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  • Special Report: The gangs of Phuket

    Special Report: The gangs of Phuket

    PHUKET: The justice system’s soft handling of criminal youth is at the core of the island’s growing drug-powered gang violence, which led to a 15-year-old bystander being gunned down during the final hours of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, explained Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Khunnadet Nanongkhai. Five suspects have already been charged for the murder of Thanakij Sawirum, 15, and…

  • Surin beach clubs to be demolished in January

    Surin beach clubs to be demolished in January

    PHUKET: After much controversy and delay, Surin beach clubs are finally expected to be torn down in January*, confirmed Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “I’m back in Phuket to implement both former and new plans. The beach clubs on Surin Beach are one of them,” said Governor Chamroen. The governor took a strong but cautious stance…

  • Business Buzz: Target your customer, not your competitor

    Business Buzz: Target your customer, not your competitor

    PHUKET: We see it all the time in marketing, company X trying to prove they are better than company Y, engaging in tit-for-tat marketing and social media battles trying to out-compete the competition. Now, while there is the theory that any publicity is still beneficial, I would argue it is far better to engage your potential customers directly and build…

  • Finance: Neil Woodford, financial genius?

    Finance: Neil Woodford, financial genius?

    PHUKET: I know this has been written about in other media already, but as this fund and its manager have a great track record and I believe we are nearing a sale in stocks, it is a good discussion to review. For those of you who don’t know the fund or manager, Neil Woodford ran the Invesco Perpetual Income Fund…

  • Phuket Challenge: stickk to no bags for a week

    Phuket Challenge: stickk to no bags for a week

    PHUKET: I challenge you. Yes, you – whoever you are – to go one week in Phuket without using a single plastic bag. The number of foreign whingers who waddle onto this beautiful island shouting about Thai ignorance in double-bagging that fried sausage on a stick… and then go buy a double-bagged sausage on a stick is dumbfounding. It was…

  • Phuket beach management plans delayed again

    Phuket beach management plans delayed again

    PHUKET: Local officials are still wrangling over how to manage Phuket’s beaches, forcing Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat to postpone revealing details of the new plan beyond his self-imposed November 1 deadline. V/Gov Chokdee admitted to the Phuket Gazette yesterday that the release of a concrete plan regarding the future of the island’s beaches would be delayed for at least another…

  • Phuket City serial thief caught

    Phuket City serial thief caught

    PHUKET: A serial thief was arrested in Srisoonthorn last night after police were able to track down the motorbike he used during the crime spree. Jessadakorn Sukkrajang, 18, was apprehended at his home at about 9pm, confirmed Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of the Phuket City Police. Within just one month, Phuket City officers received five different reports of broken car…

  • UNODC anti-human trafficking program launched in Phuket

    UNODC anti-human trafficking program launched in Phuket

    PHUKET: An international e-learning program designed to train law enforcement units to tackle human trafficking was launched in Phuket yesterday. About 40 Phuket officers will be the first in all of Asia to undergo the training developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “The program is designed to provide background information, offer techniques on how to…

  • Snake sparks electrical fire in Phuket

    Snake sparks electrical fire in Phuket

    PHUKET: A Phuket mayor blamed a small snake for a fire near the Shooting Range in Chalong today. “Locals saw the snake slide into the transformer next to the shack right before it exploded and started the fire,” said Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos. “Luckily, no one was injured.” The owner of the shop, which sold decorative household items, was not…

  • Phuket man killed in single-vehicle crash

    Phuket man killed in single-vehicle crash

    PHUKET: One man died and another was injured after their pickup truck crashed into a utility pole in Thalang early this morning. The impact caused the out-of-control truck to split in two as it careened into a nearby wall. “The 33-year-old passenger, Surin Rotloisap, was thrown from the vehicle and killed after hitting another pole and then a wall,” explained…

  • Truck driver slams into parked 18-wheeler and dies

    Truck driver slams into parked 18-wheeler and dies

    PHUKET: The driver of a pickup truck died early this morning after slamming full throttle into the back of a parked 18-wheeled truck on Thepkrasattri Road. Annurak Chompoo, the 40-year-old driver of the 18-wheeler, told police that he had parked on the side of the road with his hazard lights turned on as he prepared to make a delivery to…

  • Gaur killer surrenders to police

    Gaur killer surrenders to police

    KRABI: The killer of a beloved gaur, a protected species of bovine, surrendered to police in Krabi yesterday morning. Preeda Paklaw, 41, presented himself, along with his shotgun, to the Plai Phraya Police. “Mr Preeda said that while he was hunting, he saw something in the dark that looked like a serow. He then shot twice,” said Maj Somporn Deeduang…

  • Laguna Phuket Golf Club scores big

    Laguna Phuket Golf Club scores big

    PHUKET: After a comprehensive 18-month upgrade, Laguna Phuket Golf Club bagged three prestigious awards at the Asian Golf Awards 2015 ceremony held at Orchid Country Club in Singapore. The Asian Golf Awards are devoted to recognizing and honoring the best facilities in the Asia Pacific Golf industry. Besides being named the Best Renovated Course of the Year, Laguna Phuket Golf…

  • New top cop to focus on crime prevention

    New top cop to focus on crime prevention

    PHUKET: Phuket’s new top cop has vowed to focus his attention on crime prevention instead of crime suppression. Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Teeraphol Thipjaroen will be taking the reins as the island’s top policeman on Friday when Provincial Police Commander Patchara Boonyasit is transferred to Ratchaburi. The transfer is part of a nationwide reshuffle of top provincial-level officers that…

  • Sea turtle caught with mouthful

    Sea turtle caught with mouthful

    KRABI: A local fisherman caught quite a surprise yesterday when he found a sea turtle with a half swallowed fish. Madyah Thamsuan, 63, was fishing near his home in Khlong Thom District when he noticed a turtle with a fish tail hanging out of its mouth. “The turtle appeared to be very weak and was unable to either swallow or…

  • 100-baht taxi rides during Patong Carnival

    100-baht taxi rides during Patong Carnival

    PHUKET: Anyone coming or going from Phuket’s primary party town during the Patong Carnival will now be able to enjoy taxi rides, confirmed Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsab. From November 1-3, GrabTaxi and GrabCar will be charging only 100 baht for a ride to or from Patong. “This is a great offer by the company to support the festival and to…

  • Ministry of Farang Affairs: Expensive is better

    Ministry of Farang Affairs: Expensive is better

    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.…

  • Phuket Riot: 66 arrest warrants issued

    Phuket Riot: 66 arrest warrants issued

    PHUKET: A total of 66 arrest warrants have been issued for those involved in the Thalang Police Station riot, Deputy National Police Chief Chalermkiat Srivorakan confirmed today. “Investigators are still working on the case. However, 66 warrants have been issued for either illegal gathering in public, arson, damaging property or creating a blockade,” Gen Chalermkiat explained. More than 20 police…

  • Phuket policeman killed in big bike crash

    Phuket policeman killed in big bike crash

    PHUKET: A Karon Police officer was killed after he lost control of his Honda big bike in Rawai early this morning. Police believe that Lance Corporal Nattachai Huahin was unfamiliar with the area and hit a curb at high speed just after midnight. “At the scene, we found the body of LCpl Nattachai with a broken neck and severe head…

  • Opinion: Effects of feeding monkeys

    Opinion: Effects of feeding monkeys

    Kritkantatong Kantap, 46, has been a member of the research team at the SEA Monkey Project of Chulalongkorn University since 2010 where he is part of a team that studies monkey species in Thailand. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ramkhamhaeng University. Here he talks about how feeding monkeys can be detrimental to their natural behavior and…

  • Good samaritan chases Phuket gold thief

    Good samaritan chases Phuket gold thief

    PHUKET: A Phuket local pursued a snatch thief attempting to flee the scene of the crime for three kilometers before the thief crashed his motorbike today. Supachai Mattanang, 20, witnessed the the man rip a gold necklace, worth about 20,000 baht, off the neck of a Myanmar national near the Down Town Market before fleeing the scene on his motorbike.…

  • Busted: teens threaten Phuket driver with handgun

    Busted: teens threaten Phuket driver with handgun

    PHUKET: Police today arrested two road-raging teens caught on tape waving an illegal firearm at a fellow driver on the bypass road in Phuket. The video posted on Facebook yesterday shows a car quickly overtaking the two teens. However, once the car is past, the teens take off after it on their motorbike with the passenger threatening the car driver…

  • Kitten season begins at Soi Dog

    Kitten season begins at Soi Dog

    PHUKET: Hotter days signify the beginning of cat breeding season, where thousands of kittens will be born. Many of these kittens will unfortunately end up in shelters or on the streets. Every year Soi Dog receives a surplus of kittens waiting to be given to loving homes. All kittens are sterilized and vaccinated at no charge to the adopter. However,…

  • Minivan camera catches epic Phuket truck crash [video] | Thaiger

    Minivan camera catches epic Phuket truck crash [video]

    PHUKET: A tourist heading to Phuket International Airport and his van driver narrowly escaped death after an out-of-control truck piled with construction materials flipped on Kata Hill and skidded to a stop within a meter of them yesterday afternoon. The two people in the crashed truck were minorly injured and taken to Patong Hospital. “The 51-year-old driver, Apichart Toreewong, told…

  • Fifth suspect in Phuket Vegetarian Festival killing surrenders

    Fifth suspect in Phuket Vegetarian Festival killing surrenders

    PHUKET: A fifth man wanted for the gang slaying of a 15-year-old during the closing procession of the Vegetarian Festival surrendered to police yesterday (story here). One more suspect remains at large. A-non Wandee, 27, also known as ‘Non Kolai’, preseneted himself to police, but insisted that he was innocent. Mr A-non was charged with gang murder and attempted murder,…

  • Property Watch: Branding unlocks potential of hotel property

    Property Watch: Branding unlocks potential of hotel property

    PHUKET: Thailand, and more specifically Phuket, is leading a strong Southeast Asia trend in hotel residences to the tune of US$3.5 billion in properties currently up for sale. Overall the SEA regional market inventory is valued at a whopping US$16 billion. Recently, we conducted research throughout the Southeast Asia markets and identified nearly 120 developments with over 28,000 units. Thailand…

  • Up in the Air: Bangkok Airways spreads its wings

    Up in the Air: Bangkok Airways spreads its wings

    PHUKET: Bangkok Airways finally launched a daily flight service connecting Phuket and Hat Yai with an inaugural launch ceremony after touchdown at Hat Yai Airport on October 11. As previously reported by Up in the Air, the link between south Thailand’s two busiest airports is long overdue. There are thousands of people from Songkhla and surrounding provinces who have been…

  • Business Buzz: Quick tips to increase results

    Business Buzz: Quick tips to increase results

    PHUKET: One of the biggest issues businesses have with online marketing is attracting eyeballs to their content. It doesn’t matter how good your website or social media content is if no one sees it. So the secret to getting much better results is to get your content seen. Here are five quick tips on how to increase your results with…

  • Video Report: Patong’s Carnival kicks off this Sunday

    Video Report: Patong’s Carnival kicks off this Sunday

    PHUKET: Patong’s annual carnival is set to hit the beach town’s sands on November 1 with the theme: ‘Patong Seafood Festival 2015’. The event has been marking the beginning of Phuket’s high season for 30 years now, and will take place from November 1-3. Tourists and locals are all invited to join the concerts, historical exhibits and the renowned parade,…

  • Four arrested for Phuket Vegetarian Festival slaying

    Four arrested for Phuket Vegetarian Festival slaying

    PHUKET: Four men from rival Phuket gangs were charged for the slaying of a 15-year-old during the closing procession of Phuket’s renowned Vegetarian Festival last week. Three of the four men turned themselves in at Phuket City Police Station on Saturday, handing over their firearms as they did so. The men were named as: Thanapon Choosawat, 18, and Chinnakrit Kertthong,…