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  • Phuket meth mule busted, 1500 pills seized

    PHUKET: In the latest drug arrest, Phuket City Police last night nabbed a man found in possession of 1,500 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and a small amount of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). Police said Tossapol Maneepakorn, 21, was pulled over at a police checkpoint on Rassadanusorn Road in the Ban Kuku area of Rassada at about 11:30 pm. As they…

  • Service for Phuket’s Louis Bronner this Sunday

    PHUKET: A funeral service for Louis Bronner will be held at Wat Ladthiwanaram in Chalong on Sunday. Mr Bronner, the renowned general manager of the Boathouse restaurant in Kata, died on Monday after complications from heart surgery. He was 70 years old. His remains are being kept at Sala 16 of Wat Thadthong in Bangkok, where friends and family can…

  • Phuket hospital set to open its doors after 11-year wait

    PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration (OrBorJor) Hospital in Phuket is set to open on a trial basis next month. The hospital, on Sri Sena Road in Phuket Town, is scheduled to begin offering limited services from June 1, OrBorJor Hospital Director Yee Yitathasiri said. A grand opening ceremony is scheduled for May 31 to mark the considerable accomplishment. The building,…

  • Monk found dead in Phuket Mercedes Benz

    PHUKET: Police are investigating whether winning the lottery is behind the death of an affluent and well-known monk whose half-robed corpse was found in the back seat of his Mercedes-Benz on Saturday. Rumors are circulating through the Thai media that the 62-year-old Buddhist monk, named in reports only as “Chom”, recently won the lottery, stirring among followers suspicions of foul…

  • Phuket Gov to marry again, Baba style

    PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha and his wife Nalinee will renew their wedding vows as part of a Baba Pernanakan (“Straits Chinese”) mass wedding ceremony in June. The news was announced last week when Gov Tri met a delegation from the Thai Peranakan Association led by its President, Dr Kosol Tang-Uthai. During the meeting, which focused on details of the…

  • Renowned Phuket hotelier Louis Bronner dies from heart complications

    PHUKET: Louis Bronner, the general manager of Phuket’s renowned Boathouse restaurant in Kata, died at 8am this morning from complications following heart surgery on Friday. Mr Bronner underwent extensive surgery to correct several deficient arteries. Although Mr Bronner showed good recovery immediately after the surgery, his condition deteriorated in the following days. Mr Bronner first gained his popular reputation on…

  • Home invasion: Saraburi outclasses FC Phuket

    PHUKET: FC Phuket suffered its first home defeat of the season on Saturday, going down 2-0 to the Saraburi FC Warlords. Cheered on by about 200 red-shirted supporters, the Warlords controlled the game from the start. Injury-stricken FC Phuket looked lackluster and disorganized, especially without Sarach Yooyen, out with the flu, and Abdoul Coulibaly, who ran on as a substitute…

  • Phuket yacht erupts into fireball, casualties unknown

    PHUKET: A 40-foot catamaran anchored in Chalong Bay, off Phuket’s east coast, burst into flames at about 10pm last night. Three explosions were heard while the fire engulfed the boat, which sank about two hours later. Police have yet to determine whether anyone was on board. Chalong Police Duty Officer Boonlert Onklang reported witnesses saying that the fire broke out…

  • Phuket Opinion: Pink buses delivering people, promises and dreams | Thaiger

    Phuket Opinion: Pink buses delivering people, promises and dreams

    PHUKET: The recent expansion of the poh thong (pink bus) public transport service to the people of Koh Sireh is not only great news for some of the poorest residents of Phuket Town, but also gives long-suffering tourists an overdue, low-cost travel option. The latest route’s eastern terminus at Laem Tukkae will be a blessing for many, from the poor…

  • Tonight: FC Phuket vs Saraburi FC

    PHUKET: After last Sunday’s 2-2 draw on the road at Samut Prakarn, FC Phuket are thirsty for three points in tonight’s home fixture with Saraburi FC. Phuket currently sits seventh in the 18-team Division 1, one place ahead of the Saraburi “Warlords”. Highly anticipating tonight’s 6pm kickoff at Sarakul Stadium, both squads are hoping to prevail and climb up the…

  • Election Thailand: Phuket voters face postal vote farce

    PHUKET: All Thais who cast ballots by post in the general election four years ago will have to return to their home provinces to cast regular ballots in the general election on July 3. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha announced the voting conundrum on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with the Phuket Provincial Election Commission. “People who submitted a request to…

  • Pheu Thai Party names Phuket candidate

    PHUKET: The Phuket branch of the Pheu Thai Party yesterday announced Saman Kebsap as their candidate to contest the Phuket 2 constituency in the upcoming national election, to be held on July 3. Pheu Thai Party Southern region leader Pichet Sathirachawal declared Mr Saman’s candidacy for Phuket 2 at the opening of Mr Saman’s office, located opposite Thalang Hospital on…

  • Governor expects 70% turnout for Phuket polls

    PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha expects about 70 per cent of all eligible voters in Phuket to cast their ballots in the upcoming July 3 national election. “The candidates contesting seats in Phuket are all from different parties. This choice will encourage more people to cast their votes,” he said yesterday after a closed-door meeting with the Phuket Provincial Election…

  • Schools re-open: Phuket parents feel the pinch

    PHUKET: The new school term will generate more than 40 billion baht, including B5bn in “tea money”, a poll conducted in Phuket and 11 other provinces has revealed. The survey, by Assumption University’s Abac Poll Center, canvassed the opinion of 2,453 respondents aged 15-60 from 12 sample provinces from all regions of the country. It found that 37.9 per cent…

  • Correction: Dead American found by partner, not wife | Thaiger

    Correction: Dead American found by partner, not wife

    PHUKET: The woman who discovered the body of Albert Alletzhauser on Tuesday was the mother of his daughter but not his wife, the Gazette has learned. The woman, Mikki Ferreira, wrote the following to the Gazette this morning: Dear Editor, “I would appreciate it if you set the record straight about the details of Mr Alletzhauser’s death. He was indeed…

  • Phuket vendors protest alleged corruption, extortion

    PHUKET: Seaside souvenir stall merchants in Kata and Karon have called on Phuket authorities to take action against alleged unfair treatment and intimidation by local authorities. About 50 Karon and Kata kiosk owners on Tuesday took their grievances to the Damrongtham Center, which serves as the provincial ombudsman’s office. Stall owner Somchai Pandum led the group in submitting an official…

  • 30,000 pills seized in Phuket meth “delivery man’ arrest

    PHUKET: A Phuket hotel worker out on bail from a previous drugs arrest was nabbed this morning with 30,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills stuffed into a Thai Post cardboard box, police said. The capture of 32-year-old Phakphum “Aod” Ply-ngam from Rassada represents by far the largest bust of a ya bah mule in a string of recent arrests. The estimated…

  • Officials raid illegal logging site near Phuket Town

    PHUKET: Officials raided an illegal logging site in the Nang Panturat hills in Rassada yesterday morning only to find the site abandoned. Acting on a tip from concerned local residents, Muang District Chief Supachai Pochanukul and Phuket City Police Superintendent Chote Chidchai led a team of Forestry Department officials into the hills near Toh Sae Hill in Phuket Town at…

  • Call for blood donors for Phuket Boathouse GM Louis Bronner | Thaiger

    Call for blood donors for Phuket Boathouse GM Louis Bronner

    PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette has received an urgent call for Type A-negative blood to help Louis Bronner, General Manager of the renowned Boathouse restaurant in Kata. “Our GM, Louis Bronner, is in Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok. He needs surgery to correct an aneurysm of the aorta but Chula is still lacking blood of his type. “They need two more donors,”…

  • B30mn coke bust at Phuket Airport

    PHUKET: Six kilograms of cocaine were seized by officers in two separate airport arrests this week. The suspects, a Swiss man and a Thai woman, face a maximum penalty of death under Thai law for smuggling of Category 2 narcotics. Swiss national Peter Balmer, 47, was arrested on Monday with possession and intent to smuggle 4 kg of cocaine at…

  • Phuket light rail investors push for Surat Thani, Phang Nga links | Thaiger

    Phuket light rail investors push for Surat Thani, Phang Nga links

    PHUKET: The latest joint-venture to approach Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha with ideas for Phuket’s light-rail project yesterday highlighted the need for developing transport links with other provinces. “If the routes in Phuket are linked with routes in other provinces, rather than only focusing on light rail within Phuket, it can be a profitable investment,” said independent investor liaison Pranom Phuangkanok.…

  • Get the Phuket “Governor’s eggs’ and watch ‘talented’ ladyboys

    PHUKET: Fairgoers will be able to get their hands on the “Governor’s eggs” at only 1.50 baht each and enjoy a “Miss Ladyboy Got Talent” show at this year’s Phuket OTOP (One Tambon, One Product) fair, which kicks off at Saphan Hin on Friday. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha revealed the fair’s theme “Phuket Governor’s eggs – 1.50 baht each” at…

  • Phuket to endure more blackouts this month

    PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced scheduled blackouts to carry out maintenance on high-voltage power lines, install new lines and move power poles. The dates and locations of the operations, which will be carried out from 9am to 4pm, are: May 12 – Chalong Along Chao Fa West Road, from the entrance to Ananda Garden Hill Villa…

  • Phuket property expert Peter Kraus dies, age 55

    PHUKET: Peter Kraus, Chief Financial Officer and co-founder of Engel & Volkers (Thailand) and a former long-term resident on Phuket, died at 9:15pm last night after a long battle with cancer. Highly regarded as an expert in his field, Mr Kraus at one time owned the Supper Club at Tinlay Place at the entrance to the Laguna complex, before he…

  • Phuket roads undergoing B140mn overhaul

    PHUKET: New road projects planned for Phuket and Phang Nga are budgeted at more than 140 million baht, the Highways Department has revealed. Scheduled for major upgrades are the road to the airport, the road on the north side of the Sarasin Bridge and the bypass road. Sathaporn Sornchana, deputy general manager of the regional Highways Department office, said work…

  • Phuket Housing Bank overwhelmed by first home buyers

    PHUKET CITY: Island residents hoping to get their first home loan queued up at the Phuket branch of the Government Housing Bank as early as 6am yesterday – the first day of receiving applications under the government mortgage scheme for first time homeowners. Welcomed by lower and middle-income earners, the scheme promises zero interest during the first two years of…

  • Phuket football: Kamala, Wichit host tournaments | Thaiger

    Phuket football: Kamala, Wichit host tournaments

    PHUKET: Phuket football enthusiasts are welcome to enter teams in the third annual Kamala Cup, a seven-a-side football tournament with 120,000 baht in prize money up for grabs. All are welcome to take part in the event, including foreigners. Competition will be divided into three groups: Open (entry 3,000 baht per team), Over -35s (2,000 baht) and Under-13s (1,000 baht).…

  • Election set for July 3, PM Abhisit to address nation

    PHUKET: HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej has approved the royal decree to dissolve the House of Parliament, it was announced late this afternoon. Sathit Wongnontaey, Minister for the Prime Minister’s Office, said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva countersigned the decree this afternoon. The dissolution of Parliament procedurally paves the way for the Election Commission to announce the date set for the national…

  • ASEAN 2015 prompts Kajonkiet to open “International School’

    PHUKET: The Kajonkiet group of schools is preparing for a major shift in island demographics and greater demand for English-language education by opening its first international school this month. Permkiat Ketkul, manager of Kajonkietsuksa School and Chairman of the Phuket Private School Association, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plan to lift cross-border travel restrictions and become a…

  • Phuket population “only’ 525,000: Census

    PHUKET: Preliminary figures from the nationwide census conducted last year report 525,018 people living in Phuket: 409,137 Thai (77.9%) and 115,881 foreigners (21.1%). Of those, 261,957 are male (49.9%) and 263,061 are female (50.1%), said Prapai Pukngarm, of the Statistical Techniques and Planning Branch at Phuket Provincial Statistical Office. The tally gives Phuket a population density of 967 persons per…