Legacy Phuket Gazette

Three coastal projects denied building permits

PHUKET: The Provincial Natural Resources and Environment (PNRE) committee chaired by Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima has denied building permits for three marine projects, citing Interior Ministry regulations prohibiting such construction in six tambons.Declined were an application from Trisara resort developer Three Dolphins Co Ltd to build a wharf in Cherng Talay for boats under 20 tons displacement; an application for a floating…

Phummisak appointed to Senate

PHUKET: Former Phuket City Mayor Phummisak Hongsyok has been named by the Election Commission (EC) in Bangkok as one of 74 appointed senators who will serve in the 150-member upper house, the EC announced yesterday.The new Senate will convene after the March 2 election for the other 76 seats. While the elected 76 senators will serve a six-year term, the selected…

When is a Rooney not a Rooney?

PATONG: Following the Gazette‘s report “Wayne Rooney arrested in Patong“, in which an Englishman was involved in an accident in which a Thai motorcyclist died on Sunday, police have now confirmed that the Englishman’s name is Wayne Robert Washbourn. The Englishman was initially named by Lt Col Serm Kwannimit of Kathu Police as Wayne Rooney, the same name as the…

SIPA called in to track visiting yachts

PHUKET CITY: In the name of better security, the Phuket office of the Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) has been given until the end of April to develop a device that allows Thai authorities to track yachts visiting Thai waters.The proposal was announced on Thursday at a meeting of a special committee formed to review security, Customs and Immigration procedures…

Englishman arrested in Patong

PATONG: An Englishman has been charged with careless driving causing death after being involved in an accident at the southern end of Patong on Sunday afternoon in which a Thai motorcyclist died.Lt Col Serm Kwannimit of Kathu Police today told the Gazette that Wayne Robert Washbourn*, 38, was driving a pickup truck from Patong to Karon and had just turned…

German death-plunge treated as “suicide’

PATONG: In what police are treating as a case of suicide, a German man fell to his death from the 20th floor of the Royal Paradise Hotel yesterday morning.Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnark identified the man as Alexander Staubl, 35.Police received a report of the death from hotel staff about 11 am. Mr Staubl’s body was found dressed in…

Sea gypsies petition Governor over violence – again

PHUKET: Villagers from the Rawai sea gypsy community have once again petitioned Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit, saying that their safety and way of life continues to be threatened by the bullying tactics of some tourism business operators.On Thursday, 10 sea gypsies led by Niran Yangpan submitted a formal letter of complaint addressed to Governor Niran and the Damrongtham Center at…

150 couples take the plunge on Valentine’s Day

PHUKET: Many couples registered their marriages yesterday, Valentine’s Day, with added incentive of the island’s three District Offices offering gifts to newlyweds, including passes to Phuket FantaSea, stays at hotels and resorts and dinners at restaurants on the island.However, the figure was down compared with last year, when 202 couples wed on the international day of love.As expected, florists have…

American extradited on child molestation charges

PHUKET (Gazette, Nation, Kom Chad Luek): A man wanted for child molestation by police in the US state of Missouri was arrested Tuesday afternoon and has been turned over to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for extradition.During questioning, the suspect, Earl Russel Bonds, tried to kill himself by cutting his left wrist with scissors, but police seized the…

Boat explodes, sinks at Boat Lagoon

KOH KAEW: Two Thai men are being treated for serious burns in the intensive-care unit (ICU) at Vachira Phuket Hospital after the speedboat they were working on exploded at the Boat Lagoon about 11:30 am today.Eyewitness Pisek Manasit told the Gazette that the gas tank on board the 35-foot fiberglass speedboat Sakila 6 caught fire and exploded within minutes.“The fire started…

Young writers set to jet to Dublin

BANGKOK (Nation): The winners of the 4th Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand were announced yesterday.The writing competition theme, “If We Could Change the World” proved challenging enough to attract entries from almost 1,000 students throughout country.The competition was open to Thai students between 14 and 18 from Thailand’s four main regions – North, Northeast, South and Bangkok/Central.…

Danish tourist believed murdered: police

PATONG: Kathu Police are now treating as a murder case the death of Danish tourist Henrik Rasmussen, 47, whose body was discovered in a canal behind the Royal Paradise Hotel on February 7.Citing information from doctors at Patong Hospital who examined the body, Kathu Police Investigations Inspector Pol Capt Pratuang Pholmana told the Gazette he now believes Mr Rasmussen died…

Seaplanes ordered to land further from Patong shore

PHUKET: Phuket Vice-Governor Smith Palawatvichai this morning confirmed that Destination Air has been ordered to land its seaplanes further from the shore at Patong Bay. “After flying with Destination Air, I can now understand the noise problem, even though the planes require only about one-and-a-half minutes to take off. “The planes should not disturb the tourists on Patong Beach much, but they still…

Frenchman charged with shoplifting

PATONG: A 68-year-old Frenchman has been charged with stealing leather goods valued at more than 30,000 baht from the Findig store on the Patong beach road.Capt Naruwat Phutharaviro of Kathu Police Station told the Gazette that he received a call from Findig shop manager Nathaya Prasomthong, 34, at 4:20 pm yesterday.K. Nathaya reported that a well-dressed foreign tourist had been…

PPHO to clear the haze on smoking ban

PHUKET: While the ban on smoking in air-conditioned areas in bars, restaurants and nightclubs came into effect in Bangkok last night, entertainment venue and restaurant operators in Phuket have a temporary reprieve.Venue operators and smokers found breaking the new law in Phuket will not be fined until after the Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) has launched a public awareness campaign,…

Missing Dane found dead

PATONG: The body of Danish tourist Henrik Rasmussen, 47, was discovered late yesterday afternoon in a section of Klong Pakbang behind the Royal Paradise Hotel, police have confirmed.Mr Rasmussen, who suffered from Down syndrome, left the Royal Paradise Hotel about 4:30 am on January 28 and had not been seen since, his cousin Helen Soerenson had earlier told the Gazette.Kathu…

Concerns grow for missing Dane

PATONG: Danish tourist Henrik Rasmussen, 47, remains missing despite a reward of 10,000 baht for information that helps find the holidaymaker. Mr Rasmussen, who suffers from Down syndrome, disappeared from the Royal Paradise Hotel on January 28. “He left the hotel around 4:30 am to look for his lost mobile phone. We haven’t heard from him since,” said Mr Rasmussen’s cousin…

Local tourism leaders voice support for Weerasak

PHUKET: Leading figures in Phuket’s tourism industry have expressed satisfaction with the naming of Chart Thai Party member Weerasak Kowsurat as the new Tourism and Sports Minister in the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.K. Weerasak, 43, is Deputy Secretary of the Chart Thai Party. He has a master’s degree in law from Harvard University. Originally from Ubon Ratchathani…

Police shoot out tires to end driving spree

PHUKET CITY: A high-speed chase through Phuket City came to an end about midday on Monday when police shot out the tires of a pickup being driven by a man suffering from severe stress, with the pickup crashing into a concrete pole on Soi Korpai, off Phuket Rd.Phuket City Police Duty Officer Maj Keerati Triwai told the Gazette that Kusoldharm…

HK billionaire to build mega-resort in Phang Nga

PHANG NGA: The Year of the Rat is certain to change the fortunes of a sleepy area of Phang Nga province, as a Hong Kong company owned by billionaire Richard Li has announced plans for a mega-resort project along the beach in Thai Muang district.Land acquired by Li’s company Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited (PCPD) in late 2007 totals 1,081.25…

Plans laid for B1.3bn airport in Phang Nga

PHANG NGA: The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) will request a budget of 1.3 billion baht from the new Cabinet to fund construction of a domestic airport in Phang Nga province.Plans have already been drawn up for the construction of an airport that would cover 1,400 rai on Koh Kho Khao, a 45,000-rai island in Takuapa district.The 1.3-million-baht would cover both the…

New Phuket Airport director aims for expansion

PHUKET: Phuket International Airport (PIA) appointed 54-year-old Wing Commander Wicha Nurnlop as the airport’s new director on February 1, replacing former-Director Squadron Leader Pornchai Eua-aree, who has been transferred to the Airports of Thailand (AOT) headquarters in Bangkok. K. Wicha returns to PIA after spending the past four months as Director of Haad Yai International Airport. Before transferring to Haad…

Milestone merger adds luster to corporate Phuket

City Hall officer found hanged

PHUKET CITY: The body of Boonsri Sai-ngarm, 59, an officer at Phuket City Hall, was found hanged from a stair rail at her house on Saturday afternoon.A neighbor discovered the body and alerted police to the house on Mae Luan Rd, said Pol Lt Col Sompong Boonrat, deputy superintendent of Phuket City Police Station.“We found no wounds or signs of a…

Burasari confirms “Keith Floyd is fine’

PHUKET: Following reports that 64-year-old British celebrity chef Keith Floyd collapsed with breathing difficulties during a trip to the UK, Burasari Resident Manager Conor O’Leary has confirmed that there is no cause for alarm.Mr Floyd recently returned to the UK after spending four and a half weeks supervising his brasserie at the Burasari Resort in Patong during the peak of…

New animal shelter nears completion

PHUKET: The Soi Dog Foundation (SDF) has announced that a new dog shelter, animal hospital and education center will open next month in Mai Khao. Situated on 10 rai, the new facilities will not replace the government-run dog pound in Thalang, where the SDF has been operating for the past 15 months. In November, the SDF received a letter from…