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Baby boy found abandoned in Tesco Lotus parking lot
PHUKET: A baby was found abandoned inside a shopping cart in the parking lot of a Phuket Tesco Lotus last night. The 1-month-old boy, weighing about 2.5kg, was given to staff at the Samkong intersection Tesco Lotus by two women. “They told us that they found him outside in a shopping cart, and then left without providing any further information,”…
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Mark your calendars: Wat Chalong Fair kicks off on Monday
PHUKET: It’s that time of year again. Phuket’s biggest annual temple fair, held at Wat Chalong, will kick off on Monday to offer one week of local fare and entertainment. “There will be plenty of food vendors, sideshow rides, games and stalls set up at the fair. Everyone is more than welcome to come enjoy,” said Chaiwat Chatchawet, a Wat…
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Video Report: Romantic Thailand fast-tracks couples through Phuket immigration
PHUKET: Couples are being fast-tracked through airport immigration for the month of love as part of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Romantic Thailand campaign. The campaign, running from February 1 to 28, has already welcomed more than 400 couples to Phuket, said Anoma Wongyai, director of TAT Phuket. “All couples entering the arrivals hall are invited to register with…
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Pre-Valentine’s Day drug campaign sweeps up five suspects
PHUKET: In an attempt to preserve clean love for Valentine’s Day, Phuket police made a series of drug busts today as part of their “Valentine’s Day Cleanup Campaign”. The raid started with the Phuket City Police arresting 27-year-old Jaturong Sethkhong, in possession of about two kilograms of kratom leaves. He was charged with possession of a Category 5 drug with…
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Dutch national coach uses Phuket to target Olympic gold
PHUKET: The Dutch national swimming team recently returned to Phuket for the third time to stay and train at the Thanyapura sports center. Among them was Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 50m and 100m freestyle Olympic champion, looking to improve her stroke and secure Olympic victory at the 2016 Games in Rio. Yet, challenges lay ahead for the young Olympian, just 24 this…
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Chinese New Year is for all islanders
Dr Kosol Tang-Uthai is the deputy mayor of Phuket City and president of the Thai Peranakan Association, a group dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of Phuket’s unique Chinese culture. Dr Kosol earned his doctorate from Mahidol University, and has been serving as president of the association since 2007. Here, he explains the importance of the Chinese New Year…
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Chinese medical tourists flock to Phuket
PHUKET: For thousands of Chinese tourists who flock to Phuket each year, a visit to the island is more than just a chance to relax in the sun. It’s a chance to access medical procedures and treatments not available in their home country. Many countries around the globe have the same pressing healthcare issues: aging populations, increasing medical costs, collapsing…
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Opinion: High time for high-tide building rule enforcement
PHUKET: There is reason to be cautiously optimistic that the unprecedented involvement of the Administrative Court system in a controversial real-estate development case in Rawai (story here) could mark the emergence of a powerful new tool to ensure that local administrative bodies do a better job approving and overseeing work on future projects on the island, thus bolstering investor confidence.…
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Final clearout of Phuket beach encroachers imminent, says governor
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Jansomwong announced yesterday that the final traces of the ubiquitous encroachment onto Phuket beaches that prompted the beach cleanup last year would be swept away as soon as possible. The governor and other island officials. speaking at a press conference held at the Royal Thai Navy base in Cape Panwa, addressed the problem of several buildings still…
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German tourist drowns in Krabi rip current
PHUKET: A German tourist drowned in Krabi yesterday afternoon while swimming with his son. Martin Hofstetter, 57, and his family checked into a bungalow resort on Koh Siboya, south of Krabi Town, on Wednesday, explained Lt Col Kittichet Kittiratanasombat of the Klong Khanan Police. “They took a sea trip to Koh Lola and went swimming there yesterday afternoon,” Col Kittichet…
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Phuket’s annual Valentine’s Day mass wedding is on (video)
PHUKET: All couples looking to tie the knot on Valentine’s Day tomorrow are invited to register their nuptials at the Muang District Office, where they can join a mass wedding ceremony and win lucky draw prizes and receive memorable wedding gifts that will be given away. “Among the gifts to be given away are stays in honeymoon suites at hotels…
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Video Report: Phuket kids shine at PSS international soccer tourney
PHUKET: More than 250 players from throughout Southeast Asia joined the Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) 5th International Youth Tournament at Thanyapura’s Stadium Pitch last weekend. Players in Under-8, Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 age groups competed during 12 hours of football involving 28 teams over the two days. “This tournament brings together youth footballers from across Southeast Asia to share their…
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PM woos private sector to build high-speed trains
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PM woos private sector to build high-speed trains The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has invited the private sector to build short-distance, high-speed trains to attractive sites near Bangkok in order to facilitate tourism. The government will provide support in terms…
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Yingluck’s lawyers seek review of corruption ruling
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yingluck’s lawyers seek review of case The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The legal team of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has urged the Office of the Attorney-General to review its decision to pursue a corruption case against her, arguing that there is insufficient evidence as…
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Obama set to announce executive order on cybersecurity threat data
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Obama set to announce executive order on cybersecurity threat data Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: President Barack Obama is expected to announce an executive order directing the government and companies to share more information about cybersecurity threats in response to attacks like that on Sony Entertainment.…
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Long-stay tourism drive aimed at Japanese
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Long-stay tourism drive aimed at Japanese The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Tourism Ministry has initiated a plan to promote long-stay tourism by focusing on Japanese tourists one of Thailand’s biggest inbound markets, said Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul yesterday. She was speaking after meeting with…
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Russians behaving badly arrested in Phuket, face deportation
PHUKET: Immigration Police arrested two Russian men at Nai Harn Beach yesterday after complaints that the men were “behaving badly”, including stealing small items from local stores and failing to pay for meals in nearby restaurants. Officers arrested Mikael Morkretkof, 45, and Denis Rievsef, 32, as the pair were walking along Nai Harn Beach yesterday afternoon, explained Capt Nattapong Klaithong…
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All About Eva: Court probe opens door to new era for Phuket beachfront property projects
THAILAND stands on the brink of a great leap forward in boosting investor confidence in beachfront properties and resorts, if court officials uphold existing building regulations on construction of buildings along the Phuket shoreline. Here, the Phuket Gazette investigates what is at stake in enforcing the building code. SPECIAL REPORT PHUKET: The environmental court inspection of an upscale real estate…
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Opinion: “Thainess’ falls short of ecologically sustainable tourism
PHUKET: In the past 20 years, Thailand’s tourism industry has grown in leaps and bounds due to the hard work of the industry’s private-sector and effective campaigns created by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). One of the TAT’s most successful ever was its “Amazing Thailand” campaign launched in 1998, which aimed to bolster the country’s tourism income after the…
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Finance: Learning to re-balance a portfolio
PHUKET: Portfolio re-balancing is one of the trickier aspects of investment management, as you will inevitably need to make some hard and counterintuitive decisions to ensure that your portfolio’s asset allocation continues to meet your investment goals and risk-tolerance level. But why, how and when should you re-balance your investment portfolio?WHY YOU NEED TO TAKE WINNERS AND LOSERS OFF THE…
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Classic car rally takes the road to Mandalay
PHUKET: An ambitious endurance classic car rally from Singapore to Myanmar saw about a dozen of the more than 70 magnificent vehicles taking part in the ‘Road to Mandalay’ race complete time trials in Phuket on Sunday. This was enough to inspire the Phuket Gazette to send a TV crew of six on Monday to Khao Lak where the full…
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Activist children manage unprecedented blow to Taiji dolphin slaughter (video)
PHUKET: A letter presented by a group of children from Phuket’s Gecko School was accepted by the Taiji Major’s Office, which in the past has publicly supported the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins. “We will pass down the history of our ancestors to the next generation. Preserve it. We have a strong sense of pride about this,” Mayor Kazutaka…
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Phuket jet-ski operator banned after attempted shakedown
PHUKET: A jet-ski operator was banned today from running his rental business for one month following an incident in which he demanded two tourists to pay 200,000 baht for repairs to two uninsured jet-skis (story here). The Bang Tao jet-ski operator, Air Yotharuk, had his helmsman license suspended and his two jet-skis Yotharuk 1 and Yotharuk 2 banned by the…
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New beach rules now standard throughout Phuket, says Governor
PHUKET: The trial rule of restricting vendors to only 10 per cent of the beach is to be rolled out at all beaches in Phuket, Governor Nisit Jansomwong has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “Local administrations will remain responsible for regulating and enforcing the new rules [story here], which include no sun loungers at any beaches,” he added. “The local…
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Phuket fertility center to give birth to boost in medical tourism
PHUKET: IVF Phuket by the Safe Fertility Center is expected to boost tourist numbers, Vice Governor Suthee Thongyam said at the grand opening of the center’s new building on Sunday. “The prices at this qualified clinic are much cheaper than similar treatments outside of Thailand. Therefore, I am expecting the clinic to bring more tourists to the the island for…
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Phuket waste incinerator granted B530mn for repairs
PHUKET: A budget of 530 million baht to repair the defunct waste incinerator at the Phuket City Waste Management facility at Saphan Hin has been approved, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong announced this week. “Though Phuket has two incinerators, one has been offline for almost two years, leading us toward an inevitable crises by 2020, if nothing is done,” said Kasem…
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Phuket’s B23.5bn light rail inches toward Cabinet approval
PHUKET: The final plans for the long-awaited Phuket light-rail project, slated to cost 23.5 billion baht, will not be presented to Cabinet for approval until next year at the earliest, the Phuket Gazette has been told. “The plan itself is more than 90 per cent complete. However, experts need to make adjustments to match local Phuket residents’ needs,” Governor Nisit…
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Tuk-tuk driver punches Australian in face over fare
PHUKET: A tuk-tuk driver has confessed to punching an Australian national in the face after an argument about the price of a ride yesterday evening. “Mr Sipeng, 20, told us that he was punched by the tuk-tuk driver after he got into an altercation with him about the price of the ride from Sugar Palm Residence Condominium, where he lives,…
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Special envoy to Chinese president Xi Jinping visits Phuket
PHUKET: Meng Jianzhu, a Chinese senior politburo member, security official and special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, was in Phuket to pay a courtesy visit over the weekend. Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong and Monrudee Gettuphan, acting general manager of Phuket International Airport, welcomed Mr Meng as he arrived at the airport on Saturday. Mr Meng, who currently holds the…
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Blast injures five at Bangkok Army depot
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Blast injures five Bangkok Army depot The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Five civilian personnel were injured yesterday in an accident at the Army’s Ordnance Department in Kiakkai in Bangkok during routine maintenance and inspection of anti-tank rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, a deputy Army spokesman said.…
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