Month: September 2015
- Phuket
Body of missing fisherman found
PHUKET: The body of a fisherman who went missing yesterday evening at Sai Kaew Beach was found today near the spot he was last seen. Kaiyasit Wadeesirisak, 25, was fishing with friends when he decided to swim in rough seas in Tah Chat Chai last night. “According to his friends, Mr Kaiyasit jumped into the water to swim alone when…
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Hundreds to “Bike for Governor’
PHUKET: About 200 cyclists will mount their bicycles to bid farewell to Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong tomorrow. The idea of the ride was tabled by Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos, who enjoys cycling and joined the national ‘Bike For Mom’ event in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 83rd birthday in August. The national cycling event broke the Guinness world record for…
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Jet-skis to rule roost for high season
PHUKET: Jet-skis will continue to offer their services on Phuket beaches this high season, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong confirmed yesterday. “We will be implementing the same zones as last year to separate jet-skis and swimmers to ensure everyone’s safety,” Governor Nisit said. “I am aware that a lot of people do not want jet-skis on our beaches, as they have…
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Phuket prepares for King’s Cup Regatta 2015
PHUKET: The island is readying its sails for the King’s Cup Regatta 2015, which will take place off of Kata Bay from December 5 to December 12. Hosting international racing classes, the event will see more than 150 boats and 1,500 sailors competing for one of sailings most prestigious trophies. Inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of HM…
Read More » - Thai Life
Getting a foreign divorce in Thailand
PHUKET: Recently our firm was hired to handle a divorce case. This case was different from the typical family law divorce. The Thai couple met in the United States while attending college. They fell in love and got married in the United States. They completed their university degrees, lived in the United States for a few years, and then returned…
Read More » - Property
Property Watch: Hotel wars raging on Phuket
PHUKET: There is a war going on in Phuket. It’s not being fought on the street, or across the beaches, but in glittering hotel properties across the island. Both sides are squarely facing off against each other in trying to woo guests and conquer higher levels of occupancy and premium room rates. In this instance, the war is one between…
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Russian man found dead in swimming pool
PHUKET: A Russian man was found dead near his swimming pool this morning after his friend discovered him unconscious in the water. When police arrived at the house on Moo 2 in Rawai, they found Oleg Ten, 65, on the ground near the pool, confirmed Capt Patiwat Yodkwan of the Chalong Police. “We found no signs of a struggle and…
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Gov Nisit vouches for Chamroen’s beach management judgment
PHUKET: The new governor will make the right choices for Phuket’s beaches, vowed outgoing Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong today. “I believe that Chamroen Tipayapongtada knows Phuket much better than I do, as he is a native. I think his policies will be what’s best for Phuket,” Governor Nisit told the Phuket Gazette. Gov Nisit will leave his post on Wednesday,…
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Turtle saved after somtam shop owner buys from customer
PHUKET: A female sea turtle has been safely rescued and is now under the care of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) after it was sold for 300 baht in Cherng Talay yesterday. The Kusoldharm Foundation received a report from Sombat Tannukrork, 48, a somtam shop owner, asking for help for an injured sea turtle that he had bought off…
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Egco ready to fill power supply gap, if Krabi coal plant fails
KRABI: Electricity Generating (Egco) is well positioned to take part in the bidding for new power plants if the government’s coal-fired power projects fail to get off the ground, says its outgoing president. Sahust Pratuknukul said that if the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) was unable to proceed with its Krabi and Thepha coal-fired projects in the South, Egco…
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A Decade Ago: AA saves families, lives – test yourself
PHUKET: The 4-billion-baht pipe to bring water to Phuket from the Chieo Lan Reservior in Surat Thani was a ‘done deal’ according to Deputy Interior Minister Somchai Sunthornvat, a decade ago. The mega-project was going to be the nail in the coffin for the island’s water worries and was expected to be completed in just 18 months. However, 120 months…
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First Person: A fond farewell to Phuket
Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong will soon take up a similar post in Nonthaburi to tackle new projects and challenges. After serving one year here, the governor, originally from Ratchaburi, stepped in with the aim to develop and make much needed changes in Phuket and its future. Here he reflects on his time in Phuket and the work that he is…
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Big wave sweeps fisherman from Phuket rocks
PHUKET: Phuket Marine Police have failed to find a fisherman who was swept from a rock outcropping on Kamala Beach last night “Due to the current weather, it has been very difficult to conduct a thorough search,” said Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana today. “Rescue workers and Kamala Police Officers searched the area as soon as Prayat Janmee, 50,…
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One dead, one injured in Kamala motorbike crash
PHUKET: One woman is dead and another seriously injured after the bike they were riding crashed on a steep downward slope as they entered Kamala last night. “We’ve yet to identify the deceased. However, the other woman had an ID card on her, which named her as Yanika Midseang, 22,” said Lt Col Somneuk Dumkaew of the Kamala Police. “She…
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Tourist drowns at Kata Noi Beach
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist drowned after being swept out to sea from a red-flag zone at Kata Noi Beach late yesterday afternoon. “According to witnesses, 26-year-old Junan Liu and his friend ignored warning signs and were playing in an unsafe section of the water when a big wave struck him and dragged him out to sea,” said Lt Chatree Chuwichian…
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Ten rescued from teetering Phuket yacht
PHUKET: Phuket Marine Police helped dislodge a yacht stranded on a submerged rock outcropping off Koh Nai Nui yesterday afternoon, following the rescue of ten people from the boat. “The boat, Pim Praw, might have just settled onto the rock as the tide went out,” Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana told the Phuket Gazette. “We were called to the…
Read More » - Opinion
Opinion: Free road accidents
PHUKET: Year after year, the vehicle population of Phuket has been growing rapidly, expressing itself dramatically in the island’s ever-worsening traffic problems. After 12 years here, I would say that the traffic is now worse than ever. It’s no wonder that the governor decided to spend money in order to reduce the congestion by building underpasses in certain areas. However,…
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Human-trafficking crackdowns return empty handed
PHUKET: The two-month crackdown on human smuggling and human trafficking on the island came up empty handed, despite several such cases ‘organically’ surfacing just last year. Last June, two debt-trapped Cambodians were freed from Phuket Town after officers were tipped off by one of the victim’s relatives (story here). Earlier that year, a 10-year-old Cambodian boy and his 6-year-old sister…
Read More » - Business
Business Buzz: Value in organic search results
PHUKET: While I believe that because of Social Media (Optimization), Search Engine Optimization (SEO) itself is becoming less relevant, there is no doubt it is still important to get organic search results, especially with Google and YouTube, by far the leading search engines. Although the algorithm for ranking is constantly changed by Google, it is possible to analyze trends and…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Flip-flop expats
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Finance: Focus on China when investing
PHUKET: China’s stock market is imploding and that’s not only shaking confidence in the country, it’s also impacting global financial markets. However, investors need to keep in mind that over the past 15 years, the Chinese stock market has actually experienced both sharp rises and steep falls, with the last crash occurring in 2007. The market then largely moved sideways…
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Russian tourist’s stolen phone recovered
PHUKET: A Myanmar national was arrested yesterday after being tracked down in Kathu for allegedly stealing a mobile phone from a Russian tourist. Dmithy Surkov, 32, reported that his phone was stolen from Patong Beach on September 12, said Phuket Tourist Police Chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit. “We tracked down the phone on September 19, when we were able to see that…
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