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  • Phuket woman with Alzheimer’s killed in hit-and-run

    Phuket woman with Alzheimer’s killed in hit-and-run

    PHUKET: A woman with Alzheimer’s Disease who had wandered away from home was killed in a hit-and-run motorbike accident in Thalang last night. Pranit Parteep Na Talang, 75, first went missing from her home in Ban Don at about 2pm that afternoon. “My mother had Alzheimer’s, but she could walk well for her age and often went missing because of…

  • Thailand downs Hong Kong in Phuket Davis Cup

    Thailand downs Hong Kong in Phuket Davis Cup

    PHUKET: The Thai Davis Cup team triumphed against Hong Kong 4-1 in the regional (Asia/Oceania) matchup at Thanyapura Phuket yesterday. After an uncertain start (story here) which saw Thailand’s Warit Sornbutnark defeated in the opening match against Hong Kong’s Phillip King, the home team rallied to win the following four matches over the weekend to triumph with an impressive margin.…

  • New ports to be developed for popular island gateways north of Phuket

    New ports to be developed for popular island gateways north of Phuket

    PHUKET: The Marine Department on Friday announced plans to develop two major seaports at Phang Nga jump-off points to the popular Similan and Surin islands. “Our aim is to promote sustainable tourism for Phang Nga’s Andaman islands. We also want to promote it as another diving location,” said Marine Office 5 Director Wichai Khamkong. The news follows two public hearings…

  • Phuket Police arrest scissor-wielding French thief

    Phuket Police arrest scissor-wielding French thief

    PHUKET: Police arrested a Frenchman for threatening a Phuket convenience store clerk with a pair of scissors in an attempt to get a refund on Saturday.Riad Lahkim, 37, bought a mobile phone at a 7-eleven on Thursday. Dissatisfied, he took it back to the store two days later – at 4:30am.“He bought the phone for 1,200 baht and asked for…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Kerry calls climate change ‘weapon of mass destruction’

    Phuket Gazette World News: Kerry calls climate change ‘weapon of mass destruction’

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kerry calls climate change ‘weapon of mass destruction’ Phuket Gazette / ReutersUS Secretary of State John Kerry warned Indonesians on Sunday that man-made climate change could threaten their entire way of life, deriding those who doubted the existence of “perhaps the world’s most fearsome weapon of mass…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: At least three killed in Egyptian tour bus blast

    Phuket Gazette World News: At least three killed in Egyptian tour bus blast

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two Koreans and Egyptian driver die in Sinai tourist bus blast Phuket Gazette / ReutersPHUKET: A bomb on a tourist bus in Egypt’s Sinai killed at least two South Koreans and the Egyptian driver on Sunday, army and security sources said, in the first attack on tourists…

  • Phuket Police pounce on booze ban violator

    Phuket Police pounce on booze ban violator

    PHUKET: Police discovered one shop in Phuket Town illegally selling alcohol during the celebration of Makha Bucha Day. The bust yesterday was made by Phuket City Police, who arrested two other vendors for trading after hours, said Phuket City Police Superintendent Sermphan Sirikong. “We apprehended three local shop owners: one in Phuket Town near Surin Circle at 11pm and two…

  • Déjà vu for Phuket Passport Office

    Déjà vu for Phuket Passport Office

    PHUKET: The Phuket Passport Office had a false start this week as it re-opened its doors for service on Monday, just to close them again on Friday. Protesting has forced the second closure of the Passport Division in Bangkok, the first of which closed the Phuket office for nearly a month (story here). The headquarters in the capital terminated its…

  • Phuket City Police arrest two men brandishing illegal firearm

    Phuket City Police arrest two men brandishing illegal firearm

    PHUKET: Two men arrested on Thursday for brandishing a firearm at Phuket City Police officers and attempting to flee the scene were not charged for attempted murder. First reports alleged that the two 18-year-olds, Weerasak Bangroy and Chaiyuth Siriboon, had been hired to make a pre-Valentine’s Day hit by an ex-girlfriend. Tinnakorn Suwan, 21, reported the duo to police after…

  • Mixed holiday keeps Phuket temples and shop owners busy

    Mixed holiday keeps Phuket temples and shop owners busy

    PHUKET: Reverence for Makha Bucha Day outshined Valentine’s Day in Phuket, but flower shop owners benefited from the lovers’ day rush. Local temples and flower shops had a busy day as Phuket residents flocked to make merit for Makha Bucha Day and ordered flowers for their loved ones. Wat Wichit Sangkaram on Narisorn Road saw a high volume of visitors…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Operation Valentine a success says CMPO; Rice farmers told to take out loans to ease distress

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Operation Valentine a success says CMPO; Rice farmers told to take out loans to ease distress

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Chalerm vows non-stop campaign to clear sites Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: The man in charge of the government’s Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) yesterday vowed to step up the operation to evict anti-government protesters, while the protest groups remained defiant about continuing their…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Kerry says China willing to pressure North Korea on nuclear plans

    Phuket Gazette World News: Kerry says China willing to pressure North Korea on nuclear plans

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kerry says China willing to pressure North Korea on nuclear plans Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that China is willing to exert more pressure to get North Korea to give up its nuclear programme. He told reporters…

  • Volcanic ash forces Australia-Phuket flight cancellations

    Volcanic ash forces Australia-Phuket flight cancellations

    PHUKET: Ash fall from a volcano that erupted late last night on the heavily populated Indonesian island of Java has forced an Australian airline to cancel flights to Phuket, Denpasar, Christmas Island and Cocos Island today.“We are sorry for the inconvenience. However, the safety of our customers is our highest priority,” Virgin Australia airline said in a statement on their…

  • Patong Bay’s brown water is safe, says Phuket expert

    Patong Bay’s brown water is safe, says Phuket expert

    PHUKET: Despite its brown color and stench, Patong Bay is clean and safe, Suppakorn Meekaew, Patong Municipality’s Sanitation Department Chief, told the Phuket Gazette on Tuesday. “People swimming and enjoying the beach should not panic about the color of the water. They can swim as usual – it will not affect their health,” Mr Suppakorn said. “The brown color doesn’t…

  • Phuket Opinion: Taking the higher path to reporting

    Phuket Opinion: Taking the higher path to reporting

    Boonrat Apiwanthanakorn, 56, from Haad Yai, is the new president of the Phuket Press Club. He has a BA from the Teacher College in Songkhla and over 20 years experience in journalism, working for Kietibhumi and Chaotai newspapers and Thai TV Channels 3 and 5. He now works for Khaosod newspaper and the Phuket Andaman, which he owns.Here, he talks…

  • Phuket Opinion: Just give it time

    Phuket Opinion: Just give it time

    PHUKET: Enough was enough. After nearly being run down by a mechanical dinosaur, I made my way through glass doors to the car park. The overbearing cacophony that apparently is a necessary companion to the modern shopping experience – or at least of the Games Zone on the basement level of the Big C shopping complex on the bypass road…

  • Four Saturday night Phuket booze bans in sight as elections loom

    Four Saturday night Phuket booze bans in sight as elections loom

    PHUKET: Phuket will see four Saturday night alcohol bans in coming months, as polls open for senator and MP selection in March and April. The four dates selected for voting, March 23 and 30 for the senator election and April 20 and 27 for the MP election, fall on Sundays. In accordance with the law, alcohol bans will begin at…

  • All invited to save the ocean with Laguna Phuket’s 20th annual Sea Turtle Release

    All invited to save the ocean with Laguna Phuket’s 20th annual Sea Turtle Release

    PHUKET: There comes a point in life when it’s time to let go… of some turtles. To help you do that, Laguna Phuket is hosting the 20th Sea Turtle Release event at XANA Beach Club next Friday from 4:30 to 6:30pm. There will be 80 juvenile green sea turtles available for release (first come, first served). To release a sea…

  • Norwegian man in ICU saved by Phuket blood donors

    Norwegian man in ICU saved by Phuket blood donors

    PHUKET: The life of a critically ill Norwegian man was saved when O-negative blood donors stepped up last week to provide the three units of blood he desperately needed. “He received the blood he required and is stable now,” Corporate Social Responsibility Project Manager for Bangkok Hospital Phuket Pareeya Jullaphong told the Phuket Gazette on Tuesday. Five days earlier, the…

  • Phuket Governor continues stampede of visits to support agricultural strategy

    Phuket Governor continues stampede of visits to support agricultural strategy

    PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut’s charge into the province’s agricultural tourism sector led him to an elephant ranch Wednesday morning. “The inspection of this elephant ranch is a continuation of our inspection of a pineapple garden (story here), goat farm (video story here) and vegetable farm. We are visiting them to raise awareness of Phuket’s potential for agricultural tourism,” Gov…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Karzai rejects U.S. warnings over freed Afghan detainees

    Phuket Gazette World News: Karzai rejects U.S. warnings over freed Afghan detainees

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Karzai rejects U.S. warnings over freed Afghan detainees Phuket Gazette / ReutersPHUKET: Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday rejected criticism of his government’s release of 65 detainees viewed by Washington as dangerous militants, further fanning tensions with the United States as the international mission in Afghanistan winds…

  • Nothing as sweet as incentives for Phuket pineapples

    Nothing as sweet as incentives for Phuket pineapples

    PHUKET Governor Maitri Inthusut has underlined his commitment to developing the island’s pineapple industry, having confirmed a budget of 1.1 million baht to train local farmers and expand the available growing area in Thalang. On January 31, Governor Maitri led officers on an inspection tour to harvest and sample pineapples from the plantation of Wichai Saetun at Baan Bang Roang…

  • Dozens of fish saved from entangled net at top Phuket dive destination

    Dozens of fish saved from entangled net at top Phuket dive destination

    PHUKET: Divers saved dozens of reef fish trapped in an enormous fishing net draped over one of Phuket’s most popular dive sites: marine conservation area, Shark Point. “We had just spent five or six minutes watching a leopard shark swimming around us, and then, as we came around the corner, we saw a blanket of net covering a large amount…

  • Phuket crepe vendor’s livelihood up in flames

    Phuket crepe vendor’s livelihood up in flames

    PHUKET: A longtime vendor of Thai mini-crepes saw his sidecar shop burned to a crisp after a gas leak yesterday afternoon.It took firefighters 20 minutes to put out the fire, near Muang Municipal School in Phuket Town.“I’ve been selling mini-crepes (kanum tokyo) to Muang Phuket School students every evening for a long time,” said the 44-year-old owner of the stand,…

  • Flying Carpet freak accident unavoidable, says chief

    Flying Carpet freak accident unavoidable, says chief

    PHUKET: The freak accident that sank a liveaboard dive boat to a depth of 75 meters just outside the popular dive destination of Similan National Park was unavoidable, said the Regional Marine Office chief this week.MV The Flying Carpet based out of Ranong and operated by Aladdin Dive Safari had its propeller partially ripped out between Koh Bon and Koh…

  • Phuket booze ban keeps Cupid’s arrows flying straight

    Phuket booze ban keeps Cupid’s arrows flying straight

    PHUKET: A nationwide ban on the sale and purchase of alcohol will be in effect this Valentine’s Day in celebration of Makha Bucha Day, one of the four annual religious holidays in Thailand. “By law, alcohol sales and purchases are banned throughout the country in order to respect the holy day,” Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police Peerayuth Karajedee told…

  • Phuket Civil Defense Volunteers feted at 60th Anniversary

    Phuket Civil Defense Volunteers feted at 60th Anniversary

    PHUKET: A celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Civil Defense Volunteers was hosted by Governor Maitri Inthusut on Monday. Civil defence volunteers help law-enforcement officers fulfill a wide range of duties, such as manning checkpoints, monitoring election stations, administering urine drug tests and providing security for government buildings. At the ceremony, which took place at the…

  • Third dive boat’s final plunge sparks fire-safety awareness efforts

    Third dive boat’s final plunge sparks fire-safety awareness efforts

    PHUKET: The revelation of the sinking of a third dive boat in the Andaman Sea within the last month has sparked concerns over fire safety issues on all Phuket tour boats. On February 2, the Phuket-based Bunmee I sank in Koh Lanta National Park after an electrical short circuit caused a fire to erupt in the engine room. Less than…

  • Phuket hosts meeting on safe handling of radioactive materials

    Phuket hosts meeting on safe handling of radioactive materials

    PHUKET: Representatives of 15 countries are meeting in Phuket this week to discuss the safe management of used radioactive materials and the potential threats they present if mishandled. The United States, a producer and exporter of radioactive substances, sponsored the conference to discuss the handling of materials after they have been used by industry and hospitals, the Office of ‘Atoms…

  • Electrical short started fire on Phuket’s MV Blue Star, says chief

    Electrical short started fire on Phuket’s MV Blue Star, says chief

    PHUKET: The fire that caused the liveaboard dive boat MV Blue Star to sink in Myanmar waters was started by an electrical short circuit in the engine room, confirmed Ranong Marine Office Deputy Chief Pramuan Thessana this morning. “The dive boat left from Thap Lamu Pier in Khao Lak on January 29,” Mr Pramuan said. “It took the tourists on…