Legacy Phuket Gazette
- Thailand News
Chicken fallout
UDON THANI: As 58-year-old village headman Boonchu Srisingha was leaving his home in tambon Chiang Yuen on the morning of 27 January, he noticed a white plastic bag hanging from the fence surrounding his home. Intrigued, he looked closer and spotted a note attached to it that read, “Please give the contents of this bag to Mongkol Singhamaw, aged 28,…
- Thailand News
Cursed by spirits
BANGKOK: A man from Buri Ram province who went on a three-day drinking binge returned to his job in the capital with a terrible pain in his abdomen – which he apparently tried to cure by operating on himself. The man, identified as a 32-year-old Sanan Jodrum, having three days vacation, did what most low-paid laborers in Bangkok do: he…
- Thailand News
Instant death
KHON KAEN: There are plenty of coffee lovers in Thailand, but one itinerant sugarcane cutter from Khon Kaen took caffeine craving to new heights. Banjong Singhakul, 45, found that he could bypass the annoying process of mixing the stuff with hot water by simply munching down mouthfuls of instant coffee granules. Unfortunately, too much of anything is never a good…
- Thailand News
The horror of the morning after
PATHUM THANI: Some people may be familiar with the surprise of waking up on the morning of New Year’s Day to find an unexpected creature lying beside them in bed. Few, however, take the trouble to report such incidents to the police. Fewer still are the cases where police haul the offending bedmate off to jail. Pol Lt Col Sarawut…
- Phuket News
Chicken back on the menu
PHUKET: Phuket is starting to recover its appetite for chicken but the importation of live birds to the island is still banned, Sunart Wongchawalit, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Livestock Office, said today. Only four companies out of 140 that had been checked were currently being allowed to bring processed chickens onto the island. Since the avian ‘flu outbreak hit…
- Phuket News
Computer causes cupid consternation
PHUKET:A total of 138 couples chose to marry on the island on Valentine’s Day – though a computer glitch meant that some of them had a lot of time to think about whether they really wanted to go through with it. The introduction of new computers at the Kathu District Office led to problems that meant couples had to prove…
- Phuket News
Phuket wins road safety award
PHUKET: Phuket has received an award for being the third most successful province in Thailand in terms of reducing road accident figures over the New Year holiday period, the Governor’s office disclosed today. Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng, who is also Director of the National Road Safety Center, made a presentation to Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura, Provincial Police Commander Maj…
- Phuket News
New TAT boss outlines strategy
PHUKET TOWN: The uniqueness of Phuket’s culture and events such as the Vegetarian Festival will prove to be new attractions for tourists, according to the new Director of the local office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Suwalai Pinpradab. “We will campaign for residents and tourists alike to wear white clothes during the festival to make it unique and…
- Phuket News
OrBorJor poll: the weirdness grows
PHUKET TOWN: The final day of registration for the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) elections today had more twists and turns than an Olympic slalom course. Sudden career changes and dark allegations of death threats were the order of the day as Samroeng Chaisorn, anointed as the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party’s candidate just over three weeks ago, announced he…
- Phuket News
Prizes for Valentine’s Day newlyweds
PHUKET: Couples who marry in Phuket tomorrow will have the chance to win romantic meals for two at the Thainaan restaurant or even romantic nights at hotels on the island. The prizewinners will be determined by lucky draws at each of Phuket’s three District Offices – at Phuket Town, Kathu and Thalang – where officers are preparing for the annual…
- Phuket News
Chalong resumes “waters’ fee
CHALONG: After a hiatus of a year, the Chalong Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) recently resumed collecting fees from yacht skippers at the One-Stop Service office, sparking concern among yachties that the notorious Phuket Waters Fee had been reintroduced. But the Chief Administrator of Orbortor Chalong, Paritta Thitkonglad, explained today that the fee, collection of which resumed at the beginning of…
- Phuket News
Students try electronic voting
PHUKET TOWN: Electronic voting made its debut in Phuket yesterday with a machine being used to register votes in student elections at the Rajabhat University Phuket. After manually registering their attendance, students entered polling booths and pressed buttons on keypads to cast their votes: 1 for Theerayuth Yodkaew, 2 for Chaiwat Tongkerd, or 3 for “neither candidate”. Prapa Kayee, President…
- Phuket News
Mail thief caught – but only on video
PATONG: A manager at the Patong Post Office was caught recently stealing items from mail after five hidden cameras were installed in the building. However, after being carpeted by his boss, the manager was allowed to walk out of the Post Office and has not been seen since. Police are looking for him, but admit they have no idea where…
- Phuket News
Roads claimed 195 lives in 2003
PHUKET: A total of 195 people died on Phuket’s roads in 2003, official figures have revealed – the vast majority of them in crashes involving motorcycles. The figure was up 7.7% compared with the 181 deaths in 2002. The Phuket Provincial Health Office reported that another 12,435 people were injured or maimed in 2003 on the island’s roads, with the…
- Phuket News
Anchalee draws No. 1 ballot spot
PHUKET TOWN: Two of the three declared candidates for the key post of President in next month’s Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) elections registered today, along with many candidates for OrBorJor seats. Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr, who resigned recently as a party-list (non-elected) Democrat MP, won a lucky draw for the No. 1 spot on the ballot, provided her paperwork proves to…
- Phuket News
Newcomers in upset victory in Patong poll
PATONG: The Patong Progress Party (PPP) led by Songserm Kepsap won the Patong Municipal election yesterday, beating the Rak Patong Party (RPT) of Pian Keesin by 322 votes. A total of 9,213 people were eligible to vote but in the event only 6,239, or 68% , turned out. K. Songserm polled 2,949 votes against K. Pian’s 2,627, with 519 spoiled…
- Phuket News
2 am fun zones for adults?
BANGKOK (The Nation): Entertainment venues in designated areas across the country will be allowed to stay open an hour or two longer than those outside the zones if the Cabinet endorses a decision arrived at yesterday by a high-level government committee. Deputy Prime Minister Purachai Piumsombun’s committee in charge of combating vice at entertainment venues agreed yesterday to set different…
- Phuket News
Big turnout for Anchalee’s launch
PHUKET TOWN: Over 1,000 people last night flocked to a rally organized by the Democrat party to launch Phuket MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr as its candidate for the March 14 election to choose a new President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor). Also on the podium at the outdoor Chatuchak market on Phang-nga Rd were the glamorous and popular Abisit…
- Phuket News
OrBorJor election set for March 14
PHUKET TOWN: March 14 has been set as the date of Phuket’s much-anticipated Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) elections. The announcement came this morning from the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) just one day after the expiry of the previous OrBorJor administration, which was led by president Dr Prasit Koeysiripong. The poll has drawn national attention since Democrat Party party-list MP Anchalee…
- Phuket News
Chicken feed
PATONG: An estimated seven tons of chicken and 40,000 eggs will be used in a free food festival in Patong on Saturday, February 7, to reassure consumers that chicken remains safe to eat despite the ongoing outbreak of avian ‘flu. The government-inspired initiative – all provinces have been ordered to hold similar events – aims to attract more than 10,000…
- Phuket News
Anchalee quits as MP in bid for OrBorJor seat
BANGKOK (The Nation, Phuket Gazette): The Democrat Party yesterday agreed to have party-list (unelected) MP Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr resign from Parliament so she can contest the Provincial Administrative Organisation (OrBorJor) election in Phuket. Democrat spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon said Anchalee will run with the aim of becoming OrBorJor president, a post soon to be vacated by Dr Prasit Koeysiripong, who recently…
- Phuket News
Bridge to connect Koh Yao islands
PHANG NGA: Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi islands are to be connected by a suspension bridge and a luxury hotel will be developed on one of the islands, District Chief Songpol Konkaew told the Gazette yesterday. An 8-million baht budget has already been issued by the central government to study the bridge project’s technical and financial requirements, he…
- Phuket News
AirAsia lands in Phuket
PHUKET: The first no-frills AirAsia flight from Bangkok to Phuket landed at around midday today with all 148 seats filled. Thirty passengers aboard the Boeing 737-300 paid just 99 baht apiece for the one-way flight.The remainder forked out 1,900 each. AirAsia put 20,000 of the 99-baht tickets up for sale in mid-January for routes between the capital and Phuket, Chiang…
- Phuket News
Officials to organize big chicken feed
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Provincial Livestock Office (PPLO) Chief Sunart Wongchawalit has declared poultry products grown in Phuket as safe for consumption. So confident is he that his office is organizing a special event to encourage islanders back into their chicken-eating ways. “We have collected 230 samples of fecal matter from all parts of the island and sent them to a…
- Phuket News
Jewelry thieves net B1m from Kamala home
KAMALA: Jewelry and cash worth about 1 million baht were stolen from a Kamala house on the night of January 26 while the French owners – a couple in their 60s – were in Patong. The couple, named by police as Mr and Mrs Gerard Bonnaval, left their home to go to their business in Patong at 7:30 pm and…
- Phuket News
TRT shock as Prasit says, “I won’t run’
PHUKET TOWN: The outgoing President of the Provincial Administration Organization, (OrBorJor), Dr Prasit Koeysiripong, dropped a bombshell at his farewell media appearance last night when he said he would not be standing as a Thai Rak Thai (TRT) candidate in next year’s parliamentary elections. It had been widely anticipated that Dr Prasit would lead the TRT campaign in 2005 when…
- Phuket News
Dead birds “victims of vigilante action’
PHUKET: Fears surrounding the spread of avian ‘flu have led members of the public to take matters into their own hands and poison wild birds, it was claimed today. An autopsy conducted on a dead bird found in Phuket Town showed that it died from ingesting insecticide mixed with rice. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Livestock Office (PPLO) have examined…
- Phuket News
Bird ‘flu found in Phang Nga
PHANG NGA: One person has been hospitalized with suspected avian ‘flu in Phang Nga and tens of thousands of chickens and ducks are set to be slaughtered in the coming few days after an outbreak was confirmed on a farm in Takuapa District yesterday afternoon. Speaking to the Gazette today, Pairat Dejsiri, Assistant Chief of Phang Nga Provincial Livestock Office…
- Phuket News
Chicken ban aimed at easing ‘flu fears
PHUKET: Although there has been no effect on tourist numbers and health authorities remain unconcerned, an outbreak of bird ‘flu in 25 other provinces of Thailand has led Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura to ban the import of live chickens to the island as a precaution. Properly processed birds may still be brought in and Phuket itself has the capacity to…
- Phuket News
Honeymooning tourist drowns
CHALONG: An Indian who was on his honeymoon in Phuket drowned yesterday while on an outing to Coral Island. Police named him as Sharma Dusmyant, aged 30. Pol Maj Anek Mongkol, of Chalong Police Station, told the Gazette that Mr Dusmyant was with a tour group. Details of the circumstances surrounding his death remain sketchy. Police were advised of the…
