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Unidentified foreign male dies in “high-speed’ Phuket car crash
PHUKET: An unidentified foreign male died in a “high-speed” single-car crash early this morning on Kalim-Kamala Road, north of Phuket’s well-known Patong Beach.Patong Police received the report of the incident at about 5:45am, said Lt Col Pratuang Polmana.“At the scene we found the man dead in a black Toyota Vios registered in Udon Thani Province,” Lt Col Pratuang told the…
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Phuket Sports: Avram grants an audience
PHUKET: Famous football manager Avram Grant is a softly spoken man who spent his formative managerial years in Israel coaching Maccabi Haifi, Hapoel Haifi and the Israel national team. The Israeli took over as manager of Chelsea in 2007 and brought them to the brink of a Champions League final victory, only for a John Terry penalty miss to snatch…
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World News: Jerusalem fired upon as Israel preps for possible Gaza incursion
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Israel authorises more reservists after rockets target cities Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Israel’s cabinet authorised the mobilisation of up to 75,000 reservists late yesterday, preparing the ground for a possible Gaza invasion after Palestinians fired a rocket toward Jerusalem for the first time in decades.Tel Aviv, Israel’s…
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Phuket Opinion: Elephants in the room
PHUKET: Finally the DNA tests for the three baby elephants seized in Phuket in February are being released, with one toddler being returned to its natural mother, another being returned to the tour park operator (as the elephant was actually deemed legal), and the third yet to be determined. This ‘dance of the baby elephants’ stands in stark contrast to…
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Phuket Sports: No pipe dream for IronKid
PHUKET: This week’s featured IronKid is 10-year-old Australian Ben McMillan. Ben entered his first triathlon when he was six years old and he is so passionate about the event that he asked for a running coach for his 10th birthday.Phuket Gazette: Why do you compete in IronKids?Ben McMillan: I really love the sport and I like nothing better than to…
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Phuket Sports: F1 – Strategies, stars and stripes
PHUKET: The USA GP has been run sporadically since the “American Grand Prize” of 1908. Since then, 41 GPs have been held at nine locations – most recently at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2000-2007. The USA is an important market for F1 and for team sponsors, so a USA GP is highly desirable. But American fans historically have been…
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Australian fall survivor recovering in Phuket ICU
PHUKET BREAKING NEWS: The Australian man from Sydney who fell from an 18th storey Phuket hotel balcony earlier this week was still receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of Vachira Phuket Hospital this afternoon. John Hurley, 39, plunged from the hotel balcony of his room at the Royal Paradise Hotel in Patong on Tuesday. Mr Hurley underwent surgery at…
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British suicide victim to be cremated in Phuket
PHUKET: The body of British national Kenneth Caldwell, a long-term Phuket expat, will be cremated at Kosit Temple (“Wat Kosit“) in Phuket Town on Monday. Mr Caldwell, 64, leaped to his death from the radio mast behind the Tourist Police Headquarters in Phuket Town on November 2. It is believed that Mr Caldwell was financially destitute at the time of…
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Phuket Sports: SCC lose despite Beer flowing at the crease
PHUKET: The Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) contested two days of fun-filled cricketing action last weekend. Two games were played at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) between a Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) select side and the team from Singapore. Saturday’s game, though deemed as a friendly warm-up game, was a close match with the local boys scoring the winning runs with…
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Phuket sea gypsies win reprieve from developer action
PHUKET: A protest by about 200 residents from the sea gypsy community at Baan Laem Tukkae on Koh Sireh yesterday won a temporary reprieve against a developer taking over 11 rai at the small beachfront village on the east side of Phuket Town.Nikom Ukhati, a surveyor from the Phuket Land Office, explained that he and a team of officers arrived…
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Futsal World Cup: All European and South American semifinals tonight
PHUKET: Both semifinals of the FIFA Futsal World Cup will be played this evening at the Indoor Stadium Huamark, Bangkok, with the stage set for an epic Europe – South America final. The first semifinal is an all European affair between Spain and Italy. Spain started the competition as one of the favorites and they finished joint top of Group…
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World Sports: Keep jeering me, Liverpool’s Suarez tells opposing fans
PHUKET: Liverpool talisman Luis Suarez is happy for opposition supporters to jeer him as it only serves to motivate him more, the Uruguayan said yesterday. Suarez has become a target for boos from the stands in England after he received an eight-match ban last season for racial abuse directed at Manchester United’s Patrice Evra before refusing to shake the Frenchman’s…
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Phuket national park land probes will go on, says park chief
PHUKET: The investigation into every plot of privately owned land along the border of Phuket’s Sirinath Marine National Park will go ahead, the chief of Sirinath National Park has confirmed. “We are still continuing with the land investigation. We are following the order of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation [DNP]. The only thing that can stop…
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Matthieu Ricard, “happiest person in the world’, to speak in Phuket today
PHUKET: World-renowned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard will explore the complex topic of altruism and its role in the modern world in a special free-admission talk at the Thanyapura Mind Center in Thalang, Phuket, this afternoon. As a postgraduate student in science at the renowned Institut Pasteur in the 1960s, the young Mr Ricard embarked on a spiritual journey that saw…
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Phuket Police yet to handover confessed rapist case
PHUKET: The case of Peerayut Moottamara, the 29-year-old who confessed to raping an 18-year-old woman in Chalong on October 11 has not yet been handed over to the Phuket public prosecutor. Capt Chienchai Duangsuwan of Chalong Police Station, told the Gazette Wednesday, that they were still waiting for medical results from Vachira Phuket Hospital in order to conclude the investigation…
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Blackout in Koh Kaew on November 20
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has announced a scheduled blackout that will affect areas in Koh Kaew, north of Phuket Town, on Tuesday, November 20. The blackout will be from 9am to 5pm to allow PPEA staff to carry out maintenance work on high-voltage power lines. The blackout will affect Soi Harn Farang and Soi Koh Kaew 33,…
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Thailand News: Race for Premier League TV rights springs a surprise
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community CTH spring a surprise, win EPL bid Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: The race for English Premier League TV rights had a surprise conclusion when “dark horse” Cable Thai Holding (CTH) snatched a three year deal under the noses of three big bidders including current…
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Taxi operators launch drive to boost fleet at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: Three main taxi operators in Phuket have appealed to the provincial transportation committee to allow more vehicles to serve Phuket International Airport. The news came at a meeting at the airport administrative office on Tuesday called by Phuket Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham. Representing Airports of Thailand PLC (AOT), which operates Phuket’s key tourism portal, Director Prathuang joined Phuket Vice…
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Phuket’s TSLC signs 2mn baht deal with China’s elite Liaoning Swimming Club
PHUKET: Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) has signed a 2 million baht deal with China’s elite Liaoning Swimming Club, which means Olympians will train at Phuket’s TSLC’s Olympic-standard aquatic facilities for the first time under one of the world’s best coaches. The deal sees the talented squad head to Thanyapura on January 27, 2013 for a six-week training stint…
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World News: Strong mandate given to China’s new leader
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China’s new party chief Xi gets strong mandate for action Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: China’s president-in-waiting Xi Jinping won a strong mandate today to lead the world’s second-biggest economy and deal with problems ranging from corruption to economic uncertainty. Xi was appointed head of both…
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Aunt, niece die in Phuket tour bus “hit-and-run’
PHUKET: A tour bus driver fled the scene after the bus he was driving struck two women riding a motorbike in the northbound lane of Thepkrasattri Road yesterday afternoon. The two women who died in the accident were identified by Thalang Police as Jaroonrat Waree, 35, and Nadlada Waree, 17. “The motorbike rider and passenger were dragged by the bus…
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FIFA Futsal World Cup: Brazil, Colombia, Italy and Spain prevail in quarterfinals
PHUKET: The FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012 featured all four exciting quarterfinals’ matches last night in Bangkok, with Brazil, Colombia, Italy and Spain advancing to the dismay of Argentina, Ukraine, Portugal and Russia respectively. In the first match of the evening, Brazil came from behind to claim a hard fought victory against Argentina in extra time.Relishing the return of key…
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Aussie balcony plunge survivor on the road to recovery
PHUKET: The Australian man who fell 18 floors from a Patong hotel balcony on Tuesday is recovering from an operation to repair a ruptured spleen and to start correcting his shattered right leg, which was nearly torn off in the impact. Staff at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town reported that John Hurley, 39, underwent the surgery yesterday afternoon. “He…
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World News: 452 prisoners to be freed by Myanmar
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Myanmar says to free 452 prisoners ahead Obama visit Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Myanmar plans to free 452 prisoners including an unidentified number of political prisoners, government officials said this morning, just days before a visit by US President Barack Obama to the former military…
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International Football: Sweden christen new stadium with gold
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sporting news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Inspired Ibrahimovic scores four, no Messi record Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Zlatan Ibrahimovic christened Sweden’s new stadium with a sprinkling of gold last night, scoring three classy goals and an unforgettable one in a 4-2 friendly win over England, while Argentina’s Lionel Messi drew…
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Phuket Governor called on to curb “out of control’ corruption
PHUKET: Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukban and Patong Entertainment Business Association President Weerawit Kurasombat today called on the Phuket Governor to investigate rampant extortion by government officers.Deputy Mayor Chairat and Mr Weerawit met Governor Maitri Inthusut at Provincial Hall this morning. Also present was Prapan Kanprasang, head of the Damrongtham Center (Provincial Ombudsman’s Office).“Many government departments in Phuket ask for…
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Thailand News: Austrian publisher arrested in Pattaya
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police arrest Austrian man for attempted blackmail Phuket Gazette / The Nation- DPAPHUKET: Police arrested an Austrian magazine owner in the Thai resort town of Pattaya on charges of attempting to blackmail a German multinational consumer products firm, police confirmed today.The technology crime suppression police unit arrested…
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Phuket officials order airport taxi touts to: ‘Stop harassing tourists’
PHUKET: Taxi touts at Phuket International Airport have been told to stop following and harassing tourists arriving at the airport, and to stay at their own counters.The news came at a meeting at the airport administrative office yesterday morning, called by Phuket Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham.Present to oversee the proceedings was Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, who called for taxi…
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World Sports: Gerrard to score 100 caps; Debuts for Sterling, Osman and Caulker
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sporting news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gerrard to score 100 caps; Debuts for Sterling, Osman and Caulker Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Captain Steven Gerrard is set to become the sixth player to reach the milestone of 100 caps for England in tonight’s friendly against Sweden and feels he still has…
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World News: EU suspends enforcement of carbon tax on air travel
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community European Union suspends enforcement of carbon tax on air travel Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: The European Commission of the European Union on Monday announced it will suspend enforcing its controversial carbon tax on air travel until at least autumn 2013, creating space for political negotiations to…
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