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Renovation begins on Phuket’s old airport terminal
PHUKET: Work began today to revamp the domestic terminal at Phuket International Airport, following the opening of the new international terminal on September 16. Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan said the renovation is ‘expected’ to take 330 days. When complete, the former domestic terminal will be re-opened as a ‘commercial zone’ designed to fit in with the new international terminal. The…
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Laguna Phuket Triathlon named ‘Best Amateur Sports Event’ of the year
PHUKET: Laguna Phuket Triathlon has been awarded this year’s ‘Best Amateur Sports Event’ at the 2016 Sports Industry Awards & Conference (SPIA Asia). The Laguna Phuket Triathlon organizers picked up the bronze award at SPIA conference in Bangkok on October 4. Winners in the same category were the Bangkok Marathon, awarded Gold, and the Top of the Gulf Regatta (Silver).…
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Electrocuted man found dead in home
PHUKET: A man was found dead with an electric wire wrapped around his wrist early this morning in Thalang. Police believe he died from a self-inflicted shock. “We received reports at 2:40am that Channarong Sinka, 30, was found in his one-storey house on a street off Thepkrasattri Road,” Thalang Police Lt Sunan Petnhu told the Phuket Gazette. “We found him…
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Abandoned suitcase creates panic
PHUKET: An unknown foreigner caused a stir among Koh Kaew residents yesterday morning, when he dropped off a suitcase outside a SuperCheap store and promptly left. Wattana Thinkoh, the village headman (Phu Yai Baan), was alerted to the incident about 10am. “I reported the case to my superior, Muang District Chief Supoj Chanakij. Phuket City Police officers were also called…
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Island View: Learn to check ourselves
PHUKET: Whether you live in Phuket, Philadelphia or the Philippines, one topic you cannot avoid hearing about is the upcoming presidential elections in the United States. It would not be an understatement to say that not only Americans, but the whole world is waiting to see how this plays out. While I’m generally not interested in politics, and certainly not…
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Fire guts house in Phuket Town
PHUKET: Fire gutted a house in Phuket Town this morning. Two fire trucks arrived to tackle the blaze after a neighbor spotted smoke billowing from the single-storey house on Kra Road in Talad Yai about 10am. Firefighters were able to contain the flames before they spread to nearby houses, taking just over 20 minutes to bring the fire under control.…
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Pink Paradise bar director killed in bike crash
PHUKET: A French national and an unidentified man were killed in a collision between two motorbikes in Patong early Sunday morning. A third man, a Myanmar national, is in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after the smash. All three victims were taken to Patong Hospital, where two of them were pronounced dead. The French national, named Arnaud Sacha Leclere, 33, worked…
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Tuk tuk murder suspects arrested, four on the run
PHUKET: Police on Friday arrested and charged a man and his son who are suspected of hiring a gunman to kill the president of the Patong Tuk Tuk Drivers’ Club last Tuesday (story here). The suspects, 38-year-old Wattana Nawakaew and his son 17-year-old son ‘Tong’, have both been charged with gang-related crimes, including gang murder, possession of illegal firearms and…
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Traffic choked up as landslide fells utility poles, trees
PHUKET: A landslide, following torrential rains last night (story here), caused several power poles and trees to fall in Patong this afternoon. Traffic was choked up on the 50 Pi Road, connecting Chalong and Petchakoot Road to Kata Karon. Patong Municipality sent workers to pick up the fallen trees while staff from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) office in Patong…
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Incessant rains cripple Phuket overnight
PHUKET: Emergency staff have been ordered to remain alert after continuous rain battered the island last night, lasting well into the morning and flooding large areas in Patong and Phuket Town, among others. “I have ordered local administrative officials to stand by for any emergencies and also be on the lookout for residents who might need help,” Governor Chokchai Dejamorthan…
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Wheelchair bound Phuket man heads to Bangkok to honor HM
PHUKET: A wheelchair-bound Phuket man with one leg is trekking his way to the Grand Palace in Bangkok to pay his last respects to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Photos of the 48-year-old devotee, named Supakorn Juiplub, were shared on Facebook yesterday by a user named Jantima Kraithong. The photos showed Mr Supakorn sitting in a homemade wheelchair and wearing…
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Gov asked to intervene in vendor, municipality conflict
PHUKET: A group of 30 vendors yesterday filed a complaint with the governor’s office against the Patong Municipality after being given a cancellation notice of their rental contract. The vendors, who currently occupy the Loma Building on the Patong beachfront, asked the governor to intervene in the municipality’s plans to build a conference hall in the area where they operate…
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Thai man ignores red flags, nearly drowns
PHUKET: A Thai tourist nearly drowned on Wednesday after he ignored red flag warnings and went swimming at Kata Beach. About 4pm, 27-year-old Athithan Kanjanawattanakun reportedly disappeared into the water. Lifeguards and Royal Thai Navy search and rescue personnel managed to recover him while he was still conscious. Mr Athithan received first aid at the scene and was then sent…
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Island View: Check yourself before passing judgment
PHUKET: Whether you live in Phuket, Philadelphia or the Philippines, one topic you cannot avoid hearing about is the upcoming presidential elections in the United States. It would not be an understatement to say that not only Americans, but the whole world is waiting to see how this plays out. While I’m generally not interested in politics, and certainly not…
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By The Book: Renting a villa in Phuket
PHUKET: Renting a villa or apartment long term is very popular in Thailand, especially in resort areas such as Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Koh Samui. Many would-be buyers are deciding to hold off and rent for a year or more while they get to know the area and learn the ways of Thailand without so much risk. Renting long…
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Finance: Profiting from periods of panic
THERE is a good lesson in handling panic that can be learned from recent events in Thailand. The SET index, which is a broad measure of the Thai stock market, went on a pretty wild ride in response to the news regarding the monarchy. If you are not aware of what happened, the chart (right) shows the massive sell-off, only…
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Opinion: Battling carnage on the roads
PHUKET: As Phuket’s tourism industry prepares to welcome an influx of international arrivals for the upcoming high season, the island’s image has once again been tainted by violence within the taxi cartels. Turf wars among the island’s tuk-tuk drivers is one of the lines of inquiry Phuket police are looking into following the shooting murder of the president of the…
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Top cop, officers charge down Bangla
PHUKET: A posse of police officers paraded down the island’s party soi Wednesday night in an effort to boost tourist confidence. The 150-strong group was led down Bangla Road by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teerapol Thipjaroen to scan the area for any suspicious activities. “The high season is coming,” said Gen Teerapol. “Christmas and New Year celebrations may attract criminals…
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Phuket woman begins her walk to the Grand Palace
PHUKET: A Phuketian set forth on her journey to Bangkok on foot yesterday in honor of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Malee Dokmai, 54, hails from Kathu and began walking early in the morning from Saphan Hin. Armed with pink running shoes, a picture of the King and a flag of Thailand, she aims to walk over Sarasin Bridge and…
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Phuket firefighters battle power pole blazes
PHUKET: Two power poles on the island caught fire in two separate incidents last night and early this morning, leaving locals in the dark for several hours in some areas. “We received reports of an electricity pole on fire in Srisoonthorn, Thalang, on Thepkrasattri Road southbound, at about 8:30pm last night,” Amnart Sujjit, a firefighter for Srisoonthorn Municipality, told the…
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Brit arrested for tuk-tuk robbery in Phuket
PHUKET: A British tourist was arrested and charged with theft yesterday after stealing a tuk-tuk driver’s wallet and other possessions from inside the taxi’s cab while it was parked in Karon last week. After reporting the theft to Karon police on Saturday, the tuk-tuk driver, Tawatchai Namwong, posted a warning about the pilfering farang on social media. The post read:…
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Flood, landslide warnings issued throughout Krabi
KRABI: Flood and landslide warnings have been issued for Krabi residents after downpours affected at least 50 people over the weekend. On Monday, Klonghin OrBorTor President Sila Saiyid inspected an area where about 20 houses have been flooded at Baan Tung Kor, in addition to 400-500 rai of palm and rubber plantations. “Heavy rains caused excess water to collect in…
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Phuket bag thief on cam in denial
PHUKET: A Rawai local was arrested at his residence on Tuesday, after CCTV footage showed him stealing a bag from a tour booth in Patong last Friday. A 34-year-old tour operator, named as Warrathaya Kamklin, filed a complaint with Patong Police alleging that the suspect, Tuanaroon Chokkua, 26, had stolen a bag from his booth’s counter. Police asked the court…
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Chinese holidaymaker drowns at Patong Beach
PHUKET: A 31-year-old Chinese man on holiday in Phuket with his wife drowned at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon. The deceased, Gang Liu, 31, was pulled from the surf at 4:30pm and rushed to Patong Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45pm. Patong Police chief Lt Col Weerapong Rakhito said yesterday that after questioning Mr Liu’s wife, it was clear…
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Raging Russian tourist hurls bricks at cars in Karon
PHUKET: A Russian woman was arrested and charged this morning after flying into a rage and throwing bricks at vehicles outside a hotel in Karon around 4am. Ms Bravova, 45, (full name withheld), cracked the windscreen of a Honda Jazz and damaged the back of a minivan during her tirade, reportedly shouting about something she had lost in front of…
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Russian bikers in brawl with Phuket taxi drivers
PHUKET: A Russian tourist was charged with assault after a fight broke out between him and a group of Karon taxi drivers Sunday afternoon. The incident went viral on social media after it was captured on video by an onlooker. The four injured taxi drivers, who insisted that the tourist started the fight, filed a complaint with the Karon Police.…
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Tuk-tuk drivers’ club leader murdered in Phuket
PHUKET: Police are hunting for an unknown number of suspects for the murder of the president of the Patong tuk-tuk drivers’ club earlier this morning. Sakol Srisompoch, 57, was found shot dead inside his tuk-tuk, which was parked in the middle of the road in front of King Kong Party Club, on Phra Phuket Kaew Road. Police were alerted to…
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Another drug bust nets B2mn worth of drugs
PHUKET: A Ranong man was arrested in Phuket last night with more than 11,000 amphetamine (ya bah) pills estimated to have a street value of two million baht. Region 8 Police led by Lt Col Prawit Engchuan of Ao Nang Police arrested Somchok Thanomjit, 36, when he showed up to receive the package at a private transportation company in Rassada.…
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Island View: Willing to go the distance for HM the King
PHUKET: The news of the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on October 13 has brought immense sadness to all Thais. Facebook and other social media is filled with messages of love and condolences. Every time I see such messages, it brings tears to my eyes. People are commemorating his life and achievements by sharing his history, hard work…
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Young Russian found dead in jeep wreckage
PHUKET: A 20 year old Russian diving instructor was found dead yesterday after the NGV-powered jeep he was driving crashed and burst into flames on Khao Khad Road in Wichit. Locals ran to help after the vehicle slid off the wet road and crashed into a rocky embankment at about 3pm but were beaten back by the flames. Rescue workers…
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