Year: 2014
- Property
Phuket’s Patong Bay Hill, in the heart of the valley
PHUKET: Mark June of 2015 in your calendars. It might be the very month when Patong begins changing for the better, all due to the launch of the beach town’s much anticipated Patong Bay Hill development. “We are very happy, as everything is going according to schedule. Patong Bay Hill is expected to be completed in May 2015, and after…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Brakes not to blame for fatal car plunge from Bangkok mall car park: expert
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Brakes not to blame for fatal car plunge from Bangkok mall car park: expert The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Brake failure has been ruled out as a likely cause behind a fatal accident at a Bangkok shopping mall on Tuesday, a police expert has reported.…
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Five more caught in police graft scandal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Five more caught in police graft scandal The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Five civilians accused of involvement in the corruption scheme engulfing crime buster Lt Gen Pongpat Chayaphan have been apprehended and are going through the criminal process, National police chief Gen Somyot Poompanmoung said…
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British man arrested in Udon for sex offences in the UK
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community British man arrested in Udon for sex offences in the UK The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A British man, wanted for 17 counts of sexual violation and molesting girls under 14 in the United Kingdom, was arrested on Tuesday at a local school in Kumphawapi…
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Military units to be opened for sale of cheap goods and ‘freebies’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Military units to be opened for sale of cheap goods and ‘freebies’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday he would open all military units in Bangkok and encourage business operators to hand out “freebies” to the public in the New…
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PM visiting Laos, Vietnam to discuss trade
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PM visiting Laos, Vietnam to discuss trade The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha left Bangkok yesterday on a three-day trip for official visits to Laos and Vietnam to boost cooperation on trade and investment. Vientiane and Hanoi are the third and fourth…
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36 ‘illegal’ resorts face demolition in Thap Lan National Park
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 36 ‘illegal’ resorts face demolition in Thap Lan National Park The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thap Lan National Park officials set up signs early yesterday warning that 36 resorts allegedly encroaching on the park will be demolished, despite reports of officers being threatened while putting…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket’s “no plastic bag’ push just the tip of the rubbish pile
PHUKET: At a meeting held at the incinerator in Saphan Hin on October 16, more than 40 representatives gathered to discuss the issue of waste disposal and what type of promotional and educational programs could be implemented to make a positive contribution to recycling and to energy recovery. One clear example already in place is a large notice on the…
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Phuket’s new vice governors to arrive on Monday
PHUKET: Two senior officials will arrive in Phuket on Monday to start their new roles as vice governors, providing Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong with his full complement of three deputies. According to the official order published by the Ministry of Interior, Phuket’s new vice governors are Suthee Thongyam and Pranrob Singhasanee. Mr Suthee was promoted from his post as Provincial…
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Phuket truck driver charged over fatal motorbike collision
PHUKET: A helmet-less Phuket motorbike passenger was killed in an accident on Thepkrasattri Road this morning. Lt Col Sanit Nukong of the Thalang Police was called to the scene, in a northbound lane near the Baan Muang Mai u-turn, at about 10am. In the middle of the road, he found Wirat Sironghoi, 45, gripped with grief, leaning over the body…
Read More » - Property
Shanghai Property Expo to showcase foreign investments
PHUKET: If you are looking to buy, sell or rent a property, then make a note on your schedule to visit the 2014 Shanghai Real Estate Expo from December 8-10, and check out the hundreds of properties on offer, all under one roof. The three-day free exhibition, which takes place in Shanghai’s financial district, will feature leading overseas developers, real…
Read More » - Business News
The global habit of printing more currency to alleviate debt pressure
PHUKET: Just as it seems that the United States’ money printing program is finally ending, other major players are taking steps to continue pumping money into the global economy. The prevailing theory for central bankers around the globe seems to include avoiding the less desirable part of the business cycle, which has been around throughout history, at all costs. What…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Key Phuket vice governor ordered to post near Bangkok
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, 52, today confirmed that he has been ordered to take the post of vice governor in Nakhon Pathom province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, effective December 1. “I have no regret leaving Phuket. I did all my best during my time here,” Vice Governor Chamroen told the Phuket Gazette today. “I will miss Phuket.…
Read More » - Phuket News
Italian tourist slashed by teens in botched Phuket bag-snatch
PHUKET: Police have arrested three teenagers and are searching for the gang’s alleged female ringleader after a failed bag-snatch attempt in Karon left an Italian tourist injured. Italian tourists Herbert Wunderer, 49, and Karin Katherina Albert, 54, were walking back to their hotel after midnight on Monday when five youths on two motorbikes pulled up alongside them, said Lt Col…
Read More » - Phuket News
Gone in 60 seconds: Prolific Phuket motorbike thieves busted
PHUKET: It took a gang of motorbike thieves operating in Phuket less than one minute to make off with a single bike, a process which the criminals admitted to repeating hundreds of times. The revelation comes as police netted four members of a group operating on the island that has managed to ride off with more than 200 motorbikes over…
Read More » - Phuket News
Illegal croc north of Phuket lands owner in hot water
PHUKET: An elephant camp owner will be charged only for the illegal ownership of a crocodile after confessing to police that he had also recently possessed a gibbon that died a few months ago. A complaint was filed to a variety of departments about the Khao Lak Elephant Camp, based north of Phuket, which tourists claimed tortured a gibbon and…
Read More » - Thailand News
B2bn cash, valuables stashed in police general’s secret home vaults
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community B2bn cash, valuables stashed in police general’s secret home vaults The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: In a series of raids last week, police discovered secret underground vaults at the home of former crimebuster Pongpat Chayaphan containing assets worth more than Bt2 billion. One of the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Sierra Leone man found, clear of Ebola
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sierra Leone man found, clear of Ebola The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Immigration authorities met the Sierra Leone man they have been hunting just as he was about to board a flight at Suvarnabhumi Airport. As of press time, Samuel Sesay, 31, was with officials…
Read More » - World News
More U.S. troops deployed in Ferguson to guard against fresh riots
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community More U.S. troops deployed in Ferguson to guard against fresh riots Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Missouri’s governor ordered hundreds more National Guard troops on Tuesday to a St. Louis suburb rocked by rioting and looting after a grand jury declined to indict a white policeman…
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British banks’ rotten culture will take generation to fix, says think tank
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community British banks’ rotten culture will take generation to fix, says think tank Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET:Bad behavior that has cost British banks 38.5 billion pounds ($60 billion) in fines and compensation over the past 15 years will take a generation to fix, an independent think…
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Fears surge over Phuket sea gypsy child prostitution
PHUKET: After being contacted by the Phuket Gazette today, local officials and community leaders are taking action over fears that children and teens at the sea gypsy village in Rawai are entering a downward spiral of drugs and prostitution, with girls as young as 10 reportedly offering sexual services to adults. Rawai sea gypsy community leader Ngeem Damrongkaset, 69, told…
Read More » - Cannabis News
Scores arrested in Beach Games crime crackdown
PHUKET: An island-wide crime sweep during the Asian Beach Games resulted in more than 150 arrests and turned up scores of weapons, illegal drugs and counterfeit items, Phuket’s top cop revealed yesterday. “We must maintain Phuket’s good image and uphold the policies of the Royal Thai Police. It is our job to keep everyone safe and to prevent crime,” Phuket…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket man killed in high-speed motorbike crash
PHUKET: A Phuket man riding a motorbike at high speed died instantly, after he crashed into the back of a 10-wheeled truck last night. The accident, near Baan Mak Prok in Thalang, took place near a u-turn on Thepkrasattri Road at about 9.30pm, Lt Thanom Thongpan of the Tah Chat Chai Police told the Phuket Gazette. “According to witnesses, 37-year-old…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket beach vendors fear police investigation
PHUKET: More than 100 out-of-work beach vendors gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to file a complaint with the governor regarding a land encroachment investigation by the Karon Police. The vendors presented the letter to Governor Nisit Jansomwong – along with a letter from the Ministry of Interior, dated January 3, 2005, that gave permission for people to operate businesses…
Read More » - World News
Shots fired in protests over Ferguson verdict
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Shots fired in protests over Ferguson verdict, Obama calls for peace Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A Missouri grand jury’s decision not to indict a white police officer on any charges in the fatal August shooting of an unarmed black teenager unleashed a wave of violent…
Read More » - Business News
Comprehensive worldwide survey examines the expat experience
PHUKET: Online expatriate networking site InterNations recently released its first Expat Insider report, which provides insight into the experience of those who choose to live, retire or work abroad. The report is an agglomeration of survey results from about 14,000 respondents representing 165 nationalities residing in 169 countries. The questionnaire focuses on the traits of a host country, including quality…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket boating: Like sailing? Join the club
PHUKET: Often the boats and the lifestyles featured in this boating column highlight how the “other half” lives. Well, not exactly the “one percenters”, but more like the “eight to 12 percenters”. Yet what lies behind all the luxury is the same common ground: the lure of the sea. What many people don’t know, including many long-term Phuket residents, is…
Read More » - Thailand News
‘Billion baht’ police arrested linked to insurgency, oil smuggling
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘Billion baht’ police arrested linked to insurgency, oil smuggling The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Two crime-fighting agencies agencies have been assigned to investigate a series of high-profile arrests – including Central Investigation Bureau Commissioner Lt Gen Pongpat Chayaphan – over a longstanding contraband petrol trade…
Read More » - Thailand News
Police, health officials hunt Sierra Leone man amid Ebola fears
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police, health officials hunt Sierra Leone man amid Ebola fears The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Public Health Ministry has sought police help to try to locate a Sierra Leone man who failed to report for a mandatory 21-day observation to see if he develops…
Read More » - Phuket News
Video Report: Laguna Phuket Triathlon marks historic victory
PHUKET: Italians Massimo Cigana and Alberto Casadei made history together at the Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) yesterday as they crossed the finish line as one and became LPT’s first dual champions in the annual event’s 21-year history. Cigana, who won in 2008, 2010 and 2011, also became the triathlon’s first four-time champion, and once again carved his name into the…
Read More » - Phuket News
Coral poachers pounce on Phi Phi, south of Phuket
PHUKET: Residents and tourists must immediately report any signs of coral poaching to officials, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Region 5 Chief Tanet Munnoy told the Phuket Gazette on Saturday. “Quick action is necessary to clamp down on corals being stolen from marine national parks, because the criminals behind the work move rapidly,” Mr Tanet said. “They have…
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Illegal beach vendors not operating on Phuket, says official
PHUKET: Vendors have not resumed operations on public-beach land confirmed the president of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) to the Phuket Gazette today. A national news story yesterday reported that a group of defiant beach vendors, including restaurant operators and masseuses, had returned to the sands of Cherng Talay to re-start their businesses for the yearly influx of…
Read More » - Phuket News
Spectacular finale at Phuket’s Asian Beach Games
PHUKET: The 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket came to a spectacular close at the Saphan Hin Sports Center last night, with fantastic stage shows featuring more than 800 performers, as well as sound-and-light shows. The ceremony, with Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul presiding, started with the performance titled “Magic of Dream Destination”, which reflected the invaluable essence of…
Read More » - Thailand News
Billions of baht found at police general’s home
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Billions of baht found at police general’s home The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police have found billions of baht’s worth of assets at the home of Central Investigation Bureau commander Lt Gen Pongpat Chayaphan, who has been suspended from service after being charged with several…
Read More » - Phuket News
Deep South Army officer found dead in Phuket pond
PHUKET: Police will conduct an autopsy on the body of a Deep South Army officer whose remains were found in a Phuket pond yesterday. Police and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers were called to the scene, behind Rock Garden Village in Rassada, at about 3:45pm, where the body of Sgt Jassada Suton, 31, was found. Sgt Jassada was stationed with the…
Read More » - Phuket News
Thailand crowned Asian Beach Games champions
PHUKET: Thailand closed the final day of the 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket yesterday with two more gold medals in the beach sepak takraw to be crowned official Games champions for the second time with a haul of 56 gold, 37 silver and 33 bronze medals. Defending champions China placed second overall, with 16 gold, 11 silver and 21…
Read More » - Thailand News
Top police face Lese Majeste charges
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Top police face Lese Majeste charges The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The suspended commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, Lt Gen Pongpat Chayaphan, and his deputy Maj Gen Kowit Wongrungroj, who have been accused of lese majeste, have confessed to their crimes, Royal Thai Police…
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