News

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…

Preecha Ruangjan installed as new governor

PHUKET CITY: Preecha Ruangjan took office as the new Phuket Governor at Provincial Hall on Monday. Gov Preecha, who comes to Phuket after serving as governor of his home province of Phichit, paid his respects to the statue of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in front of Provincial Hall, then accepted flower baskets from many top officials and department heads. Tomorrow,…

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…

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…

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.

Truck gone wild!

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…

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…

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 – a major benefit in a community where postal addresses are often more confounding than enlightening. An example of…

Committee reverses decision on bypass U-turn

WICHIT: The U-turn on the bypass road in front of Phuket International Hospital (PIH) will remain open until a new set of traffic lights is completed further to the north, a provincial committee on traffic and road safety has decided. In a letter published in a local Thai-language newspaper on October 13, Phuket Governor Niran Kalyanamit announced the committee’s decision,…

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…

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…

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…

New reservoir filling up

THALANG: Work on Phuket’s second major reservoir at Bang Neaw Dum in Srisoothorn is almost complete, with one million cubic meters of water already being held behind the dam. Supinyo Hoonpadungrat, head of the Phuket Provincial Irrigation Office, said that work on the earthen dam, spillway and associated waterworks is now “about 97% complete”. Mr Supinyo expects about 3.5 million…

Province launches mobile “anti-poverty” 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…

Candid camera, Patong style

PATONG: Philanderers be warned: Phuket’s premier adult entertainment district is gearing up for a huge expansion in its closed-circuit television (CCTV) coverage, with real-time images of the action along Soi Bangla to be available to the public online 24 hours a day by year’s end, according to the town’s top cop. Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnark told the Gazette…

Kamala beachfront shops destroyed

KAMALA: In an effort to beautify the beach front at Kamala, nearly 50 illegally-built businesses were bulldozed away on October 7 creating more walking space for tourists. Santi Atthasap, Vice President of the Kamala Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), told the Gazette that the move was in line with a provincial policy to keep beaches tidy and attractive. The temporary structures,…

Pork sales plunged during Vegetable Frenzy

PHUKET CITY: Much has been written about high prices of vegetables during the Vegetarian Festival, especially with recent flooding in other parts of the country destroying crops. But the 10-day period of vegetable-only consumption also had an impact on meat prices, especially in Phuket City, where the ethnic Chinese who make up the bulk of those taking part are typically…

Deputy PM Chavalit resigns

BANGKOK (The Nation): Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh tendered his resignation this morning to take responsibility for police brutality against anti-government demonstraters in Bangkok last night. For photos of the violence, click here. Gen Chavalit was deputy prime minister in charge of security. He is reported to have resigned in shame at the use of violence by the government…

Guns seized at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint

TAH CHAT CHAI: Provincial and regional police held a press conference on October 5 to announce the seizure of 10 guns recovered during random checks at the Tah Chat Chai road checkpoint over a three-day period. The press conference was conducted jointly by Police Region 8 Commander Lt Gen Santarn Chayanon and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongthong. The seizures…

Phuket PAD mobilizes to join Bangkok protest

PHUKET CITY (Gazette, Nation): Following the clash between People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters and police outside Parliament in Bangkok early this morning, the Phuket PAD held a press conference at the ASTV office at 9 am to discuss their response. Led by Natjarong Ekpermsup, a panel of PAD representatives told the press that the Phuket PAD will now mobilize…

Child Labor in Phuket shames Junta

PHUKET: Burmese daily newspaper True News was ordered by the Press Scrutiny and Registration Board of Myanmar to suspend publication for two months, following its publication on September 30 of a large image depicting a Burmese child working on a construction site in Phuket.Mr Yeni, News Editor at The Irrawaddy, told the Gazette that, “An anonymous freelancer in Rangoon told…

Phuket to host huge medical tourism conference in ’09

PHUKET: In September 2009, Phuket will host more than 1,200 delegates of The World Medical Health Tourism Conference: A New Way Forward in 2009, Karon-based event organizers SOS Medical Tourism Services have announced. Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)’s participation and sponsorship of the event aims to promote Thailand as a destination for medical tourism, as well as for international…

PAD Leader Chamlong Arrested

BANGKOK (The Nation): Political peace efforts suffered another big blow this morning with the arrest of key PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang. Eye-witnesses said Chamlong was arrested and detained at a voting booth for today’s elections for Bangkok governor. Chamlong had gone there to cast his own vote. He was arrested at 8 am when the polling station opened. His arrest…

Top doc warns of Veg Fest virus threat

PHUKET CITY: The Vegetarian Festival is ostensibly a period of purity, but the Phuket Provincial Heath Office has nevertheless issued a statement warning people about the risks of HIV/Aids and hepatitis infection during the 10-day event. Phuket Public Health Office chief Dr Paisan Worrasathit told the Gazette, “We are cautioning people who hurt themselves with puncture wounds from items such…

Dengue conference will go on, says Hilton

KARON: Reports that the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa is planning to cancel the upcoming international summit on dengue fever out of fear of a People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protest at the resort are unfounded, a hotel spokesperson has confirmed. The Thai-language Manager online news service this morning reported that the hotel’s management called the Ministry of Public…

‘Immigration Cards’ coming by year end

BANGKOK (TNA): A new immigration card will be introduced for Thais and foreigners who frequently enter and leave Thailand, the state-run Thai News Agency (TNA) has reported. The agency quoted Immigration Police chief Pol Lt Gen Chatchawan Suksomchit as saying holders of the “Immigration Card” will include those who travel in and out of the country three to five times…