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Govt warned of ‘fishy’ deals, like microphones for the Cabinet
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Govt warned of ‘fishy’ deals, like microphones for the Cabinet The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Almost half the local leaders from 600 communities surveyed by Master Poll wanted the government to cancel a plan to buy 89 high-tech microphones for the Cabinet room that cost…
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Phuket police or caprice?
PHUKET: The arrest of former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin (story here), his scion “Prab” and the younger heir to Pian’s Pisona Group empire, Mr Pattawee, offers a priceless opportunity for Phuket’s future. Why don’t we take the under-the-table money for “extra services” tacitly – and corruptly – permitted by officials, and use it to bolster the salaries of government officers,…
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Drug dealer pulls gun on Phuket police
PHUKET: A drug dealer pulled a gun on a group of Phuket police officers as they moved in to make an arrest at a Srisoonthorn community housing project today. “When officers presented themselves to 28-year-old Kriengkrai Chookeaw, he attempted to fight back and pulled out a gun,” said Lt Col Jarun Bangprasert of the Phuket Provincial Police. After a short…
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Phuket Hotel Association to be the voice of island’s tourism industry
PHUKET: Speakers at the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) forum yesterday proceeded to create a private enterprise council composed of leaders in the tourism industry in order to develop a single voice and brand identity for Phuket. “[It] all starts with the initiation from us here… People will not listen to just one single person,” said Wichit Na-Ranong, owner and…
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Phuket “ya ice butcher’ facing murder charges for meat-cleaver attack
PHUKET: A Phuket man, who in a drug-crazed fit killed his friend, injured his girlfriend and tried to commit suicide, is facing serious charges for the horrific August 14 attack. Niwat Sampoosri, 25, who later tested positive for ya ice (crystal methamphetamine), is facing charges for murder, assault with a deadly weapon and use of an illegal drug, confirmed Capt…
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Time to build a Phuket bus culture
PHUKET: Efforts by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to rid Phuket of its notorious transport syndicates and establish safe, reasonably-priced public transport took another big step forward with the recent introduction of real metered taxis. The term “real metered taxis” refers to those allowed to pick up and drop off passengers anywhere, as is normal in Bangkok…
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Phuket coconut collector takes fatal plunge
PHUKET: A Phuket man collecting coconuts died today after about a 14-meter fall from the top of a tree. Rescue workers arrived at the scene at Baan Bang Lieng coconut farm at about 9:30am to find Thammanoon Prateep Na Talang, 34, unconscious on the ground. “Mr Thammanoon was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where a medical team did their best…
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Maimed sea turtle found tangled in net on Phuket beach
PHUKET: A maimed sea turtle tangled in a fishing net washed up on Phuket’s popular Kamala Beach yesterday afternoon. Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers were called to the scene by locals, and brought the badly injured Olive Ridley sea turtle to the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) at Cape Panwa. “The turtle had grown tired from dealing with the big waves…
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Men charged for B12mn land grab near Phuket’s Freedom Beach
PHUKET: A Phuket man was slapped with a second land encroachment charge yesterday for the same multi-million baht plot of land in a protected forest near Freedom Beach. Parin Ruangrattanawanit, who owns “about three rai” of the land along the border of Patong and Karon, explained to Royal Forest Department (RFD), Navy and local officials that he was in the…
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Lucky escape as foreigner dives out of path Phuket tour bus
PHUKET: A foreigner escaped being run over by a Phuket tour bus loaded with Chinese tourists in Rawai this afternoon as he dumped his motorbike and dived to safety. The foreigner, who asked not to be named, was waiting to turn right at the intersection in front of the Rawai Municipality offices. “The tour bus crossed the center of the…
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![Phuket dolphin park link to Taiji massacre confirmed: Sea Shepherd [video] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1_2014912135414332_UNsjdpwDFxWwybXjEsOPfhqVowqbiqCwHkVtkqfi_jpeg.jpeg)
Phuket dolphin park link to Taiji massacre confirmed: Sea Shepherd [video]
PHUKET: A direct connection between five wild caught dolphins bound for Phuket’s dolphinarium and the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins at the Taiji cove in Japan has been confirmed, the Asia Director of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society told the Phuket Gazette by email today. Initial reports said that a total of six dolphins would be transported to Phuket…
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Phuket workers save Polish man from hanging
PHUKET: Two workers wiring up an internet connection inside a house in Chalong yesterday came outside to find a foreigner, who lived in the house they were working in, hanging from a tree in the front yard. “We saw him walking around the yard when we went in to the house,” said one of the 3BB Internet workers, who asked…
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Five Phuket names to be sent to Bangkok today for NRC selection
PHUKET: The Phuket Election Commission (PEC) yesterday released the names of candidates vying for a chance to represent the island on the yet-to-be created National Reform Council (NRC). “A special provincial committee will submit the names of five final candidates from the list to the Election Commission [EC] in Bangkok,” PEC Director Kitipong Thiengkunakrit told the Phuket Gazette. The five…
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Phuket dive tour boat ablaze, sinks in Chalong Bay
PHUKET: Phuket boat Chok Somboon 15, of local dive tour company Andaman Ocean Safari, caught fire and sank in Chalong Bay before dawn this morning. Marine Police were notified of the fire at about 2am, and responded by dispatching a boat and eight officers to douse the blaze. “While trying to put the fire out, we dragged it away from…
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‘Men in black’ arrested
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘Men in black’ arrested The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police have arrested four men and one woman in connection with the killings of several soldiers in Bangkok, including Colonel Romklao Thuvatham, during the political unrest in 2010, and are hunting for two more suspects. Romklao…
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Dutch national quarantined for suspected Ebola
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dutch national quarantined for suspected Ebola The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Public Health Ministry has quarantined a 52-year-old Dutch national, who had high fever after returning from a business trip to Ebola-hit Nigeria, said Dr Sophon Mekthon, director general of the Disease Control Department.…
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Bondi Bar Bashers put paid to Laguna’s playoff hopes
PHUKET: Confirming their domination of the Outrigger T20 cricket league, The Bondi Bar Bashers (Tri Bs) claimed a seventh victory in eight games with a win against Laguna on Sunday at the ACG. Tri Bs must now wait for the result between Thalang and ICC from which their opponents for September 22 will be decided. Seemant Raju (21) and Mike…
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Phuket lifeguards bring home gold from Vietnam
PHUKET: The island’s own Phuket Lifeguard Club brought home gold on behalf of Thailand from the Da Nang International Lifeguard Competition in Vietnam, held on September 7. Seventeen rescue teams, including the Phuket team representing Thailand, took part in Vietnam’s first-ever lifeguard competition. “We won the first-place trophy in the three-man rescue board relay. This activity is one of the…
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Myanmar national mysteriously drowns during Phuket fishing trip
PHUKET: A Myanmar national mysteriously drowned in Phuket while on a fishing expedition with his friends yesterday. Mew Ow, 25, was last seen fishing at a large pond located near Yokkekeng Shrine in Rassada with four friends, before he suddenly disappeared. His friends, also Myanmar nationals, called the Kulsoldharm Foundation for assistance. “The Kulsoldharm Foundation diving team took only about…
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Phuket Marine chief ramps up AIS tracking order for foreign-registered yachts
PHUKET: Owners of foreign-registered yachts in Thai waters will face six months jail time if they fail to fit their boats with AIS (Automatic Identification System) transceivers by October 1, Phuripat Theerakulpisut, chief of the Phuket Marine Office, said yesterday. Instead of small yachts needing to carry only AIS receivers, as Mr Phuripat told the Phuket Gazette last week (story…
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Ministry to take care of another Shigeta baby
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ministry to take care of another Shigeta baby The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Social Development and Human Resources Ministry will step in to take care of another baby born to the Japanese man at the centre of a surrogacy scandal. Mitsutoki Shigeta, 24, caught…
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Price of Cabinet audio slashed to just B53mn after public outcry
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Price of Cabinet audio slashed after public outcry The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Following a public and media outcry, the price of 89 microphones intended for communication in the Cabinet meeting room at Government House has been reduced by 35 per cent. Monthon Sudprasert, director…
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Man boards Chiang Mai plane with fake gun
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Man boards Chiang Mai plane with fake gun The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Chiang Mai International Airport has launched an investigation into reports that a passenger managed to board a flight with a fake gun inside his bag. The passenger, flying from Chiang Mai to…
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Governor orders monk’s rescue from coffin
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Governor orders monk’s rescue from coffin The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A renowned monk who was imposing his own death was rescued yesterday from a coffin at the order of the Chaiyaphum governor, who cited humanitarian reasons. Luang Pu Phim, the abbot of Wat Weluwan…
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Unstable Phuket weather downs trees, damages homes and causes a landslide
PHUKET: Heavy winds and rain toppled trees in Phuket this morning, leaving one local villager with minor injuries and at least five houses damaged. Officers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), Phuket office, were called to the scene of one of the felled trees near Phuket City Hall about 9:30am. “Houses were damaged by the tree, but…
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AMCHAM Forum: Staying ahead of the game in the ‘New Phuket’
PHUKET: For the last few decades, Phuket has been evolving into a mainstream, mass-market tourist destination. Now the island’s beaches have undergone extreme makeovers and some even more dramatic changes are on the horizon. “In the aftermath of Thailand’s political crisis, which saw martial law and a nationwide curfew imposed in May, Phuket experienced a sharp drop in visitor arrivals.…
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Shigeta ‘wants 20 babies to run his empire’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Shigeta ‘wants 20 babies to run his empire’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Japanese man at the centre of a surrogacy scandal has fathered 12 babies through Thai surrogates because he wants children to take care of his many family businesses, his lawyer has…
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Property owners charged for Phi Phi beach encroachment
PHUKET: Two property owners have been charged with encroaching on national park land on the popular party island of Phi Phi following a mass inspection of beach properties there last week. On September 3, 60 national park officers took to Phi Phi beaches to talk with seaside vendors and inspect buildings suspected of encroaching on national park land (story here).…
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Belinda Granger to complete her dozen at 21st Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: She’s the darling of global triathlon who has charmed her many fans with a string of gutsy achievements during a 20-year career that has earned her over 15 Iron-distance Championship titles. But despite these legendary triumphs on triathlon courses worldwide, Australian Belinda Granger rates Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) – the “Race of Legends” – as her all-time favorite. And…
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Phuket under flash-flood and heavy rains alert
PHUKET: People living in low-lying areas of Phuket should prepare for potential flash-floods due to heavy monsoon rains, the local Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) office has warned. “We are on alert for potential emergencies over the next 24 hours. Any serious flooding should be reported to us immediately so that we can provide immediate assistance,” said DDPM-Phuket…
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