Legacy Phuket Gazette

Archiving articles from the Phuket Gazette circa 1998 - 2017. View the Phuket Gazette online archive and Digital Gazette PDF Prints.
  • Phuket NewsTourist Police evade Phuket shakedown claims

    Tourist Police evade Phuket shakedown claims

    PHUKET: The chief of the Phuket Tourist Police has branded allegations that three of his officers extorted 20,000 baht from an Italian man in Patong as a “big misunderstanding”. The news follows protesters staging a blockade of the Patong beach road last weekend after word of the shakedown spread through the resort town. “The case will not be pursued because…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket boat crews protest after access denied to Chalong Pier

    Phuket boat crews protest after access denied to Chalong Pier

    PHUKET: A group of local boat handlers this morning staged a protest at Chalong Pier to call for unrestricted access to boats moored along the pier. The gathering at the popular terminal for Phuket tour boats (map here) came as officials enforced existing regulations banning motorcycles and motorcycles with sidecars from being driven along the pier. “These people know they…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Russian Winter Games open amid security scares, arrests

    Phuket Gazette World News: Russian Winter Games open amid security scares, arrests

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Russian Winter Games open amid security scares, arrests Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Russia’s Winter Olympics got underway on Friday with a grandiose opening ceremony watched by President Vladimir Putin, who will be keen to calm fears of militant attacks and move on from a row over gay…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket Gazette Thailand News: PDRC sows seeds of rice farmer alliance; Finance Ministry silent on payment methods; Army ramps up lese majeste action

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: PDRC sows seeds of rice farmer alliance; Finance Ministry silent on payment methods; Army ramps up lese majeste action

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Suthep keen for alliance with angry farmers The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The anti-government movement led by Suthep Thaugsuban appears to be seeking an alliance with rice farmers as the embattled caretaker government struggles to find the money owed to the farmers under the price-pledge scheme.Yesterday, Suthep,…

  • Phuket NewsA rescuer: Ultralight engine did not explode in fatal Phuket crash

    A rescuer: Ultralight engine did not explode in fatal Phuket crash

    PHUKET: The engine of the ultralight flying boat that crashed in the sea near Rawai on Wednesday, killing its pilot, did not explode, says an expat who took part in the recovery effort. “There were no signs of explosive damage to the engine,” Singaporean Marshall Ong told the Phuket Gazette. Mr Ong saw the engine when he entered the water…

  • OpinionPhuket Opinion: Happy days again

    Phuket Opinion: Happy days again

    PHUKET: Do you miss your childhood? Wish you were young once again? You can be… just move to another country. It feels not only like moving in space, but also like moving back in time – to the happy days when everything was new, exciting and mysterious. Since I moved to Thailand I have often felt like a toddler as…

  • OpinionPhuket Opinion: Boosting Phuket tourism through sport

    Phuket Opinion: Boosting Phuket tourism through sport

    Virat Patee, 55, is a native of Phuket. He has served as the director of the Sport Authority of Thailand’s Phuket office for five years, and formerly served as the director of the SAT Krabi office for 12 years. Here, he talks about the valuable contribution sports make to tourism and suggests how Phuket can do more to promote sport…

  • Phuket NewsGovernor eyes Phuket goat market potential [VIDEO] | Thaiger

    Governor eyes Phuket goat market potential [VIDEO]

    PHUKET: Goat meat and milk produced in Phuket could provide local farmers with up to a million baht in annual revenue, the governor has estimated. On Tuesday, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut and Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa led officers on a tour of Akarah goat farm in Baan Pru Cham Pa in Thalang and discussed the future of the goat industry…

  • Phuket NewsSpecial Report: If there’s something strange and it don’t look good”¦ who ya gonna call?

    Special Report: If there’s something strange and it don’t look good”¦ who ya gonna call?

    Special Report Early last Saturday morning, a female tourist spent 45 minutes trying to contact the police. Repeated calls to the Tourist Police hotline 1155 went unanswered until a man picked up and told her he could not speak English and advised her to call the Thalang Police, who put her on hold. The Phuket Gazette’s Chutharat Plerin investigates emergency…

  • FoodPhuket Food: Danish chef delivers all the delectables

    Phuket Food: Danish chef delivers all the delectables

    PHUKET: With a reputation that precedes them as being one of the finest dining establishments on the island, Mom Tri’s have nearly outdone themselves this time. On January 25, Mom Tri’s Villa Royale showcased a six-course set menu by Danish Chef Per Hallundbaek. After vacationing in Phuket every year since 2000, Chef Hallundbaek finally gave in to the urge to…

  • FoodPhuket Food: Real food for real pleasure

    Phuket Food: Real food for real pleasure

    PHUKET: There’s something friendly and approachable about Italian cuisine. It’s simple, down to earth and tasty as hell. But when an invitation for a dinner prepared by Chef Ricarrdo de Pra landed on my desk, I wasn’t sure if this was what I was going to get. He might be Italian but his restaurant Dolada in Veneto, Italy did get…

  • Thai LifePhuket Boats: Set a course for adventure aboard the Argo

    Phuket Boats: Set a course for adventure aboard the Argo

    PHUKET: With a crew of 26 university students, most who had never been aboard a yacht, the 112-foot schooner Argo sailed out of Yacht Haven Marina mid-last month, set on a course for adventure and education on the high seas. The Bangkok-built ship was launched in 2006 and was designed and commissioned to be the flagship for SeaMester, a unique…

  • Business NewsAustralian superyacht industry seeks closer ties with Phuket

    Australian superyacht industry seeks closer ties with Phuket

    PHUKET: Representatives of peak industry body Superyacht Australia, along with several Australian-based marine companies recently toured Phuket as part of a program aimed at fostering business relations in the marine industry. The tour was hosted by the Australian Trade Commission and funded through the Australian Government’s Asian Century Business Engagement Plan grant program. During the visit, the group toured all…

  • Phuket NewsTourist Police face harsh words in Phuket

    Tourist Police face harsh words in Phuket

    PHUKET: Tourist Police in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani have received a public tongue-lashing over a lack of patrols in tourist areas.“I never see Tourist Police out on patrol when I visit – they are only working in their small police boxes,” said Gen Wuthi Liptapallop, a top-flight Adviser to the Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Adul Saengsingkaew.“How are…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Italy rescues more than 1,100 migrants in rafts south of Sicily

    Phuket Gazette World News: Italy rescues more than 1,100 migrants in rafts south of Sicily

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Italy rescues more than 1,100 migrants in rafts south of Sicily Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Italian navy has rescued more than 1,100 migrants from nine large rafts in the waters south of Sicily, the latest arrivals from North Africa.Patrol helicopters identified the overcrowded rafts on Wednesday…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Moscow accuses U.S. of fomenting Ukraine coup; recordings leaked

    Phuket Gazette World News: Moscow accuses U.S. of fomenting Ukraine coup; recordings leaked

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Moscow accuses U.S. of fomenting Ukraine coup; recordings leaked Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: An east-west struggle over Ukraine turned nastier as Moscow accused the United States of fomenting a coup and Washington pointed a finger at Russia for leaking a recording of U.S. diplomats discussing how to…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket baby arrives with sad message for expectant parents

    Phuket baby arrives with sad message for expectant parents

    PHUKET: A baby born in Phuket with her intestines protruding from her abdomen underscores the need for regular prenatal care and serves as a reminder of the limits of modern medicine, said Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Jessada Chungpaibulpatana. “About 1 in 1,000 babies are born with gastroschisis. About 30 per cent of those cases cannot be detected on an ultrasound,”…

  • Phuket NewsGerman victim in Phuket ultralight crash believed drowned

    German victim in Phuket ultralight crash believed drowned

    PHUKET: Phuket Police believe the German man whose ultralight crashed on Wednesday (story here) drowned after his flying boat plunged into the sea. Chalong Police Investigator Patiwat Yodkwan named the crash victim as 64-year-old Georg Erwin Bach. “When police and rescue workers arrived at the scene, Mr Bach had already been brought ashore by staff at a nearby resort,” Maj…

  • Thai LifeBeatle Mania: Phuket, are you ready for tonight?

    Beatle Mania: Phuket, are you ready for tonight?

    PHUKET: Preparations are complete for what looks set to be a fantastic show tonight and tomorrow night when the curtains open on the fabulous Beatles tribute band at 7pm, in the grand marquee at the Phuket Boat Lagoon. The seated tickets (1,500 baht) are completely sold out for both nights, and the lounge tickets for this Gazette Headline Event are…

  • Business NewsSouthern blockades didn’t affect Phuket goods: DIT Chief

    Southern blockades didn’t affect Phuket goods: DIT Chief

    PHUKET: The island’s market for consumer goods and fresh produce has not been affected by the political turmoil in and around Bangkok, the head of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) Phuket office has assured. “I’m not aware of any shortages on the island, so there should be no reason why goods in Phuket would be any more expensive than…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: EU lawmakers push to bolster rights of stranded air travellers

    Phuket Gazette World News: EU lawmakers push to bolster rights of stranded air travellers

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community EU lawmakers push to bolster rights of stranded air travellers Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The European Parliament has called for stricter rules to make it easier for stranded air passengers to claim compensation from their airlines.The lawmakers’ vote on Wednesday takes Europe closer to tightening rules on…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Bahrain toughens penalties for insulting king

    Phuket Gazette World News: Bahrain toughens penalties for insulting king

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bahrain toughens penalties for insulting king Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The king of Bahrain has approved a law imposing a jail sentence of up to seven years and a fine of up to 10,000 dinars (16,276.64 pounds) for anyone who publicly insults him.King Hamad’s measure highlights the…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Scathing U.N. report demands Vatican act against child sex abuse

    Phuket Gazette World News: Scathing U.N. report demands Vatican act against child sex abuse

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Scathing U.N. report demands Vatican act against child sex abuse Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The United Nations demanded on Wednesday that the Vatican “immediately remove” all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers and turn them over to civil authorities, in an unprecedented and scathing report.The…

  • Phuket NewsGovernor picks up trash, pushes for cleaner Phuket

    Governor picks up trash, pushes for cleaner Phuket

    PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut picked up trash on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday morning as part of a lead-up to Civil Defense Volunteer Day on February 10. A group of about 200 people, including Vice Governor Chamroen Tippayapongtada and Phuket Provincial Employment Office Chief Yaowapa Pibulpol, as well as government officers and volunteers fanned out on both sides of the road…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s X-Terminal successfully inaugurated

    Phuket’s X-Terminal successfully inaugurated

    PHUKET: Phuket International Airport’s X-Terminal saw its first successful charter flight depart for China yesterday. “The check-in system for the flight went well. Passengers checked in at the X-Terminal, then took the shuttle to the main terminal to clear Immigration and Customs,” Director of Phuket International Airport Pratuang Sornkham told the Phuket Gazette. Jet Asia Airways provided the flight, JF840,…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: U.S. warns airports over toothpaste bombs

    Phuket Gazette World News: U.S. warns airports over toothpaste bombs

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. warns airports over possible bomb ingredients in toothpaste tubes Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The United States issued a warning on Wednesday to airports and to some airlines flying to Russia for the Olympics to watch for toothpaste tubes that could hold ingredients to make a bomb…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket Gazette Thailand News: Farmers maintain blockades; Student tablet scheme fails; Thai in mysterious South African death

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Farmers maintain blockades; Student tablet scheme fails; Thai in mysterious South African death

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Defiant farmers maintain blockades, draw up petition The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: While one group of rice farmers today brings tractors and trucks to rally outside the Commerce Ministry in Nonthaburi – to pressure for long overdue payments from the rice-pledging scheme – another group from the…

  • Phuket NewsIllegal wildlife vendors netted at Phuket’s Wat Chalong Fair

    Illegal wildlife vendors netted at Phuket’s Wat Chalong Fair

    PHUKET: Wildlife preservation officers and Marine Police last night arrested three people and seized more than 300 items of jewelry made from coral and the shells of the endangered Hawksbill turtle. Tanet Munnoy, chief of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Phuket office, led the raid at the temple grounds after his office received a tip-off from people…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket honeymooner partially paralyzed as speedboat tackles rough waters

    Phuket honeymooner partially paralyzed as speedboat tackles rough waters

    PHUKET: A Swedish honeymooner in Phuket was partially paralyzed from a fall as her speedboat to Phi Phi Island tackled choppy waters last month.“I still have pain in my back. I can move my legs a little bit, but I cannot move my feet at all,” Karin Josefsson said. “My husband also hurt his back, but not severely.”Mrs Josefsson and…

  • Phuket NewsPolice seek arrest warrant over brutal slaying of Phuket teen

    Police seek arrest warrant over brutal slaying of Phuket teen

    PHUKET: Wichit Police will seek an arrest warrant this week for the prime suspect in the brutal murder of Phuket teenager Pawarisorn Sae-Ung. The charred body of Mr Pawarisorn, 16, was found dumped beside Muang Chaofa Road (map here) on December 6. He had been stabbed multiple times, his throat had been slashed and his body set alight (story here).…