News
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Maximising revenue and profit–isn’t that the ultimate goal for every business in the hospitality industry? If you run a hotel, you might have heard that revenue management is an effective way to boost your top-line revenue. It involves using data...
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Rescue teams search for missing epileptic fisherman
KRABI: Rescue teams are searching for a fisherman who reportedly suffered an epileptic seizure and fell into the sea this morning. The captain of the Jatuphol Namsap 99 radioed for help after Prayun Cheepchuea, 36, fell off the boat and the crew’s efforts to find him failed. “Mr Prayun fell into the water near Koh Nok,” said Krabi Marine Police…
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Tourist help center locations yet to be decided
PHUKET: Officials are still deciding on the most appropriate locations to establish 24-hour tourist help centers. The project, which was announced in November last year (story here), was set to have authorities pin down locations and submit them for approval by November 25. Santi Pawai, director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office, told the Phuket Gazette that…
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Busted: Topless tourists exposed after joyride video sent to police
PHUKET: Police fined an American and Austrian* tourist for public nudity after a video surfaced of the pair sitting on the window sills of a slow-rolling SUV, exposing their bare breasts to those on the streets of Patong on January 2. “We were made aware of the video at about 2pm yesterday,” said Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong…
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More than 20 Phuket bus drivers arrested for drug use
PHUKET: Officers arrested more than 20 bus drivers for amphetamine use as the drivers made their way through the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint over the last three days. “Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayatongda ordered a joint task force of police, local government officials and provincial officers to tackle drug use by public transportation drivers and other professionals working with tourists,” explained…
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![Aussie attempts epic endurance sport feat in Phuket [video] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1_20161211204893_yKplYguhUmgufMsbTcHhhKZHwVaRMcfLnVxLBrtV_jpeg.jpeg)
Aussie attempts epic endurance sport feat in Phuket [video]
PHUKET: An Australian living and training on Phuket will make an epic endurance sport attempt tomorrow as he embarks on a three-day, non-stop triple circumnavigation of Phuket by prone paddleboarding, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and running. Damien Rider, 40, already made headlines in Phuket when he completed a local SUP adventure, circling the island to raise awareness for his self-funded organization:…
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Japanese tourist found dead off Phang Nga island
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a Japanese man found unconscious in shallow water after going for a swim off Koh Kai Nok Beach in Phang Nga yesterday. Jun Ich Kadoriku, 61, was on holiday with relatives and friends, who were playing on the sand while he was swimming alone in the water nearby, explained Lt Ronnapoom Permpoon of…
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Firefighters tackle Dubai blaze after all-night effort, investigate cause
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Firefighters tackle Dubai blaze after all-night effort, investigate cause Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Firefighters on Friday appeared to have mostly extinguished a blaze that suddenly engulfed one of Dubai’s most prominent skyscrapers on New Year’s Eve, witnesses said. Plumes of white smoke still emanated from…
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French journalist forced to leave China after article on Xinjiang
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community French journalist forced to leave China after article on Xinjiang Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A French journalist has been forced to leave China after the government said it would not renew her press credentials for the new year in response to a critical report on…
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Four dead on Phuket roads by New Year’s Eve
PHUKET: Phuket’s road-death toll remained at four at the end of day three of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road-safety campaign, with the latest fatality occurring in the early hours of yesterday morning. The death of Aeksalayut Inrith, 28, occurred in front of Supercheap Villa 5 on Chaofa West Road yesterday. He was driving under the influence and without a…
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Latvian tourist drowns on New Year’s Eve in Phuket
PHUKET: A Latvian tourist drowned in front of her family after being dragged out to sea by a large wave at Mai Khao Beach yesterday. Family members of Masite Micule, 67, informed lifeguards on duty about what happened as soon as she went missing in the water, confirmed Mai Khao chief lifeguard Panpong Chukaew. “She was swept from the beach…
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Angelina Jolie’s visit to Phuket temple sparks Hindu enthusiasm
PHUKET: Oscar winning actress Angelina Jolie has received a wave of support from members of the Hindu community, after they learned of her visit to a Hindu temple in Phuket a few days ago. According to reports, Ms Jolie visited the temple with her husband Brad Pitt and their six children during a family vacation on the island. Rajan Zed,…
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Phuket drug dealer busted with 11kg of marijuana
PHUKET: Police arrested a 22-year-old man for possession of about 11 kilograms of marijuana, an illegal firearm and other drug paraphernalia at a location near Bangkok Hospital Phuket yesterday evening. “We received a tip-off that Subinnimit Rakvet, 22, was dealing marijuana in the Talad Yai area, making deliverers on his Kawasaki Ninja motorbike,” said Maj Ritthichai Choomchuy of the Phuket…
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A Decade Ago: Marking the one year anniversary of the tsunami
PHUKET: On an island accustomed to horrific, devastating and dumbfoundingly absurd news, the page one lead story that captured the hearts of Phuket Gazette readers a decade ago was one of recovery and love – who says good news can’t sell? With uncharacteristic typographical enthusiasm (underlined and accompanied by an exclamation mark), the headline in the December 31, 2005 –…
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Navy rescue mission saves seven lost at sea
PHUKET: A Royal Thai Navy rescue mission last night saved seven sailors who were left adrift about 150 nautical miles from Phuket after an engine explosion caused their cargo ship to sink. Though Marine Police originally reported that there were eight crew members on board Aung Chat Sar as it transported an undisclosed type of timber originating from the conflict-infected…
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Opinion: Rapid responses to island issues
Prapan Kanprasang has been the chief of the Damrongdhama Center (ombudsman’s office) since 2011. He earned his master’s degree in public administration from The National Institute of Development Administration. Here he addresses how the newly launched ‘Rapid Damrongdhama Unit’ will help improve efficiency, as well as other ways to make the Damrongdhama Center more effective. PHUKET: In Phuket, there are…
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Island View: ‘Like’ before you drive
PHUKET: Having a mobile phone in Thailand has been the norm for about 10 years. When the phones were first introduced, it was a big deal to be able to call anyone, anytime, anywhere. However, because of this, people were causing more traffic accidents from using their phones while driving. This is why the government implemented a law prohibiting people…
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Opinion: AEC has arrived
PHUKET: With 2015 behind us and the Asean Economic Community (AEC) integration measures now ostensibly in effect, it is time for Phuket and its all-important tourism industry to map out strategies for continued growth in 2016. The past year certainly tested the island’s resilience. But despite Thailand’s first major international terror attack in Bangkok, the ongoing insurgency in the Deep…
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Business Buzz: Get off to an online start
PHUKET: Welcome to Business Buzz 2016! This year we have moved to a monthly format so that we can cover the topics we want in more depth and provide you with more useful information. By now you will have made (and hopefully not broken) your new year’s resolutions. It is generally a pretty safe assumption that people with an entrepreneurial…
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Finance: Keep calm, and invest on
PHUKET: Stock market corrections don’t come often, but when they do, they tend to come on fast and cause investors (along with the media) to panic. After all, it’s not uncommon to experience a double digit portfolio loss in a matter of weeks, or even over the course of just a few trading days. However, taking the following things into…
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Annual safety checks on tourist boats begin
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has begun making their annual inspections of boats and ferries carrying tourists out of Rassada Pier to ensure their safety during the New Year holiday. More than 13,000 locals and tourists are expected to depart from the island’s piers during this holiday’s long weekend. “Passengers’ safety remains our top priority. Boats must not carry more…
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Australian minister resigns after Hong Kong bar incident
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australian minister resigns after Hong Kong bar incident Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Two ministers in Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s government resigned on Tuesday, one of them standing down after a female public servant complained about his behaviour in a Hong Kong bar during a…
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Swiss shopping centre evacuated after bomb threat
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Swiss shopping centre evacuated after bomb threat Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A Swiss shopping centre in a town near the northern city of Basel was evacuated on Tuesday due to a bomb threat, police said. An anonymous caller threatened to detonate a bomb in the…
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Italy police rumble airport art thieves
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Italy police rumble airport art thieves Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Italian police have uncovered a complex network of thieves who stole valuable paintings at Rome’s main airport, and charged two of the hub’s staff with stealing the art works. Cleaners and customer service staff duped…
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SeaWorld sues California commission over orca breeding ban
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community SeaWorld sues California commission over orca breeding ban Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: SeaWorld sued California authorities on Tuesday, seeking to overturn a decision that allows the San Diego theme park to expand its orca habitat only if it stops breeding killer whales in captivity. The…
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Phuket rescue teams scramble to locate sinking ship
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy launched a helicopter rescue mission after receiving a report that a cargo ship carrying wood from Myanmar to Malaysia was sinking about 100 nautical miles from Phuket’s coast. “We received a report yesterday evening at 5:17pm. However, due to the distance, only the Navy had the resources to conduct the search area,” said Phuket Marine…
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Only flicker of light at Phuket tsunami memorial ceremony
PHUKET: After much fanfare marking the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami last year, the Light Up Phuket memorial on Patong Beach was extraordinarily quiet. In years past, the entire beach was lit up with candles decorating sand sculptures. However, this year, no free candles or flowers were handed out, and only about twenty candles were set out in…
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No change in tuk-tuk safety regulations
PHUKET: There will be no immediate changes in safety regulations following a British woman’s fall to her death from the back of a tuk-tuk on December 20. “There will be no changes to our rules,” said Jaturong Kaewkasi, the chief policy adviser for the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO). “Tuk-tuks in Phuket are regulated by the Department of Land Transport.…
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OrBorTor head to become new Phuket FC president
PHUKET: Cherng Talay Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President Ma-ann Samran announced his new appointment as president of the Phuket Football Club (Phuket FC) today. The announcement follows the resignation of former president Pramookpisitt Achariyachai and other key management members of Phuket FC after the team was relegated to Division 2 (story here). “I had the chance to meet with Mr Pramookpisitt…
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70 per cent of Phuket hotel rooms illegal, say experts
PHUKET: More than 70 per cent of hotel and resort rooms in Phuket are illegal, a problem that is severely harming the industry, said experts in a complaint filed to the Phuket Governor this morning. “According to our records, there are about 92,000 hotel rooms on the island. Of those, about 70 per cent are illegal,” said Kritsada Tansakul, director…
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Man dies in Germany after blowing up condom machine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Man dies in Germany after blowing up condom machine Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A man died on Christmas Day in Germany after he was hit in the head by a flying piece of metal from a condom machine that he and two accomplices blew up…
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