News
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Health insurance in Thailand is essential for expats and locals, providing financial protection and access to quality care. Costs depend on age, health, and coverage level, with basic plans being cheaper but limited and comprehensive plans offering more benefits at...
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Aussie envoy thrusts weapons in Phuket into the spotlight
PHUKET: The Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok, Jonathan Kenna, yesterday placed the carrying of weapons on the streets of Phuket into the spotlight at a meeting with the Phuket Governor. “I told the governor that the safety of the tourist is the most important issue,” Mr Kenna, speaking in Thai, told the press following a…
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Chinese tourist drowns off Phuket
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist on holiday with friends in Phuket drowned this afternoon while on a day trip to Koh Racha Yai, about 25 kilometers south of Phuket. Capt Wuttiwat Liang-boonjinda of the Chalong Police named the victim as Li Ran, 28. Ms Li was travelling with five friends who joined about 40 other tourists for the trip to Racha…
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Video Report: Man in pink raincoat robs Phuket Family Mart
PHUKET: A man wielding a knife and wearing a pink raincoat jumped over the counter of a convenience store in Thalang early this morning and made off with the contents of a cash register.Police responding to a call at 3:45am found the two female employees unharmed at the Family Mart at the entrance to Baan Lipon School in Srisoonthorn.One of…
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Phuket still on the map at TTM+ 2013
PHUKET: The island is still a top tourist hub in Southeast Asia, with a wide variety of hotels, resorts and hospitality-related businesses representing Phuket at 13th annual Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2013 (TTM+ 2013), held at the IMPACT Exhibition Hall in Bangkok recently. More than 800 delegates arrived from around the region to network with the 420 hospitality related organizations…
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Phuket storm topples marquee at festival, man crushed by speakers
PHUKET: A Phuket Town motorbike taxi driver died after strong wind toppled a marquee covering the stage at Saphan Hin last night, sending speakers crashing down on him. Police and rescue workers arrived at the 10th Annual Southern Prison Products Fair (story here) at about 7:45pm to find Muhammad Poksakul, a 62-year-old motorbike driver at the nearby Phun Pol Night…
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Phuket’s DJ Doris out of ICU
PHUKET: Paul Norris, Phuket’s renowned “DJ Doris” on Phuket Island Radio 91.5FM, is out of intensive care and recovering at Bangkok Hospital Phuket. Mr Norris suffered a head injury in what is believed to have been a motorbike accident in Patong early Saturday morning. He was rushed to Patong Hospital by rescue workers. However, he remained unconscious and was transferred…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Putin, Obama face off over Syria at G8; Italy flooded with refugees; Brazil unrest swells; NK negotiator to talk in China
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community European, U.S. leaders launch free-trade talks Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The United States and the European Union launched negotiations for the world’s most ambitious free-trade deal on Monday, promising thousands of new jobs and accelerated growth on both sides of the Atlantic.Trade between Europe and the United…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Insurgent suspect testifies; 5 hurt as Army helicopter ditches; Bangkok dengue; Supercar duo called to surrender
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Suspect names leaders behind bombings, murders and van heist in South: official The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A suspected insurgent now in custody, Sakariya Tohtayong, has implicated alleged masterminds of the movement behind unrest in the deep South, a senior official said yesterday.Sakariya gave useful testimony that…
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Elephant smugglers caught at work in Phuket
PHUKET: Thalang police seized three elephants being illegally transported into Phuket this morning. Nine people were arrested in the early-morning raid and the two trucks transporting the elephants were seized. Suspects told police that a “Piang Sala-ngam” had sent his son-in-law Sa-ngad Padphai down with the trucks from an elephant camp in the northeastern province of Surin. The trucks departed…
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PHUKET VIDEO REPORT: Infamous Black Hole of Patong may not be fixed for weeks
PHUKET: After two motorbikes plunged into a giant pothole in the back streets of Patong early yesterday morning, Phuket authorities say they will not be able to start fixing the road until at least next week. A video posted on YouTube shows a foreigner having to dive into the huge puddle – measuring at least two meters deep, several meters…
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Phuket python chokes the chicken
PHUKET: A three-meter python was found choking a Phuket resident’s chicken late last night. “I was asleep in the house when I was awoken by the sound of a chicken,” said the owner of the fowl, Pairoj Denmalai. “I came outside to find a large python strangling one of my chickens, and immediately contacted Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers,” he said.…
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V-Phuket braves wild weather to stage anti-government protest
PHUKET: Hundreds of V-Phuket protesters, wearing their iconic Guy Fawkes masks, braved the strong wind and lashing rain in Phuket Town yesterday afternoon to continue their protest against the Pheu Thai government under Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The rally in Phuket was held in concert with other “V for Thailand” protests in at least 22 provinces, as well as in…
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Young American dies in Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: A 27-year-old American man died instantly on Saturday when he was hit by a Chang beer delivery truck on Wiset Road, in Rawai. “According to witness reports, American Nicolas Javier Solis exited Soi Kok Ma… onto Wiset Road, heading to Rawai Beach,” said Lt Wuthiwat Leangboonjinda of the Chalong Police. “As he exited Soi Kok Ma, he was struck…
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Iraqi wrestling coach dies of heart attack in Phuket
PHUKET: A coach with the Iraqi wrestling team in Phuket for the Asian Junior Wrestling Championships died of a heart attack on Saturday night while returning from a night out on Phuket’s renowned Soi Bangla. Kadee Abes, 44, from Iraq, was pronounced dead at 1:28am yesterday, Dr Patrinee Thammasrisawat of Patong Hospital told the Phuket Gazette. “We tried for about…
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Phuket tourist safety gets 300 CCTV camera boost in Patong
PHUKET: The push by Phuket authorities to increase tourist safety across the island has received a much welcome boost with Patong CCTV control rooms now up and running. The new system, launched as part of the Patong Safety Zone initiative (story here), displays footage from 32 high-quality police CCTV cameras and 300 private CCTV systems at three central locations, Patong…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Sloan ranger named for Gitmo closure; Iran parties for cleric president-elect; Czech out in graft scandal; Kremlin says kiss my Superbowl ring
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community State Department to name lawyer Cliff Sloan to close Guantanamo Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The State Department on Monday is expected to announce the appointment of Washington lawyer Cliff Sloan to oversee the closure of the controversial Guantanamo detention camp, sources familiar with the decision said on…
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Dorked in the dark: YouTube video sees Chiang Mai biker arrested
PHUKET: A CHIANG MAI man was arrested by police after a video surfaced on YouTube of him driving around the northern city on a 1.2-million-baht superbike. That might not sound criminal in itself. The issue of concern to the cops was that Chetaphon Chantarabunthawi, 25, was completely naked at the time. Mr Chetaphon told reporters that he had made the…
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One dead as Phuket pickup slams into tree
PHUKET: One man died and another was injured when a pickup truck slammed into a tree in central Phuket early this morning. Rescue workers and Thalang Police were called to the scene on Srisoontorn Road, about 300 meters from Baan Manik School (map here), at about 2:10am. The driver, Jaroendham Thepraksa, 25, died instantly in the impact. The passenger, Montri…
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Phuket payout for Chinese tourist drowning victim
PHUKET: Representatives from Phuket’s tourism industry stepped forward this week to provide one million baht in compensation to the family of a Chinese tourist who drowned while swimming off Racha Yai Island last year. Yuan Dingrong, 56, drowned after getting into difficulties while snorkeling off La Bay at Rachai Yai Island, about 25 kilometers south of Phuket, on November 20…
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Police probe suicide at Phuket workers camp
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a woman who reportedly committed suicide while her husband was out drinking and her 14-year-old son was next door playing with neighbors yesterday afternoon.Phuket City Police officers were called to the scene, a construction workers camp on Soi Kingkaew Uthit in Rassada, at about 5pm.They arrived to find Saeng-ngern Trairoj 54, dead from…
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Newborn dumped, found dead in Phuket trash pile
PHUKET: A newborn baby boy with a rubber band twisted tightly around its neck was found dead in a pile of rubbish in southern Phuket beach area of Rawai yesterday afternoon.The baby, estimated to have been dead for over 24 hours, was spotted by Rawai Municipality trash truck driver Sutham Kansuwan on his regular route along Soi Suksan 1, said…
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Phuket teens in gang attack, motorbike theft
PHUKET: Police are urging motorists to exercise caution when travelling alone late at night in the Thalang area after a man was kicked off his motorbike while in motion and robbed of his motorcycle by a gang of youths late Thursday night. Chatmongkol Sukmak, 17, was riding home from Phuket Town at about 11pm when a gang of youths travelling…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Rohani leads Iran polls; Tabasco graft; Rupert and Wendi get divorced; UK calls for Snowden no fly zone
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Iran votes for new president, Khamenei slams U.S. doubts Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Moderate cleric Hassan Rohani took a commanding lead ahead of conservative rivals in Iran’s presidential election, according to initial results, but his tally appeared narrowly insufficient to avoid a second round run-off…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: EU to provide 200,000 euros to assist Rohingya refugees in Thailand
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community EU to provide 200,000 euros to assist Rohingya refugees in Thailand The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The European Union is committing 200,000 euros to provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees being detained in Thailand, the EU Delegation to Thailand announced on Friday. The help will…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: National lottery impossible, says expert; Supercar hit list targets rich; Akeyuth murder suspect surrenders; Mobs face off in Chiang Mai
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thai national lottery ‘statiscally impossible’: expert The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: After conducting a three-decade-long study, Chulalongkorn University statistician Theeraporn Verathaworn has discovered that the numbers drawn fortnightly in the state lottery are highly improbable. Hence, he said, the system should become fully automated and…
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Schaefer takes over Muang Thong, Thailand play China
PHUKET: Winfried Schaefer quit his role last week as manager of Thailand’s national football team to replace Slavisa Jokanovic as manager of Muang Thong United. He lost his first game in charge 1-0 to Bangkok Glass last Sunday. Schaefer’s move to Muang Thong represents a solution to the headache suffered by the Thai Football Association as it sought to end…
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Lions Tour: Upping the tempo
PHUKET: After two relatively straightforward workouts – against the Barbarians in Hong Kong and the Western Force in Perth, the Lions encountered their first real test at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the setting for the first Test on June 22. Against the Barbarians, the heat had been enervating, with Welsh prop Adam Jones declaring it “like nothing I have…
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Phuket on the cards to host Thailand’s F1
PHUKET: The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has admitted Phuket could host Thailand’s lucrative Formula One race in 2015 due to strong opposition from Bangkok residents. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) put the skids on the F1 race being held in the capital by banning the use of the historic Rattanakosin Island. The move came after residents and business owners complained…
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Triathlon champs coming to Challenge Laguna Phuket
PHUKET: Reigning World Champion Pete “PJ” Jacobs has confirmed he will race the inaugural Challenge Laguna Phuket half distance triathlon on December 1 – setting up an intriguing contest with fellow Australian Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack, the defending title-holder and two-time world champion, for a slice of the race’s 25,000 euro prize purse. The elite pair will compete at Challenge Laguna…
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LPIM: Testing ground for evolution of species
PHUKET: Homo sapiens have evolved as persistence hunters. We are designed to go the distance, to plod along behind any quick footed antelope on the open prairie until the poor bugger, all sprints and no stamina, gives up the ghost – the Laguna Phuket International Marathon was a testing ground of our evolution. “We are a species of runners,” I,…
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