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Shoppers mob Central Festival mall
PHUKET CITY: Around 10,000 people are estimated to have passed through the doors of the new Central Festival Phuket (CFP) shopping centre within the first few hours of them opening.As she took members of the press around the complex yesterday, Wanna Thamromdee, General Manager Corporate Communication for Central Retail Corporation Ltd, told the Gazette, “There must be about 10,000 people…
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Gambling tops arrests again
PHUKET: Gambling has once again topped the crime statistics in Phuket, with 139 arrests recorded between August 1 and 15.The latest police figures show that other common crimes included possession or use of illegal narcotics – with 62 arrests and 200 ya bah (methamphetamine) tablets seized – and illegal immigration, with 21 people arrested.Thirty people were arrested on prostitution-related charges while…
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Road accidents kill 13 in one month
PHUKET: Between June 20 and July 20, 13 people died in accidents on Phuket’s roads, according to the latest statistics from the Wachira, Thalang and Patong government hospitals.Of the 13 dead, 12 had been riding motorcycles, while one was in a car, Ampaipan Pawawattananusorn of the Phuket Provincial Health Office reported.In the same period, 963 people were hurt in crashes…
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Fourth drowning in five days
SURIN BEACH: A retired Frenchman planning to make his home on Phuket drowned at Surin Beach yesterday, just hours before the body of a Singaporean tourist who disappeared while swimming off Karon on Monday was found.The two incidents bring to four the number of people drowned in the waters around Phuket in just five days.Frenchman Patrick Michel Peters, 56, drowned…
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One drowns, one disappears at Karon
KARON: A Singaporean tourist drowned off Karon Beach yesterday afternoon, while another is missing after disappearing under large waves. A third, in the same incident, was rescued from a similar fate.The three Singaporeans were all from a party of six who arrived in Phuket on Friday.A Tourist Rescue Center (TRC) worker stationed at Kata, who declined to be named, told…
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The love that lasts
SUPHAN BURI: Love is sweeter the second time round for Suphan Buri newlyweds Sunthon Thanabutr, 74, and Sumrith Aom-aerm, 75. The love-struck third-agers, both of whom have been married and widowed, knew each other more than half a century before their chance meeting at an “Elders’ Day” event held at Wat Pho Takuan earlier this year. K. Sumrith said that,…
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Port information hotline launched
CHALONG: The Phuket Port Control Center (PPCC) at Chalong Pier has launched Thailand’s first 24-hour bilingual automated port information service as part of its Phuket ePort project.By calling the Bangkok number Tel: 02-3659696, people can access information in Thai and English on port control procedures, contact details of government offices, and general information about Phuket.Dr Rattana Wetprasit, Acting Manager of…
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Pian back in Patong hot seat
PATONG: It’s official: more than two months since his apparent election as Mayor in the June 21 town council elections, Pian Keesin can finally take office after his victory was confirmed by the Central Election Commission.K. Pian, a former mayor of the town who lost office in a council coup in October 2001, will now face a daunting challenge in straightening…
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Policeman’s killer caught
TRANG: Police have arrested Sompong “Jorm” Prayongyam, one of the two men alleged to have been invloved in a vicious attack on Kathu police officer Pol Sgt Pramual Thongaugsorn that led to his death.Sgt Pramual, who was being treated at the Bangkok Phuket Hospital for severe head injuries, later died when his parents requested that he be removed from life…
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Pongtorn murder investigation shelved
PHUKET: The investigation into the assassination of land official Pongtorn Hiranyaburana, who was shot dead on the way to his home in Surat Thani in April last year, has officially been shelved, pending further evidence being presented to the police.K. Pongtorn was the Deputy Chief of the Phuket Provincial Land Office (PPLO) and was ordered to look into the issuing…
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Skeleton found in Kathu
KATHU: A human skeleton wearing a watch, bra and jeans was found among trees behind the Kathu Health Center on Wichit Songkram Rd early on Monday evening.The remains are undergoing forensic examination to determine whether they are those of Phuket native Wimonmas Bannalang, 34, a cashier at the Buffalo Steakhouse at Karon, who went missing in July.K. Wimonmas was last…
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Makro opens tomorrow
PHUKET: Wholesaling giant Makro opens its 27th Thai branch on Wichit Songkhram Rd tomorrow, raising the number of hypermarkets on the island to three.At least 1,000 guests are expected to attend the official opening, and the store has arranged three additional parking areas to accommodate them all. Makro Southern Area Manager Noppachai Meetam told the Gazette that sales of memberships,…
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Policeman dies from beating
PATONG: A police sergeant from Kathu who was beaten into a coma on Sunday by two assailants has died in the Bangkok Phuket Hospital from bleeding in the brain.Pol Lt Col Chawalit Niemwadee, Deputy Superintendent of Kathu Police Station, told the Gazette that he had been informed on Tuesday by the hospital that Pol Sgt Pramual Thongaugsorn died from severe…
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Thaksin rejects “pearly’ underpasses
PHUKET: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in Phuket today for just one hour, turned down a proposal to build two underpasses on the bypass road at a cost of 800 million baht.Instead, he said, the provincial authorities should look at the example of Dindaeng in Bangkok, where a single tunnel, long enough to reach from Phuket’s Samkong intersection to the Darasamut…
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Deputy PM defends Phang Nga pipeline
THALANG: In his first press conference today in Phuket, Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Lipatapanlop defended the government’s plan to build an oil pipeline across Phang Nga, saying that it will not affect tourism in the region.Speaking to the press at Phuket International Airport this morning, the former Chart Pattana leader, who joined Thai Rak Thai as Deputy PM two and…
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50 million baht for “health hub’ Phuket
PHUKET CITY: The Health Ministry is to spend 50 million baht promoting Phuket as a health hub of Asia, Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan announced today.In Phuket for a health conference organized by her ministry, K. Sudarat said the money had already been allocated and would be spent before the end of the year on developing health tourism schemes for the…
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Repellent behavior
CHERNG TALAY: A 17-year-old boy high on a cocktail of cola and crushed mosquito-repellent coils attacked a Buddhist nun with a meat cleaver in her quarters in the morning of August 19. The nun received 205 stitches for 16 wounds to her head and upper body and is said to be in a “worrisome” condition at Wachira Phuket Hospital. The…
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Runway extension plan under fire
PHUKET CITY: Plans by the Airports Authority of Thailand (AAT) to extend the 3,000-meter runway at Phuket International Airport by 700m came under fire today from Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr, President of the Phuket Provincial Organization, at a meeting at The Metropole hotel.The extension is deemed necessary by the AAT to allow fully-laden Boeing 747-400 airliners – used extensively on routes to…
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Figures show huge property boom
PHUKET: Figures indicating how the property industry in Phuket is booming were presented yesterday by the Phuket Real Estate Club (PREC).At a conference on the southern Thai economy, held at the Royal Phuket City Hotel, PREC Secretary Thanit Prateepnathalang said that between January and July this year, property companies applied for permission to build 43 new developments. Of these, 28…
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Warning to Khao Lak: don’t overbuild
PHUKET CITY: Tourists may turn their backs on Khao Lak if the rapid development there continues, the Deputy Director of the local Tourism Authority of Thailand office has warned, while oversupply of accommodation in Phuket is leaving nearly half the island’s hotel rooms lying empty.Napasorn Kakai told a conference on the southern economy at the Royal Phuket City Hotel on…
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Phummisak set to turn off free water
PHUKET CITY: The era of free water will come to an end soon for Phuket City as the owner of tin mines from which the free water comes begins charging for it.In the past, much of the city’s water was supplied free of charge from tin mines controlled by former mayor Phummisak Hongyok.K. Phummisak, whose company, Anuphas & Sons, is…
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Briton arrested for murder
CHALONG: Briton Michael John Taylor, 40, who was last week questioned by police and then released, has been arrested on a charge of murdering his girlfriend on August 17.Police say they have statements from eight people confirming their belief that Taylor, known locally as “Mick the Pom”, murdered 27-year-old Jantra Weangta at the home they shared in Chalong.Pol Maj Jessada…
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Cop beaten into coma, attacker kills self
PATONG: A police sergeant from Kathu is in a coma in Bangkok Phuket Hospital after a severe beating by two men, one of whom subsequently shot himself with the sergeant’s gun.The beating took place at 5:30 am yesterday at a noodle shop in Nanai Rd. Reconstructing events, investigators found that Pol Sgt Pramual Thongaugsorn, who was off-duty, went to the…
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Cop wanted for murder surrenders
PHUKET: Pol Cpl Nanthawat Thongwanbua, the policeman alleged to have murdered his golf caddy girlfriend, has surrendered to his colleagues at Tung Tong Police Station.Pol Maj Ampholwathana Saengruang, inspector of Tung Tong Police Station, said Nanthawat surrendered on Thursday and was brought before the court yesterday. “He is being held in the cells at the court,” the major added.Nanthawat is…
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No terrorists in Phuket – Vice-Governor
PHUKET: Phuket is free of terrorists, Vice-Governor Pongpow Ketthong asserted this week.Addressing an anti-terrorism seminar at the Royal Phuket City Hotel, V/Gov Pongpow told his audience of officials that the fact that the gathering was taking place did not mean there were terrorists in Phuket, but it was important to take steps to reduce the chances of terrorist activity occurring…
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Sudarat to attend medical conference
PHUKET CITY: Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan is to attend a national conference on “Healthy Living” in Phuket City next week.The minister will be at the Royal Phuket City Hotel on Wednesday (August 25) to present awards to people judged to have done significant medical research in Thailand.The conference, which will run from Tuesday to Friday, is expected to be…
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Immigration clarifies bank account rules
PHUKET CITY: Foreigners living in Phuket and applying for permit-to-stay extensions on the basis of marriage or retirement status do not need to “freeze” the minimum bank balance in their bank accounts, Phuket Immigration has announced.“Foreigners applying for a one-year permit to stay based on marriage or retirement do not have to freeze the money in their accounts,” explained Pol…
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Makro to open next week
PHUKET: Just four months after construction began on the site, the island’s latest superstore, Phuket, will open on Friday next week (August 27). The store, off Wichit Songkram Rd, is the cash-and-carry wholesale giant’s 27th branch in Thailand. Products for sale will include fresh and frozen food, beverages, snacks, electrical goods, stationery, office automation equipment and household products.Makro‘s stated strategy…
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Bird ‘flu and Sars safeguards upgraded
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) has stepped up measures aimed at keeping bird ‘flu and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) out of Phuket.The new procedures have been introduced after new cases of bird ‘flu were reported in Vietnam.Until September, health officers will be in Tah Chat Chai to inspect and monitor poultry arriving from the mainland over…
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Police trap outboard motor thief
TAH CHAT CHAI: Undercover police yesterday successfully laid a trap for a man who, it is alleged, specialized in stealing outboard motors.Narongvet Chariew, 30, from Nakhon Ratchasima, was caught in possession of two Mercury outboards, a Yamaha outboard and a fuel tank, after undercover police set up a meeting to “buy” a motor from him.The Superintendent of Tah Chat Chai…
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