Legacy Phuket Gazette
- Phuket News
Survival of Phuket tourist snorkeler in doubt
PHUKET: Doubts linger over the survival of a man pulled from the water at Yanui Beach, on Phuket’s southwestern coast, this afternoon after he failed to regain consciousness en route to hospital. Jula Nontree, chief lifeguard for Kata, Karon, Nai Harn and Patong Beaches, told the Phuket Gazette he was notified of the incident at 2:50pm. “When I arrived, lifeguards…
- Phuket News
Ironman 70.3 champions ready for Phuket challenge
PHUKET: Organizers of the 2011 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship welcomed athletes and officials for the start of the second annual triathlon being held at Laguna Phuket on December 4. President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Paiboon Upatising led the guest speakers and said he was particularly pleased with the organization of the event. “On behalf of the OrBorJor,…
- Phuket News
Phuket marks international day for the disabled
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) yesterday held an event to mark International Day for Persons with Disabilities, observed by the United Nations and countries around the world today, December 3. “The annual observance of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on December 3 was established by the International Year for Disabled Persons 1981,” said Phuket Provincial Chief…
- Phuket News
Delhi Viceroys get their revenge over Phuket
PHUKET: The Delhi Viceroys, on the final day of their hastily rearranged cricket tour due to the flooding in Bangkok, gained vengeance over revised hosts the Phuket Cricket Group today. After a comprehensive defeat on day one, by all ten wickets in a Twenty20 match at the Alan Cooke Ground, the Viceroys got revenge in very similar fashion, though in…
- Phuket News
Phuket Vice Gov calls for Patong to “be nice’ to tourists
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak has called on the people of Patong to not “take advantage” of tourists during this year’s Patong Carnival, the annual festival that marks the start of high season for tourism in Phuket. “I want everyone to be good hosts and welcome the tourists. Be goodwill ambassadors. I don’t want anyone taking unfair advantage of…
- Phuket News
Phuket blood bank calls for foreign blood
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center is calling for blood donations from foreigners to restock dwindling supplies at the Phuket repository. The blood is urgently needed to restock supplies of blood types common among foreigners, says Pornthip Rattajak, acting director of the center. “We are asking for Rh-negative blood because this is the tourism high season. Many foreigners come to…
- Phuket News
Phuket Tsunami Wall of Remembrance ready for memorial service
PHUKET: The addition of a new section to the Tsunami Wall of Remembrance in Mai Khao has been completed in time for the memorial ceremony on December 26. The original wall bore images of all the countries whose nationals died in Thailand in the 2004 tsunami. However, planning permission to allow the construction of a police building meant that a…
- Thailand News
Weird World News: Animals trump humans as dog shoots man, cobras strike tax office and toads predict earthquakes
PHUKET: It’s often said in journalism, “If a dog bites a man, that’s not news. But if a man bites a dog, now that’s news.” The more unusual and infrequent events gets Weird World News’ vote every time. So we think a dog shooting a man, toads predicting earthquakes and cobras scaring tax officials are in the right vein of…
- Phuket News
Thai Navy re-floats stranded Phuket King’s Cup boats
PHUKET: More than 20 officers from Kata-Karon Municipality along with volunteers and lifeguards stationed at the Royal Thai Navy Sea Rescue unit heaved together this afternoon to refloat two King’s Cup Regatta boats into the water at Kata Beach. The two boats were left stranded on the sand this morning after strong winds pushed them onshore last night. Supachai Janphet,…
- Phuket News
Russian man run over by Phuket parasailing boat
PHUKET: A 51-year-old Russian man on holiday in Phuket was rushed to hospital today after suffering severe injuries when he was run over by a parasailing speedboat at Kata Beach. The man, Nikolai Nefedov, suffered a broken left leg and cuts on the back of both thighs. Some of the cuts were were down to his bones, said Chaiwat Sittidet,…
- Phuket News
FC Phuket ready to pluck Chanthaburi “Hares’ on Sunday
PHUKET: FC Phuket Head Coach Sompong Wattana has resumed his duty as “chief of the tribe” – just in time for the Southern Sea Kirin’s long-awaited home match against Cash Today Chanthaburi FC, nicknamed “The Hares”, on Sunday. The coach, who goes by the nickname “Rock Rhino”, rejoined the team on Wednesday following a leave of absence he took last…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s Ironman 70.3 brings in the champs
PHUKET: Current Ironman 70.3 World Champion Melissa Rollison will participate in the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship at Laguna Phuket on Sunday – in addition to a stellar line-up of elite professional triathletes heading to the island. Rollison, of Australia, completed her first Ironman 70.3-distance race in September 2010, and in just 12 months has gone on to claim three 70.3…
- Thailand News
Anti-graft alliance vows to keep close watch
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community “Clean Thailand DIY” campaign The NationThe Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), an alliance of private watchdog groups, yesterday launched the “Clean Thailand DIY” campaign to monitor the government’s spending of Bt800 billion earmarked for post-flood recovery efforts. ACN chairman Pramon Sutivong said the group is inviting people to…
- Chiang Mai News
Phuket misses out on Dance Festival as it moves to Chiang Mai
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dance Festival moves to Chiang Mai due to flooding The Nation Thanks to the flooding, the Dance Center has not only postponed its International Dance Festival but relocated it from Bangkok and shortened it. It’s set for tomorrow. “This is the 11th edition and the first…
- Phuket News
Strong winds leave Phuket King’s Cup triple-champ beached
PHUKET: Strong onshore winds last night left a three-time class champion in the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta stranded on the sand at Kata Beach. Matt Allen’s 44-foot Ichi Ban, on which he won the IRC 1 class at the Phuket King’s Cup last year, was left standing vertically in the sand after the tide ran out this morning. “It looks…
- Thailand News
Yingluck falls ill; Police denies rumors about key burglary suspect
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yingluck cancels events after falling sick The NationAccording to a source close to the prime minister, Yingluck appeared faint, complained of a headache and vomited during a lunch break at Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi. She had earlier inspected a flooded area of Pak Kret district…
- Phuket News
Officials confirm safety plan for Phuket “death bend’
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak today confirmed the slew of safety features to be rolled out at the notorious “100 bodies curve” at Kho En in Thalang, in hopes of reducing the number of fatal accidents at the deadly bend. The move comes after a four-year-old boy and his aunt were killed when a pickup slid out of control…
- Phuket News
Phuket marks World AIDS Day
PHUKET: Phuket has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in Southern Thailand and the third-highest per-capita rate of infection in the country, Phuket Public Health Office Chief Sak Tanchaikul announced today. Dr Sak delivered the news at a press conference to mark today, December 1, as World AIDS Day. “This year the slogan is ‘Getting to Zero’,” said Dr Sak. He…
- Business News
Experts call for consistency with “Brand Phuket’
PHUKET: The Greater Phuket chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) last night held a meeting to discuss the history, evolution and future of “Brand Phuket”. Hosted at the Anantara Resort in Mai Khao, discussions of the island’s brand were fueled by inspirational presentations by marketing communications expert David Johnson and brand guru David Keen. Also in attendance were…
- Thailand News
Phuket Media Watch – Bounty offered in Sophoth theft case
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bounty for fugitive in Sophoth case The Nation A 200,000-baht bounty has been offered for the capture of the alleged ringleader, reportedly on the run in Laos, who took millions of baht during the burglary at Transport Ministry permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom’s house. A senior commander,…
- Business News
Phuket Business – Looking forward to 2012
PHUKET: Walking into my local shopping center yesterday I was amazed to see Christmas decorations adorning the shops and general surroundings. A quick check of the date on my watch and I realized that although the trees, baubles and tinsel were a trifle early, it certainly was closer to the holidays than I had imagined! This gave me food for…
- Phuket News
No appeal in Fanelli case: Phuket prosecutor
PHUKET: The Phuket Public Prosecutor’s Office will not file an appeal over sentencing in the case of convicted murderer Ronald Fanelli, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Fanelli, a former US Navy officer, was on November 1 convicted of the June 2010 stabbing murder of Wanphen Pienjai, a hostess at the Sweethearts Bar in Kata. Fanelli was sentenced to 20 years’…
- Business News
THAI Phuket flights operating as usual
PHUKET: Thai Airways International (THAI) is still operating its full schedule of regular flights between Bangkok and Phuket – for now. An officer from the ‘Enterprise Communication Department’ of THAI, asking not to be named, told the Phuket Gazette, “I have yet to receive any news about reductions in flights to Phuket.” Her statement was in response to a report…
- Business News
Brazil targeted as new tourist source market for Phuket
PHUKET: Brazilians are among the latest target group of tourists to be lured to Phuket and the Andaman region. Speaking recently at a press conference for the Andaman Travel Trade 2011 exhibition, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing Juthaporn Rerngronasa highlighted the South American country as an expanding market for incoming tourism. There were 10 operators from Brazil at this…
- World News
Phuket Media Watch – Amnesty urges U.S. to ban life sentences
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Amnesty urges U.S. to ban life without parole sentences for children Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Amnesty International yesterday urged the government of the Unites States to ban the imposition of life-without-parole sentences against young offenders. The London-based rights group also urged the U.S. to review the cases…
- Phuket News
Phuket Special Report: Slavery on the high seas
Workers in Thailand’s fishing industry often find themselves living a violent nightmare with no escape in sight and no help. Meanwhile, human rights experts and local organizations look for ways out.SPECIAL REPORTPHUKET: The next time you sit down to a seafood dinner in Phuket, think of Min, a Karen-Burmese migrant worker from Shan State.Min is one of countless migrant workers…
- Thai Life
Phuket Decor – Blume blurs living lines
PHUKET: When Ralph Lauren began his distressed fashion concept, Grace Carrey was part of the research and development team based in Hong Kong that sourced materials and processes for the American fashion icon. Years later, having built up considerable R&D knowledge of Asian textile and manufacturing industries, Grace struck out on her own to bring Phuket a range of furniture…
- Phuket News
Music idol Todd Tongdee wants to see ‘magic mix’ of Thais and foreigners at Phuket World Musiq Fest
PHUKET: One of the lead organizers of the World Musiq Fest to be launched tomorrow evening at Saphin Hin in Phuket Town says he wants to see the concert audiences reflecting the name and character of the festival itself. “It’s that magic mix of Thais and foreigners enjoying things together that generates the atmosphere and buzz to create a truly…
- Property
Taming Phuket’s savage condohotel beast
PHUKET: Nearly two decades ago, in 1993, Laguna Phuket started residential sales for their Allamanda condominium. Asia was a rising star, the baht surged in appreciation and foreign investment into Thailand property was still in its early days. Though residential-led hospitality, or condo-hotels, was hardly new on the scene, here the book was blank on how, why or what the…
- Property
Thalang turns on the waterworks
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Office is spending 40 million baht on extending local government water mains from Baan Pon, just south of Thalang Town, to Baan Mak Prok School, located near the eastern end of the runway at Phuket Airport. The project will allow local communities in the north of Phuket to start hooking up their local water networks to…
