- Phuket News
Special Report: Phi Phi cries for help
SPECIAL REPORT PHUKET: Officials are pleading for help in tackling the array of environmental disasters that plague the tourist-popular Phi Phi archipelago – especially its largest island, Phi Phi Don. Considering the more than 1,000 visitors that arrive on the island daily – a number that does not include the uncounted number of tourists who arrive directly on the beaches…
- Phuket News
Phuket Gazette web power scales new heights
PHUKET: Phuket’s most popular English-language Facebook page and the Gazette Online, the island’s top-ranked website (source: Google Analytics), have both landed record amounts of viewers this week with the story: Australian tourist mauled by Phuket tiger. The story, published on Wednesday, October 22, had more than 100,000 hits on the Gazette Online and reached more than 1.2 million readers on…
- Property
Sheraton to be new Emerald in Phuket luxury hotel market
PHUKET: Emerald Phuket Development, confident that the luxury property market on the island isn’t saturated, is bringing the Sheraton brand back to the province after a three-year hiatus. “The Sheraton brand has one of the best distribution systems and traveller loyalty programs. It is returning to Phuket with a firm vision to take its rightful place in Phuket’s competitive luxury…
- Business News
Building and managing your portfolio
PHUKET: In prior articles, planning for and managing retirement was discussed. The key is getting to the end goal, which is to have a worry-free retirement. Once retirees have gone through the steps, all that’s left is to build and manage their portfolios. Portfolio management is perhaps the most critical aspect to any retirement. With the help of a trusted…
- Phuket News
Phuket medical experts work to rule out Ebola in death of Brit
PHUKET: A Disease Prevention team from the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) is working to rule out Ebola as the cause of death for a British expat recently returned from Nigeria. Martin John Roberts Clark, 68, returned to Phuket on October 7. He was found dead in his condo on Thursday afternoon. “Our team was there yesterday to collect…
- Phuket News
Phuket speedboat crash victim to undergo spinal cord surgery
PHUKET: A Tunisian national will undergo surgery in Phuket for severe injuries sustained to his spinal cord during the horrific speedboat crash that killed two Korean tourists last weekend (story here). Ali Bouzgarrou, 67, who had been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Hospital, was moved to Bangkok Hospital Phuket yesterday for the surgery.…
- Phuket News
Phuket tiger’s protective nature blamed for attack
PHUKET: Tiger Kingdom staff blamed the protective nature of a tiger for the attack on an Australian tourist in Phuket on Wednesday. “We believe the tiger was trying to protect our staffer, so it bit Mr Goudie. Notice that it attacked him instead of the staffer, who was standing closer to the tiger’s head,” Tanawin Boonpang, Phuket’s Tiger Kingdom supervisor,…
- Phuket News
Triple Tribute: Beyonce, Michael Jackson and Rihanna clones coming to Phuket
PHUKET: Triple Tribute, direct from London, will arrive on the fair shores of Phuket to pay homage to the infectious music of Beyonce, Michael Jackson and Rihanna at Laguna on November 15. Triple Tribute is a musical bonanza of powerful vocals, explosive dance routines and stunning costumes, which will accompany the artists’ top hits, anthems and ballads. “Sasha Fierce” named…
- Food
Prepare for a tastebud teleportation with Cafe Fish’s Western-style seafood
PHUKET: Nestled in the chaos of Patong’s Jungceylon shopping center is an inviting seafood joint by the name of Cafe Fish. I was shown to a comfortable booth on one side of the spacious restaurant, and after a quick visual sweep of the place was overcome with nostalgia. Memories of long, hot days at the beach and sensational seafood dinners…
- Thai Life
Phuket body transformation: And so it begins
PHUKET: Moving to Phuket has taken its toll on my weight and health. Almost 10 kilograms is what I have gained since I moved to the island a little over one year ago. How come? There are a number of reasons for this mishap. The love of Thai food It doesn’t take a nutritionist to figure out that stuffing yourself…
- Thai Life
Phuket Health: Get the skinny on fats
PHUKET: Recently, the Public Health Ministry published a report warning of the dangers of heart disease, claiming that six Thais succumb to it every hour. Similarly, a World Health Organization (WHO) report proclaimed heart disease as the leading cause of premature death in Thailand. A diet of high-fat foods has often been named as the culprit for the spike in…
- Thai Life
A moto-venture to Koh Yao Noi
PHUKET: With only a few days to work with, I had an opportunity to escape Phuket for a quick, albeit necessary, change of scenery. Drawing a radius around Phuket left a number of viable and tantalizing options, which were eventually distilled down to the final decision – Koh Yao Noi. A decision made really for no particular reason other than…
- Phuket News
Phuket honors HM King Chulalongkorn
PHUKET: The life and achievements of HM King Chulalongkorn were commemorated in a ceremony at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday. Govenor Nisit Jansomwong led an assembly of officials in adorning the “Chulalongkorn the Great” monument with flowers. After the ceremony and speeches, Governor Nisit presented five 10,000-baht prizes to students who won an “Abolition of Slavery in Thailand” drawing competition, which…
- Phuket News
Myanmar nationals robbed of 30k cash in Phuket
PHUKET: Police are hunting a pair of armed robbers who stole 30,000 baht from two Myanmar nationals in Phuket on Wednesday afternoon. Ye Su Or, 21, and Priew, 17, were walking into a SuperCheap when two men drove up on a motorbike and demanded the money at knife-point. “The couple had a lot of cash so that they could buy…
- Thai Life
Boating: Asia Superyacht Rendezvous to float in fine fettle on Phuket waters
PHUKET: The exquisite waters of the Andaman Sea surrounding Phuket will once again usher in stunning superyachts from Asia and around the world at the 14th annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous from December 16-18. The largest gathering of boat and motor superyachts in Asia, the Rendezvous will soon welcome some of the world’s most captivating vessels, which can also be seen…
- Phuket News
Phuket officials conduct safety inspection after fatal speedboat crash
PHUKET: Marine Department officials inspected boats at the Royal Phuket Marina yesterday in an effort to boost tourists’ confidence in the safety of speedboat tours following a horrific crash that killed two Korean tourists on Sunday (story here). Jiraporn Jantarasiri, deputy director of the Marine Department, led officials to the marina for an unannounced safety spot check. “All boats were…
- Phuket News
Future of Phuket’s jet-ski operators to be decided next week: officials
PHUKET: Jet-ski operators will meet with the Phuket Marine Office on Monday to discuss their fates, following a decision last week that has allowed them to temporarily park their craft on Kamala Beach (story here). “We have assigned the Phuket Marine Office to take responsibility of the issue concerning jet-ski management, as the operators must seek permission from the office…
- Phuket News
Dubai Petanque returns to Phuket to make amends for last year
PHUKET: Dubai Petanque returns to Thailand to take on teams from Phuket and France in a two-day round-robin tournament starting on November 1. Phuket Petanque Club last November shook Dubai Petanque with a 48-20 win, and there is no doubt that Dubai will be looking for revenge. The three-way contest will be a modification of last year’s Grand Slam Tournament,…
- Phuket News
Video Report: Speedboat-crash victims’ bodies to be taken home
PHUKET: The bodies of two South Korean nationals recovered from the wreckage of a speedboat that sank in Phang Nga Bay on Sunday will be flown back to Korea early tomorrow morning. Search and rescue divers recovered the bodies of Ko Min Woo, 31, and An Sun Yong, 28, on Tuesday (stories here and here). Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong was…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s top brass declare beaches ready for high season
PHUKET: The island’s beaches are ready for the incoming high season, top-ranking Phuket-based officials announced yesterday. “We are confident that we have nice, beautiful beaches to which we can welcome tourists from all over the world,” said Sayan Prasongsamrej, commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command. However, Vice Admiral Sayan noted that the beach battle has not yet…
- Phuket News
Cremation ceremony for “original Phuket expat’ Eric Snyder on Saturday
PHUKET: Well-known long-term Phuket expat Eric Snyder, 70, who recently succumbed to skin cancer, is lying in state at Wat Chalong this week. The cremation ceremony for Mr Snyder will be at noon on Saturday. Friends are invited to come pay their respects to one of the island’s “original expats”. Mr Snyder arrived in Phuket in 1975 and remained in…
- Phuket News
Phuket Art Dinner: Dine on all-star chefs’ culinary interpretations of modern art
PHUKET: Ever wondered what Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa or any piece of modern art might taste like – or at least a gastronomic interpretation? Take your chances this Saturday at 7pm by joining the Think Design Art Dinner at Nikki Beach Club, where six of Thailand’s top chefs will be collaborating to create…
- Phuket News
Phuket vampires prepare: Blood center to hold Halloween-themed blood drive
PHUKET: The Phuket Red Cross has invited all healthy island residents to help replenish much-needed blood stocks by making donations at its Halloween-themed blood drive. The event, called “Nee Pee Ma Hai Luad” or “Run away from ghosts. Let’s donate blood”, will take place at the Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) on October 31 from 8:30am to 4:30pm. “Our blood…
- Phuket News
Australian tourist mauled by Phuket tiger
PHUKET: An Australian tourist was mauled by a tiger at Phuket’s Tiger Kingdom yesterday afternoon, Kathu District Chief Sayan Chanachaiwong confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today. The tiger attacked Paul Goudie, 49, after he climbed into the cage with the animal at about 1pm to have his photograph taken. Mr Goudie was taken to Phuket International Hospital for treatment. He…
- Phuket News
Police arrest woman for contracting Phuket killing
PHUKET: Police arrested a woman last night for hiring a hitman to kill a Phuket resident earlier this year. Anyanee Jongmun, 29, was arrested outside of her house in Srisoonthorn after the assassin, Chatchai Torkeaw, gave up her name to police. Mr Chatchai, was arrested on Saturday (story here) for the stabbing murder of 42-year-old Nongluk Thavorn, who was found…
- Phuket News
Russian drowns while snorkelling off Phi Phi island, east of Phuket
PHUKET: A Russian tourist drowned while snorkelling off the tourist island of Phi Phi, east of Phuket, yesterday. “Evgenii Kuznetcov, 54, was taken to Phi Phi Hospital, but sadly he was pronounced dead on arrival,” Krabi City Police Deputy Superintendent Noppadol Mukda told the Phuket Gazette. Mr Kuznetcov and his wife had joined a Phuket speedboat tour to visit Koh…
- Thai Life
Fiction from Phuket’s Olde Curmudgeon: Geckoman Triumphant
(Synopsis: Nerdy high school student Worrawit Worrawitworraworrapong (“Worry”) is in love with head cheerleader Titiporn Hubbahubbakul (“Titi”), but is competing for her favors with chief athlete Spermsak Bongkalot (“Stud”). Worry’s secret identity is Geckoman, the hero of this epic; Stud’s is Cockroachman, the villain. Both have learned that leading terrorist Omar al-Moron (“Som-O”) is holed up at the Bedbugs Galore…
- Phuket News
Phuket divers discover body of second Korean tourist killed in speedboat crash
PHUKET: Search and rescue divers today are recovering a second body from the wreckage of the speedboat that sank in Phang Nga Bay, east of Phuket, after crashing into a fishing trawler Sunday afternoon. The body was identified by Phuket Marine Police as Korean national Ko Min Woo, 31. About an hour earlier, divers found and began to recover the…
- Phuket News
Phuket Governor makes clean beaches priority
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Chansomwong got on the clean-Phuket bandwagon, as he led locals, students and officials onto Patong Beach for “Beach Cleaning Day” on Sunday. “This activity is organized to strengthen the love and unity of the people within the community; help them develop a love for their hometown; help them keep it clean; and preserve our natural resources and…
- Phuket News
Triple homicide: suspect flees into jungle north of Phuket
PHUKET: Police in Phang Nga, north of Phuket, are hunting a man who killed his estranged wife and her parents after he was allegedly denied entry into their house. The bodies of Piyawan Jankerdkaew, 28; Prakob Jankerdkaew, 54; and Vas Jankerdkaew, 59, were found with gunshot wounds to the head yesterday afternoon in Kura Buri, Phang Nga. “We were called…
