- Phuket News
Calm reaction in Phuket to Bali horror
PHUKET: Reactions in Phuket to Saturday’s horror in Kuta, Bali, have so far been measured, with tourists saying they plan to complete their vacations and travel companies, though worried, reporting business as usual. Maxine Pearson, 43, from London, told the Phuket Gazette, “It was sad, but it happens everywhere … it wouldn’t stop me from going to Bali, and it…
- Phuket News
Surasak back in the race; Chairat joins
PATONG: Patong’s mayoral race hotted up today with announcements that Surasak Maneesri is back in the race, and that a fourth contender, Safari Pub owner Chairat Sukbal, has announced his candidacy. K. Surasak explained that he has already lodged an appeal, with the Administration Court in Songkhla, against an order by former Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon instructing him to quit…
- Phuket News
Warning over no-travel “visa runs’
PHUKET: Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, Superintendent of Phuket Provincial Immigration Office (PPIO), warned again today that foreigners needing visas renewed must complete the process themselves by traveling to another country. Pol Col Apirak said, “Many foreigners still renew their visas through agents and don’t go outside the country. The numbers have not decreased at all. We have also received reports…
- Phuket News
Foreign teachers learn Thai ways
PHUKET TOWN: A group of 18 foreigners about to start teaching non-Thai languages in Phuket schools today began a five-day training program in Thai culture, society, language and laws. The 30-hour course at the Provincial Primary School Office is designed to help the teachers adapt to local customs and be good role models for their students. Once the course is…
- Phuket News
Glue-sniffers come unstuck
PHUKET TOWN: Two teenagers were taken into custody for substance abuse yesterday after local residents reported three boys and a girl sniffing glue in the public park at Phuket Villa 1. When officers arrived at the park, the four teenagers fled in different directions, leaving behind a plastic bag containing rubber adhesive. Officers gave chase and caught two of the…
- Thailand News
A fatal frog in the throat
SURAT THANI: Somjai Jansong, 61, was looking forward to visiting his relatives in Thachana district, where his nephew Manit Disdetch, 46, was throwing a party. When K. Somjai arrived, K. Manit explained that he had prepared a special dish for the party, which he called “wild frog”. The frog, he boasted, weighed about one kilogram and he had caught it…
- Thailand News
Car stripper
NONTHABURI: A thief out to strip a car of valuables stripped himself naked in a bid to persuade police he was mad and deserving of sympathy. But his ploy failed. His ability as a performer was duly noted because the car he chose to break into belonged to Ploy Jaroenpura, 37, the elder sister of the singer Mai Jaroenpura, and…
- Thailand News
Don’t monkey with me, says hostage taker
CHANTHABURI: In Planet of the Apes, the monkeys threatened to take over the world. They did not succeed, but no-one has ever bothered to point that out to one particular individual named Oran. She recently took over a patch of Chantaburi province and was not prepared to surrender it to anyone. People and dogs learned to steer clear of Oran’s…
- Phuket News
Taxi boss fails to get cabs into airport
PHUKET: A metered taxi company has been denied space to operate at Phuket International Airport despite repeated applications and high-level discussions. Today the Phuket Land Transportation Office Committee held a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall with involved parties including Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi; Lt Cdr Boonchart Prompoon, Director of Phuket International Airport (PIA); Weera Kruepanich, representative of Phuket Limousine &…
- Phuket News
Classy thief robs government officers
PHUKET TOWN: A well-dressed thief who allegedly specialized in daring walk-in robberies of government offices is being questioned by police. Prayoon Kruekaew, 26, of Phuket, was arrested at his home on Patipat Rd this afternoon after what appeared to be his latest stunt. He confessed to pulling eight robberies in Phuket and five in Haad Yai. His method was to…
- Phuket News
Patong’s status upgraded to town
PATONG: Patong has grown up, from a tambon to a muang, or town, with a bigger budget and changes to the electoral system. Somkiet Kwansuwan, Palad of Patong Municipal Office explained, “It has been proposed for two years that Patong be upgraded from tambon to muang, and this finally come into effect on Saturday (October 5).” Because of the change,…
- Phuket News
He ain&’t heavy…
PATONG: Patong’s dramatic municipal election developed a fresh twist today when the brother of accused Mayor Surasak Maneesri was nominated for the leading role in his place. But K. Surasak stressed his desire to prove his innocence of allegations of disreputable behavior and replace his brother, Chalermsak, as candidate for mayor before the polls on November 16 and 17. While…
- Phuket News
More die on Phuket’s roads
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket’s road carnage has increased with a total death toll in the first eight months of the year up by 14% on the same period last year. The new figure brought the island’s road toll for the year to 121 dead and 8,714 injured in all accidents. The toll for the same period last year was 106 dead…
- Phuket News
Airport to expand onsite services
PHUKET: On the 14th anniversary of Phuket International Airport (PIA), Tawat Anukoon, Vice-President of the Airports of Thailand Co, yesterday said that airport services will be improved to cope with an expected rise in the number of aircraft landing at and departing from Phuket. K. Tawat explained that the airport authority expected a 3% rise in air traffic here over…
- Phuket News
Buses win funding boost
PHUKET TOWN: Heartened by figures that show as many as 1,200 paying passengers a day using its public bus service, the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has set aside 25 million baht to buy a fleet of smaller buses. Free travel is another option being considered by the OrBorJor under expansion plans for the fledgling Green Bus service. OrBorJor Vice-President…
- Phuket News
Prisoners join Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: More than 200 inmates of the Phuket Provincial Prison are taking part in the Vegetarian Festival this year. Although they will not be joining any marches, the 235 prisoners have donned white T-shirts donated by a local motorbike dealership and will be eating only vegetarian food, supplied by the Jui Tui Shrine. Winai Ruengjaruwattana, who is a member of…
- Phuket News
Former Governor in Patong poll wrangle
PATONG: A former Governor of Phuket has complained about his name and photo being used in the Patong municipal election campaign without his knowledge. Prof Yuwath Wuthimethee, who was governor of Phuket almost 10 years ago, demanded that mayoral candidate Pian Keesin remove his picture from election material being circulated by the Palang Patong Party (Patong Power-PPP). Prof Yuwath, now…
- Phuket News
Web domain hunter clarifies position
PHUKET TOWN: A bid to “return Thai names to Thais” was not aimed at taking control of dotcom businesses that had been created by foreign investment, says a leading player in the Internet domain name debate. Samroeng Chaisorn, vice president of the Phuket OrBorJor, denied this week that he would try to use the law to take control of dotcom…
- Phuket News
Purachai orders Surasak out of office
PATONG: In one of his last acts as Interior Minister, Purachai Piemsomboon signed an order instructing Patong Mayor Surasak Maneesri and one of his two deputies to step down because of allegations of disreputable behavior. The order, signed on Wednesday, K. Purachai’s last day at the Interior Ministry before taking up his new post as Minister of Justice, was delivered…
- Phuket News
Weekend of carnival for Patong
PATONG: The annual Patong Carnival, the opener for the tourism high season, will be extended to three days this year from November 1. Until now a one-day affair, the carnival is to grow and take in new attractions that will set Patong Municipality back about 2 million baht. Details of the 17th carnival, which will start on November 1, were…
- Phuket News
Seafront plans win support
PHUKET TOWN: The powerful Department of Town and Country Planning has backed a scheme to develop Saphan Hin as a sophisticated waterfront area, the first major step towards making Phuket Town an “international city.” A firm that specializes in constructing bayfront regions is now undertaking a feasibility study but feedback from residents will be sought before any proposal is formally…
- Phuket News
Friend turns killer as Burmese argue
PHUKET TOWN: Police are hunting a Burmese seaman after an argument between friends that ended with a murder at the weekend. Residents near the entrance to the fish processing plant on Si Sena Rd told police that one friend stabbed the other in the back about 2 am on Saturday. Phuket Town Police Station officers found the body of a…
- Phuket News
Phuket adopts harvest festival
PHUKET TOWN: The Sart Festival, a one-day traditional celebration of the harvest, is to have official support in Phuket for the first time this year. Usually low-key and held at the end of September, this year’s event will be on Sunday, October 6, coinciding with the Vegetarian Festival. Today Dr Prasit Koeysiripong, president of the Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) announced…
- Phuket News
“Garden Village’ plan for Karon
PHUKET TOWN: A new town plan will transform Karon into a “Garden Village”, officials revealed yesterday. Anawath Suwannaded, Chief of the Provincial Town and Country Planning Office, said the Karon project would cover 20 square kilometers. A committee had suggested that Karon should be “an ideal place with green views, where the height of buildings was limited and building colors…
- Phuket News
Big cash boost for ‘villages&’
PHUKET TOWN: The central government will probably increase its loans to “villages” to three million or five million baht soon, a local government official said today. A million baht has already been distributed to each of 114 “villages” on Phuket, fulfilling an election promise made by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Revealing the details today, Suthep Wuthisak of Phuket Provincial Development…
