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Frenchman dies in mystery fall
PATONG: A Frenchman died at Patong Hospital in the early hours of this morning after falling off a bar stool and banging his head early last night.Kathu Police Superintendent Pol Col Grissak Songmoonnark identified the deceased as Gros Laurent, who had been drinking happily with friends at Tiger Entertainment Complex on Soi Bangla. After consuming two beers at the venue,…
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Supreme Court upholds SorPorKor ruling
PHUKET CITY: (Nation/Gazette): The Supreme Court yesterday confirmed an appellate decision to evict members of the Tantiwit family from a 69-rai plot designated for landless farmers in Kathu.“The national-land-reform [SorPorKor] program is reserved for farmers. Non-farming individuals are not qualified to utilize land-reform plots,” the High Court said in its verdict, read out at the Phuket Provincial Court Building.The Supreme…
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Gambling tops crime stats
PHUKET: Gambling topped the latest crime statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police, with 228 arrests in November.Drug-related cases accounted for 109 arrests, of which 49 involved ya bah (methamphetamine) with a total of 3,170.5 pills seized.Twenty-seven people were arrested for the use of cannabis, with 9.2 kilograms confiscated. There were 15 arrests for inhalant abuse and nine for possession of…
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Three years on: Phuket marks tsunami anniversary
PATONG: Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) is organizing Light Up Phuket on December 26 to mark the third anniversary of the tsunami tragedy in 2004.More than 100,000 candles will be lit along the three-kilometer stretch of sand at Patong Beach.At 10:50 am, 108 monks will pray during a ceremony at Loma Park, Patong.Candles will be placed in the sand on…
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Democrats hit back
PHUKET: A lawyer representing the two Democrat Party candidates running in the December 23 general election has filed a complaint with the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) against a local Thai-language newspaper Siang Tai and several opposition candidates.Alleging numerous violations of the 2007 Election Act, the lawyer has asked the PEC to ban three candidates from political activities for one year…
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Home blaze in Koh Kaew
KOH KAEW: A house near Muslim Wittaya Phuket School in Koh Kaew caught fire early in the evening of December 9, causing damages estimated at 500,000 baht. No injuries were reported.Phuket City Police Duty OfficerPol Lt Somchai Noobun described the gutted dwelling as a one-story property in a small soi near the school. He identified the homeowner as Amarin Phinyo,…
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Ax meets knife in battle of brothers
KAMALA: Five men were hospitalized after a bloody fight following an accusation of attempted rape at a Kamala construction site workers’ camp on Monday night.Pol Sub Lt Charnsarawut Saeng-aroon of Kamala Police Station reported that the fight, involving an ax and a 12-inch blade, broke out between two pairs of brothers after the wife of a construction worker alleged that…
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Jelik wins King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: Under pressure for a perfect start in strong winds this morning, Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing crossed the start line just three seconds before the start horn sounded, leaving Frank Pong’s 75-foot Jelik to sail off round the course and win the 21st King’s Cup Regatta.The windiest King’s Cup since 1994 sorted the men from the boys to end on…
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Jelik holds lead in King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: After the lay day yesterday to conduct minor repairs and regroup the troops, racing in the 21st King’s Cup Regatta resumed today. Crews may have appeared subdued in the light morning air, but underneath the determination to improve their standings over the last two days of racing was greater than ever. The scoring team have worked tirelessly and assured…
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New company to operate airport limos
TAH CHAT CHAI: Phuket Mai Khao Co Ltd has won a concession to operate a new taxi and passenger van service at Phuket International Airport (PIA). The company will operate 60 vans and 20 cars under a three-year concession won with a bid of 33 million baht, Phuket Airport Director Sq Ldr Pornchai Eua-aree told the Gazette.The company can begin…
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Phuket companies score at property awards
BANGKOK: Phuket-based property companies took home four of 13 awards at the 2007 Thailand Property Awards, held in Bangkok December 1.The Yamu was awarded the Best Resort Villa Development prize, Royal Phuket Marina won in the Best Resort Condo Development category, while the Lighthouse Club Green Development Award went to West Sands in Mai Khao. Siam Real Estate was awarded…
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Gangs war with “swords’ at Saphan Hin
SAPHAN HIN: Two gangs each of about 40 teenagers battled with long-bladed weapons, reported as swords, at Saphan Hin about 1 am on Sunday. In the melee, a 16-year-old died after being struck down while riding his motorbike and a member of the same gang fled his attackers by jumping into Klong Bangyai, but with his right hand severed and…
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King’s Cup honors HM The King’s birthday with sail-past salute
PHUKET: Before racing got underway in the 21st King’s Cup Regatta today, a royal sailpast was held to honor HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 80th birthday. A majestic sight to behold as crews lined the 103 competing yachts chanting three cheers, doffing their sailing caps and some even singing Happy Birthday.A parade of sail is an appropriate way for international sailors…
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Long Live The King
PHUKET: In honor of HM Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 80th birthday today, more than 100 yachts taking part in the 21st King’s Cup Regatta completed a sail-past salute before taking to deeper waters for today’s racing.If it were not for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej being a keen yachtsman and master craftsman of sailing dinghies, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta would not…
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Protesters continue attack on Cherng Talay Tesco
THALANG: With construction of the new Laguna Tesco-Lotus Market in Cherng Talay nearing completion, the development continues to be marred in controversy after representatives from Cherng Talay Municipality measured the area of the site on November 26 and declared the construction legal in a subsequent report.Samarn Krohlek and Apisit Ngarnpresertkit, leaders of a local protest against the store, joined Thalang…
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Chalong dope bust: 3 arrested, 9 kilos seized
CHALONG: Chalong Police seized nine kilograms of marijuana last Wednesday after a sting operation that resulted in the arrest of three men.Chalong Police Superintendent Pol Col Samarn Chainarong told a press conference on Thursday that after gathering intelligence from informants, police received information about a group of men who had been selling marijuana in Phuket.Pol Maj Veerayut Sitthirattakul of Chalong…
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Jelik wins King’s Cup opener
PHUKET: Clear blue skies and 8 to 10 knots of northeasterly breeze greeted the sailors on Day One of racing. Some may have been a little late arriving at the starting area, especially after dancing the night away at last night’s welcoming party at the Kata Beach Resort. The race officers selected passage courses that took the fleet around the…
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Phuket ICT Center set for December 5 launch
SAPHAN HIN: As part of a government initiative to promote information and communications technology (ICT) in Thailand, Phuket Municipality and the Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) have teamed up to open the Phuket ICT Center at the Phuket Municipality Youth Center in Saphan Hin.The ICT Center, slated for a grand opening at 11:09 am on Wednesday, comprises four zones. The…
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Cigana and Blatchford win triathlon titles
CHERNG TALAY: Massimo Cigana from Venice and Briton Liz Blatchford ran, swam and cycled their way to the front of a throng of about 700 athletes from 44 countries at this year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon on December 2.The star-studded field comprised the likes of 2007 Hawaii Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington from the UK, 2007 Ford Ironman World Champion 70.3…
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MP candidates call for local election commission to be replaced
PHUKET CITY: Six local MP candidates from four political parties held a press conference Wednesday afternoon, calling for the national Election Commission (EC) to replace all the members of the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) currently chaired by Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha.The six politicians charged that the PEC’s joint staging of an “anti-vote-buying” activity with the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor)…
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Rajabhat student stabbed
RASSADA: A first-year student at Phuket Rajabhat University was seriously wounded after being stabbed repeatedly by her boyfriend at her rented room in tambon Rassada on November 28, Phuket City Police Duty Inspector Lt Col Adul Nirapai told the Gazette.At about 10 pm, Sujitra Chatavee, a native of Phang Nga Province, was stabbed repeatedly by her boyfriend with a small…
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Digital Gazette takes off
(PHUKET): In a development which might surprise a number of “old media” publishers (and not surprise more modern ones at all), the Phuket Gazette‘s new “Digital Gazette” has sold 21 subscriptions into its tiny niche readership market within the first 24 hours of its launch as a paid product. Incorporating virtually the entire content of it’s now 64-page weekly hard-copy…
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Registered population continues to rise
PHUKET: As of October 31, Phuket’s official population stood at 313,835 persons, up 880 from September 30. The rise follows a provincial campaign to increase the registered population of Thais living in Phuket, as officially tallied from household registration forms, or tabien baan.Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Piya Bharatasilpin reported the increase during the monthly meeting of the Phuket…
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Yellow-top bikers oppose vote buying
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha gave out 200 yellow crash helmets to motorcycle-taxi riders at Phuket Community Hall on Monday November 26.The color yellow symbolizes devotion to the king and are part of a campaign to discourage vote buying in the upcoming government elections on December 23.The helmets were donated by Ruam Pong Motor Co Ltd. and are adorned…
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Police investigate case of electrocuted Swede
PATONG: Kathu Police are investigating the death of 34-year-old Swedish tourist Robert Karlsson Svard, who was found dead in his room at a Patong guest house on the afternoon of November 23. Pol Sub Lt Thitikorn Rawang, Duty Officer of the Kathu Police, confirmed as accurate a report in a local Thai-language newspaper that said Mr Karlsson Svard died of…
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Mystery body surfaces in Klong Tha Chin
KOH SIREH: The body of an unidentified man was discovered in the Tha Chin river near Koh Sireh November 26. The body is believed to be that of an Indonesian or Burmese laborer who was attacked and then thrown into the sea, said Pol Lt Amporn Musikapan from Phuket City Police Station.Lt Amporn said, “I got a call on the…
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Five arrests in teen-stabbing case
PHUKET CITY: Five youths were arrested on Saturday for the murder of 14-year-old Theeraphong Thongklam, who died after being stabbed in the heart in the early hours of last Wednesday. Theerapong’s friend, who was riding pillion when their bike on crashed about 1 am on the night of the murder, told police that he and Theerapong were driving to Thalang…
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Incendiary behavior sparks murder at Saphan Hin
SAPHAN HIN: Phuket City Police are investigating the fatal stabbing of man whose celebration of the Loy Kratong Festival with firecrackers allegedly angered a group of young revelers, two of whom allegedly stabbed him in the back while he was urinating.Pol Capt Sathit Nurit, Duty Officer of the Phuket City Police, identified the victim as 29-year-old Apichart Kaewpanya, a resident…
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New Karon Municipality offices open
KARON: Karon Municipality dedicated its new 63-million-baht office building yesterday morning with a ceremony presided over by Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit.The new offices, which took about 17 months to complete, are on three rai at Kata Beach, next to the Kata Beach Resort. The stately four-story building replaces two old, single-story wooden buildings at the same site.Beneath the building is…
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One reported dead, at least two injured in road accidents
PHUKET: A Russian woman has been reported to have died in an accident in Thalang late last night and a five-vehicle crash on the bypass road yesterday afternoon caused damage to several cars and left an American man in hospital.Pol Lt Sathawat Srirattanapong, duty officer of Phuket City Police, told the Gazette that the accident in the southbound lane of…
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