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British national found dead in Chalong condo
PHUKET: A British national was found dead in his Chalong condo on Tuesday after the housekeeper alerted the owner to a foul smell coming from the hallway. Stephen Prespon, 53, was found lying face down behind the sofa after the owner used a spare key to enter the room. Chalong police believe that Mr Prespon had been dead for five…
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Seized toothfish ship flees Phuket with illegal cargo
PHUKET: An illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) toothfishing vessel that was seized in Phuket in March slipped through officials fingers this week. “The ship is gone,” said Charoen Chamniklang, the Thai Customs Investigation and Suppression Bureau (ISB) team leader. “It just disappeared in the blink of an eye.” The Royal Thai Navy held an emergency meeting yesterday to determine what action…
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Storm-sunk ship salvaged for dive site
PHUKET: A large section of the Cambodian-flagged cargo vessel that sank near Coral Island has been moved to Koh Racha Yai in the government’s effort to support the scuba diving industry in Phuket and Krabi. The piece of Sinaran Andaman was placed on sand at a depth of about 30 meters, far from where it could impact coral reefs in…
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Police squelch social media rape rumor
PHUKET: The Provincial Police refuted rumors that they have failed to do their job by investigating an alleged rape in the murder of Rachet Eidjarern at a meeting yesterday. After his death on Monday, rumors spread quickly on social media that Mr Rachet, 35, was beaten to death after trying to save a female from being raped at Rawai Pier…
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Arrivals increase as room rates slide
PHUKET: While it’s encouraging that passenger arrivals at the island’s airport jumped by 11% during the first half (H1) of this year, compared to the same period last year, the flip side shows that hotels in all tiers tumbled with average room rates plunging from US$175 in H1 2014 to US$154, Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks said in…
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British Airways plane catches fire in Las Vegas, two minor injuries
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community British Airways plane catches fire in Las Vegas, two minor injuries Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A British Airways jetliner engine caught fire as the airplane was departing on a London-bound flight from Las Vegas on Tuesday, forcing the pilot to abort takeoff, but all 172…
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Brazilian Tour Operators Association meets Phuket
PHUKET: Members of the Brazilian Tour Operators Association (Braztoa), as well as members of the Brazilian media, visited Phuket this past weekend as part of a ‘Discover Thainess’ familiarization trip organized by the TAT’s LA office. The Brazilian tour operators had already discovered Bangkok and were on their way to discovering Chiang Mai, but took some time out to discover…
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BISP student wins Malaysia’s first Commonwealth gold
PHUKET: Year 12 British International School Phuket (BISP) student Wong FuKang became the first Malaysian to ever win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games, currently being held in the Pacific nation of Samoa. On September 8, as he raced to beat some tough competition from England and South Africa in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, Wong led from start…
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Phuket Governor transferred, beach chairs left adrift
PHUKET: The Ministry of Interior has transferred Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong to Nonthaburi, effective next month. As is standard, the transfer comes at the beginning of a new fiscal year for the government. “I will make no further changes to the current situation with regards to beach management,” Governor Nisit told the Phuket Gazette today. The lack of a firm,…
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Landmark victory sees illegal billion-baht property seized
PHUKET: The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) won a landmark case this year in a 16-year battle to repossess a billion-baht property within Sirinath National Park. “This is our first Supreme Court win,” DNP Chief Samak Donnapee told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “It is a momentous occasion and a victory for the people of Phuket and…
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Student shot at Phuket school
PHUKET: A 12-year-old boy is safe after getting shot in the leg at school yesterday evening. ‘Daeng’, a P6 student at Baan Manik School, and his friends were about to go home for the day when he felt something hit his leg. “I felt pain and looked down and saw that I was bleeding. My friends called the teachers over…
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Thalang Police hunt temple thief
PHUKET: Police are hunting a man who was caught on CCTV stealing more than 10,000 baht worth of property from Srisoonthorn Temple on Saturday. Thalang Police were notified of the incident at about 2:30pm after the temple’s Supervisor of Cultural Tourism, Somchai Saethan, discovered that his office had been broken into while he was attending morning meditation. “The suspect used…
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High schoolers use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana – U.S. study
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community High schoolers use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana – U.S. study Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Nearly one in five high school students who said they used electronic cigarettes to vaporize nicotine also used them to vaporize pot, according to a survey of nearly 4,000 Connecticut teens.…
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Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi says rebel groups shouldn’t rush peace deal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi says rebel groups shouldn’t rush peace deal Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi over the weekend appealed to ethnic rebel groups in nationwide ceasefire talks with the government not to rush the deal, but work…
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Greece asks EU for humanitarian aid to cope with migration crisis
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Greece asks EU for humanitarian aid to cope with migration crisis Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Greece asked the European Union on Monday for humanitarian aid to help it cope with what itcalled “a volatile situation” following the large flow of migrants and refugees from the…
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Prosecutor might not charge mayor for billion-baht beach scandal, taxi mafia
PHUKET: Prosecutors have yet to decided if evidence provided by police against the mayor of Karon is strong enough for them to press charges for his alleged involvement in a billion-baht-beach scheme and the ‘taxi mafia’. Karon Mayor Thawee Thongcham, who has ruled the popular beach area of Kata-Karon for more than a decade, was arrested on June 4, 2014…
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On Deck: United front for greater good
PHUKET: Thailand’s marine industry has received intermittent support from the Royal Thai Government over the years – sporadic and rarely strategic. In 2004, when the astronomical taxes on importing boats to Thailand was reduced from more than 200% of the value of the boat to 0%, this happened on the back of a concerted effort by the marine industry to…
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Draft charter rejection meaningless to Phuket tourism, says official
PHUKET: The rejection of the draft charter voted on by the National Reform Council (NRC) will not have any impact on the tourism industry in Phuket, confirmed Phuket Tourism Association (PTA) Vice President Bhuritt Maswongssa. “Tourists simply don’t care about Thai politics,” Mr Bhuritt said. A majority of the NRC – 135 members – voted against the draft, compared to…
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A Decade Ago: Buses zoom around, as do katoeys
PHUKET: When was public transport not an issue on the island? It seems to sneak into headlines week in and week out with the occasional big splash when authorities attempt to launch a new initiative. This week, it’s the 50-baht Phuket Town to Patong van service – which deserves the butts and bahts of those going from the island’s cultural…
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First Person: Weeding out touts
Suwat Suksiri, 43, has been Chief of the Thung Talay Non Hunting Zone since 2010. He is originally from Chumphon Province and earned his bachelor’s degree in Forestry from Sukhothai Thammathirat University. He has been working in the forestry field since 1993. Here he talks about why animal touting is a serious problem for foreigners and not locals, and how…
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Phuket drug fugitive nabbed in Songkhla
PHUKET: A fugitive wanted for possession of more than 5 million baht’s worth of drugs and related assets was arrested in Songkhla on Thursday. Anuwat ‘Obie’ Thongtan, 31, escaped from his Phuket home last month just before police arrived (story here). “On August 5, the Phuket Provincial Police went to search Mr Anuwat’s house at Si Suchat Grand View 5…
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Navy settles beach vending squabble
PHUKET: A ‘misunderstanding’ about vendors on Kata Beach garnered a visit from Navy personnel and Damrongtham Center Chief Prapan Kanprasang on Thursday. About 40 officials, assembled by the Royal Thai Navy’s Phuket-based Third Area Command and Phuket Provincial civil defense volunteers, were on hand after the Damrongtham Center (ombudsman’s office) received a complaint about old vendors prohibiting new vendors and…
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Asian Weightlifting Championships start tomorrow
PHUKET: Due to the devastating earthquake in Nepal, the 26th Senior Women’s and 45th Senior Men’s Asian Weightlifting Championships are now taking place in Phuket starting tomorrow. Between September 6 and 11, almost 400 athletes from 38 countries will be flexing their muscles as they battle against gravity at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex. The event’s opening ceremony, chaired…
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Phuket Yacht Show dates confirmed
PHUKET: Dates for the first edition of the Phuket Yacht Show, now known as the Thailand Yacht Show, have finally been confirmed by organizers Singapore Yacht Events Pte Ltd (SYE) following a partnership agreement signed recently with the Marine Department of Thailand’s Ministry of Transport. The event is destined to become the focal point of the luxury charter yacht business…
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Phuket shark bite confirmed
PHUKET: The animal that bit a pregnant Australian at Karon Beach on Tuesday is a shark, confirmed shark expert David Martin, who has more than 25 years of experience filming sharks for BBC, the National Geographic and a number of other publications. “In this kind of case, it is very important to look at all the facts before making any…
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Island View: End of circus show
PHUKET: I was deeply relieved to see justice served when the court in Phuket delivered a ‘not guilty’ verdict last week in the case against Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison of local news blog PhuketWan. Though there was a great amount of grandstanding, showboating and circus entertainment for the international media leading up to the trial, it was important that…
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New food fair comes to Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket will play host for the first ever ‘Amazing Tastes of Thailand’ food fair from September 19 to 20, confirmed Anoma Wongyai, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket. Selected food from across the nation, as well as popular Phuket dishes, will be available for visitors to enjoy on Thalang Road in Phuket Town. “There will also…
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Bargains galore at Boat Arcade Garage Sale this weekend
PHUKET: Bargain hunters can rummage through a treasure trove of used and second-hand items at the first East Meets West Weekend Garage Sale to be held at the new Boat Arcade community mall this weekend from 10:00am to 4:00pm. About 100 stalls will be popping up to offer everything from household items and furniture to boat parts, books, toys and,…
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Opinion: Monkey business
PHUKET: The recent arrest of a number of touts for the illegal possession of gibbons on Phi Phi Don Island reveals, yet again, the continuation of the pathetic practice of using exotic animals as props to make money from uneducated tourists in Thailand. On a somewhat brighter note, the fact that the arrest followed images being sent to the Gazette…
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Frenchman busted for passing counterfeit euros
PHUKET: A French national was arrested while attempting to exchange a counterfeit 100 euro banknote on Soi Bangla yesterday. Rene Louis Regrault, 59, was apprehended by Tourist Police after the bill he went to exchange at the Shino Money Exchange counter was flagged by an employee. “After confirming that the banknote was fake, we accompanied Mr Regrault back to his…
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