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  • Police snap up “kratom’ grower in northern Phuket

    Police snap up “kratom’ grower in northern Phuket

    PHUKET: Police in the northern Phuket area of Thalang yesterday raided and shut down a tropical fruit orchard that was also being used as a kratom-growing operation. The orchard owner, named by police as Nathee Tianthong,50, had five kratom trees growing on his property – in his house police found 400 grams of harvested leaves. All five trees were cut…

  • Phuket City police bag druggy by using GPS tracker from stolen iPhone

    Phuket City police bag druggy by using GPS tracker from stolen iPhone

    PHUKET: Police quickly nabbed a Phuket druggy by using the GPS tracking feature of the iPhone he had stolen from a German tourist yesterday. The German tourist, David Trebs, was standing in front of the 99 Oldtown Boutique Guesthouse in Phuket Town at about 2am yesterday when a man on a motorbike drove by and snatched his iPhone, explained Lt…

  • Phuket Soccer Schools and Thanyapura set for international tourney

    Phuket Soccer Schools and Thanyapura set for international tourney

    PHUKET: The Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) is hosting a 40-team international tournament this weekend at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC). Teams will compete in U8, U10, U12 and U14 age groups. The tournament has attracted teams from Hong Kong, Singapore, Koh Samui and Phuket. The opening ceremony starts at 8:30am on Saturday with the closing ceremony taking place on…

  • Phuket Moevenpick to increase Thai occupancy | Thaiger

    Phuket Moevenpick to increase Thai occupancy

    PHUKET: Moevenpick Resort Bangtao Beach, a luxury boutique hotel in Phuket, aims to raise its profile in the local arena by increasing the proportion of Thai guests to about 5% this year, up from a tiny slice at present.The hotel opened officially in mid-2011. The new strategy is part of the operator’s plan not to rely too heavily on foreign…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Damascus rebels, CIA ‘Zero Dark Dirty’, Bangladesh war crimes, Russian jets, Pussy Riot

    Phuket Gazette World News: Damascus rebels, CIA ‘Zero Dark Dirty’, Bangladesh war crimes, Russian jets, Pussy Riot

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Syrian jets bomb Damascus ring road to halt rebel push Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Syrian government jets bombarded the Damascus ring road on Thursday in a bid to halt a rebel advance which threatens President Bashar al-Assad’s hold on the capital, insurgent commanders and opposition…

  • Thailand Futsal League: Andaman Pearl bagged by CAT

    Thailand Futsal League: Andaman Pearl bagged by CAT

    PHUKET: The island’s pro futsal team, Phuket United, suffered their fifth straight loss on Wednesday night, losing at home 1-2 to the state-owned telecom corporation flagship team, CAT FC. Played in front of about 500 fans at the Saphan Hin Indoor Sports Complex, the match was both sides’ 19th of 30 fixtures in the Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL) 2012-2013…

  • Phuket migrant workers granted three-month deportation reprieve

    Phuket migrant workers granted three-month deportation reprieve

    PHUKET: Cabinet has passed a resolution allowing migrant workers in Phuket and across the Kingdom an additional three months to complete the nationality verification process, Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) chief Yawapa Pibulpol told the Phuket Gazette today. “According to Cabinet’s resolution, migrant workers’ deportation deadline has been extended until April 15,” Ms Yawapa said. “What action we will take…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: 9-year-old girl gives birth in Mexico | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: 9-year-old girl gives birth in Mexico

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 9-year-old girl in western Mexico gives birth Phuket Gazette / Wires PHUKET: A 9-year-old girl in Mexico’s western state of Jalisco has given birth to a baby girl after a pregnancy of more than seven months, police and prosecutors said on Wednesday, making her one of…

  • Rogue wheel in Phuket leaves Russian in ICU

    Rogue wheel in Phuket leaves Russian in ICU

    PHUKET: A Russian biker remains unconscious in Bangkok Hospital Phuket’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after being knocked from his motorbike by a rogue wheel that flew off a 10-wheeled truck on Thepakasatrri Road yesterday. The Russian, named by police as Alexey Balabko, 26, was a riding a “big bike” when he was struck by one of two wheels that came…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Gambling talk hits tourism tables; B2trn transport plans; No visas for Gulf medical tourists

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Gambling talk hits tourism tables; B2trn transport plans; No visas for Gulf medical tourists

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kingdom must consider legalised gaming soon, tourism forum hears The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The nation’s pre-eminent gathering of tourism and travel-industry experts has concluded that while Thailand looks headed for its best year ever for tourist numbers and revenues, action to legalise gaming, improve infrastructure and…

  • Phuket jet-ski operator nabbed, denies anchor attack | Thaiger

    Phuket jet-ski operator nabbed, denies anchor attack

    PHUKET: Police have apprehended the Phuket jet-ski operator who reportedly swung an anchor angrily at the head of a German tourist at Kata Beach on Monday (story here). Named only as “Mr Buntoon”, age 33, the operator was brought in for questioning by Karon Police yesterday. “He confessed that he run over the German man’s belongings with the jet-ski trailer…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Tsunami devastation; Pompeii mafia; SA gang rape victim dies; Syrian rebels advance; Greeks fight for food

    Phuket Gazette World News: Tsunami devastation; Pompeii mafia; SA gang rape victim dies; Syrian rebels advance; Greeks fight for food

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tsunami kills 7, destroys hundreds of houses in the Solomon Islands Phuket Gazette / WiresPHUKET: The major earthquake that struck near the Solomon Islands yesterday, triggered a tsunami that destroyed entire villages and claimed the lives of at least seven people, officials confirmed today.The 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck…

  • Phuket full-scale tsunami drill not to be announced in Russian

    Phuket full-scale tsunami drill not to be announced in Russian

    PHUKET: Phuket will hold its annual full-scale tsunami evacuation and marine rescue drill at Karon Beach on February 21, but the tsunami warning messages will not be played in Russian, the Phuket Gazette was told today. “The Ministry of Interior requires the six Andaman provinces in the tsunami hazard zone to hold a tsunami evacuation and marine rescue drill at…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Solomon tsunami kills 5, more deaths likely | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: Solomon tsunami kills 5, more deaths likely

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tsunami kills at least five in Solomons after big Pacific quake Phuket GazettePHUKET: The powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake that triggered a tsunami today killed at least five people, including a 10-year-old boy, in a remote part of the Solomon Islands.The quake struck 340 km east of Kira…

  • Party monk defrocked over drugs, sex romp in Phuket

    Party monk defrocked over drugs, sex romp in Phuket

    PHUKET: A monk and two female friends having a sex party in a Patong hotel room were busted by police for drug use yesterday, and the monk was subsequently defrocked. After receiving a tip from local residents, police raided a hotel room at the southern end of Patong Beach. “We went to the location provided and found a monk and…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Pacific tsunami alert lifted | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News: Pacific tsunami alert lifted

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tsunami threat lifted after big South Pacific quake Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands earlier today, triggering a small tsunami that swept into isolated island communities and sparked tsunami alerts across the South Pacific that were later cancelled.Damage reports…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Pacific Islands tsunami alert; Syrian talks, Vatican abuse; Obama in Israel

    Phuket Gazette World News: Pacific Islands tsunami alert; Syrian talks, Vatican abuse; Obama in Israel

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Solomon Islands 8.0 quake triggers Pacific tsunami warning Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: An earthquake measuring 8.0 magnitude struck southeast of the Solomon Islands on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The shallow quake was only 5.8 km deep and the epicentre was 81 kilometers west…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Andaman erosion; avian flu alert; Poh pardon; polls to please

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Andaman erosion; avian flu alert; Poh pardon; polls to please

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Officials eye Andaman coastal erosion The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Marine and Coastal Resources Department is formulating plans to tackle coastal erosion in six Andaman Sea provinces. The most severe erosion was found in Tambon Saladan on Krabi’s Koh Lanta, where five meters of…

  • Phuket parents join “fight club’ | Thaiger

    Phuket parents join “fight club’

    PHUKET: Two parents tired of having their boy picked on by a gang of students at school took matters into their own hands today by turning up at the school and “slapping” the five bullies. They have since been charged with assault. Sgt Paritat Duangkamol of the Thalang Police was called to Muang Thalang School at 8:10am. Outside the principal’s…

  • Phuket Police search for jet-ski operator after anchor attack on German tourist

    Phuket Police search for jet-ski operator after anchor attack on German tourist

    PHUKET: Karon Police are looking for a jet-ski rental operator at Kata Beach who yesterday allegedly swung an anchor at the head of a German tourist.When contacted by the Phuket Gazette, Col Werawat Juntharavijit*, Acting Superintendent of the Karon Police, today said he had yet to be informed of the incident.“I have not received a report about this. I will…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: YouTube sex spoof withdrawn; Saudi case twist; Bangkok polls turn black; Hotels ride high

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: YouTube sex spoof withdrawn; Saudi case twist; Bangkok polls turn black; Hotels ride high

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Spoof on Thailand removed from YouTube The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Apinand Poshaya-nond, the deputy permanent secretary for culture, has confirmed the removal yesterday of a controversial video posted on YouTube satrizing a computer language-learning program that taught potential toutrists how to negotiate with Thai prostitutes in…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Alabama hostage standoff ends with child freed

    Phuket Gazette World News: Alabama hostage standoff ends with child freed

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Alabama hostage standoff ends with child safe, gunman dead Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The FBI stormed an underground bunker in rural Alabama on Monday, safely rescuing a 5-year-old boy held hostage for nearly a week and leaving his kidnapper, who had also killed a school bus driver,…

  • Phuket Gazette Sports: Global soccer fixing scam exposed

    Phuket Gazette Sports: Global soccer fixing scam exposed

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sports news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Investigators expose global match-fixing network Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Hundreds of soccer matches have been fixed in a global betting scam run from Singapore, police said on Monday, in a blow to the image of the world’s most popular sport and a multi-billion dollar industry.…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Syrian peace call; Berlusconi Bunga; Pirates seize tanker; Belgian child killer appeal

    Phuket Gazette World News: Syrian peace call; Berlusconi Bunga; Pirates seize tanker; Belgian child killer appeal

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communitySyrian Opposition chief calls to offer Assad peaceful exitReuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Syrian opposition leader Moaz Alkhatib urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government on Monday to start talks for its departure from power and save the country from greater ruin after almost two years of bloodshed.Seeking to step…

  • Spiraling Phuket prices blamed on B300 min wage

    Spiraling Phuket prices blamed on B300 min wage

    PHUKET: A market vendor at the busy Kaset Market in Phuket Town yesterday told the Phuket Governor the 300-baht-a-day minimum wage was forcing vendors to pass on price hikes of fresh produce to consumers. Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday morning led officers to inspect food prices at Kaset fresh market, located behind the Robinson department store in Phuket Town (map here).…

  • Breaking News: Phuket fugitive Dane “Denny’ Knudsen arrested

    Breaking News: Phuket fugitive Dane “Denny’ Knudsen arrested

    PHUKET: Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that wanted Danish national Dennis Mark Knudsen, 24, has been arrested by Phuket Police. Mr Knudsen was wanted for breaking bail conditions after he failed to appear at Phuket Provincial Court on January 22 to resolve a dispute with Australians John Cohen and Adam Shea about a “big…

  • Thailand Futsal: Phuket United sunk by Navy

    Thailand Futsal: Phuket United sunk by Navy

    PHUKET: A second-half hat trick from Phuket United’s leading scorer, Jackson Santos, was not enough for his side to beat the Royal Navy FC, who walked away 5-3 winners in a futsal league match on Saturday evening in Bangkok. The match, played at Bangkok’s Fashion Island futsal arena, was both side’s 18th of 30 league matches in the Thailand Futsal…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Mexico Pemex blast toll reaches 36

    Phuket Gazette World News: Mexico Pemex blast toll reaches 36

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Mexican rescue workers found three more bodies over the weekend amid the rubble of a deadly blast that tore through state oil firm Pemex’s main office complex, the government said, as search efforts appeared to near a close. The death toll from…

  • Russian tourist found dead at Phuket resort, cause unclear

    Russian tourist found dead at Phuket resort, cause unclear

    PHUKET: Police are hoping that assistance from forensics investigators will help unravel the cause of death of a Russian tourist whose body was found in his Phuket resort villa yesterday. Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Jumroon Plaiduang was called to a resort in Soi Na Tai in the southern Phuket beach area of Rawai (map here), at about 1:30pm. “We found…

  • Teaching Russian-language skills the key to resolving Phuket discord

    Teaching Russian-language skills the key to resolving Phuket discord

    PHUKET: A solution to the anti-Russian sentiment spreading rapidly in Phuket is Russian-language classes, the Russian Federation’s Deputy Honorary Consul in Phuket, Santi Udomkiratak, has told the Phuket Gazette.“Lack of Russian-language skills is a big part of the Russian issue here, and it’s been a problem for a very long time,” Mr Santi said.“There are very few Thai people who…