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  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Gunfire slays protester; Min Buri bomber identified; Military urges Songkran talks; PM calls witnesses in graft probe | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Gunfire slays protester; Min Buri bomber identified; Military urges Songkran talks; PM calls witnesses in graft probe

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gun attack targets anti-govt protesters The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: One protester was killed and four others injured yesterday when gunmen fired in broad daylight at their convoy while travelling on an expressway in Nonthaburi province, in a further inflammation of the political conflict. The…

  • Officers to inspect all Phuket dive shops, instructors as part of police extortion probe | Thaiger

    Officers to inspect all Phuket dive shops, instructors as part of police extortion probe

    PHUKET: Extortion charges against the Chalong Police have led to a proposed inspection of every dive company and working instructor in Phuket. Groups led by Phuket Employment Office staff will check the work permits of all 190 dive instructors working at the 114 dive companies on the island, Governor Maitri Inthusut said today. The immigration documents of customers will also…

  • Governor pushes for black water solution after Karon Beach water runs foul again [video] | Thaiger

    Governor pushes for black water solution after Karon Beach water runs foul again [video]

    PHUKET: The Phuket governor was on-site yesterday when a fresh flow of black water washed into the sea at Karon Beach. Governor Maitri Inthusut happened to be on location to lead an investigation into black water and lines of trash that plagued the beach on Friday (story here). The governor denied that wastewater was the cause of the black water…

  • Phuket fishermen discover body of executed man | Thaiger

    Phuket fishermen discover body of executed man

    PHUKET: Fishermen discovered the body of a man who had been executed floating near the main fishing port in Rassada in Phuket earlier this morning. “We believe the body is that of a Myanmar national who worked on a fishing boat. He most likely got in a fight with other crew members, was killed and then thrown overboard,” said Lt…

  • Phuket rain brings flash flood | Thaiger

    Phuket rain brings flash flood

    PHUKET: Heavy rain across Phuket last night brought on minor flash flooding in several parts of the the island. On Thepkrasattri Road in Srisoonthorn, north of Phuket Town, cars and motorbikes stalled as motorists attempted to plow through water that had flooded the road. “More than 10 people from Srisoonthorn Municipality were called in to help motorists as the flood…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: France’s Hollande names new PM, pledges tax cuts after poll rout | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: France’s Hollande names new PM, pledges tax cuts after poll rout

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community France’s Hollande names new PM, pledges tax cuts after poll rout Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: President Francois Hollande named centrist Interior Minister Manuel Valls as his new prime minister on Monday, replacing Jean-Marc Ayrault who quit after ruling Socialists were trounced in local French elections.…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Army ponders ending deadlock; Bangkok Gov steps down; Police acquitted of Saudi diamond murder; Cadets die in parachute plunge | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Army ponders ending deadlock; Bangkok Gov steps down; Police acquitted of Saudi diamond murder; Cadets die in parachute plunge

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Top brass to step in, assess strategy to end political strife The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: In a rare move, top military leaders will meet tomorrow to discuss a possible solution for the country at a time of political deadlock and likely confrontation between pro-…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Malaysia changes last words from missing plane, hunt goes on | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: Malaysia changes last words from missing plane, hunt goes on

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Malaysia changes last words from missing plane, hunt goes on Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The last words from the cockpit of the missing Malaysian airliner were a standard “Good night Malaysian three seven zero”, Malaysian authorities said, changing their account of the critical last communication…

  • ITF Seniors Tennis Tour comes to Thanyapura [Video] | Thaiger

    ITF Seniors Tennis Tour comes to Thanyapura [Video]

    PHUKET: Thanyapura Phuket says it is honored to be hosting its very first International Tennis Federation (ITF) seniors event next week, with play taking place from Monday, April 7 to Saturday, April 12. Careful not to let the word “Seniors” lead you to imagine elderly people with walking canes donning their tennis whites for a friendly rally. The six days…

  • Action stunt leaves fleeing Phuket thief with broken neck | Thaiger

    Action stunt leaves fleeing Phuket thief with broken neck

    PHUKET: A man broke his neck after falling from the fourth floor of a Phuket apartment building while trying to escape two women who caught him red-handed stealing from their room. Patong Police were notified at about 1pm yesterday that 32-year-old Mongkolchai Na-Tawan had fallen after trying to jump from a fourth-floor room in one apartment building into another room…

  • Chief medical inspector counters CBC’s Belanger sisters’ death report | Thaiger

    Chief medical inspector counters CBC’s Belanger sisters’ death report

    PHUKET: The chief medical inspector called in to investigate the mysterious deaths of Canadian sisters Noemi and Audrey Belanger on Phi Phi Island in 2012 has dismissed reports that said the sisters died from poisoning from a specific pesticide. The news follows a report by Canadian news network CBC quoting Dr Pasakorn Akarasewi as saying, “The most likely explanation is…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: North, South Korea exchange artillery fire off west coast | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: North, South Korea exchange artillery fire off west coast

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community North, South Korea exchange artillery fire off west coast Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire on Monday off their disputed western maritime border, Seoul scrambled jets and residents of a South Korean island fled to bomb shelters in the most…

  • Phuket lawyer wins senator poll, “No Vote’ comes second | Thaiger

    Phuket lawyer wins senator poll, “No Vote’ comes second

    PHUKET: Unofficial results of yesterday’s senatorial election on the island indicate that local lawyer Chaiyot Panyawai, 47, has won the contest to become Phuket’s new representative in the Upper House. Mr Chaiyot, president of the Phuket branch of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, garnered 19,262 votes, confirmed Phuket Election Commission (PEC) Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit. Voter turnout was low yesterday, with…

  • Russian withdrawal: Chinese tourist scammed out of B400,000 | Thaiger

    Russian withdrawal: Chinese tourist scammed out of B400,000

    PHUKET: A Chinese tourist issued a warning to other Phuket visitors of skimmer gangs after thieves in Russia withdrew 400,000 baht from his account. “On March 24, my bank called to ask me where I was, because my account showed several withdrawals in Russia between March 22 and 24,” said Haohao Sun. “At the time the 400,000 baht was taken…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Turkish PM Erdogan wins polls, warns enemies they will pay a price | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: Turkish PM Erdogan wins polls, warns enemies they will pay a price

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Turkish PM Erdogan wins polls, warns enemies they will pay a price Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan declared victory in local polls that had become a referendum on his rule and said he would “enter the lair” of enemies who have…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Parties wrangle for Senate control; Yingluck to face NACC; Relief for Isarn drought | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Parties wrangle for Senate control; Yingluck to face NACC; Relief for Isarn drought

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PM yet to confirm appearance before NACC The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday she has not decided whether she will defend herself in person today before the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) over the rice-pledging scheme corruption case, or send…

  • Phuket officials call for healthy turnout for “Senate poll Sunday’ | Thaiger

    Phuket officials call for healthy turnout for “Senate poll Sunday’

    PHUKET: About 100 officials led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak gathered yesterday to call on the people of Phuket to vote in the nationwide Senate election on Sunday. Speaking at Sanam Chai, the field in front of Provincial Hall that is occupied by anti-government protesters every night, Vice Governor Somkiet reminded passers-by that the polls will be open across…

  • Drunk Aussie tourist marks rough landing in Phuket | Thaiger

    Drunk Aussie tourist marks rough landing in Phuket

    PHUKET: An Australian man who passed out drunk during his flight to Phuket was carried off the plane still unconscious on arrival yesterday and rushed to Thalang Hospital. The man, named by police as Christopher Lazarus Boubis, 39, later regained consciousness in the emergency ward at the hospital, but immediately went on a rampage through the facility. “He was shouting…

  • Phuket PDRC factions unite for mass protest | Thaiger

    Phuket PDRC factions unite for mass protest

    PHUKET: The two factions of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) anti-government protesters in Phuket united today to march through Phuket Town and stage a motorcade along Phuket’s west coast. The Krabot Rak Chart faction led by former Rassada Mayor Suratin Lian-udom massed in front of the Phuket Revenue Office on Narisorn Road, before joining fellow PDRC supporters led by…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Fresh objects seen in new Malaysia jet search area | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: Fresh objects seen in new Malaysia jet search area

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fresh objects seen in new Malaysia jet search area Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Fresh objects spotted by planes searching for a missing Malaysian passenger jet in a new area of the southern Indian Ocean have again raised hopes of unravelling the three-week old mystery. Australian…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Brazilian airliner lands with no front wheels | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: Brazilian airliner lands with no front wheels

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Brazilian plane makes emergency landing with no front wheels Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: An Avianca Airlines passenger jet safely made an emergency landing in Brasilia on Friday after its front landing gear failed to deploy, authorities said. None of the 49 passengers and crew of…

  • Police chase ends with ditched truck, seriously injured man | Thaiger

    Police chase ends with ditched truck, seriously injured man

    PHUKET: A man who sped through a police checkpoint early yesterday morning was seriously injured after crashing his pickup truck into a roadside ditch while trying to escape Phuket police officers. Ekkapot Fungwittaya, 27, charged through the checkpoint, near the Thalang Health Center on Baan Reang Road in Thalang, just after midnight. Thalang Police gave pursuit, chasing him as he…

  • Death of workers in sewer both accident and mistake, says manager | Thaiger

    Death of workers in sewer both accident and mistake, says manager

    PHUKET: Workplace health and safety officials will investigate the deaths of four sewer maintenance workers who died of asphyxiation in a Phuket Town sewer on Wednesday morning. “We will start our investigation on Tuesday, when we will interview representatives from the contractor and the municipality to establish precisely what happened,” Yudhakarn Ovasith, chief of the Phuket Provincial Labour Protection and…

  • Karon black water strikes again, flows across trash-covered beach | Thaiger

    Karon black water strikes again, flows across trash-covered beach

    PHUKET: The Karon black water saga continued today as a fresh wave of rank, dirty water flowed over a long line of trash that has also been cursing the beach. “This is a failure on the part of Karon Municipality. I have not seen them do anything to try to resolve the problem,” said Karon Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) Winai Chidchiew.…

  • Blood Heroes Unite: Phuket Regional Blood Center announces April donation opportunities | Thaiger

    Blood Heroes Unite: Phuket Regional Blood Center announces April donation opportunities

    PHUKET: Those looking to be “Blood Heroes” will find it hard not to stumble upon a willing needle as the Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) will offer a plethora of opportunities to donate in April. “We are calling for donations in anticipation of an increased number of accidents, and thus a higher demand for blood during Songkran,” said PRBC Chief…

  • Carving a niche in the black market | Thaiger

    Carving a niche in the black market

    Special Report Six men were arrested in November for illegal possession of more than 50 kilograms of eaglewood. One of the men was caught with an illegal .45 handgun under his pillow. Today, those six men roam free, all released on suspended sentences. Here, the Phuket Gazette‘s Irfarn Jamdukor investigates the island’s illegal logging trade. PHUKET: Six men were arrested…

  • Stop killing sharks | Thaiger

    Stop killing sharks

    PHUKET: I came across awful images of a man gutting a juvenile blacktip reef shark on Facebook via Go Eco Phuket and was horrified to see that it happened on one of our local beaches, Kata Noi (story here). It was clear that this man was a spear fisherman from the wetsuit he was wearing and the spear hole on…

  • Hooked on saving sea life | Thaiger

    Hooked on saving sea life

    Wisit Itthiwarapornkul, 50, is the president of Go Eco Phuket. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marine science from Kasetsart University and has worked in the dive industry for more than 10 years. Here, he talks about ways to resolve conflicting local interests in the sea and makes suggestions about what we all can do to preserve the health…

  • Brazen thief steals Phuket Police officer’s motorbike | Thaiger

    Brazen thief steals Phuket Police officer’s motorbike

    PHUKET: A Phuket Police officer has become the latest victim of motorbike theft on the island. Sen Sgt Maj Narong Wilairat reported at 6:30am that his motorbike was stolen from in front of his police accommodation just meters from the main building at Chalong Police Station. “My son used the motorbike – a red Honda Click Phuket license plate ‘Khor…

  • Phuket FC reignites youth football development | Thaiger

    Phuket FC reignites youth football development

    PHUKET: The island’s premier football team Phuket FC has renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Plookpanya School on youth football development for the second year running. The MOU was signed in the evening of March 26 at Surakul Stadium. Phuket Football Club Vice President Eam Thavornwongvongse told the Gazette, “The purpose of the MOU is for cooperation with a…