News
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Woman dies in cliff-side tumble
THALANG (Kom Chad Luek, Gazette): Police have ruled as accidental the death of a 20-year-old woman who fell 20 meters down a seaside cliff near Nai Thon Beach yesterday morning while she was on a motorcycle tour of the island with friends.Lt Col Somkid Khaosang of Tah Chat Chai police station identified the deceased as Savittree Pinmuang, from Nong Bua…
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Land acquisition funds approved for Chalong dam
CHALONG: Some 160 million baht for the final land acquisition for the Klong Krata reservoir project has been approved and landowners will receive compensation payments within two months.News that the funding had been made available under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives was reported during a project update meeting chaired by Phuket Vice-Governor Smith Palawatwichai at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday…
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Bars must close this weekend – and the next
PHUKET: The upcoming general election will be a sobering experience for the island’s party people, as a ban on alcohol sales will force bars to close for two consecutive weekends – starting at 6 pm tomorrow night.Phuket Election Commission Director Supap Akkam this morning confirmed that the new election law prohibits alcohol sales not only on election day, but during…
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Frenchman dies in mystery fall
PATONG: A Frenchman died at Patong Hospital in the early hours of this morning after falling off a bar stool and banging his head early last night.Kathu Police Superintendent Pol Col Grissak Songmoonnark identified the deceased as Gros Laurent, who had been drinking happily with friends at Tiger Entertainment Complex on Soi Bangla. After consuming two beers at the venue,…
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Gambling tops crime stats
PHUKET: Gambling topped the latest crime statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police, with 228 arrests in November.Drug-related cases accounted for 109 arrests, of which 49 involved ya bah (methamphetamine) with a total of 3,170.5 pills seized.Twenty-seven people were arrested for the use of cannabis, with 9.2 kilograms confiscated. There were 15 arrests for inhalant abuse and nine for possession of…
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Three years on: Phuket marks tsunami anniversary
PATONG: Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) is organizing Light Up Phuket on December 26 to mark the third anniversary of the tsunami tragedy in 2004.More than 100,000 candles will be lit along the three-kilometer stretch of sand at Patong Beach.At 10:50 am, 108 monks will pray during a ceremony at Loma Park, Patong.Candles will be placed in the sand on…
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B-negative blood needed urgently
PHUKET CITY: The blood bank at Vachira Phuket Hospital is in urgent need of type B Rhesus-negative blood to treat a patient needing a blood transfusion. Anyone with this blood type is urged to contact the hospital as soon as possible.Donations of any blood type are also welcome and first-time and regular donors with at least three months since their…
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Democrats hit back
PHUKET: A lawyer representing the two Democrat Party candidates running in the December 23 general election has filed a complaint with the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) against a local Thai-language newspaper Siang Tai and several opposition candidates.Alleging numerous violations of the 2007 Election Act, the lawyer has asked the PEC to ban three candidates from political activities for one year…
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Ax meets knife in battle of brothers
KAMALA: Five men were hospitalized after a bloody fight following an accusation of attempted rape at a Kamala construction site workers’ camp on Monday night.Pol Sub Lt Charnsarawut Saeng-aroon of Kamala Police Station reported that the fight, involving an ax and a 12-inch blade, broke out between two pairs of brothers after the wife of a construction worker alleged that…
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Jelik wins King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: Under pressure for a perfect start in strong winds this morning, Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing crossed the start line just three seconds before the start horn sounded, leaving Frank Pong’s 75-foot Jelik to sail off round the course and win the 21st King’s Cup Regatta.The windiest King’s Cup since 1994 sorted the men from the boys to end on…
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Blackouts scheduled for Chalong and Wichit
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has announced scheduled blackouts that will leave residents in Wichit and Chalong without power on December 12 and 13.The power cuts will allow the authority to carry out necessary maintenance and inspection work on high-voltage power lines in both vicinities.The areas will be affected as follows:December 12, 9 am to 5 pm.WICHIT: Pattana…
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Jelik holds lead in King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: After the lay day yesterday to conduct minor repairs and regroup the troops, racing in the 21st King’s Cup Regatta resumed today. Crews may have appeared subdued in the light morning air, but underneath the determination to improve their standings over the last two days of racing was greater than ever. The scoring team have worked tirelessly and assured…
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Phuket companies score at property awards
BANGKOK: Phuket-based property companies took home four of 13 awards at the 2007 Thailand Property Awards, held in Bangkok December 1.The Yamu was awarded the Best Resort Villa Development prize, Royal Phuket Marina won in the Best Resort Condo Development category, while the Lighthouse Club Green Development Award went to West Sands in Mai Khao. Siam Real Estate was awarded…
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Gangs war with “swords’ at Saphan Hin
SAPHAN HIN: Two gangs each of about 40 teenagers battled with long-bladed weapons, reported as swords, at Saphan Hin about 1 am on Sunday. In the melee, a 16-year-old died after being struck down while riding his motorbike and a member of the same gang fled his attackers by jumping into Klong Bangyai, but with his right hand severed and…
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Cop shoots self by accident
WICHIT: A police officer on a solo stakeout on Monday accidentally shot himself in the wrist, the Gazette has learned.Following up a report that an officer had been shot by motorcycle thieves, the Gazette today spoke to Sgt Rakchart Suksrinuan of the Phuket City Police.Speaking from a hospital bed at Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he is being treated, Sgt Rakchart…
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King’s Cup honors HM The King’s birthday with sail-past salute
PHUKET: Before racing got underway in the 21st King’s Cup Regatta today, a royal sailpast was held to honor HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 80th birthday. A majestic sight to behold as crews lined the 103 competing yachts chanting three cheers, doffing their sailing caps and some even singing Happy Birthday.A parade of sail is an appropriate way for international sailors…
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Protesters continue attack on Cherng Talay Tesco
THALANG: With construction of the new Laguna Tesco-Lotus Market in Cherng Talay nearing completion, the development continues to be marred in controversy after representatives from Cherng Talay Municipality measured the area of the site on November 26 and declared the construction legal in a subsequent report.Samarn Krohlek and Apisit Ngarnpresertkit, leaders of a local protest against the store, joined Thalang…
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Chalong dope bust: 3 arrested, 9 kilos seized
CHALONG: Chalong Police seized nine kilograms of marijuana last Wednesday after a sting operation that resulted in the arrest of three men.Chalong Police Superintendent Pol Col Samarn Chainarong told a press conference on Thursday that after gathering intelligence from informants, police received information about a group of men who had been selling marijuana in Phuket.Pol Maj Veerayut Sitthirattakul of Chalong…
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Collisions mar Day 2 of King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: After yesterday’s passage race around the islands, the sailors got down to the serious business of racing on multiple windward/leeward courses. Once again it was an idyllic day for sailing with gusts of 15 to 20 knots of northeasterly breeze fanning the boats along under clear blue skies. Several collisions on the course saw a huge attrition rate in…
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Jelik wins King’s Cup opener
PHUKET: Clear blue skies and 8 to 10 knots of northeasterly breeze greeted the sailors on Day One of racing. Some may have been a little late arriving at the starting area, especially after dancing the night away at last night’s welcoming party at the Kata Beach Resort. The race officers selected passage courses that took the fleet around the…
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Cigana and Blatchford win triathlon titles
CHERNG TALAY: Massimo Cigana from Venice and Briton Liz Blatchford ran, swam and cycled their way to the front of a throng of about 700 athletes from 44 countries at this year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon on December 2.The star-studded field comprised the likes of 2007 Hawaii Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington from the UK, 2007 Ford Ironman World Champion 70.3…
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MP candidates call for local election commission to be replaced
PHUKET CITY: Six local MP candidates from four political parties held a press conference Wednesday afternoon, calling for the national Election Commission (EC) to replace all the members of the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) currently chaired by Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha.The six politicians charged that the PEC’s joint staging of an “anti-vote-buying” activity with the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor)…
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Chalong Police nab cable cutters
CHALONG: Chalong Police have arrested two suspects for late-night thefts of electric cable that left homes in Rawai and Chalong in blackout over the past month. At a press conference at Chalong Police Station yesterday morning, police identifed the culprits as Mana Sae-Tun and Sansern Klaseuk, both 23-year-old Phuket natives.The thieves were presented to the media by Chalong Police Investigtions…
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Rajabhat student stabbed
RASSADA: A first-year student at Phuket Rajabhat University was seriously wounded after being stabbed repeatedly by her boyfriend at her rented room in tambon Rassada on November 28, Phuket City Police Duty Inspector Lt Col Adul Nirapai told the Gazette.At about 10 pm, Sujitra Chatavee, a native of Phang Nga Province, was stabbed repeatedly by her boyfriend with a small…
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Registered population continues to rise
PHUKET: As of October 31, Phuket’s official population stood at 313,835 persons, up 880 from September 30. The rise follows a provincial campaign to increase the registered population of Thais living in Phuket, as officially tallied from household registration forms, or tabien baan.Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Piya Bharatasilpin reported the increase during the monthly meeting of the Phuket…
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Yellow-top bikers oppose vote buying
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha gave out 200 yellow crash helmets to motorcycle-taxi riders at Phuket Community Hall on Monday November 26.The color yellow symbolizes devotion to the king and are part of a campaign to discourage vote buying in the upcoming government elections on December 23.The helmets were donated by Ruam Pong Motor Co Ltd. and are adorned…
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Dutch tourist stabbed near Downtown Market
PHUKET CITY (Kom Chad Luek/Gazette): A Dutch tourist is recovering in Bangkok Phuket Hospital after being stabbed twice by a knife-wielding thief outside the Downtown Market on Ranong Rd last night.The tourist, 51-year-old Thomas De Klerk, was shopping at the market with his wife Maria Kroezen at the time of the attack, staff at the hospital told the Gazette.The victim…
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Police investigate case of electrocuted Swede
PATONG: Kathu Police are investigating the death of 34-year-old Swedish tourist Robert Karlsson Svard, who was found dead in his room at a Patong guest house on the afternoon of November 23. Pol Sub Lt Thitikorn Rawang, Duty Officer of the Kathu Police, confirmed as accurate a report in a local Thai-language newspaper that said Mr Karlsson Svard died of…
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Five arrests in teen-stabbing case
PHUKET CITY: Five youths were arrested on Saturday for the murder of 14-year-old Theeraphong Thongklam, who died after being stabbed in the heart in the early hours of last Wednesday. Theerapong’s friend, who was riding pillion when their bike on crashed about 1 am on the night of the murder, told police that he and Theerapong were driving to Thalang…
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Incendiary behavior sparks murder at Saphan Hin
SAPHAN HIN: Phuket City Police are investigating the fatal stabbing of man whose celebration of the Loy Kratong Festival with firecrackers allegedly angered a group of young revelers, two of whom allegedly stabbed him in the back while he was urinating.Pol Capt Sathit Nurit, Duty Officer of the Phuket City Police, identified the victim as 29-year-old Apichart Kaewpanya, a resident…
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