Opinion
The Thaiger Opinion Columns
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Opinion: Mourning a much loved Monarch
PHUKET: It is with great sorrow that the Phuket Gazette joins the province and the rest of the nation in mourning the passing of a much loved Monarch. The sad news of the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej last Thursday, after the previous issue of the Gazette had gone to print, was surreal and profound, as the loss…
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Opinion: Why investing in Phuket makes good sense
PHUKET: Panupong Kritchanarat, originally from Bangkok, is currently the CEO of Boat Pattana, Phuket and has been working with its management for eight years. He also has several years of experience in real estate management. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chulalongkorn University. Here, he talks about business options in…
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Island View: Need to celebrate responsibly
PHUKET: The end of the vegetarian festival means different things to different people. While some miss the sights and sounds, others breathe a sigh of relief about the end of the crowds and noise. I have no complaints on either of those counts. I don’t like crowds or noise, so I chose to spend my time safe in the comfort…
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Opinion: Stick to the legal limit
PHUKET: The light court sentencing against a Thai driver who ran over and killed German national Andreas Walter last year (story here) serves as yet another example of why the police need better training in how to respond and collect evidence at road accident scenes. The late Mr Walter, who was a long-term expat in Phuket, was run over and…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Your mom doesn’t call anymore
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Opinion: A warm welcome for Governor Chokchai
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette is pleased to welcome new Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan to the island and also to thank him for taking the time to outline his objectives to Phuket’s international community through our monthly ‘Governor’s Letter’. Dr Chokchai, the island’s 47th governor and the 11th since the year 2000, clearly understands that his new position will present a host…
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Island View: Tourism industry needs a rehaul
PHUKET: During a day trip to Krabi with some friends last weekend, I planned a short rendezvous at Railay Island. After a heavy lunch, we walked to the pier and were surprised to find that a return ticket via long tail boat cost 200 baht per person. That’s not too much, I thought. There is probably a catch there. As…
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Opinion: Phuket Shrines Association chief explains spirit of Veg fest
PHUKET: Prasert Fakthongphol, 68, is the founder and president of the Phuket Shrines Association. He was born and raised in Phuket and has a vocational certificate in business studies from Dusit Commercial College in Bangkok. He has been the president of the association since 2001 and also owns a transportation company. Here, he talks about the real purpose and tradition…
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Opinion: Confusion at new airport terminal
PHUKET: Confusion among passengers following the recent opening of the International Terminal at Phuket Airport demonstrates a disappointing lack of readiness on the part of Airports of Thailand (AoT), Phuket Immigration and other related agencies. While it would have been naive to expect that such major changes to airport operations could come off without a hitch, the lack of manpower…
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Opinion: Gov Chamroen bids farewell
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has been leading our island for a year. He is now leaving us to take up his new position as the governor of Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Here is his last letter to Phuketians. It has been a year since I took up the position of governor in my hometown. It has been a great year…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: The power of amulets
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Opinion: Boosting startups in Phuket
PHUKET: The new Ministry of Digital Economy and Society shows the correct spirit in supporting and promoting startup businesses through its recent Startup Thailand 2016 activities here in Phuket. Our island has enormous potential as a hub for digital technology outfits, but fostering success for local startups in competitive international markets will require a much more ‘international outlook’ than many…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Willing to forgo principles
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Island View: Don’t need a 12-lane highway
PHUKET: With over 20,000 deaths every year, Thailand is second only to Libya – a country in the midst of a civil war – for the highest rate of annual traffic fatalities. Here in Phuket, poor planning, dense populations, unqualified drivers and a lack of law enforcement conspire to constantly raise each week’s body-count. The main thoroughfare through the island…
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Opinion: Born to be wild
PHUKET: The report of gibbons reproducing naturally in the wild in Phuket comes as rare good news for an island that has suffered much environmental degradation in recent decades. Hopefully this discovery can serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving what remains of our once natural ecosystems. Baby gibbons rank right up there in the Anthropomorphic Hall of…
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Opinion: Buying and investing in property in Phuket
PHUKET: Panuwat Somrit is a Phuket lawyer specializing in property. He has been practicing law for the past six years. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University. Here he talks about how to buy and invest in property in Phuket. Buying or investing in property may seem like a straight forward and easy transaction. You simply…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: How to ‘wai’ properly
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Opinion: Addressing road safety in Phuket
PHUKET: A proposal under consideration by the Department of Land Transport that would privatize driver education nationwide correctly recognizes and attempts to address the horrific state of road safety in the Kingdom. Unfortunately, the root causes of the problem run at a far deeper level than any bureaucratic reform could ever hope to reach, let alone rectify. It seems that…
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Opinion: Easing the migrant registration process
PHUKET: Pitool Dumsakorn, 54, is the current chief of the Phuket Employment Office. Originally from Phatthalung, he has a master’s degree in Public Administration from Prince of Songkla University in Hat Yai. He has taken up this position to manage unemployment on the island. Here he talks about how employment laws must not only be strictly applied, but also be…
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Island View: Retail Goliaths killing the local community
PHUKET: Unemployment in Thailand is practically zero. The official unemployment rate is around the one per cent mark. Compare that to somewhere like the UK where unemployment figures over the past decade have fluctuated wildly between 12 and seven per cent, and one has to ask why a developed nation has an unemployment problem with millions dependent on government handouts.…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Attracting the worst people
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Opinion: Promoting sporting events in Phuket
PHUKET: Sirawee Waloh, originally a native of Pattani, was appointed as the new director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office (MOTS) on July 25, 2016. She had previously been working as a human resource developer and nurse at Pattani Provincial Public Health Office for 18 years. She is a graduate of the College of Nursing, Songkhla. Here,…
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Island View: Going over to the dark side
PHUKET: After about a year and a half of living in Phuket, I have finally taken the leap and upgraded from a scooter to a loud, notorious ‘big bike’. Cruising on my new ride, with an ear to ear grin plastered on my face, I feel an overwhelming sense of good fortune. The loud hum of the Yokishima exhaust does…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Why are they here?
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Opinion: Security is everyone’s business
PHUKET: Andy Phillips, 58, is a retired Chaplain and British expat who served in the British armed forces for 20 years with the Parachute Regiment and Royal Marine Commandos. Here, he shares with us his concerns about security measures in the province following last week’s spate of bombings and his experiences in Northern Ireland dealing with one of the world’s…
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Opinion: No pet left behind
PHUKET: It’s official. I’ve got puppy fever. I’ve started budgeting more commuting time so that I can pullover and love on whatever soi critter I happen to see while idling in the daily traffic around Phuket Town and the Bypass Road. Actually it’s not just puppy fever, it’s pet fever. If it’s got fur, I’m off my bike, petting it.…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Using local expressions
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.For…
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Opinion: Reassessing priorities to maximize national security
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette hopes that the perpetrators of the recent bomb attacks are brought to justice as swiftly as possible so that we can all begin the work of restoring confidence in the region. The specter of tourist-targeted bomb attacks of the kind that took place over the Mother’s Day weekend had been a source of dread here in…
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Island View: Burmese border visa run by car
PHUKET: Being relatively close to Phuket (about 350km), the Burmese border is a destination of choice for visa runs and can be done by car in a day. When you drive yourself, you can stop and snack or stretch out whenever you want, or even spend some time at one of the many beaches along the coast as you pass…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Right way to hail a taxi
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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