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Police hunt mysterious Brit burglar Charlie Machin
PHUKET: Police are trying to track down a foreign thief, believed to be a British expat, who is wanted for robbing a Swedish man’s home of about 200,000 baht in valuables in Kata. Known so far only by his alias “Charlie Machin”, the suspect is known to frequent bars in Bang Tao and Rawai. “At this stage, all we know…
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Villa Market opens Boat Lagoon branch
PHUKET: The doors to Villa Market’s third branch on the island open on March 20 with the Grand Opening Ceremony in Boat Lagoon taking place on March 27. The grand opening, organized by Kanittha Prasopsirikul from ‘By Kanittha’, will be the highlight of the Boat Lagoon’s monthly Lighthouse Market, which offers a variety of vendors the opportunity to showcase their…
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Flights to Chiang Mai disrupted as smog levels soar in North
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Flights to Chiang Mai disrupted as smog levels soar in North The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The volume of tiny dust particles in the upper North rose beyond the safety level again yesterday and poor visibility reportedly prevented at least four flights from landing at…
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New York tycoon charged with murder after movie confession
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community New York tycoon charged with murder after movie confession Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: New York real estate scion and accused murderer Robert Durst’s bathroom muttering that he “killed them all” would likely be admissible evidence in a murder trial, legal experts said on Monday. Durst,…
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Underboob selfies ban brings threat of jail
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Underboob selfies ban brings threat of jail Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thailand’s military government warned women on Monday against posting ‘selfie’ photos of the lower half of their breasts – a social media trend that has gone viral – saying their actions could violate the…
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Phuket flight denied landing as smog shrouds Chiang Mai
PHUKET: A flight from Phuket was forced to abort landing at Chiang Mai International Airport today after smog reduced visibility over the northern city to 800 meters, reported The Nation. Air Asia Flight FD3161 departed Phuket on time at 10:35am, but was unable to make its scheduled landing at Chiang Mai at 12:30pm for safety reasons. Bangkok Airways Flight PG241…
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Phuket sailors warned of falling space-launch debris
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy issued a warning today for ships to steer clear of an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) debris-fall zone in the Andaman Sea between March 9 and April 8. The area marked in the warning, about 400km northwest of Phuket, is within the following coordinates: 9°15’00″N 94°45’00″E10°05’00″N 95°05’00″E9°45’00″N 96°00’00″E8°55’00″N 95°40’00″E “All ships, please be careful…
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Phuket taxi slams into power pole
PHUKET: A taxi driver who crashed into a power pole after dropping his passengers off at Phuket International Airport earlier today has been charged with reckless driving. Pongsatorn Suwanurak, 27, told police that he fell asleep at the wheel while he was returning to Phuket Town at about 10:15am. Rescue workers arrived at the scene, on Thepkrasattri Road in Thalang,…
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Experienced diver’s death at Similans baffles park officials
PHUKET: Officials have yet to learn what was the catalyst for the death of an experienced diver who fell unconscious during a mass-diving volunteer project at the Similan Islands on Saturday. Suthat Suktuk, a 45-year-old businessman from Songkhla province, went into shock while diving beyond recreational depths to 47 meters at a site south of Koh Miang, also called Koh…
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German expat on top after robbed over iPhone sex swap
PHUKET: Two women have been charged for robbing a German expat after he allegedly reneged on a deal to buy one of them an iPhone and clothes in exchange for sex. Rattriya Sirijumpa, 25, and Nongluck Homhuan, 26, were arrested at Tina Salon in Thalang on Saturday, after police spotted the German’s stolen car in front of Ms Rattriya’s salon.…
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Spanish sailor recovering in Phuket after attempted suicide
PHUKET: A Spanish national working on an Indonesian fishing boat is recovering in Phuket International Hospital after slashing his arms yesterday morning. Phuket Marine Police were notified of a medical emergency on the fishing boat Taishan, moored near Koh Tapao Noi, at about 2am. “The original report we received said that the man had cut off his own arms,” Phuket…
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Aid teams report devastation and death after Vanuatu cyclone
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Aid teams report devastation and death after Vanuatu cyclone Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Early reports from the outer islands of Vanuatu on Monday painted a picture of utter destruction after a monster cyclone tore through the South Pacific island nation. Authorities in Vanuatu were struggling…
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Opinion: Always put safety first
Jetsada Chanpen, 27, from Ranong, has been a Kusoldharm Foundation rescue worker for eight years. Last year, he almost lost his life doing what he loves. On March 26, Jetsada was the first to respond to an accident in which four workers had passed out in a sewer in Phuket Town. Wasting no time, he plunged into the sewer to…
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Opinion: Promote the sport of jet-skiing in Phuket
PHUKET: Jet-skiing is a sport. It’s a real sport that deserves a great deal more respect than it is given in Phuket. Banning Phuket as a water-sport tourism destination for jet-skiing is ridiculous. Banning the current operations and tourist hooligans allowed on them, however, is understandable. Given the history of violence, death and extortion via the well-protected jet-ski operators it…
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Finance: Making realistic retirement assumptions
PHUKET: The first step when making a retirement plan is to have realistic assumptions about your retirement. Unfortunately, I have found that many of my clients, regardless of whether or not they are expatriates – still working or already retired – have at least one or more of the following unrealistic retirement assumptions: I will retire some place cheaper: Retiring…
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Krabi coal plant Environmental Impact Assessment rejected
PHUKET: THE Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the Klong Rua coal seaport and coal-fired power plant project in Krabi was rejected last week amid pressure from the Protect Krabi Network. The panel of experts reviewing the report said that it was misleading and incomplete. However, members of the Protect Krabi Network were not pleased with the result, as their…
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Bay Regatta a sailing success – results
PHUKET: The 18th Bay Regatta set sail on the morning of March 5, after an opening night party and buffet the evening before at the Chandara Resort & Spa at Ao Po. The 29 racing yachts, carrying over 200 competitors, flew the flags of 11 nations. Affectionately known as the ‘Fun Regatta’ to all participants, countries represented included Thailand, the…
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Opinion: Phuket – ATM skimmers’ paradise island
PHUKET: Despite efforts nationwide to upgrade automatic teller machine (ATM) card technology to make it more secure, the arrests of three groups of international ATM-card skimmers in Phuket in a week demonstrates that ATM fraud is rampant on the island. ATM users – which includes just about everyone with a bank account – should continue to exercise a great deal…
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Tourist fined for washing feet in public sink
PHUKET: A Chinese woman was fined for washing her feet in a public sink on Phi Phi Don yesterday, following a recent change in policy on the tourist-popular island. Within half an hour of officers posting a “no foot washing” warning sign at the public restroom, the tourist, who police declined to name, started washing her feet in the sink.…
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Chilean consulate opens in Phuket
PHUKET: Chile opened up a consular office in Phuket yesterday to serve Chilean citizens in southern Thailand. Chilean Ambassador to Thailand Javier Andrés Becker-Marshall announced the opening of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Chile at the Phuket Merlin Hotel – where the new office is located. The consular office will be headed up by Chilean Honorary Consul Nantana…
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F1 season predictions: Mercedes, Mercedes, Mercedes
PHUKET: The headline is the prediction for the car that will win at Melbourne, the team that will win the Constructor’s Championship and the team that will provide the World Champion this season. It’s the beginning of the new Formula 1 season. Melbourne is the first race. And there has been enough hype to fill an Agatha Christie bibliography: The…
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Justice team investigates alleged illegal Chanotes, buildings
PHUKET: The Deputy Permanent Secretary of Justice today inspected four of 20 land plots believed to have been obtained through illegal land-title deeds or illegally developed. The plots examined today are on Koh Raet, along Surin Beach and in Kamala, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Justice for the Ministry of Justice Dussadee Arayawuth explained. Col Dussadee was the head investigator for…
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Tourist Police intercept kratom shipment to Phuket
PHUKET: A shipment of 45 kilograms of kratom leaves from Nonthaburi to Phuket was intercepted by Phuket Tourist Police today. “We had been tipped off by a source that a truck with the Bangkok licence plate 61-6211 would be delivering the leaves today,” Tourist Police Division 5 Superintendent Chusawat Janrojanakit said. When police spotted the truck, they pulled it over…
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Raid busts Phuket karaoke owners for alien employees
PHUKET: Anti-human trafficking raids of Phuket’s nightlife venues last night netted two employers for hiring illegal migrant workers from Myanmar. Saengthian Luepanya, 24, owner of the Happy Sea Man karaoke, was arrested for employing Myanmar nationals Lwin Thuza Myint, 26, and Thi Dar, 42, Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Khunnadet Nanongkhai told the Phuket Gazette. Later that night, police discovered…
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Warriors tame Tigers: Phuket hosts first Aussie Rules match
PHUKET: Australian football arrived in Phuket last Saturday, as the Thailand Tigers took on the Malaysian Warriors at the Alan Cooke Ground. The game was well attended by Phuket residents and families, as well as other supporters, many of whom were new to the game. The day also involved an Auskick clinic for junior players, which was a hit among…
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German, French tourists go to court over jet-ski accident case
PHUKET: A German tourist who was hit by a Frenchman riding a jet-ski in Phuket last month is now in court with the Frenchman settling the matter. Erich Heim, 55, was knocked unconscious by Chadd Attard, 20, while swimming at Paradise Beach on February 28 (story here). Mr Heim was taken to hospital that day, and discharged on March 5.…
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Tuk-tuk drivers sentenced for massive Patong blockade
PHUKET: Thirteen tuk-tuk drivers who were charged for their involvement in a massive blockade of Patong in March last year were fined and sentenced to one year’s probation yesterday morning. The 13 drivers were part of a group of 68 drivers who were arrested and charged for blockading major roads in the party town in protest of the arrests of…
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Whale spotted off Krabi coast
PHUKET: A whale spotted near Koh Haa, off the coast of Krabi, on Monday has both excited and alarmed divers and local officials. Both groups have cited an improving marine environment as a possible reason for the sighting, but have also warned against any actions that could hamper the Andaman Sea’s recovery in the region. The marine mammal, thought to…
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Water-meter thief nabbed in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: Police arrested a man on Tuesday after finding him in possession of 18 water meters stolen from residential homes in the Cherng Talay area. Youngyut Matchawet, 25, was arrested at his house in Cherng Talay, after police tracked him down through CCTV footage. “We began receiving complaints from local residents on Saturday about their water meters disappearing,” said Lt…
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Opinion: Phuket defining boating culture
Erwin Bamps is CEO of Gulf Craft, listed among the world’s top 10 superyacht builders as per the 2014 Global Order Book, a report issued annually by the Boat International Group. Before his appointment to CEO in June 2014, Mr Bamps had been the chief operating officer of the company since 2009, during which the company grew from a few…
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