Month: October 2015

  • Phuket

    Surin beach clubs to be demolished in January

    PHUKET: After much controversy and delay, Surin beach clubs are finally expected to be torn down in January*, confirmed Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “I’m back in Phuket to implement both former and new plans. The beach clubs on Surin Beach are one of them,” said Governor Chamroen. The governor took a strong but cautious stance…

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  • Business

    Business Buzz: Target your customer, not your competitor

    PHUKET: We see it all the time in marketing, company X trying to prove they are better than company Y, engaging in tit-for-tat marketing and social media battles trying to out-compete the competition. Now, while there is the theory that any publicity is still beneficial, I would argue it is far better to engage your potential customers directly and build…

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  • Business

    Finance: Neil Woodford, financial genius?

    PHUKET: I know this has been written about in other media already, but as this fund and its manager have a great track record and I believe we are nearing a sale in stocks, it is a good discussion to review. For those of you who don’t know the fund or manager, Neil Woodford ran the Invesco Perpetual Income Fund…

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  • Phuket

    Phuket Vice Governor’s virgin beach dream

    PHUKET: Although the fate of Phuket’s beach management system remains undecided (story here), Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat has revealed that he wants the plan to include ‘virgin beaches’. “There will be some beaches that will not have a 10 per cent zone, which means there will be nothing there – no umbrellas, no businesses, nothing. All 100 per cent natural,”…

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  • Opinion

    Phuket Challenge: stickk to no bags for a week

    PHUKET: I challenge you. Yes, you – whoever you are – to go one week in Phuket without using a single plastic bag. The number of foreign whingers who waddle onto this beautiful island shouting about Thai ignorance in double-bagging that fried sausage on a stick… and then go buy a double-bagged sausage on a stick is dumbfounding. It was…

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  • Thai Life

    Aussie navigates through haze to paddle against child abuse

    PHUKET: As part of his battle against child abuse, Damien Rider successfully circumnavigated Phuket on his standup paddle board (SUP), despite the dense Indonesian haze leaving him lost at sea earlier this month. Mr Rider, a victim of child abuse, first caught the media’s attention with Paddle Against Child Abuse (PACA) when he completed an 800 kilometer prone paddle through…

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  • Phuket

    Phuket beach management plans delayed again

    PHUKET: Local officials are still wrangling over how to manage Phuket’s beaches, forcing Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat to postpone revealing details of the new plan beyond his self-imposed November 1 deadline. V/Gov Chokdee admitted to the Phuket Gazette yesterday that the release of a concrete plan regarding the future of the island’s beaches would be delayed for at least another…

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  • Phuket

    Phuket City serial thief caught

    PHUKET: A serial thief was arrested in Srisoonthorn last night after police were able to track down the motorbike he used during the crime spree. Jessadakorn Sukkrajang, 18, was apprehended at his home at about 9pm, confirmed Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of the Phuket City Police. Within just one month, Phuket City officers received five different reports of broken car…

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  • Property

    Across the Land: Going big while away from home

    PHUKET: Recently we were invited to view a brand new luxury eight-bedroom villa solely for holiday rentals. I was thinking to myself before the viewing, now who would want to rent such a big villa and what purpose would it serve. Isn’t a villa with eight bedrooms just a little decadent? Well apparently I was mistaken and that villa is…

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  • Phuket

    UNODC anti-human trafficking program launched in Phuket

    PHUKET: An international e-learning program designed to train law enforcement units to tackle human trafficking was launched in Phuket yesterday. About 40 Phuket officers will be the first in all of Asia to undergo the training developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “The program is designed to provide background information, offer techniques on how to…

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  • Phuket

    Mentally unstable man attacks Phuket ATM

    PHUKET: Police arrested an allegedly mentally ill man who attacked an ATM machine in Phuket Town with a metal bar yesterday morning. The man, who police declined to name due to his condition, fled the scene without attempting to take any money from the Krungsri Bank ATM. “A police car on patrol in the area quickly responded to the incident,”…

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  • Phuket

    Snake sparks electrical fire in Phuket

    PHUKET: A Phuket mayor blamed a small snake for a fire near the Shooting Range in Chalong today. “Locals saw the snake slide into the transformer next to the shack right before it exploded and started the fire,” said Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos. “Luckily, no one was injured.” The owner of the shop, which sold decorative household items, was not…

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  • Phuket

    Phuket man killed in single-vehicle crash

    PHUKET: One man died and another was injured after their pickup truck crashed into a utility pole in Thalang early this morning. The impact caused the out-of-control truck to split in two as it careened into a nearby wall. “The 33-year-old passenger, Surin Rotloisap, was thrown from the vehicle and killed after hitting another pole and then a wall,” explained…

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  • Phuket

    Truck driver slams into parked 18-wheeler and dies

    PHUKET: The driver of a pickup truck died early this morning after slamming full throttle into the back of a parked 18-wheeled truck on Thepkrasattri Road. Annurak Chompoo, the 40-year-old driver of the 18-wheeler, told police that he had parked on the side of the road with his hazard lights turned on as he prepared to make a delivery to…

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  • Phuket

    Gaur killer surrenders to police

    KRABI: The killer of a beloved gaur, a protected species of bovine, surrendered to police in Krabi yesterday morning. Preeda Paklaw, 41, presented himself, along with his shotgun, to the Plai Phraya Police. “Mr Preeda said that while he was hunting, he saw something in the dark that looked like a serow. He then shot twice,” said Maj Somporn Deeduang…

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  • Phuket

    AMCHAM: Discover how well Phuket hotels actually perform

    PHUKET: American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Greater Phuket Chapter is breaking down how the island’s hotels are really performing in the current, challenging market conditions at the ‘By The Numbers’ event tomorrow night. The event will be led by STR Global’s Area Director Asia Pacific Jesper Palmqvist at Outrigger Laguna Phuket. STR Global’s mission is to democratize data intelligence and…

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  • Phuket

    Laguna Phuket Golf Club scores big

    PHUKET: After a comprehensive 18-month upgrade, Laguna Phuket Golf Club bagged three prestigious awards at the Asian Golf Awards 2015 ceremony held at Orchid Country Club in Singapore. The Asian Golf Awards are devoted to recognizing and honoring the best facilities in the Asia Pacific Golf industry. Besides being named the Best Renovated Course of the Year, Laguna Phuket Golf…

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  • Phuket

    New top cop to focus on crime prevention

    PHUKET: Phuket’s new top cop has vowed to focus his attention on crime prevention instead of crime suppression. Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Teeraphol Thipjaroen will be taking the reins as the island’s top policeman on Friday when Provincial Police Commander Patchara Boonyasit is transferred to Ratchaburi. The transfer is part of a nationwide reshuffle of top provincial-level officers that…

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  • Phuket

    Sea turtle caught with mouthful

    KRABI: A local fisherman caught quite a surprise yesterday when he found a sea turtle with a half swallowed fish. Madyah Thamsuan, 63, was fishing near his home in Khlong Thom District when he noticed a turtle with a fish tail hanging out of its mouth. “The turtle appeared to be very weak and was unable to either swallow or…

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  • Phuket

    100-baht taxi rides during Patong Carnival

    PHUKET: Anyone coming or going from Phuket’s primary party town during the Patong Carnival will now be able to enjoy taxi rides, confirmed Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsab. From November 1-3, GrabTaxi and GrabCar will be charging only 100 baht for a ride to or from Patong. “This is a great offer by the company to support the festival and to…

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  • Phuket

    Police hunt slayer of beloved gaur

    KRABI: Officers are hunting the killer of a much-beloved gaur that was found shot dead in a Krabi palm plantation yesterday. “Locals explained to us that the gaur, which is a protected species in Thailand, had migrated down from Khao Sok National Park. They said that the bull was very calm and peaceful,” said Meechai Aiyasoon, head of the Khlong…

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  • Opinion

    Ministry of Farang Affairs: Expensive is better

    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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