Year: 2013
- Opinion
Phuket Opinion: Health insurance for tourists at 7-Eleven
Dr Sirichai Silpa-archa has been the Director of Patong Hospital for six months and was Deputy Director of Vachira Phuket Hospital for 26 years. He has a medical degree from Chulalongkorn University with a specialty in Urology from Chiang Mai University, as well as an MBA. Here, he discusses options for relieving the financial burden of uninsured foreign tourist and…
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Phuket Opinion: Isle of Caprice
PHUKET: The naming of 11 parties who will be investigated by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for so-called “mafia” activities in the island’s tourism industry (story here) have piqued the interest of even some of the most jaded Phuket media observers. However, only time will tell if this initiative turns out to be the first dose of the long-awaited…
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Krabi International Airport shifting to 24-hour service
PHUKET: In a move to service increasing numbers of visitors to Krabi and provide some relief for the overcrowded Phuket International Airport, Krabi International Airport will become a 24-hour facility, its director said yesterday. “The number of tourists visiting our province has been going up in recent years, and the demand for flights and airport services is increasing,” Krabi Airport…
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Phuket to remember long-term expat Marc Harrington, 66
PHUKET: Friends of long-term Phuket expat Marc Harrington, who died on Tuesday, will be holding a fundraiser next Friday, August 23, to help cover hospital and funeral expenses so they may lay him to rest. Mr Harrington, a British national from London, was admitted to Vachira Phuket Hospital on June 22 after suffering a head injury in a motorbike accident…
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Tiger Disco: date set for trial over lethal Phuket fire
PHUKET: More than than a year after a fatal blaze killed four people at Patong’s famous Tiger Disco nightclub on August 17 last year, the nightclub’s operators will be called to Phuket Court to enter a plea to charges of negligence causing death. “Tiger Group CEO Piya Isaramalai and Sara Entertainment Co Ltd each face a charge under Section 291…
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Mayor Pian, other Patong officials snared in vote fraud probe
PHUKET: The Phuket Election Commission (PEC) Director, Kittipong Thiengkunakrit, signed an order on July 29 to remove Patong Mayor Pian Keesin from office for vote fraud.However, in talking with the Phuket Gazette today, he was vague about the details of the complaint filed that led him to dismiss one of Phuket’s most powerful politicians.“Mayor Pian and other Patong Administrative officials…
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Family of executed Phuket human resources director demand results
PHUKET: The husband of Jintana Mahattanapak, who was executed waiting at a stoplight on her way home from work, demanded that police reinvigorate their investigation into his wife’s death as the case appeared to have gone cold almost seven months after the event (story here). Winyoo Mahattanapak, Mrs Jintana’s widower, and other relatives arrived at the Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters…
Read More » - Phuket News
Logging raid finds over 100 rai of damage, no lumberjacks
PHUKET: A raid into the protected area of Bang Khanoon forest reserve uncovered the results of illegal logging in over 100rai of Phuket forest. “We found about fifty large Eaglewood trees cut down and a lot of pieces of the wood on the ground,” Thalang Police Deputy Superintendent Amnuay Kraiwutthianun told the Phuket Gazette. “We believe the illegal lumberjacks cut…
Read More » - Thai Life
Indonesia celebrates Independence Day
PHUKET: In the last 10 days, numerous nations celebrated their national days – Singapore, Pakistan, India, Laos and today, it’s time for Indonesians to celebrate theirs – Independence Day.On August 17, 1945 Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands. It took four more years for the Dutch to recognize Indonesia’s sovereignty and 56 more years for them to accept August…
Read More » - Thai Life
VIDEO REPORT: Yoga: breathing in new life
PHUKET: Young Spanish filmmaker and inveterate traveller Josu Ozkaritz’s latest documentary project Breathing Ashtanga Yoga was largely filmed in Phuket and features teachers and students of the popular Ashtanga Yoga style talking about the profound effect the ancient discipline has had on their lives.Josu has worked on a number of self-funded film projects and stumbled across the idea to do…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket speedboat brings tourists closer to nature
PHUKET: A group of tourists out to enjoy a scenic tour of Phuket’s east coast received a surprise yesterday when the captain of the speedboat they were riding on decided to take the eco-tourism slogan “bringing you close to nature” to heart. The speedboat Panisa ended up high and dry among the mangroves at the entrance to the canal to…
Read More » - Phuket News
Run like a girl… ahead of the rest – Triathlon Tips
PHUKET: Did you know that “Long Distance Running” for women was illegal in the old days? Participation in Marathon events was impossible for women. It was considered unfeminine and unhealthy. It took the IOC till 1984 to finally hold the first marathon for women. The first known marathon finish of a woman was in 1967 when Katherine entered the Boston…
Read More » - Phuket News
Moya Hin, Hurricane and Aqua sail forth
PHUKET: Beautiful sunny skies and a cool, gentle 10-15 knot south-westerly breeze greeted over 45 sailors competing in race one of Phuket’s Ao Chalong Yacht Club, Series Two. The first of the eight race series was proudly sponsored by ISS Security Services. After hearty breakfasts from the club restaurant and some of the best coffee on the island, sailors of…
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Patong cruise to easy win – Phuket Cricket
PHUKET: On an overcast Sunday for Round 6 of the Outrigger T20 league, Laguna last weekend squared up against Patong in the morning session, while the Village took on ICC in a rain-affected afternoon session.In the morning match, Patong cruised to a comfortable win over Laguna who could only manage 90 runs during their innings with Patong reaching their target…
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Pyrotechnic meth-dealer caught red handed in Krabi
PHUKET: A pyrotechnic meth-dealer announcing full stocks of ya bah (methamphetamine) pills with firecrackers had his bubble burst by Krabi police yesterday. Following a tip-off, Krabi City Police raided a shack in the middle of a rubber plantation and found Songpol Nakbutr, 34, selling ya bah pills to two customers. Mr Songpol got the pills from a prisoner in Nakhon…
Read More » - Phuket News
Chinese tourists unharmed in Phuket high-speed tour bus crash
PHUKET: Chinese tourists on board a Phuket tour bus escaped injury last night after the bus they were travelling on sideswiped three parked cars at speed on Thepkrasattri Road.The bus was returning 20 tourists back to the Supalai Resort & Spa at Ao Por, in Pa Khlok, after a night tour of Phuket Town, said Thalang Police officer Lt Thani…
Read More » - World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Egypt braces for more bloodshed; UPS crash probe stalls; World’s largest child porn facilitator arrested
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Egypt braces for more violence as Brotherhood calls for ‘march of anger’ Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Deeply polarised Egypt braced for renewed confrontation on Friday after the Muslim Brotherhood called for a nationwide march of millions to show anger at a ferocious security crackdown on…
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Hospitality recruitment: New six-star property and restaurant north of Phuket now hiring
PHUKET: Anticipating the opening later this year of a new “six-star” hotel and adjoining Michelin-cheffed restaurant just north of Phuket, the Iniala Group will hold a recruitment event at Royal Phuket Marina on Saturday, August 24 (click here for map). To be held from 9am to 7pm, “Recruitment Day” will look to hire a number of Thai nationals to fill…
Read More » - World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Egypt braces for more bloodshed;
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Egypt braces for more violence as Brotherhood calls ‘march of anger’ Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Deeply polarised Egypt braced for renewed confrontation on Friday after the Muslim Brotherhood called for a nationwide march of millions to show anger at a ferocious security crackdown on Islamists…
Read More » - Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Gambling on a roll; B343bn budget passed; Tarit questioned over Yingluck photo
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Study reveals truth behind Thailand’s gambling addiction Phuket GazettePHUKET: The “underground lottery” remains the most popular form of gambling in Thailand with an estimated capital of Bt100 billion per year, while the government lottery follows with a capital of Bt76.77 billion, a study by Chulalongkorn University’s Social…
Read More » - Phuket News
American slashes own throat at Phuket police station
PHUKET: An American man slashed his own throat with a broken tile at Chalong Police Station Wednesday night after allegedly causing a ruckus at a local Phuket school.Police were called to Muang Phuket School in Rawai Wednesday evening and quickly found the shouting American, who police have yet to identify publicly.“We brought him to the police station,” Lt Col Chamroon…
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Phuket underpass traffic to resume “normal delays’
PHUKET: Roadwork at the Darasamuth Intersection that has caused huge tailbacks over the past few days is scheduled to be completed by today, with northbound traffic resuming its normal route through the junction, the Phuket Gazette has been told. The delays have been caused by workers at the site, where Phuket’s first underpass is under construction, needing to excavate the…
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Hope in Phuket: Largest floating library docks at Panwa
PHUKET: The world’s largest floating library, MV Logos Hope, was welcomed to Phuket’s Deep Sea Port (map here) by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut Thursday morning. Joining local dignitaries at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were about 100 students from Yala, one of Thailand’s violence-stricken Deep South provinces. The students were bussed to the opening as part of a community project conducted by…
Read More » - Phuket News
Go Eco Phuket hails successful reef, beach cleanup
PHUKET: In honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 81st birthday on Monday, Phuket’s dive community, supported by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and local government bodies joined together in a mass effort to raise the world’s awareness of the importance of keeping Phuket’s marine and coastal ecosystems clean and debris-free.The event was launched on Tuesday with more than…
Read More » - Thai Life
Tuk tuks go green, global – Phuket Tech
PHUKET: Dutch company Tuk Tuk Factory, which builds electric three-wheeled tuk tuks modelled on the classic Thai form of transportation, has developed a new webtool enabling customers to design their own customized, electric tuk tuk.When they began supplying electric e-Tuks all over the globe, from Greenland to the Caribbean, it became clear to the manufacturers that practically all three-wheelers produced…
Read More » - Phuket News
Pregnant woman found murdered in Khao Sok identified
PHUKET: The pregnant woman who had been shot three times and dumped in Khao Sok National Park last week has been identified by a neighbor, police say. “After the news was published, one of her neighbors contacted the Kapong Police and was able to identify her,” said Lt Col Prajak Rodkantuk of the Kapong Police Station. “Her name was Wipa…
Read More » - Business News
AEC training for tourism
PHUKET: The Department of Tourism and the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) will hold major training courses for entrepreneurs in the tourism and hospitality industry in order to prepare them for the opening of the Asean Economic Community. Pasit Poomchusri, Deputy Director General of the Department of Tourism said the tourism and service industry which includes lodgings, restaurants, transportation,…
Read More » - Thai Life
Dennis Rodman saves the world
PHUKET: Dennis Rodman, the bad boy of basketball, recently visited North Korea and became great pals with its youthful leader, Kim Jong-un, an ardent basketball fan. Rodman declared Kim to be an “awesome kid” and his “friend for life.” The two were photographed laughing and clapping at a basketball game and giving each other a series of warm hugs. Below…
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Rocky takes a beating on Phuket’s Patong Beach
PHUKET: A Nepalese tailor who calls himself “Rocky” was beaten bloody by alleged “business acquaintances” on the Patong beach road just after midnight last night, Phuket Police have reported. Responding to a call at 12:30am, police arrived at the southern end of Thaweewong Road (map here) to find a well-dressed man bleeding profusely from several head wounds. “The man, who…
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Krabi does Phuket FC a favor
PHUKET: Thanks to Krabi FC’s 4-2 away win last night at Saraburi, Phuket FC moved up one place of the 18-team Yamaha League One (YL1), into 6th place, despite only drawing with lowly Royal Thai Navy FC 1-1 in Chonburi, also last night. The midweek match-up, both side’s 22nd of the scheduled 34 matches in the YL1 2013 season, was…
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Phuket nurse in ICU after high-speed car crash
PHUKET: A Phuket nurse is in the intensive care unit at Bangkok Hospital Phuket this morning after the car she was driving hit a power pole at high speed before dawn today. Three people were injured in the accident, near the Bangchak gas station on Phra Phuket Kaew Road in Kathu (map here), explained Lt Col Yotsapat Suwannsit of the…
Read More » - Business News
Phuket In Focus: AEC is coming – are you ready?
PHUKET: In 2015, the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) – Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam – will formally integrate their economies as part of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) initiative. The AEC will be similar to the European Economic community (EEC) where participating countries aim to develop…
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Phuket murder suspect caught after wife uses victim’s phone
PHUKET: The killer of a man found dumped by the side of a road in Rawai last month was collared when his wife was spotted using the victim’s mobile telephone. The body of Anuwat Kathong, 25, was found wrapped in a blanket by the side of a road in Rawai just after midnight on July 4 (story here). “The victim…
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Armed but barefoot, thief robs Phuket 7-Eleven
PHUKET: A barefoot man armed with a long kitchen knife robbed a 7-Eleven in Rassada, north of Phuket Town, early yesterday morning, making off with just over 10,000 baht.CCTV images show a man about 170cm tall wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet, black jacket and jeans, said Phuket City Police Superintendent Sermphan Sirikong.“We received a report at about 3am from the…
Read More » - World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Scores dead in Egypt crackdown; Weapons detonate on Indian submarine; China, Hong Kong battered by Typhoon Utor
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Egypt seethes under curfew after hundreds killed Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Security forces struggled to clamp a lid on Egypt on Thursday after hundreds of people were killed when authorities forcibly broke up camps of supporters protesting the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, in the worst…
Read More » - Hua Hin News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Rohingya talks with Myanmar; Nat Parks denies trafficking; Akeyuth hit professional
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Surapong discusses Rohingya issue with Myanmar The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul discussed with his Myanmar counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin yesterday how to find a lasting solution to the problem of Rohingya boat people detained in Thailand.More than 1,700 Rohinyga migrants have been held…
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Typhoon Utor fallout to drench Phuket, 27 provinces
PHUKET: The Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned that Typhoon Utor, which struck the coast of China’s Guangdong province late yesterday, will bring heavy rain to 27 Thai provinces today and tomorrow – including Phuket, Phang Nga,Krabi, Ranong and Trang.TMD chief Worapat Tiewthanom warned that Typhoon Utor was as powerful as Typhoon Gay, which ravaged southern Thailand in 1989.With winds whipping…
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