- Phuket News
Phuket Prem supporters demonstrate
PHUKET CITY: Hundreds of Prem Supporters’ Association members from around the South on April 2 marched through the streets of Phuket City in support of General Prem Tinsulanonda, president of the Privy Council.Around 300-400 mostly yellow-shirted members of the organization took part in the demonstration, which assembled at Queen Sirikit Park at around 12:30pm.Some of the protesters came from as…
- Phuket News
Singaporean jailed for alleged fraud
PHUKET CITY: A Singaporean man was arrested by Phuket City Police last week for allegedly defrauding an American citizen of 25,300 baht in a bogus business directory scam.Eric Snyder, 64, of the Jairak Enterprise consulting firm said he paid the money to Marcus Tan for advertising in “Info Phuket“, described as a “business listing and traveler’s guide book”.The guide was…
- Phuket News
300,000 protesters to confront Thai government
BANGKOK: Wednesday [April 8] is D-Day for the mobilization of 300,000 red-shirted Thaksin supporters for a showdown with the government. Organizers like Natthawut Saikua are demanding the House’s dissolution, a general election, and the resignation of Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda. Natthawut said yesterday the April 8 rally would be an historic event. He has promised that the red…
- Phuket News
Frenchmen arrested for poker playing
PATONG, PHUKET: Fifteen foreigners, mostly Frenchmen, were arrested in Patong early yesterday morning for playing poker in a small gambling den clandestinely set up behind a beer bar.Acting on a tipoff, Kathu Police Inspector for Investigations Sakol Bunditsak at 3:30am led a special investigation unit on a successful raid of the Top Relax bar, located at 2/1 Phang Muang Road.Of…
- Phuket News
Former town councilor shot in head
CHERNG TALAY, PHUKET: Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of a former deputy mayor wanted for shooting another local politician in the head outside a mom-and-pop store last night. Cherng Talay Police received a report of the shooting at about 9:30pm. At the scene, outside a small grocery store on the road from Cherng Talay to Ban Don,…
- Phuket News
THAI adds extra flights for Songkran
PHUKET: Thai Airways has scheduled eight extra round-trip flights between Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Phuket International Airport to cope with the additional numbers of passengers expected to travel over the busy Songkran period. The airline has scheduled a total of 29 additional round-trip flights between Bangkok and the provinces, according to a press release. Other round-trip flights have been added…
- Phuket News
Kid’s crime spree ends in cop shooting
PHUKET CITY: A 14-year-old boy is in police custody after a one-day crime spree that included breaking and entering, burglary, a bungled carjacking of a British tourist – and twice shooting an officer on duty. Phuket City Police received a report at 11pm on Monday that a patrol officer had been shot at the busy Bang Neaw intersection in downtown…
- Phuket News
More noise promised for beaches
PATONG, PHUKET: A special committee tasked with finding ways to generate more noise and extra revenue for Phuket is moving forward with a unique plan that would allow businesses to broadcast advertisements through the island’s existing network of 19 tsunami warning towers. The project will be launched early next month in Patong, where the entire beach front is covered by…
- Phuket News
McDonald’s employee survives multiple stabbing
PHUKET CITY: A McDonald’s employee was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack while on his way home from a party at a friend’s house in the early hours of Saturday, March 29.The attack took place at around 1.50am at a restaurant in front of the Bang Neaw Shrine, on Phuket Rd in downtown Phuket City.After finishing work at 10pm, 18-year-old…
- Thailand News
Penis prank provokes revenge rape
UDON THANI: A man arrested on March 21 confessed that he raped his friend’s wife in revenge for falling victim to a prank while drunk last year. The suspect said that he had been planning revenge for months after the victim’s husband tied his penis to his big toe when he passed out during a drinking session. Police arrested 30-year-old…
- Phuket News
Slain Briton’s body recovered
PHUKET CITY: After days of searching, the body of slain British sailor Malcolm Robertson was recovered by fishermen about 10 nautical miles north of Satun’s Lipeh Island at about 3pm today. A source in the Marine Police said the fishermen are now bringing Mr Robertson’s remains by boat to Tu Tae Lam Pier in Satun’s La-Ngu District, where it is…
- Phuket News
Man run over by bus in Thalang
THEPKRASATTRI, PHUKET: A motorbike driver run over by a bus late Saturday morning is the latest fatality in a road accident involving a salaeng, or motorcycle fitted with an illegal sidecar.Thalang Police Duty Officer Adul Nirapai identified the victim as 28-year-old Maitree Kulpor.Mr Maitree was riding his motorbike at high speed on Thepkrasattri Rd southbound in Ban Muangmai near the…
- Phuket News
Paiboon “not worried’ about EC ruling
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) President Paiboon Upatising has denied he has ever been involved in vote buying, in an interview with the Gazette. In a March 19 ruling, Mr Paiboon received a “yellow card” from the Election Commission (EC) for electoral fraud in the Thalang voting district 3 in the PPAO election held last year. For our…
- Phuket News
Cash giveaway creates crowds, confusion
PHUKET CITY: The first day for mid- and low-wage workers to pick up 2,000-baht checks offered under the government’s economic stimulus package saw a huge crowd form at Phuket Community Hall in Phuket City on yesterday. Many people were confused by the process, which involves first making a trip to the nearby Social Security Office to see what day…
- Phuket News
Heavy rains not unusual: MET
PHUKET CITY: Recent heavy rainfall in Phuket indicates that the annual transition from the dry season to the rainy season is well underway – much to the relief of water supply officials.Although many feel the monsoon rains have arrived early this year, an officer with the the Southern Meteorological Center (MET) in Mai Khao said the arrival of the monsoon…
- Phuket News
Police closing in on Stuart murder suspect
KATHU, PHUKET: Police believe they have identified the killer of Englishman Ian Stuart, who was bludgeoned to death in his bedroom in an office building near the Tesco-Lotus Intersection on February 23. Tung Tong Police Superintendent Arayapan Pukbuakao said he expected the suspect to be in police custody within 15 days. For our original report, click here. The suspect is…
- Phuket News
Rassada junk store damaged in fire
RASSADA, PHUKET: A junk store in tambon Rassada caught fire on the evening of March 22. Nobody was injured in the blaze, which broke out at the store on Srisena Road in Village 2, tambon Rassada, shortly before 10pm. Phuket City fire trucks sent to the area managed to get the blaze under control before serious damage was done. Phuket…
- Phuket News
Police catch ‘Ko Jorn’ murderer
KATHU, PHUKET: Tung Tong Police have arrested a man suspected of the fatal stabbing of a 62-year-old moneylender almost two years ago. Manop Khobwet, 33, was drinking with friends at his house in tambon Maifard in Trang province when police arrived and took him into custody at around 6pm on March 23. The victim, Kajorn “Ko Jorn” Somnam, died in…
- Phuket News
Man killed on yacht, piracy suspected
ANDAMAN SEA, SATUN: The Phuket Gazette has received reports of an alleged act of piracy in the Andaman sea yesterday that has left one ‘western’ man dead.A number of Burmese fishermen are currently being interrogated at La-Ngoo Police Station in Satun province in connection with the incident.Police told the Gazette that a foreign woman informed Tarutao National Park rangers of…
- Phuket News
Canadian condo owner claims false arrest
PHUKET CITY: A Canadian man who has lived in Phuket for over a decade has been arrested for working illegally in Thailand, a charge he claims stems from a dispute over maintenance fees with one of the co-owners of a condominium complex in which he owns five units. Phuket Immigration Police, led by Investigations Inspector Suparerk Pankosol, yesterday afternoon arrested…
- Phuket News
Rubik’s Cube challenge coming to Patong
PATONG, PHUKET: Fingers will be busy in Patong on the afternoon of April 5, when Jungceylon hosts Phuket’s first-ever Rubik’s Cube Speed Challenge as part of its International Toy Festival. Anyone capable of solving a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube in under three minutes is invited to register at the Toys “R” Us booth in the Port Zone at Jungceylon from March…
- Phuket News
Dead beggar still unidentified
PHUKET CITY: Police and local officials are still unsure of the identity of the homeless man found dead outside a lumber yard on Thepkrasattri Rd yesterday morning. The thin, dark-skinned man was found dead on a bench in front of the Sahamaithai Co Ltd on Thepkrasattri Rd at about 9am. Phuket Duty Officer Anek Mongkol estimated his age at “over 50”.…
- Phuket News
Isarn Colorful East OTOP Fair ends tonight
PHUKET CITY: Tonight is the last chance to attend the popular Isarn Colorful East One Tambon One Product (OTOP) Festival at Saphan Hin. Despite some unseasonably rainy weather, the fair has been a big hit with island residents for its nightly entertainment and wide variety of reasonably priced foods and drinks. Among the most popular fare has been traditional Isarn…
- Phuket News
Gov Wichai presents plans for Phuket
PHUKET CITY: New Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop presented his plans for Phuket to more than 200 government officers at the Royal Phuket City Hotel on Wednesday March 18. As Phuket is a tourist destination and a gateway to Thailand, Gov Wichai said he will focus on solving problems related to land, traffic, flooding, entertainment venues, business and drugs. “Phuket’s environment…
- Phuket News
EC hands PPAO President Paiboon a ‘yellow card’
PHUKET CITY: The Election Commission (EC) in Bangkok has “yellow-carded” Phuket Provincial Administration Organization President Paiboon Upatising and a fellow PPAO member for electoral fraud in Thalang and has recommended that new elections be held to fill both seats.According to a press release on the EC website, the ruling was decided during a March 19 meeting of the EC, in which rulings…
- Phuket News
Two trawlers seized, 15 crew arrested
KARON, PHUKET: Department of Marine and Coastal Resources officials yesterday morning seized two vessels and arrested 15 crew members caught trawling off Kata Beach. The seizures and arrests followed reports by members of a local conservation group that the vessels had for a week been seen operating in an area just 300 to 400 meters offshore, near the tiny Koh…
- Phuket News
Bt70m expected from room tax in 2009: PPAO
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) expects to collect about 70 million baht from its controversial hotel room tax, put in place in 2000 as a way of raising funds to improve public services and tourism infrastructure. PPAO President Paiboon Upatising said that 60 million baht was collected in 2008 from 217 hotels that agreed to pay the…
- Phuket News
It’s a snap! Busted boner puts owner in sick bay
PHUKET CITY: Vachira Phuket Hospital on Wednesday morning received a transfer patient in a lot of pain from a somewhat embarrassing illness – a broken penis. Being transferred from Patong Hospital as he was, one might assume that the patient had done the damage in an over-energetic nocturnal romp. However, the patient – a 28-year-old Phang Nga native who understandably…
- Phuket News
General Apirak to be transferred
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong has confirmed that he has been promoted to the position of Commander of General Staff – Division 8, effective April 1. Maj Gen Apirak said that the transfer to Region 8 headquarters in Surat Thani was ordered by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban. General Apirak’s replacement as Phuket Provincial Police Commander is said…
- Phuket News
Annual English essay awards announced
BANGKOK: A student from Yothinburana School in Bangkok has been named the national winner of the 5th Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand. Pawida Krachai of Phuket Wittayalai School is the Southern winner, as judged by the editorial staff of the Phuket Gazette. Paphawi Leksakundilok, 16, came top from about 900 entries in the nationwide contest under the theme “Once Upon…
