News
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AirAsia bookings offline this weekend
PHUKET: Thai AirAsia this weekend will temporarily suspend its online booking facility for all flights to and from Bangkok after October 1. The news comes as the budget carrier prepares to move its operations from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. Starting at 10pm on Friday, technicians will be reprogramming airport codes to reflect the change from…
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Road warriors: Phuket FC down Songkhla, 1-0
PHUKET: A second-half goal by midfielder Marcio Santos was all Phuket FC needed to snatch three points on the road at Songkhla FC, in a match played in front of a small crowd of fans at Jiranakorn Stadium in Haad Yai. It was just the second road win of the year for the Islanders. The goal came when the Brazilian…
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Phuket Gazette: Red Bull’s Baumgartner jumps from 96,640 feet
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO: Felix Baumgartner completed the final milestone remaining before he attempts to achieve his dream of becoming the first person to break the speed of sound in freefall. According to preliminary data, his test jump from a 5.3 million cubic-foot balloon achieved an altitude of…
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Phuket Gazette: ‘The Jeffersons’ star Sherman Hemsley dead at 74
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘The Jeffersons’ star Sherman Hemsley dead at 74 Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: American actor Sherman Hemsley, who starred as George Jefferson in the 1970s television series ‘The Jeffersons’ and ‘All in the Family’, died at his home in Texas on Tuesday, police said. He…
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Phuket hotel investments surge in 2012
PHUKET: Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels is predicting that Phuket will be one of Asia Pacific’s hotel investment hot spots in 2012, following record sales in the first half of the year. Investment in the hotel property sector in Phuket is expected to exceed 10 billion baht (US$315m) for the full year for first time ever in 2012. Mike Batchelor, Managing…
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Phuket AMCHAM puts “Best Green Tourism Practices’ on the agenda
PHUKET: The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Greater Phuket Chapter is co-ordinating with local environmental welfare group SEEK to hold a seminar focusing on Best Green Tourism Practices in Phuket. The seminar, to be held at the Holiday Inn Patong on August 24, will highlight how sustainable green programs, ranging from recycling, energy and water savings and more, can help…
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British tourist, 47, drowns at Patong Beach
PHUKET: An English tourist who ignored warnings not to swim in dangerous surf at Patong Beach yesterday became the latest monsoon-season drowning victim in Phuket. Patong Police received a report of the incident at 8:15am. Among the officers who rushed to the scene were Patong Police Superintendent Jirapat Phochanaphan and his deputy Kittipong Klaikaew. Pol Sub Lt Thawatchai Srimai told…
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Phuket Gazette: A kaleidoscope of sporting news
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sutiya shooting for goldPhuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit is upbeat about her chances in the Olympics following intensive training in Germany with her coach Jan Henrik Heinrich. The national skeet shooter, who has been in London for almost a week, said a month…
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Phuket Gazette: Ronnie Barker’s son arrested on child porn charges
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ronnie Barker’s son arrested on child porn charges after 8 years on the run Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Adam Barker, son of British comedian Ronnie Barker, appeared in a London court yesterday after being on the run for more than eight years, police said.…
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Truck driver charged after Phuket woman crushed in rush hour
PHUKET: The driver of a six-wheeled truck with a dual-axle trailer in tow has been charged with reckless driving causing death after his trailer clipped a 58-year-old woman riding a motorbike to work this morning.The woman, Prapha Charoensiri, fell on to the road and died instantly after she was crushed under the wheels of the juggernaut.Maj Kittiphum Tinthalang of Phuket…
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Thailand News: Weather warning issued as Vicente moves on
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: The national weather bureau is warning of heavy rain and possible flooding, as well as forest run-off, this week due to the effects of Typhoon Vicente. The Meteorological Department today issued a warning for those living in the northeast, north as well as the eastern…
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Phuket Gazette: Food poisoning sickens 35 homeless
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Food poisoning sickens 35-plus at Denver dinner for homeless Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: More than 35 people were taken to Denver-area hospitals late Sunday after being stricken with suspected food poisoning caused by a meal of turkey served at a shelter for the poor and homeless,…
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Outrigger to buy Phuket’s Laguna Beach Resort
PHUKET: Outrigger Hotels and Resorts announced today in a press release that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the 254-room Laguna Beach Resort, located on Bang Tao Bay on the northwest coast of Phuket. The transaction is scheduled to close in the first quarter of 2013. The press release did not stipulate how much the resort was being…
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Phuket Gazette: Hong Kong lashed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Typhoon Vicente lashes Hong Kong, injuring 118 Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: A severe typhoon lashed Hong Kong early this morning, injuring more than 110 people and causing flooding in several parts of the city, local authorities said. It is the worst typhoon to hit…
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Phuket Investor: The alternative gold rush
PHUKET: With all the economic strife the world has seen over the past 12 months, I feel as if I’ve turned into a portrayer of doom. So, I’m taking the doom gloves off and jumping on the feel good train, which seems to have hit the European markets this last couple of weeks. I’m not saying that the problems have…
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Phuket Live Wire: Faster and closer, but not for us
PHUKET: Investors are lined up, and ground is about to be broken on the Asia Pacific Gateway, the fastest, slickest submarine data cable ever constructed. And it’s coming to Thailand. While most underwater data cables in the Pacific end up in the US, this one’s different. It starts in Malaysia, travels 10,400 kilometers (more than 6,000 miles) to Japan, and…
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Patong, Phuket set for election alcohol bans
PHUKET: The sale of alcohol will be banned across Phuket on August 26 and again in Patong on September 2 as voters go to the polls for local elections. The August 26 island-wide alcohol ban will come into effect as residents vote in the upcoming Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) council election. The ban, in accordance with the Election Act,…
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Phuket Hospital cuts red tape for free treatment of officials
PHUKET: Local government officers can now receive medical treatment at the Phuket Provincial Hospital in Phuket Town without going through the “pay first, be reimbursed later” process. The deal was inked by Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising yesterday, when he signed an agreement to provide a medical care advance credit arrangement at the hospital for public-sector workers.…
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Thailand Open commences August 9
PHUKET: The Thailand Open commences August 9-12 at Suwan Golf & Country Club. Players from Europe and Asia will be competing for US$1 million in prize money at the OneAsia event. Veteran golfer, Prayad Marksaeng, hopes to put behind him the disappointment of coming a close second last year to Australia’s Andre Stolz. The Australian beat Prayad scoring 22-under compared…
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Thailand news summary – July 24
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community President to look into the 92 Thais Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: Myanmar president Thein Sein yesterday promised to look into the issue concerning the detention of 92 Thais recently for land encroachment.A Government House source said Thein Sein told Yingluck that he was willing to look…
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Aussie expat found hanged in Phuket
PHUKET: An Australian expat took his life by hanging in a luxury home under construction in Phuket, it was discovered this morning. Thalang Police were notified of the apparent suicide at 10:30am by the wife of the victim, 38-year-old Australian Daniel Cruwys. When police and Kusoldharm Foundation workers arrived at the scene, an upscale home in Pa Khlok, they found…
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Patong residents voice support for “Special Admin Zone’
PHUKET: The push to designate Phuket’s top tourism town of Patong as a “Special Administrative Zone” received much positive support at a public meeting on Friday. The meeting, held to gather feedback from local residents, was headed by Pridi Chotechuang, Deputy Secretary General of the Political Development Council and fellow PDC member Jinda Boonjun. The PDC is an independent “think…
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Phuket FC draw with Songkhla, 0-0
PHUKET: Despite some good scoring chances and strong crowd support, Phuket FC were only able to take a single point away from last night’s encounter with Songklha FC, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Going into the match mired in the five-team relegation zone, Phuket FC went on the attack early with some good scoring chances. Former FC Phuket goalkeeper…
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Phuket needs “facelift’ before ASEAN Community 2015
PHUKET: Officials took another look at necessary island developments during a Phuket Tourism Association (PTA) seminar Friday, as Phuket prepares to enter the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015. “This is the third seminar that [the PTA] has held on this topic, because we understand the importance of ‘creative tourism’ and the necessity of applying it to Phuket in preparation for…
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Exciting sailing caps finale to Phuket Raceweek
PHUKET: The best was saved for last as the final day of the 2012 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek saw 10-12 knots of breeze gusting to 15, and some spectacular competition around the southern islands of Phuket, which brought to an end an exciting and successful week. Two races – a windward/leeward and an islands course – for all except…
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News headlines for Thailand Today
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community EV71 case ‘no cause for panic’ Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: Department of Disease Control chief Dr Pornthep Siriwanarangsan yesterday advised the public not to panic over the discovery that a toddler had died at a Bangkok hospital from an Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection.Pornthep said the Nopparat…
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Phuket Opinion: A caveat for Toh Seh Hill, and a hint for politicians
PHUKET: A project by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) to develop Toh Seh Hill as a recreational site is well-intentioned, and the Gazette hopes that the current OrBorJor – as well as the administrations that follow it – are prepared to commit sufficient resources to ensure that the hill’s natural charm is not despoiled by garbage, traffic snarls, gang…
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Phuket Gazette: Obama visits shooting victims; Calls for gun law reform
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Obama visits families of Colorado shooting victims Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: President Barack Obama travelled to Colorado on Saturday to meet with families of the victims who were shot by the gunman at the Denver-area movie theater on Friday. The massacre occurred when the…
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Phuket Gazette: Gunman kills 12 at Batman premiere
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gunman kills 12, injures 58 at Colorado movie theater Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: A gunman outfitted in complete ballistic gear entered a movie theater in Colorado yesterday and opened fire during the premiere showing of the new Batman movie, killing 12 people and injuring…
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Ex-cop found dead in Phuket Town hotel
PHUKET: A former police officer from Ranong was found dead in his Phuket Town hotel room on July 18. Police say there were no signs of a struggle and believe the officer died of natural causes while on holiday.The late Lt Col Chokchai Charucharee had recently retired from service at Suk Samran Police Station in Ranong, where he was a…
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