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In-Depth Report: Myanmar men sentenced to death for murder of British tourists
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Myanmar men sentenced to death for murder of British tourists in Thailand Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A Thai court sentenced two Myanmar migrant workers to death on Thursday after convicting them of the 2014 murders of two young British tourists on a holiday island in…
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Officer who allegedly threatened Navy lieutenant gets transferred
PHUKET: Lt Somphop Kamkana of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command confirmed that the Army colonel who was recorded allegedly threatening him earlier this month (story here) has been transferred to Bangkok. Lt Somphop was one of the Navy officers that aided in a raid that saw more than 40 suspects apprehended in Chalong on December 6 (story here).…
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Heavy drinking blamed for Brit’s fatal tuk-tuk tumble
PHUKET: Excessive alcohol consumption has been blamed for the British woman’s fatal fall from a Phuket tuk-tuk during the early hours of Sunday morning. The sole witness to the incident, Paul Henry Fortuna, 30, told police in his statement that 29-year-old Elizabeth Corrigan was feeling sick from drinking and attempting to cross from her side of the tuk-tuk to his…
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Nai Harn prepares for ‘Phuket Countdown 2016’
PHUKET: Tourism Authority of Thailand officials are preparing for this year’s ‘Phuket Countdown 2016’ at Nai Harn Beach with five days of events leading up to the ‘final sunset’ at Promthep Cape. Celebrations will include stage performances from local schools, celebrities and a band from the Royal Thai Navy. “Phuket is known as the Pearl of the Andaman. We aim…
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Police parade down Soi Bangla to inject confidence into Phuket tourists
PHUKET: Boots hit the ground in unison on Tuesday as Phuket police officers paraded down the island’s premier party destination, Soi Bangla, to boost tourists’ confidence in public safety during the holidays. “Police must remain vigilant throughout this time. The high season of Phuket is in full swing as we celebrate Christmas and New Year – both of which are…
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Starwood and Grand Bay announce new Sheraton Phuket Grand Bay Resort
PHUKET: Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc recently announced an agreement made with Grand Bay Hotel Co Ltd, owned by Apex Development Public Co Ltd, to unveil their joint collaboration on the Sheraton Phuket Grand Bay Resort, slated to open in January 2019. The newest resort will support Sheraton’s 2020 goal of adding 150 hotels to their franchise in the…
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Women in Myanmar conflict zones face rape, lack healthcare
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Women in Myanmar conflict zones face rape, lack healthcare Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Women and girls uprooted by fighting in Myanmar risk sexual violence and lack access to reproductive healthcare, said the UN Population Fund, which is launching a health project for women and girls…
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Japan says armed Chinese coastguard ship seen near disputed islands
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Japan says armed Chinese coastguard ship seen near disputed islands Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A Chinese coastguard ship equipped with what appeared to be four gun turrets was sighted near disputed islands in the East China Sea, Japan’s coastguard said on Wednesday. Chinese coastguard vessels…
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Police withhold key witness’s statement about Brit’s deadly tuk-tuk ride
PHUKET: Police declined to reveal any information procured from the statement of the sole witness to a British woman’s death after she fell from the back of a tuk-tuk in Phuket. “We have yet to rule the death a murder, accident, or result of reckless driving or anything else at this point,” said Kamala Police Superintendent ML Pattanachak Jakkapan. “We…
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Island prepares to “Light Up Phuket’ to honor tsunami victims
PHUKET: The world’s eyes will be on the Andaman coast this Saturday, as Thailand honors the victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, which devastated the region’s coastline on December 26, 2004. Remembrance services will be held at the Tsunami Memorial Wall in Mai Khao, on Patong Beach and Bang Tao Beach, as well as at Phuket Provincial Hall and in…
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Video: Phuket crash victim pummeled by oncoming truck
PHUKET: A 60-year-old man was hit by a truck moments after staggering to his feet from a motorbike crash on Thepkrasattri Road in Phuket on Sunday. CCTV video recorded Kan Sawaengkaew, 60, attempting to cut across multiple northbound lanes toward a u-turn point and crashing into 23-year-old Chinese national Chuai Cher. Both crash victims were sent skidding across the empty…
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Officers seize illegal umbrellas, mats from Phuket beach
PHUKET: In the wake of an anonymous complaint to the Governor’s Office, officials seized about 100 illegal beach mats and umbrellas from Surin Beach this morning. “We sent a team of about 30 officers in a joint mission to the beach after receiving a complaint that the beach vendors were breaking the rules,” Cherng Talay Police Superintendent Serm Kwannimit told…
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UNESCO dubs Phuket “City of Gastronomy’
PHUKET: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dubbed Phuket a ‘City of Gastronomy’ on December 11, honoring the island’s rich culinary history and unique cuisine. “Being chosen as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a ‘City of Gastronomy’ is a wonderful honor for Phuket,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. Efforts to collate recipes and…
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Thai court to give verdict in British backpackers murder trial
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thai court to give verdict in British backpackers murder trial Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A Thai court will deliver a long-awaited verdict this week in the high-profile case of two Myanmar migrant workers accused of the brutal murder of two British backpackers on the holiday…
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Oil prices hit 11-year low as global supply balloons
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Oil prices hit 11-year low as global supply balloons Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Brent oil cratered to its lowest price in more than 11 years on Monday, as demand for heating oil slumped on warmer-than-normal temperatures and traders tested for a bottom. U.S. crude remained…
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Hospitality insider Bill Barnett launches ‘Slave to the Bean’
PHUKET: One of Asia’s leading hospitality experts, Bill Barnett, shines a light on the good, bad and ugly of luxury hotels and travel in his acerbic new collection of twisted travel tales, Slave to the Bean: Random Dispatches from the Inferno, which was launched on December 18 at the Bangkok boutique hotel, Ad Lib. Bill Barnett launched his new book…
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Foul play not ruled out in death of unidentified woman
PHUKET: Police have yet to rule out foul play in the death of an unidentified woman whose body was found floating in a Rassada canal this morning. Officers believe that the woman had been dead for two days before her body was discovered by villagers. “At this point, all we know is that she is about 150-160 centimeters tall and…
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Thai seafood exports not affected by slavery reports
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thai seafood exports not affected by slavery reports Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Thailand said on Monday seafood exports to the United States, Europe and Australia have not been hit by reports of slavery and forced labour by campaign groups and media. The comments come as…
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Landslide devastates Chinese industrial park, 91 missing
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Landslide devastates Chinese industrial park, 91 missing Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: At least 91 people were missing after a huge mound of mud and construction waste collapsed at a business park in southern China and buried 33 buildings in the country’s latest industrial disaster. Premier…
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One killed, one injured after motorcycle plummets into canal
PHUKET: One Myanmar national was killed and another injured after their motorcycle plummeted into a canal in Wichit yesterday. Police believe that Zin Kyaw Kyaw Lat Jaw Lar, 32, and his passenger Thin Thin Maw, 37, were on their way back from shopping when they lost control of their motorcycle on a curve and plunged into the water near Suan…
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Phuket motorbike rental operator posts 30k baht reward for Ukrainian man’s arrest
PHUKET: The owner of a Phuket bike rental shop put up a 30,000-baht reward on December 18 for any information leading to the return of a stolen bike. Chalong Police secured an arrest warrant for Ukrainian national Ivan Tretiak, 25, two days prior to the posted reward. “Mr Tretiak is wanted for defalcation. I am currently working on two separate…
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More than a dozen tourists dead in Chiang Mai bus crash
CHIANG MAI: At least 14 Malaysian tourists were killed and many others injured when their tour bus hit a power pole and ran off a mountainous road in Chiang Mai’s Doi Saket district yesterday. Police said that the bus was on national highway 118 through Ban Pang Fan village between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces when the driver lost…
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Surin Beach demolition stalled yet again
PHUKET: The expected end-of-year demolition of buildings on Surin Beach has been delayed, according to Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat. “There are many documents that the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization [PPAO] need to review and prepare before demolition begins, as some of the buildings at Surin were built by the government,” Vice Governor Chokdee told the Phuket Gazette. “There will…
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Phuket landing a first for European budget airline into Southeast Asia
PHUKET: Eurowings, Lufthansa Group’s long-haul budget airline, spearheaded its push into Southeast Asia this morning as its inaugural Cologne-Phuket flight landed at Phuket International Airport. The flight marks the first European low-cost carrier to link with Southeast Asia. Eurowings will fly Airbus A330s, with a capacity of 380 passengers, on the route twice a week. Christian Hein, senior vice president…
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18-wheeled Phuket truck bursts into flames
PHUKET: The cab of an 18-wheeled truck burst into flames while south bound on the bypass road in Phuket at about 1:15 this afternoon. The driver of the truck, Sanit Kartmek, 43, was not injured in the incident. “At this point, we assume that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the vehicle. However, we will investigate further,”…
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Australia PM: whaling spat shouldn’t be allowed to hurt Japan ties
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australia PM: whaling spat shouldn’t be allowed to hurt Japan ties Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull agreed on Friday to drive their security cooperation further, despite Australia’s “deep disappointment” in Japan’s restart of whaling activities. Japan’s…
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Bullied by teachers, many LGBT Cambodians drop out of school
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bullied by teachers, many LGBT Cambodians drop out of school Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Three out of five LGBT people in Cambodia say they have been bullied at school, with many being tormented by teachers and dropping out as a result, rights advocates have found.…
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Couple who used online network to take in children face years in prison
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Couple who used online network to take in children face years in prison Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A woman who used the Internet to take in unwanted adopted children faces years in prison after a federal jury convicted her Friday on charges of kidnapping and…
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Escaped TB prisoner surrenders to Phuket police
PHUKET: Police last night surrounded the house where an escaped prisoner was hiding, forcing him to surrender. Nimit Jindamanee, 45, was on the run after he managed to free himself from his restraints and elude his custodian at Vachira Phuket Hospital. He was admitted to the hospital on September 28 in order to be treated for tuberculosis and immune deficiency…
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Digging starts at Chalong Underpass site
PHUKET: Construction workers have started digging drainage ditches on each side of Chao Fa West Road for the Chalong Underpass project, the Phuket Highway Department confirmed yesterday. Work started on December 17, closing one south-bound lane of Chao Fa West Road. “It will only take us 15-20 days to put in the drains along a two-kilometer stretch of the road,”…
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