Legacy Phuket Gazette
- Phuket News
All World Cup matches to be aired: NBTC
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community All World Cup matches to be aired: NBTC The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday reassured bleary-eyed football fans that all remaining World Cup matches would be telecast on Army-run Channel 5, state-run NBT and Thai PBS after two…
- World News
Israel finds bodies of three missing teenagers in West Bank
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Israel finds bodies of three missing teenagers in West Bank Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The bodies of three missing Israeli teenagers were found in the occupied West Bank on Monday and Israel vowed to punish Hamas, the Palestinian group it accuses of abducting and killing…
- Phuket News
Germany and France end African hopes, Suarez sorry
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Germany and France end African hopes, Suarez sorry Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Germany and France snuffed out African hopes and reached the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday with hard-won victories over Algeria and Nigeria, while Uruguay striker Luis Suarez broke his silence to apologise for…
- Phuket News
Landslide prevention meetings take backseat at Phuket’s Big Buddha construction site
PHUKET: Meetings regarding landslide prevention and water management at one of Phuket’s most popular tourist attractions, Big Buddha, have fallen by the wayside. Construction at the site was halted on February 28, prompting a full inspection led by Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak, after Karon villagers filed a complaint alleging that it had caused landslides last year and could do so…
- Phuket News
Beached whale found dead off island south of Phuket
PHUKET: An autopsy on a Cuvier’s beaked whale that was found dead on a beach south of Phuket yesterday morning revealed that the mammal had died of a disease that afflicted its lungs and kidneys. A marine officer on a routine survey of the Koh Li Bong coastline in Trang Province found the whale’s body on the beach at about…
- Business News
Insights of a veteran hotelier
At 59 years young, Gerard Tan has some years behind him, but he doesn’t let that slow him down. “We should go out and drink one night,” says Tan as he settled down to a strong coffee in the courtyard of the Millennium Resort Patong. However, he can’t be blamed for his festive mood. After a seven-year stint as the…
- Business News
Facebook is getting less friendly
PHUKET: A few weeks back a friend of mine told me he’d seen a great band at Gig’s Jam Club in Nai Harn. It sounded like an amazing night and I was kicking myself that I missed it. Then I checked my calendar and it turned out I hadn’t been busy that night and was literally just up the road…
- Thai Life
Amazon unleashes the Fire Phone
PHUKET: For those who have not yet drunk the iPhone Kool-Aid, your time has come to rejoice in the glory of the new Amazon Fire Phone. Announced by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on June 22 and ultimately being shipped from July 27, the Fire Phone has promised to stir things up in the smartphone sphere. At this point, it has…
- Phuket News
Swede arrested for Phuket property fraud, buyers out B22mn
PHUKET: Police arrested Russian-born Swedish national Vladimir Antochvili, 29, in Bangkok over the weekend on charges of defrauding Phuket property buyers in deals totalling more than 20 million baht. Officers arrested Mr Antochvili at an apartment in Soi Ramkhamhaeng, in the Hua Mak area of Bang Kapi, at about 12:45pm, Maj Tienchai Chomphu of Phuket Immigration told the Phuket Gazette.…
- Thailand News
General blasts banks over drug money accounts
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community General blasts banks over drugs The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Assistant Army chief General Paibul Khumchaya is up in arms over what he considers to be a lack of scruples in the banking sector, after discovering that commercial banks are accepting deposits from imprisoned drug…
- Thailand News
Huge cache of seized weapons revealed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Huge cache of seized weapons revealed The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The junta yesterday paraded lethal weapons confiscated from warring political groups in front of military attaches and the media. National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Winthai Suvari said heading off further bloodshed was…
- World News
Man sets himself on fire in Japan in defence protest
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Man sets himself on fire in Japan in defence protest Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A man in Japan set himself on fire at a busy intersection in Tokyo on Sunday in an apparent protest against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plans to ease limits of the…
- Phuket News
Huntelaar penalty gives Dutch last-gasp 2-1 win
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Huntelaar penalty gives Dutch last-gasp 2-1 win Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A stoppage time penalty from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar gave the Netherlands a dramatic 2-1 victory in the World Cup second round on Sunday minutes after Mexico seemed certain to reach the quarter-finals. With two minutes…
- Phuket News
Phuket Police tracing human trafficking network back to Cambodia
PHUKET: The Army has ordered Phuket police to trace the human trafficking network that led a group of Cambodians into debt-trapped servitude in a Phuket Town clothing store (story here). The owner of the shop, Pasita Sangsakul, from Bangkok, defended her purchase of the staffers when she was questioned by Phuket City Police at Phuket Provincial Hall. “I purchased the…
- Phuket News
Phuket tourist lad lost on Bangla quickly reunited with family
PHUKET: An Australian eight-year-old boy lost in the wilds of Soi Bangla early this morning was reunited with his anxious family within 30 minutes, thanks to the help of the Phuket Tourist Police. It was about midnight when an Aussie family – mother, father and boy – tearfully informed tourist police volunteers that they had lost their fourth family member.…
- Phuket News
World Cup hosts Brazil aim for quarter-final spot
PHUKET: Hosts Brazil aim to become the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Saturday by maintaining their superb recent record against opponents Chile. Uruguay, reeling from the loss of suspended striker Luis Suarez, meet in-form Colombia in Saturday’s other second round match which again pits two South American rivals against each other. Seeking a sixth…
- Phuket News
Phuket Muslims set to start Ramadan tomorrow
PHUKET: Members of the 56 mosques that dot Phuket were asked to search the night sky for the moon yesterday to determine the beginning of Ramadan (story here). However, it was not spotted. “The sliver of moon was not seen last night,” said Piyadet Chuachalard, Phuket Islamic Committee Secretary. “However, the Central Islamic Council of Thailand in Bangkok has confirmed…
- Phuket News
Expert demonstrates power of rip current at Phuket’s deadliest beach
PHUKET: It’s that time of year, when the dark moisture-laden clouds tumble into this island paradise and the sea turns into frothing, churning mayhem. But that doesn’t stop people from jumping in for a little dip and next thing they know the beach has dropped out from beneath their feet and constant pounding waves start to wear them out. Such…
- Phuket News
Thai society, Phuket struggle to survive a bender
Special Report Thailand consumes more than twice as much booze as the average Southeast Asian country, and faces the multitude of problems that come along with it, according to the World Health Organization and Phuket experts. Here, the Phuket Gazette‘s Chutharat Plerin investigates. PHUKET: A barrage of statistics released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its “2014 Global report…
- Phuket News
Australian embassy extends best wishes for Ramadan
PHUKET: The Australian Ambassador to Thailand, James Wise, has issued a special message to all Muslim Australians, who will begin celebrating the holy month of Ramadan within the coming days. Amb Wise echoed the Ramadan message by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, issued in a statement on Friday, noting that Thailand’s Muslim community made a vibrant contribution to Thai society.…
- Phuket News
Phuket Vice Governor declares Surin Beach beautiful again
PHUKET: Officials inspecting Surin Beach yesterday, following the deadline for illegal beach establishments to be removed, found a virtually pristine environment. “What I can see now is a very beautiful Surin Beach,” said Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tippayapongtada, who led the group. “It is very clean. This is what we want, so both Thais and foreigners can enjoy the real…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s German honorary consul to retire after 12 years of service
PHUKET: Dedicated German Honorary Consul for Phuket Dirk Naumann will retire next month, after 12 years of service on the island. Mr Naumann will hand the honorary baton over to his daughter, Anette Jimenez Hoechstetter. “My last day will be July 18. That same day, my daughter will take over the position of German honorary consul for Phuket,” Mr Naumann…
- Phuket News
Quicksilver catches breaks at Kata Beach to re-brand Phuket low season
PHUKET: National surf pros glided into Phuket for Quicksilver’s official opening of the Phuket surf season at Kata Beach today. “We used to have our surf event in September, but this year… we just kicked it off to let people know our surf season is starting in Phuket now,” said Surached Mungthong, QS Retail (Thailand) Ltd general manager. “We are…
- Phuket News
Phuket Police arrest first suspect in gang murder of hotel staffer
PHUKET: Police have arrested one suspect involved in the fatal stabbing of a Karon hotel employee last weekend in Phuket Town. Sudjai Treerat, 29, confessed to driving the motorbike spotted in CCTV footage taken after the attack, Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of the Phuket City Police told the Phuket Gazette. “Mr Sudjai has been charged with gang murder,” Col Somsak…
- World News
Southeast Asia fears militant fallout as Mideast conflict widens
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Southeast Asia fears militant fallout as Mideast conflict widens Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Four gun-wielding rebel fighters sit relaxing on a wall, their faces concealed by scarves and ski masks. All are Indonesians who came to Syria to join the Islamist insurgency, the cameraman says,…
- Phuket News
Breaking News: Debt-trapped Cambodians rescued in Phuket from human trafficker
PHUKET: Officers accompanied by armed soldiers today descended on a clothing store in the heart of Phuket Town to safely recover two Cambodians who were trafficked to Phuket to work for 90 baht a day. The Cambodians, a husband and wife, were taken to Phuket Provincial Hall, along with three other Cambodian women found working in the shop Lai Sua…
- Opinion
Keep the Phuket cleanup ball rolling, take down jet-skis next
PHUKET: As the rains of the southwest monsoon fall and low-season tourism arrival figures plummet, there could not be a better time for the National Council for Peace and Order to be carrying out the long-overdue crackdown on the many illegal businesses that have tarnished the island’s reputation for too many years. The removal of illegal taxi stands along the…
- Opinion
Phuket driving test: forget about the parking
PHUKET: Someone I know recently applied for a driver’s license and failed the parallel-parking test. “You hit the pole,” announced the proctor from her little booth. And I began to wonder: in the nation which has the third-highest road fatality rate in the world, does it really matter how well you parallel park? Being third globally (according to the World…
- Thai Life
Caught in a love Catch-22
PHUKET: Former Phuket expat Brent William Otto, 45, and Sayam “Kob” Senamuen, 34, weathered a break-up, long separations and the trauma of cancer before reaching the altar last weekend. But the toughest obstacle of all was a US law that didn’t recognize gay marriage. The Phuket Gazette’s Leslie Porterfield reports. The couple met at a pub in Silom while Brent…
- Phuket News
Phuket tour bus driver charged with hit-and run slaying of Kamnan Winai’s son
PHUKET: Police have charged a driver from local bus company Phuket ARS Tour for the hit-and-run accident that killed Kiattisak Chidchiew, the 19-year-old son of Winai Chidchiew, late Wednesday night. Mr Kiattisak was riding his motorbike home along the Karon beachfront road when a bus approached him from behind, caused him to fall off his bike, and then ran over…
