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  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: DSI chief to repeat ‘Men in Black’ testimony; Monarchy loyalists rally; Thailand gets happy

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: DSI chief to repeat ‘Men in Black’ testimony; Monarchy loyalists rally; Thailand gets happy

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community House panel wants to hear from DSI chief again over ‘men in black’ The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A House committee yesterday unanimously resolved to summon Department of Special Investigation chief Tarit Pengdith to repeat his statement to the committee about the operations of the so-called “men…

  • Phuket Russians targeted in Thai New Year crackdown

    Phuket Russians targeted in Thai New Year crackdown

    PHUKET: Kathu District Chief Weera Kerdsirimongkol, who took up his position in Phuket less than a month ago, will target Russians, Nepalese and Vietnamese working illegally in Phuket, starting on April 14, the first day of the Thai new Year, he told a Provincial Hall meeting yesterday.“Initially, we will work with Phuket Employment Office and issue warnings to businesses involving…

  • Gaming bender ends with knife suicide threat | Thaiger

    Gaming bender ends with knife suicide threat

    PHUKET: A man who spent all night playing shooting games in a video game shop in Bangkok got out of paying for his night of entertainment by threatening to stab himself in the neck. Chairat Chairak, 30, told reporters he used to work at a larb (a spicy Northeastern meat salad) shop in the Sathupradit Road area of Bangkok. But…

  • Tourist Police hit in Phuket Town shootout, killing two

    Tourist Police hit in Phuket Town shootout, killing two

    PHUKET: A Phuket Tourist Police officer is in hospital this morning recovering from wounds sustained after a gunfight in a neighbor’s room which left two men dead early this morning. Sen Sgt Maj Pinchai Piyadilok was shot in the leg and in the stomach in the incident, and is recovering from surgery. Police have yet to question him. Officers received…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Deep South peace talks to table Special Admin Zone

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Deep South peace talks to table Special Admin Zone

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community New administration strategy for South set to be discussed The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: All eyes will be on the first official peace talks scheduled for next Thursday between the separatist movement Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and Thai officials, during which a proposal to set up a…

  • Phuket Gazette Sports: Salute, suspicions and sympathy

    Phuket Gazette Sports: Salute, suspicions and sympathy

    Katidis banned for rest of Greek season for Nazi salute Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: AEK Athens have suspended Giorgos Katidis for the rest of the season after the 20-year-old midfielder made a Nazi salute to fans during a game at the weekend.The former captain of his country’s under-19 side had already been banned from all international teams for life by…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Polish mine collapse; Congo up in arms; Pakistani schoolgirl shot by Taliban starts school in UK

    Phuket Gazette World News: Polish mine collapse; Congo up in arms; Pakistani schoolgirl shot by Taliban starts school in UK

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Seventeen workers trapped underground at Polish mine Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Seventeen miners are trapped underground in a Polish copper mine after an earthquake caused a cave-in, a spokesman for mine operator KGHM said this morning.The miners were trapped 600 metres below ground at the Rudna mine,…

  • Fear of attacks on Phuket’s new airport buses delays launch date

    Fear of attacks on Phuket’s new airport buses delays launch date

    PHUKET: The long-awaited and much supported Phuket Airport Bus Express – marking Phuket’s first ‘hop on-hop off’ bus service from the airport to major tourist beaches along the west coast (story here) – will not be launched this month. The news came at a provincial transport committee meeting at the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) this afternoon led by ardent…

  • Phuket to become land probe role model

    Phuket to become land probe role model

    PHUKET: A Deputy Ministry of Interior arrived on Phuket yesterday to launch a land title deed investigation geared to establish Phuket as a role model for land probes.“Many plots of land have been acquired through corrupt officials,” Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Prasopdee told the Phuket Gazette.“This investigation, commencing immediately and lasting 30 days, will establish Phuket as a role model…

  • Phuket Sports: ‘Imagina na Copa!’

    Phuket Sports: ‘Imagina na Copa!’

    PHUKET: It’s the catchphrase of the year in Brazil: “Imagina na Copa!”It basically means “Imagine what it’ll be like during the World Cup,” and it has become a favourite among Brazilians stuck in traffic or in line at their woefully overcrowded airports.The underlying belief is that the chaos will be worse when Brazil hosts the football tournament in June 2014,…

  • Phuket Police deny drug suspect bribe, make “honor arrest’

    Phuket Police deny drug suspect bribe, make “honor arrest’

    PHUKET: A senior Phuket City Police officer arrested a woman for tarnishing the name of the Royal Thai Police after she allegedly claimed to have paid him 400,000 baht in bribe money.The news follows Duangporn Luesub, 36, arriving at Phuket City Police Station yesterday to discuss the issue with Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Prawit Engchuan, the sole case officer…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: China in Top 5 arms dealers; President Li in US talks on cyber war, trade

    Phuket Gazette World News: China in Top 5 arms dealers; President Li in US talks on cyber war, trade

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community New China leader Xi to meet U.S. to discuss cyber row, trade Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will meet new Chinese President Xi Jinping today at a critical time in relations between the world’s two largest economies, with cyber hacking, the Chinese currency…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Thailand among Asia’s highest achievers; Thai TV unplugged; drought, erosion bite hard

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Thailand among Asia’s highest achievers; Thai TV unplugged; drought, erosion bite hard

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand joins ranks of ‘high achievers’ in East Asia The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thailand has made it into the UNDP’s list of “high achievers” in East Asia, along with China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. The rapid human development progress of Thailand and Asia-Pacific nations…

  • Phuket Police bag two as snatch turns snitch

    Phuket Police bag two as snatch turns snitch

    PHUKET: A young Thai woman wanted as a bag-snatcher was placed under arrest by Phuket Police yesterday after she presented herself at Thalang Police Station to seek guidance over being beaten by her boyfriend. Rudeemas “Yaem” Sumeng, 22, reported the whereabouts of her partner to Thalang Police after he allegedly beat her. She walked into the police station apparently unaware…

  • Beach north of Phuket crawling with baby turtles

    Beach north of Phuket crawling with baby turtles

    PHUKET: The beach at Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueang National Park has been full of life over the past month with 339 baby leatherback turtles hatching from five protected nests in the area.“We are still watching two more nests expected to hatch soon. One nest contains 91 eggs and the other contains 84 eggs,” park chief Witoon Detpramuanphol told…

  • Ministry of Justice steps up to help Phuket sea gypsies

    Ministry of Justice steps up to help Phuket sea gypsies

    PHUKET: Thailand’s Ministry of Justice is spearheading a multi-agency effort to provide assistance to sea gyspies in Phuket.Leaders of the small sea gypsy community in Rawai currently face legal action from investors for allegedly encroaching on private land, despite the previously nomadic people having lived there for decades.Many of the indigenous fisherfolk from Rawai have also been arrested, and released…

  • Phuket bus driver found dead, pinned by bus door

    Phuket bus driver found dead, pinned by bus door

    PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a bus driver whose body was found, still standing, pinned by the partially closed door of his own bus this morning.Phuket native Ekkarat Sarapol, 29, from Wichit, arrived and parked his Sawat Travel Company bus alongside other tour buses at the Phuket Boat Lagoon, north of Phuket Town, at 6am.He was last seen…

  • Phuket Events: Professional Beach Volleyball returns with FIVB Open

    Phuket Events: Professional Beach Volleyball returns with FIVB Open

    PHUKET: The Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Beach Volleyball World Tour event, the ‘Thailand Open’ powered by PTT, is set to return to Karon Beach, Phuket, this year. After staging the event in Phuket for six years, the tournament was moved to Bang Saen, near Pattaya, last year but changes to the regulations by the FIVB have allowed the organizers…

  • Sea Warriors hook Blue Marlins

    Sea Warriors hook Blue Marlins

    PHUKET: The Southern Sea Warriors won their first Thailand Yamaha One League (YL1) game of the season, beating Suzuki Si Racha FC 3-1 in front of just over 4,200 fans at Surakul Stadium on Saturday. Last season, Phuket had lost both of its YL1 league matches – home and away – against the Suzuki Si Racha ‘Blue Marlins’. Phuket FC…

  • Phuket Gazette Sports: Winners, losers and rain

    Phuket Gazette Sports: Winners, losers and rain

    Chelsea climb to third as Spurs lose again Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Frank Lampard scored his 200th goal for Chelsea as they beat West Ham United 2-0 to move into third place in the Premier League above Tottenham Hotspur who suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat by Fulham at White Hart Lane yesterday. FA Cup semi-finalists Wigan Athletic remained…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Kenyan president and war crimes; Damascus under siege; 17 jailed for cop bomb plot; Budapest up in arms; Somali rape reporter freed

    Phuket Gazette World News: Kenyan president and war crimes; Damascus under siege; 17 jailed for cop bomb plot; Budapest up in arms; Somali rape reporter freed

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kenyatta lawyers push international court to drop case Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Lawyers for Kenya’s president-elect, Uhuru Kenyatta, will push the International Criminal Court today to drop charges against him after the case against his co-accused collapsed. The case against Kenyatta, on charges of crimes…

  • Phuket Gazette Sports: Red Bulls take front row at F1 season opener

    Phuket Gazette Sports: Red Bulls take front row at F1 season opener

    Vettel on pole for Red Bull in Melbourne Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: World champion Sebastian Vettel will start the Formula One season-opener from pole position on an all-Red Bull front row later today (1pm Phuket time) after posting the fastest time in the rain-delayed qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. The German, chasing a fourth successive world title this…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Swiss tourist gang-raped in India

    Phuket Gazette World News: Swiss tourist gang-raped in India

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Swiss tourist gang-raped while camping in India – police Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Four men raped a 39-year-old Swiss woman camping with her husband in an Indian forest, police said yesterday, turning the spotlight anew on the security of women in the world’s largest democracy.…

  • Tourist Police chief targets Phuket jet-ski rip-offs

    Tourist Police chief targets Phuket jet-ski rip-offs

    PHUKET: A complaint by a senior Chinese consulate official has prompted Tourist Police Commander Roy Ingpairoj to visit Phuket in person to investigate unscrupulous jet-ski operators at Patong Beach.Maj Gen Roy led 22 Tourist Police officers on an inspection of Patong Beach late yesterday afternoon. The visit followed Qin Jian, Vice Consul of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Vatican denies Pope silent during ‘dirty war’ dictatorship

    Phuket Gazette World News: Vatican denies Pope silent during ‘dirty war’ dictatorship

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Vatican denies Pope silent during ‘dirty war’ dictatorship Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Vatican has strongly denied accusations by some critics in Argentina that Pope Francis stayed silent during systematic human rights abuses by the former military dictatorship.Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi on Friday told reporters the…

  • Phuket Town gamblers luck out: 22 arrested

    Phuket Town gamblers luck out: 22 arrested

    PHUKET: A joint police raid on a house in Phuket Town on Thursday night netted 22 gamblers playing the popular “shrimp-fish-giant water bug-flower” [yes] board game. Officers led by Lt Col Prawit Engchuan of Phuket City Police joined teams from the Phuket Provincial Police and Wichit Police in the raid, at the shophouse about 100 meters from Surakul Stadium (map…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Road death toll among highest in the world

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Road death toll among highest in the world

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Road death toll in Thailand among highest in the world The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Up to 26,000 people are killed in road accidents every year in Thailand, which puts the country sixth in the world in terms of road casualties. Of those killed, nearly 80%…

  • Phuket Sports: Wales play England in decider

    Phuket Sports: Wales play England in decider

    PHUKET: Flyhalf Owen Farrell has been passed fit to return to England’s lineup for Saturday’s Six Nations title decider against Wales in Cardiff, and is likely to start despite Toby Flood kicking six out of six penalties in Sunday’s 18-11 victory over Italy. The news was not so good for number eight Ben Morgan, who has lost his fitness battle…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Syria warns Lebanon; Myanmar in democracy drive; UN damns drones; Spain retirees hit

    Phuket Gazette World News: Syria warns Lebanon; Myanmar in democracy drive; UN damns drones; Spain retirees hit

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Syria threatens to strike at rebels in Lebanon Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Syria has warned it may strike at rebels hiding in neighbouring Lebanon if the Lebanese army does not act, as its patience “is not unlimited”, the state news agency SANA said yesterday.Syria’s Foreign Ministry told…

  • Phuket Sports: Truth, tyres and tall tales – F1

    Phuket Sports: Truth, tyres and tall tales – F1

    PHUKET: The 2013 Formula 1 rules are much the same as last year, so slower teams have had a better chance to copy and catch-up in the off-season rather than have faster teams increase their lead with innovations. But the new Pirelli tyres are going to degrade even faster than the 2012 versions. So I expect a very close season.…