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Angry Phuket minivan driver pulls big knife in traffic [video]
PHUKET: A road-raging minivan driver was caught brandishing a long knife at the driver of a pickup truck on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday afternoon. The video clip shows the driver of the van waving what appears to be a machete or a small sword as he passes the truck in the left lane. “I saw the clip last night. We will…
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Phuket targets biker gangs after Aussie Hells Angels slaying
PHUKET: Police in Phuket ramped up security measures geared toward tracking international bike-gang members following the gunpoint abduction and slaying of Australian Hells Angels motorcycle gang member Wayne Rodney Schneider in Pattaya this week. “We have been given specific orders to focus on bringing to justice foreigners committing violent crimes, as well as those operating as members of a mafia…
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Seven Similan National Park employees dispute transfer
PHUKET: Seven senior park officers and employees were given urgent transfer notices on November 27, forcing them to depart the renowned Similan National Park just as high season kicked off, confirmed the park’s chief. “The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) issued a letter saying that the officers’ transfer was necessary to improve the effectiveness of the…
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U.N. food agency faces US$40 million Myanmar funding shortfall to mid-2016
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.N. food agency faces US$40 million Myanmar funding shortfall to mid-2016 Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: More than 600,000 people in Myanmar need food assistance due to natural disasters, violence and conflict, the U.N. World Food Programme said on Wednesday, announcing a $40 million funding shortfall…
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Facebook’s Zuckerberg takes philanthropy into profit, politics
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Facebook’s Zuckerberg takes philanthropy into profit, politics Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Mark Zuckerberg, who famously urged his company Facebook Inc (FB.O) to “move fast and break things,” is taking a similar approach to the staid world of philanthropy, indicating his new venture will get directly…
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Third category added to Phuket beach management system
PHUKET: Surin Beach was dubbed a ‘Beach of Honor’ by the Phuket vice governor earlier this week, making it the third category of beach in the island’s management system. Though the beach is unique for being the only one in this category so far, it will be managed in the exact same way as a virgin beach. Umbrellas, beach chairs…
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A Decade Ago: Public transport strikes again
PHUKET: Frequent readers of the news are familiar with the ‘long-awaited’ lightrail project, whose tracks will guide dramatic change in the desolate Phuket public transportation landscape. Now what exactly does ‘long-awaited’ mean? Months? A year? Five years? A decade? In this particular case, a decade ago seems most appropriate, as the topic dominates page 2 of the November 26 –…
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Mai Khao, Karon could suffer contested Hollywood Movie Museum
PHUKET: The much-protested against ‘Hollywood Movie Museum’ originally slated for Nai Harn could very well end up in Karon or Mai Khao, confirmed officials. “K2L Advertising Co – the Bangkok-based company hired to build the museum – has the necessary contacts to get Hollywood memorabilia that is associated with filming in Phuket,” explained Santi Pawai, director of the Ministry of…
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Teenage security guard returns B400,000 to owner
PHUKET: A 19-year-old local returned a bag that contained 400,000 baht to its owner after discovering it in the bathroom of a Tesco Lotus in Phuket on Tuesday. Nattapong Rithidet, security guard for UBN Phuket Andaman Co Ltd at the Samkong Tesco Lotus, was in the bathroom when another man came in to use the facilities. The man accidentally left…
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Letter from the Governor: Helping those in need
Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada is a Phuket native with a master’s degree in political and administrative science from the National Institute of Development Administration. He served as the island’s vice governor from 2012 to 2014. Here he talks about his mission to help local people in need live a better life and to work together to establish the island’s image as…
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Vice Governor vows to demolish Surin Beach clubs
PHUKET: What was once arguably Phuket’s most famous stretch of beach clubs will be demolished by New Year, vowed Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat today. “It will take about two weeks to clear all the buildings and broken construction materials from Surin Beach boardwalk,” explained Vice Governor Chokdee. “This needs to be clearly explained to the English-speaking community impacted so…
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Phuket Police break up credit card theft ring targeting tourists
PHUKET: The ‘purchaser’ for a nationwide credit card theft ring that targeted tourists was arrested on Sunday in Phang Nga after he escaped Phuket in a dramatic car chase. Pitawat Akarathitiveerakul, 53, explained to police that he was part of a criminal network that stole tourists’ credit cards when they put their luggage on buses and other forms of public…
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Ferrari 488 Spider debuts in Phuket
PHUKET: The Ferrari 488 Spider officially made its debut in Phuket – its first appearance in Southeast Asia – following the premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September. The Ferrari 488 is the latest chapter in Maranello’s ongoing history of open-top V8 sports cars, a story that started with the targa-top version of the 308 GTB – the…
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Indonesia cites faulty component, crew response in AirAsia crash
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Indonesia cites faulty component, crew response in AirAsia crash Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Indonesian investigators said on Tuesday a chronically faulty component and the crew’s attempt to fix the problem were among the factors that contributed to the crash of an AirAsia passenger jet last…
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Phuket drug dealer busted with more than B1mn of meth
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police arrested a drug dealer in possession of more than one million baht worth of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) on Friday. Paitoon Asirametee, 26, was apprehended in front of a grocery store in Wichit after police received a tip-off that he had been selling drugs to teenagers in the Muang District. “Mr Paitoon was in possession of…
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Duty-free heist puts Phuket airport employee behind bars
PHUKET: A Phuket Air Catering employee confessed to stealing duty-free items while transporting food to a plane bound for Finland at Phuket International Airport yesterday afternoon. “Sitthichai Srirat, 28, stole a total of 18 duty-free items, including expensive watches, perfumes, a pen and a necklace,” explained Tah Chat Chai Police Superintendent Somchai Sanprasert. Cabin crew on Finnair AY038 Phuket to…
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Hackers hit three Greek banks with ransom demands
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Hackers hit three Greek banks with ransom demands Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET:Hackers have staged cyber-attacks on three Greek banks and demanded a ransom in bitcoins, a virtual monetary unit, to stop their disruption, banking sources said on Monday. The sources said the hackers managed to…
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TV anchor seeks to be Cambodia’s political peacemaker to avoid conflict
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community TV anchor seeks to be Cambodia’s political peacemaker to avoid conflict Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Cambodian TV news anchor Soy Sopheap has again stepped into the role of political peacemaker in an effort to end the feud between Prime Minister Hun Sen and exiled opposition…
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Bill Gates plots a surprise attack on the energy sector
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bill Gates plots a surprise attack on the energy sector Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Bill Gates grows most animated when the talk turns to the “cool” new energy technologies that have yet to leave the lab. Gates was a rare civilian sharing the limelight alongside…
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Phuket burglar allegedly takes B20k cash
PHUKET: Police are searching for a burglar who allegedly broke into a house at the Keha public housing estate in Thalang Sunday afternoon. Kasem Pansri, 28, reported to police that he returned home from the Layan Market to discover that 20,000 baht in cash had been stolen from his bedroom. “There were clear signs of an intruder having rummaged through…
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Island View: Making the move
PHUKET: At first I was very hesitant to make the move from Chalong to Phuket Town. When I first came to Phuket, everyone told me that Chalong was the best place to be, as it is central to the beaches and Town. And I have to agree, it is a really great location. However, to get anywhere requires a motorbike…
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Phi Phi Police struggle to stomp out gibbon touts
PHUKET: Unaware of officers failing to find and arrest an illegal gibbon tout regularly operating at a specific time and location on Phi Phi Don, the recently appointed Phi Phi Police Chief Jetsada Junphum has taken matters into his own hands. “I did not see the video sent to my officers until the Phuket Gazette sent it directly to me,”…
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Man assaulted, pregnant girlfriend abducted in taxi
BANGKOK: A taxi driver, along with his accomplices, reportedly robbed and assaulted a Myanmar passenger before abducting his two-month-pregnant girlfriend on Saturday. Ong Su, 34, told police that he and his 22-year-old girlfriend hailed a green-yellow taxi with an unknown licence plate number from the Rangsit area to go to Samut Prakan province. Two men joined them in the taxi…
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Deaf man dies in alleged suicide
PHUKET: Police have yet to rule out foul play as they investigate the alleged suicide of a deaf man in Thalang yesterday morning. Officers received a report that Amnach Utsaha, 30, had supposedly shot himself in the head with a homemade gun while in bed with his wife Boonruay Aree, 44. “According to Ms Boonruay, Mr Amnach had been complaining…
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Phuket locals protest US Amb’s lese majeste comments
PHUKET: About 100 Phuket locals gathered at Provincial Hall this morning to protest comments made by the recently appointed United States Ambassador to Thailand, Glyn Davies, about the increase in lese majeste sentences under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). “Ambassador Glyn Davies gave a public speech on Wednesday at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand in Bangkok…
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Beijing aims to refill medicine chest with
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Beijing aims to refill medicine chest with ‘Made in China’ drugs Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: China, already a global powerhouse in high-tech areas from solar panels to bullet trains, is turning its industrial might to the challenge of making more of its own drugs for…
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World leaders to launch bid for climate breakthrough in Paris
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community World leaders to launch bid for climate breakthrough in Paris Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: World leaders will launch an ambitious attempt on Monday to hold back the earth’s rising temperatures, urging each other to find common cause in two weeks of bargaining meant to steer…
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Indonesia ferry hits trouble on way to Singapore, 97 rescued
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Indonesia ferry hits trouble on way to Singapore, 97 rescued Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Almost 100 people were rescued when a ferry sailing towards Singapore from the Indonesianisland of Batam hit a floating object and reportedly started to sink, authorities in the city-state said. Ferry…
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Myanmar couple arrested for dealing meth
PHUKET: Police arrested two Myanmar nationals in possession of more than 250 grams of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice) on Friday. Thiha Soe, 32, and his wife, referred to by police only as Moe, were apprehended after officers received a tip-off from Rassada Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) Chanchai Tantawacheerapan. “Mr Chanchai contacted officials after hearing complaints about two plant workers selling drugs…
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Business Buzz: Cash in on high season
PHUKET: We are coming into the high season and the tourists will be coming, so no matter what their numbers, this is the time to take advantage. There are a couple of things that we can do as business owners to protect our profits and position ourselves for the coming year. The first is to try to avoid the price…
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