Month: December 2016
- Phuket News
High-surf, storm warnings issued for Phuket
PHUKET: A high-surf warning has been issued for Phuket beaches, particularly the West Coast ones, by the Surin-Bangtao Surf Lifesaving Club this morning. Starting Wednesday, an unusually powerful and extra-seasonal storm is predicted to affect Phuket and to continue over the next seven to ten days, the “Club” announced today. The beaches named in the advisory are Nai Harn, Kata…
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Floods claim 11 lives in South
PHUKET: Eleven people drowned, two others were injured and two people are missing due to flooding in southern Thailand over the past four days, Mr Chatchai Promlert, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said yesterday. He said the floods affected 157,580 families in 68 districts in the 10 southern provinces of Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi,…
Read More » - Property
Across the Land: Proposed 10-year visa for over-50s
PHUKET: Finally, after years and years of consideration and watching other neighboring countries benefit from attracting foreign residents for long-term resident stays, the Thai government has announced a long term (ten-year) visa for foreigners over the age of 50. The intention is to promote Thailand as an international hub for medical services. As Thailand plans to develop itself into a…
Read More » - Phuket News
Polish tourists beaten, robbed by Phuket teenagers
PHUKET: Phuket police yesterday evening apprehended four teenagers who brutally attacked and robbed two Polish tourists at Karon viewpoint on Thursday night. Karon Police arrived at the scene of the crime to find the tourists injured and scared. The victims told police that four young boys came up behind them while they were walking. One of them smashed a glass…
Read More » - Business News
Finance: Where to invest after Trump victory
PHUKET: As the world learned that Trump had won, equity futures plunged – only to turn positive just minutes after the market opened the next day, with the rally lasting the rest of the week. The fact that the Dow and small cap US stocks shot up by 10 per cent to a new high shows that the market has…
Read More » - Phuket News
Homeless man blamed for Phuket Town fire
PHUKET: A mentally unstable homeless man is suspected to have started a fire that burnt down a house in Phuket Town about 5am today. The two-storey house located on Thepkrasattri Road, about 500 meters from Satree Phuket School, was enveloped by flames and smoke when firefighters and officials from the Phuket City Municipality Disaster Prevention (PMDP) Department arrived at the…
Read More » - Opinion
Ministry of Farang Affairs: Same menu as Thais
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 » - Opinion
Opinion: Handing over the sails to Phuket’s next generation
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette is pleased to welcome sailing enthusiasts from across the region to Phuket for Asia’s premier sailing competition, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta. As this year’s competition marks the 30th anniversary of the event, this week is an ideal time to reflect on the three decades of the event’s development, as well as to consider ways to…
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Alleged extortionist flown back from US to face charges
PHUKET: An American man, who returned to the United States in 2013 after allegedly extorting a fellow countryman in Phuket, was flown back to Thailand, escorted by Royal Thai Police officers, this morning. “The suspect, named Shawn Abraham, was handed over to Royal Thai Police to face legal charges in Thailand as per an arrest warrant issued against him on…
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Police officer unstable after crashing into Heroines’ Monument barrier
PHUKET: A police officer was seriously injured late last night when he crashed his car into one of the steel pillars around the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang. Thalang Police received a report of the crash just before midnight and arrived at the scene to find the driver, Pol Lance Corporal Thanakorn Jimjuan of Phuket City Police, lying on the sidewalk.…
Read More » - Phuket News
Unlicensed hotels given two months to register
PHUKET: Unlicensed hotels in Phuket have been given a two-month deadline to become legally registered or face consequences. Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan said on Thursday, after a meeting with provincial officials, that more than 1,300 establishments currently operating in the province as hotel-like accommodation had until January 31 next year to properly register as hotel accommodation; otherwise, legal action would…
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Immigration chief urges strict safety checks in Phuket
PHUKET: Officials are tightening security checks at Phuket immigration in preparation for the high season, in accordance with orders issued by the Immigration Commissioner yesterday. After meeting with officials to discuss safety initiatives, Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn visited the immigration offices in Phuket Town and at Phuket International Airport to review safety procedures and ensure readiness for the high season,…
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Phuket King’s Cup marks 30th anniversary
PHUKET: This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Under Royal Patronage since its inception in 1986. What has become one of Thailand’s most prestigious sailing events was launched after a number of the country’s yachting fraternity met to discuss what they could do as a special tribute for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s forthcoming Fifth…
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Seasonal mushroom picking turns profits
KRABI: Krabi locals are cashing in on a wild cash crop of mushrooms which only appear for about three months a year between October and early December. The fungus found in palm plantations in Krabi at this time of year is locally known as the ‘June’ mushroom and fetches between 250 and 300 baht per kilogram. Residents of Klongtom Sub…
Read More » - Thailand News
King Rama X proclaimed
BANGKOK: HIS MAJESTY King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun was proclaimed yesterday as the 10th King of the Chakri Dynasty after he accepted the invitation made by the president of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) in accordance with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s will, the Constitution and Palace Law. “I accept the invitation in order to follow His Majesty King Bhumibol’s will…
Read More » - Phuket News
Canadian tourist robbed of $4,000 by Bangla ‘companion’
PHUKET: A hapless Canadian tourist yesterday filed a complaint against a Thai woman, claiming that she made off with about 130,000 baht in cash from his hotel room. Alexander Ryan, 31, told police that he had met the woman on Bangla Road in Patong on Tuesday night, and then invited her back to his room at the Holiday Inn hotel…
Read More » - World News
Myanmar judge denies EMG bosses bail
MYANMAR: The Tamwe Township court refused to grant bail to Dr Than Htut Aung, CEO of the Eleven Media Group, and chief editor Wai Phyo at their second hearing yesterday. Lawyers Kyee Myint, Kyaw Lin, Soe Tint Yee, Kyaw Soe Moe and Moe Hein submitted an appeal for bail for the duo on November 25. The appeal included the fact…
Read More » - Phuket News
Facebook coral dealers arrested in Krabi
KRABI: Two women involved in the illegal sale of coral on Facebook were apprehended in Ao Luek yesterday evening. The arresting officers found more than 20 kilograms of coral in their possession. They had been dealing in coralline algae, sea pens and various other coral used in jewelry. A joint “task force” of 30 personnel [yes, thirty] comprising Krabi Marine…
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Two arrested for mobile snatching in Phuket
PHUKET: Two men were apprehended after they snatched an iPhone from two Chinese tourists in Patong last night. The suspects were named as Sarawuth Rattanaprasert, 21, and Thanawuth Hirankakorn, 19. “We received a report of a robbery on Sai Nam Yen Road about 7pm. Patrol officers in the area immediately took action when they saw the two victims chasing Mr…
Read More » - Thailand News
EU ‘Green card’ for Thailand expected over IUU fishing
THAILAND: The Kingdom should expect to receive a ‘green card’ from the European Union for its efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, once the EU realizes the real progress the government is making in this regard, according to Steve Trent, executive director of the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). Mr Trent said the EJF had seen the progress…
Read More » - Phuket News
Motorcyclist’s death finally prompts action to fix airport road
PHUKET: Following the death of a 22-year-old motorcyclist who broke his neck Thursday night ramming into a concrete blockade on the road alongside the Phuket Airport runway, authorities have requested a 72 million baht budget to fix and widen the road. The road was blocked off with four heavy-duty blocks four months ago after heavy rains caused a landslide (story…
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