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Blazing opportunity: Four Twenty Thailand offers franchise programme
Did you know that Four Twenty, Thailand’s premier cannabis brand, has a franchise programme? That’s right, you can now join their efforts to bring high-quality cannabis products and a vibrant community experience to more locations across Thailand. Four Twenty has...
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Two arrested in Phuket for pyramid scheme
PHUKET: A Phuket couple surrendered to Chalong Police yesterday for their alleged involvement in the international 10-billion-baht UFUN pyramid scheme. Damrongsak Pitisuk, 38, and his 37-year-old wife Pornthicha Pitisuk had both received ‘Achievement Awards’ at the ‘The Black Night Party by URICH’ in December last year. The party was held in order to applaud those who manged to recruit investors…
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Bangkok Bank warns of viral fraud
PHUKET: Bangkok Bank has issued a warning about malicious software designed to make bank transactions from the accounts of customers who have registered for their online banking service, ‘Bualuang iBanking’. Bangkok Bank’s warning explained that false messages have been sent to iBanking customers via SMS, MMS and emails purporting to be from the bank. The messages ask the receiver to…
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Opinion: On same-sex marriages
Robert R Virasin serves as managing director of Virasin and Partners. He is a licensed United States attorney and a graduate of the University of California Los Angeles, the University of Houston Law School and Chulalongkorn University. Here he talks about the real issue with same-sex marriages and the legal obstacles that these couples face. PHUKET: After 15 years of…
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Pothole suspected in Phuket bikers death
PHUKET: Police suspect a large pothole caused the death of a man driving a Honda 150cc CBR motorcycle on a curvy road in Mai Khao last night. Pattanapong Nainet, 20, was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, said Lt Thanom Thongpan of the Tah Chat Chai Police. “There was no identification cards on his person, only 42,360…
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Bill to slash cheap package tours, arrival numbers to be unaffected
PHUKET: The plan by Cabinet to put an end to cheap tour group packages arriving in Thailand will not have a significant affect on the industry in Phuket, says Santi Pawai, Director of the Phuket office of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport (MOTS). “I’ve heard about the draft bill, but have yet to receive any official notification. I believe…
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Phuket and Koh Samui promoted in Australia
PHUKET: Samui and Phuket tourist associations teamed up for the first time ever to promote Thai tourism in Melbourne, Australia earlier this month. Phuket Vice Governor Suthee Thongyam and Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization members also joined in the Phuket & Samui Roadshow Table Top Sale and its mission to promote Thailand’s tourism. The group was hosted by Jirachai Pankrasin, Thailand’s…
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Finance: Cash in on six forms of passive income
PHUKET: I have written before about the ideal financial situation. This exists when you have multiple streams of passive income which exceed your desired lifestyle. In this scenario, you can live as long as you want and your means will continue to grow, allowing you to contribute to society with the excess. There are different forms of passive income, and…
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Business Buzz: Consistency is the key
PHUKET: One of the most frequent comments I receive from unsuccessful people is that they believe social media does not work and is all hype and myth. It is interesting that so many say this, especially when successful users swear that without social media their business would be dead. So to help the doubters, here are points that have probably…
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Joyride ends in Patong for van thief
PHUKET: A man who stole a van and took it for a joyride to Patong was arrested by Karon Police while near Jungceylon last night. “At about 11:30pm, we were informed of a van theft at a 7-Eleven store in Nai Harn,” confirmed Lt Col Ason Jiraksa of the Karon Police. “Driver Panudet Kumuda, 25, left the engine running while…
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Electrical fire near gas station sends residents running
PHUKET: Residents in the Koh Kaew area suffered power outages and heavy traffic jams after power cables caught fire across from the PTT gas station on Thepkrasatti Road yesterday afternoon. The flames frightened many shop owners, including 70-year-old Aree Jindapol. “At about noon, while we were selling food at the market, I heard what sounded like a bomb,” Ms Aree…
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Beach chair judgment day put on hold
PHUKET: The final decision on how to the manage Phuket’s controversial beach chair services has been delayed yet again as Prince of Songkla University (PSU) researchers and Governor Nisit Jansomwong have not yet discussed the university’s research results. Governor Nisit previously told the Phuket Gazette that the PSU Phuket campus would be presenting their results to him on August 20…
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Opinion: Usual suspects
PHUKET: Authorities here in Phuket have acted sensibly in the wake of the recent terrorist bombing at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, stepping up security at popular tourist destinations across the island and urging the public not to unduly panic or believe everything they see in social media. Sadly, in this case, it was not only the social media where…
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Phuket divers recovered after night lost at sea
PHUKET: Two scuba divers were found and safely rescued this morning after disappearing from the tour group they were part off yesterday evening.VTT Group brought the tourists to Koh Racha Noi to scuba dive. When it came time to bring everyone back on board the boat, the crew realized that Thai tourist Asang Saelor, 31, and Chinese tourist Huaqiu Ji,…
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Park fees plundered, millions allegedly skimmed
PHUKET: Hundreds of millions of baht disappeared during the collection of national park fees at Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park over the last three years, alleged Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a member of the National Reform Council (NRC). A two-month, national-level investigation by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) uncovered unnerving discrepancies in…
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Rogue waves sink Phi Phi cargo ship
PHUKET: Fishermen rescued two men after their cargo ship was allegedly sunk by rogue waves in Krabi yesterday afternoon.Phon Boon Phi Phi Don 1, carrying construction materials to Phi Phi, was reported missing by the boat owner at about 3:30pm, said Krabi Marine Police Chief Anurak Parinyasathiragul.Marine Police and the Navy immediately began a search for the 15-meter-long boat and…
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Officials announce alternative routes for Chalong Underpass
PHUKET: Officials have released alternative routes for the first and second phase of the Chalong Underpass, with construction slated to start next month. “Though we do have routes sorted out for the first two phases of the project, we are still negotiating with private land owners in order to secure necessary alternative routes for phase three and four, which will…
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Officers hunt fugitive on secluded island off Phuket
PHUKET: Police are hunting one more fugitive after catching an attempted gang murder suspect hiding out on a secluded island east of Phuket this week. A 50-man raid of the island rooted out Danai Homhuan, 36, who had given away his position by firing warning shots at local fishermen earlier this year. Mr Danai was wanted by Thalang officials for…
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Karon Plaza blaze guts ten shops
PHUKET: Police are investigating the cause of a blaze at Karon Plaza that engulfed 10 shops along the Karon beachfront road last night. Five firetrucks from Karon and Patong were called to the scene at about 11:50. It took firefighters about 40 minutes to extinguish the flames. “Luckily, the stores were closed and nobody was injured,” said Lt Weerayuth Thansirisukhaworakul…
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30kg python caught with mouth full
PHUKET: A 30 kilogram python was caught midway through gobbling up a chicken in Phuket earlier this week. “It was about 2am when we woke to the sound of our chickens causing a ruckus,” Wisit Powikit told the Phuket Gazette. “It was strange, so I went to investigate.” Mr Wisit owns about 10 chickens that he keeps in a henhouse…
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Budget peddles out cash for bike lanes
PHUKET: Work on Phuket’s eagerly awaited bike lanes will start in October with an already approved budget of more than 50 million baht, confirmed Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong. “Over 30 million baht from the 2016 fiscal year budget has been approved for the development of Bang Wad Reservoir, which will include the installation of bike lanes,” said Governor Nisit. “We…
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Rescue foundation helps island’s poorest
PHUKET: More than 1,500 of Phuket’s poorest people showed up at the Kusoldharm Foundation’s headquarters yesterday afternoon to receive donations of food and clothing as part of the annual Te Krajard merit-making ceremony. “This year, we handed out rice to needy students from 30 local schools and gave each school a 250-kilogram sack of rice. Additionally, clothes and packages of…
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Fireboat bound for Phuket following death of 12-year-old
PHUKET: The island’s first ever fireboat is coming soon, confirmed Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong. The announcement follows the death of a 12-year-old tourist on passenger ferry Ao Nang Princess 5, which burst into flames as it was headed to Phuket in April (story here and here). More than 80 passengers and five crew were safely evacuated from a ferry. However,…
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New 1,000-baht note on streets tomorrow
PHUKET: A new 1,000-baht banknote will be available at commercial banks in Phuket and throughout the country tomorrow, Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul revealed on Monday. “The 1,000 baht banknote ‘Series 16’ will enter circulation on August 21. The design is to glorify His Majesty King Chulalongkorn for his incomparable contributions to the country,” Mr Prasarn said. The new…
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More than 1,000 children killed, injured in Yemen
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community More than 1,000 children killed, injured in “brutal” Yemen conflict – U.N. Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Months of brutal conflict in Yemen have killed or injured more than 1,000 children, and the number of young people recruited or used as fighters has soared, the United…
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Opinion: Love for Bangkok unshaken
PHUKET: Last night I was three blocks away from the tragic bomb blast at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok. Like so many nights when I am in the capital city, I stay at a nearby hotel and walk around that same corner to capture the unique flavor of a truly special place. Call it routine or else a beckoning call…
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Tourism industry braces for bombing aftermath
PHUKET: The fatal bombing near a tourism attraction in the heart of Bangkok will have an impact on Phuket’s tourism industry, experts told the Phuket Gazette today. “The situation obviously affects tourism. Within three hours of the explosion, English, American and French Embassies had already sent out warnings to their citizens in Thailand. Within one hour, international television channels reported…
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Dirty Digs: Navy unearths nine illegal excavators
PHUKET: A Royal Thai Navy raid dug up nine men working at an illegal excavation site that local Phuket officials are allegedly involved in. “The men were arrested on two different Mai Khao plots of land that have unclear borders that are most likely overlapping with preserved forest land,” said Lt Sompop Kamkana of the Royal Thai Navy. “Additionally, one…
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A decade ago: The murder of Debra O’Hanlon dominated the news
PHUKET: A picture of the smiling 31-year-old and her boyfriend at the time – the confessed killer – was page one of the August 13-19 issue of the Phuket Gazette. In hindsight, it is hard not to find yourself searching their eyes and faces for some hint of what was going to come during their time on this paradise island.…
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Five reported dead in Bangkok bombing
BANGKOK: A bomb exploded in the center of Bangkok today, police said. The media has reported five people were killed and 20 wounded. The blast, near a shrine at a major Bangkok intersection, was caused by a bomb, police chief Prawut Thawornsiri said.
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Phuket’s aspirations call for new projects
Nisit Jansomwong, 52, from Ratchaburi, landed on the island in October to take up the position of Phuket Governor. He has a master’s degree in administration from Chulalongkorn University, where he graduated with honors. Before coming to Phuket, Governor Nisit was governor of Ratchaburi province for a year. Governor Nisit is pushing mega infrastructure projects in Phuket in order to…
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