- Phuket News
German found dead in Kamala hotel room
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a German man whose body was found Monday afternoon in a Kamala hotel room, where police also found almost a dozen empty packets of the sedative Quetiapine. Kamala Police responded to a call from staff at Kamala Beach Resort – A Sunprime Resort about 2pm to find the body of German national Mr…
- Phuket News
Illegal Indian meat seized in Phuket
PHUKET: Over a tonne of illegally imported meat from India was seized in Rassada yesterday. A joint task force comprising about 30 officers from the Animal Quarantine Station 8 (AQS) and Army 41 was led by the Head of Animal Quarantine Station, Pornchai Inkhamdee, to raid two locations in the area. The 1,342 kilograms of what officials believe to be…
- Phuket News
Luck runs out for Phuket’s lottery vendors
PHUKET: Over a dozen people suspected of selling overpriced lottery tickets were arrested all over Phuket yesterday. Col Akkanit Danpitaksat of the Phuket Provincial Police led the investigation team, which arrested 17 vendors alleged to be selling lottery tickets for a higher price than they are worth. “We patrolled 21 venues that locals had complained about, “said Col Akkanit. “They…
- Phuket News
New testimonials add twist to fatal shooting case
PHUKET: Police yesterday arrested and charged two men suspected of killing a police officer’s son near the British International School in Koh Kaew on Sunday night. The manhunt began after Thanapol Choosawat was shot dead by unknown assailants, allegedly over a debt of 500 baht (approx USD 14.00) (story here). The two suspects, named by police as Padermchai Chaichana, 35,…
- Phuket News
International passengers must pay new B15 surcharge per flight
THAILAND: Air passengers travelling in and out of Thailand now have to pay a “surcharge” of 15 baht per person per flight. Following ongoing investigations and criticism by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of deficiencies in Thailand’s flight safety standards, the funds raised from the charge will be be used primarily to address those ills. However, the move has…
- Phuket News
Unidentified rotting body found floating off Rassada Pier
PHUKET: The rotting body of an unidentified man was found floating at the Rassada Pier yesterday morning. Lt Surachat Thongyai of Phuket City Police received reports from near the Fish Marketing Organization at about 7:10am. “The body was faceless and could not be identified as only the skull remained. There was a tattoo on the left side of his neck.…
- Phuket News
Police officer’s son shot dead, suspect on the run
PHUKET: The hunt is on for a man who shot dead the son of a Patong Police officer near the British International School (BISP) in Koh Kaew last night. Maj Nattaya Suwanpong of Phuket City Police received reports of the incident at 7:30pm. “The victim, Thanapol Choosawat, 21, had already been taken to Mission Hospital and pronounced dead by the…
- Phuket News
Promthep Cape lights up in memory of His Majesty
PHUKET: More than 20,000 people are estimated to have taken part in the historic candle-lit ceremony atop Promthep Cape on Saturday evening to commemorate the 30th day of national mourning since the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which was announced on October 13. At 6pm, Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan and local dignitaries led the public in singing the…
- Pattaya News
On Deck: Pattaya jumps aboard marine tourism trend
PHUKET: Yachting in the Gulf of Thailand is nothing new but it is fair to say that the Andaman Sea region has grown much more quickly and has a much larger marine leisure industry than the Gulf of Thailand. Think Phuket and Pattaya; some would say they are chalk and cheese on so many levels. While Phuket’s abundance of nearby…
- Phuket News
Gas station altercation suspect charged and fined
PHUKET: The driver who assaulted a gas station employee in Tah Chat Chai on Thursday was charged for the altercation yesterday afternoon. Pariwat Polsamak, 29, appeared on CCTV footage that went viral on Facebook. The video showed him kicking Usaman Satapor, 31, to the ground at a Shell gas station and driving off (story here). Both men were called in…
- Property
Property Watch: How to lose a property sale
PHUKET: Some of you will have had the feeling of seeing the bus you are waiting for gliding by just seconds before you reach the bus stop. Others will only be able to empathize, perhaps comparing their experience of their Mercedes breaking down and a mechanic not being immediately available to fix the issue. Whatever part of the wealth spectrum…
- Opinion
Opinion: Working as a female government official in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Siwaporn Chuasawad is originally from Bangkok, but her family moved to Samut Prakan in an official capacity, as her father worked for the Royal Thai Navy. She assumed her current post on October 10, together with two other vice governors. Her husband has recently been appointed as Deputy Director of the Phuket Land Department. V/Gov Siwaporn…
- Thai Life
Profile: Thai national Ironman Tassawan Sirivongs raring to go
PHUKET: Bangkok native Tassawan Sirivongs is a Thai national Ironman, a Master’s degree holder from France, and the Executive Director at Ramkhamhaeng Hospital, Bangkok. She has competed in at least a hundred triathlon competitions worldwide, including events in New York, Japan, Australia and Sweden. Ms Tassawan is competing in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon to be held in Phuket on November…
- Phuket News
Phuket entrepreneurs join hands to boost investment
PHUKET: Two dozen private entrepreneurs have come together to form a new company aimed at boosting investment and promoting seamless business operations in Phuket. Named Phuket City Development Co Ltd (PKCD), the new conglomerate aims to develop the province into a functional and successful ‘Smart City’ under three ‘core values’: innovation; green infrastructure; and green mobility for sustainable development. PKCD…
- Business News
Kata Group taps into trillion-yuan wedding market
PHUKET: Kata Group Resorts Thailand aims to host up to 2,000 weddings in Phuket over the next three years after forming an alliance with Travel Wedding (Beijing) to exploit the growing market of Chinese honeymooners. The group, which owns seven hotels in Thailand, this month launched a range of wedding and honeymoon products to be exclusively promoted in China to…
- Opinion
Ministry of Farang Affairs: Not a gogo bar girl
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.…
- Thai Life
Gardening: Putting annuals on display
PHUKET: All gardeners know about annuals, biennials and perennials: annuals bloom only once, and will need to be re-planted or re-sown the following year. Biennials, on the other hand, generally flower the year after they have been planted and then give up the ghost, while perennials, in the right conditions, will come back year after year. If the distinction is…
- Phuket News
Aot launches detailed maps to help Phuket airport visitors
PHUKET: The Airports of Thailand (AoT) has released a map for Phuket Airport after the September 16 opening of the new international terminal and commencement of renovations at the old (now domestic only) terminal. Work to revamp the domestic terminal began on November 1. The map gives directions on how to access the parking area, while an additional graphic notifies…
- Phuket News
Angry driver assaults Phuket gas station employee
PHUKET: Police have summoned a gas station employee and a car owner for questioning after a video clip of the driver assaulting the employee surfaced on social media yesterday. The CCTV clip (click here) shows a black Honda with licence plate number 5577 driving up to a Shell gas station in Tah Chat Chai about 6pm yesterday. After talking to…
- Thai Life
Kata Group hosts its 18th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Under Royal Patronage will once again be hosted at Kata Beach Resort & Spa, one of six properties owned and managed by the Kata Group. The resort is the long-established home of the King’s Cup, with a partnership that stretches back to 1998. With its beachfront location on one of Phuket’s most scenic bays,…
- Phuket News
Samkong Underpass to be closed for sign installation
PHUKET: The Phuket Highways Office has announced that the Samkong Underpass will be closed again from 9pm tonight until 4am tomorrow for a sign installation. “Wiwat Construction Co Ltd, the company contracted to build the underpass, revealed that the six-meter-long sign board adorned with its name will be installed on an I-beam at the tunnel,” said Phuket Highways Office Director…
- Phuket News
Security tightened for Loy Krathong
PHUKET: Region 8 Police are working to boost security measures during this year’s Loy Krathong Festival on Monday and are requesting the public to follow rules and regulations for the sake of their own safety. “We have received an official report stating that everything will return to normal after the 30-day mourning period is over. Therefore, the festival will be…
- Phuket News
Flotilla to join 30-day remembrance ceremony at Promthep Cape
PHUKET: A flotilla of 50 Royal Thai Navy vessels and private yachts are to join the candle-lit ceremony at Promthep Cape this Saturday to mark the 30th day of mourning since the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thousands of people are expected to attend the event to commemorate the late monarch, to be held atop the cliff at…
- Phuket News
Man arrested for destroying Phuket ATM
PHUKET: A man was arrested last night after he lashed out at an ATM in Patong earlier that day. “We received a report from Krungthai Bank that their ATM in front of Arunsom Hotel was destroyed. CCTV footage showed a man repeatedly striking it at 2:52am, before making his escape,” said Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of Patong Police. Investigations revealed…
- Food
Putting the fun back in Sunday
PHUKET: Those who enjoy Sunday brunch will be happy to know that Xana Beach Club relaunched its ‘Sunday Fun Brunch’ last month. The brunch is set in a scenic location overlooking Bang Tao Bay, making it ideal for spending a relaxed Sunday afternoon with family and friends. It features the largest number of live stations in Phuket, including a salad…
- Thai Life
Blazing saddles: Cycling to Sunday brunch
PHUKET: Ahhhh! At last it’s Sunday and Phuketians can kick back, relax a little and start to enjoy all the glorious things that living in a tropical paradise is supposed to offer. The trouble is that in these febrile times of traffic hassles, construction, road works and economic and environmental decline, many Phuketians find themselves increasingly stressed and time-starved. Sundays…
- Phuket News
Aspiring Phuket singer gets fussy in Bangla
PHUKET: A Facebook video showing a flared up Thai singer shouting and arguing with locals in Bangla went viral Sunday night. The video shows alleged Waii Kamikaze and her boyfriend drunk and fighting with locals on Bangla Road. Facebook page ‘Red Skill V.SE’ uploaded and shared the video, with the caption: “They say she is a famous singer who just…
- Phuket News
Patong hotel staff walk into bloodbath
PHUKET: A 63-year-old French tourist was found dead with his throat cut in a Patong hotel room last night. Patong Police Captain Sirinart Cherdchutrakulthong received the report at about 9:30pm after a ‘Delicious Residence’ hotel staff member found the man’s body in a pool of blood in the bathroom. The deceased had checked into the hotel last Friday and was…
- Phuket News
French Consul to hold first aid workshop
PHUKET: The French Honorary Consul of Phuket is holding the first in a series of basic first aid workshops at Bangkok Hospital Phuket on November 17. Organized in collaboration with Bonjour Phuket, the workshop starts at 7pm and will be conducted in French, comprising about 15 minutes of theory by a qualified medic from Noumea Hospital, followed by practical demonstration…
- Phuket News
Phuket yacht dealer sells first Ferretti 850 in Asia
PHUKET: Phuket-based yacht dealership Lee Marine today announced the first sale in Asia of the new Ferretti 850 luxury cruising yacht. The recent sale of the new vessel from Italian designers Ferretti Yachts is sure to raise the bar once again for pleasure yachts in this class, said Lee Marine founder and managing director Joshua Lee. “The Ferretti 850’s dynamic…
