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Phuket police raid rounds up pirated goods
PHUKET: About 1,500 fake brand-name items were seized from three shops in Patong on Thursday. “The retail value of the counterfeit goods is about 1 million baht,” said Kitti Sapaothong, deputy commander of the Economic Crime Division of the Royal Thai Police. The majority of the items seized were polo shirts. However, bags, purses, luggage, watches and other items were…
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Phuket loses an ‘original’ expat: Eric Snyder departs
PHUKET: Well known long-term Phuket expat Eric Snyder, 70, has departed the island he loved, succumbing to skin cancer earlier this week. Eric Snyder arrived in Phuket in 1975 and remained in residence here for 39 years. Initially, he lived with a Muslim family on Kamala Beach for several years, growing his own food and catching his dinner from the…
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Six elephants “unsmuggled’ from Phuket
PHUKET: Six illegally-imported elephants were rushed out of Noparat Elephant Camp and off Phuket late last night. The pachyderm push-out came ahead of a Phuket Livestock Office raid this morning. “We confirmed that the elephants were removed from the island and taken to Krabi province. The owner has secured a permit allowing them to stay there,” Phuket Livestock Chief Weerasit…
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Investing time to develop passive income
PHUKET: I recently became involved in marketing products for the health and wellness industry, which follows a very different business model than any I have previously encountered. In fact, the investment consists mainly of time, as start-up capital required is extremely limited. “Human capital” is developed, rather than the standard brick-and-mortar business. The great thing about this style of investing…
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Annual Patong carnival to hit sands of Phuket
PHUKET: Patong’s annual carnival, this year themed “Blissful Beach @ Patong”, is set to hit the beach town’s sands on November 1, ahead of Phuket’s tourism high season. The event, now in its 29th year, will take place from November 1-3, and aims to attract locals and tourists alike with concerts, a mini-marathon, a photography contest (story here) and a…
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Man and wife charged with rape, await court date in jail
PHUKET: A man charged with raping a 14-year-old undocumented Myanmar migrant worker, and his wife who helped him carry out the crime, remain incarcerated pending a court date. “We are still preparing evidence against both suspects – including fingerprint testing,” Lt Palita Kangsing of the Khuk Khak Police told the Phuket Gazette today. Lt Palita said Mr Ko-Nai and his…
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Unattended candles set Phuket house on fire
PHUKET: A Phuket homeowner issued a warning about leaving candles unattended after his house was set on fire today by candles left burning for a personal Chinese shrine. No one was injured in the blaze. However, an estimated 100,000 baht of damage was done, Lt Col Sanit Nookong of the Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette. “My wife, children and…
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![Phuket shrines gear up for second Vegetarian Festival [video] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1_20141017141919195_ELEXiNtvckmkGqsBLOOoSVEQDPSqWSPgkgCWLFBu_jpeg.jpeg)
Phuket shrines gear up for second Vegetarian Festival [video]
A much-anticipated aspect of the Vegetarian Festival is the bountiful array of interesting foods. PHUKET: Kathu Shrine is preparing to hold the second go-round of Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival from October 24 to November 1. Governor Nisit Jansomwong has urged all island-dwellers to take part in this special event, as a few shrines on the island are expected to hold even…
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Russian man who disappeared into sea found drowned in Phuket
PHUKET: The body of a Russian man who walked into the sea and disappeared on Wednesday night after an argument with his girlfriend was discovered this morning. “We were alerted by a local that a body was found floating between Freedom Beach and Paradise Beach at about 9am,” Sampawat Wannasangkam of the Patong Municipality Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation…
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Human trafficking victims moved out of Phang Nga, await deportation
PHUKET: The first wave of human trafficking victims have been moved from Phang Nga, north of Phuket, to Ranong and Songkhla provinces, where they will await deportation. Police yesterday questioned 80 of the human trafficking victims that were rounded up in Phang Nga in two raids earlier this week (stories here and here). Most of the refugees claimed to have…
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Phuket Governor wants English speaker to assist foreigners filing complaints
PHUKET: In order to cope with the increasing number of complaints made to Phuket authorities by foreigners, Governor Nisit Jansomwong is looking to hire an English speaker to assist staff at the island’s Damrongtham Center (ombudsman’s office). The Damrongtham Center was established to provide advice and information for people – both Thai and foreigners – about any issue they might…
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Man caught peeping in Phuket restroom to fuel sexual fantasies
PHUKET: A Myanmar national has confessed to watching women use a public restroom to fuel his sexual fantasies. The 18-year-old, named by police only as “Mr Joe”, was caught looking through a crack in the wall of the bathroom at Star Wash car care yesterday afternoon. “I saw his eyes watching me through the crack while I was using the…
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Chalong Bay Marina shut down for one year
PHUKET: Boats will be prohibited from mooring within 200 meters of Chalong Bay Marina for one year, effective today, as seawall construction and renovations take place, confirmed the Phuket Marine Office chief. The order handed down and signed off by Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut was followed by the expulsion of all boats moored in the marina. “The marina…
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7-Eleven counters in Phuket beach towns now accepting police reports
PHUKET: Victims of crimes in Kata and Karon can now file reports with police by visiting any 7-Eleven convenience store in the area. “Tourists in Kata-Karon now have an alternative and easy way to reach police. Our hope is that this will boost tourists’ confidence in their safety during their stay on the island,” Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayuth…
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Phuket python caught devouring duck
PHUKET: A Phuket resident was caught off guard when he discovered that a four-meter python had swallowed one of his favorite ducks this morning. “I heard my one of my ducks quacking in alarm, so I ran outside to its cage to make sure everything was okay,” said the duck owner, who asked not to be named. “My duck had…
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Phuket mystery: Autopsies yield no results for reef fish deaths
PHUKET: Autopsy results of dead fish collected at Koh Racha Yai off the southern coast of Phuket have yielded no clues as to why scores of reef fish are being found dead in the area (story here). “We have yet to determine the cause of death. Experts conducted autopsies, but the results were inconclusive,” Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) Director…
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Phuket ready to host 16th World Pencak Silat Championship
PHUKET: Phuket will host the 16th World Pencak Silat Championship next year, touted to be the biggest gathering of martial arts competitors ever held in the sport, with more than 600 athletes from 47 countries. “Thailand has hosted many international sporting events in the past with great success. We expect this to be the biggest gathering of athletes yet for…
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Phuket Governor demands explanation of immigration extortion complaint
PHUKET: The Phuket Governor has demanded that the Patong Immigration chief clarify why a foreigner filed a complaint alleging extortion by his officers. The immigration chief has been given 15 days. “A foreigner filed a complaint at the Damrongtham Center [ombudsman’s office] at Phuket Provincial Hall – the complaint is now in my hands,” Governor Nisit Jansomwong told the Phuket…
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Phuket’s bypass road says goodbye to big sinkhole
PHUKET: Traffic is flowing normally again on the bypass road as construction to fix a gaping sinkhole left behind after days of heavy rain storms last week, was completed today. “The road repairs are done. The lane has been re-opened and is now in use,” Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad told the Phuket Gazette this afternoon. “The hole was…
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Officials scramble to dismantle human trafficking network north of Phuket
PHUKET: Officials north of Phuket are attempting to unravel a human trafficking network after the arrest of a Thai “caretaker”. “It is clear that locals are part of this network. We will dismantle it,” vowed acting Phang Nga Governor Prayoon Rattanasenee today. Songphol Klaimee, 20, also known as “Boss K”, confessed to police that he had been assigned the task…
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Phuket’s much-needed Chinese consulate to open by month’s end
PHUKET: The long search for a home for the Chinese consulate in Phuket has come to an end, it was announced yesterday. The new consular office will be open by the end of the month, said Wang Huijian, who will be stationed there as the vice-consul general and director . It will be in the Royal Place project, the same…
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Krabi shrimpers claim buyer cheated them of B30mn
PHUKET: A group of shrimp business operators east of Phuket have filed a complaint against their buyer, claiming they have been cheated out of a collective 30 million baht. The 13 operators turned up at the Krabi Damrongtham Center (ombudsman’s office) to file the complaint against shrimp trading company Sor-Mana yesterday morning. “We haven’t received any payment since the deal…
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Buakaw Under Fire: Fighter flees the ring in championship fight
PHUKET: Once famous for his exhilarating K-1 boxing style, controversial Buakaw Banchamek’s tarnished reputation has suffered yet another setback with his latest antics in the ring, opting to flee the arena and shocking the crowd before the end of his fight. Rising to stardom as one of the most acclaimed K-1 fighters, who drew plaudits with countless captivating fights, Buakaw’s…
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More human trafficking victims netted north of Phuket
PHUKET: A group of 72 human trafficking victims destined for Malaysia were caught in a raid in Phang Nga, north of Phuket, today. Four of the 72 men, who Thai officials are identifying as Rohingya, were taken to Takuapa Hospital to be treated for extreme exhaustion and minor scratches to their feet and bodies, Takuapa District Chief Manit Pianthong said.…
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Phuket officials call meeting to halt island’s growing elephant population
PHUKET: Provincial officials will meet with relevant authorities tomorrow to discuss ways to curb the large number of legal and illegal elephants that continue to arrive on Phuket. “Officials, led by the Phuket Livestock Office, will come together to look at ways to manage the island’s burgeoning elephant population, which has already surpassed the maximum number allowed,” Vice Governor Somkiet…
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The second Phuket Classic bodybuilding competition comes to a close
PHUKET: Shoppers at Central Festival were surprised to find more than 150 oiled-up bodybuilders strutting their stuff for the “Phuket Classic” bodybuilding and modeling competition yesterday. In its second year, the competition was organized by Wilaiporn Wannaklang, president of the Phuket Bodybuilding Club and reigning Women’s World Champion. Ms Wilaiporn took a moment during Saturday’s hectic weigh-in at the Dara…
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Phuket photo contest: Capture the essence of Patong
PHUKET: The Patong Municipality has announced its “Blissful Beach@Patong” photo and video contest in hopes of attracting more tourists to the party town in the lead-up to this year’s high season. “This is the first time we have held this contest. We feel that it is a great way to introduce and advertise Patong Beach to new tourists,” said Boonsong…
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Phuket property rental platform aspires to clear muddied waters
PHUKET: Being an entrepreneur can be daunting at times. It often entails subjecting oneself – and one’s bank account – to an unknown level of risk and necessitates taking a blind step into the unknown. There are usually no guarantees and failure is a common, yet unwelcome, outcome. “Five months ago we said ‘we are going to come out to…
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Booze blamed for Phuket drowning
PHUKET: Lifeguards are blaming heavy drinking for the drowning of an 18-year-old on Phuket’s Kata Beach yesterday morning. “There were about six men and one woman drinking on the beach after work. At about 9:20am three of them were swimming in a closed-off section of the beach. They were dragged out by the waves,” Kata-Karon chief lifeguard Uten Singsom told…
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Phuket python caught gobbling up gamecock
PHUKET: A 20-kilogram python was caught eating a prized rooster inside a chicken coop in central Phuket yesterday. Frightened Thalang residents called Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers to the scene just after midnight when they found the large python with the half-consumed bird. “I heard the roosters making very unusual noises. I was afraid to go out alone, so I grabbed…
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