Legacy Phuket Gazette

Legacy Phuket Gazette

Archiving articles from the Phuket Gazette circa 1998 - 2017. View the Phuket Gazette online archive and Digital Gazette PDF Prints.
  • Thai Life

    Changing Thailand’s helmet culture

    by Patrick Mattimore On a recent trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I was struck by an interesting phenomenon traveling from the airport to my hotel. I saw perhaps more than a thousand motorcycle riders and passengers, and only one person was not wearing a helmet. Yet, the entire two weeks I spent in that city, I didn’t see…

  • Property

    Buying off plan? A few things to consider.

    Many developers offer units and condo “off-plan” for sale at an early stage of the project development, even before the first brick has been laid. The lure is usually a lower price and getting the pick of the best location in the development. Some of us may not be familiar with the term “off-plan”. Generally speaking, buying off-plan means buying…

  • Thai Life

    Buying property in Thailand – the basics

    by Kevin Hodges There are many, MANY properties for sale in Phuket and around Thailand. In a market that has peaks and troughs it’s best to buy in partnership with respected sales agents who know the current market and can help you avoid some of the common pitfalls. Buying property in Thailand is not straight forward, so you will need…

  • Thai Life

    Keep It Green: Slow suffocation by plastic

    by Patrick Campbell Anyone interested in ecological issues knows that the principal culprits for the catastrophic decline in marine life are the triple evils of overfishing, inadequate regulation at all levels, and pollution. For decades, weighted trawl nets have scoured the shallow bottom of the Andaman Sea, removing not only entire fish colonies, but all its benthic life, including colonies…

  • News

    FRIDAY MORNING NEWS BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes

    Final day of the week and a lead into your standard, normal, hopefully quiet, weekend. Weather seems to be staying cloudy but the threatened rain has mostly held off this week. It may not be bright blue sunny skies but it’s still a great place to live! What’s happening around Thailand and Phuket today? Seven Dangerous Days – final reports…

  • Thai Life

    SNAKES! But not all snakes are deadly, most aren’t

    A friend discovered a snake on his balcony the other day and asked me what it was. With alternate broad bands of yellow and black and a triangular-shaped body, it could only have been a banded krait. Fortunately, he stood well back and allowed the creature to slither away into the garden. I say fortunately because all kraits are extremely…

  • PhuketB300,000 of pirated goods confiscated in OTOP raid | Thaiger

    B300,000 of pirated goods confiscated in OTOP raid

    PHUKET: A Patong vendor was apprehended, while two others escaped after police raided the ‘One Tambon, One Product’ (OTOP) market in Patong yesterday. Officers seized 458 pirated items valued at about 300,000 baht. “Due to the provincial policy of continuously fighting pirated goods, especially in Patong, we decided to inspect shops at the OTOP market, one of the high traffic…

  • PhuketRussian stabbed in Phuket home | Thaiger

    Russian stabbed in Phuket home

    PHUKET: Police are searching for a ladyboy (transsexual) who is suspected of stabbing her Russian boyfriend in Phuket early yesterday morning. Gennadii Khlopotov, 31, works for a company based in Koh Kaew and lives in Rassada. So far, police know that he previously used to live with his Russian girlfriend in an apartment in Rassada, but then ended relations with…

  • Thai Life

    Hooper Trips Asia – Inle Lake Sunset

    PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette has been a rock and a large part of documenting the island’s news and culture for many years. I have been an avid reader since the day I arrived in Phuket 13 years ago. I am so honored to have finally been a tiny part of it as it takes it’s final bow. So many of…

  • Phuket

    The global costs of human trafficking

    PHUKET: Tomorrow is ‘World Day against Trafficking in Persons’ – a day where we give a voice to the many victims of trafficking who live among us, but have been forced into silence due to threats to their life, retaliation against their family, feelings of hopelessness, or being enslaved and physically unable to speak out. Human trafficking is big business.…

  • Phuket

    Another Chinese tourist drowns in Phuket

    PHUKET: A Chinese tourist died after she was overcome by strong waves that threw her off a rock and drew her into the sea at Kamala Beach this morning. Pan Ying, 32, reportedly fell in at about 11:30am. Rescue workers and lifeguards quickly took action to bring her back to shore. However, they were unable to resuscitate her and she…

  • Phuket

    Stranger Danger: Police vow to catch creepy peeper

    PHUKET: Foreigners in Chalong and Kata have asked police for help, claiming that a mysterious man has entered their homes on several occasions. Facebook user ‘Sanna Hakala’ yesterday posted pictures and a video of a man on her page with both Thai and English captions as follows: “[People in] Chalong, Phuket area – beware of this creeper! This man has…

  • Phuket

    87-year-old escapes Phuket Town house fire

    PHUKET: An 87-year-old lady is safe after her Phuket Town house caught fire last night, causing damages estimated at 100,000 baht. The house, which is located near the Government Savings Bank in Talad Yai, caught fire at about 8:20pm. Firefighters from Phuket City Municipality were called in to help. “A total of four fire trucks were at the scene doing…

  • Phuket

    Red light jumper caught with gun, drugs

    PHUKET: A man was arrested after running a red light in Karon, but later found to be in possession of illegal substances. Sen Sgt Maj Hatthaporn Thongkhaobua of the Karon Traffic Police was on duty at a traffic light in Karon when he saw a white Isuzu pick-up truck moving from Karon toward Chalong Circle. The driver cruised right through…

  • Phuket

    Bail set at B1mn each for suspects in amulet fraud

    PHUKET: Two of the accused in a ‘magic’ amulet fraud case presented themselves for questioning at Phuket Provincial Police Station, but denied all charges and are currently out on bail of 1 million baht each. Last week, more than 20 people filed a complaint at Chalong Police Station against Sumalee Lertwilai, claiming that she and her accomplices had cheated them…

  • Phuket

    Phuket lifeguards come to tourists’ rescue

    PHUKET: Lifeguards have once again strongly urged tourists to swim with caution and never disobey red-flags after four tourists were safely rescued from strong waves at Nai Harn Beach yesterday. The lifeguards believe them to be 20-30 years old. “We have clearly placed red flags in areas where the winds and waves are strong and we perceive that there is…

  • Phuket

    Royal Family provides aid to Phuket animal shelters

    PHUKET: A representative of the Royal Family, as well as a delegation of officials including Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong, yesterday visited two animal care foundations in Phuket to donate food and resources. R/Adm Thawatchai Srikaew flew in on an air force plane and arrived at Phuket International Airport at 10am. He formally donated 20 bags of dog food to the…

  • Phuket

    Drug dealer busted at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint

    PHUKET: A drug dealer was arrested with more than 4,000 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) worth more than 400,000 baht at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint Sunday evening. Chaiwat Urairot, 28, was arrested while trying to enter Phuket from Songkhla at about 6pm. “We aim to thoroughly check every vehicle entering Phuket. During one of our routine checks, we found Mr…

  • Phuket

    Canadian boxer found dead in rental home

    PHUKET: Police are trying to identify the cause of death of a Canadian boxer whose body was discovered in his rental home in Patong yesterday morning. “The incident occurred at 50 Pi Road, where the victim, 27-year-old Matthew Darling Richardson, was staying. We found his body lying face down in the bathroom. He was dressed in black shorts and had…

  • Phuket

    Tragedy averted after Phuket woman threatens to end her life

    PHUKET: A Phuket woman is reportedly safe after widespread alarm was raised over a video clip she shared on Facebook last week announcing her intention to end her life. The woman, whose name her family has asked to withhold, said she was hurt by her boyfriend and no longer wished to continue living. “I love you, and when the time…

  • Phuket

    Officials, volunteers team up to restore damaged coral

    PHUKET: More than two dozen officials and volunteers came together to replace broken and damaged coral on Koh Khai Nai and Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga this weekend. A joint task force from the ‘Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation’ (OMCRC) in Phuket and Phang Nga, along with volunteers and representatives from tour companies, undertook the initiative. “Heavy…

  • Phuket

    Man attacked by wild monkeys at Khao Toh Sae

    PHUKET: A 52-year-old man was attacked by a troop of monkeys in Phuket at Khao Toh Sae (also known as ‘Monkey Hill’) this morning. The victim, a Thai man named by rescue workers only as ‘Lee’, had bought peanuts to feed the monkeys. While walking up the hill, the monkeys tried to snatch the peanuts from his hand. Mr Lee…