News
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Cabinet to get a taste of Phuket
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi is preparing to lobby Cabinet ministers with a taste of Phuket culture in the form of batik shirts and a feast of Phuket food. Members of Cabinet will arrive on Sunday for the meeting at the Phuket Arcadia Resort in Karon, to be attended by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Phuket Governor CEO…
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Life no longer in the Patong night
PATONG: A number of Patong nightspots have closed down temporarily due to the sharp decrease in tourism in the resort town. Chairat Sukbal, owner of Safari Pub, told the Gazette that many entertainment venues were forced to shut down because the lack of trade meant they were no longer able to pay staff wages. He attributed the lack of tourists…
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Police launch vendor raids
PATONG: Officers from the Phuket Provincial Commercial Office (PPCO) and Kathu Police Station last night launched a series of raids on unlicensed businesses and pirate goods with unannounced inspections of 30 vendors’ stalls. PPCO Deputy Chief Tharadol Thongruang said that the raids, between 8 pm and 9:30 pm, turned up just one unlicensed business on Thaweewong Rd selling Game Boy…
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Computer whiz wins spot in US Olympiad
PHUKET TOWN: A Phuket student has been chosen as one of the four computer science students to represent Thailand in the International Science Olympiad competition, to be held in Wisconsin, USA, in mid-August. Nawanol Theera’ampornpan, an 18-year-old student in Mattayom 6 at Phuket Wittayalai School, will join between 600 and 800 students from more than 100 countries in the event.…
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Liberians held over “black money’ scam
PATONG: Two men are being held by police over a “black money” scam that cost three Thai victims a total of 330,000 baht. The arrested men, said to be from Liberia, in West Africa, were named as Anthony Brown, 27, and Christopher Alliston, 31. The classic scam involves promising a big pay-off in return for a “loan” to buy special…
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Charges in Tong murder case dismissed
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Court has dismissed all charges against the five men accused of participation in the murder six years ago of American businessman Danis Wayne Tong. The five accused – Belgian businessman Hugo Vandervelde along with Thais Manit Panme, Pratin Praktong, Prajuab Sukkong and Pairat Raksawong – were all freed by the court for lack of evidence, Pol…
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Suspect held in Big C Slaying
PHUKET: Police are confident they have a strong lead in one of the recent spate of killings on Phuket and that breakthroughs in other slayings may follow soon. Col Apirak Hongtong, Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, told the Gazette that a suspect was being held in Haad Yai, Songkla, over the killing at the entrance of the Big…
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Rugby Tens draw announced
PHUKET: Organizers of the Phuket Rugby Tens Tournament have announced the draw for the opening round of play. The weekend competition will take place May 31-June 1 at the Karon Municipal Stadium. There will be five groups of four teams each: Group A: Melbourne Rams (Australia), Samui Simians (Thailand), Bucks (Singapore) and Penang All Blues (Malaysia). Group B: Wanderers (Singapore),…
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Paranoia in the lobby
BANGKOK: When police arrived at the Louis Tavern, in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district, on April 18, they found fellow officer Pol Cpl Sathit Prasanpangsri, 33, being held under house arrest by the hotel owner, Asuwin Inghakul, and a security guard. K. Asuwin, 58, said that Cpl Sathit was acting suspiciously. He was wearing a safari suit and carrying a top-of-the-range…
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Far from enlightening
CHIANG RAI: For most Thai families, having a son train as a novice in the wat is a matter of pride and cultural significance. One can only imagine, then, the shock the father of one boy must have felt when his son returned home reporting that he had been repeatedly raped in the wat. On May 13, a 45-year-old man…
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A lesson in physics
CHON BURI: What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? If a recent accident on the Sukhumvit Highway is anything to go by, the irresistible force loses. In this case the irresistible force was 20-year-old Anand Umpi, a member of the “Viron Kilo 10” gang that frequently ride their motorcycles wildly on the highway late at night, terrorizing…
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That’s show business
CHON BURI: Some nude performers at a Pattaya go-go bar obviously didn’t realize certain members of the enthralled audience were actually members of the local vice squad. After watching the sex show for an unreported length of time, Pol Maj Col Vasu Seangsuksai and his team of undercover officers sprang into action and arrested the seven performers: six women and…
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American held on dope charge
PATONG: American Charles Elliott Rook, 55, was arrested on May 19 on charges of possession of cannabis with intent to sell. Pol Lt Col Sanguan Muangtham of Patong Police Station told the Gazette that Rook was arrested after a raid on his home in Nanai Rd turned up a kilogram of cannabis. Undercover police had originally tried to buy cannabis…
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Laguna land legitimate, says spokesman
CHERNG TALAY: The management of Laguna Phuket is confident that no part of the complex has been built on designated public land but will accept a ruling from the courts, a senior executive said today. The comments from Niyom Tassaneetipagorn, Assistant Vice President of Laguna Resorts & Hotels Public Co, were the first from the group since the legitimacy of…
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Gov prepares for meeting with PM
PHUKET TOWN: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the Cabinet will meet with Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi on in Phuket on May 26 to discuss major issues affecting the island’s future, the Governor announced yesterday. Top of the agenda will be the effect of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) scare on Phuket’s tourism industry, which is estimated to be losing…
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B150 million plaza for Chalong Circle
CHALONG: A 150-million baht retail complex incorporating 700 shops is to open on 40 rai close to Chalong Circle, on the Kata road, around the end of the year. It will be called the Phuket Legend Plaza Center. Atthawut Tangpradapkul, President of Eat and Art Management, told a media conference at the Royal Phuket City Hotel today that the company…
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Top tourism forum set for Phuket
PHUKET: The 18-nation Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) is to hold a tourism business forum at the Laguna Beach Resort from May 22 to 24. The Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the Industry Council of Thailand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host the gathering. Two representatives from government and business in each country will discuss a number of issues…
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Governor closes “lewd act’ Bangla bar
PATONG: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has closed a bar in Patong’s Soi Bangla indefinitely over an allegedly indecent public performance. Police raided The Hi bar at 21/5-6 Soi Sea Dragon at 11:30 pm on May 3 and arrested Suparp Boonmark, who was naked and performing “a shameful act in public by indecently exposing her person”. Balloons and darts were believed…
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Rh-negative blood donors sought
PHUKET:The Phuket Blood Donor Club, based at Wachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town, is looking for donors of the rare Rh-negative blood type. Rh-negative is difficult to find, occuring in 0.3% of Thais and 15% of Caucasians. Although the club is looking at the moment especially for people with Rh-negative blood, donors of any type are welcome at all times.…
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Good hair days for schoolgirls
PHUKET: At last, after almost a century of short cuts, the girls can let their hair down. Female students at Satree Phuket have been told that from the new school semester this week, they can grow their hair to eight inches in length. At Satree Phuket, Assistant Director Ajarn Duangkamol H said that fashions and rules today were different from…
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Tourist sub on its way
PHUKET: A US$2.5 million (107 million baht) submarine, designed to carry tour parties underwater, will arrive at Phuket Deep Sea Port on June 6 and go into service in November. Steve Nutting, President of Phuket Submarine Ltd, said today that the DS-48 submarine had left Florida aboard a ship on May 8. Thai staff will spend about six months in…
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Sars recovery plan underway
PHUKET: Phuket is losing about 2 billion baht a month because of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) panic but Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) President Pattanapong Aikwanich hopes for a quick recovery. He expects the turn-around to begin in July, with increased tourist traffic from Japan, Australia and Singapore. New direct air links from Japan and Australia, coupled with increased…
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Gov raids drug-dealing suspects
PHUKET TOWN: Police raided the houses of suspected drug dealers last night and seized pills and property valued at about 5 million baht. The raid, about 7:30 pm, was led by Pol Lt Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, and Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi. The Governor said today that he believes the alleged dealers, a married couple,…
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Gulf War of words ends in court
PHUKET TOWN: Around the world protestors are turning out in their thousands almost every day to protest the prospect of a US-generated war on Iraq. There was the protester at a recent international golf tournament who held up a sign saying “Make par, not war”, and a woman in a street demonstration who held a banner saying, “The only bush…
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Vendors caught with B500k in fakes
KARON: Police raided shops and stalls in Patong and Karon yesterday and seized 6,300 fake brand-name items with a street value of more than 500,000 baht. Seven vendors admitted selling imitation goods. The officers in the raid, from Chalong Police Station, were accompanied by Suparerk Tohwatcharakul and other officials from Bangkok, who were acting on behalf of Christian Dior and…
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Complaint laid against timeshare firm
PHUKET TOWN: A Swedish couple, Signar and Margaretha Hall, today delivered a letter to Songpol Kornkaew, Chief of Administration of the Phuket Provincial Grievances Office, complaining about timeshare company VCI, which has offices in the Fisherman Way Business Center on Chao Fa East Rd. Mrs Hall told the Gazette, “Early last year we signed a contract for three years, starting…
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Police arrest “Dr Feelgood’
PHUKET TOWN: Police arrested a doctor and three others in raids early yesterday that uncovered dealings in marijuana, the “love drug” ecstacy and cough syrup containing the opium derivative codeine. Dr Somchai Wongbanterng, 35, who has a clinic on Wichit Songkram Rd and lives at Joe Mansion, near the Phuket Hill Hotel in Mae Luan Rd, was due to face…
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Police call for officer to turn himself in
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Town Police have filed murder charges against a Kathu Police Station officer for the murder of his wife. The officer is expected to turn himself in soon. The killing occurred on March 6, apparently following a dispute over underground lottery winnings. The victim, 49-year-old Bang-on Chookam of Surat Thani, had been living with her husband, Pol S/Sgt…
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Security boost planned for Saphan Hin
PHUKET TOWN: Police are planning to increase their presence in Saphan Hin and a police box will be erected there following another gang murder at the now-notorious recreation area. After dark, the park transforms from a peaceful area for sports and picknickers into a dangerous playground for thrillseekers and ruffians. The latest killing took place on Wednesday (see “Murder on…
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Bikers to take over Bangla
PHUKET: For the first time in the nine-year history of the annual Phuket Bike Week (PBW), bikers joining will take over the island’s unofficial party zone, Soi Bangla in Patong, for two evenings of the five-day event. Organizers announced yesterday that this year’s PBW will run from April 12 to 16, coinciding with the Songkhran festival. The event kicks off…
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