Year: 2016
- Phuket
Krabi prisoners released on Royal pardon
PHUKET: Prisoners walked out of Krabi Prison yesterday morning as the Royal pardon instated to commemorate the beginning of the reign of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun came into motion. Friends, families and relatives waited outside the prison walls to be reunited with the 157 released inmates. (A similar scene was witnessed in Phuket last week, when 147 inmates…
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No deaths on Day 2 of “Seven Days of Danger’
PHUKET: The 2nd day of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ in Phuket ended with zero deaths and 9 injuries, according to official statistics provided by the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM). The current road safety campaign, which is held nationwide during peak holiday seasons (only), runs from December 29, 2016 to January 4, 2017.…
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Phuket crocodile show goes wrong
PHUKET: A crocodile show in Chalong went wrong yesterday afternoon when one of the crocodiles attacked a performer. The reptile, measuring more than 6 feet in length, snapped its jaws around the wrist of the man and twisted its body. He, in turn, managed to spin in the same direction and saved his wrist from a possible fracture. He is…
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Paralympian visits Phuket during 10,000km journey
PHUKET: A Thai paralympic athlete stopped by Phuket on Wednesday as part of his mission to travel more than 10,000 kilometers over 74 provinces in his wheelchair in honor of the late Monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Phuyin Khumnaan, 41, scored a silver medal at the Asian Boat Race in China this year, along with his girlfriend ‘AJ’. He…
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Krabi officials, transport companies team up for holiday road safety
KRABI: A task force to check transport buses and their drivers has set up camp at the Krabi Bus Terminal during the long New Year weekend. The group, formed by the Krabi Department of Land Transport (DLT), has teamed up with 17 bus service companies to ensure that brakes on all buses and vans are operational. The drivers will also…
Read More » - Business
Business Buzz: Social Media trends to look out for in 2017
PHUKET: Another year gone and the social media scene has witnessed a lot of changes, with new platforms such as Periscope and Snapchat rising in popularity – while Twitter continues its slide. Video, 360 degree images and smart graphics will likely continue leading the way in content marketing and branding, appealing to our need for instant gratification and shorter attention…
Read More » - Opinion
Ministry of Farang Affairs: Trying to bribe fish
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.…
Read More » - Thai Life
Looking Back: Planning a Royal funeral
PHUKET: Royal funerals are solemn affairs that take months to plan. When a monarch or a high-ranking royal passes away, their body is taken to the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace complex. There, the body lies in state while craftsmen build the royal funeral pyre, an intricately crafted structure which takes up to nine months to…
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Patong Beach road to close for New Year’s Eve
PHUKET: The Patong Traffic Police have sent out an official notice announcing the closure of the beach road (Taweewong Road) tomorrow night. The thoroughfare will be shut down from 11:30pm-1am as a security measure, as well as to manage traffic as thousands of people march to the beach for the countdown to the new year.
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Tourist found dead by Phuket hotel pool
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist died while swimming early this morning after a late night out in Kamala. Captain Prasert Thongprom of Kamala Police received the report about 3am and officers found 28-year-old Jian Dong’s body lying by the pool of the hotel where he was staying. Mr Dong was part of a Phuket tour group, and had gone out with…
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Similan coral defaced with Korean name
PHUKET: Dive company operators are urging officials to boost regulations after a piece of coral with a Korean name etched into it was discovered in the waters of Mu Koh Similan National Park last week. The photo was taken last Saturday by a diver from the Sign Scuba company at Turtle Rock, where there are plenty of corals, both dead…
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Phuket drug dealers busted with B1mn of meth
PHUKET: Four suspects, including a minor, were arrested in Rassada yesterday with more than 4,000 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) and 200 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) worth about one million baht. “Our sources informed us that a drug shipment would be delivered from Bangkok to Phuket via a logistics company named Somchai Speed Transport Partnership. We went to…
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New Zealand man falls to his death in Phuket
PHUKET: A Patong Municipality trash collector discovered the body of a tourist at the foot of a Phuket hotel early this morning. The 55-year-old man from New Zealand is believed to have jumped off the balcony of his rented room at the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa, which is located about 5 minutes from Patong Beach. He had checked in…
Read More » - Property
Festive five per cent financing offered for Laguna Park’s townhomes, villas
Advertorial PHUKET: Investors in Laguna Park’s two-bedroom town houses and five-bedroom villas located next to the Laguna Phuket Golf Course are being offered a special five per cent financing option for the festive period. Aimed at couples and growing families, the homes by the Banyan Tree Group are priced from 9.3 million baht and come ready to move in with…
Read More » - Food Scene
Dining: Something for everyone at Moon Bistro
PHUKET: With the Cherng Talay area filled with flashy eateries, it is often difficult to decide where to grab a bite to eat. Driving down Lagoon Road, a small joint named Moon Bistro and Restaurant catches the eye at first glance. This elegantly-designed restaurant appeals to tourists, as well as long-term expats and locals, with both indoor and outdoor seating…
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Phuket teen killed in stolen motorbike chase
PHUKET: A 14-year-old boy was killed and another badly injured when the stolen motorbike they were riding collided with a car in Saphan Hin last night. Phuket City Police officers and paramedics arrived on the scene, at the Bang Yai Canal intersection, about 9:40pm. The motorbike had been stolen from a house behind Rajabhat University on Monday. The bike’s owner,…
Read More » - Thai Life
Keep It Green: Reefers, rogues and regulations
PHUKET: According to recent statistics, Thailand has the fourth largest seafood export industry in the world, valued at a massive 6.5 billion dollars a year. With its fleet of Phuket-based fishing vessels and substantial shrimp-farming industry, the island is a significant contributor to this figure. However, adverse international publicity in the last few years has caused some decline, following allegations…
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Traffic held up for three hours after truck spills plywood load
PHUKET: Tah Chat Chai Police suspect the driver of an articulated truck that spilled its load of plywood sheets all over the road last night, bringing traffic to a standstill, lost control of his vehicle when he took a sharp bend at high speed in wet conditions. The Phuket-bound 18-wheeler spilled its entire load on the notoriously dangerous curve, a…
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Tsunami remembrance ceremony held on 12th anniversary of disaster
PHUKET: About 200 locals, tourists and provincial dignitaries gathered at Patong Beach yesterday evening to hold a candle-lit remembrance ceremony in front of Loma Park on the 12th anniversary of the deadly tsunami that struck the island on the morning of December 26, 2004. Official figures state that the tsunami killed 5,398 people and that more than 3,700 disappeared in…
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Microsoft aims to use IT to battle human trafficking
PHUKET: Microsoft Thailand last week organized a project to educate youth about computers and Information Technology to equip them with the knowledge and tools to fight human trafficking. The project was chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Teera Anantaseriwidhya, at Prince of Songkla University’s Phuket Campus. The campaign is being held at seven campuses throughout the country, including, in addition to…
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Profile: Thomas and Sonia Baumgartner – all eyes on the finish line
PHUKET: Thomas and Sonja Baumgartner may be two among thousands of athletes who competed in this year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon, but their story is an inspiring one nonetheless. Hailing from snowy Switzerland, the couple are regular vacationers to Phuket. Although of an active and sporty disposition, they had never thought about taking part in a triathlon event until their daughter…
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Island View: Unchecked road rage in Phuket
PHUKET: As far as road safety in Phuket goes, authorities always highlight ‘speeding’ and ‘helmetless riding’ as the major causes of the appalling number of ‘accidents’ and deaths on the road. However, a relatively overlooked area – in my opinion – is road rage. One recent incident involved a 21-year-old Thai man who threw a large rock at a passing…
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