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Woman gunned down in Kamala
KAMALA: The long-term partner of a well-known local businessman was gunned down in front of The Club restaurant, on the main road through Kamala, around 7:30 pm on Saturday.Lt Col Monsak Suebsuwan, Duty Inspector at Kamala Police Station, told the Gazette that the victim was Nongnuch Kongprueb, 42, partner of Harry Tawando, 72.Col Monsak, the leading investigator in the case,…
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Old Phuket Festival draws huge crowds
PHUKET CITY: About 1,000 people turned out to enjoy the first day of the 9th Old Phuket Festival yesterday on Phang Nga Rd, Thalang Rd and Soi Rommanee.Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasupana led the Old Phuket parade through the city’s old quarter, followed by hundreds of people dressed in traditional costumes, such as the local baba and yaya dress.Long drums…
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Man dies after mid-flight heart attack
THALANG: An Indian businessman on a private flight from India to Singapore died early this morning after suffering breathing difficulties mid-flight, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing at Phuket International Airport (PIA).Lt Col Somkid Khaosang, Duty Inspector at Tah Chat Chai Police Station, named the man as Ram Calani Kusiram, 67.“The man’s 27-year-old son, Calani Nares Kusiram, told…
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81 Burmese arrested at Wat Chalong Fair
PHUKET: Immigration officers arrested 81 Burmese workers who broke the 8 pm curfew so they could attend the Wat Chalong Fair between February 16 and 22.In December a provincial order was issued banning Burmese workers from leaving their homes after 8 pm without their employer. They are also not allowed to drive vehicles or possess mobile phones.Pol Col Ittipon Atchariyapradit,…
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17 more bars caught in late-trading crackdown
PATONG: Seventeen more bar operators have been charged with trading outside permitted hours following the raids on late-night Valentine’s Day parties last week.The second round of raids came about 4:30 am February 16 on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, with the operators of the Jonas Tree Guest Bar, The Sunday Bar, Paris Bar, The Nineteen St Bar and a bar named…
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Free willy at the wat
CHALONG: A naked Slovenian man who ran short of medication for a nervous condition was found wandering around naked at Wat Lathiwanaram shortly after midday on Saturday. His stroll came to an abrupt end, however, when he was confronted by a white-robed temple nun. According to Lt Col Anek Mongkol of Chalong Police, the Slovenian, 38, rode his motorbike from…
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Couple attacked on bypass road
RASSADA: A Phuket man was beaten and blasted by a shotgun when he and his wife were attacked by a motorbike gang on the bypass road early on Monday morning. K. Chatchai Chuenjitsoonthorn, 26, was taken to Vachira Hospital where he is still recovering from his injuries. His condition is reported as not life threatening.Lt Theeradet Jiraksa, Duty Officer at Phuket City Police…
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A self-made man
SONGKHLA: No one would claim the life of a laborer in Thailand is easy; having to toil in the midday sun while others make all the money is sure to rankle. This is presumably the reason why casual-laborer-for-hire Thanongsak Rakngam, 31, a native of Songkhla province, decided to turn to a more easeful occupation. Thinking that police work looked like…
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Koh Yao villagers stage pier protest
PHANG NGA: About 30 protestors have been camping out for over a month on Klong Son Beach on Koh Yao Yai, demanding the government scrap plans for a pier to be built there by a large land developer.The protesters comprise poor Muslim residents of Village 3 and representatives from non-governmental organizations supporting their cause. The villagers see the project, which…
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Valentine’s Day crackdown sees nine club owners charged
PATONG: The operators of nine clubs and bars in Patong, including Night Station Discotheque and Safari Pub, were arrested early Thursday morning for violating the mandatory closing time of 2 am.Officers from Phuket Provincial Police Special Task Force and Kathu District Police Station, led by Lt Col Sermphan Sirikong, raided the entertainment hotspots at 4 am February 15, kicking out…
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Masseuse set on fire on Patong Beach
PATONG: After yelling at a Patong Beach masseuse about her crying daughter, a man doused the woman with paint thinner and set her alight about midday on Tuesday.As the girl’s parents ran to their daughter’s aid, outraged witnesses pounced on the man and beat him.The mother is now in hospital, critically injured with first-degree burns. Her attacker, a drug addict,…
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Police to crack down on foreign labor
PHUKET: Police have been ordered to crack down on alien laborers using mobile phones or found on the streets after 8 pm, Phuket Vice-Governor Vorapot Rattasima said this morning.At a meeting at Provincial Hall, V/Gov Worapot said that he had received reports that alien laborers were leaving their registered place of abode after 8 pm and freely using mobile phones,…
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Two killed in head-on smash
SAMKONG: A Finnish man and a Thai tuk-tuk driver were killed in a head-on collision between a tuk-tuk and a pickup truck shortly after 1 pm yesterday. A Finnish woman and Thai man traveling in the tuk-tuk were also injured in the accident.The Finns were in the back of a tuk-tuk driving northbound past Steak Samkong restaurant on Yaowarat Rd…
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Island CCTV up and running
PHUKET: The next time you are having a night out on the town in Patong, Kata-Karon or Phuket City be sure to keep a smile on your face: you might be on TV.Pol Col Peerayuth Karachedi, Superintendent for Administrative Affairs at Phuket Provincial Police Station, told the Gazette that a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system has been fully tested and is…
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Thai sailor murdered in Phang Nga mutiny
PHANG NGA: The captain of Thai fishing boat Muang Dam 2 was seriously injured and his First Mate killed on February 9, when nine Burmese crew members mutinied during a fishing expedition about 40 miles off the coast of Phang Nga Province.A tour boat found the captain of the boat, Chalermporn Phosung, floating adrift with serious stab wounds.After the incident…
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Teenage murder suspects still at large
PHUKET: Four teenagers of the nine suspects in the murder of transsexual and glue addict Keittirat Longnawa remain at large while police try to learn all of their full names so that a single warrant for their arrest can be requested from the court.Lt Col Adul Niraphai, an Investigating Inspector at Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that he…
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Phuket student wins national IMPAC award
BANGKOK (Nation): Waranya Nawaluck has taken her personal experience from the 2004 tsunami and turned it into opportunity. The 17-year-old Kathu Wittaya School student yesterday was awarded the National 3rd Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for Thailand. The theme for the essay was “A Tale of Thai Grace and Compassion”.K. Waranya’s essay revolves around the impact that the disaster…
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SIPA to launch online payments portal
PHUKET: The Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) will launch its “One Click Finish All: One Stop Services” initiative through the www.thaionestop.org website on Saturday.The website, for now in Thai only, will accept online payments for water, electricity and telephone bills, but users must have an account with Bank of Ayudhya.The portal initially will be able to make payments to the…
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Fire destroys shops on Phi Phi
PHI PHI DON (Nation, Kom Chad Luek, Gazette): A fire raged through beachfront shops at the eastern end of Ton Sai Bay on Koh Phi Phi Don on Sunday, causing estimated damages of more than 2 million baht. No one was hurt in the blaze.The fire began at a beer bar around 11:30 am and swiftly raged through 10 other…
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Gambling, prostitution top January arrests
PHUKET: From January 1 to 20, police arrested 208 people for gambling and 115 people for prostitution in Phuket, according to the latest crime statistics from the Phuket Provincial Police.Cases involving ya bah (methamphetamine) totaled 99, with 108 arrests made and 5,681 pills seized.Thirteen people were arrested for sniffing glue or paint thinners, 25 for possession of marijuana and three…
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Local aid raised for Southern temples
PHUKET CITY: The Seu See Khao (White Media for Peace) Club and Kanlayanamitr Club have been soliciting donations of food and money for Buddhist monks in the Deep South who are unable to collect food alms themselves due to fear of attacks by extremists.Food offerings were collected by 109 monks from Phuket who walked a path through Saphan Hin yesterday…
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Call for safety during Chinese New Year
PHUKET: Don’t sell or play with dangerous fireworks – and be careful with lit joss sticks during Chinese New Year, government officials have warned.Fire safety and other issues regarding the festivities that begin February 18 prompted a press conference led by Phuket Governor Vorapoj Rattasima. Also addressing the press were Aroon Kerdsom, head of the Phuket Provincial Office of Disaster…
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Sea gypsies protest over fishing rights
PHUKET CITY: Some 100 sea gypsies from Rawai on Wednesday petitioned Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit to help settle an ongoing, violent dispute over fishing rights near resorts.The complaint follows sea gypsy Pratan Charncheow suffering decompression sickness after having his oxygen supply hose cut while diving off Nui Beach on December 31.Pratan was fishing with five other sea gypsies, including Alim…
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Mission Hills to host PM’s golf meet
PHUKET: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi will meet Thai Prime Minister Gen Surayud Chulanont for a round of golf at Mission Hills Golf course Sunday afternoon. The PMs will fly in separately Sunday morning and fly out the following day.Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha confirmed both PM’s itineraries, saying that PM Badawi will stay at JW Marriott Phuket…
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OrBorJor sets sights on education
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) will spend 160 million baht of its 340-million-baht budget for fiscal 2007 on education, OrBorJor President Anchlee Vanich-Thepabutr has announced.The dedication of nearly half the OrBorJor‘s annual budget follows seven schools transferring their administration organization from the central government to the OrBorJor by signing memorandums of understanding (MOUs).Improvements in educational standards in the…
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Ya bah addict gunned down after 4-hour standoff
PHUKET CITY: A four-hour standoff between police and a drug-crazed pork vendor ended violently yesterday, with a Phuket City policeman sustaining two bullet wounds before returning fire and hitting the gunman three times.After being felled, the man tried to take his own life by shooting himself in the head – but his gun failed to fire.Phuket City Police Inspector Lt…
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Eight disaster-alert stations plundered
PHUKET: Thieves have stolen copper cable from lightning rods at eight of the island’s 11 emergency radio network repeater stations, forcing the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) to spend some 2.7 million baht on replacement and repairs.News of the vandalism was reported by OrBorJor Vice-President Suthin Uthaithamrong at the January 30 meeting of provincial office chiefs at the Thavorn Grand…
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Man killed by lover in drunken ‘accident’
RASSADA: Banya Wosongkram, 20, a young laborer from Khon Kaen, died after being stabbed by his lover during a drinking session at a worker’s camp near the bridge to Koh Sireh on January 31.The incident occurred while K. Banya was drinking with two friends and his lover Siam Raisanguan, 32, a married woman from Kalasin province.Lt Col Ampolwat Saengreuang, Inspector at…
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Nine youths in glue-fueled stabbing frenzy
PHUKET CITY: Phuket City Police have arrested five of nine youths wanted for the savage murder of Keittirat Longnawa, a 31-year-old transsexual and glue addict who was beaten and had his throat slashed in Rassada on January 31.Police are still searching for four more suspects in the case. All nine suspects, including two girls, ranged in age from 14 to…
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Thai youth: Clever, constructive… copulating
PHUKET CITY: Valentine’s Day is traditionally a time when love is in the air, but according to officials at Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO), young love is too often finding its way under the sheets.PPHO Chief Dr Wanchai Satthayawuthipong said that as Valentine’s Day is a time of high risk for youths losing their virginity and contracting STDs, his office…
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