Month: March 2016

  • Phuket News

    Miss Andaman Power 2016 makes sparks at Jungceylon

    PHUKET: Andaman Power is celebrating sexual diversity and spreading sexual health awareness with its upcoming competition ‘Miss Andaman Power 2016’ to be held at various locations from March 25-30. However, the real fun for the public won’t be until the finalists take the stage in Jungceylon for the beauty pageant part of the event, which will include a fashion show,…

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  • Phuket News

    French pensioner mugged by Phuket ‘teenage’ thugs

    PHUKET: Phuket police are hunting for two men who mugged a 70-year-old French woman as she was riding a bicycle along Lay Pang Beach yesterday evening. Martine Delaloy was riding her bicycle along the beach at about 5pm when two suspects, thought to be teenagers, drove past her on a motorbike and snatched her bag, causing her to fall. “When…

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  • Bangkok News

    Bangkok gunman’s SIM card prompts Phuket arrest

    PHUKET: Police are questioning a Chinese man who was apprehended in Phuket in connection with the attempted robbery of a gun shop in Bangkok on Friday (story here). Police tracked down Su Su, 29, at a residence in Paklok on Saturday evening after it was revealed that he had registered a SIM card found on one of the robbery suspects…

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  • Opinion

    Opinion: Cops and Canines

    Suthee Sirianun is the assistant chief of the Phuket Drug Prevention and Suppression Center. He is originally from Phatthalung Province and graduated from Ramkhamhaeng University with a double Masters in Law and Art. Here he talks about the island’s need for police dogs and the issues associated with being able to care for them. PHUKET: Currently, Phuket doesn’t have any…

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  • Business News

    Building a medical tourism hub

    PHUKET: Phuket has the potential to become a leading regional hub for medical tourism, an industry that is well positioned for exponential growth primarily led by the demand for aesthetic treatments. Investment opportunities in medical facilities and premises are increasingly attractive amid the backdrop of a global economic slowdown. Despite the diminishing legacy market for ‘Gender Reassignment’ Surgery (GRS), more…

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  • Phuket News

    Understanding what AEC means for Phuket

    PHUKET: The feared impact the Asean Economic Community (AEC) will have on Thais in Phuket’s tourism industry is unwarranted, said AEC Information Center Director Thitipasook Jaratjessada. After years of anticipation and some delays, the AEC was officially launched on January 1, 2016. However, there are no changes to visa requirements or labor laws for citizens of member nations seeking employment…

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  • Phuket NewsBoat owner gets warning for coral damage [video] | Thaiger

    Boat owner gets warning for coral damage [video]

    PHUKET: The operator of a boat that was filmed anchored on fragile coral off Koh Racha Yai on February 16 has escaped a hefty fine and possible prison time after apologizing for the incident. Officials tracked down the owner after a diver took underwater video of the boat’s anchor line trailing across the coral. The diver also recorded the name…

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  • Phuket News

    Video Report: More than 1 million sea slugs wash onto Phuket beach

    PHUKET: Marine experts are attempting to understand why more than a million sea slugs washed up on a Phuket beach this morning. The name ‘sea slug’ is a common name used specifically for gastropods that are not shell-bearing or appear not to be shell-bearing. Experts believe that the sea slugs found on Kamala Beach are, in fact, sea hares. However,…

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  • Business News

    Board of Trade plans SME matchmaking fairs

    BANGKOK: Thailand’s Board of Trade is inviting newly established businesses across the country to join a ‘Business Matching’ event in Bangkok. The event is aimed at giving SMEs the opportunity to meet consumer giants such as department stores and retailers. The event will take place at the Bangkok Convention Center in Lat Prao on April 26. Board of Trade Chairman…

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  • Phuket News

    Phuket school for adults welcomes freshies

    PHUKET: A school for adults in Rassada welcomed a new batch of students aged between 40 and 80 years old on Friday. Rassada Mayor Phudit Raksarat presided over a ceremony to welcome the new students. Operated by Rassada Municipality, the school aims to support self-development and lifetime learning for elderly members of the community, said Mayor Phudit. “The school encourages…

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  • World NewsAustralian police respond to shooting, report of hostages at Sydney factory | Thaiger

    Australian police respond to shooting, report of hostages at Sydney factory

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australian police respond to shooting, report of hostages at Sydney factory Phuket Gazette / Reuters SYDNEY: Three people have been shot and hostages may have been taken at a factory on the outskirts of Sydney, Australian police said on Monday, although it was not immediately clear…

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  • World NewsTwo years on, MH370 families say search for missing jet must continue | Thaiger

    Two years on, MH370 families say search for missing jet must continue

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two years on, MH370 families say search for missing jet must continue Phuket Gazette / Reuters KUALA LUMPUR:The families of passengers lost aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 say the two-year search for the missing aircraft must go on beyond a June deadline, as new hope emerged…

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  • World NewsAustralian govt backs away from gay marriage vote this year | Thaiger

    Australian govt backs away from gay marriage vote this year

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australian govt backs away from gay marriage vote this year Phuket Gazette / Reuters AUSTRALIA: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull backed away from a pledge by one of his senior ministers on Sunday that the government would hold a public vote on same-sex marriage later this…

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  • Phuket News

    American, 26, found dead in Patong

    PHUKET: Police are looking into the authenticity of a hand-written letter found in the room of a Patong hotel where the body of a 26-year-old American man was discovered on Saturday. The body of Nathan D House was discovered by housekeeping staff, said Lt Col Jessada Saengsuree of the Patong Police. “Inside the room we discovered a plastic bag with…

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  • Bangkok News

    Bangkok boat explosion prompts safety overhaul

    BANGKOK: The Marine Department plans to require the owners of commuter boats to check the engine and fuel system of vessels twice a year, in the wake of an explosion on a commuter boat on Bangkok’s Saen Saeb Canal on Saturday that injured 71 people. Boat owners were previously required to perform the check annually. Marine Department Deputy Director-general Nat…

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  • Phuket News

    Phuket to host ACM-ICPC World Finals

    PHUKET: Phuket is set to host the 40th Association for Computing Machinery – International Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM-ICPC) World Finals from May 15-20. The ACM-ICPC is a multi-tiered annual programming competition sponsored by IBM, held among universities throughout the world. “We have been submitting requests to host the world finals every year since 2011 and finally we were chosen,” said…

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  • Opinion

    Island View: Travelling responsibly

    PHUKET: The recent incident involving Grace Taylor, a British backpacker in Krabi who made a frantic phone call to her family alleging that people were ‘trying to hurt her’, sparked a lot of debate on social media about the ethics of travelling responsibly. Fortunately, Ms Taylor’s family was able to get to her in time and she was soon in…

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  • Property

    AccorHotels spreads its wings

    PHUKET: AccorHotels has teamed up with Avista Resort and Spa Patong Co Ltd to manage three properties in Phuket. The newly-inked agreement brings two existing Phuket properties in Kata and Patong under the new brand and management, and paves the way for the building of a brand new hotel in Karon. One of the two resorts will be re-branded as…

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  • Phuket News

    Krabi police scoop up reef thieves

    KRABI: Krabi officials arrested three men yesterday after they were apprehended illegally collecting coral and sea anemone near Koh Pu. Samart Janlamoon, 39, Natthapol Watjinda, 21, and Somrit Suksai, 41, were found in possession of 15 boxes of the precious marine life after officers inspected their boat, confirmed Jaroenchai Srisuwan, chief of the Krabi Fishery Management Center. “Last night, five…

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  • Phuket News

    Police commander assures island safety amid foiled gang plot

    PHUKET: Local officials are assuring the island’s safety after a member of the gang that attempted to rob a Bangkok gun shop revealed that the weapons may have been destined for either Chiang Mai or Phuket. Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayuth Karajedee this morning reaffirmed that all necessary security measures were already in place on the island. “We have…

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  • Phuket News

    Public asked not to rely on social media for tsunami warnings

    PHUKET: Officials are warning the public not to rely too heavily on social media when it comes to earthquake and tsunami warnings. There are currently 40 seismometers throughout the Kingdom, which alert the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) in Bangkok of any seismic activity in the area, confirmed Deputy Director-General of the Meteorological Department Burin Wechbunthung. “The NDWC evaluates data…

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  • Phuket News

    Experts unable to confirm species of Kata jellyfish

    PHUKET: A Phuket diver photographed what he believed to be a box jellyfish while diving off of Kata Beach last Sunday. The photo was supplied to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Region 5 by Kanawut Krongraksa, who spotted the creature at a depth of about eight meters. However, experts have yet to confirm the exact species. “I…

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  • Phuket NewsBlood donations flow in for injured American teacher | Thaiger

    Blood donations flow in for injured American teacher

    PHUKET: At least 20 people have donated blood following an urgent call this morning for O-negative blood for an American woman requiring emergency surgery after a road accident, confirmed the Phuket Regional Blood Center (story here). “Chonita Michelle Cleary, 24, and two of her friends – who declined to be named – were involved in a collision with a taxi…

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  • Phuket News

    Foreign tenants ask Phuket Governor to mediate property dispute

    PHUKET: A contingent of tenants leasing rooms at a luxury resort in Kata met with the governor at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to hand him a letter demanding an investigation into issues over the property’s management. Leading the ten foreign tenants from The Aspasia Phuket resort was Dutch national Jan Cornelis van Zuilekom. Mr Zuilekom, who referred to himself as…

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  • Business News

    Finance: Tech stocks are still dangerous

    PHUKET: You would think the lessons learned in the dotcom bubble and subsequent crash would not be so quickly forgotten, but last year’s purchase by Facebook of the free smartphone app Whatsapp for 22 billion dollars was a very good reminder of how quickly we forget. There is no reason to put your life savings at risk with individual stocks…

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  • Opinion

    Ministry of Farang Affairs: Fighting a katoey

    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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  • Phuket News

    Open-air cinema part of Boat Lagoon Lighthouse Market tonight, tomorrow

    PHUKET: It’s another day of perfect weather in Phuket, so grab your family and friends and head over to the Phuket Lighthouse Market at Boat Lagoon for an evening of eating, chilling and shopping. To keep the air buzzing, there will be a medley of music at 6pm starting with pop music, and then taking it down a notch hour…

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  • Opinion

    Opinion: Time for a jet-ski-free Phuket

    PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette applauds the Central Investigation Bureau’s (CIB’s) recent crackdown on illegal jet-ski rental operators and the coincidental transfer of the industry’s long-time ‘champion’ to a relatively inactive post. We hope whoever is assigned to replace former Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut will make tourist safety a real priority and begin to clamp down. The problems that…

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  • Thai Life

    Gardening: Moving pageant in your garden

    PHUKET: We all know how denuded of mammals Thailand is. Most have long since been hunted down for food. And while the same is not true of most insects or reptiles, it is still the case that anything remotely edible will probably end up fried or barbecued on someone’s dinner plate. Insects, such as water scorpions, crickets and locusts, tokay…

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  • Phuket News

    Governor’s ‘dream road’ one step closer to reality

    PHUKET: Plans for the multi-billion baht ‘dream road’ project that will connect Sakoo and Koh Kaew are now being drawn up by consulting firms, confirmed Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada. The 15-month design contract between the Department of Highways, MAA Consultants Co Ltd and Pre Development Consultant Co Ltd was signed in late January. Governor Chamroen revealed the plans Wednesday morning,…

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  • Phuket News

    Suspected teenage arsonists allegedly burn Phuket motorbike

    PHUKET: Police are tracking down suspected teenage arsonists wanted for allegedly setting fire to a motorbike Wednesday evening in Phuket Town. The motorbike, belonging to a 25-year-old Myanmar national, named only as Musor, was completely destroyed, confirmed Lt Col Chana Suthimas of the Phuket City Police. “Locals told officers that they saw about four or five teenagers sitting near the…

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  • World NewsIndia denies visas to U.S. religious freedom body | Thaiger

    India denies visas to U.S. religious freedom body

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community India denies visas to U.S. religious freedom body Phuket Gazette / Reuters WASHINGTON: India has denied visas for a delegation from the U.S. government agency charged with monitoring international religious freedom, the agency said on Thursday. The delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom…

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  • World NewsGerman court rules Facebook may block pseudonyms | Thaiger

    German court rules Facebook may block pseudonyms

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community German court rules Facebook may block pseudonyms Phuket Gazette / Reuters BERLIN: Facebook may prevent its users from using fake names, a German court said on Thursday, overturning a previous order from the Hamburg data protection authority. The ruling is a coup for the social network…

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  • World NewsGerman police arrest doctor suspected of recruiting suicide bomber for IS | Thaiger

    German police arrest doctor suspected of recruiting suicide bomber for IS

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community German police arrest doctor suspected of recruiting suicide bomber for IS Phuket Gazette / Reuters BERLIN: German police on Thursday arrested a doctor in Berlin suspected of convincing a young man to join Islamic State in Iraq, where he carried out a suicide bombing on behalf…

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  • Phuket News

    Urgent: Blood needed to save American, 24

    PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) has issued an urgent call for O-negative blood to save the life of a 24-year-old American woman involved in a road accident in Phuket. “The patient is being treated at Bangkok Hospital Phuket,” said PRBC Chief Pornthip Rattajak. “They have completed one operation. However, more blood is needed for a second one.” Only…

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  • OpinionIsland View: Old Town done right [video] | Thaiger

    Island View: Old Town done right [video]

    PHUKET: When a dance choreographer based in Manhattan, New York, finds the splendor of the Old Town Festival magical, engaging and fulfilling, then you know Phuket is doing something right to promote cultural tourism on the island. She was here for the sun, sand and sea – like the vast majority of Phuket tourists – so I hadn’t planned on…

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  • Phuket News

    Day 3: Rowers battle seasickness, sleep deprivation in Atlantic crossing

    PHUKET: Only three days into an estimated 2-month voyage of rowing across the Atlantic, the Row2Rio team is already facing enormous physical and mental challenges. “It was a brutal first day and night, sea sickness had three of us spewing all at once, only Jake seemed unaffected. I was sure I was about to die,” wrote Australian expat and head…

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