Year: 2013
- Phuket News
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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Phuket Tech: Measuring (actual) internet speed – Live Wire
PHUKET: Over the years we’ve had a lot of ups and downs with the Phuket Internet Speed reporting site, phuketinternetspeed.com. We’ve gathered 30,000 speed tests from around the island, from almost 900 computer users, covering nearly 100 different internet packages. That makes Phuket Internet Speed, by far, as best I know, the largest community-based independent speed reporting site on the…
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Police offer B200k reward for gold shop robber
PHUKET: Police are offering a reward of 200,000 baht for information leading to the arrest of the man who robbed the C.P. Gold Master & Jewelry store at gunpoint yesterday evening, shooting dead a customer at the store in the process. Apichet Choo-kliang, 32, was shot in the chest trying to stop the gold heist (story here). Mr Apichet was…
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City keep slim hope of retaining title alive with win at Old Trafford
Special Aguero goal helps City sink United Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Sergio Aguero tore through the Manchester United defence to score a dazzling winner as Manchester City beat the Premier League leaders 2-1 yesterday evening to remind them they are still champions for a few more weeks. Second-placed City’s second successive league win at Old Trafford, following last term’s…
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Phuket sings: Big bird contest around the corner
PHUKET: One of the biggest events Phuket will see this year – if you are the owner of a singing bird, that is – will take place in Thalang tomorrow. As many as 720 singing red-whiskered Bulbuls, Nok Pa Rod Jook in Thai, are expected to take part, coming from all over Thailand to do so. The winner of this…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Putin laughs off topless protest; Body in Paris plane; UN whistleblower in spotlight
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Putin laughs off topless protest, defends NGO moves Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Russian President Vladimir Putin laughed off a protest against him by topless women in Germany on Monday, joking that he liked what he had seen while sharply rebuffing German criticism of his human…
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Russian tour company worker freed after proved legal
PHUKET: The Russian woman arrested for working illegally at a tour counter in Kata last week has been released after her company proved to Phuket police that she was legal. Natalia Nikiforova, 33, was arrested at the Rus Info Tour Center in Kata last Wednesday for working without a work permit and for illegally entering the country (story here). Karon…
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Man shot dead in B2.3mn Phuket gold heist
PHUKET: A man was shot dead while trying to stop a hold-up at the C.P. Gold Master & Jewelry store at Tesco Lotus on the bypass road (map here) early this evening. The robber made off with gold jewelry with a reported value of more than 2.32 million baht, The shop’s CCTV security cameras show the robber parked his motorbike…
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Breaking News: Margaret Thatcher dies, aged 87
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Britain’s “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher dies Reuters /Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” who dominated British politics for two decades, died today following a stroke, a spokesman for her family said. She was 87. Britain’s only woman prime minister, the tough, outspoken Thatcher led…
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Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand
PHUKET: The women’s section of the “Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand” started today on Phuket. The event features 15 international teams (including T-Thailand and T-All Star from Thailand). The first stage of the women’s race was completed earlier today on Phuket and the race schedule for tomorrow’s Phang Nga leg is as follows:9am: The race starts from…
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Phuket Property: Resorts help water crisis
PHUKET: According to the World Travel and Tourism Council there are around 12.7 million hotel rooms around the world, and another 1.3 million are in development, half of them being built in the Middle East and Africa. Bottled water is as common a sight in hotel rooms as thin-screen televisions and mass-produced art. Given that hotels generally charge for bottled…
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Phuket Business: Job fair expected to fill 30% of vacancies
PHUKET: Of the 6,000 job vacancies offered through the “e-jobs@Phuket 2013” job fair held recently at Phuket Rajbhat University, only 118 positions were immediately filled, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Phuket Provincial Employment Office chief Yawapa Pibulpol said that a total of 1,578 job applications were submitted. Of these, she said 548 were submitted at the fair itself, while the…
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Phuket Business: B28bn worth of 20-baht notes to get exchanged
PHUKET: As part of the Bank of Thailand’s (BoT) policy to make its banknotes more modern and user friendly, 4 billion baht worth of new series-16 20-baht banknotes are being put into circulation. Until now, the Kingdom’s lowest-value, yet most widely used banknotes have not been fraud-proof in synchronizing with electronic finance machines. “The new design incorporates a range of…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Prof Nutt mad at magic mushroom testing stall
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community First magic mushroom depression trial hits stumbling block Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The world’s first clinical trial designed to explore using a hallucinogen from magic mushrooms to treat people with depression has stalled because of British and European rules on the use of illegal drugs in…
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Fire scare at Phuket student dormitory
PHUKET: Smoke pouring from a second-floor window at a girls’ student dormitory late yesterday afternoon prompted no fewer than three fire trucks to rush to the scene to extinguish the blaze. Phuket City Police received a report of the fire, at the Phuket Rajabhat University dormitory on Rassada-anusorn Road (map here), at 5pm. Firefighters arrived promptly and took about 20…
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Phuket Property: Central bank fears bubble
PHUKET: The Bank of Thailand (BoT) might reel in the real estate market after detecting some hot spots, especially in the condominium segment for units priced under 3 million baht. “A restriction on banks for 0% interest rates is one of the measures to control the market. But the central bank will have other measures such as tightening the loan-to-value…
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Phuket luminaries attend revered Abbot’s cremation
PHUKET: The Governor of Phuket, Maitri Inthusut, all three Phuket Vice Governors and both of Phuket’s members of parliament were present at the cremation ceremony yesterday of the former abbot of Wat Chalong, Phra Ajarn Udomwetchakit Uttamuyano. Also in attendance were local leaders and the general public, bringing the total number to about 2,000. The Abbot – Phra Ajarn Lim…
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Phuket Property Watch: Live by the sword, die by the sword
PHUKET: They came, they spent, they left. That pretty much sums up the great Russian tropical cold war of this the high tourism season. Over the past month or so I embarked on a research project to try to learn more about the surge of visitors from the former USSR to the island of Phuket. Not content to simply put…
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Thai Football: Phuket FC sink Thai Navy in added time
PHUKET: Surakul Stadium erupted in celebration after Phuket FC’s “super sub” Chana Sonwiset scored in added time to secure his side three points in a league match against the Royal Navy football club in Phuket Town last night. The match was evenly poised at 0-0 going into the final minutes of added time, until Chana – whose name literally means…
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Phuket Gazette World News: China rebukes North Korea; Cairo clashes; Ukraine’s Lutsenko freed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China rebukes North Korea, says no state should sow chaos Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: China’s leaders issued thinly veiled rebukes to North Korea for raising regional tensions, with the president saying no country should throw the world into chaos and the foreign minister warning that Beijing…
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Phuket shelter in fight against HIV stigma
Daoroong ‘Joojee’ Rodsamnam, 49, from Bangkok, has been project manager for the Life Home Project Foundation, a shelter for HIV-positive mothers and their children, for seven years. Here, she talks about HIV in Phuket, the goals and challenges of the Foundation and what motivated her to work there. PHUKET: Phuket is always in the top-five provinces in Thailand in terms…
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Phuket Gazette Queer News: Woman delivers egg-straordinary baby
PHUKET: A woman in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province claims to have given birth to an egg. Sopharat Phantharak, 36, from Village 5 in Mokhlan Subdistrict, has placed the miraculous object on a pedestal lined with white cloth and is inviting local villagers to come and pay their respects to it. Mrs Sopharat, who is already a mother of four, claims…
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Phuket Opinion: Forever at the mafia’s mercy
PHUKET: The proposal by the chief of the Phuket Marine Office to launch a “sea taxi” to ferry passengers between Patong and Phuket International Airport deserves credit for innovation, but appears somewhat impractical. There can be no doubt that visiting tourists need – and fully deserve – better public transport options between Phuket Airport and west coast resort destinations. The…
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Phuket on alert for H7N9 bird flu virus
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) has set up rapid-response teams and alerted all hospitals on the island to monitor patients for any signs of the H7N9 bird-flu virus. The move follows Chinese officials finding traces of the new strain of bird flu in more areas in Shanghai and in the nearby city of Hangzhou, as authorities slaughtered birds…
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