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New international school set to open
THALANG: Phuket International Academy (PIA), under construction on Soi Teenped-Nanai, in Baan Nanai and next to Khao Pra Taew National Park, is scheduled to open on September 8 with its first students, ranging from nursery to Grade 4, taking classes.The academy, once complete, will run through senior high school and a boast modern sports and performing arts facilities. All construction is scheduled…
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World health tourism conference slated to bring US$10 million
KARON: An international convention on medical and health tourism to be be held in Phuket next year is expected to generate US$10 million, according to the event’s organizer, SOS Medical Tourism Services.The World Medical Health Tourism Conference (TWMHTC) 2009 will be held at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa from September 16 to 18 2009.“Phuket is the ideal location…
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Kathu killing attracts top-level interest
KATHU (Gazette, Kom Chad Luek): The mafia-style murder of Komkai Kositkoon, whose mother owns Jintana Shopping Plaza in Patong, has caught the attention of some of the nation’s top police.“Maj Gen Chatree Sunthornsorn, a personal assistant to the national police chief, was in Phuket yesterday and has taken control of the case,” Thung Thong Police Superintendent Col Arayapan Pukbuakao told the…
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OrBorJor to offer incentives for rooms tax
PHUKET: In a move to encourage Phuket hotels to pay their dues, Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising has said that the OrBorJor would start offering incentives to hotels that paid the controversial rooms tax.Although he did not specifically explain what incentives would be offered, Khun Paiboon said that they would be in the form of personnel or…
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Big Buddha cost to top 100 million baht
CHALONG: The total cost of Phuket’s Big Buddha image on top of the Nakkerd Hills between Kata-Karon and Chalong is predicted to surpass 100 million baht, said Suporn Vanichkul, President of the Mingmongkol Faith 45 committee, which is raising funds for the project.K. Suporn told the Gazette that the structural work on the Big Buddha is almost finished and that…
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One-Two-Go forced to suspend operations
BANGKOK (Nation): Low-cost carrier One-Two-Go will suspend its operations from Tuesday until September 15, making it the first airline victim of record oil prices. Founder and CEO Udom Tatiprosongchai said the unrelenting rise in oil prices had forced the airline to shut down temporarily. “The company has been losing money for months, and we cannot continue like this,” said K.…
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THAI reopens Narita-Phuket route
MAI KHAO: The first Thai Airways International (THAI) direct flight from Narita, Japan, since the tsunami, arrived at Phuket International Airport yesterday afternoon, bringing some 300 Japanese tourists to the island.The Boeing 777-200 arrived at 3:30 pm, a little ahead of schedule, giving the tourists some more time to be welcomed by Tourism Authority of Thailand Southern Region 4 Office…
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Trawler sinks off Koh Racha Yai
KOH RACHA YAI: Crew on board the Sang Samut scrambled on top of their upturned hull yesterday morning as their 40-foot fishing boat sunk in rough seas off Koh Racha Yai.Sopon Sukkarin, vice-chairman of Koh Racha Yai Conservation and Prevention Network Club, told the Gazette, “The boat started taking on water the night before, when there were torrential downpours and…
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Heavy rains cause traffic delays
KOH KAEW: As the rain continues to fall on the island, motorists on Thepkrasattri Rd near Boat Lagoon this morning saw waters rise to more than a meter deep across the three northbound lanes.Police allowed only high-clearance vehicles to pass, such as pickup trucks, directing them in single file through the shallowest point, while diverting other vehicles to alternative routes.Many…
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Campaign to reduce plastic waste launched
PHUKET CITY: In possibly Phuket’s first unilateral move to reduce the volume of trash created each day on the island, the leaders of all 19 local administration organizations on Phuket – as well as representatives of 23 businesses, shops, department stores and resorts on the island – signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at The Metropole hotel on July 9.…
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Southern rebel leader announces end to separatism
Bangkok (Nation): A self-proclaimed spokesman of 11 “underground” separatist groups has announced a ceasefire in the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, ending the secessionist movement in the Malay-speaking region.The announcement, delivered by videotape, was broadcast midday today through Thai TV5, an Army-run station and TV 7.Speaking through a translator, the spokesman announced an end to all violent…
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Goat beauties open agricultural fair
CHERNG TALAY: This year’s Cherng Talay Agricultural Fair began today with a beauty contest with a difference – the pageant aimed to find the island’s most attractive goat. Organized by Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), the five-day event offers islanders a chance to cop an eyeful of Phuket’s most attractive fruits, flowers and farm animals. Flowers and other agricultural…
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Three buried alive in Patong landslide
PATONG: Following heavy rains overnight, three Burmese laborers were crushed by a landslide this morning at the site of a new apartment block being built on 50 Pi Rd.The laborers were part of a construction crew who had been working on building a retaining wall at the site, located opposite Rattana Hill Apartments, to prevent such an incident.The owner of…
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Floating gas station busted
AO MAKHAM: Phuket Customs officers on July 10 arrested two men found on board a Thai-registered boat carrying 3,000 liters of illegal diesel off the coast of Satun.Customs officers apprehended the vessel at sea 17 nautical miles north of Koh Adang in Satun province at 5:30 pm on July 10, Somchai Poolsawasdi, director of the Royal Thai Customs Investigation and…
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Drug arrests coming down
PHUKET: Crime statistics released by the Phuket Provincial Police show that the number of drug-related arrests in June was down to 44% compared with 66% in May.In June, there were 171 arrests for drug-related offenses, 104 of which involved ya bah (methamphetamine) with a total of 7,052 pills seized.A total of 41 people were arrested for using cannabis, with 4,581.08…
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Bars asked to observe alcohol ban
PHUKET: As a mark of respect for Asarnha Bucha and Buddhist Lent this Thursday and Friday, respectively, bars and other sellers of alcohol on the island are being asked to observe an alcohol ban on the two Buddhist holidays.Businesses are asked not to serve alcohol from midnight on Wednesday night until midnight on Friday night.Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnak told…
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Youngster yachtie wins Raceweek photo contest
PHUKET: Local yachtie Mia Gillow, 23, has won the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek Photo Contest, winning her three nights’ stay in a Studio Garden View room at The Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa during the annual regatta. Miss Gillow’s photo of Living Doll on a charge running downwind at Geelong Race Week in Australia early this year has also…
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Inaugural multihull regatta underway
CHALONG: Crews racing in the inaugural SEA Property Multihull Championship got off to an easy start this morning with catamarans and trimarans crossing the start line in light winds.Although the regatta entails only two days of racing, it has attracted a large number of local multihulls, including many of the Phuket designed and built Firefly 850s.Among the Fireflys, which are competing…
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Thaksin on graft charges
BANGKOK (The Nation): The attorney-general has filed a criminal lawsuit against Thaksin Shinawatra, accusing him of abusing power while serving as prime minister by converting telecom concessions to benefit Shin Corp at a cost of 66 billion baht in damages to Thailand.After an initial delay, the attorney-general yesterday took up the policy corruption case involving Shin Corp, which was investigated…
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Chalong Pier operator to quit contract
PHUKET CITY: Following allegations of not fulfilling obligations laid out in the concession offered by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), Choke Aree Tour Co Ltd has asked to annul the contract to operate Chalong Pier.At a meeting at the OrBorJor offices in Phuket City on July 3, OrBorJor President Paiboon Upatising said that Choke Aree received 300,000 baht a…
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Thailand’s rich get richer: Forbes
BANGKOK (The Nation): Despite the political and economic uncertainties, Thailand’s 40 richest people have proved to be a stable lot as old names remain on Forbes‘ 2008 list, and some have become even wealthier.Chaleo Yoovidhya, with a net worth of US$4 billion (Bt135 billion), returns to the No 1 spot – up $500 million from last year – thanks to…
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PAD members march on Provincial Hall
PHUKET CITY: The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) marched through Phuket City this afternoon on their way to deliver a letter expressing disappointment at the central government’s handling of the Preah Vihear Temple saga.About 300 PAD members led by PAD leader Natjarong Ekpermsup met at about 1:30 pm in front of the Tourism Authority of Thailand office on Thalang Rd…
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OrBorJor hospital suffers another delay
RASSADA: In the latest snag in the saga of the re-opening of the old Phya Thai Hospital, one of Thailand’s leading interior designers, who has been commissioned for the project, presented interior plans for the five-story building and for only about half of the main building.Wibool Tiramongkol, special instructor at the Faculty of Decorative Arts at Silpakorn University – Thailand’s…
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THAI resumes Tokyo-Phuket flights
PHUKET: Thai Airways International (THAI) has announced it will resume operating direct flights between Tokyo and Phuket from July 17.Flight TG 671, which will operate directly from Tokyo to Phuket to Bangkok, was suspended in February 2005 as passenger numbers plummeted after the tsunami.THAI will operate two flights a week – on Thursday and Saturday – departing Tokyo at 10…
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Foreign Minister resigns
BANGKOK (The Nation): Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama announced his resignation today, with effect from July 14. Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry, Noppadon insisted that he and the Foreign Ministry had done the right thing regarding Thailands’ stand over the registration of Preah Vihear Temple as a world heritage site.But he said he had to resign because he could not…
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TAT lowers tourism projections
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has sharply cut its projections for the number of international visitors and tourism revenue next year due to soaring oil prices, which are discouraging international travel and have led to cuts in inbound flights.It targets only a 3.3-per-cent growth in the number of international visitors in 2009, a sharp downward revision…
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Tourists stay put as tsunami sirens sound
PATONG: Tourists in Patong opted to soak up the sun rather than run for their lives during yesterday’s tsunami drill. The exercise, held across the six Andaman provinces, included the sounding of all 79 tsunami warning towers operated by the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC).At Patong Beach, a female English tourist told the Gazette, “I heard the siren and knew what it was,…
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Clams, fish move into new digs
CHALONG: A group of Chalong villagers and Erawan Group staff on Friday released more than 1,000 rare marine creatures into Chalong Bay as part of an initiative to support marine populations off the coast of Phuket.Sutha Prateep Na Thalang, leader of a Chalong fishermen’s group, said, “There aren’t many of these animals left in the water because of all the…
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Pian runs for re-election as Patong Mayor
PATONG: Pian Keesin on Friday announced he will defend his seat as Patong Mayor at least one more time in the Patong Municipality election to be held on July 27. Khun Pian will be leading the charge for the Rak Patong (Love Patong) party, contesting the mayoral election against Somkiet Kuru of the Patong Gao Na (Patong Progress) party. Campaigning…
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Nok Air slashes Bangkok-Krabi route
BANGKOK (The Nation): Nok Air’s daily Bangkok to Krabi flight was one of three routes dropped by the domestic airline on July 1 in an effort to reduce costs. Services from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and to Ubol Ratchathani were also terminated.Travelers already booked on flights for those routes are being transferred to Thai Airways International and Thai AirAsia flights,…
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