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Sponsored Fourtwenty High Garden 4/20 celebration 'Up in The Clouds'
Fourtwenty is thrilled to announce its flagship event “Up in The Clouds,” a celebratory gathering on the internationally recognized day of cannabis culture, April 20th (4/20), hosted at the scenic Fourtwenty High Garden. The event is set to kick off...
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Lengthen your contact, don’t follow through
PHUKET: This week’s tennis tip is on length of contact, comes courtsey of Travis Bertram who is the Tennis Director for Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club, Phuket. Length of contact is the length of the swing forwards at the moment of impact with the ball. Forget the term “follow through” and promise to never say it again! Follow through is…
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Rubber barriers saving lives in Phuket
PHUKET: Old car tyres being used to create median strips along Chao Fa West Road in Chalong have reduced fatal accidents by almost 100 per cent, say Phuket police. The rubber barriers comprise tyres stacked three high, tied together and painted red and white. “We have installed these stacks on the median of dangerous sections of road,” explained Chalong Police…
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Phuket’s “baby dumping’ rise sparks stateless alarm
PHUKET: The rising number of babies being abandoned on Phuket is causing alarm among the authorities, with the director of the Phuket Shelter for Children and Families voicing concern that babies who cannot be identified possibly becoming “stateless”. The shelter has been notified of more than 20 babies being abandoned since October 1 last year. The actual number is probably…
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Phuket sporting action round-up
PHUKET: A round-up of Phuket’s sporting action and players. Young gun slinger Phuket’s speed-merchant Dylan Young raced at the weekend’s JK Asia Racing Series in Singapore, for the Atlantic Racing Team. The 22-year old had secured a place for the premier open wheeler support category to the Singtel Singapore Formula One event and managed to finish in 8th spot on…
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Haitang fallout batters Phuket
PHUKET: The Thai Meteorological Department has issued another tropical storm warning coviering much of Thailand, including the Andaman provinces of Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun. The Thai Meteorological Department issued its initial warning after tropical storm “Haitang” made landfall at Hu, Vietnam at 4am yesterday. The national weather office re-issued its warning at 10:30 last night, following…
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Rampaging Phuket elephant whereabouts unclear
PHUKET: The whereabouts and future plans for Captain, the bull elephant that went on a rampage on September 12 sending a Ukrainian honeymooner to hospital with two broken legs, remain unclear amid dubious claims by the owners of Camp Chang Kalim. In response to claims that Captain was the same elephant involved in a previous rampage in January 2010 that…
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Honesty in football
PHUKET: “I think the Premier league is a strong product because there’s a tremendous honesty in our game and fans play a part in that.” Manchester United’s evergreen manager Sir Alex Ferguson asserting that football is a business. However, it seems that as the Scot reaches seventy-years-old his interpretation of honesty has become skewed somewhat. The fans maybe honest, but…
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Thailand relinquish Asian volleyball title
PHUKET: Thailand’s hopes of retaining the Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship crown were dashed in Taiwan last week losing to Japan at the semi-final stage. The reigning champions went down 25-13, 20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13 to the world number four team, who exacted vengeance for their defeat by Thailand at the same stage last year. Despite the loss, an automatic…
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Phuket prisoners to observe Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: About 200 inmates at Phuket Prison are taking part in this year’s Phuket Vegetarian Festival by observing a strict diet of ‘vegetarian only’ during the nine-day festival. Prison Director Rapin Nichanon said the effort is part of the facility’s on-going efforts to reform inmates so that they can become law-abiding and productive members of society. Taking part in the…
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Siam Niramit Phuket set for December opening
PHUKET: The new Siam Niramit Theater off the bypass road in Phuket is almost complete and should be ready to open in December, its operators say. Ratchada Niramit assistant managing director Wallapa Phokawat said work on the 2-billion-baht project is now almost 90 per cent complete. The 50-rai complex is located behind the Hino dealership off the southbound bypass road…
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Dropping a bombshell
PHUKET: “We’ve been practicing our goal kicking and our drop-goals a lot. Finals and semi-finals have really gone down to the wire and the track record has proven that drop-goals can win tournaments.” All Black Colin Slade suggests that the 2011 Rugby World Cup could have another Johnny Wilkinson moment to determine the outcome.
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival blasts into 2011
PHUKET: Devotees at Chinese shrines across Phuket raised their go teng poles at dusk last night and began reciting incantations to invite the Jade Emperor and Nine Emperor Gods to descend from the heavens. Among the VIPs joining Kathu Mayor Chai-anan Sutthikul in declaring the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2011 officially open at the Kathu Shrine – the “original home” of…
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“Monk’ hash mule nabbed at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: A Nepalese “monk” was caught on Saturday at Phuket International Airport (PIA) with eight kilos of hashish in his luggage. The haul was said to be worth an estimated 800,000 baht. The suspect, Hise Chhiring Tamang, was presented at a press conference yesterday by PIA Customs Director Montira Cherchoo. Also present was PIA Deputy Director Thani Chuangcho, who said…
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Phuket Town cable burying on hold for Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: Work installing underground utility cables in Old Phuket Town has been suspended for the duration of nine-day Vegetarian Festival, which starts with the arrival of the new moon tomorrow. “There will be many processions along the streets of the Old Town. The traffic jams would be a nightmare if they continued working while the annual festival was going on,”…
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FC Phuket douse PTT Rayong
PHUKET: FC Phuket recorded their fourth consecutive league win last night, with a 3-0 drubbing of PTT Rayong in wet conditions at Surakul Stadium. Phuket went into the match without golden boy Sarach Yooyen, but Watcharapong “Paeh” Jan-ngam shouldered the goalscoring responsibilities dutifully. He got the Southern Sea Kirin on the board in the 7th minute when he powered down…
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Rondi wins Men’s Open Final at Phuket’s Quiksilver 2011 Surf Competition
PHUKET: The Quiksilver Thailand 2011 Surf Competition came to a thrilling finale on Saturday with Bali’s Raditya Rondi claiming victory in the Men’s Open Shortboard Division. Rondi gave a master class of producing big moves on small waves for the crowds which packed Patong Beach, Phuket. Along with the title, Rondi was awarded 30,000 baht, accommodations from Ibis hotels and…
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Phuket Opinion: Scofflaw hotels have little to fear
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette wishes Governor Tri Augkaradacha the best of luck in his efforts to make legal the unknown thousands of unregistered hotels on the island – he is certainly going to need it. According to figures from Gov Tri’s office [see page 8, current issue of the Gazette, or click here for our digital version], there are just…
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Two boys drown in canal along Phuket’s Phang Nga Bay coast
PHUKET: Two young boys drowned late yesterday while playing in an estuary near a popular tourist area on Phuket’s east coast. The boys – Pinitchnan Na Roied, 5, and Wannawut Thanakarn, 7 – were last seen playing in the Klong Mudong canal (map), a large tidal estuary that flows into mangroves along the Phang Nga Bay coast. A Kusoldham Foundation…
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Phuket’s Kamnan Winai dodges a bullet
PHUKET: In the latest violence in Phuket, the controversial chief (kamnan) of Karon sub-district narrowly escaped with his life early this morning when his would-be assassin failed to hit him after firing at close range. Winai Chidchiew told the Phuket Gazette he was returning by motorcycle from a funeral on Patak Road Soi 9 when the attack occurred at about…
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German safe after Phuket paraglide plunge
PHUKET: A German man paragliding over the popular tourist area of Nai Harn Beach luckily escaped serious injury yesterday after plunging into the jungle behind the Royal Phuket Yacht Club resort. German national Ralph Gunper Lüdtke, 50, better known in paragliding circles by his nickname “Nino”, was reported missing at 2pm after setting off from a cliff above Nai Harn,…
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Toyota Motorsport heralds Phuket “pulling power’
PHUKET: Engines will be revving at Saphan Hin next weekend, when Phuket hosts the fifth leg of the Toyota Motorsport “Sprint to Win” series. Toyota executives on Thursday joined Phuket Vice Governor Weerawat Janpen, sexy-model-turned-racer Natalie Davis and other dignitaries at a press conference at the Royal Phuket City Hotel to announce the event. The Phuket event is the second…
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Phuket’s Quiksilver Thailand 2011 Surfing Competition finals day today!
PHUKET: The Quiksilver Thailand 2011 Surf Competition finals are being held today – so get on down to Patong Beach in Phuket and catch the region’s best surfers in action! Day three report: All surfing divisions were in action on Friday in the last day of qualifying for today’s finals. Thirteen competitors enjoyed one meter waves in the Women’s Division…
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Phuket Airport conducts tsunami drill
PHUKET: A tsunami evacuation drill conducted at Phuket International Airport yesterday afternoon was declared a success by organizing officials. About 300 people from 34 organizations and agencies took part in the exercise, including Phuket Airport officers, airline staff, business operators, passengers and volunteers. Codenamed PEMEX 2011, short for Phuket Emergency Exercises, the drill was based on the theoretical approach of…
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FC Phuket look to quench PTT Rayong ‘Fire Power’ on Sunday
PHUKET: FC Phuket will host PTT Rayong FC this Sunday evening at Surakul Stadium in a match sure to set the tone for the remainder of the Southern Sea Kirin’s season. Kickoff is set for 6pm. The last time the two sides met was back in April in Rayong. In that match, PTT Rayong “Fire Power” won with a single…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival: vendors and officials differ on prices
PHUKET: Local residents worried about overpriced onions and pricey pineapples during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival fear not: recent flooding in central and north Thailand will only have a slight effect on produce prices, at least according to officials. The Phuket Provincial Internal Trade Office (PITO) has announced that the flooding crisis in the northern and central parts of Thailand would…
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Surfer Profile: Genevieve Jane Irwin
PHUKET: Nearly 100 of the world’s top surfers are competing at the Quiksilver Thailand Surfing Competition at Patong Beach, Phuket. Fraser Morton profiles a few of the big names at this year’s event. Name: Genevieve Jane Irwin Age: 28 From: Nai Harn, Phuket When not surfing: Radio DJ, 90.5, morning show Division: Women’s Short board Career Competitions: 3 Career Wins:…
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Surfer Profile: Anissa Flynn
PHUKET: Nearly 100 of the world’s top surfers are competing at the Quiksilver Thailand Surfing Competition at Patong Beach, Phuket. Fraser Morton profiles a few of the big names at this year’s event. Name: Anissa Flynn Age: 13 (Goes to Kajonkiet School, Phuket) From: Chalong, Phuket Ambition: Professional surfer Division: Women’s Short board Career Competitions: 5 Career Wins: 3 Fact:…
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Surfer Profile: Teiki Ballian
PHUKET: Nearly 100 of the world’s top surfers are competing at the Quiksilver Thailand Surfing Competition at Patong Beach, Phuket. Fraser Morton profiles a few of the big names at this year’s event. Name: Teiki Ballian Age: 26 From: Phuket, Indonesia (Six months here, six months there). He lives on his family’s surf charter yacht. Division: Short Board and Open…
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Phuket school inks agreement with Shelton College, Singapore
PHUKET: Phuket’s Kajonkietsuksa School has established an exchange program with Shelton College International in Singapore in a move aimed at preparing its students for bright futures in the travel and tourism industries. The agreement became official after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two schools on Wednesday morning at Kajonkietsuksa School. The terms of the MoU…
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SURF REMINDER: Meet the Phuket Surfers awing spectators at Patong
PHUKET: Surfers vying for the crown of the Quiksilver Thailand 2011 Surf Competition are donning their rash vests and waxing their boards for today’s heats. But wait, why are you not there? Yes, you, our loyal readers? Why are you reading this story? Are you aware you’re missing one of the year’s best sporting events? This is a reminder to…
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