- World News
Avalanche kills at least 12 guides in deadliest incident on Mount Everest
PHUKET: An avalanche sweeping down Mount Everest killed at least 12 Nepali guides on Friday in what may be the deadliest single incident on the world’s highest peak. The avalanche struck a perilous passage on the main route to the summit as sherpas were preparing the way for climbers at the start of the season. Nepal’s tourism ministry listed the…
- Phuket News
Police suspect French national murdered in Phuket
PHUKET: A 37-year-old French national was found dead in his underwear in a rental room in Phuket this afternoon. The Parisian was found in a pool of blood partially under a stripped mattress at the Morgot Resort in Chalong. There was evidence of blunt trauma to the side of his head. Police believe he had been dead for more than…
- Phuket News
Thongchai caps a memorable week at the Masters
PHUKET: EurAsia Cup star Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand capped a memorable week at the Masters Tournament when he signed off with a one-over-par 73 to finish in a share of 37th place at the year’s opening Major last Sunday. The 13-time Asian Tour winner, who led Team Asia to a stunning fightback draw against Europe last month, made the cut…
- Opinion
Ticking off the Songkran bucket list – respect before revelry
PHUKET: By the time you read this, I hope you took a plastic bag with you to the shop to buy your copy of the Phuket Gazette. Songkran has once again come and gone, having been celebrated by the traditional bucket load. Most Phuket oldtimers I know choose to stay indoors during the Thai New Year, happily avoiding the deluges…
- Phuket News
Video Report: ITF Seniors Tennis tournament at Thanyapura a success
PHUKET: Thanyapura Phuket ITF Seniors Tennis Tournament organizers said they were very pleased to see such a great turnout of players at the event, which took place from April 7 to 12. Many players also expressed their gratitude to the event organizers and praised the quality of the facilities where the tournament took place. It was a good start for…
- Phuket News
Phuket closes Songkran Seven Days of Danger with one dead, 22 injured
PHUKET: The Songkran Seven Days of Danger national road-safety campaign drew to a close at midnight last night with Phuket amassing a tally of one death and 22 people injured during the week-long holiday. Saeree Panitkul, the chief administrative officer at the Phuket Provincial Office, reported the news at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket) this…
- Phuket News
Babies thrown away throughout history
PHUKET: Child welfare and safety issues have been much in the news recently and our special report this week explores for our readers some of the options available locally to young mothers who are either unwilling or unable to support children they have given birth to. Few news stories generate greater emotional resonance than reports of abandoned babies. Yet it…
- Pattaya News
Shady Business: Phuket beaches kept out of the sun
Special Report Just over a generation ago, there were few chairs or umbrellas on the sands of Phuket. Now, they cover up to 80 per cent of many popular beaches. Last June, the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism said their excessive numbers have a negative impact on tourists’ experiences. What’s happening, and who’s in charge? The Phuket Gazette’s Irfarn Jamdukor…
- Thai Life
Kid Expo: Everything a family needs
PHUKET: QSI International School Phuket will hold its first-ever “Kid Expo” this month, on April 27, from 1-5pm. The event will bring together dozens of local businesses that offer services and activities for children, aiming to provide “everything a family needs” in one place, so parents can see what is available for their children to do here on the island.…
- Opinion
Unwanted babies in Phuket are not to be abandoned
Special Report The discovery of a newborn boy abandoned in the bed of a pick-up truck in front of a luxury resort on April 10 has highlighted the issue of unwanted pregnancies on Phuket. Many women, not knowing which way to turn, abandon their babies or seek illegal abortions. The Gazette‘s Chutharat Plerin explores what options are available for pregnant…
- Phuket News
Navy defamation case proceeds against PhuketWan
PHUKET: Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian of local blog PhuketWan were released on bail yesterday on charges of criminal defamation and other offenses in connection with a story they published on trafficking in Rohingya. Mr Morison, an Australian, and Thai national Ms Chutima published a story last July that contained excerpts from a Reuters Special Report alleging that some Thai…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: At least nine Nepali guides killed in Everest avalanche
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least nine Nepali guides killed in Everest avalanche Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: An avalanche swept down a slope of Mount Everest on Friday, killing nine Nepali mountaineering guides at the beginning of the main climbing season, a Tourism Ministry official said. The avalanche hit…
- Phuket News
Phuket officials threaten protest over Club Med lease
PHUKET: Kata-Karon officials yesterday threatened public protests if the lease for the Club Med resort located on 39 rai of public land along the Kata beachfront is renewed. The 30-year lease, which began in 1985, will expire on September 24 next year. “For 30 years we have been waiting for the contract to expire,” said Kamnan Winai Chidchiew, who led…
- Phuket News
Korean Association Phuket calls for donations to aid victims of ferry disaster
PHUKET: The Korean Association in Phuket is collecting money to help those affected by the sinking of the South Korean ferry on Wednesday – both survivors and victims’ families. As many as 271 of the 475 passengers on board when the ship began sinking are still unaccounted for (story here). Many of those missing are schoolchildren. “We have called on…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Captain not at the helm when South Korean ferry capsized
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Captain not at the helm when South Korean ferry capsized Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A junior officer was at the helm of a South Korean ferry when it capsized and the captain may have been away from the bridge, investigators said on Friday as the…
- Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: B10mn watch heist; CAPO warns courts; Hezbollah suspects to be deported
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Three Chinese sought in B10mn watch heist The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Three Chinese suspects have left the country after allegedly stealing a Mont Blanc wristwatch worth over Bt10 million from a luxury shopping mall in the heart of Bangkok, Immigration Police Bureau chief Lt-General…
- Phuket News
Phuket hit-and-run Russians now fugitives
PHUKET: Chalong Police are seeking arrest warrants for two Russians who have fled the country amid an investigation into a fatal hit-and-run of a 16-year-old boy in Phuket in the early hours of April 5. Thananbavorn “Lotus” Durongpan was struck and killed while riding his motorbike along Patak Road near Chalong Circle, just after 1am, explained Capt Thada Sodarak of…
- Property
Seacon Group plans three new villa projects in Phuket worth Bt1 billion
PHUKET: Seacon Group plans to launch three new villa projects worth 1-billion baht in Phuket, aiming for sales growth of about 5 per cent this year as the property market in Bangkok has declined. The group’s executive director Piya Sosothikul said the company predicted that demand for homes in Phuket would grow by 15-20 per cent annually over the next…
- Thai Life
Huge line up of events for Phuket Pride Week 2014
PHUKET: The Phuket Loves You Club (PLU) has just announced its line up of events for Phuket Pride Week 2014 with eight days of fun and celebrations planned. The theme for this year’s Pride Week is “Celebrating Who We Are”. All through the week there will be parties and events which will offer the opportunity for all people – gay,…
- Phuket News
Wolfpack gore the Galahs to retain Cricket 7s title
PHUKET: Australia’s Wolfpack retained their title by winning the 11th Annual Phuket International Cricket Week 2014 Kata Group International Cricket 7s at Republic Phuket Football Ground last weekend. Captained by Australian Indoor Cricket Team champion Will Badger, the Wolfpack fought back to defeat the Galah Cricket Team, who had been admirable opponents during the Kata 7s. Wolfpack had defeated Phuket…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Search continues for South Korea ferry sinking survivors
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Search continues for South Korea ferry sinking survivors Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: South Korean coastguard and navy divers resumed searching on Thursday for about 290 people still missing, many of them students from the same high school, after a ferry capsized in sight of land.…
- Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: CAPO calls meet; Hezbollah suspects arrested; Songkran road death toll hits 248
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community All eyes on CAPO meeting with top ministry officials The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The spotlight will be on this afternoon’s meeting between the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) and permanent secretaries, as the stance of the top officials might reflect…
- Phuket News
Miss Universe Australia 2010 plays in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket hosted Miss Universe Australia 2010 for the Songkran holiday while she was in town shooting an Australian TV program to showcase tourist destinations in Thailand. Jesinta Campbell, 22, was chosen by Australian travel show The Getaway to be the face of a six-episode series covering tourist hot spots in Phuket and Phang Nga, said Anoma Wongyai, Director of…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: More than 300 people missing after South Korean ferry sinks
More than 300 people missing after South Korea ferry sinks Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: More than 300 people were missing after a ferry sank off South Korea, the coastguard said on Wednesday, with a three-fold increase in the number of passengers unaccounted for put down to a miscalculation by officials. The ferry was carrying 477 people, of whom 164…
- Phuket News
Road death tally holds steady on fifth day of danger
PHUKET: Phuket’s road death toll remains at one after “five days of danger”, but four injuries were added to the casualty tally after yesterday. Between midnight on April 14 and midnight on April 15, four road accidents were reported, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket). Three involved motorcyclists, two of whom had blood alcohol…
- Phuket News
Dust to Dust: Phuket’s struggle to clear the air
Special Report Each month thousands of people seek treatment at Phuket hospitals for breathing difficulties, eye and nose problems and even nausea – all brought on by dust and other forms of air pollution. The Phuket Gazette‘s Irfarn Jamdukor investigates. PHUKET: The Phuket health chief has revealed the disturbing news that in February alone more than 2,500 people in Phuket…
- Phuket News
Get ready to shred some waves in Kao Lak
PHUKET: The high season is nearly over, traffic is fading to near tolerable levels and the lines of beach chairs are slowly receding. However, for those who brave monsoon weather and killer rip tides to test their skills on the west coast surf breaks, the high season is just beginning. Surfing in Phuket is definitely a seasonal undertaking, with surfable…
- Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Prem mediator plan falters; Songkran toll hits 204; Police chief wants proactive officers
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Toll hits 204 as revellers start returning The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: As large numbers of people yesterday started to travel back to work from the Songkran holidays – and many others continued to enjoy water splashing in their home towns – the Road Safety…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Jordanian ambassador seized in Libya
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Jordanian ambassador seized in Libya, kidnappers demand prisoner release Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Jordan’s ambassador to Libya was kidnapped on Tuesday by gunmen who demanded an Islamist militant be released from a Jordanian jail in exchange for the diplomat’s freedom. The masked gunmen shot and…
- Thai Life
Central Festival holds Songkran fair
PHUKET: Central Festival Phuket has transformed the ground floor of the mall into a traditional temple fair for the Thai New Year holidays. At the main entrance shoppers can have a splashing good time enjoying traditional fun and games including greasy pole boxing, dunking damsels and building s sand Chedi at the Table Spoon Cafe. Songkran shoppers at Central Festival…
