Month: September 2016
- Opinion
Opinion: Buying and investing in property in Phuket
PHUKET: Panuwat Somrit is a Phuket lawyer specializing in property. He has been practicing law for the past six years. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University. Here he talks about how to buy and invest in property in Phuket. Buying or investing in property may seem like a straight forward and easy transaction. You simply…
Read More » - Thai Life
Profile: Naphatwong Niyomadul – entrepreneur, connoisseur and philanthropist
PHUKET: Bangkokian Naphatwong Niyomadul holds the prestigious title of Owner’s Representative at Centara Blue Marine Resort & Spa Phuket, operated by Patong Cliff View Co Ltd. Well, you could say he is entitled to it and has a vested interest in the resort, which his family established in 2002. At age 36 years, Mr Naphatwong already has a wealth of…
Read More » - Opinion
Opinion: Woes of a traveller
PHUKET: People say they love travelling, but what they really mean is that they enjoy spending time in other places, not the actual experience of travelling itself. Air travel is one of those unfortunate gray areas where regulations seem to vary from airport to airport. For a recent trip from Phuket to Bangkok, I booked and paid for my flight…
Read More » - Opinion
Ministry of Farang Affairs: How to ‘wai’ properly
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 » - Phuket News
600,000 tons of trash weighs down Krabi
KRABI: Deputy Prime Minister Admiral Narong Pipatanasai was in Krabi today to see what can be done about 600,000 tons of untreated waste piling up in the province. Admiral Narong met with Krabi Governor Pinit Boonlert and other provincial agencies at Krabi City Hall to discuss waste management measures as well as to observe progress on other public works undertaken…
Read More » - Phuket News
Tougher driving tests down the road
PHUKET: Thailand has the second worst death toll from road accidents in the world, according to the World Health Organization. With more than 20,000 people killed annually throughout the country, Phuket officials have announced their support for more stringent guidelines before issuing would-be motorists with a driver’s license. Earlier this month, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) announced an initiative…
Read More » - Business News
Finance: Bullish biotech breaks previous highs
PHUKET: As of early June, the US S&P 500, Nasdaq and the Dow are all at critical turning points because after a two-year long correction, the market is tightly compressed and sitting only a few points from a new all-time high – or making new highs such as with the Dow and S&P500. The big picture is this: The last…
Read More » - Phuket News
PM Prayuth set to visit Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who is scheduled to visit Phuket next Friday, has a number of items on his agenda, including the grand opening of the new airport terminal and the regional launch of Startup Thailand. The following is the itinerary for his visit (some details subject to change): 8:30-9:30am: Grand opening ceremony of the new terminal at…
Read More » - Phuket News
Tranlee asset auction hailed “success’ with B166mn in bids
PHUKET: The auctioning of assets seized from defunct Tranlee Travel Co by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) raised more than 166 million baht, it was revealed today. AMLO Auctioneer Col Kovit Piromwong announced this afternoon that three days of auctions at Phuket City Hall from September 6 to 8 saw bidding on 34 boats and 83 tour buses for a…
Read More » - Thai Life
Looking Back: Two brothers contend for the throne
PHUKET: In the year 1851, when King Rama III died, Siamese nobles, led by Chaophraya Srisuriyawongse, supported Prince Mongkut and invited him to leave the monkhood to claim the throne. It was during this period that Siamese politics took an unusual turn. King Mongkut had a brother, Prince Chuthamani. When Mongkut became king, he elevated Prince Chuthamani to the rank…
Read More » - Opinion
Opinion: Addressing road safety in Phuket
PHUKET: A proposal under consideration by the Department of Land Transport that would privatize driver education nationwide correctly recognizes and attempts to address the horrific state of road safety in the Kingdom. Unfortunately, the root causes of the problem run at a far deeper level than any bureaucratic reform could ever hope to reach, let alone rectify. It seems that…
Read More » - Phuket News
Born to be wild: Baby gibbons repopulating Phuket
PHUKET: “Gibbons released back into the wild several years ago have already begun to reproduce,” Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WARF) secretary-general Thanaphat Payakkaporn told the Phuket Gazette on Monday. “We released three gibbon couples into the wild several years ago but hadn’t seen them around for almost two years, so we were worried about them and wondered if…
Read More » - Property
Across the land: Age of the robotic butler
PHUKET: Robot butlers could soon be seen in modern homes. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building an artificial intelligence system to operate and control his entire home, and the system will apparently be ready to perform a demo in the very near future. When we think of butlers, we usually envisage a man traditionally dressed in a white-wing collar…
Read More » - Phuket News
Video: Chao Fa black spot claims American motorcyclist
PHUKET: Chalong Municipality released video footage on Tuesday of collisions between cars and motorbikes at an accident black spot on Chao Fah East Road in Chalong, including that of a smash that killed an American motorcyclist on September 5. Municipality spokesperson Suphawattakan Kunlak said the footage of the fatal accident and other serious smashes involving motorcycles, where Soi Thanuthep opens…
Read More » - Business News
Local vendors cash in on Pokemon trend
PHUKET: Local vendors at popular Pokemon catching spots in Phuket have experienced a boost in income since the launch of Pokemon GO in Thailand. However, some vendors expect this spike to be short lived. For those who are wondering what Pokemon GO is, it is Nintendo Company’s mobile phone game which marries a classic 20-year-old franchise with augmented reality, and…
Read More » - Pattaya News
On Deck: A look inside the Royal Pavilion
PHUKET: I recently attended the National Science and Technology Fair in Bangkok at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. The attraction for me was a Royal Pavilion that included boats made by His Majesty the King of Thailand. Many will know that His Majesty has built a number of boats in his time. Twenty-five to be precise, all dinghies. His first was…
Read More » - Phuket News
Flood, landslide warnings for Phuket, Phang Nga and Ranong
PHUKET: The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has repeated warnings of possible flash floods and landslides as monsoon rains continue to inundate Phuket and surrounding provinces. “Parts of Phuket, Phang Nga and Ranong could well be hit with flash floods this week and there is a high probability of landslides in these areas,” NDWC chief Chayasarn Tonanon told the Phuket…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Vietjet launches new routes from Phuket to Bangkok, Chiang Rai
PHUKET: Vietnamese low-cost airline Vietjet announced its ‘domestic debut’ in Thailand on September 6 and the launch of new flight routes from Phuket to Bangkok and Chiang Rai this month. The ‘new-age’ airline already flies from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and operates 53 routes in Vietnam and to Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, China and Myanmar…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket Sea Gypsy sued again in new land dispute case
PHUKET: Rawai Sea Gypsies are facing yet another fight over their right to remain in their century-old village, which offers splendid views across the Andaman Sea. Rawai local Bancha Hatsaithong is being sued over allegedly encroaching on land owned by Jindarak Thammajak. This latest Sea Gypsy land dispute came to Phuket Provincial Court on Monday for its initial assessment, with…
Read More » - Phuket News
Boisterous bidding raises over B102.7mn at Tranlee auction
PHUKET: More than 150 assets seized from embattled Tranlee Travel Co fetched 102,742,000 baht at auction today. The auction to sell off boats, buses and other assets once owned by the now defunct travel company began at 10am today and is set to continue over the next few days until all of the assets have been sold off. The assets…
Read More » - Phuket News
Paralyzed American fall victim responsive after spine surgery
KRABI: An American teacher who was critically injured when she fell down a 45-meter-high cliff at Railay Bay in Krabi is conscious and responsive after being rescued on Friday, but still cannot move her legs. Hannah Michel Gavios, 23, is being treated at Bangkok Hospital Phuket after falling down the rock face while fleeing a would-be molester on Thursday night.…
Read More » - Phuket News
Muslim Cleric shooting investigations may reveal local guns-for-hire network
PHUKET: Police are hunting for one man while another has surrendered himself, both allegedly involved in a ‘network’ that ordered an attack on a Muslim cleric in Koh Kaew last month. The cleric, Weerachat Kahapana, chased down and injured his shooters after getting shot at (story here). Two suspects, Thanachai Choothong, 24, and Wisuth Yokyong, 23, were apprehended after the…
Read More » - Phuket News
Underpass closure results in traffic nightmare
PHUKET: A five-car pile-up in the northbound lanes entering the Samkong Underpass around 10am today resulted in heavy traffic and long tailbacks. Traffic police responded by closing both the southbound and northbound lanes of the underpass in order to clear out the damaged vehicles. With the roads above the underpass closed to through traffic, the closure resulted in long tailbacks…
Read More » - Phuket News
Still no leads on fake bombs in Krabi
KRABI: Two devices, similar in design to the ones used in last month’s bombings (story here), were found in Krabi Town last week. Authorities believe that the devices, which consisted of wires connected to an electronic circuit board, were left to scare passersby and to test the emergency response capabilities of police. Police currently do not have any leads after…
Read More » - Phuket News
Tourists flee stinking trash on Koh Tao
KOH TAO: Tourists are checking out of their hotels on Koh Tao in droves – fleeing the stink of a 45,000-ton mountain of garbage that is growing by the day after the island’s incinerator broke down three weeks ago. With trash piling up at a rate of 30 to 40 tons a day on the island off Surat Thani, and…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket Old Town’s overhead power lines gone for good
PHUKET: The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) announced on Saturday that it had finally completed a three-phase project to bury electric cables in the center of Phuket Town. The beautifying of Phuket Old Town by burying power cables began in 2010 along Thalang Road. The second phase saw the removal of overhead cables along parts of Dibuk Road, Krabi Road and…
Read More » - Phuket News
First Mother’s Day bombings suspect arrested
BANGKOK: Police today confirmed the arrest of a suspect linked to the wave of bombings in tourist towns last month that killed four people and wounded dozens, including foreigners. The bombs and arson attacks August 11-12 in various towns south of Bangkok including Hua Hin, Surat Thani and in Phuket raised fears that a Muslim separatist insurgency, for years largely…
Read More » - Phuket News
Saturday power cuts scheduled for Koh Kaew
PHUKET: Power is scheduled to be shut-off in Koh Kaew sub-district on Saturday, September 17 and Saturday September 24, the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced. The power outage is scheduled from 9am until 5pm on both days to facilitate construction work on the Ban Khu Underpass. The areas to be specifically affected by the power cut are Koh Kaew…
Read More » - Phuket News
Blaze guts Phuket Town home
PHUKET: It took five fire trucks about 40 minutes to extinguish a second-storey blaze in Phuket Town yesterday. Emergency services received a report of the house fire at 9:20am at number 44/2 on Patiphat Road. The second floor bedroom and prayer room in the two-storey house, named ‘Baan Thamrongpornsawat,’ were ablaze when firefighters arrived,” said Phuket City Police Lt Thaksin…
Read More » - Phuket News
Motorcyclist killed as CRV driver runs light
PHUKET: A motorcyclist was killed in Chalong on Saturday when a CRV driver ran a red light and crashed into him. CCTV footage from Chalong Municipality shows the CRV crashing into the motorbike at the T-junction in front of Baan Chalong School on Cha Fa West Road. The bike rider, Wattana Enkbuth, was thrown off and his head hit the…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket blood center needs AB supplies
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) is holding blood donation sessions across Phuket throughout September to replenish blood stocks, especially AB blood types. Under the banner ‘Give Blood to Fellowmen’, the September blood donation drive is in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 84th birthday anniversary and His Majesty the King’s 70th anniversary of his accession to the throne.…
Read More » - Thailand News
Train bombing may derail peace talks
THAILAND: Thais in the deep South continue to endure regular violent attacks, despite ongoing peace talks in Malaysia. Trains operating in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat have been suspended for 10 days after another bomb exploded on the railway line on Friday. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) ordered the temporary suspension of train services to the three southernmost provinces in…
Read More » - Phuket News
Sinkhole swallows bus
PHUKET: The back of a bus was swallowed by a sinkhole that opened up beneath the vehicle in Thalang district on Saturday afternoon after several hours of torrential rain. Baan Kluay Road in Srisoonthon sub district has been closed off until the bus can be removed and the hole in the road filled in. Srisoonthorn Mayor Worrawut Songyot said the…
Read More » - Business News
Prime Minister to visit Phuket this month
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha is to visit Phuket on September 16 for the regional launch of a new nationwide initiative aimed at helping budding local businesses get off the ground and into the international arena of digital commerce. The Startup Thailand 2016 campaign was launched by the prime minister in Bangkok in April as a joint government and…
Read More » - Phuket News
2,700 tonnes of frozen fish moved off detained vessel
PHUKET: Officials from Department of Fisheries are removing about 2,700 tonnes of frozen tuna from two fishing vessels that were detained under suspicion of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing seven months ago. The fish will be transferred from the Deep Sea Port, where the vessels are located, to cold storage at the Fish Marketing Organization in Rassada. The transfer…
Read More » - Phuket News
American woman falls off cliff while fleeing assaulter
PHUKET: An American tourist fell into a crevice off a 45-meter-high cliff at Railay Bay, Krabi while trying to save herself from sexual assault late Thursday night. The suspect, named Apai Ruangwong, 28, admitted to the attempted assault when police questioned him. He was also the one who notified the authorities for help. The 23-year-old woman, whose name is being…
Read More » - Phuket News
Medical schools join forensic probe into land suspect’s death
PHUKET: Forensic teams from medical schools have joined the investigation into the mysterious death of a former land department official – a major suspect in an illegal land-title registration case – while in police custody. Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya said yesterday that to ensure transparency in the case, forensic teams from Chulalongkorn University, Ramathibodi Medical School, and Siriraj Medical…
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