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Barman turns pro
PHUKET: “Six months ago I was a full-time gardener and playing six leagues down from the Premier League back home.” Jason Mooney from Northern Ireland has been signed to play for Wycombe Wanderers in England’s Football League One. The 22-year-old, 6 foot 9 inch goalkeeper was cutting hedges until he landed a barman’s job at Wycombes ground, Adams Park. Now…
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Koreans step up campaign for Phuket light-rail project
PHUKET: Korean mega-project developer Dohwa Engineering Co Ltd yesterday unveiled a series of proposed light-rail service routes across Phuket, including Patong. Sung-Min Lee, president of Dohwa’s Railway Metro Division, explained to Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at Provincial Hall that the proposed routes were part of the company’s draft master plan. Although other mass-transit options that were presented included modern trams,…
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Love for the game of tennis
PHUKET: Travis Bertram, 30, from Seattle, Washington, USA, is the new tennis director for Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC). Having come through the ranks at leading tennis management company Peter Burwash International, Travis will develop TSLC’s new tennis academy. Speaking to the Phuket Gazette, Travis talks about his profession and hopes for tennis in Phuket. What drew you to…
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Phuket Youth Sailing Squadron heads for Hua Hin
PHUKET: The Phuket Youth Sailing Squadron (PYSS) is preparing to enter the Hua Hin Regatta 2011, and are inviting youths aged seven and up, specifically underprivileged children, to sign up for this new club that promotes youth sailing in Phuket. Five new youngsters have recently joined the sailing program, so there are now more than 20 members. Seventeen of these…
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World record on the cards for Raceweek’s Larsen
PHUKET: Australian Paul Larsen and his DaVinci crew raced in to second place after an exciting four days of Multihull class sailing at this year’s Six Senses Phuket International Raceweek. Racing conditions in the waters off the Evason and Bon Island resort for the event were exciting, but certainly less threatening than what Paul has been used to over the…
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Phuket Poll: When will Thaksin return?
PHUKET: Now that Yingluck Shinawatra has been installed as Thailand’s first female prime minister, many political analysts are posing the question: When will her brother, fugitive former PM Thaksin, return to Thailand? In its latest online poll, the Phuket Gazette invites readers to suggest when they think this will happen – if ever. To have your say, click here or…
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Tourist arrivals jump exposes Phuket infrastructure lag
ANALYSIS PHUKET: Officials forecasting a record high four million passenger arrivals at Phuket International Airport for 2011 has highlighted lagging infrastructure, mounting travel delays and long immigration queues that have the potential to derail growth in Phuket’s hospitality industry. Phuket Airport has a stated total capacity of 6.5 million passengers a year, including all arrivals and departures from international and…
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Corruption tops list of Phuket priorities
PHUKET: More than one third of Phuket Gazette readers responding to an online poll voted corruption as Phuket’s top priority for authorities to address. In the poll, readers were asked, ‘Which of the following issues affecting Phuket do you feel needs the most urgent attention by the new Government?’ The choices in responding were:• Traffic congestion• Crime• Drug abuse• Corruption•…
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Officials under fire over Phuket flyover plans
PHUKET: Department of Highways officials received a frosty reception today at a public hearing to unveil three base designs for an overpass at Bang Khu Intersection, one of the main traffic crunch points during peak hours on Phuket’s Thepkrasattri Road. The Bang Khu Intersection is where Thepkrasattri Rd meets the bypass road. Sombat Jaroenpat, director of the Survey and Design…
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Phuket Live Wire: AIS rollout of 3G a success
PHUKET: The AIS rollout of its new wireless internet system has come and gone, and I’m duly impressed. We’re seeing good – sometimes great – international download speeds, reliable signals, extensive coverage and reasonably good support, all over Phuket. Amazing. Don’t take my word for it. If you’re thinking about signing-up for AIS 3G, drop by phuketinternetspeed.com and see what…
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Caddy shock
PHUKET: “It’s the most satisfying win I’ve ever had, there’s no two ways about it.” Steve Williams claims he’s experienced the height of satisfaction in his caddy career after helping Adam Scott to victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament in Ohio on Sunday, just two weeks after being dumped by Tiger Woods. Williams, from New Zealand, won 13 majors…
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Phuket funeral to honor Father Richard
PHUKET: The funeral for Father Richard Woodarek, who served Phuket’s Catholic community for more than 40 years, will be held at Our Lady of Assumption Church in Phuket Town on Wednesday at 10am. Father Richard passed away on Friday. He was 82 years old and had spent more than half of his life in Thailand, most of that time in…
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BBCU claim league bragging rights over FC Phuket
PHUKET: FC Phuket came up short against Big Bang Chulalongkorn United (BBCU), losing 2-1 on Sunday as the team tried to capitalize on their cup defeat of the joint Division One leaders. Downpours of rain before and during play, made for a greasy surface and slippery playing conditions for the teams. With five players out of action due to injuries,…
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Epileptic man drowns in Phuket pond
PHUKET: The body of a Phuket man who went missing on Friday was discovered by relatives two days later in a pond near his home in Thalang. Thalang Police identified the deceased as Phumichai Kaewkla, a 42-year-old resident of Mai Khao. His death was reported by his father, Jaras Kaewkla. Mr Jaras told police his son went missing from the…
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Things about Yingluck include a Phuket Connection
PHUKET: A story in yesterday’s Nation, entitled “There’s something about Yingluck”, presents some interesting facts about Thailand’s attractive new prime minister. Among them is a Phuket connection, albeit tenuous and, most likely, coincidental. Yingluck Shinawatra and Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha went to the same schools – and studied the same things. But although they are fellow alumni of those two…
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Phuket Tourism: Will it die from all the deaths?
PHUKET: It has been a dire week for tourists, one that sends a clear message to the authorities that they really do need to start addressing critical issues in Phuket. Last Saturday, the body of a Chinese tourist was found washed ashore at Kata Beach. He had been swimming at Karon Beach three days earlier. On Sunday, just days after…
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Phuket’s ‘Road to Rawai’ to be divided
PHUKET: The Land Transport Office has announced that placement of a median strip through the full length of Wiset Road, from Chalong Circle to Rawai Beach, will begin this month. The road will have at least five U-turn breaks. The project is part of a government strategy to decrease fatal accidents. The plan was announced by the Phuket Provincial Land…
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Phuket Town blackout on Wednesday
PHUKET. The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has announced a major blackout affecting areas in central Phuket Town on Wednesday. The blackout, between 9am and 4pm, is to allow PPEA staff to carry out maintenance work on high-voltage power lines. The affected areas will be Phun Pol Road Sois 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and Kra Road Sois 10…
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Patong residents to pay for wastewater
PHUKET: Patong Mayor Pian Keesin announced today that Patong Municipality will start charging residents and business owners for wastewater treatment. The news was delivered this morning at a meeting with visiting members of the Senate Standing Committee for Natural Resources and the Environment. The committee members are on a two-day fact-finding visit to Phuket. “Patong is continually growing. More people…
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Thai sailors seek blessing from Phuket’s Heroines
PHUKET: The captain and crew of the Royal Thai Navy HTMS Thalang this morning performed a ceremony seeking the blessing of Phuket’s renowned heroines Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn. Presiding over the ceremony was Lt Cdr Apiruk Mangkorn, commander of the HTMS Thalang. Reinforced by members of the ship’s 75 crew, Lt Cdr Apiruk asked for Phuket’s ‘guardian angels’ to…
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Phuket Roads: Motorcycle crash claims another life
PHUKET: A motorcycle accident early this morning claimed the life of a Phuket man as he drove between the Heroines’ Monument and Cherng Talay. Thalang Police responded to a call at about 2am reporting that an accident had occurred on Srisoonthorn Road in Baan Manik. A team from the Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation arrived at the scene to find a lone…
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Long trail leads police to Phuket auto theft gang
PHUKET: Patong Police have arrested six suspects accused of running a car and motorcycle theft racket in Phuket’s entertainment hub, Patong. The Thai and Burmese suspects were presented at Kathu Police Station yesterday along with eight stolen motorcycles, parts of a further four or five bikes, mechanic’s tools, spray painting equipment, one stolen pickup truck and six other cars that…
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Phuket Big Buddha donations to continue
PHUKET: The foundation constructing Phuket’s Big Buddha image will continue to collect donations for the project, the Phuket Gazette has learned. The news follows a provincial committee ruling that the Mingmongkol Faith 45 Foundation was no longer allowed to advertise or publicly solicit donations for the project. The committee ruling stated that the organization will be allowed to receive donations…
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Phuket Disgrace: Airport needs to double its Immigration officers
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport has only half the number of Immigration officers it needs to effectively handle the high volume of tourists using the facility, the leading senator of a fact-finding team was told today. The team, comprising the 26 senators who form the Standing Committees for Transport and for Natural Resources and the Environment, arrived in Phuket yesterday to…
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FC Phuket seek away win and BBCU seek vengeance
PHUKET: FC Phuket face Big Bang Chulalongkorn United (BBCU) on Sunday in what may be termed a grudge match considering the cup defeat inflicted by Phuket on BBCU in June. Sunday’s match will be played at the 20,000 seat sporting arena, Army Stadium in Din Daeng, Bangkok. Kickoff is sceduled for 6pm. Coming into their 19th match, Phuket cling to…
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Yingluck becomes first female Thai prime minister
PHUKET: Yingluck Shinawatra today became Thailand’s first female prime minister, by winning 296 of 299 votes in Parliament, state-news agency MCOT has reported. Mrs Yingluck was confirmed as prime minister shortly before noon today after a campaign that saw her Pheu Thai party sweep to victory over the former ruling Democrat Party. There were 197 abstentions in the House of…
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Phuket probe digs deep into ‘missing hill’ row
PHUKET: Land owners digging up and selling the earth on their plots in central Phuket has sparked a row from neighbors, who say the extensive excavation work is causing dangerous landslips, for which they are seeking 300,000 baht in compensation. An investigation headed by Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak yesterday deemed much of the excavation work on the plot in Srisoonthorn,…
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Phuket residents cry foul over poisoned water
PHUKET: Parents and local residents are calling for action against repeated poisoning of a canal along a major Phuket Town school, killing hundreds of fish. About 5pm yesterday, residents entered a section of Klong Bang Yai that runs next to Satree Phuket School on Damrong Road and removed hundreds of dead fish. The water in the canal was black, thick…
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Onslaught of waves forces Phuket sea gypsies to evacuate homes
PHUKET: Large waves brought on by the wet-season monsoon are damaging homes at a small sea gypsy community on Phuket’s east coast, forcing villagers to seek refuge with family members or even sleep outdoors. At least eight houses have suffered damage, altogether home to 53 people. John Pramongkij, 57, is scared to sleep in his house, with the walls cracking…
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Swedish murder case in Phuket sends reader interest off the charts
PHUKET: Not since the tsunami in December 2004 have readers around the world shown so much interest in a single event in Phuket. Yesterday, as on December 27, 2004, the day after the waves hit, the demand for news, fueled by the Phuket murder of Swedish national Maksim Schantz, swamped and knocked over the Gazette Online for a period of…
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