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Phuket Sports: Gonzalo has gone and done it again; Golfing tip of the week
PHUKET: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who didn’t quite make the Ryder Cup team, showed he would have been a worthy pick by beating the field in solid fashion to win the BMW Championship at Royal Park I Roveri in Italy. Garth Mulroy, a little known journeyman from South Africa, tried his best to keep up with Gonzalo. Matteo Manassaro, the young golfing…
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Phuket City to spend more than B100mn on flood defense
PHUKET: In the wake of floodwaters inundating Phuket Town in August, Phuket City Municipality is looking to spend 100 million baht on flood defense measures, starting with a 10-million-baht study conducted by a private consultant. The news was delivered at a public meeting chaired by Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana at the Phuket Merlin Hotel in Phuket Town on Wednesday.…
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Official probe finds Tiger Disco failed to meet fire-safety regulations
PHUKET: The findings of an official investigation into the Tiger Discotheque fire that killed four people on August 17 were publicly released yesterday. They cite failure by nightclub management to adhere to multiple fire-safety regulations. The report, compiled by the Building Society Inspectors and Officers Association (BSA) and the Association of Siamese Architects (ASA), did not cite the cause of…
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World champion eyes Laguna Phuket Ironman 70.3 title
PHUKET: The recently-crowned 2012 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Leanda Cave, has signed up for the Laguna Phuket event less than 24 hours after completing her epic World Championship victory in Las Vegas on September 9, and before resuming training for her next title bid at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii on October 13, it was revealed by the…
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Wife begs gold-thief husband to turn himself over to Phuket Police
PHUKET: The captured wife of a brazen smash-and-grab gold thief last night begged her husband to turn himself over to the Phuket Police so that she could return to Burma and take care of her children. In the midst of tears, Mrs Musa insisted that she did not know the shampoo bottles she was fleeing to Burma with were stuffed…
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Phuket powers up to fewer scheduled blackouts
PHUKET: Residents and businesses across the island are likely to be subjected to fewer scheduled blackouts in the coming years, the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has told to the Phuket Gazette. The blackouts, needed so PPEA crews can carry out maintenance on high-voltage power lines, install new lines and move power poles, have regularly seen entire areas of the…
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Where the Phuket buffalo roam
PHUKET: To highlight the diminishing number of buffalo still grazing on the island, Phuket Democrat MP Raywat Areerob joined local farmers on Tuesday at a small country fair that included a bovine beauty contest. The event, organized by the National Farmers Council (NFC) Phuket office and Srisoonthorn Municipality, with support from the Phuket Agricultural Office, was held at the field…
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Phuket Airport officials unveil how they caught their woman
PHUKET: Following the arrest of a woman wanted by authorities in Bangkok for human trafficking charges, Phuket Airport Immigration officers revealed how they caught the suspect before she could fly out of the country. Phuket Airport Immigration officer Lt Col Wannee Songchaisanguan said that Snr Sgt Maj Wanchai Narin was on duty in the departure hall on September 14 when…
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Phuket gold thief’s wife tips off police
PHUKET: Phuket Police this morning are combing the Kathu Waterfall area after the wife of smash-and-grab gold thief Mr Koson tipped off police to his probable whereabouts. The Burmese woman, yet to be named by police, was arrested at the Mo Chit Bus Station in Bangkok last night with gold jewelry valued at about 1.8 million baht in her possession,…
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Forensic report into cause of Phuket’s Tiger Disco fire postponed
PHUKET: After all the noise made by officials about the urgency to uncover the truth of the Phuket nightclub fire in August, the release of the investigators’ official report has been postponed while the forensic specialists attend a seminar in Bangkok.Superintendent of the National Office of Forensic Science stated during the investigation of the fire at the Tiger Discotheque on…
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Thailand News: Protest forces US embassy to close early
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anti-US protest forces embassy to shut early Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Five companies of anti-riot policemen were deployed to guard the US Embassy in Bangkok yesterday as about 400 Muslims staged a protest against the US government over an anti-Islam film. “Destroy America!” the…
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Manhunt for Phuket gold shop thieves begins
PHUKET: Police now have arrest warrants issued for the two men wanted for the robbery of a Phuket gold shop yesterday and have set up two teams of officers to track the men down. Meanwhile, police stations throughout Southern Thailand have been alerted to be on the lookout for the suspects in their respective jurisdictions. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit…
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Phuket consuls praise Provincial Hospital
PHUKET: The British and Australian honorary consuls in Phuket have heaped praise on the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) Hospital. Martin Carpenter, British honorary consul, and Larry Cunningham, Australian honorary consul to Phuket, also called for local media organizations to publicize the facility so people can take advantage of the new hospital’s services. At the meeting of Phuket’s honorary consul…
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Irish tabloid suspends editor over topless Kate photos
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Irish newspaper suspends editor over topless Kate photos Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: The editor of the Irish newspaper Daily Star was suspended late yesterday over his decision to re-publish topless photographs of Prince William’s wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, while on holiday in France.The tabloid…
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Phuket Business: Pickup sales champ
PHUKET: Reinforced with continuous, cutting-edge improvements to its steering and suspension systems, the Toyota Hilux Vigo Champ looks to retain its stronghold on the domestic pickup market. The Phuket Gazette had the opportunity to join an exclusive tour of Toyota Motor Thailand’s (TMT) Ban Pho production plant recently, gaining a first-hand look at the prized truck’s production and assembly line.…
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Phuket Business: 200 years of market crises
PHUKET: With the US stock market sitting near its 52-week high, and already having made a 100% move upwards from its low at the peak of the sell-off that occurred during the financial crisis, I have dug a bit deeper into history to get a feel for the frequency of crashes. I have a good grip on the longer bull/bear…
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Live Wire: All I want for Xmas is a 3G tab
PHUKET: Welcome to the fourth and final installment of my series about where the computer industry is headed (click here to see related articles). With the Christmas season just around the corner many people are thinking about buying new electronics – computer, tablet, phone, maybe even a TV. This column will help you stay on top of developments between now…
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World News: iPhone 5 shatters launch sales records
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community iPhone 5 pre-orders top record 2 million in first 24 hours Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Apple received more than two million orders for its new iPhone 5 during the first 24 hours of pre-orders, exceeding the initial supply and more than doubling the previous…
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Phuket honorary consuls grill local transport chief over new taxi fares
PHUKET: In their first “regular” quarterly meeting with Phuket government officers since February, Phuket Honorary Consuls today delivered a barrage of questions over the new standard taxi fares “agreed to” on September 12. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, recently returned from a cultural tourism roadshow in Nepal, asked for input from honorary consuls about the new standard fares. Phuket Land Transportation…
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Thai woman arrested in Phuket on prostitution human trafficking charges
PHUKET: Immigration officials arrested a Thai woman believed to be at the center of an international human trafficking ring at Phuket International Airport on Friday as she tried to board a flight to Bahrain.Dujdao “Champagne” Yarana*, 27, was arrested at 7pm by Capt Suppachai Moongaew and immediately taken to Bangkok.After questioning by the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) she was charged…
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Phuket Sports: Quiksilver Open finishes on the crest of a wave
PHUKET: Topping a long list of highlights in the four days of non-stop surfing and extreme sports action at the Quiksilver Open Phuket Thailand, Bali’s Mega Semadhi took the ASC/ISC Open Division final yesterday for his first contest win this year, while reigning Men’s Asian Surfing Champion Raditya Rondi (also from Bali, Indonesia) hoisted his second consecutive ASC Championship trophy…
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Police set up cordon to capture brazen Phuket gold shop robbers
PHUKET: Police have surrounded a disused fish processing plant on the east side of Phuket Town this afternoon in the hope of capturing two men who shot a gold shop owner with an air pistol before making off with an estimated 3 million baht in jewelry. Phuket City Police were informed at 1:30pm that the Yong Chuan gold shop in…
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Phuket Business: Smile – you’re on THAI
PHUKET: Last week Prasert Tanhansa, manager of the THAI Airlines (TA) district sales office in Phuket, announced new Phuket routes to be serviced, starting next month, by the national carrier’s new airline, THAI Smile (TS). Here, the Phuket Gazette’s Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai speaks exclusively with Mr Prasert about market positioning, strategies and more. PHUKET GAZETTE: TS has been called by some…
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US Embassy prepares for anti-American demonstrations in Thailand
PHUKET: The US Embassy in Bangkok has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that the recent security warning issued to all American citizens was not linked to any specific threats in Thailand. The warning, issued by the US Embassy in Bangkok, reads: “As a general precaution, the U.S. Embassy advises you to exercise caution and to be aware of your surroundings,…
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“I think we’re all wise enough to understand…
“I think we’re all wise enough to understand that people write things and that what is written is not necessarily what is true. There’s a lot of speculation, there’s a lot of stories that aren’t true.” PHUKET: Lewis Hamilton responds to speculation surrounding his future. The Mclaren driver has been strongly linked in the past week with a move away…
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Phuket tourist safety boost as Patong taxis install GPS units
PHUKET: As a part of the ongoing “Phuket Safety Zone” project, Patong Police have joined with the private sector to install GPS tracking devices to Patong taxis. Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Phochanaphan joined Preechawut Keesin, Pisona Group Managing Director and president of the Patong Taxi Federation, in announcing the news on Saturday. “We along with the Pisona Group and other…
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Prime Phuket land sold to mystery buyer for B1.64bn
PHUKET: An unknown buyer has acquired 455 rai of land on Phuket’s west coast from the Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company for 1.64 billion baht, reports Phuket Gazette Property columnist Bill Barnett. Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company’s largest shareholder, BTS, had planned to develop the site north of Kamala Beach under the entity Kamala Beach Resort Company before…
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Phuket Sports: Islanders entertain with hard fought draw
PHUKET: The Islanders moved up one place into eleventh in the 18-team Thai Yamaha One league thanks to a 1-1 home draw last night with southern rivals Pattalung FC. Both sides, facing the threat of falling into the relegation zone, were hungry for points in the tense, high-stakes match that saw a new record for attendance this season set at…
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Phuket to host first Southern Thailand Museum Festival
PHUKET: For the first time, more than 30 museums from across Southern Thailand will be collaborating to create a single event: the Southern Thai Museum Festival 2012, to be held in Phuket next week. “Visitors will be able to experience the exhibition which will include precious antique objects. We are proud to be able to show these antiques as they…
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Phuket to stage biggest PADI “Diving for Debris’ reef cleanup in world
PHUKET: Go-Eco Phuket, a recently established marine environmental group, has announced that it is now looking to stage the biggest PADI “diving for debris” reef cleanup project on record on September 30. The event has escalated from what was originally expected to be a reef cleanup carried out by a coalition of several PADI dive centers on the island to…
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