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Sponsored How much travel insurance should cost you in Thailand (By trip length)
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Phuket Annual Red Cross Fair 2012 sets prize at over half million baht of gold
PHUKET: The Phuket Annual Red Cross Fair 2012 is ready to rock Phuket from December 27 to January 5 as it offers more than 500,000 baht in gold as the top lucky draw prize this year, eligible to anyone who buys a ticket to support the Red Cross.For the entirety of the 11-day festival, hundreds of stalls at Saphan Hin…
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Phuket Opinion: Santa says a smile is the best Christmas gift of all
ON DECEMBER 25, Santa Claus will be attending a plethora of activities being held across Phuket, among them will be the annual Christmas celebrations at Bangkok Hospital Phuket. Here, the jolly “Hospital Santa” explains what Christmas in Phuket truly means to him.There are many foreigners living in and visiting Phuket, and I am sure that they are going to celebrate…
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International Sports: Queen goes 3D; Clarke to miss Boxing Day test; Messi gets another
Queen Elizabeth goes 3D for Olympics tribute Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Queen Elizabeth will use her traditional Christmas Day message, filmed in 3D for the first time, to pay tribute to the world’s athletes for delivering a “splendid summer of sport” at the London Olympics.In her personal address to the nation, the monarch will pay tribute to the competitors’ “skill,…
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World News: Somali pirates release hostages after 33 months in captivity
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Somali pirates release longest-held hostages after 33 months Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A ship and its crew of 22 sailors held by Somali pirates for almost three years have been freed by maritime police after a two-week-long siege, the government of the breakaway region of Puntland said…
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Phuket villager speaks out on Sydictive New Year beach party
PHUKET: While the debate rages on over whether or not the Sydictive Element New Year Phuket beach party will move to Patong – despite already being granted permission to be held at Surin Beach – one local resident has spoken out about how the party would affect the beachfront community, for better and for worse. Somchai Prasongphon, 42, was born…
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Phuket child-exploitation gangs put in the spotlight
PHUKET: A 12-year-old girl fleeing her captors to the safety of officials on Soi Bangla last week, has raised the ugly specter of Phuket becoming a prime human-trafficking and child-exploitation destination, according an international children’s rights agency. The girl, nicknamed “Aoi” to protect her identity, ran up to Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukban and about 10 other officers on night…
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Phuket Opinion: Family, the best defense against technology risks
PHUKET: With the holiday season upon us, we would like to encourage all of our readers to take a few moments to pause and reflect on how lucky we are to live in this incredible age of technology. Technology is perhaps the most notorious of double-edged swords. Shakespeare wrote famously in Hamlet that “…there is nothing either good or bad,…
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Fresh ATM action prompts hope for finding missing Phuket expat
PHUKET: Police investigating the disappearance of American Brett Bean, last seen on Phuket on November 25, are now searching for a man who used Mr Bean’s debit card to withdraw cash from a Phuket ATM on Monday. “We were informed by Mrs Bean [Brett’s mother] that on December 17 someone used Mr Bean’s debit card to take the money out…
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Bad vibes over Phuket Sydictive party shift to Patong
PHUKET: Leading Phuket tourism figure Sarayuth Mallam has voiced grave concerns about the Sydictive Element New Year’s Eve beach party being moved from Surin Beach to Patong, citing strong resistance from local businesses and Patong Mayor Pian Keesin. “As far as I know, the party organizer wants to change the party venue from Surin Beach to Patong Beach since they…
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Tsunami Memorial Wall ready for remembrance
PHUKET: The Phuket chapter of the US Navy League has announced that the Tsunami Memorial Wall, which in years past has fallen into a deplorable state, has been readied for this year’s tsunami remembrance service on December 26. The Navy League volunteered for the role of caretaker for the remembrance site last year, and the volunteers organized a community project…
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Phuket Sports: Man Utd get Real in last 16 of Champions League
Ronaldo returns to Man United in Champions League Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Cristiano Ronaldo will return with nine-time winners Real Madrid to Manchester United, where he developed into one of the world’s greatest forwards, and Lionel Messi’s Barcelona take on AC Milan in the Champions League last 16.Bayern Munich, last season’s beaten finalists, play Arsenal and Juventus take on surprise…
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Phuket Finance: Understanding your fund’s “duration’
PHUKET: As I have written extensively about the dangers of bond funds in the current environment, it is worth mentioning a standard measurement used to determine approximately how sensitive a bond portfolio or fund is to interest rate increases. Don’t let the word duration fool you; what the measurement actually means is, the approximate decrease in value for a 1%…
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Aldhouse trial pending UK documents
PHUKET: The trial of British national Lee Aldhouse, charged with the murder of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket in 2010, has yet to be put in motion as the Phuket Prosecutor’s Office is awaiting the arrival of further documentation from the UK, the Phuket Gazette has been told. Aldhouse confessed to police to stabbing Mr Longfellow, but denied…
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Ladyboy survivor sole link to lethal Phuket motorbike crash mystery
PHUKET: Police have released the name of the man who died in a motorbike accident near Chalong Circle just after midnight on Wednesday as 51-year-old American tourist Theodore Paul Roe. Chalong Police Capt Thada Sodarak told the Phuket Gazette that he was notified of the accident, near the base of the hill near Friendship Beach, at 12:30am. “Mr Roe was…
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Stranded Air Berlin travellers airlifted from Phuket
PHUKET: All 249 Air Berlin passengers stranded in Phuket after their plane was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff last night have been airlifted off the island and are currently en route to their original destination: Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Prathuang Sornkham, Director at Phuket International Airport, told the Phuket Gazette that Air Berlin…
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Sydictive Party: One night without Paris
PHUKET: Global celebrity Paris Hilton will not be attending the three-day New Year beach party originally slated to be held on Surin Beach from December 30 to sunrise on January 1. The news of Ms Hilton’s imminent no-show at the event came in an email from her lawyer sent to the Phuket Gazette clarifying that Ms Hilton’s name was not…
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Phuket Airport closure leaves more than 1,000 stranded
PHUKET: More than 1,000 passengers were stranded at Phuket International Airport last night after an emergency landing by an Air Berlin flight forced authorities to cancel all inbound and outbound flights. Air Berlin flight AB-7425 from Phuket to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, took off from Phuket at its scheduled time of 9:26pm, but was forced to make…
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Phuket blood center needs donors for New Year
PHUKET: A New Year blood drive will start tapping veins to save lives on December 24, and will run to January 6 at the Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC). With the national road safety campaign of the deadly “Seven Days of Danger” just around the corner, anyone who wants to boost their karma as they head into the new year…
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Live Wire: Stumbling at high speeds
PHUKET: People frequently ask me, what’s the best internet connection in Phuket? The short answer is… there’s no way to know for sure. Much depends on your exact location, and luck. Over the years I have run a free speed reporting site, PhuketInternetSpeed.com, which is an attempt at quantifying the real-world internet international download speeds here in Phuket. For quite…
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Engine fire forces emergency landing at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: An engine fire shortly after takeoff forced an Air Berlin flight to make an emergency landing at Phuket International Airport earlier tonight.All flights were diverted away from Phuket’s critical tourism portal while emergency crews evacuated the 247 passengers on board and attended to the disabled aircraft left stranded on the runway.The Air Berlin Airbus A330-200, serving flight AB-7425 from…
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World News: Ethnic Maya say tomorrow will just be another day
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Mayan Apocalypse nears, doomsday prophecy may “Not Be Real” Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Mayan calendar that ends tomorrow has prompted discussion of a possible Apocalypse but according to Yahoo.com the ancient people’s fabled date may not hold any weight. Yahoo is reporting that the…
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Wife missing after husband found stabbed
PHUKET: Police are searching for the wife of Baan Don villager Boonsri Kummongkhun after he was found stabbed in the stomach at his central Phuket home last night. Thalang Police were notified of the incident by Baan Don village headman Sirichat Junthawat at about 9:30pm, after neighbors heard Mr Boonsri’s cries for help. Rushing to Mr Boonsri’s assistance, neighbors found…
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Andaman Pearl stung by Killer Bees
PHUKET: Phuket United suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Nonthaburi “KillerBees” FC in last night’s Thai Futsal Premier League (TFPL) match at their temporary home stadium at Fashion Island, Bangkok Andaman Pearl’s assistant coach, Mr Patt Srivijit, told the Phuket Gazette that confidence within the team was high before this game, after two successive wins against Prachin Futsul Club and…
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Arson blamed for Phuket beach blaze
PHUKET: A fire engulfed a small beachfront minimart at Surin Beach and spread to four other shops early this morning. Shop owner Man Thonglor, 41, suspects arson. Mr Man told the Phuket Gazette that he opened his store little over a year ago, but this was the second time his shop had caught afire. “I believe it was set on…
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Thailand News: TAT expects bumper party for New Year
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community TAT optimistic of new year spending after 2011 disaster Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Travelers during the New Year holidays are expected to spend more than 13.1 billion baht, says the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). That’s good news for the industry compared with last…
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Thailand Sports: War Elephants mauled by the Lions
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand’s title hopes in balance Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Singapore took a big step to a record fourth Suzuki Cup title after deservedly beating Thailand 3-1 at home in a niggly first leg of the Southeast Asian Championships last night. Defender Baihakki Khaizan smashed home…
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World News: White House outlines plans to “get the guns”
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community White House readies gun-control plan as more children laid to rest Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The White House was set to reveal the first steps of a gun-control plan yesterday as the United States grieved for victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in…
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World News: “Dear Santa” letters answered
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community “Dear Santa” letters answered by U.S. Post Office program Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: One 13-year-old boy who sent a “Dear Santa” letter to the U.S. Post Office this year asked only for covers for his bed, “so I can stay warm this winter.” Another letter…
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Phuket Business: New “liberalization’ of aviation manufacturing
PHUKET: A new government initiative to allow foreign investors to hold 70 per cent or more of a company manufacturing aviation parts will help promote Thailand as a regional repair center for the industry, says an executive at Thai Airways International.Danuj Bunnag, executive vice president of THAI’s commercial department, welcomed the plan and said it would help strengthen Thailand’s performance…
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Phuket Sports: F1 review – Upgrades, upsets and upstarts
PHUKET: The F1 2012 season was the longest ever, and six World Champions took part; the most ever. Pirelli advanced its ‘made to degrade’ rubber, and managing tyres became a critical driver attribute. The first half of the season was perhaps the most exciting ever. We saw seven different winners in seven races, at the end of which Lewis Hamilton…
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