- Opinion
Island View: Tourism industry needs a rehaul
PHUKET: During a day trip to Krabi with some friends last weekend, I planned a short rendezvous at Railay Island. After a heavy lunch, we walked to the pier and were surprised to find that a return ticket via long tail boat cost 200 baht per person. That’s not too much, I thought. There is probably a catch there. As…
- Property
By The Book: Opportunities abound as island grows
PHUKET: Anyone living in or visiting Phuket will notice the amount of construction work going on around the island. From property development to schools, hospitals, marinas and roads – all types of infrastructure on the island are undergoing development. For several years now Phuket’s residents have grown used to the traffic diversions around the construction of Phuket’s underpasses at Darasamut,…
- Opinion
Opinion: Phuket Shrines Association chief explains spirit of Veg fest
PHUKET: Prasert Fakthongphol, 68, is the founder and president of the Phuket Shrines Association. He was born and raised in Phuket and has a vocational certificate in business studies from Dusit Commercial College in Bangkok. He has been the president of the association since 2001 and also owns a transportation company. Here, he talks about the real purpose and tradition…
- Pattaya News
Blind community offered boosted standards and legal venue registrations
PHUKET: The Thailand Association of the Blind (TAB) organized an informational discussion at the Bhukitta Hotel & Spa on Wednesday to boost the standard of blind massage parlors and tweak their registration process. The event was led by Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat, alongside deputy director of the TAB Surat Puengsiriwathana, and Petrat Techatracha, head of The Blinds Vocational Promotion…
- Phuket News
Cockfighting purse largest in Thai history
PHUKET: Two veteran roosters in Samui’s cockfighting ring drew the largest bets in Thailand’s history yesterday. Cockfighters from Chumporn, Ranong, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Samui circled around the Baan Lipa Yai ring yesterday afternoon, cheering and placing more than 2 million baht in bets. The headlining fight, between an eight-month-old gamecock from Chumporn named Hua Pok, and a…
- Phuket News
New Phuket governor arrives
PHUKET: Newly appointed Phuket Governor Dr Chokchai Dejamornthan and his wife Raweewan Dejamornthan, who is the new president of the Phuket Red Cross, received a warm welcome on their arrival in Phuket this morning. About a hundred people from both government and the private sector showed up to welcome the couple at Phuket airport at 10:30am. In keeping with tradition,…
- Opinion
Ministry of Farang Affairs: Showing off your work ID
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 News
Samkong Underpass to be closed for maintenance, completion pushed to October end
PHUKET: The Samkong Underpass is to be closed from 10pm today until 4am tomorrow for electrical maintenance and installation. Motorists are only allowed to use the road above the underpass during this time slot. “We have also installed signs at the junction to notify motorists,” said Chalermpol Wongkiattikun, the project engineer from the Department of Highways. “The underpass is expected…
- Opinion
Opinion: Confusion at new airport terminal
PHUKET: Confusion among passengers following the recent opening of the International Terminal at Phuket Airport demonstrates a disappointing lack of readiness on the part of Airports of Thailand (AoT), Phuket Immigration and other related agencies. While it would have been naive to expect that such major changes to airport operations could come off without a hitch, the lack of manpower…
- Phuket News
Burmese dies from anal injuries
KOH SAMUI: A Myanmar man died Wednesday afternoon in Koh Samui, nine days after he was admitted to hospital with a torn anus, anal inflammation and a blood infection from a torn intestine. Capt Issaret Saneangwan of Samui Police received reports regarding the deceased from Samui Hospital. “Thirty-year-old Mueang Santoo had passed away about an hour before we arrived at…
- Phuket News
Phuket Airport Road: Landslide plan to be revealed next month
PHUKET: A plan to prevent landslides along the road running parallel to the runway at Phuket International Airport is expected to be completed by next month. The need for a plan came about when continuous rains on August 31 loosened the earth on the 141-meter-tall hill (Khao Bo Sai), and caused a landslide that spilled onto the road (story here).…
- Phuket News
Task force shuts down illegal gambling ring in Krabi
KRABI: A joint task force arrested 66 suspected gamblers and confiscated over half a million baht worth of gambling paraphernalia during a raid of a local gambling den in Krabi yesterday. More than 30 officials from Nua Khlong Police, along with 16 military personnel, marched into the middle of a rice field at Pakasai sub-district of Nua Khlong District, where…
- Phuket News
Floating officials visit flooded village
KRABI: Villagers in Ao Luek district have been using boats to get to and from their houses after torrential flooding has left their neighborhood under water for the past month. Following complaints filed with the Ao Luek Administration Organization (OrBorTor), Ao Luek District chief Chaiwut Buathong examined the site on Tuesday. Approximately 300 meters of roadway have been flooded in…
- Phuket News
Man ‘bathes’ in pothole to push road repairs
PHUKET: A Krabi local ‘bathed’ in a pothole Tuesday morning as a sarcastic act of protest against the condition of the roads in the area. The man, who calls himself ‘Rosemary’, is 53-year-old Payong Noosiri. Several surprised locals watched as Mr Payong took pictures of himself bathing in a pothole in Krabi’s Baan Lamthap village. Mr Payong said he was…
- Phuket News
Arrest warrants issued for ATM hackers
PHUKET: Police issued two more arrest warrants on September 26 for Russian suspects wanted in connection with the nation-wide ATM fraud that ripped off over 12 million baht from Government Savings Bank (GSB) ATMs. The group of foreigners travelled around the country using specially-engineered credit cards to overcome safety precautions and empty ATMs in Phuket, Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Phretcha…
- Phuket News
Phuket Gazette Radio is here, launched at 0500 today
PHUKET: It’s here, and it’s on a mission with news all day. News remains the Gazette’s reason for being, just as it’s always been, since 1993. Our flagship show, ‘The News Room’, takes you deep inside the local news, issues and events that matter to Phuketians. Here you’ll also get the important regional and international stories that the island’s cosmopolitan…
- Thai Life
Diving: Mermaids spotted off Phuket
PHUKET: There are real mermaids out there. It’s a profession that some freedivers have found themselves slipping into. Phuket-based PADI scuba diving instructor Kate Gray, who was crowned Miss Germany 2010, made a big splash here a couple of years ago as ‘Mermaid Kat’ and opened Phuket’s Mermaid Kat Academy in 2012.“I first started ‘mermaiding’ as a hobby but it…
- Phuket News
First wedding planner’s congress in Asia coming to Phuket
PHUKET: Wedding planners from across the world will descend on Phuket for a global conference this Spring, the Ministery of Tourism and Sports announced last week. The Destination Wedding Planners Congress (DWPC) is hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and is scheduled to be held at Laguna Golf Phuket in May of 2017. “Destination-themed weddings are a big…
- Phuket News
Teenager killed in “double hit-and-run’
PHUKET: A teenager was killed and another man injured in a ‘double’ hit-and-run collision at about 1:15am today on Thepkasattri Road. The victim, Noppadol Yaprajan, 19, was riding pillion with his friend Sirichai Witsuma, 20, when the accident occurred. “Mr Sirichai told us that an 18-wheeled truck hit their motorbike in front of the Democratic Party Office, causing Mr Noppadol…
- Phuket News
Body of Swedish man found hanged in Kamala hotel room
PHUKET: Staff at the Kamala Regent Resort found the body of a Swedish guest hanged by the neck in the bathroom of his hotel room yesterday afternoon. The 47-year-old Swede was wearing only a hotel bathrobe and found in a kneeling position, leaning forward, with a taut rope around his neck that was strung up on a part of the…
- Phuket News
Portuguese Man-of-War back at the beaches
PHUKET: Sirinath National Park chief Kitiphat Tharapiban said today that ‘water activities’ have been suspended at Phuket’s Nai Thon, Layan and Nai Yang beaches after blooms of Portuguese Man-of-War siphonophore were spotted in the national park area on Friday (September 23). “Stings from the Portuguese Man-of-War can be fatal so we have closed the beaches and posted warning notices where…
- Phuket News
Road Rage: Teen shoots at truck in Phuket Town
PHUKET: A teenage motorcyclist was arrested on Saturday evening for shooting at a 6-wheeled truck in the heart of Phuket Town. The 18-year old reportedly shot at one of the truck’s wheels in anger after, he claims, it nearly ran him over. “We had a report about the shooting on Srisana Road in Phuket Town at 4pm,” said Phuket City…
- Phuket News
New Phuket Air Terminal: Transport Minister acknowledges barrage of angry complaints
PHUKET: A stream of harsh complaints about the new terminal at Phuket International Airport prompted a visit by Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith on Saturday. Long lines, delays, the lack of essential equipment, insufficient and confused personnel, and angry passengers have all marred the opening days of the new facility (story here). Mr Arkhom acknowledged that airport staff were dealing with…
- Phuket News
New look for Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: This year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon has a new look and a new bike course for the international athletes heading to the island to compete in a 1.8-km swim, 50-km bike ride and 12-km run at the Laguna Phuket resort on Sunday, November 20. The organizers celebrated the triathlon’s 23rd anniversary by unveiling its fresh new look for participating athletes…
- Phuket News
Woman flips car to save jay-walking dog
PHUKET: A woman was charged with reckless driving after she smashed into an electric pole on Chao Fa West Road, trying to avoid a jay-walking dog on Saturday. “Chuangkwan Pantanakitvibun, 24, was on her way from the Land & Houses apartment complex to Phuket Town at about noon, when she saw the dog crossing the street and swerved left to…
- Opinion
Opinion: Gov Chamroen bids farewell
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has been leading our island for a year. He is now leaving us to take up his new position as the governor of Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Here is his last letter to Phuketians. It has been a year since I took up the position of governor in my hometown. It has been a great year…
- Thai Life
Southeast Asia’a climbing capital
PHUKET: Contrary to popular belief, Phuket is not the place to be for rock climbing. The island’s jungled interior peaks rise in an almost Appalachian profile, with relatively tame gradients to their summits. For all the international hulaballoo it receives, Phuket is almost a complete contrast to neighboring Krabi Province, whose limestone columns rise vertically out of impenetrable jungle and…
- Phuket News
Teen thief nabbed for Phuket Town car break-ins
PHUKET: Police arrested a 16-year-old boy yesterday who they allege is behind a string of car break-ins and robberies in Phuket Town. On August 27, the suspect reportedly smashed the window of a Chevrolet and stole about 50,000 baht in cash and other belongings from inside the car. Another car was broken into and 6,000 baht cash was stolen from…
- Phuket News
Three injured in Yamu boat fire
PHUKET: Three men were injured when their speedboat caught fire off Yamu Pier in Pakhlok at about 9:15 this morning. One of the men sustained serious injuries, including a broken leg and burns across 40-50 per cent of his body, according to emergency responders. The three-engine speedboat, registered to CC Blue Marine, reportedly caught fire while the three crew members…
- Phuket News
Pole position for speeding Phuket driver
PHUKET: A Phang Nga man landed himself in Thalang Hospital after losing control of his Toyota Yaris while speeding along Thepkrasattri Road this morning. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and slammed backwards into a lamppost on the Northbound curve of the island’s main thoroughfare near the Sai Kaew Beach entrance in Mai Khao, shortly before 10am. Rescue…
