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Beach thief nabbed in Phuket
PHUKET: Police arrested a snatch-and-dash beach thief in Phuket last night. The 20-year-old Myanmar national named by police only as “Mr Kla” was arrested at 8:30pm after Patong Police caught up with him on the island’s main party strip – Soi Bangla. “Mr Kla confessed that he had stolen an iPad from a family of Korean tourists when he saw…
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Phuket Gazette sponsors Asian Beach Games
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette has joined forces with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) to ensure that the world takes notice every day as Asia’s top athletes battle it out from November 14 to 23 at the 4th Asian Beach Games. With Governor Nisit Jansomwong encouraging the local community to get involved, both to show that Phuket can still glisten…
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Phuket praised for progress in prepping for upcoming Asian Beach Games
PHUKET: The Minister of Tourism and Sports has praised Phuket’s leaders for the progress made in prepping the island for the upcoming 4th Asian Beach Games. “Phuket has made great progress, but we must remember that besides competing, athletes will also be experiencing Phuket for themselves. We must take this opportunity to impress them,” said Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn…
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Managing your retirement
PHUKET: When planning for retirement, once a plan is in place, the next step is actually to manage it. While it’s not a full-time job, there are certain things that need to be regularly taken care of in order to ensure one’s retirement runs smoothly. First, the age-old question of whether to rent or buy needs to be addressed. Many…
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Gun battle brings down suspected serial 7-Eleven stickup artist
PHUKET: Police arrested a man suspected of several armed robberies at 7-Eleven stores after a shootout in Phuket today. Phuket Town native Piriya Tangbunjerd, 41, was slightly injured in the short gun battle. “Mr Piriya was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hip. The two officers involved in the incident suffered no serious injuries,” Phuket…
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Fast arrest of thief should boost tourists’ confidence, say Phuket police
PHUKET: Police are hoping that the speedy arrest of a knife-wielding thief who targeted a Bahrain couple on Monday will raise tourists’ confidence in their safety. Patong Police arrested Ismael Pomalee, 30, from Pattani, less than 24 hours after the robbery. “We received a call at about 9:30pm on Monday saying that the couple had been held at knife point…
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Bigger, better and with a new name – BISP Soccer 7s coming to Phuket for the 13th time
PHUKET: There were just 35 teams competing in the first edition of the BISP International Football tournament in 2001. Thirteen years later there are 127 teams from eight countries coming to compete in the tournament, this year renamed the BISP Soccer 7s. “There will be over 1,300 competitors, with all the coaches it makes for 1,550 people taking part in…
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Phuket blood-moon surf sees German drowned, Patong tourists saved
PHUKET: A German tourist managed to save his brother-in law from drowning at Nai Harn Beach yesterday, but could not save himself from the same fate. Lifeguards were unable to resuscitate Frank Retsch, 34, after pulling him from the surf. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Vachira Phuket Hospital. “Mr Retsch came to Phuket with his wife, sister and…
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Phuket downpours leave sinkhole, landslip across roads
PHUKET: Workers from the Phuket Highways Office tomorrow will begin repairs to a gaping hole along the southbound lane on the bypass road left behind by the week of heavy downpours across the island. “We have closed the outside lane and placed warning signs and cones to inform motorists of the hazard,” Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad told the…
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No official services for fallen former mayor Pian Keesin, confirms Patong Municipality
PHUKET: Patong Municipality will not hold any official remembrance ceremonies to mark the death of Pian Keesin, whose body was found at his home north of Phuket Town yesterday morning (story here). Mr Pian was elected as the town’s first mayor in 1995 and served five terms – totalling nearly two decades. Born in Patong on February 12, 1944, Mr…
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Work permit, visa proposals get positive response
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Work permit, visa proposals get positive response The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking has given an update on its proposals to amend the country’s visa and work-permit regulations, which it says have received a positive response –…
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PM Prayuth to explain Koh Tao murder probe to Myanmar during visit
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PM Prayuth to explain Koh Tao murder probe to Myanmar during visit The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is prepared to explain the Thai police conclusion – that two Myanmar workers killed two British backpackers on Koh Tao last month – to…
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Video Report: Foul play not suspected in Pian Keesin’s death
PHUKET: Police have ordered an autopsy to be performed on the body of former Patong mayor Pian Keesin in order to rule out foul play. Mr Pian was found dead in his home north of Phuket Town this morning (story here). “At this stage, doctors presume he died of a heart attack or cerebral hemorrhage,” Col Sien Kaewthong of the…
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Unable to prevent Phuket speedboat departures, officials trust captains’ judgment
PHUKET: Officials are unable to prevent tour boats from departing the island despite the current heavy weather and small boat warnings, the Phuket Gazette has confirmed. “So far this is only a weather warning, so we can only warn boat operators,” Lt Col Chatchai Sakdee of the Phuket Marine Police told the Gazette. “If the Marine Office of the Governor’s…
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Phuket lifeguards close beach, urge tourists to heed warnings
PHUKET: After saving several people from drowning yesterday, lifeguards are urging all tourists to heed warnings to stay out of hazardous surf at Phuket’s Kata and Karon beaches. A section of Kata Beach was closed and red warning flags were posted along dangerous sections of Karon Beach, said Kata-Karon lifeguard chief Uten Singsom. “We saved a few swimmers yesterday. They…
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![Poll: 98% of tourists against Phuket dolphinarium [video] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAzMjYgMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Poll: 98% of tourists against Phuket dolphinarium [video]
PHUKET: Tourists led the charge, as an overwhelmingly majority of the more than 7,000 readers who took part in the recent Phuket Gazette poll voted against opening the island’s controversial dolphin park. A staggering 4,353 of the 4,435 (98%) of those who identified themselves as “Tourists / Visitors to Phuket” voted: no – Phuket should not have a dolphinarium; they…
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Phuket readies for first-ever International Night Run
PHUKET: Athletes will have the opportunity to run along the streets through Phuket’s historic Old Town under the cover of darkness on November 1 as the island hosts its first Phuket International Night Run. Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana unveiled the new event – organized in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Sports Authority of Thailand…
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Breaking News: Patong mob kingpin, taxi mafia suspect Pian Keesin found dead
PHUKET: Former Patong Mayor and taxi mafia suspect Pian Keesin died at his home at the Rock Garden housing estate this morning, police confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. The cause of death has yet to be released. Mr Pian, along with his son Prab Keesin, was facing charges of extortion and criminal activity carried out by a criminal association after…
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Phuket flash flood, landslide warning in effect, but bright skies ahead
PHUKET: The flash flood and landslide warning issued for Phuket last Friday is still in effect, though local officials have appealed for people to not panic over the current wet weather. “The warning was sent to every local authority as a precaution, to advise people to beware of flash floods and landslides in risk areas,” said Weera Amnuayporn, acting director…
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Koh Tao Murders: Myanmar workers say colleagues tortured before confessing
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Koh Tao Murders: Myanmar workers say colleagues tortured before confessing The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Three Myanmar workers based on Koh Tao off the Surat Thani coast have accused police of torturing them to try to extract information about the murder of two British citizens…
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Nobel Prize for medicine goes to discoverers of brain’s internal GPS
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nobel Prize for medicine goes to discoverers of brain’s internal GPS Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Anglo-American John O’Keefe and Norwegian couple May-Britt and Edvard Moser won the 2014 Nobel Prize for medicine on Monday for discovering the brain’s internal positioning system, helping humans find their…
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Boating: Peeking behind Phuket’s Boatshed
PHUKET: Alan Giles from the UK initially came to Phuket 14 years ago to be a sailing instructor for Sunsail. As the years passed, he finally made the move to become a permanent island resident, and to open Phuket’s own Boatshed brokerage. Testament to the name on the door is the assortment of boating goodies in the office at the…
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Phuket teen stabs ex-girlfriend’s new lover in jealous rage
PHUKET: A teen, recently released from the island’s juvenile detention center, is on the run after he stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new lover seven times in a jealous rage in Phuket Town early this morning. Phuket City Police arrived at the scene, outside of Royal Phuket City Hotel, at about 12:30am. There, they found a 29-year-old hotel employee, named by police…
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Police suspect single gunslinger responsible for two 7-Eleven stickups
PHUKET: Phuket police suspect that a single gun-wielding robber is responsible for two 7-Eleven stickups yesterday. The first robbery took place at 1am at a 7-Eleven store on Ranong Road in Phuket Town. Then, at 10pm, a 7-Eleven at Baan Kien in Thalang was also robbed. “We believe the two robberies may well be connected, as the robber caught on…
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Phuket member at National Reform Council granted royal endorsement
PHUKET: Cherdchai Wongseree, who failed to gain election to the Senate in March (story here), today received royal endorsement to become Phuket’s sole representative at the National Reform Council (NRC). Mr Cherdchai was among the 250 candidates throughout the country whose names were published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette today as approved by HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej to serve…
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Phuket storm pins woman under tree, more rain forecast
PHUKET: The storm that ravaged Phuket over the weekend pinned a woman under a felled tree on a busy street in Mai Khao late Saturday night. Rescue workers and police arrived at Mai Khao Soi 10 at about 11:30pm to find Soisuda Somjan, 20, and her motorbike trapped the tree. “She was unable to move with her right leg caught…
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Indian tourists washed overboard, drown off Krabi coast
PHUKET: Two Indian tourists travelling in a rented longtail boat drowned off the coast of Railay, east of Phuket, yesterday after a large wave swamped their boat and washed them overboard. Ekkapong Kinglek, 25, the boat operator, was charged with reckless driving causing death, Capt Praphan Nhuchaikaew of the Krabi City Police told the Phuket Gazette. The tourists, Yash Agarwal,…
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Asean health experts target regional vaccination strategy
PHUKET: Asean health experts gathered in Phuket last week for a series of workshops to hammer out strategies for regional vaccine security. The three-day event, hosted on the island for the first time, involved a series of brainstorming sessions among health experts, centering on vaccine research and development, production and vaccine immunization. The exchange of information is seen as the…
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Phuket underpass faces part-closures, races for November opening
PHUKET: The northbound lane above the 600-million-baht underpass beside the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall has been closed so workers can repave the road. “Motorists heading north can still use the underpass,” Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad told the Phuket Gazette. With the lane closed for repaving, motorists heading east past Central Festival can no longer turn left onto…
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![Villa Market expansion caters to Phuket yachties [VIDEO] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAyOTMgMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Villa Market expansion caters to Phuket yachties [VIDEO]
Villa hopes to build on its success at the Boat Avenue shopping street. PHUKET: Villa Market is set to slice off another slab of the imported groceries market in Phuket when it expands to Boat Lagoon. The new branch, set to open in early 2015, is designed to tap into the yachtie-catering market and to position itself as the go-to…
![Poll: 98% of tourists against Phuket dolphinarium [video] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1_201410718124125_BzLoOrjAjQuBBSxUQJlFXEzeJFMHzDoBCKqtylTr_jpeg.jpeg)
![Villa Market expansion caters to Phuket yachties [VIDEO] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/7_201410695537753_aEcFQjPYiYFvWGUhiEjnzCiIOeiwMoFrVKKWllLO_jpeg.jpeg)
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