Legacy Phuket Gazette

Archiving articles from the Phuket Gazette circa 1998 - 2017. View the Phuket Gazette online archive and Digital Gazette PDF Prints.
  • Phuket NewsArmed security added to Rohingya shelter

    Armed security added to Rohingya shelter

    PHANG NGA: Armed night guards have been placed at the Phang Nga Shelter for Children and Families after 14 Rohingya women and children fled the facility yesterday. “The increased security is to prevent human smugglers from targeting the women and attempting to help them escape the facility,” said Anan Dontri, director of the Phang Nga office of Social Development and…

  • Phuket NewsOfficials issue health warning for Indonesian haze [video] | Thaiger

    Officials issue health warning for Indonesian haze [video]

    PHUKET: Phuket officials issued a health warning today, after air pollution on the island maintained levels above the public safety standard for the last 24 hours. The haze situation grew so bad yesterday afternoon, that Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos handed out free face masks for his staff, local teachers and students. Video: PGTV “The average air pollution level for the…

  • Thai LifeOn Deck: New name and new horizons

    On Deck: New name and new horizons

    PHUKET: Phuket’s Ao Chalong Yacht Club has been at the heart of the island’s sailing scene since its inception 24 years ago. At a time when thatch roofs were all the rage, the original Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC), known then as the Ao Chalong Cruising Yacht Club, was born and had its first official premises on the second floor…

  • Phuket NewsThere’s money in trash [video] | Thaiger

    There’s money in trash [video]

    PHUKET: The island’s monsoon-season seas continue to plaster popular beaches with rubbish, while the growing urban environment produces an average of 729 tonnes of trash a day. Though deemed unsightly by expats, locals and tourists, the mass of junk does provide a living for numerous individuals, families and communities. “About one ton of trash is swept onto two of Phuket’s…

  • Phuket NewsVideo Report: Mayor gives teachers, students masks for haze

    Video Report: Mayor gives teachers, students masks for haze

    PHUKET: Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos handed out face masks to municipality employees, teachers and children following the massive drop in air quality this afternoon (story here). “Though no warning has been issued given the average air quality over the last 24 hours, I decided it was best to ensure the safety of the children and city employees in my jurisdiction,”…

  • Phuket NewsHaze: Air pollution levels spike in Phuket

    Haze: Air pollution levels spike in Phuket

    PHUKET: Air pollution spiked to unsafe levels this afternoon due to Indonesian haze, confirmed Pornsri Suthanarak, the director of the Regional Environmental Office. “Air pollution on the island reached 175 micrograms per cubic meter by 2pm,” Dr Pornsri said. “However, the average level over the last 24 hours is well within the public safety standard of 120, so we have…

  • World NewsAfter five years of negotiations, Pacific trade talks near deal | Thaiger

    After five years of negotiations, Pacific trade talks near deal

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community After five years of negotiations, Pacific trade talks near deal Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A dozen Pacific nations closed in on a sweeping free trade pact on Sunday in Atlanta after abreakthrough over how long a monopoly pharmaceutical companies should be given on new biotech…

  • World NewsWorld Bank trims 2015, 2016 East Asia forecasts, cites China, US rate risks | Thaiger

    World Bank trims 2015, 2016 East Asia forecasts, cites China, US rate risks

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community World Bank trims 2015, 2016 East Asia forecasts, cites China, US rate risks Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: The World Bank cut its 2015 and 2016 growth forecasts for developing East Asia and Pacific, and said the outlook was clouded by the risk of a sharp…

  • Phuket NewsBeach business sues Phuket official

    Beach business sues Phuket official

    PHUKET: An evicted beach business owner has filed a law suit against Cherng Talay Local Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President Ma-ann Samran for dereliction of duty (Section 157). Kanokpon ‘Tony’ Somrak, owner of Tony Restaurant, which was saved from demolition after the Ministry of Interior stepped in at the last minute, brought legal action against Mr Ma-ann last month (story here).…

  • Phuket NewsOfficials capture escaped Rohingya women, children

    Officials capture escaped Rohingya women, children

    PHANG NGA: Officers were able to recover all 14 Rohingya women and children who escaped by a rope made of clothes from the second floor of the Phang Nga Shelter for Children and Families this morning. The escaped refugees ranged from a 5-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl to women up to 32 years old. “We received a reporter right after…

  • Phuket NewsA Decade Ago: Reining back mediums as poo spreads

    A Decade Ago: Reining back mediums as poo spreads

    PHUKET: The lead story on page one a decade ago, in what has become a familiar cry, was the Governor urging spirit mediums – the people who endure swords, needles and an assortment other objects thrust through their cheeks while possessed by the gods – to practice restraint. Five years later, it was the Assistant Director at the Tourism Authority…

  • Phuket NewsDDPM Phuket issues weather warning

    DDPM Phuket issues weather warning

    PHUKET: Officials have issued a heavy rain, flood, strong wind and landslide warning for Phuket. The warning will remain in place until Wednesday. “We issued a warning to all local governments on the island today. They have been asked to beware of weather conditions from the effects of tropical cyclone Mujigae, which could possibly lead to flash floods, landslides and…

  • Business NewsSound advice on retiring rich and young

    Sound advice on retiring rich and young

    PHUKET: This last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a seminar from one of my business partners whom most Thai readers would be familiar with. They may not know, however, the extent of the business success that Paul Pattrapon has had outside of the limelight of being a Thai superstar. On top of singing, modeling, acting in soaps, hosting…

  • Thai LifeVideo Report: Upholding Phuket’s unique Baba culture

    Video Report: Upholding Phuket’s unique Baba culture

    PHUKET: Few people in the world understand Phuket’s unique culture better than Assistant Professor Pranee Sakulpipatana, known to the general public simply as Ajarn Pranee. Though she is a historian, Ajarn Pranee doesn’t need to dig into other people’s past to understand the Baba culture that is quintessentially Phuket. Now 68 years old, Ajarn Pranee was born on Thalang Road…

  • Phuket NewsHaze descends on Phuket

    Haze descends on Phuket

    PHUKET: Air quality levels are rapidly dropping in Phuket as an Indonesian haze again sweeps across the island. “Air pollution levels are likely to go beyond what is deemed safe for the public, 120 micrograms per cubic meter for a 24-hour period,” Pornsri Suthanarak, director of the Regional Environmental Office, told the Phuket Gazette this morning. Over the last measured…

  • OpinionOpinion: Moral conflict over tea money

    Opinion: Moral conflict over tea money

    PHUKET: There are always stories of people who allegedly slip the immigration police money in their passport to cross the border into Thailand, whether it’s because they don’t have proper documentation or are perhaps nervous about the police giving them a hard time. Recently a friend of mine went on a visa run to secure her non-B visa. She had…

  • PropertyDual expansion at Krabi Boat Lagoon

    Dual expansion at Krabi Boat Lagoon

    PHUKET: Two exciting projects will be unveiled by Krabi Boat Lagoon shortly, with one being a beach club near the marina and the other a third condominium building at the marina itself. Ms Sriya Yongsakul, Krabi Boat Lagoon’s deputy managing director, said at an exclusive interview with the Gazette last week that the long beachfront plot where the beach club…

  • Phuket NewsNew police commander eager to suppress crime

    New police commander eager to suppress crime

    PHUKET: The new Region 8 police commander arrived on the island yesterday and has vowed to tackle crime as well as support the region’s tourism. “What I aim to concentrate on is crime suppression, violent criminals, drugs and human trafficking. At the same time, I will support tourism, as we know there are so many tourist attractions on the island,”…

  • Business NewsBusiness Buzz: Success just clicks away

    Business Buzz: Success just clicks away

    PHUKET: Following on from previous topics, if we know our sales funnel and can break it down into a process map, then we can analyze each step of the sales system, see where we have good and bad results, and increase our profitability by improving each area. Even a small tweak, improving only one or two per cent at each…

  • Phuket NewsPromthep Cape paragliders sail into trouble

    Promthep Cape paragliders sail into trouble

    PHUKET: Rawai municipality is looking into complaints about paragliders blocking public land on Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape. “[A recent] complaint stated that visitors were being told to get out of paragliders’ way while they were taking off,” said Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos. The municipality is now moving to solve the problem by calling members of the paragliding club for a…

  • Phuket NewsRescue workers struggle to bag mammoth python

    Rescue workers struggle to bag mammoth python

    PHUKET: It took rescue workers more than 20 minutes to remove a feasting five-meter-long python from a Phuket Town hen house last night. “It was quite a big snake, probably 40 kilograms, and had already eaten one chicken by the time we arrived,” said Natakorn Komutphon, a Kusoldharm Foundation rescue worker. The homeowner on Soi Roongrawee, near Vachira Phuket Hospital,…

  • Phuket NewsPolice bust escaped Cambodian fishermen for pirated sunglasses

    Police bust escaped Cambodian fishermen for pirated sunglasses

    PHUKET: Three escaped Cambodian fishermen were arrested on Kata Beach for peddling fake name brand sunglasses to tourists yesterday. “We received a letter from the Damrongtham Center [ombudsman’s office] that tourists had been conned into buying pirated sunglasses by migrant workers on Kata Beach,” said Muang District Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Samran Yukunthorn. “The three said that they used to…

  • Phuket NewsVideo Report: Aussie to circumnavigate Phuket by standup paddle board

    Video Report: Aussie to circumnavigate Phuket by standup paddle board

    PHUKET: Damien Rider, who was dubbed ‘Men’s Health Man of 2015’ after completing an 800km unassisted paddle boarding adventure in the shark infested waters of the Gold Coast, will depart Nai Harn Beach at 7am on October 5 as he attempts to circumnavigate Phuket on a standup paddle board (SUP). His four-day, solo SUP journey is designed to raise awareness…

  • OpinionOpinion: Big smiles in the Land of ?

    Opinion: Big smiles in the Land of ?

    PHUKET: It is a pleasure to see that the ‘Ministry of Farang Affairs’ resonates with our readers, with each weekly installment serving up a new, and wry, view on the expat experience here in Thailand. Drawn up by well-known satirist Stephff at Gazette partner publication The Nation, these cartoons mark a considerable departure from his usual political work. They instead…

  • Phuket NewsMuang Thai Phuket-Patong Marathon ready to kick off

    Muang Thai Phuket-Patong Marathon ready to kick off

    PHUKET: Those taking part in the new Muang Thai Phuket-Patong Marathon 2015 will be running through the streets of Patong on October 18. “This is part of a four-province series of marathons,” said Kritthaput Khumboonraung of the corporate social responsibility team at Muang Thai Insurance, which is organizing the event. “We have already held one event in Bangkok and one…

  • Phuket NewsPlan accordingly with Vegetarian Festival’s schedule of events

    Plan accordingly with Vegetarian Festival’s schedule of events

    PHUKET: The Vegetarian Festival will kick off in less than two weeks across the island, with yellow and red flags being raised to mark the popular annual event. This year the festival will take place during October 13-21 with the special addition of a parade in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 88th birthday on October 14. The annual festival…

  • PropertyBy the Book: Tips on handling property transactions

    By the Book: Tips on handling property transactions

    PHUKET: With the island’s real estate market staying strong, some owners could be thinking of selling their property. If so, here are some tips for making this move. Establishing a Price Consider what you paid for the property, how long you have lived there, what similar properties have sold for, any improvements added, present condition of the property, ask the…

  • Phuket NewsUnderpass construction digs in with delays

    Underpass construction digs in with delays

    PHUKET: The need to remove more than 100 utility poles in preparation for building the Chalong Underpass ‘may’ delay the start of construction until next year. “It is hard work to remove that many poles on both sides of the road, while ensuring as few people are affected as possible. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Region 2 office, located in…

  • OpinionMinistry of Farang Affairs: Flexible morals

    Ministry of Farang Affairs: Flexible morals

    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.…

  • Phuket NewsTwo arrested for firearm possession

    Two arrested for firearm possession

    PHUKET: Police nabbed two men for the possession of illegal firearms in separate arrests this week, one was carrying a homemade gun, while the other had purchased his through Facebook. Police arrested one of the suspects, a 16-year-old, at the Sengho bookstore in Phuket Town, confirmed Maj Ritthichai Choomchuy of the Phuket Provincial Police. The teen confessed that he had…