Month: January 2015
- Thailand News
No signs of foul play in Briton’s death on Koh Tao
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community No signs of foul play in Briton’s death on Koh Tao The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Initial investigation has found no foul play in the death of a 23-year-old British woman earlier this week in Surat Thani’s Koh Tao. The body of Christina Annesley, 23,…
Read More » - Phuket News
Police warn of car robberies through hacked remote controls
PHUKET: Police are warning motorists throughout Phuket not to leave valuables in their vehicles after a bizarre incident in Surat Thani left about 20 cars immobilized by what police believe was a “hacking” of the remote control signals. Surat Thani Police on Monday were called to the Central Plaza shopping mall in Wat Pradu, where about two dozen people could…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket Police palm off gender-bender payoff
PHUKET: A man was arrested for attempting to pay Phuket police officers a bribe to free three lady boys busted for stealing a gold necklace from an Australian tourist last night. Piyaphan Wongyai, 24, was taken into custody after officers turned down his 30,000 baht bribe. Admittedly looking for money to pay for cosmetics and to party with, Suriyon Supohnok,…
Read More » - Phuket News
Artificial reefs to be deployed off Koh Racha
PHUKET: Dive and tour boats visiting Koh Racha, an island about 25km south of Phuket, are urged to exercise caution there early next month, as work continues to expand artificial reefs in the area. “We will deploy artificial-reef modules at Plub Pla Bay and Teu Bay from February 2-7,” said Paitoon Panchaiyaphum, director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation…
Read More » - Phuket News
Thailand, Malaysia to face off at Aussie Rules match in Phuket
PHUKET: It has been 19 years since the first international match of Australian Rules was played in Thailand, between the Thailand Tigers and the Hong Kong Dragons at Bangkok’s Kasetsart University. Since then, the sport has grown significantly in the Kingdom, and it is now coming to Phuket. Saturday, March 7 will see the first-ever Aussie Rules football match played…
Read More » - Business News
Finance: Advice for my 20-year-old self
PHUKET: I know most people in their twenties are typically not interested in planning financially for their futures. Often, they are not very interested in planning for anything other than Friday night – I remember the days when I thought the same way. What advice would I give myself now if I could go back and make decisions based on…
Read More » - Property
Royal Phuket Marina brings luxury to central Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket is changing in front of our eyes. And where some see trouble, others see opportunity. One of the latter is Royal Phuket Marina (RPM), whose latest development, La Reserve, is a luxury condominium property for the new, changing Phuket. “Phuket is turning into a proper city, a proper town,” says Ian Spurdle, RPM’s director of sales and marketing…
Read More » - Phuket News
Visa, yacht-charter law changes necessary: Tourism Minister
PHUKET: Changes in visa and chartering legislation to secure the island’s position as the top yachting destination in the region are necessary, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told the Phuket Gazette in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. “Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha wants to make Thailand a world-class hub for yachts and cruise boats in Southeast Asia – and…
Read More » - Thai Life
Excuse Buster: Amalaki – The anti-aging superfood
PHUKET: Thailand is blessed with so many rejuvenating and health-restoring herbs, fruits and foods, and during the next few columns of Excuse Buster, I would like to share my favorites, which I recommend to clients and include in my own diet. I want to start by saying that taking a few herbs or natural supplements to counteract a poor diet…
Read More » - Food
Local flavors with a stunning Phuket view
PHUKET: Phuket is a unique island, unlike any other in Thailand, and many consider it to be more of a separate entity with its own culture, history and cuisine. All three can be discovered in the narrow lanes of Old Phuket Town. But, if your main focus is food and you like to dine while enjoying a sea view, Senzees…
Read More » - Phuket News
Super Bowl XLIX: Seahawks vs Pats in the “Duel in the Desert’
PHUKET: The defending Super Bowl champs and NFC champs the Seattle Seahawks (12-4 regular season) will square off against the New England Patriots (12-4) in Super Bowl XLIX (Super Bowl 49 for those of you whose knowledge of Roman numerals is rusty) at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. [Monday, Feb 2, 6:30am Phuket time on NBC]. The…
Read More » - Business News
Lighthouse Market beacon of light for Boat Lagoon Marina Village
PHUKET: Aiming to appeal to a wider audience and expand its market reach, Phuket’s Boat Lagoon Marina is launching the Lighthouse Market. “We don’t want to focus on one target group or one nationality. This is a market for everyone who enjoys quality – both expats and local Thais,” explained Kanittha Prasopsirikul from By Kanittha, the company behind the new…
Read More » - Phuket News
Suspected Phuket ATM-heist getaway truck found dumped
PHUKET: Police believe they have found the pick-up truck used to flee an attempted ATM robbery in Thalang on January 16. The truck was found yesterday abandoned at the entrance of a rubber-tree plantation on the border of Srisoonthorn and Pa Khlok, Lt Suporn Muangkhai of the Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette. Police began their search for the suspects…
Read More » - Thailand News
Breaking News: NLA votes to impeach Yingluck
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NLA makes history by impeaching Yingluck The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) today voted overwhelmingly, by 190 votes out of a possible 220, to impeach former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra in the rice-pledging case. Former Parliament president Somsak Kiartsuranon and former…
Read More » - World News
Oil prices jump after Saudi king’s death
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Oil prices jump after Saudi king’s death Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Oil prices jumped in early Asian trading on Friday as news of the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah added to uncertainty in energy markets already facing some of the biggest shifts in decades.…
Read More » - Thailand News
Man surrenders after being charged with killing dog ‘without reason’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Man surrenders after being charged with killing dog ‘without reason’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The murder of a dog, even if it’s a stray, will now matter in Thailand thanks to the newly enforced animal protection law. A 32-year-old man gave himself up to…
Read More » - Thailand News
Judgment day for Yingluck
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Judgment day for former PM Yingluck The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Pressure is mounting on the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), which votes today on whether to impeach former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and two former parliamentary speakers accused of wrongdoings. Supporters and detractors of the…
Read More » - Phuket News
British backpacker found dead on Koh Tao
PHUKET: A British backpacker has died on Koh Tao, where British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered in September last year. Christina Annesley, 23, from Orpington in south London, was found dead on Wednesday night. Her mother Margaret, 55, announced her death on Facebook, saying: “We have lost our beautiful daughter Chrissie of natural causes. “We are totally…
Read More » - Phuket News
Lifeguard warns of dangerous conditions at Surin Beach
PHUKET: Surin Beach lifeguards have warned beachgoers to exercise caution during the next two days, as a storm system in the Indian Ocean combined with king tides is generating unseasonal waves and dangerous shore break conditions. “Conditions will be especially dangerous near high tide for the next two days, between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Swimmers should stay well away from large…
Read More » - Phuket News
Surin Beach plagued by dangerous jet-skiers
PHUKET: The dangerous jet-ski antics that continue to plague Surin Beach have forced local officials to consider installing roped-off swimming areas, despite a complete ban on jet-skis already in place at the beach. “Four jet-skis came to Surin from Bang Tao. They came into the surf line, zig-zagging and driving recklessly in the designated swimming area,” a regular beachgoer, who…
Read More » - Phuket News
Asleep-at-the-wheel driver escapes serious injury in Phuket
PHUKET: A man crashed into a tree after having allegedly fallen asleep at the wheel on a dangerous southbound curve on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday evening. Pichayakarn Masuk, 22, was taken by rescue workers to Thalang Hospital for minor cuts and bruises. “We believe Mr Pichayakarn fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of his car, causing him to hit…
Read More » - Opinion
Aussie Amb wishes Phuket happy Australia Day
Paul Robilliard has been the Australian Ambassador to Thailand since his appointment in October last year. A senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and currently First Assistant Secretary, South and West Asia Division, Amb Robilliard has served twice as Head of the United Nations Security Council Taskforce (July – Oct 2013 and Nov 2012…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket shaman arrested on pedophile charges
PHUKET: A shaman wanted for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl during a ritual in Patong last year has denied the charges after evading police for months. Police arrested Wasu Kumprayoon, 45, in Phang Nga at about 11pm yesterday on a warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court on November 14. “The girl’s mother explained that Mr Wasu had persuaded her…
Read More » - Phuket News
Employment Office denies delays in issuing Phuket work permits
PHUKET: The new chief of the Phuket Employment Office has denied allegations that his office is taking up to two months to process work permits. The Phuket Gazette was tipped-off by a concerned foreigner about an alleged backlog that was causing long delays in the issuance of work permits – a process that usually takes seven working days. However, Pitool…
Read More » - Opinion
Opinion: The future of the Andaman’s coral reefs is in the hands of Phuket tourists
PHUKET: A recent comment made by a high-ranking government official that seawalking tourists should be allowed to continue hand-feeding bread crumbs to reef fish is a serious cause for concern. Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office Director Santi Pawai recently went on a fact-finding mission to investigate claims that a marine tourism operator’s seawalker tours off the coast of…
Read More » - Phuket News
Snatch thieves nabbed within 24 hours of gold necklace rip ‘n’ run
PHUKET: Police in Karon Tuesday took only 24 hours to track down and arrested a 21-year-old man and his 13-year-old accomplice for a snatch-and-run that relieved a tourist of his 38,000-baht gold necklace. Danish national Preben Andersen, 66, told police that he first noticed two youths following him from Karon Circle, as he and his wife rode their motorbike to…
Read More » - Thai Life
Island Fever: I Drove All Night
PHUKET: Here we go again, some 38,000 feet up in the heavens, headed for Seoul and beyond. My noise-canceling headphones are weathering sonic booms and the chainsaw buzz of Iggy Pop. The “Ig” has become a man for all ages. Instead of dying young in a pool of blood up there on stage, he’s made it through to the other…
Read More » - Phuket News
Cement truck takes out parked car, small restaurant
PHUKET: The driver of a cement truck that slammed into a parked pick-up truck, a motorcycle and a small restaurant on Tuesday in central Phuket, has been charged with reckless driving and will be tested for drug use. The cement truck was en route from Cherng Talay to the Heroines Monument in Thalang at about 3pm when the accident occurred,…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket sailors shine at Langkawi regatta
PHUKET sailors dominated the Multihull class in blustery conditions at the Royal Langkawi International Regatta (click here) this week to claim the top two podium positions in the division. Grenville Fordham and Bob Mott co-skippered Andaman Cabriolet Nina well in winds of up to 25 knots to claim overall honors in the Multihull class. Nina is a regular in the…
Read More » - Hua Hin News
UNHCR to help settle Rohingya trafficking victims
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UNHCR to help settle Rohingya trafficking victims The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) would coordinate with related parties to move some Rohingya refugees in Thailand on a voluntary basis to a third country, initially set as the United…
Read More » - World News
Ukraine talks reach agreement on cease-fire line
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ukraine talks reach agreement on cease-fire line Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Diplomatic progress was made during four-way talks on the Ukraine crisis and an agreement was reached on establishing security zones between pro-Russian fighters and Kiev’s forces, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said. “Finally there…
Read More » - Phuket News
Lighthouse Market fully booked at Boat Lagoon – join the fun
PHUKET: All available space for the inaugural Lighthouse Market at the Boat Lagoon is sold, bringing the island two nights of quality shopping, food and fun from about 60 vendors. The fun gets underway at 3pm on Saturday and continues until the close at 9pm, returning at the same time on Sunday for five more hours of festivities. Live performances,…
Read More » - Phuket News
Breaking News: Police seize Phuket tourists’ beach umbrellas, chairs
PHUKET: Confusion reigned at Patong Police Station this morning when a group of tourists arrived to reclaim their beach chairs and umbrellas, which were mistakenly confiscated by officers trying to ensure that vendors were not encroaching outside the recently established special beach zones. About 15 tourists arrived at the station, Lt Col Sutthichai Tianpho of the Patong Police confirmed. “Police…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Phuket Pads: The island’s chalk and cheese
PHUKET: Phuket is, in many ways, becoming similar to Pattaya, with more and more cheap condos popping up in Patong, Kathu and other areas of the island. One-bedroom units from 1-3 million baht are becoming the norm to cater to the once-a-year tourist, and Thai investors are becoming eager to make an investment in Phuket’s booming property market. CHALK AND…
Read More » - Opinion
Tackling drug use among Phuket’s Muslim youths
Pol Sen Sgt Maj Komon Dumluck, president of Narcotics Protection and Suppression of the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand, was born in Phuket on April 5, 1967. He graduated from Ramkhamhaeng University in Bangkok with a BA and MA from the Faculty of Political Science. He then want on to secure a PhD from Bangkok’s Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University in…
Read More » - Thailand News
Prosecutors agree to indict Yingluck
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nails in Yingluck’s coffin? The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Former PM Yingluck Shinawatra’s chances of avoiding impeachment on Friday got a lot slimmer yesterday after a joint working group of anti-graft officials and public prosecutors agreed to indict her on a long-standing criminal case. The…
Read More » - Thailand News
Exchange-rate volatility prompts call for urgent meet on baht
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Urgent meet sought on baht The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: In the wake of global currency volatility, the Board of Trade of Thailand and the Thai Chamber of Commerce will soon call for a meeting with the Bank of Thailand to discuss currency risk and…
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