News
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Phuket readies for Loy Krathong 2011
PHUKET: Loy Krathong, the “festival of light,” is on November 10 this year and will be celebrated by communities across Phuket and all of Thailand. Thousands of people across the nation will be releasing krathong, lotus-shaped floats traditionally made of banana leaves, with a small offering of food, flowers, joss sticks and/or candles into the waters of Thailand. This annual…
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Phuket surf zones to mark coastal conservation
PHUKET: At least three surfing locations at Phuket beaches are being shortlisted for recognition as National Surfing Reserves (NSRs). Brad Farmer, global chair of the non-profit organization National Surfing Reserves (NSR), conducted a site inspection at Kata, Kalim and Nai Yang Beaches yesterday. “The surfing reserve concept is a symbolic dedication whereby surfing areas are recognized as coastal resources worthy…
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Phuket officials rally to stave off flood shortages, price hikes
PHUKET: Top officials at Phuket government offices yesterday met to discuss critical issues with product shortages and prices hikes in Phuket brought on by the floods in and around Bangkok. Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising said that his organization had received many complaints from Phuket residents about the product shortages and rising prices. “Even though Phuket Governor…
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Aussies deported over false Phuket robbery claim
PHUKET: The two Australian tourists on holiday in Phuket who were charged with filing a false robbery report last weekend have been deported, the Phuket Immigration Office has confirmed. The Australian couple, Abdul Karim El Rajab, 31, and Zeidan Nouha, 30, were arrested for filing a bogus report of being robbed in Patong last Sunday. Police believe the couple filed…
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Phuket market for flood price relief sells out ‘within hours’
PHUKET: Phuket Town residents took just hours to snap up all the produce on sale at a special market yesterday aimed at providing relief from price rises brought on by the floods in Bangkok and Central Thailand.The market, set up in front of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce offices in Phuket Town, sold out of 200 kilograms of chicken, 7,500…
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Chinese tourist found dead in Phuket hotel room
PHUKET: Police are continuing their investigation into the death of a 30-year-old Chinese tourist who was found dead in her Phuket Town hotel room yesterday afternoon. Miss Hou Juan’s body was discovered by a maid at the small hotel on Patipat Road near Suan Luang Park. The maid had entered the room after Miss Hou failed to check out at…
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Phuket All Stars and Singapore CC open the ACG on Saturday
PHUKET: The Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) officially opens its gates this weekend with two exhibition matches against the Singapore Cricket Club who are traveling to Phuket specifically for this inaugural event.A selection of players from the Phuket Cricket Groups’ Island Furniture Leagues will join forces as the Phuket ‘All Stars’ to face Singapore CC over two games on Saturday and…
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Phuket All Stars and Singapore CC open the ACG today
PHUKET: The Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) officially opens its gates this weekend with two exhibition matches against the Singapore Cricket Club who are traveling to Phuket specifically for this inaugural event. A selection of players from the Phuket Cricket Groups’ Island Furniture Leagues will join forces as the Phuket ‘All Stars’ to face Singapore CC over two games on Saturday…
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Phuket’s Tuptim gets support for life
PHUKET: The Rama Foundation at the Ramathibodhi Hospital in Bangkok has pledged to provide the financial support needed to keep Phuket baby Tuptim Jadngooluem alive – for life. Dr Suporn Treepongkaruna at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok called Tuptim’s father, Rattanachai “Kru Nai” Worvalapol, to confirm that the Ramathibodi Foundation will from now on cover all expenses for any further surgeries…
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Phuket Live Wire: Throttling and net neutrality
PHUKET: This week I’d like to talk about throttling – the infernal ability for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to look at what you’re doing online, and cut back your speed if you try to do something that doesn’t conform to the ISP’s concept of what you should be allowed to do. It’s a hot topic, not just in Thailand, but…
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Phuket butterflies to take wings in the wild
PHUKET: Two-thousand butterflies will be released into the wild on November 26 as part of the fifth annual Butterfly Release Charity event put on by Phuket Butterfly Garden and Insect World.The free-admission event will be held from 9am to 2pm at Bang Pae Waterfall in the Khao Phra Thaew Wildlife Reserve in Thalang.At the event’s auction participants will be able…
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Weird World News: Stuck in the middle of a tree, a swing and the Amazon with misguided men and lone alien
PHUKET: Men behaving like children and a little green alien found themselves stuck in some unfamiliar places this week. The alien was the only one who didn’t need to be rescued. Oh to be young again: Man spends night stuck in child’s swing A CALIFORNIA man was stuck in child’s swing for nine hours overnight after taking a US$100 bet…
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Phuket’s first ITF tennis tournament heads into finals weekend
PHUKET: The Chang ITF Pro Circuit tennis tournament being held at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) saw another surprise exit from the competition on Thursday with number two seed Jimmy Wang form Taipei losing to the unseeded Korean, Song-Jae Cho in two sets 6-2, 7-6. Other singles results went with form, but disappointment for Thailand came when their young…
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Thailand U23s all at SEA against FC Phuket
PHUKET: Thailand’s U23 team played their final pre-SEA Games warm up match at Surakul Stadium last night and went out on a low, losing 2-1 to a determined FC Phuket side. Despite the national team dominating possession in the first half and peppering Phuket’s Jonathan Matijas with attempts at goal, it was the local boys who took a one goal…
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Phuket FIVB beach volleyball: Lower teams dig deep for upset wins
PHUKET: Eight teams from six countries remain undefeated at the 2011 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT following two rounds of the main draw today. Two teams each from Australia and the Czech Republic advanced along with teams from Brazil, Belgium, China and the United States. Tomorrow’s schedule features 22 matches, ending with the…
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Phuket Tourism VP blasts officials over resort blockade inaction
PHUKET: Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) Vice President Bhuritt Maswongsa has lashed out against local authorities for their failure to stop taxi drivers from dictating to Phuket resorts who can and who cannot pick up guests from their hotels. Mr Bhuritt’s rail against the Phuket regime of “transport cooperatives” comes after a driver was refused entry to the Naithonburi Beach Resort…
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Phuket prohibition: Upcoming elections bring alcohol ban
PHUKET: Alcohol will be off the menu as residents go to the polls on November 19 to elect presidents and council members for six Phuket Tambon Administration Organizations (OrBorTor). The ban on alcohol sales, as is policy for every election in Thailand, will begin at 6pm on November 18 and last until midnight on election day. Residents in Koh Kaew,…
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American Fanelli sentenced to 10 years for Phuket bar girl murder
PHUKET: American Ronald “Mad Yank” Fanelli has been sentenced to 10 years and three months imprisonment for the stabbing murder of bar hostess Wanphen Pienjai last year. Phuket Provincial Prison Director Rapin Nichanon today confirmed that the court’s decision was handed down on Tuesday. The sentence will be reduced by the 471 days Fanelli has already been detained, he added.…
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FC Phuket newsflash: Thailand U23 game moved to 5pm
PHUKET: Tonight’s charity match between FC Phuket’s ‘A’ team and Thailand’s U23 national team at Surakul Stadium has been moved forward to 5pm, and not 6pm as previously announced by the organizers. Tickets will be priced at 100 baht for adults, with free entry for young children. A portion of the proceeds will be donated for flood relief efforts in…
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Eight teams advance at Phuket FIVB beach volleyball tourney
PHUKET: Eight teams from six countries advanced from today’s two-round qualification tournament to the 32-team main draw of the 2011 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour.This is the sixth time in Thailand has hosted the women’s season-ending US$190,000 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT at Karon Beach.Filling the final eight main draw spots are…
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Aussie couple in Phuket arrested over fake robbery claim
PHUKET: An Australian couple on holiday in Phuket have been arrested for filing a bogus report of being robbed in Patong with the aim of filing a fake insurance claim. Abdul Karim El Rajab, 31, and Zeidan Nouha, 30, were arrested at the Sunset Beach Resort on Phra Barami Road in Patong yesterday. According to a police statement, the couple…
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New Phuket bus terminal hits “breaking point’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha has been roped into resolving the ongoing dispute between local residents and the Phuket Highways Office over work that may see the bus terminal north of Phuket Town finally open. The 128-million-baht facility was completed nearly two years ago, but has yet to be used. The delay in opening stems from complaint after complaint being…
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Phuket’s tunnel plans stalled pending MoT decision
PHUKET: Progress on the long-awaited Patong tunnel project has stalled, with Patong Municipality still waiting for senior officials in Bangkok to approve the 3.5-billion-baht project, according to Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukbal. Speaking to the Phuket Gazette, Mr Chairat added that at this stage he did not expect any major decisions on the project to be made until the current…
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Patong Cricket make it 3 from 3
PHUKET: The 2011/2012 Island Furniture Cricket League is edging ever closer and the final pre-season friendly was played out at Cherng Talay School between arch rivals Patong CC and Laguna CC – 35 over champions and T20 title holders, respectively. Lijo Hose and Val Guiraud opened the batting for Laguna and looked in control until Guiraud was caught on 18.…
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Phuket Sports: Khao Lak charity golf returns to Navy golf course
PHUKET: Following last year’s successful event, the second Khao Lak Charity Golf Tournament is teed up for another great outing on November 19 at the Tab Lamu Navy Golf Course in Phang Nga. Organizers are expecting to draw 100 entries this year, far in excess of participating numbers at the 2010 competition – a testament to the growing popularity of…
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Race-specific workouts for the Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: You’ve registered for the Laguna Phuket Triathlon or the 70.3 Ironman. You have adhered to your swim-bike-run workouts regularly. But you may not be 100 per cent prepared for race day. You need to use “race specific” workouts to beat the competition. Practice the Swim Start situation. Running into the ocean together with a few hundred others is an…
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Phuket athletes at the Nakorn Trang Games
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) recently held a small ceremony to send off 50 athletes representing Phuket, who are currently in Trang province competing in the Nakorn Trang Games – the 29th Southern region finals for Thailand’s local youth Olympic games. The Nakorn Trang games began on October 25 and continue for a month, concluding on November 23.…
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Singaporean recovers in Phuket after crash kills friend
PHUKET: Singaporean Anthony Chaw Tat Soon, 39, is recovering at Phuket International Hospital with three broken limbs – a lucky escape from a head-on crash in Phang Nga last Thursday that killed fellow rider and friend Charlene Jade Tay, 31. A hospital staffer today told the Phuket Gazette that Mr Chaw was rushed from Phang Nga Hospital to Phuket on…
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Phuket pedestrian killed on merit-making journey
PHUKET: A Phuket woman was struck by a car and killed yesterday, moments before embarking on a merit-making tour to a temple in Ranong Province. Police received a report at 5:30am that a woman had been hit by a car in the southbound lane of Thepkrasattri Road in front of Thepkrasattri Municipality. At the scene police found Somboon Keawprasert, 60,…
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Drug use among Phuket children “worrying’ officials
PHUKET: There is growing concern about drug use among children in Phuket, who reportedly make up more than eight per cent of all participants in drug rehabilitation programs across the island. Phuket Provincial Health Office statistics show that out of 1,414 people in drug rehabilitation programs in Phuket, 114 of them are children under the age of 18. Prajiad Aksornthammakul,…
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