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Phuket location change for free screenings of The Cove documentary
PHUKET: The award-winning documentary The Cove will be screened at two locations this week to raise awareness of how dolphins are caught at the Taiji Cove in Japan and sold for use in dolphinaria around the world. Organizers confirmed today that the film would not be shown twice at Central Festival (story here), but will be shown once at the…
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One injured as Phuket taxi slams into pole at high speed
PHUKET: Police have yet to establish the cause of a high-speed accident that saw a Phuket taxi slam into a power pole near the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang early this morning. Police were called to the scene, near the Tah Reua Shrine, at about 6:50am. “The driver, Somkid Chantakuapa, 42, had already been rushed to Thalang Hospital,” Lt Col Sanit…
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Phuket student leaves traffic cop unconscious after high-speed crash
PHUKET: A 17-year-old attempting to avoid a helmet check put a Phuket City Traffic Police officer in hospital after running him over this morning. Officers found Sen Sgt Maj Chakkapong Korsawat unconscious on Nakhon Road, behind Phuket Wittayalai School, at about 7:35am. The minor, whose name is being withheld, was standing next to him in shock. “There was blood coming…
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MICE Mart makes it to Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket played host as the final stop on a five city tour of the first annual MICE Mart trade show on Friday. Organized by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), the events sought to promote MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) activities in hotspots throughout the Kingdom. The Phuket event saw 50 sellers representing hotels, convention venues, business…
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Police open fire on student’s car, may face attempted murder charges
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Shooting at student’s car ‘can be construed as attempted murder’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The action of three Bang Chan policemen who opened fire at a university student’s car during a drug bust falls within the frame of attempted murder, Sunthorn Payak, the vice…
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Boy, 9, killed and 14 hurt as packed songthaew crashes
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Boy, 9, killed and 14 hurt as packed songthaew crashes The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A Prathom 3 student was killed and 14 others injured when a songthaew, a converted truck used to transport passengers, slammed into a parked 10-wheeler in Nakhon Pathom’s Sam Phran…
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Woods not yet ready to decide if he can play in PGA – agent
PHUKET: Tiger Woods, his back again in pain, has not yet decided if he can play in the PGA Championship starting on Thursday in Kentucky, his agent said on Monday. The former world number one withdrew during Sunday’s final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational because of back pain and returned home to Florida for medical evaluation. “Way too early. He…
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Thais fleeing chaos in Libya to arrive home tomorrow
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thais fleeing chaos in Libya to arrive home tomorrow The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The first group of Thai workers evacuated from Libya will arrive in Thailand tomorrow, Employment Department chief Sumet Mohosot said yesterday. The 18 workers, who were employed by Swiss watch-making company…
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Iraqi PM orders air force to help Kurds fight Islamic State
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Iraqi PM orders air force to help Kurds fight Islamic State Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered his air force for the first time to back Kurdish forces against Islamic State fighters after the Sunni militants made another dramatic push through…
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Killer gynaecologist released for good behaviour after a decade in jail
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Killer gynaecologist released for good behaviour after a decade in jail The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A gynaecologist found guilty of murdering and flushing his wife’s dismembered remains down the toilet in 2001 was released from jail yesterday. Dr Wisut Boonkasemsanti was sentenced to death…
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500 foreign hikers rescued after deadly landslide in Nepal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community More than 500 foreign hikers rescued after deadly landslide in Nepal Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: More than 500 foreign tourists and their guides have been rescued after a deadly landslide in Nepal blocked a major highway, leaving them stranded in a border town over the…
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Patong to be model for Phuket’s new-era beaches
PHUKET: Patong will remain steadfast in keeping its beach clear, as it is to be the model for Phuket beach management, it was revealed after a closed-door meeting today. “Patong Beach will be the first to implement a new system, now that all the west coast beaches are [mostly] clear of encroachers and vendors,” Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut told the…
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Phuket Poll: Overwhelming support for the “clear the beaches’ campaign
PHUKET: The bold campaign to clear Phuket’s beaches of all structures has received overwhelming support from Phuket Gazette readers. The support was voiced in an online poll launched on June 22, which attracted more than 3,300 respondents. Central to the debate over whether or not any structures should remain on the beaches has been the tearing down of parts of…
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Breaking News: Fire breaks out in Phuket hotel room
PHUKET: Firefighters contained flames to a single guest room of the Pearl Hotel in the heart of Phuket Town this afternoon. No injuries were reported. A hotel staffer declined to comment to the Phuket Gazette. The fire is the second to make headlines after a blaze early Saturday morning killed four people (story here). — Woranut Pechdee
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McIlroy wins Bridgestone to claim world number one ranking
PHUKET: Rory McIlroy continued his dominating form when he won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by two strokes on Sunday and regained the world number one ranking, replacing Australia’s Adam Scott. McIlroy made a sizzling start to the final round with three consecutive birdies to quickly erase a three-stroke deficit and surge past Sergio Garcia at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.…
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Police rule out arson in deadly Phuket Town fire
PHUKET: Officers investigating the cause of the deadly Phuket Town fire that killed a family of three and one woman early Saturday morning have ruled out the possibility of arson. Flames engulfed the Chokchai Furniture shop in Phuket Town at about 2am on Saturday (story here). The shopowner, Janhorm Jakkaew, was the only one of five people in the building…
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Navy steps in as hitman death threats issued to Phuket park chief
PHUKET: Navy security personnel have been assigned to protect Sirinath National Park Chief Kitiphat Taraphiban after his office was warned that professional hitmen have been hired to kill him. The 24-hour military bodyguards were called in after Mr Kitiphat’s assistant was told over the phone that “five M16s are ready to get him [Mr Kitiphat] over beach restaurants”. “The caller…
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New dean pledges to start new chapter at Sasin
PHUKET: THE NEW DEAN of the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration, Dipak C Jain, wants to turn the institution into a top business school in Southeast Asia, one that is Asean-focused and driven by some of Thailand’s core strengths. The highly respected educator caught the business school world by surprise when he announced on July 7 that he had…
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Thailand eyes genetics regional database for wild cats
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand the great hope in saving the tiger The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The planning for a genetics regional database for wild cats in Thailand has begun in hopes of rescuing wild breeding tiger populations in the region – but serious law enforcement is still…
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At least 367 dead after quake hits southwest China
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least 367 dead after quake hits southwest China Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southwestern China on Sunday, killing at least 367 people and leaving 1,881 injured in a remote area of Yunnan province, and causing thousands of buildings, including a…
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Censured over shelter deaths, Israel declares seven-hour Gaza truce
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Censured over shelter deaths, Israel declares seven-hour Gaza truce Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Israel said it would unilaterally hold fire in most of the Gaza Strip on Monday to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid and allow some of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians…
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Roadside drug tests in Phuket snag 37 users
PHUKET: Five checkpoints manned by 150 military personnel and local officials in northern Phuket netted 37 drivers that tested positive for drugs yesterday. The checkpoints were set up as part of Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut’s ongoing campaign to combat illegal drugs and weapons in Phuket. “We set up [the checkpoint] at 5pm to crackdown on illegal drugs and weapons,” Thalang…
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Government responsible for Phuket beach vendor compensation, says poll
PHUKET: More than 90% of locals believe that the government is responsible for helping those adversely affected by the island’s beach reboot, according to results released by the Phuket Provincial Statistics Office on Friday. The results are based on a questionnaire cataloging 480 locals’ opinions about the National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO) move to return Phuket’s beaches back…
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Surin Beach business clubbing unnerves Phuket investors
PHUKET: Investors are re-thinking opportunities in Phuket as local government officers push to have legally established and modified multi-million-baht venues turned to rubble along Phuket’s Surin Beach. “One-and-a-half years ago I invested 1mn euros in the beach club; I believe that I did everything correctly,” an investor, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Phuket Gazette. “I talked to local…
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Phuket Poll: How much is a fair fare?
PHUKET: The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is pushing for a new fleet of standard metered taxis to serve tourists and residents on the island. The PLTO has asked the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to approve the move, which also includes increased fares for metered taxis (story here). In addressing the issue, PLTO Chief Terayout Prasertphol has…
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Family found huddled together, dead after Phuket Town blaze
PHUKET: A family of three and one woman were found dead this morning in a smoldering Phuket Town furniture shop after firefighters spent three hours battling the deadly flames. The family was found huddled together and the woman was found near a barred window. A fifth person, the owner of the building, managed to leap to safety from the second…
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Water rescue course to promote Phuket beach safety
PHUKET: The Phuket Lifeguard Club will hold its fourth annual five-day surf lifesaving training course this month. “The surf lifesaving course will be held from August 25 to 29 at Bang Tao Beach. Accommodation and meals will be provided for the entirety of the course, which is sponsored by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization [PPAO],” Phuket Lifeguard Club President Prathaiyut…
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Officials ponder safety solutions for deadly, iconic Phuket cape
PHUKET: Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos is looking at what safety measures can be taken to prevent accidents at Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape after a second man was thought to have slipped from the rocks and disappeared into the sea this week. Though 25-year-old Teerawat Prasomsub was found safe Thursday night after he was reported missing from the view point (story…
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Obama says that after 9/11, ‘we tortured some folks’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Obama says that after 9/11, ‘we tortured some folks’ Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: President Barack Obama said yesterday that the CIA “tortured some folks” after the September 11, 2001, attacks, and that the White House had handed over to Congress a report about an investigation…
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Any Phuket police failure to protect legal taxis will have consequences, says military
PHUKET: The military issued a threat today to any Phuket police officers who fail to protect people wanting to become legal metered taxi drivers. “The military will ensure that police look after the safety of customers and their drivers. If officers are found doing otherwise, they will face firm action,” said Capt Petcharat Teanjun of the Third Naval Area Command…
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