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The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
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Business Buzz: Consistency is the key
PHUKET: One of the most frequent comments I receive from unsuccessful people is that they believe social media does not work and is all hype and myth. It is interesting that so many say this, especially when successful users swear that without social media their business would be dead. So to help the doubters, here are points that have probably…
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Phuket arrivals rise despite Bangkok bomb
PHUKET: The total number of passengers arriving at Phuket International Airport this week has increased compared with the same period last year, President of Phuket Tourism Association Sathirapong Na Takuatung said at a meeting held yesterday to discuss the aftermath of Monday’s bombing in Bangkok. “We are concerned about the number of tourists dropping, but the number of tour groups…
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Joyride ends in Patong for van thief
PHUKET: A man who stole a van and took it for a joyride to Patong was arrested by Karon Police while near Jungceylon last night. “At about 11:30pm, we were informed of a van theft at a 7-Eleven store in Nai Harn,” confirmed Lt Col Ason Jiraksa of the Karon Police. “Driver Panudet Kumuda, 25, left the engine running while…
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Electrical fire near gas station sends residents running
PHUKET: Residents in the Koh Kaew area suffered power outages and heavy traffic jams after power cables caught fire across from the PTT gas station on Thepkrasatti Road yesterday afternoon. The flames frightened many shop owners, including 70-year-old Aree Jindapol. “At about noon, while we were selling food at the market, I heard what sounded like a bomb,” Ms Aree…
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Opinion: Usual suspects
PHUKET: Authorities here in Phuket have acted sensibly in the wake of the recent terrorist bombing at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, stepping up security at popular tourist destinations across the island and urging the public not to unduly panic or believe everything they see in social media. Sadly, in this case, it was not only the social media where…
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Thai Iron Chef to cook at Andaman Hotelier expo
PHUKET: Andaman’s biggest hospitality expo, Andaman Hotelier 2015, will take place next month at Limelight Avenue with the full support of private businesses and government organizations. Kritsada Tonsakul, president of the Southern Region Hotel Association, explained that Andaman Hotelier is the biggest skill-training expo for the hospitality circle in the Andaman area. “There are eight departments, according to each career,…
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Phuket divers recovered after night lost at sea
PHUKET: Two scuba divers were found and safely rescued this morning after disappearing from the tour group they were part off yesterday evening.VTT Group brought the tourists to Koh Racha Noi to scuba dive. When it came time to bring everyone back on board the boat, the crew realized that Thai tourist Asang Saelor, 31, and Chinese tourist Huaqiu Ji,…
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Park fees plundered, millions allegedly skimmed
PHUKET: Hundreds of millions of baht disappeared during the collection of national park fees at Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park over the last three years, alleged Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a member of the National Reform Council (NRC). A two-month, national-level investigation by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) uncovered unnerving discrepancies in…
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Officials announce alternative routes for Chalong Underpass
PHUKET: Officials have released alternative routes for the first and second phase of the Chalong Underpass, with construction slated to start next month. “Though we do have routes sorted out for the first two phases of the project, we are still negotiating with private land owners in order to secure necessary alternative routes for phase three and four, which will…
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Cobra slithers into Phuket kitchen
PHUKET: A two-meter-long cobra chased a terrified homeowner out of her kitchen last week. The woman, who declined to be named, immediately fled her kitchen, closing the door behind her before calling the Kusoldharm Foundation. “At first, when we arrived, we couldn’t find the snake in the kitchen,” said Kusoldharm Foundation rescue worker Sakun Naepnean. “However, after moving the fridge,…
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Officers hunt fugitive on secluded island off Phuket
PHUKET: Police are hunting one more fugitive after catching an attempted gang murder suspect hiding out on a secluded island east of Phuket this week. A 50-man raid of the island rooted out Danai Homhuan, 36, who had given away his position by firing warning shots at local fishermen earlier this year. Mr Danai was wanted by Thalang officials for…
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Karon Plaza blaze guts ten shops
PHUKET: Police are investigating the cause of a blaze at Karon Plaza that engulfed 10 shops along the Karon beachfront road last night. Five firetrucks from Karon and Patong were called to the scene at about 11:50. It took firefighters about 40 minutes to extinguish the flames. “Luckily, the stores were closed and nobody was injured,” said Lt Weerayuth Thansirisukhaworakul…
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Budget peddles out cash for bike lanes
PHUKET: Work on Phuket’s eagerly awaited bike lanes will start in October with an already approved budget of more than 50 million baht, confirmed Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong. “Over 30 million baht from the 2016 fiscal year budget has been approved for the development of Bang Wad Reservoir, which will include the installation of bike lanes,” said Governor Nisit. “We…
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Calling all Phuket hotel beauties and footballers
PHUKET: Phuket Football Club (Phuket FC) will be holding their second Hotel Cup competition and first ever Miss Hotel competition next month at the Republic Phuket football field in Chalong. “The main purpose of organizing this event is to support the strong cooperation and friendship between all hotel businesses in Phuket through sport. Hotel employees can relax from work and…
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Rescue foundation helps island’s poorest
PHUKET: More than 1,500 of Phuket’s poorest people showed up at the Kusoldharm Foundation’s headquarters yesterday afternoon to receive donations of food and clothing as part of the annual Te Krajard merit-making ceremony. “This year, we handed out rice to needy students from 30 local schools and gave each school a 250-kilogram sack of rice. Additionally, clothes and packages of…
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Fireboat bound for Phuket following death of 12-year-old
PHUKET: The island’s first ever fireboat is coming soon, confirmed Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong. The announcement follows the death of a 12-year-old tourist on passenger ferry Ao Nang Princess 5, which burst into flames as it was headed to Phuket in April (story here and here). More than 80 passengers and five crew were safely evacuated from a ferry. However,…
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More than 1,000 children killed, injured in Yemen
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community More than 1,000 children killed, injured in “brutal” Yemen conflict – U.N. Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Months of brutal conflict in Yemen have killed or injured more than 1,000 children, and the number of young people recruited or used as fighters has soared, the United…
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Groom gives bride a coffin
PHUKET: The cliche for weddings around the world is that ‘diamonds are forever’. However, the Thai groom from Loei Province had a different wedding gift idea that would be ‘forever’ – a coffin. Yes, a man named only as ‘Diao’ by Kapook.com dug in deep for a coffin for his bride-to-be for what he thought would be a valuable, lasting…
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Opinion: Love for Bangkok unshaken
PHUKET: Last night I was three blocks away from the tragic bomb blast at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok. Like so many nights when I am in the capital city, I stay at a nearby hotel and walk around that same corner to capture the unique flavor of a truly special place. Call it routine or else a beckoning call…
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Tourism industry braces for bombing aftermath
PHUKET: The fatal bombing near a tourism attraction in the heart of Bangkok will have an impact on Phuket’s tourism industry, experts told the Phuket Gazette today. “The situation obviously affects tourism. Within three hours of the explosion, English, American and French Embassies had already sent out warnings to their citizens in Thailand. Within one hour, international television channels reported…
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A decade ago: The murder of Debra O’Hanlon dominated the news
PHUKET: A picture of the smiling 31-year-old and her boyfriend at the time – the confessed killer – was page one of the August 13-19 issue of the Phuket Gazette. In hindsight, it is hard not to find yourself searching their eyes and faces for some hint of what was going to come during their time on this paradise island.…
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Phuket increases security following Bangkok bombing
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Jansomwong this morning urged Phuket residents and tourists not to panic about the devastating bombing of a tourist destination in Bangkok that killed at least 20 people and injured more than 100 last night. “We have boosted security throughout the island. There is no need to be afraid,” Governor Nisit told the Phuket Gazette. “We are increasing…
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Five reported dead in Bangkok bombing
BANGKOK: A bomb exploded in the center of Bangkok today, police said. The media has reported five people were killed and 20 wounded. The blast, near a shrine at a major Bangkok intersection, was caused by a bomb, police chief Prawut Thawornsiri said.
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Phuket’s aspirations call for new projects
Nisit Jansomwong, 52, from Ratchaburi, landed on the island in October to take up the position of Phuket Governor. He has a master’s degree in administration from Chulalongkorn University, where he graduated with honors. Before coming to Phuket, Governor Nisit was governor of Ratchaburi province for a year. Governor Nisit is pushing mega infrastructure projects in Phuket in order to…
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Men rescue cobra from fishing net
PHUKET: Ruam Jai Foundation rescue workers carefully untangled a two-meter-long cobra from a discarded fishing net in Chalong this morning. “A Myanmar worker found the cobra ensnared in the net near the bathroom of the worker camp on Soi Palai,” said Sayan Thammapan, Ruam Jai Rescue Foundation team leader. “He was on the way to the bathroom when he stumbled…
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Boat Lagoon prepared for community boom (video)
PHUKET: Boat Arcade will continue to focus on children’s activities and their needs in the second phase of the project, following the recent completion of the first phase, where the area has been developed as the ‘East Coast Edutainment and Family Center,’ confirmed Kanittha Prasopsirikul, managing director of ‘By Kanittha’ Company and Boat Arcade’s public relations representative. The marketing strategy…
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Woman drowns at Patong Beach
PHUKET: A Myanmar national drowned at Patong Beach after locals were unable to stop her from running into the water last night. Thi Da, 38, had allegedly told her employer that she was in debt and was contemplating jumping into the sea, Maj Pathapee Srichai of the Patong Police told the Gazette. “People in the area saw Ms Thi Da…
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Opinion: I write for the trees
PHUKET: Construction is underway for the much anticipated and loathed underpass at the Bang Khu intersection with cranes in full swing and excavators making their rounds on what little patches of green are still left. While sitting at the red light recently, I was daydreaming of the beautiful new home that all the little shrubs, flowers and bushes would be…
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Lifeguards rescue Russian from deadly seas
PHUKET: A 24-year-old Russian tourist was rescued from a no-swimming zone at Surin Beach by lifeguards on Saturday evening. “We had some swim zones set up for tourist to enjoy. However, other areas, such as the one the Russian was in, were marked off with red flags,” Surin Beach Chief Lifeguard Viroon Chuasaman told the Phuket Gazette today. “There was…
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Indonesia police say aircraft debris spotted in Papua
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Indonesia police say aircraft debris spotted in Papua Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: An Indonesian search and rescue plane reported spotting debris in Papua province on Monday believed to be from a crashed aircraft with 54 people on board, the local police chief said. The debris…
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