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  • Actor Robin Williams dead at 63 from apparent suicide

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Actor Robin Williams dead at 63 from apparent suicide Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Robin Williams, the versatile actor whose madcap comic style made him one of television and film’s biggest stars, was found dead on Monday from an apparent suicide at his home in Northern…

  • British siblings “overwhelmed’ by Phuket reunion

    PHUKET: Ben and Emily Willgrass have broken their silence to express gratitude to all Thai people for their kindness and generosity after an emotionally overwhelming reunion with their Phuket tsunami saviors last month. Nearly 10 years later and thanks to a successful call for help via Facebook (story here), the Willgrass siblings were able to track down Yupin Sengmuang and…

  • No Phuket booze ban on Mother’s Day

    PHUKET: There will be no ban on the sale of alcohol in Phuket as island residents join the nation in celebrating HM Queen Sirikit’s birthday and Mother’s Day tomorrow (story here). “Alcohol sales will not be banned,” Phuket Provincial Police Commander Peerayuth Karajedee confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “However, taking this opportunity to honor your mother by taking her out…

  • Phuket ready to celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s birthday, Mother’s Day

    PHUKET: A host of special ceremonies will be held throughout Phuket tomorrow to honor and celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s 82nd birthday, as well as to celebrate Mother’s Day. All government offices will be closed, and activities on the island will be followed by a candlelight ceremony at about 7pm. A selection of the events to be held in Phuket are…

  • Radwanska eases past Venus Williams to win Rogers Cup

    PHUKET: Agnieszka Radwanska tamed Venus Williams 6-4 6-2 to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Sunday, the third seeded Pole setting herself up as a player to watch at the U.S. Open. The first win of the season for Radwanska, it provided a timely jolt of confidence going into Flushing Meadows and the year’s final grand slam with 11…

  • McIlroy wins PGA Championship, claims fourth major

    PHUKET: Pre-tournament favourite Rory McIlroy recovered from a stumbling start to overcome a series of challengers and clinch his fourth major title by a shot at the PGA Championship on Sunday. A stroke in front of the chasing pack overnight, the Northern Irish world number one lost the lead but regained control after the turn, signing off with a three-under-par…

  • Phuket beach vendors to appeal to NCPO to return to the sands

    PHUKET: More than 500 Phuket beach vendors put out of work by the massive beach cleanup campaign spoke up on Saturday about the importance of restarting their seaside businesses. The complaints and proposals were heard at a public forum led by a team of professors and researchers at the Prince of Songkla University (PSU) Phuket campus in Kathu. The meeting…

  • Fire at Chinese shrine in Phuket Town

    PHUKET: Four fire trucks were called to the Mae Ya Nang Shrine on Krabi Road in Phuket Town this morning after fire broke out in a storeroom stocked with firecrackers and prayer papers. Phuket City Police reported no injuries from the blaze. “Firefighters took about 30 minutes to control fire, which broke out at about 8:20am,” said Capt Weerachart Seera…

  • Marine office to battle Phuket tar balls on beaches

    PHUKET: Officials are set to re-launch a campaign to control used oil being dumped from boats off Phuket’s shore after balls of black tar appeared on the island’s beaches late last month (story here). “I have seen the photos of the substance myself, and can confirm that they are balls of tar,” Phuket Marine Office chief Phuriphat Theerakulpisut told the…

  • Treasury Dept challenges claim only 100 Bt10 coins minted in 1990

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Treasury Dept challenges claim only 100 Bt10 coins minted in 1990 The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Treasury Department has denied a claim that just 100 Bt10 coins were minted in 1990.The department’s director general, Naris Chaiyasoot, spoke yesterday shortly after there was a Bt100,000…

  • Udomdej favoured to take over as the next Army chief

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Udomdej favoured to take over as the next Army chief The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Deputy Army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr appears the front runner candidate to succeed General Prayuth Chan-ocha as the head of the Army. Prayuth, who is in charge of the ruling…

  • At least 39 killed in Iranian plane crash | Thaiger

    At least 39 killed in Iranian plane crash

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least 39 killed in Iranian plane crash Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: At least 39 people were killed on Sunday when an Iran-140 Sepahan Air passenger plane crashed after takeoff from Tehran’s Mehrabad airport on a flight to Tabas in northeast Iran, state media reported.…

  • NLA to vote on next PM set for August 21, 22

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NLA vote on next PM set for August 21, 22 The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Legislative Assembly will call a vote on the next prime minister on August 21 or 22, its deputy chairman said yesterday. Surachai Liengboonlertchai said he supports General Prayuth…

  • Israel, Palestinians launch new three-day truce

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Israel, Palestinians launch new three-day truce Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Israel and the Palestinians held their fire early on Monday at the start of a new 72-hour ceasefire proposed by Egypt that took effect at 2100 GMT (2200 BST). There were no immediate reports of…

  • Phuket’s road nightmare gets worse: Italian man dies in crash

    PHUKET: The death of an Italian man in a Ducati motorbike accident in Karon before dawn today has brought the number of road fatalities in Phuket to six dead in less than 24 hours. The man, whose name is being withheld, lost control of his motorbike on a curve in the hills to north of Karon at about 5:30am. “He…

  • Williams sisters renew sibling rivalry in Montreal

    PHUKET: World number one Serena Williams and sister Venus will renew one of sport’s greatest sibling rivalries after posting quarter-final wins at the Rogers Cup on Friday to set up a milestone showdown on the Montreal hard courts. Serena kept her title defence on track, rallying for a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over Caroline Wozniacki, while Venus booked her place…

  • Teenagers among five dead in horror day on Phuket’s roads

    PHUKET: Three Phuket teenagers are dead and two more are in hospital after a high-speed crash in Thung Thong just before midnight last night. The accident was the culmination of road fatalities that saw five dead in less than 24 hours on Phuket’s notorious roads. Police and rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation were called to the scene, on Phra…

  • Playing the role of manager and mum in Phuket

    Sumontha Urvois, 37, from Suphan Buri, is the Executive Assistant Manager of the Grand Mercure Phuket Patong. She has a master’s degree in hospitality management and more than 14 years’ experience in the industry with the Accor Group. Before coming to Phuket, she worked for two years as Rooms Division Manager at the Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square. Here, she…

  • Feelin’ fat like a Phuket expat

    PHUKET: Living in Phuket as a Western-born woman could prove dicey for the faint of heart, even more so for those who suffer from the occasional lack of self-confidence. Once you settle into life on the island, it doesn’t take long to tune in to the stark differences in cultural norms, especially when it comes to discussing body weight. Making…

  • Braving the Phuket land encroachment backlash

    PHUKET: The island should applaud the courage and dedication of Sirinath National Park Chief Kitiphat Taraphiban for continuing the campaign to rid the park of all encroachment – even in the face of recent death threats (story here). The state of many national parks and protected conservation areas is an embarrassment, with many beautiful locations degraded by corruption-fuelled, unregulated development.…

  • Lao woman with Bt30 million held at border | Thaiger

    Lao woman with Bt30 million held at border

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Lao woman with Bt30 million held at border The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A 42-year-old Laotian was detained in the border province of Mukdahan yesterday for allegedly trying to smuggle Bt30 million in cash out of the country. The woman who was identified only as…

  • Probe into Japanese ‘dad’ eyes baby trafficking intent

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Probe into Japanese ‘dad’ eyes baby trafficking intent The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police are looking into whether the 13 babies purportedly linked to surrogacy services were meant to be trafficked, as evidence suggests a Japanese man fathered at least nine infants via surrogate mothers.…

  • U.S. air strikes begin as Obama calls to prevent Iraq genocide

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. air strikes begin as Obama calls to prevent Iraq genocide Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: U.S. warplanes bombed Islamist fighters marching on Iraq’s Kurdish capital on Friday after President Barack Obama said Washington must act to prevent “genocide”. Islamic State fighters, who have beheaded and…

  • Police to confirm Phuket caddy in fatal motorbike crash

    PHUKET: Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward who may be able to confirm what occurred in a fatal motorbike accident this afternoon involving a pick-up truck driven by a 22-year-old man. Sakon Banchongkaeo, 34, was killed in the accident on the Koh Kaew – Nakok road, which is often used as a shortcut from Thepkrasattri Road in Koh…

  • Landslide fears prompt stop-work order high in the Phuket hills

    PHUKET: Work was ordered to stop at a construction site high on the hills overlooking Patong yesterday after it was found to be above the legal limit for building – and amid fears of a landslide smothering the residents below. Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak led an inspection of the site – eight rai of land with unobstructed views of…

  • United ready for Van Gaal lift off but dangers lurk

    PHUKET: On paper it appears a match made in heaven. Serial winner Louis van Gaal at the helm of 20-times English champions Manchester United with a mission to steer the chastened giants back to the Premier League summit. When United kick off the new season next Saturday lunchtime at home to Swansea City, however, reputations will count for precious little…

  • New-look Arsenal have the taste for trophies

    PHUKET: Having finally treated their long-empty trophy cabinet to some FA Cup silverware last season, Arsenal have splashed the cash ahead of the new Premier League campaign to improve a squad that could now be capable of pushing for loftier titles. Rapid forward Alexis Sanchez, a 35 million pound signing from Barcelona, leads a band of new recruits that also…

  • Djokovic falls while Federer pulls great escape

    PHUKET: Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga handed world number one Novak Djokovic a 6-2 6-2 third round defeat on Thursday as the Rogers Cup was rocked by upsets. A day of high-drama began under a bright morning sun with South African Kevin Anderson startling third seeded Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (8) 7-5 and ended in the late evening chill with…

  • CAS start appeal into Suarez biting ban

    PHUKET: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) began its hearing on Friday into Uruguay forward Luis Suarez’s appeal against his ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in a World Cup match. Suarez, wearing a checked shirt, brushed aside photographers and refused to make any comment as he arrived by taxi at the CAS headquarters in a Lausanne suburb.…

  • Phuket “mega meth mule’ shipped millions, say police

    PHUKET: A mother arrested at a school car park in Phuket Town yesterday led to the “accidental” arrest of man who has since confessed to shipping millions of ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and kilograms of ya ice (crystal methamphatime) throughout Thailand, say police. The string of arrests began on Monday, when officers took into custody Uten Wanthong for possession of…