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Woman saved from Phuket mob after fatal motorbike collision
PHUKET: Rescue workers saved a Phuket woman from the wrath of an angry mob in Pa Khlok early yesterday evening after her car struck a local man and dragged him to his death. The accident occurred in Baan Bangla, about two kilometers east of the Heroines Monument (map here), at about 6:30pm, Lt Chatree Chuwichian of the Thalang Police told…
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Phuket Provincial Hall fails to re-open
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Hall did not re-open yesterday as anticipated after People’s Democratic for Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban announced the end of the Bangkok Shutdown. “As I told you on Saturday, the stage in front of Provincial Hall will remain standing until I receive word from Bangkok to dismantle it,” said Phuket protest co-ordinator Amnuay Kumban (story here).…
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Phuket restaurant owner saves the month for woman in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: A Phuket restaurant owner saved the day for a woman who left behind her entire month’s living allowance in a motorcycle basket Sunday morning. The 47-year-old Kamala restaurant owner found 6,620 baht and an identification card outside CP Fresh Mart in Cherng Talay, said Peerasit Noopayan of the Cherng Talay Police. “Pradit Samohthong came immediately to the station and…
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Soderlund to appeal conviction for Phuket murder
PHUKET: Tommy Soderlund, convicted of the 2011 stabbing murder of fellow Swede Maxim Schantz and sentenced to life in prison, will appeal the decision, his lawyer confirmed today. The life sentence was handed down this morning. On January 24, Johan Sebastian Ljung was also sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Mr Schantz (story here). He is also…
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Two Phuket tourist vans collide, injuring six
PHUKET: Two tourist vans collided last night near the main Tesco Lotus in Samkong, injuring six. One tourist and both drivers remain in the hospital today. A Maikhao Sakoo Co Ltd van driven by Sulaiman Udom had picked up tourists at the airport and was headed west on Phra Phuket Kaew Road to Patong when a Tez Tour Thailand van…
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’12 Years a Slave’ wins best picture Oscar
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ’12 Years a Slave’ wins best picture OscarPhuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: Harrowing historical drama “12 Years a Slave” won the coveted best picture Oscar on Sunday and Mexican Alfonso Cuaron won the best director for 3D space drama “Gravity” at the climax of the 86th Academy…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Re-election turnout low; US shocked by deaths of children; Protesters on the move
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Low turnout in re-elections Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: RE-RUNS of the widely disrupted general election opened peacefully yesterday in five provinces, poll authorities said, in the first move to complete a troubled vote that could provide a mandate for a new government. But the…
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Breaking News: Swede gets life for stabbing murder
PHUKET: Swedish national Tommy Soderlund was today sentenced to life imprisonment for the stabbing murder of Maxim Schantz in Phuket two years ago.He was also ordered to pay compensation to the victim’s family. However, the court has yet to verify the amount.Tommy Viktor Soderlund, 28, stood accused of the murder along with Johan Sebastian Ljung, also 28. Mr Ljung recieved…
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Heroines’ Memorial Festival kicks off in Phuket today
PHUKET: The annual Heroines’ Memorial Fair kicked off today in Thalang, and will be running strong with historical and cultural activities to honor Thao Thepkrasattriand Thao Srisoonthorn for the next two weeks. “The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO), Phuket Culture Office and other local organizations are once again putting on the fair to honor the heroism of Lady Thepkrasattri and…
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6-year-old, aunt killed in Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: A 6-year-old girl and her 17-year-old aunt died in a motorbike accident after a pickup truck allegedly cut across multiple lanes of traffic in Pa Khlok yesterday. Rescue workers and Thalang Police rushed to the scene of the crash on Pa Khlok-Muangmai Road near Baan Bangla Mosque at about 3:45pm. “We found Rachada Pongpongsuwan, 17. Sunisa Nontri, her niece,…
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Phuket Vice Governor orders stop to Big Buddha construction
PHUKET: Construction on Phuket’s Big Buddha was halted yesterday after villagers filed a complaint alleging that it had caused landslides last year, and could potential do so again when the rainy season returns. Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak led 20 officers in an inspection of the construction site yesterday morning. He was joined by Suporn Vanitchakul, President of Phraphuttha Mingmongkol Sattha…
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Queer News: “I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts,’ says survivor
PHUKET: A Myanmar national survived more than 12 hours alone in the sea by holding onto two coconuts. The 21-year-old man, who identified himself as Poy, was pulled from the water by men on a longtail fishing boat at about noon on February 4 in Bo Phut, Koh Samui. Mr Poy had been working on a construction site in Koh…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Obama warns Russia against intervention in Ukraine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: President Barack Obama warned Russia on Friday that military intervention in Ukraine would lead to “costs,” as tension with old foe President Vladimir Putin rose in a Cold War-style crisis. “We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Bangkok Shutdown called off
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday declared the end of the Bangkok Shutdown. However, pressure on Shinawatra businesses will be increased, he said. Rally sites at Rajprasong, Pathumwan and Asoke will be dissolved and moved to Lumpini Park…
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Former Diamond Beach Club DJ dies in Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: A former resident DJ at Diamond Beach Club was killed in a motorbike accident after an encounter on a curve with a Phuket tour bus this morning on Srisoonthorn Road. The 42-year-old American, Josh Christian Ezell, announced on his Facebook page earlier that day that he would be retiring from his career as a disc jokey. Mr Ezell’s body…
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Phuket woman found dead in room did not have TB, says Health Office
PHUKET: The woman found dead in her Patong room on Monday did not have tuberculosis (TB), said officials at the Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) this week, despite news reports alleging otherwise. The discovery of Thitirat Pholai’s body smeared with blood started rumors that the 33-year-old woman had suffered from TB. However, the PPHO has no record of her name.…
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Phuket Opinion: Good news for Phuket life on the road
PHUKET: My car has been filthy for weeks, covered in the dust that is everywhere now, due to the lack of rain. When the light hits it just right in the morning, I have trouble seeing out the back window. I don’t want to wash it at home because I have no outside source of water, and I haven’t taken…
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Phuket Opinion: Extending a helping hand at the hospital
Chananan Sutsadang, 51, is a native of Bangkok. She has a BA in Business Administration from Loma Linda University and lived in the United States for 20 years before moving back to Thailand. She worked in health care and as a teacher before joining the customer service staff at Mission Hospital last year. Here, she talks about differences between Thai…
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Last witnesses for prosecution in Dokset murder trial take the stand
PHUKET: The prosecutor in the Stein Harvard Dokset case concluded his arguments on Wednesday after asking the confessed killer’s girlfriend and the case investigator to take the stand. The long-term Norwegian expat is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend Rungnapa Suktong, concealing the evidence of the crime and illegal possession of a firearm. Though Mr Dokset, now 51 years old, has…
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Phuket Opinion: Deputizing the masses
PHUKET: Everyone should get behind two recent appeals for public participation in protecting our marine and coastal resources. Earlier this month, the Phuket Marine Office encouraged the public to provide photographic evidence to bring to justice people so ignorant that they actually still dump used petrochemicals directly into the sea surrounding our resort island. The entreaty came with the promise…
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Safer Phuket initiative saves a life at Nai Harn Beach
PHUKET: Large swells and changing seas at Nai Harn Beach have led to a recent spate of rescues, said Prathaiyut Chuayuan of the Phuket Lifeguards. “The swell is big and people need to be aware,” Mr Chuayuan said. One of the recent victims of the rough seas at the popular Phuket beach occurred at the same time the marine safety…
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Phuket anti-government protest leaders deny obstruction charges
PHUKET: Five Phuket anti-government protest leaders responded to a police summons yesterday morning and denied charges of obstructing the national election earlier this month and obstructing law enforcement officers. Suratin Lian-udom, Thepkrasattri Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President Sompop Konkeaw, former Rassada Municipality council member Chartchai Chuachit, Saman Krohlek, and Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) council member Sanya Srimuang presented themselves at…
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Phuket Business: Music on the move
PHUKET: Entertainment on the move is becoming increasingly widespread these days thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and tablets. With the escalating ownership of such mobile technology, many are also buying headphones and headsets to receive better quality audio. According to the latest findings by GfK, a German-based consumer research firm, the headphone and headset market generated a total of…
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Phuket Airport Express Bus still in the red
PHUKET: The Airport Express Bus lost 800,000 baht in its first seven months of service due to taxi drivers poaching customers and lack of support from the Airports of Thailand (AoT), the owner of the transport business told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. The much-heralded inaugural run of the service, which offers rides between the airport and Patong for 120 baht,…
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Gardening for layabouts
PHUKET: I’m sure you have heard the expression, beloved by florists the world over, “Say it with flowers”. Here’s an interesting slant on the expression. An elderly couple employed a “nice” German prisoner of war to tend their garden during the Second World War. I remember the practice – my English parents did likewise. But this POW was different. When…
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Russian tourists unharmed in 10mn baht resort fire east of Phuket
PHUKET: Flames engulfed a resort in Krabi Tuesday night, dislodging 60 Russian tourists as it burned 35 bamboo bungalows to the ground. Damages were estimated at 10 million baht. Koh Sriboya villagers informed Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) Samran Raden of the fire at about 8pm. He rushed to the scene, where he found villagers and resort staff collecting sea water to…
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Creeping Phuket python shows up for breakfast
PHUKET: A Phuket restaurant owner heard a two-meter python noisily working its way over the roof of his establishment as he was preparing to open yesterday morning. “The owner explained that he was cleaning when he heard a strange noise coming from the roof. When he took a peek to find the source of the noise he spotted a big…
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Rohingya rape case held north of Phuket dropped for lack of evidence
PHUKET: The prime suspect in the rape of a Rohingya woman was released from Takuapa District Prison on Monday after the case against him was dropped for insufficient evidence, said a court officer on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Rohingya man had been held at the prison since June while the Takuapa Court gathered evidence (story here). “The judge wrote in his…
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Krabi students in global art project
PHUKET: ABC Charity, a global art project of kids helping kids, has continued its journey around the world. They are creating the world’s first ever “human alphabet” – each letter made up of 500 children, in 26 different countries – ABC charity does not only help create fantastic memories for children, it will also raise money for a good cause.…
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Cycling: the spice of life
PHUKET: WITH surprising speed given the temperature, the amorphous speck approaching in the distance gradually revealed itself to be a group of 14 cyclists. Maybe it was the promise of a cold beer and big plate of food at Bill Bentley’s Pub and Restaurant in Mai Khao that provided the final surge of energy, or maybe they were downright tough…
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