Legacy Phuket Gazette
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: France’s Hollande names new PM, pledges tax cuts after poll rout
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community France’s Hollande names new PM, pledges tax cuts after poll rout Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: President Francois Hollande named centrist Interior Minister Manuel Valls as his new prime minister on Monday, replacing Jean-Marc Ayrault who quit after ruling Socialists were trounced in local French elections.…
- Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Army ponders ending deadlock; Bangkok Gov steps down; Police acquitted of Saudi diamond murder; Cadets die in parachute plunge
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Top brass to step in, assess strategy to end political strife The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: In a rare move, top military leaders will meet tomorrow to discuss a possible solution for the country at a time of political deadlock and likely confrontation between pro-…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Malaysia changes last words from missing plane, hunt goes on
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Malaysia changes last words from missing plane, hunt goes on Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The last words from the cockpit of the missing Malaysian airliner were a standard “Good night Malaysian three seven zero”, Malaysian authorities said, changing their account of the critical last communication…
- Business News
SilkAir celebrates 25 years in Phuket’s skies
PHUKET: Full-service regional carrier SilkAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, celebrated its silver anniversary in Phuket on Saturday, as its chief executive highlighted the company’s growth goals. Phuket was one of the five original destinations for the regional airline when it was re-branded from Tradewinds the Airline to SilkAir on April, 1, 1992. The number of destinations served by the…
- Phuket News
Action stunt leaves fleeing Phuket thief with broken neck
PHUKET: A man broke his neck after falling from the fourth floor of a Phuket apartment building while trying to escape two women who caught him red-handed stealing from their room. Patong Police were notified at about 1pm yesterday that 32-year-old Mongkolchai Na-Tawan had fallen after trying to jump from a fourth-floor room in one apartment building into another room…
- Phuket News
Chief medical inspector counters CBC’s Belanger sisters’ death report
PHUKET: The chief medical inspector called in to investigate the mysterious deaths of Canadian sisters Noemi and Audrey Belanger on Phi Phi Island in 2012 has dismissed reports that said the sisters died from poisoning from a specific pesticide. The news follows a report by Canadian news network CBC quoting Dr Pasakorn Akarasewi as saying, “The most likely explanation is…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: North, South Korea exchange artillery fire off west coast
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community North, South Korea exchange artillery fire off west coast Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire on Monday off their disputed western maritime border, Seoul scrambled jets and residents of a South Korean island fled to bomb shelters in the most…
- Phuket News
Phuket Countdown to confusion
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette has learned that Phuket has been named as the pilot province for a nationwide project that will eventually see all “countdown” traffic lights retrofitted to show Thai numerals instead of the more popular Arabic numbers currently used in most countries, including Thailand. Deadline for completion of the 187-million-baht Phuket project is October 15. The move is…
- Thai Life
Experts gather in Phuket to discuss scientific advancements in AEC economy
PHUKET: The National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI) last week called a meeting in Phuket of the 10 Asean countries to discuss scientific advancement and flow of manpower as the inception of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) looms. “The objective of this workshop is to provide a forum in which experts can exchange their views and ideas about…
- Phuket News
Russian withdrawal: Chinese tourist scammed out of B400,000
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist issued a warning to other Phuket visitors of skimmer gangs after thieves in Russia withdrew 400,000 baht from his account. “On March 24, my bank called to ask me where I was, because my account showed several withdrawals in Russia between March 22 and 24,” said Haohao Sun. “At the time the 400,000 baht was taken…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Turkish PM Erdogan wins polls, warns enemies they will pay a price
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Turkish PM Erdogan wins polls, warns enemies they will pay a price Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan declared victory in local polls that had become a referendum on his rule and said he would “enter the lair” of enemies who have…
- Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Parties wrangle for Senate control; Yingluck to face NACC; Relief for Isarn drought
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PM yet to confirm appearance before NACC The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday she has not decided whether she will defend herself in person today before the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) over the rice-pledging scheme corruption case, or send…
- Phuket News
Phuket officials call for healthy turnout for “Senate poll Sunday’
PHUKET: About 100 officials led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak gathered yesterday to call on the people of Phuket to vote in the nationwide Senate election on Sunday. Speaking at Sanam Chai, the field in front of Provincial Hall that is occupied by anti-government protesters every night, Vice Governor Somkiet reminded passers-by that the polls will be open across…
- Phuket News
Drunk Aussie tourist marks rough landing in Phuket
PHUKET: An Australian man who passed out drunk during his flight to Phuket was carried off the plane still unconscious on arrival yesterday and rushed to Thalang Hospital. The man, named by police as Christopher Lazarus Boubis, 39, later regained consciousness in the emergency ward at the hospital, but immediately went on a rampage through the facility. “He was shouting…
- Phuket News
Phuket PDRC factions unite for mass protest
PHUKET: The two factions of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) anti-government protesters in Phuket united today to march through Phuket Town and stage a motorcade along Phuket’s west coast. The Krabot Rak Chart faction led by former Rassada Mayor Suratin Lian-udom massed in front of the Phuket Revenue Office on Narisorn Road, before joining fellow PDRC supporters led by…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Fresh objects seen in new Malaysia jet search area
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fresh objects seen in new Malaysia jet search area Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Fresh objects spotted by planes searching for a missing Malaysian passenger jet in a new area of the southern Indian Ocean have again raised hopes of unravelling the three-week old mystery. Australian…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Brazilian airliner lands with no front wheels
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Brazilian plane makes emergency landing with no front wheels Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: An Avianca Airlines passenger jet safely made an emergency landing in Brasilia on Friday after its front landing gear failed to deploy, authorities said. None of the 49 passengers and crew of…
- Phuket News
Police chase ends with ditched truck, seriously injured man
PHUKET: A man who sped through a police checkpoint early yesterday morning was seriously injured after crashing his pickup truck into a roadside ditch while trying to escape Phuket police officers. Ekkapot Fungwittaya, 27, charged through the checkpoint, near the Thalang Health Center on Baan Reang Road in Thalang, just after midnight. Thalang Police gave pursuit, chasing him as he…
- Phuket News
Death of workers in sewer both accident and mistake, says manager
PHUKET: Workplace health and safety officials will investigate the deaths of four sewer maintenance workers who died of asphyxiation in a Phuket Town sewer on Wednesday morning. “We will start our investigation on Tuesday, when we will interview representatives from the contractor and the municipality to establish precisely what happened,” Yudhakarn Ovasith, chief of the Phuket Provincial Labour Protection and…
- Phuket News
Karon black water strikes again, flows across trash-covered beach
PHUKET: The Karon black water saga continued today as a fresh wave of rank, dirty water flowed over a long line of trash that has also been cursing the beach. “This is a failure on the part of Karon Municipality. I have not seen them do anything to try to resolve the problem,” said Karon Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) Winai Chidchiew.…
- Phuket News
Blood Heroes Unite: Phuket Regional Blood Center announces April donation opportunities
PHUKET: Those looking to be “Blood Heroes” will find it hard not to stumble upon a willing needle as the Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) will offer a plethora of opportunities to donate in April. “We are calling for donations in anticipation of an increased number of accidents, and thus a higher demand for blood during Songkran,” said PRBC Chief…
- Phuket News
Carving a niche in the black market
Special Report Six men were arrested in November for illegal possession of more than 50 kilograms of eaglewood. One of the men was caught with an illegal .45 handgun under his pillow. Today, those six men roam free, all released on suspended sentences. Here, the Phuket Gazette‘s Irfarn Jamdukor investigates the island’s illegal logging trade. PHUKET: Six men were arrested…
- Opinion
Stop killing sharks
PHUKET: I came across awful images of a man gutting a juvenile blacktip reef shark on Facebook via Go Eco Phuket and was horrified to see that it happened on one of our local beaches, Kata Noi (story here). It was clear that this man was a spear fisherman from the wetsuit he was wearing and the spear hole on…
- Opinion
Hooked on saving sea life
Wisit Itthiwarapornkul, 50, is the president of Go Eco Phuket. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marine science from Kasetsart University and has worked in the dive industry for more than 10 years. Here, he talks about ways to resolve conflicting local interests in the sea and makes suggestions about what we all can do to preserve the health…
- Thai Life
Soi Dog Foundation completes Phuket stray dog sterilization program
PHUKET: The Soi Dog Foundation has completed a campaign to sterilize stray dogs in every area of Phuket with the aim of creating a healthy, sustainable canine population on the island. The program was completed last week, the foundation said. With cooperation from the province’s local authorities, the Soi Dog Foundation has sterilized and vaccinated more than 15,000 dogs and…
- Phuket News
Brazen thief steals Phuket Police officer’s motorbike
PHUKET: A Phuket Police officer has become the latest victim of motorbike theft on the island. Sen Sgt Maj Narong Wilairat reported at 6:30am that his motorbike was stolen from in front of his police accommodation just meters from the main building at Chalong Police Station. “My son used the motorbike – a red Honda Click Phuket license plate ‘Khor…
- Phuket News
Phuket FC reignites youth football development
PHUKET: The island’s premier football team Phuket FC has renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Plookpanya School on youth football development for the second year running. The MOU was signed in the evening of March 26 at Surakul Stadium. Phuket Football Club Vice President Eam Thavornwongvongse told the Gazette, “The purpose of the MOU is for cooperation with a…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: White House unveils plan to end NSA’s bulk collection of phone data
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community White House unveils plan to end NSA’s bulk collection of phone data Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Obama administration on Thursday announced details of its plan to end the government’s vast bulk collection of data about phone calls made in the United States, including new…
- Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Yingluck graft probe deadline stays; Three arrested for Indonesian Navy murders; Thai satellite spots MH370 debris
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NACC rejects PM’s request to extend deadline The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday refused to extend the deadline for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to file her defence against the charge of dereliction of duty in overseeing the rice-pledging scheme. The NACC…
- Phuket News
Phuket firefighters stage full-scale drill at Patong resort
PHUKET: Patong Municipality held its annual full-scale fire and evacuation drill this week, complete with a Navy helicopter airlifting a survivor to safety from a beachfront resort’s rooftop. Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada presided over the exercise on Wednesday, joined by Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket) Chief San Janthawong and Patong…