Legacy Phuket Gazette
- Phuket News
‘Paris Hilton’ Phuket beach party gets green light
PHUKET: The “Paris Hilton” New Year beach bash organized by Sydictive Element on Surin Beach has, after strong opposition, finally been approved, local officials have confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. The approval came after Sydictive Element assured the local government that they will take care of three key areas of concern, Ma-ann Samran, president of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration…
- Phuket News
Phuket first-time car buyers overload Excise Office
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Excise Office (PPEO) is calling in extra officers from other departments to help cope with an overload of tax-rebate applications being filed by first-time car owners. The office has processed 9,000 applications for tax rebates since the government campaign to encourage young people to buy cars was launched on September 16 last year, said policy specialist…
- Phuket News
Phuket Sports: Patong CC slay old foe
PHUKET: Patong Cricket Club (PCC) squared off against old foes Island Cricket Club (ICC) in the second game of the Jones Lang LaSalle League last Sunday. Patong Cricket Club emerged victorious after an exciting day of cricket. PCC won the toss and elected to bat, losing their fist wicket in the second over. After a cautious start, opener Mike Khan…
- Phuket News
Hungarian suspect Kvalka retraces steps to Peter Reisz killing
PHUKET: Gyorgy Lajos Kvalka, the second suspect arrested in connection with the murder of Peter Reisz in Phuket late last month, today reiterated to police his claim that he played no part in the killing of the Hungarian businessman. However, Mr Kvalka today did confess to assisting the Israeli-Hungarian dual national Moshe David – named as Gabor Nemeth on his…
- Phuket News
Turtle egg find floats hope of leatherbacks returning to Phuket region
PHUKET: Hopes that turtles are returning to their traditional nesting sites along the Andaman Coast soared as a second clutch of leatherback turtle eggs was discovered on Tai Muang Beach in Phang Nga, just north of Phuket, within an eight day period.The discovery of the nest on Tuesday follows a leatherback turtle being spotted laying eggs on the beach on…
- World News
World News: North Korean launch sends out shock-waves
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community For North Korea, next step is a nuclear test Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: North Korea rattled the world yesterday by putting a satellite into orbit using the kind of technology that appears to demonstrate it can develop a missile capable of hitting the United States.…
- Phuket News
Phuket Prison to investigate alleged “death beating’
PHUKET: Phuket Prison officials are investigating the death of a male inmate following a grieving widow alleging that her husband was beaten to death. Prison guards found Pranom Duksukkaew, 48, dead from what they believed to be natural causes when they went to rouse the inmates at 6am on Tuesday. Pranom was serving a 16-year sentence for raping a minor,…
- Phuket News
Phuket Customs deliver “crushing blow’ to copyright pirates
PHUKET: Phuket Customs destroyed an estimated 29 million baht’s worth of pirated goods yesterday as part of their ongoing battle to protect intellectual property rights on the island. Fake copies of designer brand-name purses, sunglasses, shoes and mobile phones were among the nearly 10,000 items destroyed. “The 9,762 counterfeit items destroyed today are from 44 closed cases related to pirated…
- Phuket News
International Sports: Assumptions that cricket has largely eradicated corruption are challenged
Spot fixing threatens integrity of modern game Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Any comfortable assumptions that world cricket has largely eradicated corruption after the shock of the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal are challenged in a disturbing new book investigating India’s illegal bookmaking underworld. In “Bookie Gambler Fixer Spy; A Journey to the Heart of Cricket’s Underworld”, English author and cricket…
- Phuket News
Police to charge tour van driver today over lethal Phuket crash
PHUKET: Tuan Russala Samae, the tour van driver involved in the fatal crash that killed 9-year-old British International School student Kunnarree Lattuada-Lancini on November 29, has been discharged from Vachira Phuket Hospital. “He is to present himself at Chalong Police Station on Thursday [today] to be charged with reckless driving causing death,” Sub Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop told the Gazette on…
- Phuket News
CCTV captures unidentified man using missing American’s bank card in Phuket
PHUKET: The mother of missing American Brett Bean was unable to confirm if images captured by CCTV cameras in Patong and Chalong show her son making ATM transactions after his disappearance in Phuket. Lynne Bean, who posted a 50,000 baht reward to help find her son was asked to visit Karon Police Station today to try to identify a man…
- Phuket News
Live Wire: 3G WiFi offerings in Phuket
PHUKET: In the first installment of this series, I talked about the general state of internet connections in Phuket. Last week, I covered the current offerings in land lines, with TOT Fiber 2U 10 Mega bits per second (Mbps) representing the best bang for your baht (sometimes; 1,500 baht/month), True DOCSIS “Ultra” coming in second (if you can get it;…
- Thai Life
Phuket Lifestyle: Robin Gillow, the wandering artist
PHUKET: Robin Gillow’s paintings, now on display at Boathouse, remind the viewer of a disappearing style of country life found in Thailand.This talented South African began showing her drawings and paintings while still in school. She learned her craft while attending what’s now known as the National School of the Arts, in a program that included industrial design, sculpture, painting…
- Business News
Phuket Business: B300 minimum wage hike to worsen labor shortage
PHUKET: With the nationwide minimum wage set to rise to 300 baht, a labor shortage tops the list of business risks for property and construction firms in 2013. To consumers, this could mean longer construction periods while they wait to take possession of their new homes.Thailand’s construction, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors are now facing a shortfall of about 200,000 workers.…
- Business News
Phuket Business – Think outside the box: Pornthip
PHUKET: The island’s most recognized local food-gift company Pornthip (Phuket) Co Ltd, was recently honored with the “Good Design Award” in Japan for the packaging of its Sino-Portuguese snack gift items. This was the second year in a row the company received the accolade for its unique and innovative packaging design. Also recognized with the “G Mark”, the annual award…
- Phuket News
North Korean native found dead in Phuket
PHUKET: A Russian national, but born in North Korea, was found dead in his rented Phuket apartment room this evening.The unclothed body of the man, 46, was found face-up on the floor by the apartment owner after she unlocked the room to access the air-conditioning unit.“I knocked on his door and asked for him to open up for me and…
- World News
World News: Doctor rescued by Navy Seals in Afghanistan
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. forces rescue kidnapped American doctor in Afghanistan Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Seven Taliban insurgents were killed yesterday in a successful operation by US special forces to rescue an American doctor who had been abducted in eastern Afghanistan, officials said. A US service member…
- Phuket News
Phuket ready to rendezvous
PHUKET: Organizers are making final preparations for the 12th annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous and the anticipation is palpable. Most yachts have arrived, bringing with them captains, crew and VIP guests who are getting revved up for sun, sailing and socializing. The buzz is growing with Christmas around the corner and Phuket’s beaches bustling with families, honeymooners, holiday makers and friendly…
- Phuket News
Kvalka surrenders, denies active role in Phuket Reisz murder
PHUKET: Following his surrender to Samui Police on Saturday, Gyorgy Lajos Kvalka denied any role in the killing of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz. Tourist Police Commander Roy Ingpairoj arrived from Bangkok to present Mr Kvalka, 48, to the press at the Phuket Tourist Police headquarters in Phuket Town on Saturday night. Named on the arrest warrant as “Kvalka Lajos Gyoergy”,…
- Property
Phuket Property: Lakeside living
PHUKET: The Lake House is a development of seven villas, located close to Laguna. Four of the villas are to be designed in a Thai-Balinese style and are ideal affordable homes for families. The villas will look out across a lake and come with a private swimming pool, jacuzzi, lush tropical gardens and an open sala entertainment area next to…
- Business News
Phuket Business: AMCHAM’s warnings
PHUKET: “Caution” was a common theme echoed at the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Greater Phuket Chapter’s final meeting of the year, held recently at the Royal Phuket Marina. The evening featured three informative presentations, courtesy of AMCHAM Thailand’s legal council, which provided a wealth of valuable advice to expat business operators – as well as those considering conducting business…
- Phuket News
Football Roundup: Van Persie breaches City fortress, Everton win
PHUKET: Manchester United laid down a significant marker in the Premier League title race as Robin Van Persie’s late free kick sealed a dramatic 3-2 Premier League derby win at Manchester City’s home fortress yesterday. City fought back after Wayne Rooney’s first-half double but goals from Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta proved in vain as Van Persie marked his first…
- Phuket News
Phuket expat sailor Stafford Steer dies from cancer
PHUKET: As sailors raced in the final day of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta that concluded yesterday, one of Phuket’s longest-staying expats and best-known personalities in the local yachting community, Stafford Steer from Australia, died after a brief battle with cancer. He was 71 years old. Stafford arrived in Phuket from Cairns, in Far North Queensland, Australia, in 1992 on…
- Phuket News
Pong powers home to win Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: Blue skies and consistent winds marked the final day of the 2012 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in fitting style yesterday as teams and their boats assembled at the start line in a final bid to resolve their class contests. Some results had effectively completed on Friday, but most of the classes were anticipated to deliver a thrilling final day…
- Phuket News
Phuket motorbike taxis hit over fares
PHUKET: A motorbike taxi representative from Patong has railed against his fellow drivers, calling for “more ethical” behavior and cessation of the practice of gouging tourists for short journeys in the resort town.The call came at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on November 28. At the meeting, designed to handle a multitude of issues concerning motorbike taxis, Chumpol Aiabsakul,…
- Thailand News
Weird World News: Fire and ice meets fired and iced
PHUKET: In this week’s Weird World News Roundup we take a wacky trip from New Mexico over the border into Arizona – and back to New Mexico. Usually home to UFO and alien sightings, this time the focus is on more earthly stupidity as we dive into the worlds of a frozen gun, a police note to the mob, and…
- Opinion
Phuket Opinion: Wake up and shed the shirts
PHUKET: Island residents and expats alike breathed a collective sigh of relief late last month when a dreaded showdown between the Pitak Siam (“Defenders of Siam”), the latest incarnation of the anti-Thaksin People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), and government security forces fizzled out on the streets of Bangkok due to lack of popular support and other factors. As events unfolded…
- Koh Samui News
Samui Police arrest second Hungarian suspect for Phuket Reisz murder
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat has confirmed that police on Koh Samui have arrested Hungarian national Gyorgy Lajos Kvalka, wanted in connection with the murder of fellow Hungarian Peter Reisz in Phuket. “We are in contact with police there, but at this stage we are not sure when the suspect will be brought to Phuket,” Maj Gen Choti…
- Phuket News
Phuket Governor opens tourist center in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut joined officials from the Cherng Talay Tambon Administrative Organization (OrBorTor) yesterday as he presided over the opening ceremony of a new tourist information center at Surin Beach. Cherng Talay OrBorTor President Ma-ann Samran told the Phuket Gazette that the decision to establish the center came in response to the increasing number of tourists visiting the…
- Thai Life
Phuket Gardening: Marginal choices
PHUKET: There has been lots of hot air expended about marginals during the run-up to the American presidential election. In political terms, “marginals” are states where a few key votes may swing all the seats either in a Republican or Democratic direction. In the case of Florida, all 28 members elected to Congress. Marginals can be very important. In the…
