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Phuket busts nab heroin, cocaine suspects
PHUKET: In a busy two days for drug law enforcement officers in Phuket, a woman was arrested in possession of cocaine at Phuket International Airport on Wednesday and five men with heroin were arrested at an address south of Phuket Town just 24 hours earlier. Lt Col Suthirat Tojumpa, chief of the Phuket branch of the Narcotics Control Board, told…
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Phuket truck powerless on Patong Hill
PHUKET: A 10-wheeled truck carrying more than 50 concrete power poles pitched while trying to climb Patong Hill this morning, causing a traffic tailback stretching about 1.5 kilometers.The mishap occurred at about 11:30am, while the truck tried to climb the steep incline on the western side of the hill in its bid to deliver the power poles to a construction…
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The Curious Case of the Invisible Crown Prince Paras Shah
PHUKET: Journalists trying to catch a glimpse of Nepal’s infamous former crown prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev, who was due to report to Phuket Provincial Court yesterday, were in for a long and ultimately fruitless wait.By midday, reporters who had been waiting since 9:30am, had still not clapped eyes on the former crown prince entering the court to report…
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World News: U.N. recognises sovereign state of Palestine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Palestinians win de facto U.N. recognition of sovereign state Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The 193-nation U.N. General Assembly yesterday overwhelmingly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the world body to issue its long…
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Phuket van crash driver to face vehicular manslaughter charge
PHUKET: Police today confirmed they will charge the driver of the Phuket tour van involved in the accident yesterday morning that claimed the life of a 9-year-old schoolgirl with reckless driving causing death. Sub Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop told the Phuket Gazette this morning that Chalong Police officers were preparing their case against Tuan Russala Samae. However, Lt Kraisorn added,”We have…
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Thailand News: World Justice report ranks Kingdom 80th in serving civil justice
World Justice report ranks Thailand 80th in serving civil justice Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The World Justice Project (WJP) ranked Thailand 80th among 97 countries in delivering effective civil justice in its international Rule of Law Index 2012 report issued on Wednesday. However, despite the low ranking in dispensing civil justice, the report also recognized Thailand’s strong performance in the control…
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Thailand News: Biggest drug bust in Thailand’s recent history
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Pattaya Police arrest Iranians in three hundred million baht drug raid Pattaya Radio 103FM / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The biggest drug raid in Thailand’s recent history took place in Pattaya City yesterday, in a three hundred million baht sting operation. This is without doubt the largest drug sting…
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Phuket Airport bus forced off the road by repairs
PHUKET: Concerns about whether or not the Airport Bus, which shuttles passengers to and from Phuket Town and Phuket International Airport, had shut down its services this week were answered today with the simplest of answers: one of the buses is off the road for repairs. “We normally have two buses serving the route between Phuket Airport and Phuket Town,”…
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Phuket Marine Office splashes out B5.8mn on moorings
PHUKET: The Marine Department is spending 5.8 million baht on installing 300 moorings in coastal havens off Phuket in order to protect coral reefs.“We dropped 200 moorings in Chalong Bay on Saturday. They are available to use now, for free,” Phuket Marine Office chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut told the Phuket Gazette today.“We will drop another 100 moorings in Ao Por this…
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Phuket Sports: PIST hooks all as Sunshine Village cleans up
PHUKET: THE eighth Phuket International Sportfishing Tournament, held last weekend, produced a thrilling end to three great days, particularly for two teams. The Danish ‘Clean Team’ trailed by a minnow, which was required to catch ‘Team Captain Hook’ as the boats headed out under gray skies for the final day of competition. Ian Tubby, captain of Thai Two On, implemented…
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Phuket’s postponed “Andaman World Experience’ raises concerns
PHUKET: Uncertainty clouds the announcement of a firm date for the Andaman World Experience, postponed from November 9, as officials scramble to identify dates when Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be available to attend. Chanchai Doungjit, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, told the Phuket Gazette that the festival would go ahead and that the schedule would…
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International Cricket: Ricky Ponting to end career
PHUKET: Australia’s Ricky Ponting announced his retirement from international cricket today, telling a stunned news conference he would be calling time on his glittering 17-year career after this week’s third test against South Africa. The former Australia captain has scored 13,366 runs in 167 tests – the second highest haul in the long history of the game – and stands…
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Two new Phuket police stations ready in December
PHUKET: Two new “temporary” Phuket police stations will open by December, ahead of permanent police stations that are slated for completion late next year. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavaviwat on Tuesday inspected the construction site of the new Wichit police station in Soi Na Sua on Chao Fa West Road. “On December 6, the two new police stations at…
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Phuket girl, 12, feared dead in tour van crash
PHUKET: A 12-year-old girl is feared dead after a Phuket tour van reportedly collided with a pickup truck near Chalong Temple on Chao Fa West Road in Chalong this morning. According to initial reports, two others were injured in the accident, which occurred at about 7 am. It is not known at this point whether the driver fled the scene…
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Phuket axe murderer out on bail until next year
PHUKET: The 15-year-old boy who confessed to killing his sleeping stepfather with an axe in August will appear before the Phuket Family and Juvenile Court on the morning of February 4 next year. A court official told the Phuket Gazette today that after his confession to Chalong Police on August 22, the youth was remanded in the custody of the…
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Deadline for listings in Phuket’s yellow pages
PHUKET: Businesses wishing to appear in the 2013 Gazette Guide Business Directory, Phuket’s ‘yellow pages’, have until 12 noon on Thursday, December 6, to enter (or update) their listings – that’s eight (8) days from now. Businesses not listed by that date will not appear in the directory until 2014. The 350-page book, with details of about 2,500 businesses serving…
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World Golf: Long putter expected to be outlawed for 2016
PHUKET: With a widely expected ban on anchoring long putters likely to be announced by the game’s ruling bodies today, players have expressed sharply contrasting views ahead of this week’s World Challenge. While 14-times major winner Tiger Woods and putting supremo Steve Stricker are both in favour of such putters being outlawed, 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley says he…
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Loy Krathong Festival honors “Phuket yesteryear’
PHUKET: As communities across Phuket celebrate the Loy Krathong Festival tonight, residents in Srisoonthorn, Thalang, will be drawing to a close their three-day version of the festival. Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut officiated at the opening of the Srisoonthorn festival, which this year also honors the area’s tin-mining history, at the Bang Maruan Lagoon – located next to the site of…
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World News: People’s Daily makes readers cry with Onion story
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China’s Communist Party newspaper falls for spoof news story Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: The newspaper of China’s Communist Party yesterday reported on a spoof news article from The Onion which named North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as the sexiest man alive. It comes…
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Unbranded drugs suspected in British tourist death at Phuket resort
PHUKET: Police suspect unbranded drugs may have contributed to the death of a British tourist whose body was discovered in his resort guest room this morning in Phuket.The man, a 64-year-old British national, was found dead by his female companion in the couple’s room at a resort at Nai Thon Beach at about 9am, said Capt Prakorp Boonkwan of the…
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Live Wire: Drilling down on landlines
PHUKET: Last week I talked about the general state of internet connections in Phuket. This week I want to drill down on landlines. I wish I could just point you to a web page that has all of the information about the various internet lines available on Phuket, and let you make a choice. Life isn’t that simple. You would…
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Murder fugitive Aldhouse to arrive in Phuket on Saturday
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse, wanted in Phuket for the stabbing murder of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in August 2010, will be extradited from the UK and will arrive in Phuket on Saturday. Aldhouse, also known by his kickboxing nickname “The Pitbull”, will arrive at about 7pm, Chalong Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri told the Phuket Gazette today. Chalong Police…
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Phuket Sports: Westwood hopes to reproduce wow factor in Thailand
PHUKET: Lee Westwood wowed the crowds at the Thailand Golf Championship last year by flirting with a 59 in the first round of the Asian Tour event and the world number six would be more than happy with a similar start to his title defence. Westwood had virtually wrapped up the title at the halfway mark at Amata Spring Country…
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Phuket Poll: Bringing illegal taxis in from the cold
PHUKET: The Phuket authorities over the past year have taken a combination of measures to bring illegal taxis on the island under regulation. The latest move brought 50 airport taxis into the fold from a “co-operative” that was openly and illegally serving passengers at the airport. However, that move followed a mini-blitz in which 194 drivers were fined for being…
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Phuket Prosecutor prepares to file charges against Tiger Disco
PHUKET: The Phuket Public Prosecutor’s Office is in the final stage of preparing its case against the operators of Tiger Discotheque over the fire that broke out at the Patong nightclub on August 17. The popular night venue erupted into flames just before 4am, while hundreds of patrons were still inside. Four people died in the inferno, including two tourists.…
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Phuket Customs raid seizes B1.5mn of pirated goods
PHUKET: Phuket Customs officers today presented to the press almost 2,000 counterfeit items, with an estimated street value of over 1.5 million baht, that were seized in a raid last week. Officers from the Royal Thai Customs Investigation and Suppression Bureau (ISB) raided a transportation company depot on the bypass road after receiving a report that a consignment of counterfeit…
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Phuket Sports: Sponsors put Dylan on track
PHUKET: Locally-based race driver Dylan Young is pleased to announce that Indigo Pearl Resort Phuket has followed in the footsteps of lifestyle venue KU DÉ TA Singapore by becoming a support sponsor for his MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship season. The new MRF Challenge Championships credibility is supported by Indian Formula 1 star Narain Karthikeyan, who is acting as the…
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Australian fall survivor out of Phuket intensive care unit
PHUKET: Two weeks after falling from the 18th floor of a Patong hotel, a 39-year-old Australian tourist has been moved from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to an orthopedic ward at Vachira Phuket Hospital. The man, originally from Sydney, suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and serious injuries to his left leg when he fell from the balcony adjoining his…
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Phuket Finance: Using exchange traded funds
PHUKET: In today’s uncertain economy, investors are increasingly seeking diversification, safety and a secure income. Interest rates continue to hover at or near all time lows in many countries, and the continued uncertainty about the strength of the global economic recovery has made many investors extra cautious. Nevertheless, there is one investment option available that can offer risk-adverse investors both…
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Phuket cat burglar fails as roof caves in
PHUKET: A would-be cat burglar bungled his attempt to rob a Phuket minimart after falling through the roof into the store’s stockroom below, leaving him trapped until he was found by staff this morning.Arriving at the scene, a minimart in Pa Klok, police found 38-year-old Thepmongkol Thongsri lying injured in the stockroom.“He gained access to the store by climbing onto…
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