News
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Last Call: A love, loom affair with China
PHUKET: Often, one of the last interview questions to scientists or economic strategists is the ominous, almost motherly line: “What keeps you awake at night?”. In most cases the answer is obtuse and rarely what they call in submarine talk, a direct hit. In my own personal version of Groundhog Day [the blockbuster hit starring Bill Murray] – over and…
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Phuket police arrest armed 7-Eleven drug dealer
PHUKET: Police last night arrested an armed man who confessed to selling ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) to teenagers in front of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Cherng Talay.Lt Col Sommai On-khum and fellow officers moved in and arrested 32-year-old Cherng Talay resident Sitthi Suebprasit in front of the 7-Eleven in Baan Pasak, on the Cherng Talay-Baan Don Road, at 10:30pm.“We…
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Phuket secures B22mn to fix notorious Patong Hill road
PHUKET: The Phuket Highways Office (PHO) has secured the 22 million baht needed to permanently fix the large section of the notorious Patong Hill road that washed away nearly two years ago, PHO Director Samak Luedwonghad announced yesterday. “Patong Hill Road in undergoing permanent restoration (story here). A contract was signed on May 15 and the repairs are expected to…
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Phuket policeman escapes injury after slippery road slams pickup into tree
PHUKET: A police officer on his way to work early yesterday morning lost control of his pickup truck on the bypass road and crashed into a tree.Though the impact demolished the front end of his pickup, he narrowly missed a nearby light pole and escaped injury.Police and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers responding to a 5:30am call found a pickup straddling…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Anti-govt rallies; Bus safety under fire; PM beauty smarts TV; Facebook top Thai news source
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anti-govt groups plan street protests The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Anti-government groups are firming up plans for street rallies ahead of the parliamentary deliberation on August 7 of an amnesty bill proposed by a group of MPs from the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The protests…
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Cash secured for 22-million-baht permanent Patong Hill road fix
PHUKET: The Phuket Highways Office (PHO) secured 22 million baht to permanently fix a large, notoriously derelict section of Patong Hill road, PHO Director Samak Luedwonghad announced yesterday. “Patong Hill road in undergoing permanent restoration [story here]. A contract was signed on May 15, and the repairs are expected to be completed by October 12,” Mr Samak told the Phuket…
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Phang Nga Immigration reclaims Rohingya runaways
PHUKET: Phang Nga Immigration Police last night intercepted five Rohingya refugees who were en route to Bangkok by train after disappearing from a government shelter in Phang Nga, north of Phuket. The refugees, a 20-year-old woman and four children aged 5 to 14 years, were taken into custody at 11:30pm. They were among the 18 Rohingya who disappeared from the…
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DSI gives Phuket mafia 15 days to pack up shop
PHUKET: Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tarit Pengdith today leveled a warning at all mafia operating in Phuket: cease and desist within 15 days – or else. Mr Tarit arrived in Phuket this morning with Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak and a team of about 10 DSI officials to launch a crackdown specifically targeting illegal taxi drivers and…
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Trial date set for Phuket taxi driver accused of abducting Chinese teen
PHUKET: The trial of the illegal taxi driver charged with abducting and sexually assaulting a Chinese teen tourist on May 17 will start on September 2. “The case was transferred to the court on July 4,” said Phuket Public Prosecutor Theerasak Srichulalak. Paitoon Kruain, 32, faced five charges: deprivation of liberty; sexual assault; using a Category 1 narcotic; consuming alcohol…
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Slap attack gang members charged for attempted murder in Phuket Town street stabbing
PHUKET: Four members of a teenage gang have been charged with attempted murder after a Burmese man was seriously injured in a knife attack in Phuket Town early yesterday morning. The gang of 10 were riding motorbikes along Tilok U-Thit Road (map here) at about 1:30am when four of them took umbrage with a Burmese man riding his motorbike with…
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Phuket International Boat Show and Royal Phuket Marina partner for five years
PHUKET: The Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) has secured its home for the future with the signing of a five-year host venue agreement with Royal Phuket Marina (RPM), the marine and luxury lifestyle destination on Phuket’s east coast. Having recently announced the dates for 2014 being moved to the popular January 9-12 timing, organisers say they are laying strong foundations…
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Phuket Raceweek gets new ownership
PHUKET: Media Business Services (MBS), led by Byron and Kanyarat Jones, have been announced as the new owners and rights holders of the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek. The news was broken at the closing party and Gala Dinner of the highly successful 2013 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek. Founder and now former rights holder Grenville Fordham of Image Asia…
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“What do you think they are smoking over there at the Emirates?”
PHUKET GAZETTE SPORTS – Quote of the day: Liverpool owner John W. Henry asked on Twitter: “What do you think they are smoking over there at the Emirates?” PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sports news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Reds favorite ‘son’ Suarez should heed fans: Rodgers Reuters PHUKET: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers told Luis Suarez…
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Phuket Gazette World News: 56 dead in Spanish train disaster; Interpol alert over Iraqi jailbreak; US keeps NSA taps; Gay violence in Montenegro
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least 56 killed, 70 injured, after train derails in Spain Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: At least 56 people were killed and 70 injured when a train derailed on the outskirts of the northern Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela on Wednesday in one of Europe’s worst…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Northeast floods; B20mn for rice death; Teachers die in Deep South blast
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Northeast still struggling with floods The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Floods continued in the provinces of Chanthaburi, Trat and Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday, affecting hundreds of residents.Downtown Chanthaburi was submerged in up to a meter of water and authorities warned it would rise further. Schools in flood-hit areas…
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Phuket Governor rides the bus, predicts smooth sailing
PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut rode the new airport bus to Patong on Tuesday, four days after its inaugural run. “The condition of the bus was good, and it was clean and safe. The staff were good too,” Gov Maitri said. “One thing it needs is more publicity. I don’t think many people know it exists,” he said. The governor did…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Dramatic balloon crash caught on film; Brazilians lose bikinis for the Pope; Cop-turned-actor Dennis Farina dead
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Hot air balloon carrying 11 crashes in Dutch lake, injuring 2 Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: A hot air balloon carrying eleven people crashed into a lake in the Netherlands on late yesterday evening, injuring two of the people on board, emergency services said. The…
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Phuket’s transport evolution
PHUKET: The long awaited new Airport Express bus service between Phuket Airport and the island’s premier party and entertainment town, Patong, started to roll last Friday, four days later than expected. “We thought we could start on July 15, but we had to push the launch date back,” Mr Prakob Panyawai, the owner of the bus operating company, explained, adding…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Kate and Will show off new prince; Oz tells UK not to leave EU; China’s corrupt healthcare
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kate and William show off Britain’s new prince Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Prince William and his wife Kate gave the world its first glimpse of their new baby yesterday when they left hospital with the boy who is third in line to the British throne.…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand news: Tests needed to ID crash victims; Southern unrest during Ramadan; Deeds to be revoked for golf course
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tests needed to identify many victims of bus crash The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Forensic experts are working to identify victims whose bodies were burnt beyond recognition after a horrific bus crash in Kaeng Khoi in Saraburi early yesterday.The tragedy, which claimed 19 lives, has prompted Transport…
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Special Report: Phuket Gazette keeping an eye on corruption
Special Report: Thailand has again ranked poorly in Transparency International’s annual report on corruption worldwide, released last week. How does this report affect Phuket? The Phuket Gazette investigates. PHUKET: Global corruption watchdog Transparency International last week released its annual report on corruption worldwide. Known as the Global Corruption Barometer, the report compiles an international index of all countries based on…
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19 killed in tour bus crash
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Reuters/ Phuket Gazette Nineteen people were killed and 23 were injured when a double-decker passenger bus caught fire after a collision in Saraburi, north of Bangkok. An 18-wheel lorry crashed into the Bangkok-bound overnight bus on Mitraphab highway, one of Thailand’s busiest roads. Most passengers, as…
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Phuket FC lock horns with Bangkok Iron Bulls to no avail
PHUKET: The Islanders dropped one place to sixth of the 18-team Yamaha League One (YL1), after playing out yet another draw – this time to Bangkok FC in a tense yet thrilling 1-1 dead-lock on Saturday evening in Thailand’s capital. Bangkok also lost their 3rd place standing, falling into 4th as a result of the draw and in conjunction with…
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Korean classical musicians to perform free Phuket concert for refugee children
PHUKET: An ensemble of 10 top-flight classical musicians accompanied by 100 students will perform in concert in Phuket free of charge tonight (July 23) to raise funds for Myanmar refugee children living near the border town of Sangkhlaburi, in Kanchanaburi province. The two-hour concert, to be held at the Andaman Embrace Resort & Spa on Haad Patong Road (map here),…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Chiang Mai, Hua Hin best for retirees; Phuket’s best Raceweek
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Chiang Mai, Hua Hin best The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Live and Invest Overseas website has ranked Chiang Mai and Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district as a couple of the world’s best places to retire due to the low cost of living and beautiful beaches.The…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Dengue vaccine in the works; Govt ignoring the elderly; Monk’s passport revoked; Biogas stations approved
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sanofi set to make dengue vaccine The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Nobody knows for sure whether the trials of a vaccine for dengue fever will bear fruit, or provide new hope to countries plagued by the virus. However, a factory is now ready to start producing the…
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Phuket Gazette World News: UK has new prince; Belguim has new king; Moroccan king to get new government
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Baby boy for Prince William and wife Kate Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Prince William’s wife Kate gave birth to a boy yesterday afternoon, the couple’s first child and the third in line to the British throne, heralding celebrations in London and messages of goodwill from across the…
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Phang Nga bus crash leaves 22 injured
PHUKET: More than 20 passengers were injured when a bus en route from Bangkok to Phang Nga, north of Phuket, overshot a curve and crashed into a road barrier in Pranburi in Prachuap Khiri Khan province yesterday. A reported 21 passengers and the driver were sent for emergency medical treatment at Pranburi and Thanarat hospitals. Three were sent to Hua…
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Phuket office identifies 82 “foreign-owned’ businesses suspected of using Thai nominees
PHUKET: The Phuket Business Development Office (BDO) has identified 82 businesses suspected of breaching the Foreign Business Act (FBA) by using Thais as nominees so that foreigners can hold majority control. The businesses were identified ahead of raids by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) set for this week, targeting illegal foreign businesses in Phuket (story here). “After checking our…
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Phuket boat captain charged for reckless driving resulting in death
PHUKET: A boat captain was charged with reckless driving resulting in death after the pickup he was driving on Chao Fa East road Saturday night struck a man on a motorbike, killing him.A-thit Hannongbua, 35, was travelling toward Phuket Town on Chao Fa East Road when 55-year-old Kittichai Prapanan pulled out from Soi Thanuthep on his motorbike, a witness told…
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