- Phuket News
Police have krathom bust in the bag
KOH SIREH: Police staging a krathom raid on a house on Koh Sireh had a surprise on July 4 when a woman carrying a sack full of the contraband leaves accidentally walked in on the raid.Pol Maj Chalermchai Hernsawat led the warrant-endorsed raid on the house of Jarern Musika, 56, about 3:30 pm after an investigation discovered that krathom was…
- Phuket News
Phuket wins To Be Number One prizes
PHUKET: Phuket province was honored with two prizes in this year’s To Be Number One competition, held at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nontaburi on June 25: one for committed support of the competition and another for dedicated participation.The competition recognizes community projects put forward to tackle drug abuse by local youths.Phuket, Yasotorn and Khon Kaen provinces were each awarded…
- Phuket News
Police nab Patong ya bah dealer
PATONG: Phuket City Police seized more than 220 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and arrested two men and one woman in a series of drugs raids on Thursday.Pol Maj Chalermchai Hernsawat posed as a buyer and arranged to buy ya bah pills from Apiwat “Tee” Sumetheentikul at Sainamyen Soi 1 at 11:30 am.At the rendezvous, police found Apiwat in possession of…
- Phuket News
Dead dolphin washes ashore at Kamala
KAMALA: A dead dolphin two meters long and weighing about 40 kilograms was found on Kamala Beach yesterday.Kanjana Adulyankosol, a biologist at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), told the Gazette that the dolphin had been dead for about five days.However, the dolphin’s sex and exact species could not be determined due to decomposition of the carcass, she added.The cause…
- Phuket News
Election Commission names Phuket monitors
PHUKET: Kittipong Thiengkunagrit, director of the Phuket Election Commission (PEC), has confirmed which five Phuket residents will form the election committee charged with ensuring that polling in Phuket in the next general election will be free and fair.K. Kittipong said that 15 people applied to be election monitors in Phuket.The five chosen are: Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha; Phuket Labor and…
- Phuket News
Nanai bars face by-election alcohol ban
PATONG: Businesses on Nanai Rd and parts of Sainamyen Rd and Phisit Gorani Rd will be banned from selling alcohol from 6 pm tomorrow night ahead of the Patong Municipality by-election on Saturday.A notice issued by Kathu Police Station warns that the sale of alcohol will be prohibited in Patong Municipality Voting District 2 from Friday 6 pm until midnight…
- Phuket News
Karon bank robber evades police
KARON: Chalong police, still stumped after a farang bank robber made off with 420,000 baht last week, are appealing to owners of motorcycle rental companies in Karon to come forward with information of suspicious individuals who rented black, automatic motorcycles between June 26 and 28.The perpetrator may have used a Suzuki Step, a Yamaha Mio or Nouvo, or a Honda…
- Phuket News
Resident population continues to register
PHUKET: The island’s official population rose by 2,976 to 321,514 people between May 21 and June 20.The rise is being attributed to Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit’s campaign, initiated late last year, to increase the number of Thai citizens in the province whose names appear on household registration forms.Muang District saw the biggest jump with 1,622 new registrations. There were also…
- Phuket News
Tasar world championships under way
CAPE PANWA: Competitors in the G4S Tasar World Championships shoved off from Panwa Beach today for the first of seven days of racing in the first Tasar world championships held in Thailand.Fifty-eight boats crewed by sailors from eight nations, including two Thai crews, are racing in the event.The championship is being held off Cape Panwa, but results from the invitational…
- Phuket News
Chalong bomber investigation downgraded
CHALONG: The investigation into bombings that injured two Burmese workers and severely damaged three houses in Chalong on November 28 last year has been downgraded, Chalong Police Superintendent Col Chalit Kaewyarat has said.The announcement came during the Security Committee Provincial Monthly Meeting on Friday, when Col Chalit said that nearly eight months after the bombing there was still no strong…
- Phuket News
Mixed messages from tsunami tests
PHUKET CITY: Mock tsunami evacuations at Baan Laem Tukkae and Saphan Hin were staged on Friday and Saturday, but with voice announcements that could not be understood and firetruck sirens instead of the tsunami warning towers alarms.However, government officials have insisted that the “quiet” testing was intentional to avoid panic.The tests, on Friday in Baan Laem Tukkae and Saturday at…
- Phuket News
Phuket to have biggest aquarium in Southeast Asia
BANGKOK (The Nation): Ripley Entertainment, operator of Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, plans to build and open a 2.1-billion-baht aquarium in Phuket within three years.The firm will enter into a joint venture with Thailand-based conglomerate Minor International Plc, the franchisee of the Ripley museum in Pattaya.The aquarium project will be Ripley’s second property in Thailand and its first aquarium…
- Phuket News
The Sultan floats again!
PATONG: Eleven days after the 38-foot sailboat Sultan beached at the south end of Patong during a storm, salvage efforts at high tide around midday yesterday finally saw her afloat and sailing for safer waters.Sultan made landfall on Patong Beach about 1 am on June 19 after its anchor chain snapped during strong winds and large waves in Patong Bay.Skipper…
- Phuket News
“Farang’ robs Karon bank
KARON: Despite an intensive manhunt, police have yet to apprehend the Caucasian man who held up the Siam Commercial Bank branch on Patak Rd in Karon late yesterday afternoon, getting away with 420,000 baht in cash.At the monthly Phuket Provincial Security Committee meeting held at the ST Hotel in Phuket City this morning, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha…
- Phuket News
Krabi Airline to debut November 1
BANGKOK (The Nation): Soon to be Thailand’s newest carrier, Krabi Airlines is now being set up and plans to begin flight service to international destinations starting on November 1, just in time for the start of the 2007-2008 high season.Civil Aviation Department Director General Chaisak Angkasuwan said the airline, with four investors, including former Thai Airways International employee Kosol Vongsrisart,…
- Phuket News
Five major hotels to be re-branded
PHUKET: Three Phuket hotels will be renamed under the Central Group’s re-branding of its hotel and resort business, while another two will be taken over by the Marriott chain of hotels.Central Karon Village, Central Karon Beach Resort and Central Kata Resort will be renamed Centara Villas, Centara Karon Resort and Centara Kata Resort, respectively.Centara, the Central Group’s new hotel brand,…
- Phuket News
OrBorJor closer to buying Phyathai building
PHUKET CITY: After years of failed negotiations, the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has taken a step forward in buying the abandoned Phyathai Phuket Hospital building and re-opening the facility as a hospital with public organization status.OrBorJor President Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr met with Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit Wednesday afternoon to discuss buying the building for 327 million baht, with 273 million…
- Phuket News
Tsunami evacuation drills in Rassada, Phuket City
PHUKET CITY: The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) will hold two planned tsunami evacuation drills over the next two days. The first will be at Laem Tokkae tomorrow morning and the second at Saphan Hin and parts of Rassada on Saturday morning.DDPM-Phuket Chief Aroon Kerdsom said the tests will be followed on July 25 by a regional testing…
- Phuket News
Phuket art gallery gutted by fire
PHUKET CITY: Firefighters were called to Phang Nga Rd this morning after flames engulfed the 111 Phuket Art Gallery building, destroying up to 50 paintings on sale at prices ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 baht each.A local resident alerted police and fire officers around 11:30 am after seeing smoke rising from the building, located behind the Sinthavee Hotel. Five fire…
- Phuket News
Rotting corpse found in Thalang
THALANG: Police made a grim discovery on Monday morning, when they found the badly decomposed body of an unidentified man lying in a ditch.A local fisherman alerted police of a sickening odor at Tambon Srisoontorn Village 1, where the body was discovered by Pol Lt Col Kritthana Putluecha and his team around 8:30 am.The victim, who suffered a fractured skull…
- Phuket News
Police bust ya bah ring
KATHU: On a night of rain, gunfights and car chases, a Phuket Provincial Police drug suppression unit smashed a major ya bah (methamphetamine) ring on June 19, arresting five people and seizing 1,384 ya bah pills and 115,000 baht in cash as evidence in the case. The operation started with a routine drug bust on June 18 in front of…
- Phuket News
Woman dies in Kata hit-and-run
KATA: Lamphun Kotpanna, 27, from Sakhon Nakhon, died last night after her motorbike was hit by a pickup truck on the steep hill near the Marina Phuket Resort.Sayan Thammapan, of the Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation, told the Gazette, “She was riding her blue Honda Sonic motorbike on the hill in front of Marina Cottage Hotel in Kata, which has a…
- Phuket News
Police bust gang of motorbike thieves
PHUKET CITY: Police have busted a gang of motorbike thieves, including their leader, who have allegedly stolen about 50 motorbikes over the past four months.Col Nos Svettalekha, superintendent of Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette, “The leader of the gang is Krittanai ‘Max’ Buapeng, 36, from Krabi. We have followed him for about nearly four months.” Krittanai was arrested…
- Phuket News
Chinese tourist drowns
PATONG: Strong waves claimed the life Chinese tourist Wing Wong, 40, who drowned at Patong Beach about 1:30 pm yesterday.Sub Lt Naruwat Puthawiro, duty investigator of Kathu Police Station, today told the Gazette, “He and his friends were swimming at Patong Beach. Although I have yet to question his friends, at that time there were strong waves. I suspect that…
- Phuket News
Body found in Klong Bang Yai
RASSADA: The body of a man aged 20 to 30 was found floating in Klong Bang Yai near the Chokthawee fish raft in the port area around noon on Sunday.Capt Krurg-rit Ritnuang of Phuket Police Station told the Gazette, “When I arrived at the scene, the body was still floating in the klong. Fishermen helped drag it to the fish…
- Phuket News
Danish “Queen of Jazz’ to perform in Phuket
PHUKET: In a concert titled “A Touch of Jazz Romance”, the soulful voice of Katrine Madsen will waft over the audience at the Beach Club of the Kata Thani resort this Sunday evening, July 1. She will be backed by the popular Jesper Bodilsen Trio. The Phuket event is a sequel to the star’s concert at Bangkok’s Thailand Cultural Center on Saturday,…
- Phuket News
Toddler killed in botched burglary
RASSADA: A two-year-old girl and her nanny have died after their throats were slit in a botched burglary by two local youths yesterday eveningPhuket Deputy Police Commander Chalit Tinthanee last night announced that the attackers, a 15-year-old student at Phuket Technical College (PTC) and his 17-year-old friend, entered the house of PTC teacher Narisorn Phueng-rang in Baan Kabout about 5 pm.Once inside they were…
- Phuket News
Charoen told to vacate SorPorKor plots
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld an Appeals Court verdict and ordered Phuket businessman Charearn Thavornwongwongse to vacate four plots of SorPorKor land for landless farmers covering roughly 16 rai in Kamala and Kathu Districts.According to the court, K. Charearn could no longer be considered a farmer because he owned various businesses.He is the Managing Director of…
- Phuket News
Cops nab office thief
PHUKET CITY: Provincial bureaucrats will sleep better at night, following the arrest of a man wanted for stealing valuables from government offices on the island.At a press conference yesterday, Phuket City Police Station Superintendent Col Nos Sawetalek presented 30-year-old Prayuth Kruakaew as the thief, along with four laptop computers, three mobile phones and cash in baht, US dollars and Chinese…
- Phuket News
High and dry
PATONG: Six days after it washed up on the south end of Patong Beach, the 38-foot sailboat Sultan remains high and dry after several unsuccessful efforts to dislodge and re-float her.The Sultan washed up on the south end of Patong Beach during a strong storm about 1 am on Tuesday.Skipper Michael Wilson of the UK, who was asleep on the…
