News
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Korat Boy, 14, dies after crashing into parked truck in Phuket
PHUKET: A 14-year-old boy from Nakhon Ratchasima died after crashing his motorbike into a large truck parked by the side of the road in Phuket yesterday afternoon. Chalong Police at 2:15pm received a report of a crash near the Land & Houses residential estate on Chao Fa West Road in Chalong. Arriving at the scene with Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation…
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‘Stars’ to shine in Phuket Life Music Festival tonight
PHUKET: Jaruwat “Dome” Cheawaram, better known as “Dome The Star”, will headline at the Phuket Life Music Festival 2012 in Phuket Town tonight. The concert will be held at Anuphas Field on Phang Nga Road, site of the old Phuket Weekend Market, from 7 to 10:30pm. Other live acts to appear on the night include “Hun and Can”, two contestants…
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Phuket Sports: Patong captain gets a duck as rest of team flies
PHUKET: The second week of Phuket’s Outrigger T20 League saw Patong CC take on ICC at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) last Sunday. ICC won the toss and decided to send Patong into bat in a move that seemed to be working early on, as ICC dismissed opener Richard (Foldsy) Folds for a duck. Richard Desmond (27) and Rishi Sadarangani…
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World News: Kofi Annan quits due to the Syrian Govt’s intransigence
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kofi Annan to quit as UN-Arab League special envoy for Syria Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Kofi Annan informed the United Nations (UN) and the Arab League on Thursday that he will resign as their special envoy for the Syrian crisis at the end of…
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Phuket Violence: Another tourist severely beaten by taxi drivers
PHUKET: An Australian tourist filed a police complaint yesterday alleging that he was severely beaten after confronting a taxi driver about a sexual comment made to his girlfriend. Accompanied by the girl and an Australian consul, Peter Hulands filed the complaint with Patong Police shortly being released from hospital. He suffered a broken nose and a shattered eye socket in…
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Charity rally to support Phuket Stray Dog Shelter
PHUKET: The sixth “Rally Dogkar” charity fundraiser will take place in Phuket this weekend, giving dog lovers and their pampered pets a chance to raise money for about 500 less-fortunate animals cooped up at the provincial dog pound in Thalang. The event, which runs from 8:30am to 3pm on Sunday, will start with registration at “Cafe de Lad” at the…
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Phuket Prison gates swing open for mothers’ hugs
PHUKET: The gates of Phuket Provincial Prison will be open on August 15 and 16 to enable mothers to hug their children inside the facility in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday on August 12. During those two days, mothers will be allowed to visit their inmate children, and inmates’ children will be allowed to visit their convicted mothers,…
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Phuket mum not saddened by son’s Olympic exit
PHUKET: The mother of Phuket badminton star Maneepong Jongjit had words of encouragement for her son after his quarterfinal-round exit from the Men’s Doubles competition at the London Olympics 2012 yesterday. Pranee Jongjit was among more than 1,000 people who gathered at a hall in Saphan Hin at 3pm yesterday to watch Maneepong and his partner Bodin Isara of Bangkok…
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Phuket Gazette: Euro area jobless rate unchanged
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Euro area jobless rate unchanged at 11.2 percent in June Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: The euro area (EA17) unemployment rate remained at 11.2 per cent in June, unchanged when compared to the month of May, the European Union (EU) said yesterday.According to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical…
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Olympics Update: Phuket’s Jongjit out; Chatuphum’s agony; Chatchai fights today
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community High-flying Thai shuttlers shot down in QF Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Bodin Isara and Maneepong Jongjit’s dazzling Olympic odyssey came to a disappointing end yesterday when the Thai duo lost to Malaysia’s Kien Keat Koo and Boon Heong Tan in the quarter-finals. The Games…
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Justice Minister eyes new billion-baht Phuket Prison
PHUKET: Justice Minister Pracha Promnok today reviewed plans to close the 115-year-old and heavily overcrowded Phuket Provincial Prison in Phuket Town and establish a 3,000-person capacity prison in Thalang. Pol Gen Pracha announced details of the new prison, which is set to be established on 108 rai of government land near the Bang Jo detention center in Srisoonthorn, Thalang. However,…
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D-Day looms for illegal Phuket taxis, jet-skis
PHUKET: The Phuket Governor will sign an order giving illegal taxi operators 15 days to register their vehicles, officials were told yesterday.The news came at a meeting headed by Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, who said the order will be signed into effect ahead of a report being submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung.The deadline for filing the report,…
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Flood of candidates register for OrBorJor election
PHUKET: Scores of people arrived at Phuket Community Hall on Tuesday as candidate registration for the August 26 Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) council election opened. A total of 24 council seats are up for grabs, with 15 for Muang district, six for Thalang district and three for Kathu. OrBorJor Chief Administrative Officer Manop Leelasuthanon told the Phuket Gazette that…
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Foreigners urged to give blood at Phuket Immigration
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) will host a special blood donation drive at Phuket Immigration Headquarters on August 9 to honor the 80th birthday of HM The Queen three days later. PRBC Director Pornthip Rattajak told the Gazette her agency hopes the drive will help the center stock up its supply of rare Rhesus negative (Rh-) blood types…
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Phuket Sports: Badminton scandal rocks London Olympics
PHUKET: The badminton scandal that has rocked the London Olympics not only reflects badly on the players involved, but also on the sport as a whole. Speaking to iSportconnect, before the eight players were disqualified from the women’s doubles, President of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Dr Kang Young-Joong was confident the sport would be successful at the Olympics, and…
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Thailand News: Parliament opens; More advice for parents; Thai boxers in last 16
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Parliament prioritizes 10 bills before putting up reconciliation draft Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: The House will keep the Reconciliation Bill on its agenda but it will only be considered after 10 other bills have been debated upon, it was resolved at the first parliamentary session yesterday.…
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Two-day booze ban in effect in Phuket from tomorrow
PHUKET: Retail sales of alcohol will banned in Phuket tomorrow and Friday, when Buddhists will celebrate Asarnha Bucha Day and Khao Pansa Day, the start of Buddhist Lent. Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayut Karajedee confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today that alcohol sales will be banned on both days under the Prohibition of Alcoholic Beverage Sales Act of 2009. “Thursday…
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World News: Heads rolling at Deutsche Bank; 1,900 to be laid off
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Deutsche Bank to cut 1,900 jobs after profits drop 46 percent Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: Deutsche Bank said yesterday that it plans to cut 1,900 jobs, most of them at its investment bank, as part of an effort to save approximately 3 billion euros ($3.69 billion).…
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More problems for the London Olympics
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Swiss Olympian kicked off team after racist tweet Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A Swiss football star was kicked off the men’s Olympic team Monday after sending out a tweet deemed to be racist, sports officials said. It comes just days after a Greek triple jumper was…
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Phuket’s first “Safety Zone’ set up in Patong
PHUKET: In the wake of several high-profile violent crimes that have rocked Phuket over the past few months, Phuket Police are moving ahead with their plan to set up “safety zones” in key tourist areas, starting with Patong. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul delivered the news to more than 800 people from different walks of life in Patong, all…
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Thailand News: More bomb blasts; Opposition to file motion on South; Yingluck in censure debate
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two major blasts hit Pattani Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: A car-bomb exploded behind the CS Pattani Hotel late last night and was followed by a blast at a power station which plunged several areas into darkness for several hours.The blast at the hotel damaged a wall…
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TAT Phuket Director steps up to Bangkok
PHUKET: Bangonrat Shinaprayoon, Director of the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), bade her final farewell to Governor Tri Augkaradacha at Phuket Provincial Hall this morning before her move to Bangkok.Ms Bangonrat leaves the island on August 1 to take up her new position in Bangkok as Director of Attractions Promotion Division.“My new department is responsible for…
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Phuket expat Dokset murder trial: all charges denied
PHUKET: In a day for denying criminal charges at Phuket Provincial Court, Norwegian national and long-term Phuket expat Stein Havard Dokset yesterday denied all charges against him for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Rungnapa Suktong. Dokset was arrested in a police raid on his luxury villa in Kata on February 28. Officers searching the house found the remains of a…
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Krabi killers escape after ‘M16 ambush’
PHUKET: Krabi Police suspect revenge was the motive for a shooting in Khlong Kanan subdistrict on Saturday, when gunmen opened fire on a moving pickup truck in a well-planned ambush. One person was killed and five others were injured in the attack. The murder victim, driving an Isuzu D-Max, was identified by police as Paruhas Kongbannuek, village headman of Baan…
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Intellectual Property: Dildos, porn and sex pills seized in massive haul
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: Members of Thailand’s largest ring of traders in aphrodisiacs and sex toys were apprehended in Bangkok with goods worth more than 100 million baht, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief said yesterday. DSI Director-General Tharit Pengdit and Pol Lt-Col Chinnachot Daengsurisri, commander of the Intellectual…
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Michelle Smith “killers’ reject confession
PHUKET: The two men charged with the death of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith, who died from a stab wound inflicted in a bag-snatch in June, yesterday denied all charges against them. Surasak Suwannachote, 26, and Surin Tadthong, 37, were presented at Phuket Provincial Court to enter pleas to the charges, which collectively accuse the men of murder and gang…
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Murder suspect arrested in Phuket flown to Bangkok
PHUKET: A murder suspect arrested in Phuket yesterday was flown to Bangkok* last night, flying out of Phuket at 9pm. Chalong Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri told the Phuket Gazette that 57-year-old Marc De Schutter was arrested at a home on Soi Samakee 2 in Rawai, where he was living with his Thai girlfriend. Phuket Immigration Police and Chalong Police both…
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Phuket Live Wire: How Windows 8 will roll out
PHUKET: Even if you have no intention of getting Windows 8, there are currently forces at work in the computer industry that will have an enormous impact on what kinds of computers are available in the near future, and how much they will cost. If you’re thinking about buying a new computer, you need to understand what’s about to happen.…
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Phuket Gazette: Four sentenced to death in Iran’s biggest bank fraud case
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Four sentenced to death in Iran’s biggest ever bank fraud case Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A court in Iran has sentenced four people to be executed for their role in what has been described as the country’s largest ever bank fraud case, judicial officials said yestersday.…
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Election alcohol bans to cost Patong venues B5mn a night
PHUKET: The mandatory ban on the sale of alcohol for upcoming elections at the end of this month will cost Patong’s nightlife industry at least 5 million baht a night, the Phuket Gazette has been told. The sale of alcohol will be banned across Phuket on August 26 and again in Patong on September 2 as voters go to the…
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