- 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…
- Phuket News
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…
- Phuket News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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 News
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…
- Phuket News
Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek 2017 underway
PHUKET: A busy day on the water yesterday saw some excellent competition, close calls and racing incidents which resulted in a busy evening later for the Protest Committee onshore. The sailors were happy to be back out on the water as a forecast-defying 8-10 knot breeze got the fleet underway on Day 2 of the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek…
- Phuket News
Two Phuket nightlife venues raided, charged with operating illegally
PHUKET: Officers from the Crime Suppression Division yesterday raided two nightlife venues in Phuket Town for providing services to underage customers and operating without a proper permit. “We found two illegal venues during the raid. The first one was ‘Room Bar and Restaurant’. The owner, Rattachat Phothong, was charged with operating a nightlife venue without permission,” said Phuket Provincial Police…
- Phuket News
Phuket gold thief identified, still on the run
PHUKET: Police have issued an arrest warrant for a suspect who stole a gold necklace from a jewelry shop in Thalang yesterday morning. “The ‘Jip Leng Hong’ gold shop, located beside Kasikorn Bank’s Tarua branch, got robbed of a gold necklace made of one baht of gold,” said Capt Warawut Sensop of Thalang Police. Police used CCTV footage to identify…
- Thai Life
Hooper Trips Asia: Inle Lake Boys
Life on Inle Lake flows on as if unaware of the modern world that is slowly encroaching upon it. The traditions are simple and honest. Hard working people and tight knit communities and families. Inle Lake is special. As I slowly puttered up the lake side in my long tail boat, I happened upon these two boys in absolute concentration.…
- Phuket News
Australian tourist attacked by stray dog in Khao Lak
PHUKET: A 68-year-old Australian tourist was attacked by a stray dog in Khao Lak yesterday afternoon. Janet Frances Heath was on her way back from Sairoong waterfall with her husband when the incident occurred. She was taken to Takuapa Hospital for treatment and given a rabies shot. Ms Heath is reportedly safe. “We have found more than five fierce strays…
- Phuket News
Drunk man rescued from ditch at Phuket Bus Terminal
PHUKET: An elderly drunk was injured when he fell into a ditch behind some bushes at Phuket Bus Terminal 2 yesterday evening. The ditch is about 3.5 meters deep and half a meter from the perimeter wall. The man, named by rescue workers only as ‘Samran’, 60, reportedly went behind the bushes to urinate when he fell in. He shouted…
- Phuket News
Deceased tourists’ family awarded B6mn in compensation
PHUKET: The family of two Chinese tourists who were killed in an accident on Patong Hill was awarded a total of 6 million baht in compensation yesterday. Lyu Fei, 36, and his 10-year-old son were both killed on July 10 when the tour bus they were travelling on flipped over in the curve at the bottom of Patong Hill (story…
- Phuket News
Chinese tourist rescued from drowning by Patong lifeguard
PHUKET: A Patong lifeguard rescued yet another Chinese tourist who nearly drowned after being washed away by strong waves in a red-flagged zone at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon. The ‘Phuket Lifeguard Service’ posted an update of the incident on their Facebook page at about 1:30pm. It briefly read: ‘Another rescue at Patong Beach today. The lady is safe and on…
- Phuket News
Phuket residents express concerns about destruction of historic building
PHUKET: Residents of Phuket Town have raised concerns about the destruction of an abandoned 100-year-old building on Damrong Road in Talad Yai, which they say is of historic value to the island. The Phuket Treasury Office yesterday confirmed that they are just clearing out the landscape and did not aim to destroy the building. “We are beautifying the landscape by…
- Phuket News
German man confesses to Thai girlfriend’s murder in Phuket
PHUKET: A German man has confessed to the murder of his Thai girlfriend, ten days after police found her body wrapped in a blanket and dumped in a forest in Kathu. The victim, Picha Nampadung, 35, was first reported missing by her niece, Rujirada Ornkorat, on July 1 (story here). Her body was eventually found on July 9 (story here),…
- Phuket News
Phuket Lobster Festival to be held next month
PHUKET: The ‘Phuket Lobster Festival’ is to be held from August 1-31 and is expected to generate revenue of 200 million baht for local businesses. Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong and Wirachai Pranveerapaibool, Managing Director of Pracharath Rak Samakkee (Social Enterprise) Co Ltd, Phuket, yesterday held a press conference at the Dibuka Cafe & Restaurant in Phuket Town. “I would like…
- Phuket News
Phuket under pressure as tourism growth exposes flaws in hotel sector
PHUKET: According to a new report released today by hospitality consulting group C9 Hotelworks, millions of travellers who visit Phuket each year could be staying in unlicensed – and effectively illegal – hotels. The report also states that less than a quarter of the hotels in Phuket (429 out of 1,724) are currently licensed. This issue was brought into sharp…
- Phuket News
Missing Chinese tourists’ bodies found at Phuket Beach
PHUKET: The bodies of two Chinese tourists who had been missing since they went swimming in a red-flagged zone at Freedom Beach on Sunday, were found this afternoon. Xidong Wang, 20, and Weijie Liu, 21, were on holiday in Phuket with another friend, Weijie Liu. Both men reportedly ignored the red flags and warning signs placed at the beach. Mr…
- Phuket News
Rohingya man arrested for theft in Phuket
PHUKET: A Rohingya man was arrested in Kamala last night for allegedly stealing equipment from several construction sites in Phuket. Sadit Khunrit, 29, was nabbed in a rental house in Kalim Soi 9 at about 10:30 pm. He was found in possession of a total of 156 pieces of equipment, including drills, crush machines, circular saws, stone grinders, feed pumps,…
- Phuket News
Major drug ring members arrested with 5 million baht worth of drugs
PHUKET: Two key members of a major drug dealing network were arrested in Phuket with about 7.5 kilograms of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and other drugs worth a total of more than 5 million baht. The suspects confessed to ordering more than 50kg of drugs each time from a dealer in the North in order to sell them in and…
- Phuket News
American tourist, tuk-tuk driver charged for fighting
PHUKET: An American tourist and a tuk-tuk driver were fined 2,000 baht each after they quarreled and landed blows on each other outside a hotel in Patong yesterday. A video of the incident, recorded by a passerby, was shared on social media. The video showed the tourist and driver arguing and fighting in front of Poppa Hotel at Patong Beach.…
