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Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort puts sustainability at its heart
The term sustainability is often thrown around as a buzzword in the hospitality industry, but at Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort, it’s genuinely part of their mission. Located in Makham Bay, just south of Phuket Town, the beautiful resort puts...
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Police wanted for tourist extortion; Chiang Mai train derails; Egypt exodus; Royals in better health
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police officers suspended over alleged extortion of tourists The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Four Bangkok-based policemen have been suspended for allegedly extorting Bt2 million from two Italian tourists after making a false allegation against the victims and holding them captive.Arrest warrants have been issued for two of…
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Phuket man denies being multi-million-baht extortion artist, blames official
PHUKET: A Phuket businessman and adviser to the Thailand Trade Organization turned around allegations of being a Patong extortion artist today, pointing his finger at a government official. However, Chart Chindapol was unwilling to name the official, who he claimed raked in 50 million baht a month, pocketing 3 million for himself. A letter accusing Mr Chart of “distressing, threatening…
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Officials tackle Patong Beach’s “big brown’ water problem
PHUKET: An order was made to review operations at the Patong Wastewater Treatment Plant following tests of the seawater at Patong Beach this morning. The director of the Phuket-based Regional Environmental Office 15, Pornsri Suthanaruk, announced the news as Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut joined environment officials conducting the water-quality tests. Dr Pornsri explained that private and commercial premises in Patong…
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Phuket Opinion: Corruption-fighter says it’s time to cleanse the island of graft
Surin Bamrungphol, 53, is a founder and President of the Phuket Anti-Corruption Network. He is a Phuket native with a PhD in Development Strategies from Phuket Rajabhat University. Mr Surin is CEO of SureMed Corporation and vice-president of the Federation of Thai Industries, Phuket Chapter. He also serves on the board of a variety of companies. Here, he talks about…
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Phuket Opinion: Needed – more greenery for our souls
PHUKET: When I lived on Racha Island, I could never really figure out where Thalang was. The only time I encountered it was taking a taxi to the airport. Around Koh Kaew I’d ask the driver, “Is this Thalang?”, then again at the Heroines’ Monument. Finally, as we whizzed through the Ton Sai Waterfall intersection, he’d say, “This is it.”All…
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Phuket land probe: officials receive protection of anonymity
PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday declined to name anyone under investigation for allegedly issuing land titles for plots within Phuket’s Sirinath National Park. The news came as Chief of the DSI’s Consumer and Environment Protection Office Prawuth Wongsinil, publicly announced that his office will investigate only two of the 11 resorts identified by former Department of National…
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Phuket Opinion: Not backing down in Phuket’s edgiest district
Veera Kerdsirimongkol, 57, originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, has been District Chief of Kathu for four months. He was a district chief for 13 years before coming to Phuket, most recently in Palian, Trang. He has a master’s degree in Management Sciences from Prince of Songkla University. Here, he talks about what he has done to stop illegal activity in…
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Phuket Opinion: Waste not, and waste not wanted
PHUKET: I was recently contacted by a man named David, a graduate-level research assistant from a reputable University in Bangkok, who had come to Phuket for the first time – but not for the typical reasons. The destination luring David to our “paradise island” was not any particular beach, cove, resort, restaurant or bar, but was in fact the Waste…
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Phuket Immigration on the lookout for stolen visa stickers
PHUKET: The theft of 300 visa stickers from Thailand’s embassy in Malaysia has put Phuket Immigration on high alert.Phuket Immigration was notified about four days ago to be on the lookout for stickers bearing the stolen numbers, Phuket Immigration officer Angkarn Yasanop said.A Foreign Ministry investigation revealed that 259 of the 300 stickers had been used and 55 visa holders…
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Phuket’s Outrigger T20 cricket: Round 7
PHUKET: On a sunny Sunday for round 7 of Phuket’s Outrigger T20 Cricket league, ICC took on the Youth side in the morning session, while the Village faced Patong in the afternoon session. In the morning match, ICC notched up a solid 162-7 batting first while the Youth could only manage 125-6 in reply. The much anticipated afternoon encounter between…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Manning wants to be a woman; Congo city shelled; Syria gas attack unprobed; New leaks at Fukushima; Nicely framed, says Bo
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Congo civilians amid city shelled Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The head of the U.N. mission in Congo on Thursday ordered peacekeeping troops to act to protect civilians after shelling hit the city of Goma in renewed fighting between the army and M23 rebels. The fighting…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Iranians jailed over bomb plot; Thai visas stolen from KL embassy; DNA shows Nenkham fathered child with minor
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 300 visa stickers missing from Thai embassy in Malaysia The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Border checkpoints have been ordered to stay on high alert after 300 Thai visa stickers were stolen from the Kingdom’s embassy in Malaysia.The Foreign Ministry cancelled the missing visas and launched an investigation…
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Phuket’s Organized Crime Center keeps eye on the prize – illegal taxi industry
PHUKET: An officer at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Organized Crime Center clarified today that the current goal of the center is solely to dismantle the illegal taxi operations in Phuket, which officers believe are at the core of tourist extortion and local money laundering issues. “The center (story here) at this point is designed to tackle all the…
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Bangkok big gun praises Phuket police work
PHUKET: Big gun from Bangkok Gen Wuthi Liptapallop of the Royal Thai Police reviewed Phuket police progress yesterday on the island-wide crackdown on crime from August 16 to September 31. The crackdown, aimed for sweeping results in preparation for the Asian Economic Community (AEC), is targeting everything from immigration issues to prostitution, said Gen Wuthi. Phuket Immigration Police presented their…
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Dokset trial: Phuket Forensic Police recount gruesome details of body
PHUKET: The senior officer in charge of collecting forensic evidence at the home of Norwegian national Stein Harvard Dokset recounted to the court today what his team encountered when they discovered the remains of Mr Dokset’s slain ex-girlfriend, Rungnapa Suktong. Mr Dokset, 50, stands accused of murdering Ms Rungnapa and leaving her remains to dissolve in an acid-filled trash bin…
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Phuket FC suffer 13th draw of season against Air Force
PHUKET: The Islanders once again allowed an early lead to slip away and be forced to settle with yet another draw – their 13th of the season – this time against 2nd placed, Air Force AVA FC (formerly known as Airforce United) in a high-stakes match last night at Phuket’s Surakul Stadium.A beautiful header by Luiz “Dudu” Purcino 10 minutes…
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Women on top: Triathalon Champ talks about empowering women
PHUKET: “If I miss my morning training, I have no energy throughout the day,” says Belinda Granger, 15 times Iron Distance Triathlon Champion. “But you don’t have to compete in Triathlons. Just notice something that keeps you energetic and lively and keep adding more of that element into your life,” she adds. The 10 women who attended the “Empowering Women…
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Despite rescue efforts, dolphin beached at Patong dies
PHUKET: A dolphin that washed ashore at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon died despite the best efforts of bystanders to keep her alive.The female striped dolphin was first spotted by a tourist, who informed a jet-ski operator, who in turn called the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC).“I was walking along the beach when a tourist came to tell me about the…
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Cebu pacific, Tiger Air tap into Manila-Phuket direct flight market
PHUKET: At about the same time that Tourism Malaysia announced the closing of its Phuket office (click here for story), another major Southeast Asian source-market is poised to link up with the “Pearl of the Andaman” – the Philippines. As of this month and next, two regional airlines will service direct flights between Manilia and Phuket International Airport. The Philippine’s…
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Cold case cracked: Phuket market vendor faces decade-old murder charge
PHUKET: A used-clothing seller in the Baan Lipon market was arrested yesterday afternoon on a Songkla murder charge dating back to 2002.Thalang police received word from police in Padang Besar that Jatejit Boonchai, a 36-year-old Trang native, was living in Thalang.“We found out that he was selling second-hand clothing in the market,” said Thalang Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri said.“So we…
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Phuket jungle-trek camps raided in search for phantom elephants
PHUKET: The Phuket jungle-trekking tourism industry came under scrutiny again on Wednesday when officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NREC) raided seven elephant camps in Phuket to try to determine whether or not seven elephants had been trafficked onto the island. The camps raided were: Sai Yuan Elephant Camp, Sea View Elephant Camp and Kinnaree Elephant…
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Sexagenarian on cycle tour of Thailand stops by Phuket
PHUKET: Retired teacher Manit Intarit, 66, stopped by Phuket Provincial Hall on his bicycle on Tuesday to meet Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut on the ninth day of his cycling trip around Thailand to honor HM The King and Queen.Pony-tailed Mr Manit, who hails from Pattani, said, “I want HM The King and Queen to know that residents of the Deep…
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37 dead as Malaysian tour bus plunges into ravine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 37 dead as Malaysian tour bus plunges into ravine News Wires / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A bus travelling from the Malaysian hilltop gambling resort of Genting Highlands to the capital Kuala Lumpur plunged 60 meters into a ravine on Wednesday, killing as many as 37 people, officials said.Rescue…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Syria gas kills hundreds; Bo Xilai trial begins; Pink Panther arrested; Manning gets 35 years
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Trial of Bo Xilai opens in China Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Police blocked entry to a courthouse in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan on Thursday where the trial of ousted politician Bo Xilai is to open, the final, dramatic chapter of the country’s most politically charged…
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Phuket student drug flunkies heading for summer camp rehab
PHUKET: A group of 29 Phuket students – all of whom tested positive for drugs – are in for a summer camp they’d not expected. They are now signed up to spend nine days getting clean and learning about the dangers of substance abuse. From today, August 22, to 30, the students will join a stricter-than-normal summer camp at Phuket’s…
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VIDEO REPORT: Police set reward for Democrat Party Phuket office thief
PHUKET: A reward of 5,000 baht was offered this morning for any information leading to the arrest of a thief who is believed to have broken into the Democrat Party Phuket office not once, but twice this month.In addition to robbing the office of an undisclosed amount of money, the thief also vandalized the interior. The office is located on…
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Phuket teen swerves to avoid car making u-turn, dies in crash
PHUKET: A 16-year-old speeding south on Thepkrasattri Road last night died after he swerved to avoid a car and hit a metal pole instead.Witnesses told police that Sakarat Muaenparn was riding his motorbike at high speed in the motorbike lane when a car made a u-turn south of the PTT station, said Thalang Police officer Chatree Chuwichian.The car turned in…
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Seawater quality to be monitored, results sent to island’s consulates
PHUKET: Amid concerns over worsening seawater quality at Phuket’s beaches, results of bi-monthly tests will be sent to the Phuket consulates, Governor Maitri Inthusut told 11 consul-generals yesterday. Phuket’s beach waters were regularly monitored in the past, but budget cuts brought an end to that program (see p8 and p9 of the digital Gazette online here). The Governor’s plan to…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Scuffles end meeting; Canadian picked up in penny scam; Teachers still targets; Mass Rohingya escape; Fertility rite
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Scuffles, boos bring chaos to constitution change meeting The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Parliament President Somsak Kiatsuranont, whose nickname is “Gavel Master”, lived up to his name and used his gavel vigorously for the first time yesterday during the House-Senate joint meeting deliberating constitutional amendments.…
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Officials baffled over dead Koh Racha Yai fish
PHUKET: Several dead reef fish collected from the dozens of dead fish found at the popular dive destination of Koh Racha Yai were brought to the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) earlier this month after local fishermen, villagers and divers voiced concern that they may have been poisoned, perhaps by cyanide.“In the last week to 10 days, there have been…
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