Legacy Phuket Gazette
- World News
Snowden leaves airport; ‘Rum’ kills 11; US kidnapper Castro sentenced; China Human Rights situation deteriorating, says US
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Russian airport limbo ends for Snowden, new life begins Reuters/Phuket GazettePHUKET: After nearly six weeks in hiding at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, Edward Snowden walked calmly out of the transit area, ducked into a car and was driven away unnoticed.It was an anti-climactic end to one chapter of…
- Phuket News
Officials shoot fierce croc escaped from farm north of Phuket
PHUKET: Officials put down a fierce two-and-a-half meter long crocodile after it and another croc escaped from a crocodile farm in Phang Nga today.Villagers reported the escape to Chief of Phang Nga Provincial Fisheries Office Somkiat Sookchanchai.“We rushed to the farm owned by Panet Saelim, 48, and were able to quickly find the pair of crocs in the irrigation ditch…
- Phuket News
Sunken vessel threat to Phuket marine traffic
PHUKET: Marine Officers have marked the cargo boat that recently sank, Unity, with a buoy and light to prevent any damage being done to other ships travelling between mainland Krabi and Phi Phi (story here). “We have also put out public announcements over the radio to inform boat owners about the danger posed by the sunken boat,” Krabi Marine Office…
- Phuket News
Phuket students head to Bangkok for National English competition
PHUKET: Three 11-year-old Phuket students will be competing in a national English-language competition in Bangkok this weekend after having come in second place in the southern regional competition in June.The primary school students, Fonthip “Plo” Tanphaibul; Satakamon “Mona” Sawasdiphat; and Poramate “Fluke” Phuchareon, began working on their 20-minute group presentation about the Phuket Heroines in May, and are now ready…
- Phuket News
Only way is up for Phuket FC
PHUKET: After a two-week hiatus, Phuket FC’s skillful Japanese defender Yusuke Sato has fully recovered from a minor calf injury, confirming that he is ready to return to action, starting with two important, upcoming home fixtures. The 6th placed Islanders will host the 15th placed Thai Tobacco Monopoly Football Club tonight (click here for map), which will be followed by…
- Phuket News
Top brass from Bangkok visits Phuket over bombing
PHUKET: National Police Office adviser Ratchata Yensuang arrived in Phuket last night to get a grasp on the non-fatal bombing in Phuket Provincial Hall’s carpark yesterday (story here). “The bomb appeared to be quite amateurish. We have already delegated key investigative roles to specific officers – to ensure we catch the culprit as soon as we can,” Gen Ratchata said.…
- Entertainment
Classical concert for an urgent cause
PHUKET: An ensemble of 10 top-flight classical musicians accompanied by 100 students performed a free concert in Phuket recently to raise funds for Myanmar refugee children living near the border town of Sangkhlaburi, in Kanchanaburi province.The two-hour concert was held at the Andaman Embrace Resort and Spa on Haad Patong Road. The ensemble of Korean musicians operates under an organization…
- Phuket News
Phuket out of TAT promotional campaign for 2014
PHUKET: Phuket is one of several main tourism destinations in the country that will not be promoted under the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) international marketing campaign for next year. Instead, the focus will be on less-developed tourism areas, Director of the Phuket-TAT office Chanchai Doungjit revealed yesterday. “We will not be promoting tourism centers that are already well-established. Instead,…
- Thai Life
Laguna Phuket conducts tsunami saftey drill for 700 staff
PHUKET: Laguna Resorts and Hotels management team yesterday launched a mass tsunami evacuation drill code-named “Safe Haven”, with approximately seven hundred associates from Laguna Phuket’s collection of deluxe hotels participating.After a series of mass briefings were given to associates and all hotel guests were notified, the precisely-choreographed, mass drill was rolled out at 2pm, starting with communication checks, followed by…
- Phuket News
Phuket bombing ‘civilian scare tactic’
PHUKET: The bomb blast at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (story here) was designed to frighten officials, and was likely not intended to kill anyone, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) President Paiboon Upatisin said. “The rising price of rental land might be the motive for the blast. Although actually, we don’t really have problems with anyone,” President Paiboon said, mulling the…
- Phuket News
World’s largest floating library booked for Phuket
PHUKET: Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating library, is Phuket bound for the first time, Project Coordinator Eunji Lee told the Phuket Gazette. The 132-meter-ship, roughly half the size of the Titanic, will be at Phuket’s Deep Sea Port from August 14 to 22. “We will open the ship up for visitors from August 15 to 18, and from August…
- Phuket News
Phuket marine specialists helping out with Koh Samet oil spill
PHUKET: Five Phuket marine specialists headed to Koh Samet yesterday to help clean up the approximately 50,000 liters of crude oil that leaked into the Gulf of Thailand from a PTT Global Chemical pipeline last Saturday (story here). “Our five marine specialists will be working with their counterparts from Rayong, Chumpon, and other provinces,” Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) director…
- Business News
Cloud computing: Forecast sunny – Phuket Business
PHUKET: Lately, I have been hearing many stories of expats and tourists in Phuket whose laptops have been stolen. Having your laptop stolen is a terrible experience. You not only feel violated, but your life was basically on that computer. Picking up the pieces can be hard, but today it can be made easier with cloud computing. Cloud computing is…
- Property
Phuket Property: To raise one’s roof or not to
PHUKET: I am often asked how much one should spend on a primary residence, and while this is an area open for debate, my answer usually surprises people. I have always been baffled by arguments about mortgage interest being tax deductible and many other reasons to sink way too much into one’s primary residence. This doesn’t mean I don’t think…
- Phuket News
Radio DJ killed in Phuket hit-and-run
PHUKET: A Phuket DJ was killed in a hit-and-run yesterday afternoon after he was dragged beneath a pickup truck for about 700 meters, witnesses said.Police and rescue workers arrived at the scene to find Terdpong “Bao” Phuttapiruk, 29, dying in the middle of the road.“He was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, but he was unconscious and suffering from broken ribs,…
- Phuket News
Phuket presents a successful inaugural Junior Phuket Raceweek
PHUKET: A fleet of 14 Optimists and five Toppers took part recently in the newest event on Phuket’s sailing calendar, the inaugural Junior Phuket Raceweek. Held off Panwa Beach Resort Phuket, youngsters from seven to fifteen years old completed four races in idyllic Phuket conditions under the watchful eye of Principal Race Officer Royal Thai Navy Rear Admiral Prasart Sribhadung,…
- Phuket News
Phuket Video Report: 10 rescued from sea after waves swamp Phi Phi cargo boat
PHUKET: Ten men were rescued after spending two hours holding onto floating debris between the Krabi coast and Phi Phi Island, off Phuket, late yesterday afternoon.The cargo boat Unity, carrying food, construction materials and other supplies bound for Phi Phi, was struck by large waves reaching up to four-meters high after passing Koh Por Da, the boat’s captain, Thaweep Choonoon…
- Phuket News
“Bombs’ detonated at Phuket Airport drill
PHUKET: A simulated terrorist bomb drill held at Phuket International Airport yesterday went off without a hitch, organizers said.In the exercise, members of the Phuket Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and Airports of Thailand (AoT) staff short-circuited one bomb with a high-pressure water device, responded to a “fire” when a second was detonated, and cared for “injured” participants.When the first…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Mugabe election showdown; UN to inspect Syrian chemical weapons sites; Sweden drops charge against fake serial killer
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Zimbabwe votes in Mugabe election showdown Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Zimbabweans voted in large numbers on Wednesday in a fiercely contested election pitting veteran President Robert Mugabe against Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who has vowed to push Africa’s oldest leader into retirement after 33 years in power.With…
- Thailand News
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Oil spill mop up continues; Bangkok under ISA ahead of rallies; North braces for more floods
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Oil spill probe to be finished in 7 days The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Energy Ministry promises to complete its investigation into the cause of the disastrous offshore oil spill within seven days and to ensure full compensation by PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC).“The situation is under…
- Phuket News
Phuket security guard chose wrong bag when he turned to crime
PHUKET: A Phuket security guard who turned to crime may have regretted his decision after the bag he stole turned out to contain nothing more than cosmetics, and CCTV images led police to his rented room the same day.Rungnapa Bunnamee left her cosmetics bag in the basket of her motorbike when she stopped to shop at a 7-Eleven on Phuket…
- Phuket News
Phuket crane loses balance, operator flees scene of destruction
PHUKET: A crane manipulating a heavy section of concrete pipe toppled over in Phuket this afternoon, demolishing the second floor of two shops, and though no one was injured, the driver fled the scene.“As the crane was lifting a section of pipe, land subsided under the crane arm, causing the operator to lose control,” said Sumpawat Wannasangkam of the Department…
- Property
Phuket Property Watch: Things I hate about hotels
PHUKET: I have spent more nights in hotel rooms around the world than I could even start to remember. Barring a diary, an ankle-long list or a photographic memory, there are more than a few things that stick out, not unlike a Mohawk on a punk rocker or a toothpick out of a canape – small but deadly. Let’s start…
- Business News
Laguna Phuket announces major staff restructuring
PHUKET: Laguna Phuket has announced that it is undergoing a significant departmental restructuring and downsizing, but the company declines to confirm or deny reports that as many as 300, or 10 per cent, of its associates have left or are in the process of leaving.According to a press statement issued today (July 31), Laguna Phuket currently employs close to 3,000…
- Property
Phuket Property: Commercial real estate investment soars
PHUKET: Direct commercial real estate investment in the Asia Pacific region has exceeded market expectations in the first half of 2013, reaching US$59.7 billion, 21% up on the first half of 2012. According to the latest Jones Lang LaSalle capital markets research, transaction volumes in the region have also increased quarter on quarter, topping US$32.6 billion in the second quarter…
- Phuket News
VIDEO REPORT: Phuket king cobra attempts to swallow baby python for breakfast
PHUKET: A huge king cobra about five meters long was captured while attempting to swallow a baby python on Tuesday morning in a fruit plantation off Patak Road near Karon. “Mr Yo, a Burmese man who lives in a labor camp in the fruit plantation, saw the king cobra first,” said Wisit Chuanchit, a villager who witnessed the snake-on-snake incident.The…
- Phuket News
Phuket pushes for new road to Freedom
PHUKET: Top Phuket officials, including Governor Maitri Inthusut, yesterday attended the first public hearing for the proposed new road from Sirirat Road, near Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, to Tri Trang Beach, on the southern headland of Patong Bay. About 100 people turned out to join the meeting, held at the Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa in Patong. “Actually there…
- Phuket News
Phuket Airport to undergo full-scale “explosive’ emergency drill
PHUKET: A full-scale emergency-response drill will take place at Phuket International Airport today – Wednesday, July 31 – as part of the Phuket International Airport Emergency Plan 2013.“The exercise will begin at 10am and last for one hour, at the parking lot, right in front of Phuket Airport Terminal 2,” said Airports of Thailand’s Acting Phuket Director Somsiri Kuengsopha.“The drill…
- World News
Phuket Gazette World News: Manning verdict – not guilty of aiding enemy; Pentagon warns against zero option; Iraeli-Palestinian peace deal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Private Manning acquitted of aiding enemy in WikiLeaks case Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A military judge yesterday found U.S. soldier Bradley Manning not guilty of aiding the enemy – the most serious charge among many he faced for handing over documents to WikiLeaks.But Col. Denise Lind, in…
- Phuket News
Greed jeopardizing tourists’ safety, says Racha group
PHUKET: Reckless speedboat captains and tour guides chasing day-trip commissions have been named as the leading culprits jeopardizing tourists’ safety at Koh Racha, a popular day-trip island south of Phuket.Sarit Jandee, president of the Racha Conservation Club, blamed tour guides for encouraging day-trippers to swim and rent water-sports equipment on the west side of the island, which at this time…
