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Phuket pickup crash: Thalang trembles
PHUKET: A speeding pickup truck crashed into a pedestrian footbridge in Phuket last night, spreading fear of yet another earthquake tremor and causing a one-hour traffic tailback. Thalang Police were notified of the crash in front of the Muang Thalang School on Thepkrasattri Road northbound at 5:45pm yesterday. Arriving at the scene, Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers found the wreckage…
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Phuket Bike Week comes of age
PHUKET: It was postponed for a couple of weeks, but now Phuket Bike Week is on and raring to go. The 18th Phuket Bike Week kicked off today with a shed-load of activities in Patong. The festival started at 3pm at Patong Beach football field where the Motorcycle Exhibition Festival will carry on until midnight. However there’s plenty of other…
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Villagers worry as aftershocks continue to rock Phuket
PHUKET: The fourth and largest tremor of the day hit Phuket at 3:10pm today, a 3.3 magnitude tremor clearly felt across the island with a large sonic boom clearly heard at the offices of the Phuket Gazette, about eight kilometers southeast of the epicenter near the municipal market in Thalang. Other tremors recorded by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) earthquake…
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Phuket Airport included in B4bn upgrade
PHUKET: Aerothai, the state enterprise that operates air traffic control at airports throughout Thailand, including Suvarnabhumi and Phuket International Airport, will spend 4 billion baht on upgrading its computer and communications network. The upgrade to replace outdated equipment will be privately funded, said Aphinun Vannangkura, Aerothai Vice President for Air Traffic Management. “The upgrade will introduce more computer systems into…
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Brother claims sister’s body from Phuket hospital
PHUKET: A relative of the young Burmese construction worker whose body was left unidentified at Thalang Hospital has come to claim her remains, Phuket Police have confirmed. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkwan told the Phuket Gazette that the body of the woman, identified only as “Ms Way”, was claimed by a man named “Mr Jorso”, her brother. Ms Way,…
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Tesco Lotus launches “green bag’ campaign in Phuket
PHUKET: Tesco Lotus is gearing up for Earth Day 2012 on Saturday with a special event at its Tesco Thalang mall this afternoon to launch a new campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags at all Tesco stores in Phuket. Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak will officially open the event at 2pm. In addition to fun activities promoting “green…
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Fear of recurring earthquake stresses Phuket villagers
PHUKET: A team of mental health professionals on Wednesday visited villagers at Srisoonthorn Moo 2 to provide counselling after the 4.3-Richter earthquake struck fear into their hearts on Monday. Data from the Thai Meteorological Department has identified Thalang as the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake, with the villagers being rattled several times a day since by recurring aftershocks. Leading the team…
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Phuket fishmeal factory probe takes a twist
PHUKET: Phuket officials investigating a complaint about foul smells emanating from a fishmeal factory yesterday found little amiss – and now suspect that the complaint may be more about business than bad odors. Led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak and Phuket Damrongtham Center Director Prapan Kanprasang, the officials toured the Saeng Aroon fishmeal factory on the banks of Klong…
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Phuket gears up for opening of new bus terminal
PHUKET: The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is in the process of negotiating set fares for all forms of local transportation that will operate out of the new Phuket bus terminal in Rassada, which will open on Saturday. “We will set standard fares for all types of local transportation, with tickets that passengers can buy at a counter in the…
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Phuket Business: Transit proposals keep coming
PHUKET: Two more parties have engaged the Phuket provincial government about the prospect of developing the island’s multi-billion baht light rail and tunnel mega projects. A multinational delegation from the Chinese construction giant China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) visited with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha recently. “We are the biggest company in China and the 80th largest company of the top…
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Phuket Business: ThaiVisa penetrates neighboring markets
PHUKET: ThaiVisa.com, the leading English-language social networking website about Thailand, is expanding its operations to Myanmar and Cambodia.“We have carefully studied internet traffic trends and we see a sharp rise in search traffic and interest about our neighbor Myanmar,” said Barry Main, marketing director of Bangkok-based ThaiVisa Expat Group Co Ltd.“We believe it’s pretty easy for us to get a…
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Phuket Police seek help in identifying dead hospital patient
PHUKET: Phuket Police are trying to identify the body of a woman, thought to be from Myanmar, who died in the emergency ward of Thalang Hospital yesterday. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkhwan was notified of the woman’s death at 7:30am by staff at Thalang Hospital, who asked officers to assist in identifying the body. The woman’s body was left…
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Phuket Songkran road toll ends: 3 dead, 43 injured
PHUKET: The “Seven Days of Danger” Songkran road-safety campaign ended in Phuket yesterday with no road fatalities over the final four days, resulting in a final tally of three dead and 43 injured in 44 reported accidents. As anticipated by many, the most dangerous day was April 13, when two people died and 10 others were injured in 11 reported…
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Patong Mayor pushes for new road to Phuket’s Freedom Beach
PHUKET: THE Patong Municipal Council has agreed to fund a study to look into building a new road to access Freedom Beach, crossing over public forest land in the area. The road was among several proposals unanimously approved by the council during its budget meeting last week. Patong Mayor Pian Keesin presided over the meeting, which was attended by 15…
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Phuket dam passes post-quake safety inspection
PHUKET: Phuket officials have declared the dam at Bang Neaw Dum Reservoir in Thalang structurally sound following a safety inspection earlier today. The inspection was prompted by a series earthquakes centered in Thalang over the past few days, including a 4.3 Richter tremor yesterday morning. That quake left local residents living downstream fearing the structural integrity of the dam might…
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Phuket residents seek assistance for earthquake damage
PHUKET: Srisoonthorn Municipal engineers today visited homes in Baan Bangkham in Thalang to survey the damage caused by yesterday’s earthquake. Assistant village headman Somnuek Jaturacoopkullapong reported today that the earthquake, felt by most Phuket residents yesterday, damaged more than 30 houses in the village, four severely. “We were inside at about 4:30pm when we heard a loud noise and then…
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Phuket “aftershocks’ likely Sumatra-related: experts
PHUKET: The eight small earthquakes that have rocked Phuket over the past 24 hours are most likely related to the much larger earthquakes off the coast of Sumatra last week, experts from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) said. The latest quake, which hit at 12:18pm today, was a magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale, according to preliminary data released…
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Dane dies of blood loss after Phuket tsunami evacuation
PHUKET: A Danish tourist injured during the evacuation of Patong Beach last Wednesday was found dead of apparent blood loss in his Patong hotel room yesterday afternoon. Patong Police were notified of the death at 5pm by 40-year-old motorbike taxi driver Lamai Ouan – on. Arriving at the scene with Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation workers, police found the body of the…
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Tiger Group considers suing MP Chuwit as police probe fails
PHUKET: A spokesman for Phuket’s Tiger Group told the media over the weekend that his company is still considering legal action against politician Chuwit Kamolvisit following his allegation that a casino had operated out of one of the company’s venues in Patong. The threat of legal retribution follows the failure of two police investigations to uncover any wrongdoing at any…
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Phuket Songkran Seven Days of Danger road toll latest: 3 dead, 32 injured
PHUKET: With the Songkran “Seven Days of Danger” road-safety campaign ending at midnight tonight, the road toll for the Thai New Year stands at three people dead and a further 32 admitted to hospital as a result of road incidents. Witthaya Piraka, 42, died on April 12 when while under the influence of alcohol he drove his motorbike into a…
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Phuket struck twice by earthquakes
PHUKET: Phuket was struck by a 4.3-magnitude earthquake with an epicenter believed to be in the center of the island just minutes before another quake struck off Sumatra this afternoon. San Jantharawong, chief of the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) said his officers were now working on locating the exact center of the first…
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Phuket Police re-open road to Patong as earthquake fears subside
PHUKET: Police have re-opened the main road over Patong Hill, linking Phuket Town with Patong on Phuket’s west coast.The road was closed as a precaution following the earthquake felt across the island earlier this afternoon.Traffic remains heavy in the area.The Phuket Gazette urges all motorists to exercise caution and patience while travelling through the area.
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Phuket Earthquake: NDWC gives all-clear, removes alert watch
PHUKET: The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has removed its “alert watch” order for tsunamis and further earthquakes, the Phuket Gazette has been told.“The NDWC removed the alert watch just before 6pm,” said San Jantharawong, chief of the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket).“The alert was removed because this was a much smaller earthquake than…
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Phuket Earthquake: USGS reports Sumatra quake at depth of 14km
PHUKET: The USGS has reported that the earthquake struck at a depth of 14.7 kilometers, not two kilometers as originally reported. Click here to see the USGS report:https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc00094q0.html
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Blazing a trail through Phuket
PHUKET: AN EXHILARATING new event is coming to Phuket in the form of trail running with the first experience being episode two of the Columbia Trail Masters, 2012 Thailand Trail Running Championship. Organized by Active Management Asia, Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club will host the island’s maiden excursion into the world of off road running on May 6 with Khao…
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Breaking News: No tsunami warning or evacuation order yet: Phuket DDPM
PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) have confirmed that a tsunami warning has not yet been issued.“There has been no tsunami warning and no evacuation alert. We are still monitoring the situation,” DDPM-Phuket chief San Jantharawong told the Phuket Gazette.“We are now on alert watch. We will remain on alert watch until the…
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Breaking News: 5.3 earthquake rattles Phuket
PHUKET: The Thai Meteorologicial Department has reported a 5.3-magnitude earthquake striking off the coast of northern Sumatra at 4:46pm. See here: https://www.tmd.go.th/en/earthquake_report.php The earthquake struck at a depth of only two kilometers. The Gazette has received a report from Patong Beach that some people have left the beach area as a precaution. The Gazette has received no reports of any…
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Breaking News: Reports of earthquake flood across Phuket
PHUKET: Reports of an earthquake being felt across all parts of Phuket are flooding in to the Phuket Gazette. Gazette staff felt the strong shudder at 4:45pm. Reports of other Phuket residents experiencing the same have been coming in from all parts of the island, including Chalong to the south, Phuket Town and Kathu in the center of the island…
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Phuket’s Patong one-way system to go anti-clockwise from June
PHUKET: A long-awaited plan to reverse the direction of one-way traffic flow in Patong should go into effect in June, as soon public hearings and work to complete a new roundabout at the north end of the beach road is completed, local officials say.Phunsak Naksena, Patong Municipality Chief Administrative Officer, or “Palad”, said the public-hearing process to approve the project…
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Two dead in Phuket as pickup slams into house
PHUKET: A pickup truck travelling at high speed collided with a motorbike on the main road through Pa Khlok yesterday evening, killing the rider and passenger, and slamming into a house set back from the road at about 7:30pm. Emergency rescue first-responders from the Kusoldharm Foundation arrived at the accident scene, in front of the Pak Cheet Mosque about five…
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