News
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Phuket Soccer Schools and Thanyapura set for international tourney
PHUKET: The Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) is hosting a 40-team international tournament this weekend at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC). Teams will compete in U8, U10, U12 and U14 age groups. The tournament has attracted teams from Hong Kong, Singapore, Koh Samui and Phuket. The opening ceremony starts at 8:30am on Saturday with the closing ceremony taking place on…
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Phuket Moevenpick to increase Thai occupancy
PHUKET: Moevenpick Resort Bangtao Beach, a luxury boutique hotel in Phuket, aims to raise its profile in the local arena by increasing the proportion of Thai guests to about 5% this year, up from a tiny slice at present.The hotel opened officially in mid-2011. The new strategy is part of the operator’s plan not to rely too heavily on foreign…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Rohingya plight in focus
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rohingya in peril as Thailand struggles to pay for shelter The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: On the night Muhammad Sultan was born, he was on a perilous journey at sea. Days after, the boat that carried him and his family would be found, nearly sunk,…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Damascus rebels, CIA ‘Zero Dark Dirty’, Bangladesh war crimes, Russian jets, Pussy Riot
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Syrian jets bomb Damascus ring road to halt rebel push Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Syrian government jets bombarded the Damascus ring road on Thursday in a bid to halt a rebel advance which threatens President Bashar al-Assad’s hold on the capital, insurgent commanders and opposition…
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Phuket migrant workers granted three-month deportation reprieve
PHUKET: Cabinet has passed a resolution allowing migrant workers in Phuket and across the Kingdom an additional three months to complete the nationality verification process, Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) chief Yawapa Pibulpol told the Phuket Gazette today. “According to Cabinet’s resolution, migrant workers’ deportation deadline has been extended until April 15,” Ms Yawapa said. “What action we will take…
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Phuket Gazette World News: 9-year-old girl gives birth in Mexico
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 9-year-old girl in western Mexico gives birth Phuket Gazette / Wires PHUKET: A 9-year-old girl in Mexico’s western state of Jalisco has given birth to a baby girl after a pregnancy of more than seven months, police and prosecutors said on Wednesday, making her one of…
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Thai Army helicopter makes safe emergency landing in Phuket
PHUKET: A rapid loss in oil pressure forced the pilots of a Royal Thai Army helicopter to make an emergency landing in a field in central Phuket yesterday.No injuries were reported in the incident.Thalang Police were alerted to the emergency landing by villagers in Baan Pru Champa.“The helicopter belongs to the 2nd Air Mobile Company in Nakhon Sri Thammarat. There…
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Rogue wheel in Phuket leaves Russian in ICU
PHUKET: A Russian biker remains unconscious in Bangkok Hospital Phuket’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after being knocked from his motorbike by a rogue wheel that flew off a 10-wheeled truck on Thepakasatrri Road yesterday. The Russian, named by police as Alexey Balabko, 26, was a riding a “big bike” when he was struck by one of two wheels that came…
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Phuket jet-ski operator nabbed, denies anchor attack
PHUKET: Police have apprehended the Phuket jet-ski operator who reportedly swung an anchor angrily at the head of a German tourist at Kata Beach on Monday (story here). Named only as “Mr Buntoon”, age 33, the operator was brought in for questioning by Karon Police yesterday. “He confessed that he run over the German man’s belongings with the jet-ski trailer…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Tsunami devastation; Pompeii mafia; SA gang rape victim dies; Syrian rebels advance; Greeks fight for food
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tsunami kills 7, destroys hundreds of houses in the Solomon Islands Phuket Gazette / WiresPHUKET: The major earthquake that struck near the Solomon Islands yesterday, triggered a tsunami that destroyed entire villages and claimed the lives of at least seven people, officials confirmed today.The 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck…
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One dead, one injured in Phuket construction landslide
PHUKET: One man is dead and another injured after a landslide buried them while they were building a retaining wall high in the hills of Patong late yesterday afternoon.The two men were working in a trench about two meters deep when the land beside them gave way, burying them alive, explained Lt Thawatchai Srimai of the Patong Police.Rescue workers called…
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Phuket full-scale tsunami drill not to be announced in Russian
PHUKET: Phuket will hold its annual full-scale tsunami evacuation and marine rescue drill at Karon Beach on February 21, but the tsunami warning messages will not be played in Russian, the Phuket Gazette was told today. “The Ministry of Interior requires the six Andaman provinces in the tsunami hazard zone to hold a tsunami evacuation and marine rescue drill at…
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Party monk defrocked over drugs, sex romp in Phuket
PHUKET: A monk and two female friends having a sex party in a Patong hotel room were busted by police for drug use yesterday, and the monk was subsequently defrocked. After receiving a tip from local residents, police raided a hotel room at the southern end of Patong Beach. “We went to the location provided and found a monk and…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Pacific tsunami alert lifted
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tsunami threat lifted after big South Pacific quake Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands earlier today, triggering a small tsunami that swept into isolated island communities and sparked tsunami alerts across the South Pacific that were later cancelled.Damage reports…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Small Tsunami Hits Solomons After Major Quake
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Small Tsunami Hits Solomons After Major Quake Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A small tsunami hit the Solomon Islands this morning after a major 8.0 magnitude undersea earthquake sparked a tsunami warning for several South Pacific island nations and placed many more nations including Australia and Indonesia on…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Pacific Islands tsunami alert; Syrian talks, Vatican abuse; Obama in Israel
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Solomon Islands 8.0 quake triggers Pacific tsunami warning Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: An earthquake measuring 8.0 magnitude struck southeast of the Solomon Islands on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The shallow quake was only 5.8 km deep and the epicentre was 81 kilometers west…
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Phuket parents join “fight club’
PHUKET: Two parents tired of having their boy picked on by a gang of students at school took matters into their own hands today by turning up at the school and “slapping” the five bullies. They have since been charged with assault. Sgt Paritat Duangkamol of the Thalang Police was called to Muang Thalang School at 8:10am. Outside the principal’s…
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Phuket Police search for jet-ski operator after anchor attack on German tourist
PHUKET: Karon Police are looking for a jet-ski rental operator at Kata Beach who yesterday allegedly swung an anchor at the head of a German tourist.When contacted by the Phuket Gazette, Col Werawat Juntharavijit*, Acting Superintendent of the Karon Police, today said he had yet to be informed of the incident.“I have not received a report about this. I will…
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Racha residents call for Phuket officials to fulfill old promises
PHUKET: The ongoing struggle to protect the beauty and environmental health of the tourist-popular Racha Yai Island, about 25 kilometers south of Phuket, continued yesterday in a meeting with Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa. Santi Chandi, representative of Racha Yai residents, asked the vice governor to solve the problems she had promised to solve at a meeting in May 2012. At…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: YouTube sex spoof withdrawn; Saudi case twist; Bangkok polls turn black; Hotels ride high
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Spoof on Thailand removed from YouTube The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Apinand Poshaya-nond, the deputy permanent secretary for culture, has confirmed the removal yesterday of a controversial video posted on YouTube satrizing a computer language-learning program that taught potential toutrists how to negotiate with Thai prostitutes in…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Global soccer fixing scam exposed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sports news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Investigators expose global match-fixing network Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Hundreds of soccer matches have been fixed in a global betting scam run from Singapore, police said on Monday, in a blow to the image of the world’s most popular sport and a multi-billion dollar industry.…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Syrian peace call; Berlusconi Bunga; Pirates seize tanker; Belgian child killer appeal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communitySyrian Opposition chief calls to offer Assad peaceful exitReuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Syrian opposition leader Moaz Alkhatib urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government on Monday to start talks for its departure from power and save the country from greater ruin after almost two years of bloodshed.Seeking to step…
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Phuket to crack down on businesses using nominee shareholders
PHUKET: An inspection team from Bangkok will be arriving in Phuket to help local officers investigate businesses with foreign owners that are suspected of using nominee shareholders, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut announced at a meeting this afternoon. About 3,700 “foreign-owned” business are registered in Phuket, explained Department of Business Development Phuket Office chief Nimit Kangkajit at the meeting. “Of course…
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Spiraling Phuket prices blamed on B300 min wage
PHUKET: A market vendor at the busy Kaset Market in Phuket Town yesterday told the Phuket Governor the 300-baht-a-day minimum wage was forcing vendors to pass on price hikes of fresh produce to consumers. Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday morning led officers to inspect food prices at Kaset fresh market, located behind the Robinson department store in Phuket Town (map here).…
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Thailand Futsal: Phuket United sunk by Navy
PHUKET: A second-half hat trick from Phuket United’s leading scorer, Jackson Santos, was not enough for his side to beat the Royal Navy FC, who walked away 5-3 winners in a futsal league match on Saturday evening in Bangkok. The match, played at Bangkok’s Fashion Island futsal arena, was both side’s 18th of 30 league matches in the Thailand Futsal…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Mexico Pemex blast toll reaches 36
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Mexican rescue workers found three more bodies over the weekend amid the rubble of a deadly blast that tore through state oil firm Pemex’s main office complex, the government said, as search efforts appeared to near a close. The death toll from…
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Phuket FC silence the Surat Thani ‘Roosters’
PHUKET: The Southern Sea Warriors’ 4-1 preseason friendly win against the Surat Thani FC ‘Roosters’ last night gave a number of trialists the chance to impress the Phuket coaches and fans. Of the try-out players, Japanese midfielder Yone stood out the most. The tall midfielder was an imposing presence in the center of the pitch linking up play well and…
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Russian tourist found dead at Phuket resort, cause unclear
PHUKET: Police are hoping that assistance from forensics investigators will help unravel the cause of death of a Russian tourist whose body was found in his Phuket resort villa yesterday. Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Jumroon Plaiduang was called to a resort in Soi Na Tai in the southern Phuket beach area of Rawai (map here), at about 1:30pm. “We found…
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Lucky police traffic stop nets wanted felon, drugs and guns
PHUKET: A random stop of two men at a checkpoint in Phuket Town on Thursday night netted Phuket Police drugs, guns and a man wanted on an attempted murder charge. Police stopped Narongsak Dang-ngam, 36, and Nikom Srisoi, 45, at 11:30pm at Soi Surin 3 in Phuket Town (map here). “Mr Narongsak was driving a pick up truck and Mr…
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Phuket Red Cross calls for A, B, Rh- blood donations
PHUKET: The Phuket Red Cross is calling for people across the island to join its Valentine’s Day blood drive to help replenish dwindling stocks at the blood bank in Phuket Town. The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC), often called upon to save the lives of Thais and foreigners in urgent need of medical help, is low on stocks of blood…
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