Legacy Phuket Gazette
- Phuket News
Nong Som killer forensic test results “imminent’: Police
PHUKET: Phuket Police expect in the coming days to receive the results of forensic tests that will clear the way for bringing to trial the confessed killer of 17-year-old Sunisa “Nong Som” Saiyoy. Nong Som’s parents returned from their fruit stall in Phuket Town on the night of July 10 to find their daughter dead in her bedroom at the…
- Phuket News
Plans unveiled for new, B450mn Phuket Provincial Hall
PHUKET: Plans to spend 450 million baht on a new Phuket Provincial Hall took a leap forward this week with the announcement of official approval to clear the 14-rai site on the corner opposite the current building (click here for map). Construction of the new center of administration for the island is hoped to begin next year. Years in coming,…
- Phuket News
Phuket orphanage gets bikes from Quest
PHUKET: Singaporean-based bankers recently brought joy to youngsters from a Phuket orphanage, in a unique training program devised and staged by Laguna Resorts & Hotels’ corporate team building organization, Quest. Over 210 senior management and staff of the Singapore-based Swiss bank took time out from their recent conference in Phuket, to spend a morning at Baan Sosa Orphanage in the…
- World News
World News: Presses to stop at Newsweek as publication goes digital-only
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Newsweek to end print publication after nearly 80 years Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: Newsweek, one of the largest weekly news magazines in the United States, yesterday announced it plans to end its print publication after nearly 80 years and transition to an all-digital format. The last…
- Phuket News
Phuket illegal taxi amnesty to end November 1
PHUKET: All illegal taxis operating in Phuket must be “stickered” and in the process of becoming legal by November 1, said Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen has announced. “There are still 2,882 illegal taxi cars in 186 taxi centers in Phuket. Only 150 have completed the [licensing] procedure and have been issued green plates,” V/Gov Chamroen told a meeting of officials…
- Phuket News
Phuket Sports: King’s Cup Regatta tacks windsurfing onto schedule
PHUKET: THE Phuket King’s Cup Regatta plans to reintroduce windsurfing as one of its competitive classes this year. The newly announced Windsurfing Class is held in cooperation with the Windsurfing Association of Thailand (WATH), with races taking place over four days from December 2 to 5. About 14 sailors from the Thai national team will join the windsurfing competition, including…
- Phuket News
Kathu Mayor contenders face off for Phuket election
PHUKET: Hundreds of people turned out at the Kathu Municipality offices yesterday in support of their preferred candidates for the upcoming election for Kathu Mayor and the Kathu Municipal Council to be held on November 18. Running for re-election is Chaianan Sutthikul and his *Rak Kathu (“Kathu protectors”) party. Leading the charge against Mr Chaianan is two-time former Kathu Mayor…
- Phuket News
Couple killed in hit-and-run, 4-month-old son survives
PHUKET: Both parents of a 4-month-old boy died last night after a hit-and-run driver struck their motorbike in Chalong. The baby boy, who was also on the motorbike, suffered no serious injuries. Lt Col Boonlert Onklang of the Chalong Police rushed to the scene with officers from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization tourist rescue center and Phuket Ruamjai Foundation rescue…
- Phuket News
Phuket Hard Rock punts to reopen tonight
PHUKET: Following the breaking news of a fire at the Hard Rock Cafe in Patong this morning, the Phuket Gazette has learned that the operators of the global brand-name venue are hoping to reopen tonight. The fire was contained to the large neon sign attached to the front of the building. The iconic electric guitar sign and the stage area,…
- Thailand News
Thai Post stamps on 7-Eleven rumors
PHUKET: Readers of Queer News may know someone collecting the “Love Thailand” stamps currently being given out with purchases at 7-Eleven convenience stores across the country. The stamps can be exchanged for a variety of prizes, including light bulbs, whitening cream and even a satellite receiver box from media company True. The one thing they can’t do is send letters.…
- Phuket News
Phuket Hard Rock Cafe catches fire after spark from iconic guitar sign
PHUKET: Fire broke out at Phuket’s Hard Rock Cafe on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong at about 9am today after a spark reportedly jumped from the iconic electric guitar neon sign and started the blaze.No injuries have been reported so far. However, early estimates of the damage have been reported at about 6 million baht.The fire was discovered by…
- Phuket News
Phuket Vegetarian Festival street processions in full swing
PHUKET: Sapam Shrine held their street procession today with some 2,000 spectators lining the route to watch ma song (spirit mediums) and to pay their respects to highly revered Chinese gods. The street procession departed Sapam Shrine at 7am and marched through Phuket Town, ending up at Saphan Hin. Before the procession got underway, Phuket City Municipality had issued a…
- Phuket News
Gambling “spectators’ to appeal to Phuket governor for clemency
PHUKET: A gambling raid on a residential home about 200 meters from Baan Kathu School yesterday netted 21 arrests, but most of the people taken into custody will appeal to the governor to have the charges dropped on the basis that they were “only watching”. Lt Col Serm Kwannimit of the Thung Thong Police told the Gazette that police raided…
- Phuket News
Phuket marine agency checks dead whale shark samples for heavy metal contamination
PHUKET: Staff from the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) were deployed to Koh Lanta Yai on Sunday after receiving a report from the Royal Thai Navy Maritime Security Center that an eight-ton whale shark had washed ashore at Klong Nin Beach. From his office at the PMBC, Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, who heads the Endangered Species Unit (ESU), told the Phuket…
- Thai Life
Phuket Gardening: An annual event
PHUKET: It’s been about a year since we talked about annuals. So that’s my excuse for returning to them today. The reason annuals don’t get much exposure in these columns is because they only exist for one year and will, like Wimbledon, make their statement – a floral one in this case – just once during that time. Shrubs, on…
- Property
Phuket Property: An alternative holiday choice
PHUKET: Kanita Resort & Camping is a family-run agricultural resort on the Karon hillside. The property started out as a resort with bungalows, but over time it has evolved into a unique project with various accommodation options and activities. Resort owner Satchaphol Thongsom and his wife Kanita explain how the project started: “At first we bought 10 rai (16,000 sqm)…
- Business News
Phuket Investor: Insure your stock holdings
PHUKET: Some readers of the Phuket Gazette who have stock market investments may feel I ignore them, because of a personal bias against equity investments right now. For those of you who feel you have a knack for choosing good companies, or would like to participate in any upside in the broad markets, but would like to limit your exposure,…
- Thailand News
Thailand News: TDRI hammers 3G auction
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Lacklustre 3G bids slammed by TDRI Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: As expected, Thailand’s first 2.1-gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auction yesterday turned out to be a less-than fiercely competitive affair, with the three highest bidders paying a combined 41,625 billion baht – less than 3 per cent above…
- Thai Life
Phuket Tech: Please play fair
PHUKET: The competitive business world can easily be compared to elite sports. In both, the stakes for winning or losing are extremely high, with people being stretched to constantly deliver their best results. At sports events, ethical behavior and values such as respect, honor and sportsmanship, get utmost importance. Cheating is not tolerated in world-class sports. And, in exactly the…
- World News
World News: EU imposes Syrian flight ban, arms embargo and asset freeze
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community European Union bans Syrian flights from its airports Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Passenger and cargo flights operated by Syrian airlines will no longer be allowed to land at airports in the European Union (EU) under new sanctions adopted Monday to further increase pressure on…
- Business News
Phuket Business: Identifying island identity
PHUKET: The American Chamber of Commerce teamed up with the Phuket PR Network to present a fascinating and most entertaining culture-preservation lesson recently in Phuket Town. Held at the Blue Elephant restaurant in the heart of historic old-town, the evening was headlined by two heritage preservation experts, who gave captivating lectures about the importance of Phuket’s cultural past, present and…
- Business News
Phuket Business: Local petrol tax under scrutiny
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) last week refuted claims that they had introduced a “new” tax to be collected on the sale of all fuels in Phuket, including diesel, marine diesel, benzine and gasohol. The “maintenance tax”, levied as a 10% surcharge on the sale of all engine fuels, is the same tax previously collected by the Excise…
- Phuket News
Hungry Ghost compete with Phuket Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: As thousands of celebrants and devotees take part in the many Phuket Vegetarian Festival activities currently underway across the island, hundreds of people turned out yesterday to make merit for their ancestors for the Southern Thai festival Sart Duen Sib. The center of celebrations for the Sart Duen Sib was at the Wat Kajonrangsan temple, also known as Wat…
- Phuket News
Phuket national park investigators to stage “land probe lottery’
PHUKET: The 366 officials named to carry out the huge investigation into every plot of privately owned land along the border of Phuket’s Sirinath Marine National Park will draw lots to determine who will investigate which plots. “The officers have been divided into 36 teams, with each team comprising six officers,” Sirinath Park Chief Cheewapap Cheewatham explained to the Phuket…
- Phuket News
Phuket Police rebuke rape inaction claim
PHUKET: The Phuket police officer accused of inaction in the investigation of the alleged rape of a 9-year-old girl has rebuked the claim, saying that the mother of the child knew that the suspect had been charged and subsequently released on court bail. The mother even saw him personally last Friday before filing her complaint at the Damrongtham Center (Provincial…
- Phuket News
Rescued dolphin doesn’t make it
PHUKET: The young dolphin thought to be on the path to recovery early last week, after being rescued from Mai Khao Beach, died on Saturday. The one-year-old female Spinner dolphin was taken to the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) Endangered Species Unit (ESU) on September 27. She received care 24 hours a day by PMBC staff, said Dr Patcharaporn Gaewmong,…
- Phuket News
One dead as empty Phuket tour bus slams into tree
PHUKET: The driver of an empty tour bus died this afternoon after the bus he was driving overshot a curve near Ao Makham, on Phuket’s east coast, and slammed into a tree.The driver was heading back to the operating company’s depot after dropping off Chinese tourists at the Laguna Phuket resort complex in Cherng Talay, said Maj Sakon Krainara of…
- Phuket News
Ironkids set for December 1
PHUKET: The third Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club (TSLC) IronKids Race will take place on December 1. Last year’s event was a great success with over 220 participants ranging from 6 to 15-years-old competing in age-appropriate distances to become Ironkids. The December 2012 event expects to see the number of participants grow to 300 children, with the age range extended…
- Phuket News
Phuket Sports: Bangkok Angels do not give Islanders salvation; relegation looms
PHUKET: Thai Yamaha Division 1 survival is still within reach ahead of Phuket FC’s final two matches of the season, despite a 2-1 away-loss on Saturday night to promotion contenders Bangkok United. Held at Bangkok’s Thai-Japanese Stadium in the heart of the capital, the 32nd match of the 34-fixture season was both side’s third match inside of a week. The…
- Phuket News
Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2012 underway
PHUKET: The Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2012 began officially at midnight last night as lanterns were hung at the participating Chinese shrines on the island, marking that the Jade Emperor and nine Emperor Gods had descended from the heavens. Thousands of devotees and spectators gathered at shrines across the island yesterday at sunset for the raising of the huge go teng…
