News
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Criminal Code adds clauses to tackle child pornography
PHUKET: Starting on December 8, the Criminal Code will cover three additional types of crimes related to child pornography. The new offences include the possession, sharing or distribution of child pornography. The additions to the Criminal Code are in line with the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Thailand ratified in 1992. Surasit Sangviroatjanapat, a chief judge…
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Social media companies step up battle against militant propaganda
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Social media companies step up battle against militant propaganda Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Facebook, Google and Twitter are stepping up efforts to combat online propaganda and recruiting by Islamic militants, but the Internet companies are doing it quietly to avoid the perception that they are…
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Three types of marijuana to hit Uruguayan pharmacies in 2016
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Three types of marijuana to hit Uruguayan pharmacies in 2016 Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Uruguayans will be able to choose from three varieties of state-sanctioned cannabis when marijuana starts being sold in pharmacies in the small South American country next year, the National Drug Board…
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Thailand says looking for four Syrians amid Islamic State warning
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand says looking for four Syrians amid Islamic State warning Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Thailand said on Sunday it was looking for four Syrian nationals who have overstayed their visas, as the country is on high alert after a Russian warning of possible attacks by…
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Andaman Travel Trade event starts this week
PHUKET: The 7th biennial Andaman Travel Trade 2015 event will be welcoming public and private sector enterprises at Phuket Rajabhat University on December 10-11. Under the banner ‘Discover Andaman-Explore Happiness’, the trade show aims to put 226 overseas tour operators in touch with more than 100 local tourism related operators, such as hotels, tour companies and airlines from Phuket, Phang…
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Cherng Talay boss to retire from politics
PHUKET: The controversial, elected head of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) vowed to end his political career with the return of the beaches in his jurisdiction to their natural state. “My four year term as president ended last month. However, I have continued on under the orders of the National Council for Peace and Order. I am now…
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Road-raging minivan driver surrenders in Phuket [video]
PHUKET: The road-raging minivan driver caught on tape threatening a fellow motorist last week handed himself in to police on Thursday. What originally appeared on camera to be a long-knife, was in fact an iron bar, confessed 33-year-old Damrong Pramno (story here). “Mr Damrong was returning from Phang Nga after dropping passengers off when he was struggling to overtake a…
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Phuket honors HM The King
PHUKET: Phuket officials and residents took part in a merit-making ceremony with 88 monks on Thalang Road in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 88th birthday yesterday. Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada led the group in honoring his Majesty The King at 7:09am. “We all respect and honor HM The King. May the merit making today be part of a blessing…
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Phuket police smash drunk driving quotas
PHUKET: The crackdown on drunk driving on some of the most deadly roads in the world saw Phuket police arrest more than 200 people for driving under the influence (DUI) last month. Though individual police stations on the island were given specific DUI quotas, the goal for the entire province was to arrest at least 150 drivers (story here). “The…
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Phuket Governor calls for calm in wake of Islamic State memo leak
PHUKET: Additional security measures were put in at key locations on Phuket today, following the governor’s emergency meeting over a leaked memo stating that two Islamic State (IS) terrorists had been dispatched to Phuket. “There is absolutely no need to panic. Phuket is not anyone’s enemy,” said Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada. “Nonetheless, we have increased security measures at beaches, crowded…
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Judge dismisses B10mn case against Cherng Talay boss
PHUKET: A Phuket judge yesterday dismissed the 10-million-baht dereliction of duty lawsuit filed against Ma-ann Samran, president of Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor). “The case was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Additionally, Mr Ma-ann had followed all legal procedures during the eviction and demolition process,” Public Prosecutor Jessada Banditmongkolkul told the Phuket Gazette. The owners of two establishments,…
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Phuket Marine Chief promoted
PHUKET: Long-time supporter of the Phuket jet-ski industry, Phuket Marine Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut was promoted to acting director of the Marine Office Region 5 on October 1. “I will continue to serve as the Phuket Marine chief,” Mr Phuripat confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “As I am manning both positions, I now take care of six provinces: Phuket, Phang…
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Armed men hijack Thai fishing boat
PHUKET: Armed pirates hijacked a Thai-flagged fishing boat near Koh Lipe, south of Phuket, on Wednesday night. Six armed men allegedly boarded the boat, forced the captain of Chok Boonmee 5 to maroon his crew and then head toward Langkawi, Malaysia, explained a Royal Thai Navy report. Boat owner Falil Pongtae, 46, contacted authorities, who quickly rescued the crew from…
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Syrians linked to Islamic State in Thailand ‘to attack Russian interests’
BANGKOK: Ten Syrians linked to Islamic State (IS) entered Thailand in October to attack Russian interests, Thai police said in a leaked document citing information from the Russian Federal Security Service. In the document, Special Branch police urged an intensification of security around ‘target areas that Russian authorities are concerned about’, including venues associated with allies that have taken part…
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A Decade Ago: Jet-ski woes
PHUKET: Without a doubt, the Phuket Gazette sounds like a broken record from time to time, as the publication continues to push important issues into the headlines. One such monotonous tune – also regularly played by ambassadors and honorary consuls – revolves around the seemingly invincible jet-ski business operators on the island. Almost inexplicably, they were the first allowed back…
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Opinion: Communities to help protect natural beauty
Sin Polrob, 58, was born and raised in Rawai. He has been a community leader since 1999 and currently serves as the Rawai Kamnan (subdistrict chief). Here he talks about the importance of communities standing up against projects that threaten to destroy the natural beauty of Thailand. PHUKET: As a community member and leader, I like to see people come…
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Island View: The laws of smoking
PHUKET: It seems to me that people in Thailand, particularly Phuketians, have forgotten that there is a law that bans smoking in certain areas and while driving. I even Googled it to make sure that the law is still in place. The law states that you are not allowed to smoke in public parks, school and university perimeters, hospitals, government…
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Business Buzz: Marketing is Key
PHUKET: Thereare a couple of fundamental truths in business. Generally speaking, people are in business to make money, and to make money you need customers, because they are the people with the money. Yet many business owners focus on a variety of other activities that they believe to be more important than marketing. You may have the best product in…
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Authorities aware of Islamic State terrorist arrivals in Phuket since October
PHUKET: Despite the recently leaked memo from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) warning that Islamic State (IS) terrorists had been despatched to Phuket, Thai authorities had been aware of the situation since October, confirmed the Russian Federation Deputy Honorary Consul to Phuket. “Myself and some Thai officials were made aware of the situation in October,” Santi Udomkiratak, the Russian Federation…
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Finance: Is Priceline right for your portfolio?
PHUKET: Growth stocks can power your portfolio to new highs, with one such stock being the Priceline Group Inc (NASDAQ: PCLN), which can also double as your one-stop online destination to serve all of your travel needs. Priceline.com is the Priceline Group’s flagship hotel and airline travel site, with the company’s other brands including Agoda.com, Booking.com, Kayak.com, Rentalcars.com and OpenTable.com…
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Russian busted for illegally selling Phuket property
PHUKET: A police sting operation netted a Russian real estate agent illegally selling condominiums in the Rawai area on Wednesday. “A concerned employee at the condominium project contacted us after witnessing 30-year-old Anastasia Spirkina selling the units at extraordinarily low prices. Due to the suspiciously low prices being offered through Ms Spirkina’s Facebook page, the employee was worried that it…
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Officials prepare for Phuket International Anti-Corruption Day
PHUKET: Officials are preparing for a two-day Anti-Corruption campaign that will see public and private sectors come together to take a strong stance against corruption on the island. “In collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, we will be hosting the ‘Phuket International Anti-Corruption Day’ event on December 8 and 9,” said Phuket Vice Governor Kajornkiet Rakpanitmanee. The event will take…
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One more ‘last warning’ issued to Surin jet-skis
PHUKET: As part of a long series of ‘last-time’ threats, the Marine Office Region 5 acting chief vowed yesterday that if jet-skis are spotted at Surin Beach again, the operators will have their licences revoked. “I am aware that four jet-skis were spotted at Surin Beach Tuesday.* The operators are allowed to rent the jet-skis at Bang Tao Beach, but…
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Unlicensed Cambodian medic jailed for 25 years for spreading HIV
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Unlicensed Cambodian medic jailed for 25 years for spreading HIV Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A Cambodian court convicted an unlicensed medical practitioner of murder on Thursday and sentenced him to 25 years in prison for spreading HIV among more than 270 villagers, some as young…
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Opinion: Scrap the airport ferry fallacy
PHUKET: It is hard to believe that 25 million baht in funding has been approved for the design and environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the proposed ‘From the Boat to the Plane’ project. There is certainly no question that public transport from Phuket International Airport (HKT) to the island’s west coast resort towns is in dire need of improvement, but…
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Pain but no gain: Indonesia’s corruption crackdown
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Pain but no gain: Indonesia’s corruption crackdown Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Indonesian bureaucrats are holding off spending billions of dollars on everything from schools and clinics to garbage trucks and parking meters, fearful that any major expenditure could come under the scanner of fervent anti-corruption…
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Phuket celebrates HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 88th birthday
PHUKET: Millions of people will hold up lit candles in unison on December 5 in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 88th birthday. Regarded as the Father of the Nation, HM The King’s birthday is also celebrated as Father’s Day throughout the Kingdom. Phuket will hold a Father’s Day ceremony at Saphan Hin at 4:30pm, where the evening’s itinerary includes…
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Angry Phuket minivan driver pulls big knife in traffic [video]
PHUKET: A road-raging minivan driver was caught brandishing a long knife at the driver of a pickup truck on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday afternoon. The video clip shows the driver of the van waving what appears to be a machete or a small sword as he passes the truck in the left lane. “I saw the clip last night. We will…
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Seven Similan National Park employees dispute transfer
PHUKET: Seven senior park officers and employees were given urgent transfer notices on November 27, forcing them to depart the renowned Similan National Park just as high season kicked off, confirmed the park’s chief. “The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) issued a letter saying that the officers’ transfer was necessary to improve the effectiveness of the…
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U.N. food agency faces US$40 million Myanmar funding shortfall to mid-2016
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.N. food agency faces US$40 million Myanmar funding shortfall to mid-2016 Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: More than 600,000 people in Myanmar need food assistance due to natural disasters, violence and conflict, the U.N. World Food Programme said on Wednesday, announcing a $40 million funding shortfall…
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