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Phuket police net dealers in fire hydrant meth bust
PHUKET: Phuket City police yesterday made two arrests and seized more than 2,000 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) and 102.29 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) after staking out a Phuket Town fire hydrant. Acting on a tip-off from an informant, officers took up positions surrounding a fire hydrant in Soi Kamnan in Phuket Town, and waited for suspicious activity.…
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Phuket Sports: Europe’s best train at TSLC
PHUKET: With thoughts firmly on the upcoming 15th FINA World Championships to be held in Barcelona, Spain from July 19 to August 4, Dutch swimmers, Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Femke Heemskerk, along with Italian swimmers, Federica Pellegrini and Filippo Magnani, are currently training at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC). The Dutch national team coach Jacco Verhaeren explains why the Dutch…
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Phuket tourists injured as waves swamp Phi Phi tour boat
PHUKET: Six tourists were injured when a tour boat heading to the Phi Phi Islands (view here) was struck by large waves as it crossed Phang Nga Bay this morning. The boat, which departed from Chalong at about 10am, was carrying 40 tourists from Australia, Indonesia and China, an officer at the Tourist Rescue Center at Chalong Pier (map here)…
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Phuket Property: Thai hotels benefit from local software
PHUKET: About 1,000 member hotels of the Thai Hotel Association (THA) are benefiting from a locally developed room reservation technology that is changing the way hotels in Thailand do business online, keeping them ahead of the game in the global hospitality industry. The new ‘Software as a Service’ for independent hotels is the result of a recently formed exclusive partnership…
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Murder fugitive ‘Kamnan Poh’ arrested
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fugitive Kamnan Poh arrested Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: Somchai Khunplome, alias ‘Kamnan Poh’, father of Thailand’s culture minister, was arrested today in Bangkok after years on the run.His son, Sonthaya, looked tense and grim while talking on the phone about his father’s arrest.Somchai was picked up…
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Phuket Finance: Exploring the theory of Peak Oil
PHUKET: I read a fascinating report recently from a Harvard researcher that shatters the common view of how quickly oil is becoming a scarce resource. It essentially states that – given new technology – the idea of “Peak Oil” is fundamentally flawed. Peak Oil is a theory that at a certain point in history (approaching very quickly), humans will reach…
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World News: Crack down on nightclubs after deadly fire
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Brazilian cities crack down on nightclubs after deadly fire Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Cities across Brazil are beginning to crack down on nightclubs to ensure they comply with fire regulations following a weekend blaze that killed 231 people at a club in the southern university town of…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Football movements, bans and possible prison
Beckham trains with Arsenal to maintain fitness Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Former England football captain David Beckham is training with Arsenal in a bid to maintain his fitness, manager Arsene Wenger said. The 37-year-old midfielder is a free agent after leaving LA Galaxy at the end of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season in December. “He has asked to…
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Krabi police raid turns up war weapons, meth
PHUKET: Police raids at a shrimp farm and the nearby home of a subdistrict chief (Kamnan) in Krabi province, across the bay from Phuket, has turned up an Uzi, a Thompson machine gun, six shotguns, several handguns and two grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). Region 8 Police yesterday presented Kamnan Anan Sanhad, the 55-year-old subdistrict chief of Klong Khanan,…
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Phuket Sports: The party that sails around and around
PHUKET: This year’s Bay Regatta, organized by the Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC), will be held from tomorrow to Sunday February 3. Rows of colorful spinnakers will sail through some of the world’s most famous cruising grounds, allowing sailors the chance to enjoy the spectacular scenery and party well into the night at some of the region’s most beautiful resorts.…
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Live Wire: A tale of internet worry and woe
PHUKET: TWO weeks ago in Live Wire, I produced a list of all the available internet packages in Phuket – at least, all of the packages I know about (click here). Last week, I explained that most people in Phuket will want to get a “3G” (I still hate that term, because it’s meaningless!) package for their phone(s). Most probably…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Former champions Rangers bemoan SPL plans
Top Scottish clubs back plans to restructure league Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs backed plans yesterday to restructure the cash-strapped game in Scotland despite vocal opposition from former champions Rangers.“The clubs were united in their view about the need for change,” said SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster.“I firmly believe that any change can only come from…
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Phuket Business: Virtually exposed
PHUKET: Although the concept of 360-degree virtual tours has been around for almost as long as the world-wide-web itself, such technology has only recently begun to yield its true potential. Thanks to the advent of developments in global positioning systems (GPS), camera technology and improved user interfaces, businesses the world over are poised to reap a plethora of benefits. Speaking…
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Fresh wave of Rohingya refugees arrive south of Phuket
PHUKET: An estimated 200 Rohingya refugees landed on Koh Racha Noi this morning, as reports simultaneously flooded in of another convoy, carrying about 180 men, women and children, coming ashore at Koh Phra Thong on the Phang Nga coast. “We have received reports of about 200 men, women and children travelling in two open boats landing on Koh Racha Noi,”…
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Phuket Poll: Thais, expats call for parking spaces to be mandatory
PHUKET: In our latest Phuket Gazette online reader poll, nearly 80% of readers voted that all new buildings in Phuket must provide at least some parking spaces as a requirement for being given a building permit. Of the 590 people who voted in the poll, launched on December 25 (story here), more than half (58.3%) voted “Yes. Parking in Phuket…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Queen Beatrix to abdicate Dutch throne
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dutch Queen Beatrix to abdicate throne after 33 years Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Dutch Queen Beatrix announced that she will abdicate on Queen’s Day in April after more than three decades as head of state, allowing her eldest son Willem-Alexander to become the kingdom’s…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: All about the numbers
Woods triumphs by four shots at Torrey Pines Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Tiger Woods withstood a late bogey, double-bogey, par, bogey wobble in strengthening winds to end a week of dominant golf by clinching his 75th PGA Tour title by four shots at the Farmers Insurance Open yesterday. Six strokes in front overnight at 17 under with 11 holes…
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Taxi driver mob tears down Russian tour agency sign, forces closure
PHUKET: Phuket taxi drivers in the popular tourist beach area of Bang Tao today successfully staged their second protest against Russian tour companies operating in the area. The mob of angry taxi drivers from the Baan Bangtao Taxi Club pulled down the signs of one of their primary targets, Alex Holiday Tour Co Ltd in Cherng Talay, alleging that the…
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Phuket Business: New car owners due B1.2bn
PHUKET: More than 14,300 new car owners in Phuket took advantage of the government’s first-car rebate scheme, with the combined value of due rebates amounting to more than 1.2 billion baht. According to figures from the Phuket Excise Department (PED), a total of 14,327 eligible applications were filed in the province from September 16, 2011 to December 31, 2012. These…
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Thailand Futsal: Chonburi Sharks devour Phuket Pearl
PHUKET: Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL) runaway table toppers Chonburi TOS RBAC FC, brushed aside Phuket United in their match on Saturday evening, with Chonburi winning at home 5-1. Played at the Chon Kanyanukoon School in the heart of Chonburi city, the match was both side’s 16th of a 30-fixture season. Going into the game, the Chonburi ‘Sharks’ were ranked…
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Italian arrested after naked Phuket joy ride
PHUKET: Police arrested an Italian man who stole a BMW that was left running in front of a laundry shop near Phuket Technical College yesterday. Responding to a report from Surawit Siangdee, 36, that his black BMW had been stolen at 3:30pm, Phuket City Police notified police stations island-wide. Thalang traffic police spotted the car, with mag wheels and lowered…
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World News: Brazilian nightclub fire kills at least 233
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nightclub fire kills 233 in Brazil Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A nightclub fire killed at least 233 people in southern Brazil early yesterday morning when a band’s pyrotechnics show set the building ablaze and fleeing party-goers stampeded toward blocked and overcrowded exits in the ensuing…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: FA Cup Shocks
Liverpool stunned by Oldham to cap FA Cup shocks Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Third-tier Oldham Athletic rekindled memories of happier days by slaying seven-times winners Liverpool 3-2 at home yesterday, capping a weekend of FA Cup fourth-round shocks that gave the Premier League a bloody nose. The hard-up League One side, who put three backroom staff on gardening leave…
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Phuket villagers demand pistol whipping police officer be transferred
PHUKET: About 200 angry Phuket villagers Thursday night demanded that the Kamala police officer who allegedly pistol whipped a teenager in an angry mob be immediately transferred. The boy was allegedly struck across the face by the officer as he joined other teenagers in beating an alleged bag snatcher, who had just been put under “citizen arrests”. At about 9pm,…
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Phuket Opinion: Stateless visitors need more than hospitality
PHUKET: The plight of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar’s Rakhine State during the current sailing season clearly shows the need for Asean and other international bodies to come together to help solve, or at least alleviate, the root causes of the problem inside Myanmar as soon as possible. This will of course be no easy task. Few international humanitarian issues on…
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Phuket Islamic Council calls for desperately needed essentials for Rohingya refugees
PHUKET: The Phuket Islamic Council is collecting donations at their office in Koh Kaew for the hundreds of Rohingya refugees being held in detention centers across Southern Thailand. The Islamic Council is asking for blankets, dried food and toiletries. Kitti Islam, a member of the Phuket Islamic Council, told the Phuket Gazette yesterday that the council has already received a…
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Phuket job fair opens
PHUKET: The annual Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) job fair began today at the Central Festival East shopping complex on the bypass road, with 3,538 jobs available for job-seekers. Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa declared the event open at 11am, and was accompanied by Phuket Democrat MP Raywat Areerob, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Arayapan Pukbuakao and PPEO chief Yawapa…
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Phuket charity drive cooks up a family-fun entertainment extravaganza
PHUKET: Tomorrow, Saturday January 26, the Royal Phuket Marina will be the place to be in Phuket for fabulous food, fun and games for the kids and superb live music. The first-of-its-kind Phuket Family & Gourmet Festival, a charity event, is being staged by Jagota Foods to raise valuable funds for the Andaman region’s less fortunate kids. From 10:30am to…
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New Zealand expat sailor drowns in Phuket boating mishap
PHUKET: Popular Phuket sailor Richard Spraggs, from New Zealand, drowned in an early morning boating accident today. Mr Spraggs, 59, was re-anchoring his boat La Zingara at about 5am after an overnight storm had pushed another boat too close to his, Capt Chianchai Duangsuwan of the Chalong Police reported. Mr Spraggs was trying to push the boats apart when he…
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Football: Phuket FC defeat Dredger’s Army in friendly
The Islanders continued their pre-season preparation ahead of the upcoming 2013 Yamaha League 1 season by playing PhangNga FC in a friendly at Surakul Stadium last night. The match gave Phuket’s new signings the chance to get to know each other in a match situation, and with unlimited subs and three 35-minute period, instead of the standard two 45-minute halves,…
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