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Urgent need for B Rh Negative blood
BANGKOK: Foreign Correspondents Club Thailand (FCCT) member and well-known local restaurateur Thomas McNamara is in critical condition and in need of blood type B Rh NEGATIVE. If you or anybody you know has this rare blood type, please contact Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok (Tel: 02-6671000) where Mr McNamara is being treated in Intensive Care Unit 526. A transfusion will help…
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Young Brit dies in mystery fall
PATONG: A young English tourist mysteriously fell from a building in Patong early Monday evening and died en route to hospital. Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnark identified the deceased from his passport as UK national Joseph John Nason, age 22. Mr Nason and a friend, aged 19, had just arrived in Phuket on a flight from Bangkok and were…
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Cobra cocktails, roadside rat-ions
SUPHANBURI: The sight of roadside stalls selling seasonal fruit, diesel-flavored roast chicken or other comestibles is a common one on any road trip in Thailand. Along the roads of Suphanburi, however, the offerings are a bit more exotic, with cobras and field rats the current hits.On October 27, Sala Phromphim, who owns five stalls selling the unusual delicacies along the…
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Phupanee and Yunsuwan crash out of Phuket Open Volleyball
KARON: Crowd favorites Orradee Phupanee and Aunchalee Yunsuwan of Thailand crashed out in straight sets (21-16 and 21-15), losing to the more experienced Swedish pairing of Tora Hansson and Camillia Nilsson yesterday in the Swatch FIVB Phuket 2008 Women’s Open volleyball tournament. The Swedes, seeded sixth, won the match in straight sets in just 27 minutes. At 16 years of…
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Laguna Phuket turns to China, Middle East as Europe stays away
PHUKET: Laguna Phuket, the giant five-star resort complex on Bangtao Beach, Phuket, says it plans to look more and more towards China and the Middle East next year to compensate for a continuing plunge in bookings from European tourists. The operators expect the global financial crisis and domestic political unrest to continue affecting international arrivals next year, particularly Europeans, long…
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Stress taking a toll
BANGKOK (The Nation): Heads of families or breadwinners in urban areas in Bangkok and 18 other provinces are suffering from stress due to political turmoil and economic woes, an Abac poll revealed yesterday. The poll was conducted from October 10 to November 1. Of 3,293 respondents surveyed, 59 per cent said they were ‘stressed out’ by the country’s ongoing political…
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Kajonkietsuksa School celebrates Halloween
WICHIT: Students and teachers of the Kajonkietsuksa School’s bilingual program today dressed up for a range of special Halloween activities being held at the school. These fun events are taking place before an abundance of parties all over the island this evening, including a ‘Sexy’, black-and-gold dress-up Hellfire event at the Watermark. What? Halloween gone sexy?
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Alarm over HIV infection among gay men
BANGKOK / PHUKET: While the overall figure for people living with HIV/Aids is declining, new infections among men who have sex with men have been increasing drastically during the past few years, causing grave concern at the Public Health Ministry. Dr Somchai Chakrabhand, Director General of the Disease Control Department, said yesterday that a recent survey of gay men across…
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Central gets its HomeWorks done
WICHIT: After a year under construction, the 1-billion-baht HomeWorks home improvement mall opened its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday, October 25. Built by the CRC Power Retail Company Limited, one of the many arms of the massive Central Retail Corporation, the bypass road’s latest mega-retail outlet is located at the Darasamuth School Intersection, right across…
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AOT launches “Lucky Flight’ promo at Phuket Airport
MAI KHAO: The Airports Authority Of Thailand (AOT) launched its three-day “Lucky Flight by AOT” promotion on Monday, when some of the 250 passengers arriving aboard Thai Airways flight TG 1205 won presents in a lucky draw held upon their arrival at 11 am. Manager magazine’s on-line Thai language news service quoted Phuket International Airport (PIA) deputy director Sucheeb Sansiripan…
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They’re here! Box Jellyfish found in Phuket waters
PANWA: The Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) has issued an official warning following the collection of almost 40 box jellyfish in a trap in shallow waters, off Ao Nambor, on Phuket’s east coast. Some 38 of the jellyfish, which favor shallow brackish water, were recovered from a fish trap in a mangrove area on July 30. Eighteen more were found…
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Big Buddha gets big bell
KARON: Work on the the enormous Buddha image in the Nakkerd Hills is now about 90% complete and a huge bronze bell was installed at the site to mark King Chulalongkorn Memorial Day on Thursday.The one-million baht bell, which weighs one metric ton, was a gift from the Rassada Cooperative Credit Union. Work on the image, officially known as Phra…
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Man suspected of journalist killing turns himself in
NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: A man wanted on suspicion of involvement in the killing of Matichon journalist Athiwat Chainurat handed himself in to authorities in Nakhon Sri Thammarat on October 22. Lamduan “Kop” Kaowsisot, 25, from Bang Khan District gave himself up to Amnuay Jaritngam, headman of Village 1, Tambon Ban Lamnao, Bang Khan District after learning that a warrant for…
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Copulating couple cause culture shock
UTTARADIT: Government officials in Uttaradit have been put on high alert after a teenage couple was caught having sex right outside the culture office in the Provincial Hall on the afternoon of September 20. On that day, the town was packed with people coming to watch a festival being held in Phraya Phichai Dap Hak Sports Stadium, opposite the hall.…
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Cruel cure for unlucky lad
SURIN: Sometimes, a cure can be worse than the illness. This was certainly the case for one young man who went to the local temple to perform a ceremony to ward off bad luck, but ended up dying after drinking “blessed water” prepared by the temple abbot. Twenty-three year old Bunyang Khreuaniam of Khwao Sinarin District on September 30 told…
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Police to launch traffic law crackdown
PHUKET CITY: In an attempt to reduce road accidents, Phuket Provincial Police have vowed to get tough on traffic violations under a new road-safety program, the state-run Andaman News service has reported on the NBT network. The National Police Bureau will reactivate a traffic and road safety center in a bid to stem the alarming number of deaths resulting from…
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Chai-Anan elected Kathu mayor
KATHU: By exactly 1,000 votes, Chai-Anan Suttikun beat rival candidate Somkid Choosawat in the October 12 election for Mayor of Kathu, Phuket Election Committee (PEC) Director Supap Akkam has confirmed. Mr Chai-Anan, representing the Rak Kathu (Love Kathu) party, garnered 4,815 votes, while Mr Somkid from rival party Kathu Pattana (Kathu Development) secured 3,815 votes. The result makes Mr Chai-Anan…
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Man charged with Tesco midnight robberies
TAH CHAT CHAI: Stepped-up security at the Tah Chat Chai police checkpoint has resulted in the arrest of a man wanted for stealing merchandise valued at more than 100,000 baht from the Tesco-Lotus store on the bypass road. At a press conference led by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongthong on Friday, the suspect was identified as Manorom Aksorniem, from…
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Man arrested for murder at Khao Khad Viewpoint
WICHIT: Phuket City Police took just 12 hours to arrest one man for the brutal stabbing and shooting murder of a bank employee on the night of October 12, but another key suspect in the case remains at large. According the the Phuket Provincial Police website, Phuket City Police Duty Officer Nanon Pitakkulthon was notified on October 13 that a…
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Truck gone wild, but nobody hurt
PHUKET: A truck crashed through a roadside wall and careened down a steep embankment after its brakes failed this afternoon. No one was hurt in the accident, which occurred at about 5pm on Ake-Wanich Rd where nearby hillside land is being cleared for the construction of several apartment blocks.
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Two survive family “wipeout’ attempt
SAKOO: Police are investigating two possible motives for the shooting attack that left two rubber tappers dead and a third critically injured high in the Layan hills on Friday afternoon. Tah Chat Chai Police Inspector Somkid Khaosang identified the two deceased as Suppachai Nuan-eung and Boonrit Inthong. Both men were found dead at their hillside home, located off Layan Rd…
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Salang revives threat
BANGKOK (The Nation): Police General Salang Bunnag yesterday revived his threat to “retake” Government House from the anti-government protesters, saying that his planned operation would begin after a religious ceremony to be held nearby on Wednesday. Salang, a former deputy police chief, said he would lead more than 1,000 inactive or retired policemen to retake the compound and return it…
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TAT awards Dusit Laguna Phuket best hotel in South
PHUKET: Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket has won the 7th Thailand Tourism Award 2008 from the TAT for being the best hotel in the South with over 80 rooms. Criteria considered by the judges included the level of service, attention to protecting natural resources and the environment, sustaining art and culture, self-sufficiency and corporate social responsibility. General Manager of Dusit Thani…
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Google Maps launched for Phuket businesses
PHUKET: The Gazette Guide, Phuket’s local business directory (yellow pages), has today announced the availability of Google Maps to its roughly 4,000 listed businesses. Users of the online version of the directory can now pinpoint precisely where a business is located ā a major benefit in a community where postal addresses are often more confounding than enlightening. An example of…
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PAD protest on National Police Day
PHUKET CITY: Ceremonies on Monday morning marking National Police Day had some unexpected guests, when some 300 People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters turned up to express their anger at the death of two PAD protesters who died from injuries sustained in clashes with police outside Parliament in Bangkok on October 7. Despite the unexpected guests, the ceremony got underway…
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Ruling party tense after PM Somchai’s royal audience
BANGKOK (The Nation): Repoters and People Power Party MPs were scrambling last night to try to verify claims that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat might dissolve Parliament. A grim-looking Somchai was tight-lipped upon his return from a royal audience with HM the King in Hua Hin, saying only that he gave the monarch “a normal report” on government work. When asked…
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Chinese gas canisters to be recalled, destroyed
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Royal Thai Police will recall all Chinese-made tear-gas canisters that are now blamed for causing horrific injuries and deaths to People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrators during last Tuesday’s clash outside Parliament. The recalled canisters will be destroyed, Ordnance and Quartermaster Division Commander Phuwadon Wuttakanok said yesterday. “The firing test shows that tear-gas canisters supplied by…
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Governor Niran to be transferred to Bangkok
PHUKET: After serving eight years in Phuket, Governor Niran Kalayanamit will now leave the province, the state-run NBT news agency has announced. Governor Niran was initially transferred to Phuket as a vice-governor and was promoted to governor on November 1, 2006. His request to be transferred to his native Bangkok has been approved, where he will take up the post…
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Province launches mobile “anti-poverty”Ā clinic
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Province this morning launched a “Mobile Anti-Poverty Clinic” aimed at eliminating poverty in the province in accordance with government policy. The opening festivities took place on the grounds in front of Phuket Provincial Hall this morning, with Phuket Vice Governor Tri Augkaradacha presiding. Naep Sinthong, who heads the province’s community development services unit, said the project is…
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Bangkok Airways gears up for high season
BANGKOK: Bangkok Airways will increase frequency on its Bangkok-Phuket and Phuket-Samui routes during the high season with a new schedule that starts on October 26, the carrier has announced. For the Bangkok-Phuket route, flights will leave Suvarnabhumi Airport at 8.10 am, 11.45 am and 5:30 pm. Flight time is just under 1.5 hours. For its Phuket-Samui route, flights will leave…
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