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Irish teacher dies after motorbike crash in Phuket
PHUKET: An Irish teacher at Baan Maireab School in Phuket died today from head injuries sustained in a motorbike accident last night. Denis Bates, 30, was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital at about 11pm. The Irishman, originally from Dublin, had been in a coma until he succumbed to his head injury at 12:10pm today. “He died of intracerebral hemorrhaging,” confirmed…
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Gen Prayuth says reconciliation, reform to take about a year – elections to wait
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gen Prayuth says reconciliation, reform to take about a year Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday that a process of reconciliation between political factions and reforms would take about one year, and only after…
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Driving courses to be offered in English, Russian and Burmese for Phuket foreigners
PHUKET: Several educational institutions on the island will soon offer training courses in English, as well as Russian and Burmese, for foreigners wanting to get a driver’s licence. The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with five educational institutions on the island – Rajabhat University, Thalang Technical College, Phuket Technical College, Phuket Polytechnic College and…
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Kick the habit with Vachira Phuket Hospital’s “No Tobacco Day’ event
PHUKET: Vachira Phuket Hospital is holding a “No Tobacco Day” event today to provide advice and strategies for island smokers who want to kick the habit. “The event takes place from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Staff will offer advice to those who want to quit smoking,” Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Jessada Chungpaibulpatana told the Phuket Gazette. “Staff from our International Department…
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Short-circuited incubator burns Phuket baby
PHUKET: A newborn Phuket baby suffered burn wounds after a fire started in its incubator, an accident dubbed “unpreventable” by the hospital director. The baby was two days old when a short-circuit in the incubator’s light bulb set fire to the newborn’s swaddling blanket, explained Thana Bookahoot, director of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Hospital. “Nurses immediately saved the…
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Pirate-goods sellers protest being “exploited’ through alleged government extortion
PHUKET: A barrage of complaints were voiced by pirate-goods sellers during a protest against allegedly being forced to pay “too much” extortion money to a variety of government officers based in Bangkok. “They come for money every day, but it’s always a different officer,” said one of the protesters, who declined to be named. “They ask for 3,000 baht or…
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NCPO to keep Phuket radio stations off air, concerned about rogue DJs
PHUKET: Despite not being under investigation by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), radio stations in Phuket have been ordered to remain off air due to concerns that rogue DJs could cause disharmony, the Phuket Gazette was told. “The private radio stations are to remain off air because we don’t want to chance someone talking on air about…
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Phuket developer concedes B600mn school land grab was a “misunderstanding’
PHUKET: The Phuket developer who earlier this week staked a claim to a huge tract of land belonging to Kathu Wittaya School yesterday admitted that he had “made a mistake”. Named publicly only as “Ko Kim”, the landowner said he would have the Land Office move the boundary markers for his land – which is next to the school –…
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Phuket FC take on the Navy TC
PHUKET: Seventh place Phuket FC take on fifth place Navy FC at Sattahip Navy Stadium in Chonburi tomorrow evening at 6pm their next Yamaha League One fixture.
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Phuket rental operator takes stand against undesirable tourists
Arnut Lowlarng, 39, is a native of Patong and the new President of the Patong Bike and Car Rent Association. He has a vocational certificate in construction from Phuket Technical College and has been renting vehicles in Patong for more than 22 years. Here, he talks about what kind of tourists he’d like to see in Phuket and the issues…
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Phuket’s low season saviors: Russians, Chinese and Middle Easterners
PHUKET: The sacred oxen have spoken – the rainy season is upon us – and it will be a year of abundant water and food. The year will also be abundant in Russians, Chinese and Middle Easterners – the financial saviors of Phuket’s low season. Down here on the island, far from the rice-reliant agriculture industry, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony…
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Boycott forces Patong mayor to abandon inaugural council meeting
PHUKET: A boycott by members of Pian Keesin’s Rak Patong Party this morning forced Chalermluck Kebsab to abandon her first council meeting as Patong Mayor. Mayor Chalermluck, a long-standing Phuket Democrat, defeated Mr Pian at the polls by 4,390 votes to 3,330 on April 26 (story here). However, her supporting councilors today failed to form a quorum – the minimum…
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Nadal masters young apprentice, Murray hits form
PHUKET: Rafa Nadal provided a claycourt lesson for one of the game’s young apprentices at the French Open when he crushed rising Austrian Dominic Thiem with a masterly display to reach the third round on Thursday. The eight-times champion showed flashes of his intimidating best in a 6-2 6-2 6-3 win that was tougher than the scoreline suggested, but was…
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Economic outlook positive despite coup
PHUKET: Business and economic leaders have expressed confidence in the economy despite the uncertainty surrounding the direction the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will take in the coming weeks and months. The heads of several leading property development companies, including Italian-Thai Development Plc, Sansiri Plc and Land and House Plc, all of which have large projects underway or…
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Lost French tourist rescued from Phuket jungle
PHUKET: A hastily formed search instigated by an expat Phuket Tourist Police Volunteer led to the safe recovery of 25-year-old French tourist Erik Pourier, who became lost in the jungle at the Khao Phra Thaew wildlife sanctuary in Thalang in the dark. On his first trip to Phuket, Mr Pourier had rented a motorbike to explore the island, and decided…
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Junta seeks to block social-media access to ‘inappropriate content’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Junta seeks to block social-media access to ‘inappropriate content’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The junta’s online content monitoring panel will seek cooperation from social-network operators to block accessibility in Thailand to Facebook pages, Line groups and YouTube videos that have inappropriate content, especially those…
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Light-rail proposed to trundle through Phuket Town
PHUKET: Plans proposing that Phuket’s long-awaited light-rail system travel through the heart of Phuket Town will be revealed at a public hearing next Tuesday. The news follows a meeting of high-ranking officials, including Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut, yesterday. Sirigate Apirat of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning told the Phuket Gazette today that the proposed route for…
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Phuket stab victim dies en route to hospital
PHUKET: A Phuket woman who was stabbed in her garden this afternoon died as her neighbors rushed her to Thalang Hospital. Nongluk Thavorn, 42, was found screaming for help with a knife still lodged in her head. “I climbed over the wall into her garden. I saw her on the ground bleeding with the knife stuck in her head, behind…
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Phuket airwaves remain silent
PHUKET: Community radio stations throughout the island remain silent today, four days after orders were handed down from the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO] on May 25. “It is best to contact the navy about the current situation concerning radio broadcasting,” said Sopon Keimkarn, a Public Relations Department (PRD) staffer in Phuket. The navy today confirmed that there…
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Krabi authorities scramble to have unexploded Japanese torpedo removed from beach
PHUKET: Krabi authorities are scrambling to have an explosive torpedo removed from the beach after they were notified by concerned villagers of the washed up wartime weapon on Tuesday. “Koh Jum fisherman left on Tuesday to fish near Koh Sriboya. While they were fishing, they spotted a large metal item about four meters long and 50 centimeters wide floating in…
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Video Report: Winners return to defend their titles at Phuket Raceweek
PHUKET: The entry list is growing with a strong line-up of local and international boats already signed-up for 2014, including a number of past winners who are back to defend (or reclaim) titles. Last year’s Firefly 850 class winner, Twin Sharks, and past winner Moto Inzi are both back to reignite rivalries. Regular Raceweek competitor Stuart Williamson, who placed second…
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MMA enters Phuket
PHUKET: More than 500 people are expected to show up at Phuket’s first MMA gala, and they are in for a treat. “Thai culture understands combat sports. And the Kingdom is on the cusp of accepting MMA with open arms. We’re just trying to give a little push,” explains Ree Webster, the event’s co-organizer,when asked about the motivations behind his…
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Army considers lifting curfew in Phuket
PHUKET: The military is considering lifting the curfew in Phuket and other tourist destinations such as and Pattaya, provided there are no signs of unrest in those areas. The consideration follows National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha being informed of how the nationwide curfew was badly hurting tourism-dependent businesses, NCPO deputy spokesman Col Nattawat Chancharoen…
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Malaysian breath-hold record set for static apnea
PHUKET: Contestants and spectators held their breath for some time during the WeFreedive Suunto Series static apnea event when a new Malaysian record was set on May 25. “This month’s static freediving competition had the feel of a young green season: small and relaxed,” explained Association Internationale pour le Développement de l’Apnée (AIDA) judge Richard Wonka. Despite the small turnout…
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Marina canal dredging resumes despite environmental concerns
PHUKET: The dredging project to improve access to Koh Kaew marinas, which was halted earlier this month due to environmental concerns, has started again. The decision to continue with the dredging of the Koh Kaew Canal (story here) was reached yesterday after lengthy discussions among the Phuket Governor, the Phuket Marine Office chief, the local subdistrict chief and Jitti Intaracharoen…
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Thai junta debunks outrage over Facebook outage
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘No policy to block FB’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said yesterday that it had no policy to block social media, after there was brief chaos as Facebook faced technical failure at its Internet gateway. Facebook was…
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10 injured in South hospital bombing
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 10 injured in South hospital bombing The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Ten people, including three defence volunteers, were injured yesterday in a motorcycle bomb attack at Pattani’s Khok Pho Hospital, while a subsequent fire damaged dozens of motorcycle parked nearby. The hospital’s director said this…
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Egypt’s Sisi sweeps to victory in presidential vote
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Egypt’s Sisi sweeps to victory in presidential vote The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the general who toppled Egypt’s first freely elected leader, swept to victory in a presidential election, provisional results showed on Thursday, joining a long line of leaders drawn from…
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Video Report: Goats go for gold
PHUKET: Crowds of fair-goers hastily gathered last Saturday around the racing lanes at the National Goat Fair in Cherng Talay as anxious farmers corralled their hairy contestants toward the starting line. The ominous, stubborn rain clouds had parted just in time for the long-awaited goat races to begin. Even the sweltering heat could not stifle the excitement among children and…
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Facebook in Phuket not blocked by Army
PHUKET: Facebook crashing worldwide caused a flurry of tweets in Phuket and Thailand over concern that the popular social media site had been blocked by the junta. Downrightnow.com reported “likely service disruption” across the globe at about 4pm, not isolated incidents in Thailand, as many were worried about. Commanding General of the 41st Military Circle Peerapol Wiriyakul told the Phuket…
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