- Thailand News
Draft law on surrogacy ready to be submitted for NLA review
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Draft law on surrogacy ready to be submitted for NLA review The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The use of a surrogate mother remains a grey area for Thailand but there is hope that draft legislation now ready for review by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA)…
- World News
U.S. general shot dead in Afghan insider attack
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. general shot dead in Afghan insider attack Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A U.S. general was killed and more than a dozen people were wounded on Tuesday, including a German general, in the latest insider attack by a man believed to be an Afghan soldier,…
- Pattaya News
Phuket officials reveal B20mn fund for tourist victims
PHUKET: Phuket officials today revealed that a national fund of 20 million baht to assist tourist victims of crime and natural disasters was finally available for tourists in Phuket. The news was announced today, when it was disclosed that 44-year-old Antonio Papaleo, a victim of a stabbing attack in Phuket, became the first tourist in Phuket to receive assistance from…
- Thai Life
Local filmmaker to tell the story of life after the tsunami
PHUKET: On December 26, 2004 the Boxing Day earthquake and subsequent tsunami in the Indian Ocean wreaked havoc on 14 coastal countries and took the lives of more than 230,000 people. The global community reached out, donating over US$14 billion to provide humanitarian aid to the affected communities. Over the years, memorials have been dedicated, orphanages sprouted up to help…
- Phuket News
Man United rally for 3-1 friendly win over Liverpool
Second-half strikes from Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard earned Manchester United a morale boosting 3-1 win over Premier League rivals Liverpool in the final of the pre-season International Champions Cup in Miami on Monday. Liverpool took the lead in the 14th minute when the lively Raheem Sterling was brought down in the area by United defender Phil Jones…
- Phuket News
Phuket taxis run to Navy over demolition of taxi stand on private property
PHUKET: Taxi drivers from Phuket’s tourist-popular west coast beach area Kata-Karon are ready to file a complaint today about taxi stands on private land being destroyed. The complaint against a Karon Police Superintendent will be filed to the Third Naval Area Command at about 4pm. “The taxi drivers say that police tore down a taxi stand that was located on…
- Phuket News
Phuket location change for free screenings of The Cove documentary
PHUKET: The award-winning documentary The Cove will be screened at two locations this week to raise awareness of how dolphins are caught at the Taiji Cove in Japan and sold for use in dolphinaria around the world. Organizers confirmed today that the film would not be shown twice at Central Festival (story here), but will be shown once at the…
- Phuket News
One injured as Phuket taxi slams into pole at high speed
PHUKET: Police have yet to establish the cause of a high-speed accident that saw a Phuket taxi slam into a power pole near the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang early this morning. Police were called to the scene, near the Tah Reua Shrine, at about 6:50am. “The driver, Somkid Chantakuapa, 42, had already been rushed to Thalang Hospital,” Lt Col Sanit…
- Business News
MICE Mart makes it to Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket played host as the final stop on a five city tour of the first annual MICE Mart trade show on Friday. Organized by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), the events sought to promote MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) activities in hotspots throughout the Kingdom. The Phuket event saw 50 sellers representing hotels, convention venues, business…
- Thai Life
The delicate process of starting plants from seed
PHUKET: Just over a year ago, part of this column was about cultivating your own flowers. Time to go into a bit more detail. The easiest way to grow plants for your garden is to use seeds. They can be obtained from large supermarkets such as Tesco, a few garden centers, or from specialist retail outlets. One of these shops…
- Thailand News
Health ministry probes surrogacy case
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Health ministry probes surrogacy case The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Public Health Ministry has launched a fact-finding probe into a case of surrogacy in which a baby boy born with Down’s syndrome and congenital heart problem late last year was left with the Thai…
- Thailand News
Police open fire on student’s car, may face attempted murder charges
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Shooting at student’s car ‘can be construed as attempted murder’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The action of three Bang Chan policemen who opened fire at a university student’s car during a drug bust falls within the frame of attempted murder, Sunthorn Payak, the vice…
- Phuket News
Woods not yet ready to decide if he can play in PGA – agent
PHUKET: Tiger Woods, his back again in pain, has not yet decided if he can play in the PGA Championship starting on Thursday in Kentucky, his agent said on Monday. The former world number one withdrew during Sunday’s final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational because of back pain and returned home to Florida for medical evaluation. “Way too early. He…
- Thailand News
Thais fleeing chaos in Libya to arrive home tomorrow
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thais fleeing chaos in Libya to arrive home tomorrow The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The first group of Thai workers evacuated from Libya will arrive in Thailand tomorrow, Employment Department chief Sumet Mohosot said yesterday. The 18 workers, who were employed by Swiss watch-making company…
- Thailand News
Military court to try first civilians
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Military court to try first civilians The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Former education minister Chaturon Chaisang and academic Worachet Pakeerat yesterday became the first civilians to be tried in a military court under martial law since the coup after the court’s prosecutors resolved to indict…
- World News
Iraqi PM orders air force to help Kurds fight Islamic State
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Iraqi PM orders air force to help Kurds fight Islamic State Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered his air force for the first time to back Kurdish forces against Islamic State fighters after the Sunni militants made another dramatic push through…
- World News
500 foreign hikers rescued after deadly landslide in Nepal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community More than 500 foreign hikers rescued after deadly landslide in Nepal Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: More than 500 foreign tourists and their guides have been rescued after a deadly landslide in Nepal blocked a major highway, leaving them stranded in a border town over the…
- Phuket News
Patong to be model for Phuket’s new-era beaches
PHUKET: Patong will remain steadfast in keeping its beach clear, as it is to be the model for Phuket beach management, it was revealed after a closed-door meeting today. “Patong Beach will be the first to implement a new system, now that all the west coast beaches are [mostly] clear of encroachers and vendors,” Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut told the…
- Phuket News
Jet-ski operators back on beach, vow to protect Phuket tourists
PHUKET: Jet-skis are back on Phuket’s beaches after operators vowed to double up as beach cleaners, as well as volunteer lifeguards, Phuket Jet-Ski Club Nucha Petchvimol told the Phuket Gazette today. However, their return to the beaches may be temporary, confirmed Commanding General of the 41st Military Circle Peerapol Wiriyakul. “I have yet to receive a full report. All I…
- Phuket News
Phuket Poll: Overwhelming support for the “clear the beaches’ campaign
PHUKET: The bold campaign to clear Phuket’s beaches of all structures has received overwhelming support from Phuket Gazette readers. The support was voiced in an online poll launched on June 22, which attracted more than 3,300 respondents. Central to the debate over whether or not any structures should remain on the beaches has been the tearing down of parts of…
- Phuket News
McIlroy wins Bridgestone to claim world number one ranking
PHUKET: Rory McIlroy continued his dominating form when he won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by two strokes on Sunday and regained the world number one ranking, replacing Australia’s Adam Scott. McIlroy made a sizzling start to the final round with three consecutive birdies to quickly erase a three-stroke deficit and surge past Sergio Garcia at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.…
- Phuket News
Police rule out arson in deadly Phuket Town fire
PHUKET: Officers investigating the cause of the deadly Phuket Town fire that killed a family of three and one woman early Saturday morning have ruled out the possibility of arson. Flames engulfed the Chokchai Furniture shop in Phuket Town at about 2am on Saturday (story here). The shopowner, Janhorm Jakkaew, was the only one of five people in the building…
- Phuket News
Practice safe parasailing, says DDPM Phuket chief
PHUKET: A parasailing safety warning was issued over the weekend by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket. The announcement follows the news of a Patong Beach parasailing operator plummeting from the sky after he lost his grip on the parachute ropes (story here). “All the equipment should be checked before taking off, including the harness and safety…
- Phuket News
Navy steps in as hitman death threats issued to Phuket park chief
PHUKET: Navy security personnel have been assigned to protect Sirinath National Park Chief Kitiphat Taraphiban after his office was warned that professional hitmen have been hired to kill him. The 24-hour military bodyguards were called in after Mr Kitiphat’s assistant was told over the phone that “five M16s are ready to get him [Mr Kitiphat] over beach restaurants”. “The caller…
- Thailand News
Thailand eyes genetics regional database for wild cats
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand the great hope in saving the tiger The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The planning for a genetics regional database for wild cats in Thailand has begun in hopes of rescuing wild breeding tiger populations in the region – but serious law enforcement is still…
- Hua Hin News
At least 367 dead after quake hits southwest China
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least 367 dead after quake hits southwest China Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southwestern China on Sunday, killing at least 367 people and leaving 1,881 injured in a remote area of Yunnan province, and causing thousands of buildings, including a…
- Property
Platinum preparing for first IPO
PHUKET: Platinum Group, a leading operator of malls including Platinum Fashion Mall, is preparing to launch an initial public offering at the end of this year or beginning of next year. Maybank Kim Eng Securities, the financial adviser, is in the process of filing the IPO plan with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The group has 2.8 billion baht of…
- Thailand News
Mother warns against surrogacy as donations pour in for Down syndrome baby
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Don’t be a surrogate for money, mother warns The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A surrogate mother yesterday warned her fellow Thais not to get involved in commercial surrogacy for foreign customers – as she now faces financial, legal and ethical difficulties after poor Gammy, her…
- Phuket News
Roadside drug tests in Phuket snag 37 users
PHUKET: Five checkpoints manned by 150 military personnel and local officials in northern Phuket netted 37 drivers that tested positive for drugs yesterday. The checkpoints were set up as part of Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut’s ongoing campaign to combat illegal drugs and weapons in Phuket. “We set up [the checkpoint] at 5pm to crackdown on illegal drugs and weapons,” Thalang…
- Phuket News
Government responsible for Phuket beach vendor compensation, says poll
PHUKET: More than 90% of locals believe that the government is responsible for helping those adversely affected by the island’s beach reboot, according to results released by the Phuket Provincial Statistics Office on Friday. The results are based on a questionnaire cataloging 480 locals’ opinions about the National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO) move to return Phuket’s beaches back…
