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5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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Ministry to take care of another Shigeta baby
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ministry to take care of another Shigeta baby The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Social Development and Human Resources Ministry will step in to take care of another baby born to the Japanese man at the centre of a surrogacy scandal. Mitsutoki Shigeta, 24, caught…
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Price of Cabinet audio slashed to just B53mn after public outcry
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Price of Cabinet audio slashed after public outcry The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Following a public and media outcry, the price of 89 microphones intended for communication in the Cabinet meeting room at Government House has been reduced by 35 per cent. Monthon Sudprasert, director…
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Man boards Chiang Mai plane with fake gun
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Man boards Chiang Mai plane with fake gun The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Chiang Mai International Airport has launched an investigation into reports that a passenger managed to board a flight with a fake gun inside his bag. The passenger, flying from Chiang Mai to…
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Governor orders monk’s rescue from coffin
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Governor orders monk’s rescue from coffin The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A renowned monk who was imposing his own death was rescued yesterday from a coffin at the order of the Chaiyaphum governor, who cited humanitarian reasons. Luang Pu Phim, the abbot of Wat Weluwan…
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Unstable Phuket weather downs trees, damages homes and causes a landslide
PHUKET: Heavy winds and rain toppled trees in Phuket this morning, leaving one local villager with minor injuries and at least five houses damaged. Officers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), Phuket office, were called to the scene of one of the felled trees near Phuket City Hall about 9:30am. “Houses were damaged by the tree, but…
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AMCHAM Forum: Staying ahead of the game in the ‘New Phuket’
PHUKET: For the last few decades, Phuket has been evolving into a mainstream, mass-market tourist destination. Now the island’s beaches have undergone extreme makeovers and some even more dramatic changes are on the horizon. “In the aftermath of Thailand’s political crisis, which saw martial law and a nationwide curfew imposed in May, Phuket experienced a sharp drop in visitor arrivals.…
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Shigeta ‘wants 20 babies to run his empire’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Shigeta ‘wants 20 babies to run his empire’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Japanese man at the centre of a surrogacy scandal has fathered 12 babies through Thai surrogates because he wants children to take care of his many family businesses, his lawyer has…
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Property owners charged for Phi Phi beach encroachment
PHUKET: Two property owners have been charged with encroaching on national park land on the popular party island of Phi Phi following a mass inspection of beach properties there last week. On September 3, 60 national park officers took to Phi Phi beaches to talk with seaside vendors and inspect buildings suspected of encroaching on national park land (story here).…
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Belinda Granger to complete her dozen at 21st Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: She’s the darling of global triathlon who has charmed her many fans with a string of gutsy achievements during a 20-year career that has earned her over 15 Iron-distance Championship titles. But despite these legendary triumphs on triathlon courses worldwide, Australian Belinda Granger rates Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) – the “Race of Legends” – as her all-time favorite. And…
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Phuket under flash-flood and heavy rains alert
PHUKET: People living in low-lying areas of Phuket should prepare for potential flash-floods due to heavy monsoon rains, the local Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) office has warned. “We are on alert for potential emergencies over the next 24 hours. Any serious flooding should be reported to us immediately so that we can provide immediate assistance,” said DDPM-Phuket…
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Phuket beach vendors seek help from Governor
PHUKET: Hundreds of beach vendors today presented a formal letter to Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut, demanding fair treatment and requesting that the complaint be submitted to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). The group, led by Palat Jantarasopin, leader of the Tourism Service Operators Club and beach vendor Chakkarin Charoenjit, outlined nine key requests to facilitate vendors to…
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Phuket Governor inks B500mn contract to build new Provincial Hall
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut today signed a 449.9-million-baht contract to begin construction of the new Phuket Provincial Hall. Governor Maitri inked the contract at 2pm, signifying that Chun Eiw Team Ruamka Ltd Partnership may commence construction at the 50-rai site on Phang Muang Sai Kor in Wichit. The construction firm has 995 days to complete the project. The original…
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Qatar Airways to start non-stop services from Doha to Phuket
PHUKET: Qatar Airways will boost services to Thailand with the introduction of non-stop flights to Phuket from October 26. The airline currently serves the Doha-Phuket route daily via a linked service through the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. “The start of non-stop services from Doha to Phuket offers travellers from around the world access to the popular tourist destination in a…
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Man kills friend after drunken spat
PHUKET: A man shot dead his friend this morning in a fit of rage following a drunken argument that turned deadly. The victim, 38-year-old Smingdam Phollawong, a rubber plantation worker from Mukdahan, was found lying dead in front of the suspect’s house, with a fatal gunshot wound to his left shoulder, Thalang Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri told the Phuket Gazette.…
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Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket named one of AsiaRooms.com Top Rated 2014
PHUKET: Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket has been named the “Top Rated 2014” by AsiaRooms.com, the online travel accommodation website. In order to be certified, a hotel must receive an average review score of 80per cent based on five criteria including customer service, cleanliness, quality of rooms, quality of food, family friendliness and value for money. The resort averaged a score…
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Phuket firefighters “sink’ fire-ravaged fishing boat
PHUKET: Firefighters breached the hull and partially sank a Taiwanese fishing boat off Phuket’s Saphan Pla Pier in Rassada late last night to stop flames from spreading to other vessels. The fire teams arrived after midnight to find smoke billowing from the boat, which was moored close to the pier. “We believe the fire broke out in the engine room,”…
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Police, Navy get tough on illegal Phuket taxi drivers
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy and Patong Police have teamed up to take down any illegal taxi drivers found operating in Phuket’s premier party town. “We have arrested 13 illegal taxi and tuk-tuk drivers so far. There will be more to come,” Patong Police Traffic Inspector Ekkarat Plaiduang told the Phuket Gazette this morning. “We made the first five arrests…
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Phuket officials to face charges for Freedom Beach land titles
PHUKET: The Royal Forestry Department (RFD) will press charges against at least seven officials for illegally issuing land titles for plots at Phuket’s Freedom Beach. “Seven officers were involved in issuing land titles for plots within the protected forest at Freedom Beach,” said Cheewapap Cheewatham, the former Sirinath National Park chief who now serves as director of the RFD’s Forest…
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Cilic crushes Nishikori to claim US Open title
PHUKET: Croatia’s Marin Cilic swept past Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-3 to win the US Open on Monday and reach the pinnacle of the sport one year after a doping ban kept him out of the year’s final grand slam. The big-serving Croatian overwhelmed a weary Nishikori in one hour, 54 minutes to clinch a ruthless victory and deny…
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Firm faces probe after sex killing by guard
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Firm faces probe after sex killing by guard The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police will investigate a firm that provided security guards to a Bangkok condo project after one of its guards was charged with sexually molesting and killing a four-year-old girl last week. The…
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Teen lucky to be alive after premature birth, says Phuket doctor
PHUKET: A teenager was rushed from a Phuket worker’s camp to hospital this morning with serious blood loss after giving premature birth to a baby girl, who was found dead at the scene. Myanmar national Zar Ni The, the 19-year-old wife of one of the migrant worker, went into labor prematurely at a Phanason Parkville estate worker’s camp on Sri…
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Body found off Phuket beach by jet-skiing tourists
UPDATE: After this initial report was posted online, the Gazette was informed that one of its own editors, Jeremie Schatz, enjoying his time off, discovered the body while surfing with a friend. It was Jeremie and his surfing buddy who pulled the body to shore. PHUKET: An unidentified body was found floating in the ocean off Phuket’s west coast by…
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Moshe David gets life for Phuket murder of Hungarian businessman
PHUKET: Hungarian-Israeli dual national Moshe David was today sentenced to life in prison for the gruesome murder of Peter Reisz in Phuket in 2012. The life jail term was handed down by the Phuket Provincial Court early this afternoon. Mr David earlier confessed that he killed Mr Reisz in a fit of rage after Mr Reisz had allegedly swindled him…
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Phuket yachts ordered out of Ao Yon Bay
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has ordered all yacht owners with vessels moored in Ao Yon Bay to move them to other anchorages in Phuket or face six months in jail. Local Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut admitted to the Phuket Gazette this morning that he had signed the order a full three weeks ago, on August 18, and gave…
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Unidentified body found in Phuket Town canal
PHUKET: Police are working to identify a dead body found floating in a canal near the Waste Incineration Power Plant and Landfill at Saphan Hin, on the outskirts of Phuket Town yesterday morning. Local villagers alerted the police of the discovery at about 7:30am. “We believe the man had gone fishing and fell into the water without anyone noticing. It…
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Williams beats Wozniacki for 18th grand slam title
PHUKET: World number one Serena Williams swept past good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-3 6-3 in the US Open final on Sunday to move into the record books with her 18th grand slam title. The third straight and sixth overall US Open crown for the 32-year-old American, her 18 career slams put her into a tie with Chris Evert…
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Study exposes scams in stream of stolen cars crossing from M’sia
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Study exposes scams in stream of stolen cars crossing from M’sia The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Sadao border checkpoint in Songkhla sees up to Bt300 billion in border trade per year – but it is also a top entry point for smuggled goods and…
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Guard held for murder of 4-year-old girl in Thon Buri
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Guard held for murder of 4-year-old girl in Thon Buri The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting and killing a four-year-old girl in Thon Buri in Bangkok. The girl went missing in her neighbourhood on Wednesday and was…
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Arab League vows to confront Islamic State, join international efforts
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Arab League vows to confront Islamic State, join international efforts Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Arab League foreign ministers agreed on Sunday to take all necessary measures to confront Islamic State and cooperate with international, regional and national efforts to combat militants who have overrun swathes…
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Police take down armed teens for Phuket Town street shootings
PHUKET: Police have arrested two teenagers, and expect to soon take into custody a third suspect, for shooting into a shop and then a family home in Phuket Town late Tuesday night. Butrprom Choopeng, 18, was arrested yesterday at a house in Bangthong village in Kathu. He was found in possession of a homemade .22-caliber handgun with one round of…
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