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Phuket Opinion: Solving water problems with rain, prisoners, and solar
PHUKET: Many places on this planet, including Phuket, are going through one of the driest spells of the last decade. My home state of Colorado is no exception. Denver, the state’s capital, only two weeks ago declared a stage-two drought, based on a scale on which four is an emergency.With its two prime reservoirs at 59% and 73% capacity (sound…
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Phuket survives first day of Songkran Seven Days of Danger
PHUKET: The nationwide Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for the Songkran holidays came into effect in Phuket at midnight last night.As of 5:30pm today, Phuket had yet to record its first fatality for the period, which is notorious for the number of deaths and injuries on Thailand’s roads as millions of people make the journey home to celebrate Thai…
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Phuket gold shop killing: Leads point police to two suspects
PHUKET: Testimony from witnesses has helped police narrow their focus to two possible suspects in the gold shop shooting on Monday (story here), Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat told the Phuket Gazette today. However, no match has been found for the killer’s fingerprints. “We are continuing to get information from witnesses,” said Gen Choti, “which has led us to…
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Topper Sail Phuket is tops
PHUKET: Topper Sail Phuket is the first sailing school in Southeast Asia to gain Royal Yachting Association (RYA) approval for dinghy sailing and power boating. The center also offers dinghy sailing, keelboat sailing (day boats), power boating, safety boats, and shore-based theory courses. Topper Sail Phuket can now offer RYA qualifications, which are highly regarded worldwide due to the high…
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Phuket gets first Evolution Cinema Planetarium in Thailand
PHUKET: Island residents and tourists alike earlier this week welcomed the opening of the Evolution Cinema Planetarium, a new ‘edutainment’ attraction in Phuket Town. Located in front of Central Festival Phuket’s main entrance, the new mobile cinema planetarium is the first of its kind in Thailand. “The Evolution Planetarium is the newest generation of visualization systems for entertainment and studying,…
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Tour of Thailand official slams into power pole during Phuket storm
PHUKET: An official of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup Tour of Thailand 2013 cycling event, whose riders were in Phuket earlier this week (story here), was injured when his pickup truck slid off the road during the storm yesterday afternoon and slammed into a power pole. Surasak Ritphirat, 39, suffered a head wound in the impact and was rushed…
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Phuket Gazette World News: South Korea on high alert; Uruguay says yes to gay marriage; Louvre closes to pickpockets; Lufthansa danger flight
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community South Korea, U.S. remain on missile watch as North lauds Kims Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: South Korea and the United States remained on high alert for any North Korean missile launch on Thursday as the hermit kingdom turned its attention to celebrating its ruling Kim dynasty and…
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Phuket Cricket 7s start in a blaze of glory
PHUKET: Play got under way on a glorious morning of the second running of ACST’s ‘Kata Group International Cricket 7’s at Phuket’s Alan Cooke Cricket Ground (ACG – click here for map). Teams from Australasia and Asia joined local outfits to play in matches consisting of five overs per side. Tournament Director Brad Tarr paid tribute to the facilities on…
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Russian boy, 9, saved from drowning at Phuket beach lagoon
PHUKET: Following a Russian boy about 9 years old almost drowning at Nai Harn lagoon yesterday, the chief lifeguard at the popular Nai Harn Beach (map here) has called for parents to keep a close eye on their children playing in the water over the Songkran holidays this weekend. Nai Harn chief lifeguard Jula Nontree told the Phuket Gazette this…
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Phuket Business: Budgeting tips and concerns for expats
PHUKET: Becoming and remaining an expat in Phuket, Thailand will require careful budgeting to avoid potential minefields or serious financial problems down the road. With that in mind, here are concerns or tips to keep in mind to help you avoid blowing a hole in your expat budget: Track your living expenses Most personal finance software like newer versions of…
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Phuket Finance: Buy Priceline and book your visa run
PHUKET: Just the other day I had a client ask me how he can save some money on his next visa run. He wants to explore more of Southeast Asia and has gotten tired of making the usual trip to Cambodia, Laos or Kuala Lumpur. That’s when I told him about Priceline.com. Priceline (PCLN) is the famous “Name Your Price”…
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Victim of Phuket gold shop shooting remembered as good Samaritan
PHUKET: Apichet Chooklang, killed in a gold shop robbery Monday evening (story here), was remembered by his girlfriend as a man who greatly enjoyed helping others. As relatives and friends waited at Vachira Phuket Hospital yesterday for doctors to finish removing the bullets from his chest and release his body for the trip home to Nakhon Sri Thammarat for his…
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Phuket Gazette World News: North Korea warns foreigners to leave South
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community North Korea warns foreigners to leave South Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: North Korea intensified threats of an imminent conflict against the United States and the South on Tuesday, warning foreigners to evacuate South Korea to avoid being dragged into a “merciless, sacred, retaliatory war”. The North’s…
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Phuket Gazette World News: “Iron Lady’ Thatcher mourned, but critics speak out
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher mourned, but critics speak out Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Britain and admirers worldwide are mourning Margaret Thatcher, who has died aged 87, as the “Iron Lady” who rolled back the state and faced down her enemies during 11 years as Britain’s first…
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Phuket bikes burned again by teen gangsters
PHUKET: Patong Police are looking for a gang of teenagers who were seen setting alight four motorbikes in the beach resort town early this morning. Firefighters were called to Soi Klong Bang Wad, near Wat Patong (map here), at 4:30am after local residents saw the motorbikes, parked opposite the Aood Watch and Optic store, go up in flames. “Firefighters from…
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Phuket Media Record: Gazette Facebook breaks through 10,000 fans in four months
PHUKET: Anna Bolkowska this afternoon became the 10,000th person to ‘like’ the Phuket Gazette on Facebook since the new fan page was launched just four months ago. In so doing, this stunning professional model from Scotland received a large surprise: a free flight over Phuket and Phang-nga Bay in a luxury private plane, courtesy of Pat James of Aero Pro…
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City keep slim hope of retaining title alive with win at Old Trafford
Special Aguero goal helps City sink United Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Sergio Aguero tore through the Manchester United defence to score a dazzling winner as Manchester City beat the Premier League leaders 2-1 yesterday evening to remind them they are still champions for a few more weeks. Second-placed City’s second successive league win at Old Trafford, following last term’s…
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Phuket sings: Big bird contest around the corner
PHUKET: One of the biggest events Phuket will see this year – if you are the owner of a singing bird, that is – will take place in Thalang tomorrow. As many as 720 singing red-whiskered Bulbuls, Nok Pa Rod Jook in Thai, are expected to take part, coming from all over Thailand to do so. The winner of this…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Putin laughs off topless protest; Body in Paris plane; UN whistleblower in spotlight
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Putin laughs off topless protest, defends NGO moves Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Russian President Vladimir Putin laughed off a protest against him by topless women in Germany on Monday, joking that he liked what he had seen while sharply rebuffing German criticism of his human…
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Russian tour company worker freed after proved legal
PHUKET: The Russian woman arrested for working illegally at a tour counter in Kata last week has been released after her company proved to Phuket police that she was legal. Natalia Nikiforova, 33, was arrested at the Rus Info Tour Center in Kata last Wednesday for working without a work permit and for illegally entering the country (story here). Karon…
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Breaking News: Margaret Thatcher dies, aged 87
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Britain’s “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher dies Reuters /Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” who dominated British politics for two decades, died today following a stroke, a spokesman for her family said. She was 87. Britain’s only woman prime minister, the tough, outspoken Thatcher led…
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Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand
PHUKET: The women’s section of the “Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand” started today on Phuket. The event features 15 international teams (including T-Thailand and T-All Star from Thailand). The first stage of the women’s race was completed earlier today on Phuket and the race schedule for tomorrow’s Phang Nga leg is as follows:9am: The race starts from…
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Phuket Business: Job fair expected to fill 30% of vacancies
PHUKET: Of the 6,000 job vacancies offered through the “e-jobs@Phuket 2013” job fair held recently at Phuket Rajbhat University, only 118 positions were immediately filled, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Phuket Provincial Employment Office chief Yawapa Pibulpol said that a total of 1,578 job applications were submitted. Of these, she said 548 were submitted at the fair itself, while the…
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Phuket Business: B28bn worth of 20-baht notes to get exchanged
PHUKET: As part of the Bank of Thailand’s (BoT) policy to make its banknotes more modern and user friendly, 4 billion baht worth of new series-16 20-baht banknotes are being put into circulation. Until now, the Kingdom’s lowest-value, yet most widely used banknotes have not been fraud-proof in synchronizing with electronic finance machines. “The new design incorporates a range of…
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Fire scare at Phuket student dormitory
PHUKET: Smoke pouring from a second-floor window at a girls’ student dormitory late yesterday afternoon prompted no fewer than three fire trucks to rush to the scene to extinguish the blaze. Phuket City Police received a report of the fire, at the Phuket Rajabhat University dormitory on Rassada-anusorn Road (map here), at 5pm. Firefighters arrived promptly and took about 20…
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Phuket luminaries attend revered Abbot’s cremation
PHUKET: The Governor of Phuket, Maitri Inthusut, all three Phuket Vice Governors and both of Phuket’s members of parliament were present at the cremation ceremony yesterday of the former abbot of Wat Chalong, Phra Ajarn Udomwetchakit Uttamuyano. Also in attendance were local leaders and the general public, bringing the total number to about 2,000. The Abbot – Phra Ajarn Lim…
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Thai Football: Phuket FC sink Thai Navy in added time
PHUKET: Surakul Stadium erupted in celebration after Phuket FC’s “super sub” Chana Sonwiset scored in added time to secure his side three points in a league match against the Royal Navy football club in Phuket Town last night. The match was evenly poised at 0-0 going into the final minutes of added time, until Chana – whose name literally means…
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Phuket Gazette World News: China rebukes North Korea; Cairo clashes; Ukraine’s Lutsenko freed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China rebukes North Korea, says no state should sow chaos Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: China’s leaders issued thinly veiled rebukes to North Korea for raising regional tensions, with the president saying no country should throw the world into chaos and the foreign minister warning that Beijing…
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Phuket Gazette Queer News: Woman delivers egg-straordinary baby
PHUKET: A woman in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province claims to have given birth to an egg. Sopharat Phantharak, 36, from Village 5 in Mokhlan Subdistrict, has placed the miraculous object on a pedestal lined with white cloth and is inviting local villagers to come and pay their respects to it. Mrs Sopharat, who is already a mother of four, claims…
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Phuket Opinion: Forever at the mafia’s mercy
PHUKET: The proposal by the chief of the Phuket Marine Office to launch a “sea taxi” to ferry passengers between Patong and Phuket International Airport deserves credit for innovation, but appears somewhat impractical. There can be no doubt that visiting tourists need – and fully deserve – better public transport options between Phuket Airport and west coast resort destinations. The…
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