News
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Body of drowned Bahraini tourist recovered off Phuket
PHUKET: The body of a Bahraini tourist was recovered early this morning, three days after disappearing in heavy surf off Karon Beach on Sunday afternoon. Uten Singsom, head of the Phuket Lifeguard Club contingent assigned to patrol Kata-Karon, identified the deceased as Ali Abdulaziz Salman Alsaeed, age 25. Mr Ali arrived in Phuket on August 5 with three friends, all…
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More Phuket Airport taxis approved
PHUKET: The Transport Ministry has formally approved a request by Airports of Thailand (AoT) to increase the number of taxis and vans that can operate at Phuket International Airport by 60. News of the approval came at a meeting chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Nivit Aroonrat at Phuket Provincial Hall on Friday morning. Phuket Land Transport Office director Kanok Siripanichkorn…
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Over Bt1m seized in Phuket meth arrest
PHUKET: A former driver at a local school was arrested at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint with 200 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills yesterday evening. Acting on a tip-off, Tah Chat Chai Police led by Lt Nopparat Kongsuk pulled over a red-plated Vigo pickup at 7pm. A search of the vehicle uncovered 200 ya bah pills stashed inside a plastic bag stuffed…
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Phuket SEZ a dream?; Mega-show for Phuket; Election fraud; court begins
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news about Thailand from around the world, compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community. Special Economic Zones: Phuket hopes remain a dream In a development sure to raise eyebrows in Phuket, Sa Kaew province has been chosen to become a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to promote trade and investment in eastern…
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Phuket expats can enter census data on line
PHUKET: Foreigners in Phuket wanting to take part in the national census can do so on line from September 1, the Phuket Provincial Statistical Office has told the Gazette. Prapai Pukngarm, a technical and planning officer at the office, said the National Statistical Office (NSO) website (www.nso.go.th) should be ready to accept census data from September 1, when data collection…
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Phuket Bus Terminal 2: the saga continues
PHUKET: A plan by the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) to open its new provincial bus station by October 1 is in jeopardy because local residents oppose having buses do U-turns on Thepkrasattri Road, the Gazette has learned. PLTO Chief Kanok Siripanichkorn told the Gazette last week that his office hoped to have the 128-million-baht facility in operation by October…
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Phuket Opinion: More dam projects needed
PHUKET: Work on the much-needed 5.7-million-cubic-meter Klong Krata reservoir in the foothills behind Wat Luangpu Supha in Chalong can finally proceed, now that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) has finally approved a request by the Phuket Provincial Irrigation Office (PPIO) to use a 60-rai plot of Forest Department land needed to begin construction. The issues holding up…
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Phuket drowning victim identified
PHUKET: Police have identified the body of a man found washed up at Ao Yon over the weekend as that of Rawai resident Abdulloh Thaodaeng, aged 46. Phuket City Police were notified that a body was discovered lying face up on Ao Yon beach in tambon Wichit at about 2:30am yesterday. Police were initially unable to identify the corpse, clad…
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FC Phuket breeze past Hatyai FC, 2-0
PHUKET: The Division Two South title in the AIS Regional League is within easy reach for FC Phuket following a comfortable 2-0 win against Hatyai FC at Surakul Stadium yesterday evening. FC Phuket went into the match brimming with confidence, having put together back-to-back league wins after the surprise loss to Yala FC. FC Phuket started the match brightly, but…
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Phuket wet market to open this month
PHUKET: Although vendors and city officials continue to haggle over costs, the new wet market on Ranong Road will open by the end of the month, Phuket City Municipality says. Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupapana and city council members met with vendor representatives at Phuket City Hall on Monday. Provincial Deputy Governor Teerayut Eimtrakul served as chairman of the meeting…
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Phuket preps for Indians; Swiss steers Serenity Phuket; Bridge bomb
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news about Thailand from around the world, compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community. Phuket prepares for Pow Wow Phuket will be hosting an annual meeting of tour guide operators from India from Sept 24-27. A total of 1,500-2,000 representatives from the Association of Indian Tourist Guides will take part. Phuket…
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Andaman Motor Expo underway in Phuket
PHUKET: The Andaman Motor Expo 2010 is underway on the first floor of Central Festival Phuket’s HomeWorks complex. Among the makes on display are Toyota, Isuzu, Mazda, Proton, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet, BMW and Volvo. Companies selling car accessories and finance firms also have booths and displays. There are also classic cars on display, including a replica of the #53 Herbie “The…
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New hope for Phuket bus station
PHUKET: The new terminal for inter-provincial buses will open for service in October, Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) Chief Kanok Siripanichkorn has told the Gazette. Work on the 128-million-baht facility was completed in early December last year, but the station has sat idle ever since. “Bus terminals like this are usually handed over to local organizations to manage. Initially, Rassada…
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Phuket government offices to close for Mother’s Day
PHUKET: All Thai government offices, including Phuket Immigration, will be closed August 12 and 13 for the birthday of HM Queen Sirikit. Her Majesty’s birthday on August 12 is also celebrated as Mother’s Day in Thailand. “Our office will be closed on August 12 and 13, and will reopen on August 16,” Phuket Immigration Chief Col Panuwat Ruamrak confirmed to…
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999 rare trees to honor Mother’s Day in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket City Municipality mark Mother’s Day, which in Thailand is on the August 12 birthday of HM Queen Sirikit, with a variety of public activities at Suan Luang Park on August 9. The activities include the planting of 999 yang na, or “hairy-leafed apitong”, trees. The Kata-Karon Hotel Business Association, together with Krungthai Bank, the Rotary Club of Tungkha…
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Phuket PAD protest; oil drills defended; Bangkok bombs; economy booms
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news about Thailand from around the world, compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community. Phuket PAD adding fuel to temple fire Phuket members of the People‘s Alliance for Democracy are on their way to Bangkok this morning to join a rally at Government House. The Phuket contingent wants to help the…
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2nd Phuket Traditional Costume Contest on Sunday
PHUKET: The second-annual Phuket Traditional Costumes Contest will be held on August 8 from 2pm to 4pm at the Thalang National Museum, the museum’s director Atchima Nookhong announced August 2. Ms Atchima said the traditional costumes show the cultural identities of Phuket people, displaying the diversity of origins of people co-existing on the island for a long time. “Globalization has…
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Preah Vihear protest: Phuket PAD off to Bangkok
PHUKET: Phuket members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy will travel to the capital tomorrow to join a rally at Government House, where they will pressure the government to resolve the ongoing dispute over the Preah Vihear temple. Preah Vihear temple, built on the hilly border between Thailand and Cambodia, was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice…
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Six confess to drug charges in Phuket
PATONG: Kathu Police held a press conference on Tuesday to announce the arrest on Monday of six drug suspects, all of whom confessed to being members of a major drug ring selling ya bah (methamphetamine) and ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) to tourists in Patong. The conference was chaired by Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Superintendent Kosol Watrakon and Kathu Police Superintendent…
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Brit biker sets record for Thai King
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news about Thailand from around the world, compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community. PHUKET: Away from his home in Chiangrai for more than three months, British expat Alan Bate completed his trip around the world in honour of His Majesty the King of Thailand yesterday and set a new record…
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Mother’s Day photo contest by Radio Thailand, Phuket
PHUKET: The Radio Thailand office in Phuket is holding a digital photo contest with the theme of “The bond between mother and child” in celebration of national Mothers’ Day on August 12, which is the 78th birthday or HM Queen Sirikit. All submissions will be judged on beauty, creativity and how well they express the stated theme. Images must original…
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Baba Peranakan mass wedding in Phuket Town
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is organizing a mass wedding ceremony in the “Baba Peranakan” (Straits Chinese) tradition to take place in Phuket Town this month. The colorful event, organized jointly with the Phuket Peranakan Association (PPA) and Phuket City Municipality, will take place August 14 and 15. It is intended both as a celebration of Peranakan culture…
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Business brisk at Phuket City Pawnshop
PHUKET: The general state of the economy – not World Cup gambling – is responsible for brisk trade at the Phuket City Municipality Pawnshop, officers say. The shop, on Kamorapat Road in Phuket Town, currently has 480 million baht out on loan to 31,280 customers, according to a release by the municipality. Borrowers appear to be pawning more valuable items,…
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Phuket crash helmet campaign: fines start July 1, 2011
PHUKET: The public awareness part of the Phuket City Police “100% motorcycle helmet use” campaign will run another full year before offenders will face fines, it has been announced. The campaign, which began in April, is intended to bring helmet use in Phuket City Police District to 100%, both among operators and their passengers. July 1 this year was initially…
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Rough seas off Phuket through Thursday
PHUKET: The Meteorological Department (MET) has issued a weather advisory warning of rough offshore conditions over the next two days. Issued at 4pm today from the MET headquarters in Bangkok, the warning calls for strong monsoonal conditions across the country, causing heavy seas in both the Andaman Ocean and Gulf of Thailand from today through Thursday. All shipping should proceed…
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Phuket students prevent suicide leap
PHUKET: A group of Satree Phuket School students were able to talk a troubled teenager out of committing suicide by jumping off the pedestrian footbridge near their school this morning. Satree Phuket 12th-grade student Nat Koeypoekaisan said he was walking over the footbridge that spans Thepkrasattri Road when he noticed the young woman climbing over the handrail, facing out over…
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FC Phuket 2 – Satun United 1
PHUKET: First-place FC Phuket won a key football match on Sunday, with a clutch 2-1 road win over second-place Satun United. Satun United, coming off a 1-0 win over Hatyai FC, were in high spirits for the match against FC Phuket, who won the first encounter played at Surakul Stadium in March by a score of 2-0. In second place…
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Chinese firm interested in light rail project for Phuket
PHUKET: Representatives of a mainland Chinese construction conglomerate paid a visit to the Phuket Governor today to discuss the possibility of building a light-rail public transport system for Phuket. Francis Soo of Ershisanye Construction Group met Gov Wichai Phraisa-ngop at Provincial Hall this morning to express his firm’s interest. Founded in 1953, Ershisanye is engaged in construction engineering, mining development…
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‘Farang’ killed in motorbike crash on Patong Hill, Phuket
PHUKET: Police are trying to learn the identity of a Caucasian man killed early Sunday morning in a motorcycle accident on Phuket’s infamous Patong Hill road. Kathu Police Duty Officer Nitikorn Rawang received a report of the accident at 4am yesterday. Together with Kusoldharm Foundation workers he rushed to the scene at Kuan Yang curve on Phra Barami Road where…
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Dems in Phuket: unity sought, top cop consoled
PHUKET: During a Democrat Party seminar in Phuket over the weekend, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban urged fellow Democrat MPs from throughout the south to take a creative, friendly approach in trying to mend the fractious issues dividing the country. DPM Suthep was speaking at a party seminar entitled “Join Forces and Solve the National Crisis” at the Phuket Merlin…
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