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How much is Thai health insurance?
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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Governor opens “Festival of 1,000 eyes’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha yesterday officially opened the 20th Phuket Pineapple Fair at Saphan Hin Park in Phuket Town. The fair kicked off at 5pm and continues through to August 22. Phuket Agricultural chief Winai Khankaew explained to the Gazette, “It’s not just pineapples. There are all kinds of fruit, flowers and other agricultural products on show.” Among the…
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Damrong leads National Park raids on Phuket resorts
PHUKET: National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department (DNP) Director-General Damrong Phidet yesterday led raids on 10 resorts alleged to have encroached on National Park land on Phuket’s west coast. The raids started in the afternoon with Mr Damrong leading 10 teams of investigators brought in from 10 different offices of the Royal Forest Department (RFD) from across Thailand. In…
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Phuket Sports: Orphans team up with Olympic finalists
PHUKET: A group of school children on Phuket played its part in helping the American pair of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross reach the recent Beach Volleyball Olympic final. Last year the duo competed in the FĂ©dĂ©ration Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Women’s World Tour in Karon and took some time out from competing in their tournament to watch a school…
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World News: Mass shooting at Mexican strip club claims 10
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Death toll rises to 10 after mass shooting at Mexican strip club Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: The death toll has risen to ten after gunmen opened fire at a strip club in northern Mexico, state officials said yesterday, in what appears to be the…
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Phuket Town underground cable project ’90 per cent complete’
PHUKET: Phase two of the 39-million-baht project to bury central Phuket Town’s electricity mains cables is more than 90 per cent complete, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana has confirmed. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has already finished burying the electricity mains cable on Krabi and Deebuk Roads. They are now focused on burying the mains supply along sections of Thepkrasattri…
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Phuket Police close case on death of German woman
PHUKET: Police have closed their investigation into the death of a German woman in Phuket last Friday following the request of her husband, who has accepted that she died from cardiac arrest. Angelika Geibler, 60, was found dead by her husband at their home in Rawai. He woke early and left the house; when he returned he found her dead,…
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Phuket safe from Sumatra smog: Officials
PHUKET: An expert at the Phuket Provincial Health Office today confirmed that no health warning has been issued for Phuket following Sumatran fire-related smog blanketing Southern Thailand.“Phuket is not affected by the smog from Sumatra, so we have yet to issue a smog warning,” Health officer Walapa Jeenloy confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.“There are some other provinces effected by the…
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Thailand News: US Visa given to Thaksin not a political issue
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Politics not involved in visa given to Thaksin : US ambassador Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: The issuing of a visa to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was done under United States laws and had no bearing on domestic politics in Thailand, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney…
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Foul complaints prompt Phuket piggery inspection
PHUKET: An inspection of a chicken and pig farm led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak has resulted in several recommendations for the farm owners to follow, but otherwise found nothing untoward other than the foul odor emanating from the site. The inspection follows residents at the The Valley 2 housing estate filing a group complaint with the Damrongtham Center…
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World News: Boat carrying 67 asylum seekers missing
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australia says boat carrying 67 asylum seekers is missing Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A boat carrying nearly 70 asylum seekers which left Indonesia for Australia in late June has not been heard from since, Australian home affairs minister Jason Clare said yesterday, adding that the government…
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Olympics: Medalists come home to heroes’ welcome
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rousing welcome Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Thailand’s Olympic athletes returned home to a resounding heroes’ welcome yesterday after capturing three medals – including two silver – at the London Games. The Kingdom finished 57th out of 205 countries that competed in the sporting extravaganza.…
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Protest pressures Phuket police to reopen teen death crash probe
PHUKET: Following a public protest yesterday, Chalong Police will reopen their investigation into a traffic accident in which a 16-year-old boy died on Sunday. About 20 people, including the aggrieved father, Sompong Sae-min, friends and family, gathered at Chalong Police Station at about 10am. According to the police report, Weerachat Sae-min, a 16-year-old first-year commerce student at Phuket Technology College,…
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Phuket Business: Mid-year tax filing deadline approaches
PHUKET: Companies and individuals who generated income in Thailand during the first six months of 2012 – regardless of where or how payments were made – have until August 31 to file their midyear tax return. In this first article, we will go over the basics of regulations and procedures for filing and paying income tax in Thailand. Next week,…
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Phuket Sports: Islanders prevail in Chanthaburi 1-0
PHUKET: A single goal by Watcharakorn “Bird” Klaithin was enough for Phuket FC to prevail 1-0 over Chanthaburi FC in their 22nd fixture of the season on Sunday evening. The away match was played in front of a humble crowd of 420 at Chanthaburi’s Central Stadium in Chanthaburi town in Eastern Thailand. Though Phuket were heavily favored, there was a…
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Phi Phi islanders, resort tackle rising tide of monsoon trash
PHUKET: Island residents and local resort staff on Koh Phi Phi Don teamed up for a mass beach cleanup on Sunday, removing more than 100 trash bags worth of rubbish that had washed ashore.Local residents together with more than 45 staff from the Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island tackled the rising tide of trash at Lanah Bay, one of…
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Fireball engulfs Phuket marina workshop
PHUKET: Police believe that children playing with fireworks may have accidentally started a fire that destroyed a workshop at Phuket’s Yacht Haven Marina last night. Prai Junnoo, a 33-year-old security guard at the marina, reported the fire at about 9pm. Firefighters from the Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) and the Thepkrasattri Municipality fire brigades arrived swiftly and took 30…
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World News: Earthquake victims used Facebook to call for help
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Iran earthquake toll rises to 306 dead, more than 3,000 injured Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: The death toll after two devastating earthquakes struck northwestern Iran over the weekend has risen to at least 306, the country’s ministry of health said yesterday. More than 3,000…
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US court postpones trial of Phuket-based child porn suspect
PHUKET: The trial of a Ukrainian man arrested in Phuket and recently extradited to the United States for alleged involvement in international distribution of child pornography over the internet has been postponed to November. Maksym Shynkarenko, 33 at the time of his arrest, was taken into custody here in January 2009 at his luxury villa in Chalong through the collaborative…
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THAI’s low-cost carrier plan stalls
PHUKET: Plagued by financial losses, Thai Airways International (THAI) has decided to drop plans to establish a low-cost carrier airline by 2013.The chairman of the board, Ampon Kittiampon, confirmed on August 9 that, given the company’s recent financial under-performance, launching a low-cost carrier would not be included in this year’s strategic business plan.Dr Ampon told the press that he was…
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Phuket Sports: Wood claims maiden victory at Thailand Open
PHUKET: Englishman Chris Wood claimed the first win of his professional career yesterday with a two-shot victory in a rain-interrupted US$1million Thailand Open, breaking the hearts of home fans hoping for the first Thai champion in eight years. The 24-year-old European Tour regular – competing in a OneAsia Tour event for the first time – fired rounds of 67, 64,…
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World News: More journalists killed in Syria and Somalia
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two Syrian journalists killed as TV crew goes missing Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Two Syrian journalists were killed near Damascus on Saturday while covering the ongoing civil war, state-run media and an Arab satellite television station reported yesterday. And a crew member of a…
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Phuket honors Queen’s birthday
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha this morning led an offering of alms to 81 monks before a mass blessing was held to honor HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday today, which is also honored as Mother’s Day in Thailand.The ceremony began at the auspicious time of 7:09am, with the Governor joined by his wife, Mrs Nalinee, as well as Phuket Vice…
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PHUKET OPINION: Football thugs lose face in the name of the game
PHUKET: The recent threat of violence against Phuket FC fans who made the journey to Krabi Provincial Stadium should serve as a wake-up call to the Thai Premier League (TPL) to ensure that better security measures are in place for future matches in Krabi, especially those involving southern rivals. [See page 47, current issue of the Phuket Gazette. Digital subscribers…
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Police find “nothing suspicious’ in Chinese drownings
PHUKET: Chalong Police will not be conducting further investigations into two separate drowning deaths of Chinese tourists off Phuket this week, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Boonlert Onklang told the Gazette yesterday that he received a report at about 11:30am on Tuesday informing him that a Chinese woman had died while on a snorkeling trip to…
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PHUKET OPINION: Football hooligans score own goal
PHUKET: The recent threat of violence against Phuket FC fans who made the journey to Krabi Provincial Stadium should serve as a wake-up call to the Thai Premier League (TPL) Co Ltd to ensure that better security measures are in place for future matches in Krabi, especially those involving southern rivals. The TPL leagues have been an undisputed boon to…
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Phuket Sports: Laguna reigns over the Village
PHUKET: Defending T20 champions Laguna took on the Village in the Outrigger T20 league on Sunday, August 5 at Phuket’s ACG. The Village were hoping to avenge their defeat by Laguna in the final of the Island Furniture League. However, Laguna came out winners once again after setting a target of 152 runs, while the Village could only manage a…
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Minor Hotel Group pours B3bn into Phuket resort
PHUKET: Thailand-based Minor Hotel Group is splashing out 3 billion baht on the acquisition and remodeling of Bundarika Villas and Suites on Phuket’s northern west coast. As first reported by Phuket Gazette Property Columnist Bill Barnett in June, the Bundarika Villas Suites located on 23 rai Phuket’s north west coast on Layan Beach, was purchased with “an adjoining 32 rai…
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Phuket Gazette office closed on Monday
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette would like to inform readers that our office will be closed on Monday, August 13, to observe the public holiday in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday on August 12.All government offices and all bank main branches will also be closed on Monday.Advertisers in the Gazette Classifieds are assured that this will not affect any…
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World News: Bomb at the FBI undiscovered for 3 weeks
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Guards fired after bomb goes unnoticed at federal building in Detroit Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A federal report released on Thursday has harshly criticized the handling of an improvised explosive device (IED) that was discovered at a federal building in Detroit in March 2011 but had…
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Phuket set to celebrate Queen’s Birthday, Mothers’ Day
PHUKET: A host of special ceremonies are being held at different locations across the island to honor and celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday and to celebrate Mothers’ Day on Sunday, August 12. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on Wednesday presided over the opening ceremony of a tree-planting event at King Rama 9 Park (Suan Luang) in Phuket Town to honor…
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