at the home of Norwegian national Stein Harvard Dokset recounted to the court today what his team encountered when they discovered the remains of Mr Dokset’s slain ex-girlfriend, Rungnapa Suktong. Mr Dokset, 50, stands accused of murdering Ms Rungnapa and leaving her remains to dissolve in an acid-filled trash bin…
Read More » - Thai Life
Our neighbors, the Sikhs – Phuket Culture
PHUKET: Travelling is my thing. And chances are it’s yours too. For many of us it was the love of travel that brought us here to Phuket.But what’s the point of living on one of the world’s most famous islands if you end up leaving it every weekend? Khao Sok, Khao Lak, Phang Nga, Phi Phi… all very tempting. But…
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Phuket FC suffer 13th draw of season against Air Force
PHUKET: The Islanders once again allowed an early lead to slip away and be forced to settle with yet another draw – their 13th of the season – this time against 2nd placed, Air Force AVA FC (formerly known as Airforce United) in a high-stakes match last night at Phuket’s Surakul Stadium.A beautiful header by Luiz “Dudu” Purcino 10 minutes…
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Officers seize Myanmar imports at bus terminal
PHUKET: Phuket City officers seized a large cache of apparently untaxed Myanmar goods yesterday at Phuket Bus Terminal 2. Officials led by Suthee Sirianant, Chief Administration Officer of Phuket City District Office, seized the seven large plastic bags containing the goods at about 7:30pm last night.The find was made during a search conducted as part of an anti-drug drive.“We found…
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Women on top: Triathalon Champ talks about empowering women
PHUKET: “If I miss my morning training, I have no energy throughout the day,” says Belinda Granger, 15 times Iron Distance Triathlon Champion. “But you don’t have to compete in Triathlons. Just notice something that keeps you energetic and lively and keep adding more of that element into your life,” she adds. The 10 women who attended the “Empowering Women…
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Despite rescue efforts, dolphin beached at Patong dies
PHUKET: A dolphin that washed ashore at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon died despite the best efforts of bystanders to keep her alive.The female striped dolphin was first spotted by a tourist, who informed a jet-ski operator, who in turn called the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC).“I was walking along the beach when a tourist came to tell me about the…
Read More » - Business News
Cebu pacific, Tiger Air tap into Manila-Phuket direct flight market
PHUKET: At about the same time that Tourism Malaysia announced the closing of its Phuket office (click here for story), another major Southeast Asian source-market is poised to link up with the “Pearl of the Andaman” – the Philippines. As of this month and next, two regional airlines will service direct flights between Manilia and Phuket International Airport. The Philippine’s…
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Cold case cracked: Phuket market vendor faces decade-old murder charge
PHUKET: A used-clothing seller in the Baan Lipon market was arrested yesterday afternoon on a Songkla murder charge dating back to 2002.Thalang police received word from police in Padang Besar that Jatejit Boonchai, a 36-year-old Trang native, was living in Thalang.“We found out that he was selling second-hand clothing in the market,” said Thalang Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri said.“So we…
Read More » - Phuket News
Same same, but different: Second crane collapses in Patong
PHUKET: For the second time in just over a month, a crane being used to install water pipes on Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in Patong toppled over yesterday afternoon, landing this time on a garden wall. No injuries were reported. The accident occurred at about 4:30pm near Patong Hospital (map here). The crane operator, Phol Phongsaen, 32, said the…
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Phuket jungle-trek camps raided in search for phantom elephants
PHUKET: The Phuket jungle-trekking tourism industry came under scrutiny again on Wednesday when officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NREC) raided seven elephant camps in Phuket to try to determine whether or not seven elephants had been trafficked onto the island. The camps raided were: Sai Yuan Elephant Camp, Sea View Elephant Camp and Kinnaree Elephant…
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Sexagenarian on cycle tour of Thailand stops by Phuket
PHUKET: Retired teacher Manit Intarit, 66, stopped by Phuket Provincial Hall on his bicycle on Tuesday to meet Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut on the ninth day of his cycling trip around Thailand to honor HM The King and Queen.Pony-tailed Mr Manit, who hails from Pattani, said, “I want HM The King and Queen to know that residents of the Deep…
Read More » - Thailand News
37 dead as Malaysian tour bus plunges into ravine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 37 dead as Malaysian tour bus plunges into ravine News Wires / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A bus travelling from the Malaysian hilltop gambling resort of Genting Highlands to the capital Kuala Lumpur plunged 60 meters into a ravine on Wednesday, killing as many as 37 people, officials said.Rescue…
Read More » - World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Syria gas kills hundreds; Bo Xilai trial begins; Pink Panther arrested; Manning gets 35 years
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Trial of Bo Xilai opens in China Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Police blocked entry to a courthouse in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan on Thursday where the trial of ousted politician Bo Xilai is to open, the final, dramatic chapter of the country’s most politically charged…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Baht slides; House of shame; E-tags for inmates; DNA ID checks in Ranong
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Baht further slides against US$ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Falling to a one-year low yesterday at 31.82, the baht has suffered from depreciation against the US dollar along with most emerging-market currencies. Compared with this year’s peak of 28.62, registered on April 19, the…
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