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Sponsored Infinito helps hotels in Thailand with revenue management
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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Hundreds protest alleged police brutality in Phuket, officer transferred
PHUKET: More than 100 Patong nightlife employees protested on Phuket’s famed party street, Soi Bangla, last night after a Hollywood Discotheque security guard was allegedly beaten by a Patong Police officer in the early hours of yesterday morning. The rally formed outside Hollywood Discotheque at about 8:30pm, drawing much attention from tourists and passersby, with protesters demanding justice from police…
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Phuket’s poor gather to receive food donations during annual alms festival
PHUKET: More than 1,500 of Phuket’s poorest people went to the Kusoldharm Foundation headquarters in Phuket Town on June 4 to receive donations of food as part of the annual Te Krajard merit-making ceremony. “This year, we also handed out 250 kilograms of rice to a total of 34 schools and 5kg packs of rice and foodstuffs to poor locals,”…
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Opinion: Tackle criminals with technology
Col Kraithong Chanthongbai, 60, from Phang Nga province, is the superintendent of the Phuket City Police. He earned a PhD in public administration from Bangkokthonburi University, and has been superintendent since January this year. Here, he talks about the role of technology in the investigation process, problems Phuket police face in solving crimes, and different approaches taken in cases involving…
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Police launch new no-parking zones in Phuket Town
PHUKET: Island officials have established six new ‘no-parking’ zones and extended the hours in which it is prohibited to park on some of Phuket Town’s busiest streets in order to combat traffic congestion in the area. The move was prompted by the ever-increasing number of cars on Phuket and the subsequent worsening of traffic congestion, especially on narrow Phuket Town…
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Pics of Phi Phi tourists allegedly huffing gas go viral
PHUKET: Pictures of tourists on Phi Phi Island ostensibly huffing ‘laughing gas’ out of balloons have gone viral on social media, prompting a police investigation and a health warning from Krabi officials. One of the photos shows three women lying on the ground, one with an empty balloon in her mouth and another who appears to be inhaling the gas…
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New shuttle gets nod from Phuket airport director
PHUKET: A new shuttle service from Phuket International Airport to three final destinations on the island has garnered the approval of Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan. “I personally think it is a good idea to have a shuttle bus running from the airport to destinations throughout the island, such as Saphan Hin in Phuket Town, Karon and Rawai,” Ms Monrudee told…
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Lighthouse Weekend Market a boon to businesses
PHUKET: The new addition of a mini-motor expo at the Lighthouse Weekend Market last month produced four on-the-spot car sales, tagging the event as a business generator on Phuket – one in so much demand that it will continue through the rainy season. The cars that sold were Mini Cooper, Volvo and Subaru models, confirmed Kanittha Prasopsirikul, market organizer and…
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Island View: For cyclists’ sakes
PHUKET: There has been a lot of talk lately about bike safety throughout the nation, with even the idea of cyclists needing some sort of licence being considered. Concerns were made ever more vocal after last month’s road deaths up north in Chiang Mai and Bangkok where a total of five cyclists were killed within a two-day span. It wasn’t…
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International sailors flock to Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek
PHUKET: The island of Phuket is preparing for an influx of visitors in July, as more than 500 sailors and spectators from around the world flock to be part of the prestigious Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek 2015. Now in its 12th year, with this year’s event taking place from July 15-19, Phuket Raceweek’s reputation continues to grow as an…
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Police drop case against Aussie expat charged for Phuket killing
PHUKET: Police have dropped the case against Australian expat and Phuket community member Mark Pendlebury for the fatal stabbing of a nightclub employee across the street from the island’s famed party strip, Soi Bangla, in March. The decision was made by police after CCTV footage surfaced backing claims that Mr Pendlebury had acted in self defence when confronted by 25-year-old…
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Thanyapura to boost ‘Sports Hub of Asia’ status with B300mn investment
PHUKET: Thanyapura Phuket is looking to invest an additional 300 million baht in an expansion plan that will further strengthen its status as the Sports Hub of Asia. To be scaled over five years, the investment will see the spectacular 23-hectare complex gain a 100-meter training pool, four tennis courts, a multi-room Wellness Center, an international school working toward becoming…
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Police postpone charging owner of fatal Phuket bungy-jump tower
PHUKET: Police are expected to press charges on Thursday against the owner of World Bungy Jump, the site of the death of a 25-year-old tourist last month. Vinat Chanthornwiboonkul will be charged with reckless endangerment as police continue to investigate the case of Kuwaiti Abdullah Adel Kadhmbadman, who died after jumping from the 30-meter bungy tower (story here). “Even though…
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Phuket’s annual Goat Fair returns [video]
PHUKET: Local farmers are gearing up for the 18th annual Phuket Goat Fair, which will be held June 11 through 13 behind Tesco Lotus in Cherng Talay. The fair will provide an opportunity for farmers to exchange knowledge, learn from experts and showcase their animals and products. “The main goal of the event is to urge goat farmers to continue…
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Human trafficking “caretaker’ turns himself in
PHUKET: A human-trafficking ‘caretaker’ handed himself in to police north of Phuket on June 2. Alee Banjob, 35, from Ranong, was wanted for his connection to a human-trafficking network operating in his home province, explained Kanokpol Pimthong, Deputy Director of Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) in Phang Nga Province. Mr Alee’s surrender follows the October 14 arrest of Songphol ‘Boss…
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Phuket Town streets to change direction for light-rail project
PHUKET: Plans for Phuket’s light-rail project are going full steam ahead, with changes to the train’s route and adjustments to traffic directions in Phuket Town being the focus of the latest meeting for the 23.5-billion-baht venture. The proposal for the project to run through town was made in May of last year (story here). “We are now drawing up more…
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PRBC launches World Blood Donor Day event
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) has invited all qualified island residents to make blood donations in recognition of World Blood Donor Day this month. World Blood Donor Day, on June 14, falls on the birthday of Dr Karl Landsteiner, who is known for his discovery of the main blood groups and their classifications, PRBC Chief Pornthip Rattajak told…
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Outrageously high water bill prompts official warning
PHUKET: Leaky water pipes landed a Rassada resident with a more than 16,000-baht water bill to pay, prompting Phuket authorities to issue a home maintenance advisory to all island dwellers. Pornsak Saengsri was stunned to receive a 16,829-baht water bill for the month of May after having become accustomed to paying a maximum of 200 baht to keep the water…
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Body of foreigner found in Rawai yet to be identified
PHUKET: Police have yet to identify a male foreigner whose body was discovered near Baan Krating Phuket Resort in Rawai two weeks ago (story here). The body was found near an empty bottle of alcohol, and had a wound on one leg resembling an animal bite. “We have done our best so far. We have used social media to share…
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Video Report: Cyclists roll up for Southern Criterium
PHUKET: The first-ever Southern Criterium attracted more than 300 cyclists to the shores of Phuket and finished without a hitch on May 30, with competitors and organizers already amped up for next year’s edition. Spectators and racers from all around the nation were watching the event results closely at Saphan Hin, as members of the Thailand National Team and professional…
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Human remains found in Patong Hills
PHUKET: The decaying remains of a human body were found by a field worker in the hills above Patong yesterday afternoon. “The bones were found by a man who was hired to clear grass in a local orchard about one kilometer from Soi Prabaramee 3,” explained Patong Police Superintendent Chaiwat Auikam. No identifying evidence was found at the site. “At…
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South African tourist caught in Phuket insurance scam
PHUKET: A South African tourist was arrested after he was caught trying to scam his insurance company on Saturday. “On Saturday afternoon, Laurie Viljoen Botha, 33, filed a police complaint claiming that items in his hotel room at Sino Imperial Hotel in Phuket Town had been stolen. Additionally, he claimed that he had been robbed while walking on the street…
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Three arrested for Patong stabbing death
PHUKET: Police have arrested three suspects for the stabbing death of Somkit Jandawong, 27, which took place in Patong last Monday. When police questioned witnesses and checked CCTV in the area, they discovered that the stabber, whom police have named only as ‘Pat’, is 17 years old. “We contacted Mr Pat’s mother and urged her to convince him to surrender…
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Video Report: Police arrest Korean gambling racketeers in Phuket
PHUKET: Police are searching for the head of an online gambling operation after eight Koreans were caught on Wednesday running a gambling site out of an apartment in Phuket. The arrests follow a report in March from police in Bangkok about the gambling racket. Phuket Police have been on the trail ever since, said Phuket Provincial Police Commander Patchara Boonyasit.…
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Rotary Club of Patong Beach wins top award for service
PHUKET: The Rotary Club of Patong Beach (RcoPB) has won Rotary Thailand’s highest service award, the HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn Trophy, for its involvement in three projects to help the children of Burmese migrant workers and sea gypsies. Youthlinc, the main project undertaken by RCoPB for which it received the award, focused on improving facilities at the Burmese Learning…
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Cake-box drug runner busted in Phuket
PHUKET: A Trang drug runner was arrested at a Phuket bus stop in possession of about 1 million baht worth of methamphetamine stuffed into a cake box last week. Aorrathai Iadwong, 20, confessed to police that she had been paid to bring the drugs to Phuket by a drug dealer in Trang, whose name she has claimed not to know.…
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Phuket underpass construction site floods
PHUKET: Though heavy flooding at the Samkong Intersection caused traffic tailbacks this morning, it did not delay construction of the island’s second underpass, experts confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “Already the water level is lowering. It’s the sort of flooding we expected to happen, so it won’t really affect the construction timeline,” said Chalermpol Wongkiattikun, project manager from the Department…
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Lottery ticket prices to drop to 80 baht in Phuket
PHUKET: Lottery tickets on the island will no longer legally be allowed to be sold for more than 80 baht starting on June 3, Governor Nisit Jansomwong said at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Friday. The meeting with local officials follows Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s decision to replace the Government Lottery Office’s board on May 1 by…
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Ghost riding motorist killed by pick-up in Phuket
PHUKET: A ghost-rider making a u-turn on Phuket’s busy Thepkrasattri Road was killed after being hit by a pick-up truck in Koh Kaew last night. Rescue workers arrived at the scent to find the body of Ittawa Promrang, 42, laying in the road, against the curb. The 34-year-old driver of the pick-up truck, Nuntawat Suwansang, was still at the scene,…
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Patong stabbing leaves ‘drinking mate’ dead
PHUKET: A man was stabbed to death in Patong after getting into a drunken row with a fellow drinker early this morning. When police arrived at the scene at about 3:45am, they found a heavily tattooed man dead on the ground at a house on Soi Paradise. “We checked the body of Somkit Jandawong, 27, and found that he had…
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Flash flood puts Phuket police station in deep water
PHUKET: Patong Police are scrambling to keep dry after their station was hit by flash floods this afternoon. “The flood happened just after lunch. This morning the weather was fine. However, this afternoon our office began filling up with water,” Lt Col Suttichai Tianpho of the Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette. “I don’t think there was much damage. Maybe…
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