News
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Former Turkish president Evren sentenced to life for staging 1980 coup
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Former Turkish president Evren sentenced to life for staging 1980 coup Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: General Kenan Evren, 96, who came to symbolise the “Pasha” officer class that dominated Turkish politics over decades, was sentenced to life in jail on Wednesday for leading a 1980…
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Israel re-arrests former Palestinian prisoners in hunt for teens
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Israel re-arrests former Palestinian prisoners in hunt for teens Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Israel re-arrested 51 Palestinians freed in a 2011 prisoner swap deal, the army said on Wednesday, in the sixth day of a hunt for three missing teenagers believed abducted in the occupied…
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China scolds Vietnam for ‘hyping up’ South China Sea oil rig row
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China scolds Vietnam for ‘hyping up’ South China Sea oil rig row Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: China’s top diplomat scolded Vietnamese officials during talks in Hanoi on Wednesday for “hyping up” a row over a Chinese oil rig drilling in disputed waters in the South…
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Junta to court martial anti-lese majeste law lecturer
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anti-lese majeste law lecturer arrested and faced military court The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The junta has detained and charged Thammasat University law lecturer Worajet Pakeerat for defying a junta order to report. Worajet, who is known for his campaign against the lese majeste law,…
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Brazil delivering great quotes to go with great goals
PHUKET: A World Cup that has delivered fantastic goals in the first round of group games has also produced gems away from the pitch with players and coaches coming up with memorable quotes. Croatia coach Niko Kovac got the tournament off to a fiery start by blasting the Japanese referee after their defeat by Brazil in the opening match. After…
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Phillipp Graf von Hardenberg takes the reins at Thanyapura
PHUKET: It takes one look at Phillipp Graf von Hardenberg’s resume to understand why he was appointed the new President and CEO of Phuket’s Thanyapura. Hailing from Germany, Mr Graf von Hardenberg wears many hats: business coach, entrepreneur, financier, educator, hotelier and if that is not enough – fundraiser and philanthropist. He has turned around the fortunes of the first…
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Pinkeye outbreak leads to cancellation of Phuket FC vs Phang Nga FC warm up match
PHUKET: In a statement posted on the Phuket FC official Facebook page, the club confirmed that tomorrow’s match against Phang Nga FC will not take place. The reason? A pinkeye outbreak. “Due to at least five of Phuket FC players suffering from pinkeye – a condition that can easily spread to other players – the warm up game between Phuket…
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Putin, Poroshenko discuss possible ceasefire in east Ukraine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Putin, Poroshenko discuss possible ceasefire in east Ukraine Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko, discussed a possible ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and the deaths of two Russian journalists there in a late night telephone conversation, the Kremlin…
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Police join forces to hunt B1mn holdup robbers
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police are now involved in the hunt for two men on a motorbike who robbed gas station staffers at gunpoint and made off with nearly 1 million baht on June 11. The person riding pillion on the motorbike pulled out a gun and demanded money from the staffers transporting it from the Shell gas station on Phra…
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Sunken pillar at Chalong Marina poses threat to boats
PHUKET: Officials have posted a line of small red and white flags to mark a large metal pillar that lies submerged near Chalong Pier and is a possible danger to passing boats. The pillar, called a stanchion, had been attached to a pontoon and was part of the Chalong Marina still under construction. “The pillar broke during last weekend’s storm,”…
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Rooney hits back at media following England criticism
PHUKET: Wayne Rooney has criticized sections of the media who questioned his form and speculated that the England forward had been relegated to training with the reserves at their base in Brazil. The Manchester United striker came in for criticism following a muted performance in their opening 2-1 defeat by Italy in Group D on Saturday, with the Daily Mirror…
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Generating a passive income stream
PHUKET: The whole point of retirement planning is to get to a point where you no longer need to actively work to provide you with the things you need or want. This can be accomplished by saving enough money that you can draw it down slowly until you die, but the downside of this approach is that you obviously never…
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People with health issues may be banned from driving
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community People with health issues may be banned from driving The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Medical Council is planning to propose a driving ban for patients whose health condition could turn them into dangerous drivers. In foreign countries, people with heart diseases, severe forms of…
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Junta makes assurances to stop the exodus of migrant workers
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Junta makes assurances to stop the exodus of migrant workers The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: To stem the exodus of much-needed migrant workers, notably Cambodians, the junta and the authorities yesterday quashed rumours of a crackdown, gave another chance to their employers and vowed to…
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U.S. captures suspected leader of 2012 Benghazi attack
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. captures suspected ringleader of 2012 attack in Benghazi Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The United States said on Tuesday it had captured a suspected ringleader of the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, a raid that killed four Americans including the…
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Phuket radio stations remain off-air as “collateral damage’
PHUKET: Popular English-language radio stations in Phuket remained off-air today, 27 days since the military seized power and silenced the airwaves with a ban on all private community radio broadcasts. The ban continues despite the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) announcing on Saturday that Voice TV, which is owned by fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra (story here), may…
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Surin beach clearout “70 per cent complete’ as deadline looms
PHUKET: Surin Beach is a flurry of activity as businesses big and small seek to comply with the June 18 deadline to dismantle illegal structures on the beach. The clear-out is part of an official crackdown on more than 100 businesses operating along the beachfronts at Surin, Bang Tao, Laypang and Layan beaches (story here). Vendors who refuse to comply…
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Interpol discusses Asean counter-terrorism in Phuket
PHUKET: More than 50 high-ranking police officers from eight Southeast Asian nations met in Patong this morning to discuss strategies to counter chemical and explosive terrorist attacks. Lt Gen Panya Mamen, Commander of the Royal Thai Police Region 8 division, welcomed the delegates, which included representatives from the Asean member states of Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Laos…
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Thai parks chief turns to junta to reclaim Phuket national park
PHUKET: Thailand’s national parks chief has appealed to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to take over investigations into encroachment of Sirinath National Park to expedite the return of 360 illegally seized plots of park land. “This process has taken far too long already. We want the NCPO to take over so we can finally return the land…
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Early-bird deadline for Raceweek entries extended (video)
PHUKET: Due to a flurry of late bookings, the organizers of the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek have extended the early-bird discount deadline to allow more crews to take advantage of the reduced price. Raceweek organizers are predicting a large and competitive field this year, with many local, regional and some chartered entries from afar having already registered, booked their…
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Junta: No crackdown on foreign workers
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Junta: No crackdown on foreign workers The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Video of shooting of pickup carrying cambodians may have raised fears THE MILITARY junta yesterday reiterated it has no policy to crack down on migrant workers here despite the exodus of more than 120,000…
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U.S. considers air strikes on Iraq, holds talks with Iran
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. considers air strikes on Iraq, holds talks with Iran Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: President Barack Obama considered options for military action to support Iraq’s besieged government on Monday, and U.S. and Iranian officials held talks to stabilise the region, which has been roiled by…
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Gambling den raided; police announce zero tolerance for World Cup betting
PHUKET: Police are keeping a close eye out for gambling during the World Cup, and yesterday nabbed one suspect and five computers in a raid in Patong. “We were notified by an undercover officer of an illegal online gambling den in a retail shop on Soi Paradise,” Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette. “We…
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Cambodian exodus continues, 37 more illegals arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: Immigration officers at Phuket’s Rassada Pier last night arrested 37 Cambodian workers who claimed to be fleeing Thailand amid fear a coup-related crackdown on illegal immigrants. One of the workers told the Phuket Gazette that the workers were trying to leave Thailand as soon as possible for fear that the Army would crack down on foreigners living in the…
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Phuket Police hunt suspected bike thief, arson
PHUKET: Police are investigating the possible theft and arson of a motorbike that was found engulfed in flames in the middle of a street in Bang Tao early this morning. Local villager Sompong Samerpop, 35, notified Cherng Talay Police of the blazing motorbike on Soi Bang Tao 4 at about 1:30am. Police officers promptly called the Cherng Talay Fire Department,…
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Phuket power down starts tonight
PHUKET: The reduction of power usage throughout Southern Thailand provinces, including Phuket, is urged between 6:30pm and 10:30pm from today until July 10. “We would like everyone to conserve power during peak usage hours,” said Phuket Energy Chief Wiroj Damkong. However, the Phuket Energy Office and Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut have both confirmed that there will be no enforced blackouts…
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Schumacher comes out of coma
PHUKET: Formula One ex-champion Michael Schumacher, who sustained severe head injuries in a ski accident in late 2013, is no longer in a coma and has left the French hospital where he was being treated since the accident, his spokeswoman said on Monday. “Michael has left the CHU Grenoble (hospital) to continue his long phase of rehabilitation. He is not…
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Military Rule in Phuket: I’m thinking Maldives
PHUKET: Ask anyone, and their first impression of the Maldives is the iconic Indian Ocean archipelago with possibly the most beautiful beaches in the world. Everyone has heard of them, and most have wanted to visit them. What most people do not know about this collection of 1,192 islands is that it has developed its reputation as one of the…
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Relative psychology in Phuket: coup, curfew, news
Patrick Mattimore, now retired, was an Adjunct Professor of Legal Reasoning and Case Briefing: Tsinghua/Temple Law School LLM Program in Beijing, teaching psychology to students there. He has also been an online columnist for Gazette partner newspaper the China Daily, covering a variety of topics from why rumors spread panic to selfies among the tuhao. Here, he takes a look…
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Phuket crowds throng to revel in free Naresuan epic
PHUKET: Hundreds of people turned out at major cinemas throughout Phuket yesterday to enjoy a free screening of The Legend of King Naresuan 5. The latest cinematic installment recounting the insurmountable odds overcome by the famed king who laid the foundation for Thailand as a nation was shown free of charge at cinemas throughout the country under the “Return Happiness…
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