Month: February 2015
- World News
Gunman kills eight in Czech restaurant
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gunman kills eight in Czech restaurant Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET:A local man shot dead eight people in a restaurant in an eastern Czech town on Tuesday and then killed himself, in the worst peacetime shooting in the country’s history, officials said. The interior minister said…
Read More » - Thailand News
Wife and son of dead round-the-world cyclist receive B300k in government compensation
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Wife and son of dead round-the-world cyclist receive B300k in government compensation The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Ministry of Tourism and Sports will handover this week 300,000 baht in assistance money to the wife and son of the late Chilean intercontinental cyclist Juan Francisco…
Read More » - Thailand News
Most judges picked for Yingluck case also hearing other Thaksin cases
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Most judges picked for Yingluck case also hearing other Thaksin cases The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: More than half of nine judges selected yesterday by 146 Supreme Court members to be on a panel to hear the rice scheme case against former prime minister Yingluck…
Read More » - Thailand News
NACC wants impeachment of Abhisit, Suthep over 2010 crackdown
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NACC wants impeachment of Abhisit, Suthep over 2010 crackdown The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Anti-Corruption Commission has unanimously resolved to kick off the process of impeaching former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban for their alleged mishandling of the bloody…
Read More » - Thailand News
Uproar over NRC panel and Buddhist reform
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Uproar over NRC panel and Buddhist reform The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A network of monks and Buddhist followers yesterday officially urged Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to cancel within 15 days the National Reform Council (NRC) committee on the protection of Buddhism. The move…
Read More » - Thailand News
Ex-rector charged in B1.5bn KMITL embezzlement scam
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ex-rector charged in B1.5bn KMITL embezzlement scam The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thawil Phuengma, the former rector of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Latkrabang (KMITL) and a suspect in the high-profile siphoning off Bt1.5 billion from KMITL bank accounts, yesterday morning reported to police to…
Read More » - Phuket News
Irish teen pleads for justice over alleged Phuket corruption, death threats, kidnapping
PHUKET: A video posted on the Facebook page “Justice for Jessie” has gone viral as 15-year-old Irish girl Jessie Vard pleads for justice for her family, who have allegedly suffered from years of police corruption, death threats, property fraud and kidnapping. Jessie posted the video denouncing the Thai police and justice system ahead of her 61-year-old father, Colin Vard, appearing…
Read More » - Phuket News
Funeral services for Phuket expat, developer Stephen Paine announced
PHUKET: Viewing and prayers for well-known property developer and long-time Phuket resident Stephen Paine will begin tomorrow at Wat Thep Vanaram in Baan Manik, Thalang. Mr Paine passed away at his villa in Phuket on Saturday (story here). Services will be held daily from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, and will conclude on Friday. Final funeral rites and the cremation will be…
Read More » - Phuket News
Video Report: Illegal tuk-tuk drivers urge Phuket Gov to expedite registration
PHUKET: A group of illegal tuk-tuk drivers drove to Phuket Provincial Hall today to request the governor’s help, as their application process has dragged on for months following the crackdown on illegal drivers last year. “The National Council for Peace and Order’s crackdown on illegal taxis has put us out of work for months,” Anan Plermjit, a representative of the…
Read More » - Phuket News
Jomhod wins MMA debut at Full Metal Dojo 4 (video)
PHUKET: Muaythai legend Jomhod Kiatadisak won his first foray into mixed martial arts (MMA) by defeating Cambodian Vorn “Kun Khmer” Viva at the Full Metal Dojo 4 fight event in Bangkok on Saturday. Jomhod, a former Lumpinee and Rajadamnern muaythai champion who now trains at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, defeated Vorn by unanimous decision after three rounds. The fight…
Read More » - Phuket News
Body of newborn found in Phuket Town trash
PHUKET: Police are searching for the mother of a newborn boy found dead in a trash bin on Phun Pol Road in Phuket Town last night. “The body was wrapped in towels and placed inside a woman’s handbag in a trash bin near the headquarters of the Kusoldharm Foundation,” said Lt Jariyawat Taencheun of the Phuket City Police. “He was…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phi Phi boat owner charged for “aquarium in the wild’
PHUKET: An “aquarium in the wild” boat owner was fined 10,000 baht for improper use of his boat after a Facebook post criticized the operation of breaking the law. The large fish hold of Lok Tai Taley (World Under the Water) had been converted to allow fish to swim freely into it and guests to walk among them, Maj Anurak…
Read More » - Thailand News
Jailing of ‘Wolf Bride’ actors for lese majeste stirs criticism
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Jailing of ‘Wolf Bride’ actors for lese majeste stirs criticism The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Two theater actors, one of whom is a university student, were sentenced to two and a half years in prison for staging a play in 2013 that was deemed defamatory…
Read More » - Thailand News
Wild jail brawl leaves 2 dead, 6 convicts hurt
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Wild jail brawl leaves 2 dead, 6 convicts hurt The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: After a brawl at Kanchanaburi’s Thong Pha Phum Prison in which two inmates were killed and six injured on Sunday, prison warden Paithoon Wisetsiri has been transferred to an inactive post.…
Read More » - Phuket News
Brit found dead after night of drinking
PHUKET: The body of a 32-year-old British national was found floating off Coral Island today. The man, whose name is being withheld until next of kin are notified, was last seen drinking at the bar at Coral Island Resort last night. “The tourist checked into the resort on Saturday and was staying alone. He was last seen drinking heavily at…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket FC squander chance to go top
PHUKET: The island’s premier football club, Phuket FC, threw away their chance to climb to the top of the Yamaha League One division with a 1-1 draw against top side BBCU at Surakul Stadium last night. BBCU almost had a dream start to the match. In the third minute of play, Nakul Pinthong fired in a free kick from the…
Read More » - Phuket News
Motorcyclist dies in collision on “shortcut’ to Phuket Airport
PHUKET: A woman remains in hospital after a fatal car accident left one motorbike rider dead on the road running parallel to the runway at Phuket International Airport yesterday afternoon. Officers were called to the scene at 5:15pm, confirmed Lt Col Sarit Butnongsang of the Tah Chat Chai Police. “We arrived at the scene to find a Honda Wave motorcycle…
Read More » - Phuket News
Man, 64, arrested for slaying fighting cock thief
PHUKET: A 64-year-old man has been charged for killing a fighting cock thief in the hills north of Patong before dawn this morning. Jarus Rattanarat, 64, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, called the Patong Police at about 1:20am to report the killing himself. “He waited for us to arrive at the scene, at Soi Phra Baramee 7, and told us that…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket airport taxi flips, Chinese tourist family escape serious injury
PHUKET: A family of three Chinese tourists, including a 5-year-old boy, escaped serious injury on Saturday when the taxi they were in flipped and hit a power pole on Thepkrasattri Road while they were heading to Phuket International Airport. Officers from the Thalang Police were called to the scene of the crash, near Muang Thalang School, at about 11am. The…
Read More » - Thai Life
The birds and the bugs
PHUKET: When I rise early – which is not often these days – the calling of early birds fills the air. Not the blended dawn chorus of an English spring, but a number of separate and distinctive sounds: the musical “sui su” of the magpie robin, the bubbly “chic chic chic” of the yellow-vented bulbul, the soft “woo-croo” of spotted…
Read More » - Business News
Experts question long-term tourism policy: Quality vs Quantity
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Experts question long-term tourism policy: Quality vs Quantity The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Experts say the government needs to get serious on the long-term development of the tourism industry, and decide whether quality or quantity – that is, sheer numbers of tourists or how much…
Read More » - Thailand News
Chilean cyclist on world tour killed by pickup truck in Korat
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Chilean cyclist on world tour killed by pickup truck in Korat The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A Chilean man has become the latest intercontinental cyclist to lose his life on Thai streets, on the final leg of a five-year, round-the-world cycling journey that was to…
Read More » - Thailand News
Car-bomb insurgent identified
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Car-bomb insurgent identified The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police said yesterday they have identified two out of the five or six militants behind the huge car-bomb in Narathiwat on Friday, even though information from 22 eyewitnesses was sketchy and of little use for investigators. Deputy…
Read More » - Thailand News
Guard of honor for pilot killed in F-16 crash
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Guard of honor for pilot killed in F-16 crash The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The body of the Royal Thai Air Force F-16 pilot who was killed when his jet crashed in Lop Buri province on Friday will be brought to Bangkok today, Air Force…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket beach ban rules in handouts, on signs within weeks
PHUKET: In a move to inform Phuket tourists of the latest beach bans and what rules are in force on the sands, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong has ordered that leaflets be handed out at the beaches in four languages. Artwork for the leaflets in English, Thai, Chinese and Russian have been issued to all local administrations, Governor Nisit told the…
Read More » - Phuket News
Long-time Phuket resident, developer Stephen Paine passes away
PHUKET: Well-known property developer and long-time Phuket resident Stephen Paine suddenly passed away peacefully this morning. For nearly two decades, Mr Paine was a respected and admired member of the Phuket community. His property development achievements included Surin Heights and the Malaiwana Estate. “Stephen was a generous, compassionate and loyal friend to many on the island and will be greatly…
Read More » - Property
Expectations high at the Phuket Real Estate Show
PHUKET: Expectations are high among the property developers promoting the latest condos and houses for sale in Phuket at the Phuket Real Estate Show at Central Festival Phuket Visitors at the show, which got underway on Thursday, can expect to find some excellent deals and promotions at the fair from the variety of properties on offer at the 50-plus display…
Read More » - Phuket News
No ban on chartered flights, confirms AoT Phuket official
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport has no plans to ban chartered flights, despite a Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) directive ordering the airport to give priority to commercial passenger flights, an AoT Phuket official confirmed today. “Chartered flights have not been banned from landing at Phuket Airport. However, we must follow the DCA’s directive, which states that commercial passenger airlines with…
Read More » - Thai Life
Phuket Boating: Ready to launch a well-earned Siesta
PHUKET: WHEN well-known Phuket yachtie Bob Mott settled on the design for his new 55-foot alloy Catamaran Siesta, little did he know that the project would be more than two years in the making. Now, with the launch slated to be held in Phuket in September this year, Bob relates how his experience offers a great deal of good advice…
Read More » - Phuket News
Police move to stem sky lanterns, fireworks at Patong Beach
PHUKET: Police have ramped up their campaign against fireworks and khom loi, the traditional “floating sky lanterns” used in celebrations throughout Thailand, in an effort to stop them being launched on Patong Beach. The campaign began in earnest on Thursday night, when officers arrested vendor Chaichana Khuepkrathok, 38, at his house in Patong for selling floating lanterns on public land…
Read More » - Property
Diamond Condominium: building on strong foundations
PHUKET: All good projects begin with strong foundations. To make theirs even stronger, the developer of Diamond Condominium in Cherng Talay inaugurated an environmentally friendly piling system called “Hydraulic Static Pile Driver” at the initial stage of the project’s construction. Following the official land blessing ceremony in mid January, the first of 768 piles was laid using the “Hydraulic Static…
Read More » - Food
Phuket’s Jasmine B brings feline touch to fine dining
PHUKET: Jasmine B is a charming new restaurant opposite Home Pro Shopping Center on Chao Fa Road West. It also happens to be the name of owner and manager Khun Nidnoi’s pet Bengal cat, which is fitting, as this is one lovely hang-out for cool humans and cats alike. Jasmine B is air-conditioned, elegantly decorated and boasts a state-of-the-art glass-fronted…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket Chinese New Year tour bus slams into motorcyclists, houses
PHUKET: A bus hired by a tour company to take Chinese tourists on a four-day excursion from Krabi to Phuket slammed into two motorcyclists last night, before careening into five shophouses. One of the motorbike riders remains in hospital with head injuries. The 13 Chinese tourists on the bus were unscathed, receiving only minor cuts and bruises. “We received a…
Read More » - Opinion
Opinion: Working together to win the war on drugs
Lt Col Somkid Boonrat, from Songkhla province, is chief of the investigation department at the Phuket Provincial Police Station. After graduating from the Royal Thai Police Cadet Academy, he continued on to earn a bachelor’s degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University and a master’s degree in business administration from Prince of Songkhla University. Lt Col Somkid has been head of…
Read More » - World News
Fire breaks out at Dubai Torch apartment skyscraper
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fire breaks out at Dubai Torch apartment skyscraper Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Hundreds of people in Dubai were evacuated from one of the world’s tallest residential buildings on Saturday when fire swept through The Torch, a 79-story skyscraper, residents said. A witness said flames shot…
Read More » - Entertainment
Books: David Mitchell’s The Bone Clocks – Great, if taken seriously
PHUKET: David Mitchell’s third novel, Cloud Atlas, was an audacious break from traditional narrative form: six wildly different characters in divergent, stylistic voices and places ranging from the South Pacific in the 1850s and Los Angeles in the 1930s to the far-distant future in Korea and Hawaii. Surprisingly, Mitchell followed this with a traditional autobiographical novel of his English youth…
Read More » - Thai Life
Video Report: BISP student paints his path to recovery
PHUKET: Strikingly colorful works of art currently lining the hallways of the British International School Phuket (BISP) map the road to recovery for one very happy student who nearly lost his life in a motorbike accident in March 2013. Sevastan Lukashov was left in a month-long coma after a horrific accident on the bypass road, and had to undergo extensive…
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