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Police catch ‘Ko Jorn’ murderer
KATHU, PHUKET: Tung Tong Police have arrested a man suspected of the fatal stabbing of a 62-year-old moneylender almost two years ago. Manop Khobwet, 33, was drinking with friends at his house in tambon Maifard in Trang province when police arrived and took him into custody at around 6pm on March 23. The victim, Kajorn “Ko Jorn” Somnam, died in…
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Man killed on yacht, piracy suspected
ANDAMAN SEA, SATUN: The Phuket Gazette has received reports of an alleged act of piracy in the Andaman sea yesterday that has left one ‘western’ man dead.A number of Burmese fishermen are currently being interrogated at La-Ngoo Police Station in Satun province in connection with the incident.Police told the Gazette that a foreign woman informed Tarutao National Park rangers of…
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Canadian condo owner claims false arrest
PHUKET CITY: A Canadian man who has lived in Phuket for over a decade has been arrested for working illegally in Thailand, a charge he claims stems from a dispute over maintenance fees with one of the co-owners of a condominium complex in which he owns five units. Phuket Immigration Police, led by Investigations Inspector Suparerk Pankosol, yesterday afternoon arrested…
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Phuket’s glorious past preserved on Thalang Road
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Town’s former glory as a tin mining center is still reflected in the elegant Sino-Portuguese shophouses of Thalang Road, the main thoroughfare in Phuket’s Old Town. The TAT, Phuket City Municipality, the Thai Peranakan Association and the Old Phuket Town Club together held an event last week aimed at promoting Thalang Road as a cultural discovery route…
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Dead beggar still unidentified
PHUKET CITY: Police and local officials are still unsure of the identity of the homeless man found dead outside a lumber yard on Thepkrasattri Rd yesterday morning. The thin, dark-skinned man was found dead on a bench in front of the Sahamaithai Co Ltd on Thepkrasattri Rd at about 9am. Phuket Duty Officer Anek Mongkol estimated his age at “over 50”.…
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Isarn Colorful East OTOP Fair ends tonight
PHUKET CITY: Tonight is the last chance to attend the popular Isarn Colorful East One Tambon One Product (OTOP) Festival at Saphan Hin. Despite some unseasonably rainy weather, the fair has been a big hit with island residents for its nightly entertainment and wide variety of reasonably priced foods and drinks. Among the most popular fare has been traditional Isarn…
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Gov Wichai presents plans for Phuket
PHUKET CITY: New Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop presented his plans for Phuket to more than 200 government officers at the Royal Phuket City Hotel on Wednesday March 18. As Phuket is a tourist destination and a gateway to Thailand, Gov Wichai said he will focus on solving problems related to land, traffic, flooding, entertainment venues, business and drugs. “Phuket’s environment…
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Homeless man found dead in Phuket City
PHUKET CITY: A homeless man who has lived on the streets of Phuket City for years was found dead in front of a lumber yard on Thepkrasattri Road this morning. Police have yet to identify the man, even though he was well known to local residents as an itinerant beggar. The man’s body was found in a siting position with…
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Two trawlers seized, 15 crew arrested
KARON, PHUKET: Department of Marine and Coastal Resources officials yesterday morning seized two vessels and arrested 15 crew members caught trawling off Kata Beach. The seizures and arrests followed reports by members of a local conservation group that the vessels had for a week been seen operating in an area just 300 to 400 meters offshore, near the tiny Koh…
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Bt70m expected from room tax in 2009: PPAO
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) expects to collect about 70 million baht from its controversial hotel room tax, put in place in 2000 as a way of raising funds to improve public services and tourism infrastructure. PPAO President Paiboon Upatising said that 60 million baht was collected in 2008 from 217 hotels that agreed to pay the…
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It’s a snap! Busted boner puts owner in sick bay
PHUKET CITY: Vachira Phuket Hospital on Wednesday morning received a transfer patient in a lot of pain from a somewhat embarrassing illness – a broken penis. Being transferred from Patong Hospital as he was, one might assume that the patient had done the damage in an over-energetic nocturnal romp. However, the patient – a 28-year-old Phang Nga native who understandably…
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Briton gets 18 years, nine months for ATM fraud
PHUKET CITY: Despite confessing to charges against him, a British man has been sentenced to 18 years and 9 months in prison for ATM fraud. Mark Hubert Veerasawmy, 45, received the sentence at Phuket Provincial Court several weeks ago, British Honorary Consul Martin Carpenter said. Mr Veerasawmy was arrested in February last year together with his son Sonny, 20. Phuket…
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Annual English essay awards announced
BANGKOK: A student from Yothinburana School in Bangkok has been named the national winner of the 5th Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand. Pawida Krachai of Phuket Wittayalai School is the Southern winner, as judged by the editorial staff of the Phuket Gazette. Paphawi Leksakundilok, 16, came top from about 900 entries in the nationwide contest under the theme “Once Upon…
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Family of accused boy speak out on child molestation charges
PATONG, PHUKET: A 17-year-old German boy arrested on March 9 on child molestation charges is himself a victim of abuse, his family and German diplomats claim. German Ambassador Dr Hanns H Schumacher on March 16 met Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong to discuss the case, which began with the arrest of British national Dax J Young on child molestation…
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Monkey kills owner with coconut
NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: A coconut collector in Nop Phitam District was killed after his favorite monkey dropped a coconut onto his head on February 25.Leurit Chanchum, 48, from Village 4 Tambon Krung Ching, was hired by a neighbor to collect coconuts using his trained macaque. When the monkey was up the tree, it threw down some coconuts to its owner.…
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British expat killed in head-on collision
KARON, PHUKET: A British man was killed after his SUV slammed into a six-wheel truck in the early hours of Wednesday, March 18. Colin Richmond, 51, is thought to have died instantly in the crash, which happened at 1.30am at the Koktanode Junction on Patak Road in Kata. When he tried to overtake another car, his Toyota Sport Rider moved…
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New box jellyfish found at Ao Nambor
CAPE PANWA, PHUKET: Marine biologists think they have discovered a tiny species of the venomous box jellyfish never seen before in the waters around Phuket. Dr Somchai Bussarawit, Chief of Museum and Aquarium at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) said on March 18 that the specimen was discovered at Ao Nambor, the same area where almost 40 specimens of…
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‘Random’ drug testing continues in Patong
PATONG, PHUKET: Drug testing taking place at popular nightlife entertainment venues in Patong has yet to result in any arrests of foreigners in connection with illegal drug use. Kathu Police are focusing mainly on Thai patrons and the bar staff in their mandatory urine testing, which gives on-the-spot results for three ‘recreational’ drugs: ya bah (methamphetamine), ya ice (crystal methamphetamine)…
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Teen killer arrested after return from Ranong
PHUKET: Phuket City Police have arrested a man wanted for the January 2 shooting of 17-year-old Anukul Boonwong. Phuket City Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit identified the suspect as Sulaimarn “Chuk” Wetkla, who was presented with an arrest warrant and taken into custody in front of his home in Rassada Village 7 at 11 pm yesterday. Details of the arrest were announced…
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Kamala roads blocked by protesters
PHUKET, KAMALA: Roads in Kamala have been blocked by protesters since yesterday evening. About 400-500 Kamala residents gathered at an intersection near Phuket Fantasea at 8pm on Tuesday evening to protest the local police station’s handling of crime in the area. The protests began at 7pm when a crowd gathered outside the station. The protesters later set up tents and loud speakers…
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Youth stabbed to death in Suan Luang Park
PHUKET CITY: In the latest fatality from teenage gang violence, a 17-year-old boy was found stabbed to death inside Suan Luang Park in the early hours of Sunday, March 15. Phuket City Police received a report of a murder in the park on the emergency hotline (‘191’) at about 1:45 am. Arriving at the scene with rescue workers from the…
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Cherng Talay teen charged with attempted murder
CHERNG TALAY, PHUKET: Police on Thursday morning held a press conference to announce the arrest of a local youth wanted for shooting a rival gang member in late January. Cherng Talay Police Inspector for Investigation Tongchai Matitum identified the suspect as 19-year-old Pharuhat Choochit, a resident of Cherng Talay Village 5. According to the press release, the shooting took place…
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First day in office for Governor Wichai
PHUKET CITY: Today marks the first day in office of Phuket’s new governor, Wichai Phraisa-ngop.Mr Wichai was greeted at the Governor’s Mansion yesterday morning by numerous officials and well-wishers, some traveling from as far away as Phang Nga and Surat Thani to attend the ceremony.Transferred to Phuket from his previous posting as governor of Sing Buri province in the Central…
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PAD to hold huge rally in Phuket
PHUKET: The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will stage a large rally at Saphan Hin in Phuket on April 18. All five core PAD leaders – Sondhi Limthongkul, Chamlong Srimuang, Pipop Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuk and Somkiat Pongpaiboon – are set to attend. Mr Sondhi’s Asian Satellite Television (ASTV) is organizing the rally, which will start at 4 pm and go…
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Suspects held for stealing 1.7 million baht from a Briton
BANGKOK: A Thai graduate student and two female accomplices were arrested for allegedly stealing 1.7 million baht from a Briton via e-banking facilities and ATMs, police said yesterday. Tourist Police Division Chief Maj-General Adis Ngamjitsuksri yesterday presented three suspects at a press conference along with 10 items of evidence that included five mobile phones, a notebook computer and a PC.…
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Battered body found in rubber plantation
CHALONG, PHUKET: Police have yet to identify the body of a man found beaten to death in a rubber plantation off Soi Nakok early Friday morning. Chalong Police Duty Officer Anukul Nuket was notified of the body’s discovery at 9:30 am and went to the scene, about half a kilometer from Chao Fa West Rd on Soi Nakok in Chalong…
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Komkai killing: second suspect surrenders
PHUKET CITY: The second of five suspects wanted for conspiracy to commit murder in the high-profile contract killing of Jintana Plaza heiress Komkai Kositkoon turned himself in to police on Thursday afternoon. The suspect, 46-year-old Sopol Latrana, surrendered himself to Region 8 Police Commander Santarn Chayanon and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong at Phuket City Police Station at 5…
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Danish man found dead in Kata hotel
KARON, PHUKET: In what police are treating as a case of death by natural causes, a Danish tourist was found dead in his hotel room at Kata Beach on Wednesday morning. Chalong Police Duty Officer Parichat Jaturonphan identified the deceased as 60-year-old Svarre Mortensen, a guest at the Tropical Garden Resort in Kata. Mr Svarre’s body was discovered lying face…
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Car crash cash cow
SRISOONTHORN, PHUKET: Road accidents can be costly for insurers, so when a dead ox was the cause of a two-car collision on Wednesday local police came up with a pragmatic way to ease one insurance company’s financial burden. Thalang Police Duty Officer Prakorb Boonkwan, notified of the unusual accident on Wednesday morning, was the first to arrive at the scene.…
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Thai Obama sings to a different tune
SARABURI: While your average Southeast Asian would struggle to make his way in the world as a Gerorge W Bush lookalike, America’s dashing new president is providing some exciting new career prospects for some men across the region. One Indonesian has already found fame in the Philippines owing to his uncanny resemblance to President Barack Obama. He was well compensated…
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