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Is Swedish snus a good alternative to smoking in Thailand?
With approximately 106,000 people in Thailand succumbing to smoking-related illnesses annually, people are exploring alternatives in pursuit of a safer option. And for many, the answer is Swedish snus (pronounced snoose and rhymes with goose), a traditional Scandinavian tobacco product...
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Police drive to boost awareness of crime
PHUKET TOWN: Police have launched a drive to raise public awareness of ways to guard against criminals, particularly burglars and snatch-and-run thieves. The drive takes the form of a card which can be hung on the doorknobs of people’s homes and which gives the following advice to cut down the risk of burglary: Before you leave the house, make sure…
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CAT opens international video conference center
PHUKET TOWN: The Communication Authority of Thailand (CAT) has opened an international video conference center in Phuket, only the second in Thailand. Voravit Vorapiboonpong, chief of the Phuket Telecommunications Center explained that video conferencing was a high-tech way for people from different countries to have a meeting without having to travel, saving both time and cost. The center may be…
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TAT outlines plans to mark the Millennium
PHUKET: It’s early yet, but the Tourism Authority of Thailand has made tentative plans to mark the new millennium with a “Goodbye 1999 -Welcome 2000” party at the sunset-watchers’ favorite location, Laem Phromthep. Anuparp Thirarath, Director of TAT’s southern office, said he is currently waiting for Bangkok to approve his proposal and the 200,000-baht budget it will need. The party,…
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TAT opens PO Box for suggestions
BANGKOK: Seree Wangpaijit, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced that the TAT now has a PO Box specifically for people in the tourism industry who wish to write to the TAT to express views or make suggestions. Those wishing to use this service should write to PO Box 33, Suthisarn Post Office, Bangkok 10321. Anonymous correspondence…
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False pregnancy lands woman in custody
PHUKET TOWN: A woman who became heavily pregnant, very suddenly, while in the Super Cheap store on Thepkrassatri Rd was arrested yesterday for the theft of two cans of tuna, two cans of rambutans and two of coconut cream, plus a pair of jeans and a pack of plastic bags. Police were called to the store after a staff member…
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New post office opens in Patong
PATONG BEACH: Today saw the opening of a new post office at 41/1 Rat-U-Thit Rd. Wisan Pongtiwattanakul, postal chief in Patong, said he hoped the new branch would make it more convenient for both Thais and foreigners, whether individuals or companies, to handle mail and money transactions. Services offered include domestic and international letter and parcel post, EMS courier, the…
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Fame and money not enough to win local elections
PHUKET TOWN: A survey by Rajabhat Institute into voters’ beliefs in the run-up to Sunday’s Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) elections reveals that voters have very definite ideas of what they expect of those elected. It is also clear that having a lot of money or being well known will not necessarily attract many votes. What most of the voters want…
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Drug-dealing duo arrested in rubber plantation
THALANG: Police raided a home in a rubber plantation in Baan Bangtak on Tuesday after undercover officers bought 10 amphetamine (yaba) pills from the occupants. Inside they found a further 65 pills hidden in a rubber-tapping can. A 41-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman were arrested and charged with possession and dealing in illicit drugs. Police said the two admitted…
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Phuket father and son discover new snail
PHUKET: A species of tiny snail, previously unknown to science, has been discovered by a Phuket father and son who hunted for a live example for nearly two years after finding a fossil. Somnuek Pattamakanthin, 52, who set up the Phuket Seashell Museum in Rawai, and his son Somwang, 22, found a fossil of the snail in 1997 in the…
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Six arrested in drugs raid
THALANG: Police on Saturday raided a house in Baan Pru Somparn and arrested a 42-year-old woman and five men aged between 18 and 50 on charges of possession and trafficking in amphetamines (yaba). Pol. Col. Prapakorn Saksupa, superintendent of Thalang police station, said the raid uncovered 44 yaba pills, three sets of yaba-taking paraphernalia, 32,300 baht and a book listing…
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Japanese tourist drowns at Karon Noi
PHUKET: A Japanese tourist drowned while swimming off Karon Noi beach, in front of Le Meridien hotel, yesterday afternoon. Pol Capt Chokchai Suttimek of Chalong Police Station, said the tourist, whose name he gave as Mr Yoshinori, 56, was swimming with a number of other hotel guests who were all swept out into the sea by heavy seas. Some managed…
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Laguna Resorts to take over Banyan Tree
PHUKET: Laguna Resorts and Hotels Plc (LRH) has announced a plan to acquire the Banyan Tree Hotel Group, an acquisition that would make it the largest hotel group in Thailand and one of the biggest in Asia. LRH’s board of directors approved the plan on July 9. It has yet to be approved by shareholders, who will meet on August…
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Tong murder trial adjourned until September
PHUKET TOWN: A new prosecutor in the Danis Wayne Tong murder trial this morning asked for an adjournment in order to change the prosecution strategy. The new prosecutor, Jumronsilp Wongintra, said that he believed that the prosecution witness called for this morning’s hearing should not be heard until all other witnesses have first testified. Judge Patchara Panichawara, allowing the postponement,…
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Students in protest over electric shock victims
PHUKET TOWN: About 50 students from Rajabhat Institute yesterday gathered outside the offices of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) to present a petition to the authority following the hospitalisation of three fellow-students with the effects of electric shock. (See story below.) The protest group, led by Somkit Leunrung, was told by Seree Lakaphunt of the PEA that an investigation would…
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Police arrest four on yaba charges
PATONG: In their ongoing drive to crack down on sales of amphetamines (yaba) police arrested a 19-year-old man at a house in Soi Nanai 2 after undercover officers bought drugs from him. After arresting him, police found 19 yaba pills in his shoes. At the police station, he confessed that he sold Yaba for a long time, though this was…
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Cameras help police keep an eye on Patong
PHUKET: Police in Patong have moved into higher technology as a way of keeping an eye on Phuket’s prime tourist area. A new closed-circuit TV (CCTV) camera system went on-line yesterday morning, along with a new operations centre where cameras can be monitored. The Kathu Police Department is the first department in the southern region to use the technology, said…
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Dead man identified
PHUKET: Police have identified the body of a man found floating on Tritrang Beach last Monday. He was named as Chalermpon Janyaporn, 37, who slipped on the rocks and disappeared while on a fishing trip with three friends last weekend. The body was sent to Patong Hospital for autopsy.
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Patong car bomb puts three in hospital
PATONG: A gold shop owner, his wife and an employee were hurt yesterday afternoon when a home-made car bomb exploded after they got into their vehicle. The bomb exploded after Somkiet Sopark, 32, his wife Hongsuda, 43, and employee Sirinapa Kaopho-ngam got into the car outside the Soparks’ gold shop and residence at 18 Sirirat Road, Patong. The bomb, which…
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Two youths arrested for possession of ya bah
PHUKET TOWN: Two teenagers were arrested this morning for possession of amphetamines ( ya bah). Muang district police officers detained the two young men, aged 15 and 17, after an undercover operation at a popular snooker hall. The suspects tried to flee on a motorcycle, but were stopped and searched. They were found to be in possession of nine tablets…
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Policeman dies in high-speed motorbike chase
KATHU: One policeman died and another was injured last week when their motorbike crashed as they chased a gold robber. Kathu Pol Capt Kittipong Klinekaew said his station received a call that a man had grabbed a gold necklace from a woman’s neck at Phuket Highland Ville on the Samkong-Kathu Road. As the robber drove his motorcycle towards Patong, Policeman…
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England favorites in Phuket 7s; Thailand strong
PHUKET TOWN: Penguin International RFC, representing England, look firm favorites to win the Singha Phuket International Rugby Sevens after the first day of the two-day tournament. On a wet and windy pitch, the Penguins trounced Malaysia 37-0 and thrashed Hong Kong 50-0 to come out top of Pool A. Hong Kong came in second in the pool by beating Malaysia…
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Eight arrested for selling copy watches
PATONG: Authorities confiscated nearly 2,000 fake watches with a street value of more than 5 million baht from two shops, and arrested five men and three women, aged 18 to 41, on charges of violating the Trademark Act of 1991. Pol Maj Gen Teerajitr Uttama, deputy director of the Bangkok-based Center for Intellectual Property and Copyright Violation Control, and Pol…
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Hong Kong RFC romp to victory in Phuket Tens
PHUKET TOWN: The Hong Kong RFC proved too strong for the competition in the Phuket Rugby Tens today at the island’s Surakul Stadium. They thrashed their nearest rivals, the Kuala Lumpur Dogs, 35-0 in the final of the six-team competition. Team captain Katie O’Connor, asked how the team had enjoyed the tournament, replied incomprehensibly: “We had a fine tournament despite…
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TOT proposes cut in maximum long-distance charges
BANGKOK: The Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT) wants to cut its maximum rate for long-distance calls by a third, and to offer subscribers a choice of two payment options. Subscribers currently pay 100 baht a month for the line, 3 baht for each local call (no matter how long), and between 3 and 18 baht a minute for long-distance calls.…
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Bangkok airport to close one runway
BANGKOK, June 29 (AFP): The Airports Authority of Thailand (AAT) announced this afternoon that it will close down Bangkok international airport’s west runway for maintenance for four months. The repairs to the 3.8 kilometer (2.3 mile) runway are to cost 420 million baht (11.4 million US dollars) and are scheduled to be completed in February 2000, the AAT said. The…
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Province plans census of forest dwellers
PHUKET: The Provincial Forestry Office is to take a census in forest land occupied for decades by squatters, most of them engaged in market gardening. The census is part of a nationwide exercise aimed at finding out just how many people are living in publicly-owned forests, and issuing them with papers that will legitimize their occupation of the land, though…
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Nabbed robbing Robinson’s
PHUKET TOWN: A Thai man in the process of robbing Robinson’s department store was apprehended after security guards found his shoes in the bathroom. The man was caught red-handed [and barefooted] trying to steal watches, mobile phones, and pagers in the early hours of the morning last Sunday. After hiding in the men’s toilet until the store closed, the thief…
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Public urged to exchange sub-standard LPG bottles
PHUKET: Following the introduction of new safety regulations covering gas containers of the sort commonly used in homes and restaurants for cooking here, the government has urged consumers to check whether they have sub-standard liquid petroleum gas (LPG) bottles and, if so, to exchange them. After July 31, the only brands that will be legally available will be those manufactured…
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Police open rice shop to help poor officers
PHUKET: Police in Phuket have gone into the rice business as a way for impoverished officers and their families to supplement their income. Pol Col Chalit Thintanee, superintendent of the Phuket Town Police Station, and his deputy, Pol Lt Col Samarn Chainarong, came up with the idea after seeing how Bangkok Police had successfully allowed officers in the capital to…
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Taiwanese tourist drowns at Hey Island
PHUKET: Mr Lin Ching Shiung, 52, a Taiwanese visiting Phuket with his wife, drowned on Tuesday while swimming at Hey Island. He became the fifth tourist to drown in Phuket waters in the past two weeks. Mr Lin was on a day trip to the island, 30 minutes southeast of Chalong, with a tour group. Weather conditions were said to…
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