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Phuket convention center one step closer
PHUKET: Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij told a public hearing in Phuket yesterday that he can “guarantee” the project to build a convention and exhibition center will go ahead if his Democrat Party holds on to power in the upcoming elections. Mr Korn was speaking at a public hearing at The Metropole hotel in Phuket Town to present three architectural plans…
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One dead as Phuket water truck overshoots curve
PHUKET: A water tanker overshot a dangerous curve in Phuket this morning, leaving the passenger dead and the driver badly injured. The accident happened at about 9:30am on Thepkrasattri Road northbound, along a stretch of road known as the “Bang Duk Curve”. The six-wheeled vehicle, owned and operated by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), was on a routine delivery…
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Phuket rescue drill for upcoming Songkran Festival
PHUKET: Phuket officials and rescue organizations are set to begin road accident drills in preparation for the upcoming Songkran water festival. During the Songkran “seven days of danger” road safety campaign last year, Phuket saw 60 reported traffic accidents resulting in two deaths, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket office. The “seven days” this year…
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Phuket Live Wire: CAT runs out of fast wireless receivers
PHUKET: Internet speeds in Phuket continue their roller coaster ride with True and 3BB delivering generally good speeds on international downloads, and TOT’s speeds highly dependent on where you’re located. 3BB had a five-hour outage in the southern part of the island last Thursday. Expensive TOT Fiber Optic service continues to go up and down: when it’s working, it’s fast,…
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Breaking news: FC Phuket 3 – JW Rangsit 1
PHUKET: Excellent teamwork led FC Phuket to a 3-1 win over Thai League Division 1 side JW Rangsit FC in rainy conditions at Surakul Stadium in Phuket this evening. FC Phuket dominated the first half during a driving rainstorm that started just minutes into the game. Goals by Niran Phantong and Ivory Coast player Nenebi Sylvestre at seven and 20…
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Top official dispells Phuket tsunami rumors
PHUKET: The director of the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC), the agency in Thailand that issues tsunami warnings, yesterday called on people to ignore rumors that a tsunami will strike Thailand. NDWC Director Somsak Khaosuwan was in Phuket to lead public information seminars about natural disasters. The seminars were held at Wat Suwan Kiriwong School in Patong. Mr Somsak said…
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Phuket Butti murder: Italian business partner charged, hitman still at large
PHUKET: Police have arrested the alleged Italian “mastermind” and three others in connection with the shooting murder of resort owner Luciano Butti, 61. Mr Butti, also Italian, was gunned down while riding a rented motorbike in Pa Khlok on Tuesday night. Lt Gen Kokiat Wongvorachart, Commissioner of Region 8 Provincial Police, presented the four suspects at a press conference at…
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Phuket parents seek return of runaway girl, 14
PHUKET: The parents of a 14-year-old Phuket girl who ran off with her young boyfriend are asking the public for help in securing her safe return. Jintana Wangnurat and her English husband Huwy Williams came to the offices of the Phuket Gazette this morning with a picture of their daughter Grissana “Green” Wangnurat, age 14. Mr Williams, a nine-year Phuket…
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Luangta Maha Bua remains in Phuket, in spirit and reality
PHUKET: Scores of people are expected to join a ceremony tomorrow morning to place bone fragments of the highly-revered Luangta Maha Bua Yanasampanno at a temple in Phuket Town. The fragments will be installed at Wat Jaroen Samanakij, known locally as Wat Lang San, near Phuket Provincial Hall. The event will begin at 7am with the giving of alms to…
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Phuket police nab Chinese ‘stopover thieves’
PHUKET: Chalong Police have arrested three mainland Chinese they think are part of a gang who specialize in burglarizing guests at luxury hotels the world over. Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Narong Laksanawimol identified the three suspects at a press conference today as: Liu Shuiping, 45; Liu Jianhua, 39; and Liu Shuidong, 40. All are listed as residents of Jiangxi, China.…
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PHUKET REMINDER: FC Phuket at home against JW Rangsit tomorrow
PHUKET: FC Phuket will be going all-out for three points tomorrow at Surakul Stadium, where they take on JW Rangsit FC in a Thai League Division 1 match starting at 6pm. The Southern Sea Kirin, who sit in sixth place after the third week of the season, will be trying for their second win. Both sides are playing in their…
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Phuket, Pattaya police earn big thanks from Germany
PHUKET: The German Embassy in Bangkok has issued an official letter of commendation to the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau praising the efforts of officers in Phuket and Pattaya in helping to track down, arrest and deport three Germans found hiding in Thailand over the past 12 months. The letter, from German Ambassador Dr Hanns H. Schumacher to Royal Thai…
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Hungry ghost feasts on villagers
PHITSANULOK: Residents of a village in Phitsanulok province believe they are being stalked by a pret – a Thai “hungry ghost” – following the mysterious deaths of three old villagers in the same week late last month. Terrified residents of Village 9 in Aranyik subdistrict believe the pret is going to kill again. Last week they performed a Buddhist ritual…
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“LOVE AID – To Japan From Phuket With Love’ benefit concert scheduled
PHUKET: A benefit concert entitled “LOVE AID – To Japan From Phuket With Love” has been scheduled for April 2 on Karon Beach, with 100 per cent of proceeds going to help victims of the Japan earthquake, tsunami and subsequent explosions at a nuclear power plant. The event was originally scheduled for next Thursday, but has been changed to Saturday,…
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Phuket heeds Japan’s call for aid
PHUKET: The Phuket Tsunami Relief Center for Japan has been set up at Provincial Hall as a collection point for donations to aid survivors of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11. The center was established on Tuesday following talks between Phuket Japanese Association President Kazushi Miyashita and Governor Tri Augkaradacha. “Seven years ago when the tsunami…
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Free anti-radiation tablets for Phuket travelers to Japan
PHUKET: Passengers traveling to areas in Japan where they may be exposed to radiation are being offered free Potassium Iodide tablets at Phuket International Airport. The anti-radiation tablets are available at a Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) booth set up today on the second floor of Terminal 1. The booth is open from 6:30am to 9:30pm daily until further…
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Phuket Police: “Business deal’ prime motive for Butti murder
PHUKET: Police believe a business deal was the prime motive for the murder of Luciano Butti, 61, who was gunned down in Phuket on Tuesday night. However, officers are also investigating Mr Butti’s ongoing divorce proceedings. Mr Butti was to appear in court for divorce proceedings yesterday, Lt Col Phisit Cheunphet of Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette today. Mr…
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Phuket raid nets Bt100k in smoking contraband
PHUKET: Officials from the Phuket Excise Office yesterday seized 956 packs of illegally imported cigarettes and packs of tobacco with a total street value of about 100,000 baht. Most of the contraband was imported by post, said Excise officer Chingchai Borwornthanasan. Three people were arrested in the raid: Yusaree Yun from Pattani, and Ussamarn Wangdee and Je-padeemoh Yun, both Phuket…
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Italian man gunned down in Phuket
PHUKET: An Italian man in his 40s was shot dead while riding from the Heroines Monument to Pa Khlok at about 10pm last night. Police know the identity of the man but the Gazette is withholding publication pending notice of next of kin. The man’s body was found lying on the road about 200 meters from the entrance to the…
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Phuket Punchline Comedy sends in the April fools
PHUKET: ‘Exciting, eccentric and experienced’ describes the three acts appearing on April 20 at the Holiday Inn Resort Patong for the second Phuket Punchline Comedy Club show of 2011. Three very different acts from the highly respected UK comedy circuit are set to amuse and entertain with their own inimitable comedy styles. Compere for the evening is the high energy,…
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Phuket moves for Japan disaster relief
PHUKET: Bangkok Hospital Phuket has set up a drop-off box to collect donated items for survivors of the earthquake and tsunami disaster that struck Japan on Friday. Estimates of the earthquake’s magnitude made it the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan, and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since record-keeping began in 1900. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto…
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Phuket Swindle: Romanians charged in Bt100mn ATM scam
PHUKET: Four Romanians were arrested by Phuket police yesterday and charged with running an ATM card scam that is claimed to have stolen 100 million baht. The four were named by police as Gavrila Florin Eugen, 33; Ene Bogdan Constantin, 23; Vilvoi Claudiu Constantin, 36; and Gavrila Alexandra, 26. All four suspects were arrested at their rented room at the…
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Phuket’s Heroines Festival hoped to attract record crowds
PHUKET: The “Thalang Historical Drama”, being performed nightly at Phuket’s annual Heroines’ Festival currently underway in Thalang, is expected to attract more than 2,000 people each night to watch the show. “The show last night went very well. Governor Tri Augkaradacha played the part of Rama I, but that was the only performance he will act in during the festival,”…
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Warrant issued for driver of overturned Phuket tour bus
PHUKET: Police have confirmed that an arrest warrant has been issued for the driver of the tour bus that overturned in Phuket last week. Kathu Police Superintendent Arayapan Pukbuakao told the Phuket Gazette the warrant was issued today. The double-deck tour bus overturned on Patong Hill just two kilometers short of its final destination. The 53 people on board were…
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Phuket Beach Safety: Why the guards are not there
PHUKET: As we move slowly away from the monsoon season and a record number of tourist drownings at the beaches, the Phuket Gazette asked the president of the Phuket Lifeguards’ Association why he and his 82 colleagues aren’t at work. Prathaiyuth Chuayuan, 43, a veteran of 23 years on the sand, says it’s all about a contract. In his words:…
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FC Phuket draws even with “Big Bang’
PHUKET: Despite some excellent chances by both sides, FC Phuket and Division One leaders Big Bang Chulalongkorn University (BBCU FC) FC played to a scoreless draw last night before a record crowd at Surakul Stadium. The final tally barely reflected the intensity of the exciting match. One of the best opportunities for FC Phuket came at 75 minutes, when Sarach…
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Man becomes dogs’ dinner
PHITSANULOK: A man who lived alone in a wooden shack on a fruit farm in Phitsanulok fell to his death and was half-eaten by the 20 dogs he kept to guard his orchards. When villagers living nearby noticed that Mai Khongthong, 66, wasn’t out watering his fruit trees as usual February 25, they called out to him but heard no…
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Phuket Taxi Fares: Motorcycle meters on tap
PHUKET: Meters for motorcycle taxis will hit the streets of Bangkok this month in an effort to regulate fares and reduce accidents – a scheme which will soon be tested in Phuket as well. Visitors to the Central World shopping complex in the Pathum Wan district of Bangkok will be the first to witness the meters in operation. Approximately 24…
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FC Phuket take on Chula tonight
PHUKET: FC Phuket will have a chance to take down top-of-the-table Big Bang Chulalongkorn University FC (BBCU FC) when the two sides take the field at Surakul Stadium tonight in the third weekend of Thai League Division 1 play. BBCU FC are in first with six points, while FC sit two points behind following their being awarded a 2-0 victory…
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Phuket Opinion: Keeping the cops out of the drug business
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette wishes the new City police superintendent the best of luck in his effort to rid Phuket of illegal drug use and police corruption. He is certainly going to need it. It is normal for newly-appointed government officers taking up key posts to state policy objectives, and those of Pol Col Chote Chitchai are irrefutably noble. Col…
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