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High Seas Firefight Kills Two Navy Officers
RANONG: Two officers of the Royal Thai Navy’s Third Fleet were killed last Saturday during a midday firefight between their surveillance vessel and an unidentified fishing boat in Thai territorial waters off the coast of Ranong province. Petty Officer First Class Chalermsak Jeenprakom and Petty Officer Third Class Amorn Panlert died of bullet wounds when the navy patrol boat Tor…
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Supercenter To Anchor Bypass Intersection
PHUKET TOWN: Ground has been broken for a new Lotus Supercenter at the intersection of Phra Phuket Road, (also known as the Samkong-Kathu Road), and the Chalerm Prakiat Ror 9 Road, (also known as the Bypass Road), on the city’s northwest side. A marketing representative for Bangkok-based Ek-Chai Distribution System, which operates the retail center chain for joint-venture partners Tesco…
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FantaSea Opens To Crowd of 1,300
KAMALA: The first day of business at Phuket FantaSea attracted over 1,300 patrons, reported Surin Bamrungphol, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. An estimated seven out of ten paid admissions at yesterday’s soft opening were Thais, many of whom were local residents who wanted to check out Phuket’s newest and biggest leisure attraction, according to a poll conducted by…
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Sex Does Matter In Selling Phuket
PHUKET: To the surprise and disappointment of many local residents, the Phuket Gazette’s Internet poll for the week ended December 18 suggests that large numbers of people familiar with the island believe the local sex industry does help to attract tourists. Of the 789 participants in the poll, 54.8 percent were of the belief that the availability of ‘paid sex’…
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Sun Shines On Island
MAI KHAO: Yes, Virginia, there is a sun. Following a soggy November, the first half of this month saw more blue skies than clouds as a mere 15 millimeters of rain was recorded from December 1 through December 15 at the Southwestern Meteorological Center’s monitoring station near Phuket International Airport. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall total during the period was recorded…
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Navy Visits Ring In Cheer
PATONG: Christmas came early for hoteliers, merchants and barkeeps as nearly 2,000 U.S. Navy personnel aboard six vessels descended on this popular western beach for a liberty call. Sailors from the USS Antietam, USS Rainer, USS Oldendorf, USS Fitzgerald and USS McClusky hit Patong for some rest and relaxation from December 8-13, providing the resort with a quick infusion of…
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Excise Revenues Post Sharp Decline
PHUKET TOWN: Despite revenues generated through taxes on luxury yachts and golf fees, the Phuket Provincial Excise Department recorded a steep drop in collections during the most recent fiscal year compared to fiscal 1997. Department Chief Borvorn Chayakul reported that his office collected 190.3 million baht from October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998, a decline of nearly 49 million…
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Phuket, Amanpuri Honored By Readers’ Poll
NEW YORK: Phuket received an 11th place ranking of top islands in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, while Amanpuri, the well-known luxury hotel on Pansea Beach, was honored in two of the publication’s award categories. The results of the poll, tabulated from the responses of more than 37,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers, were published in last month’s issue. Phuket…
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Regatta Winners Honored
KATA: “This was the greatest regatta ever,” proclaimed Admiral Thira Haoch, Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Navy and Honorary Chairman of the 12th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, to an audience of competitors and guests assembled Saturday night for the Royal Awards Ceremony. The admiral was among a host of dignitaries in attendance at the function held in the…
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Demand Fuels Spa Expansion
CHERNG TALAY: Phuket is quickly becoming known as the place to be pampered. A surge in demand for professional spa services led the Banyan Tree Spa to open its second facility on the island, along with a third now on the drawing board. Last week, the latest Banyan Tree Spa was officially opened at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Beach. Guests…
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Soriano Captures Class For Third Time
KATA: The crew of Irvmiren, led by skipper Andreas Soriano III of the Philippines, made it three in a row on Wednesday finishing first among Ocean Cruising Class competitors in the Iridium Andaman Sea Cup Race, the third event of the 12th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta. Skipper Andrew Hogbin of the United Kingdom led the crew aboard Chant De Mai…
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THAI Adds More Holiday Flights
BANGKOK: Thai Airways International (THAI) announced today that it has added extra flights on several domestic routes during the year-end holiday period to accommodate an anticipated spike in already heavy passenger demand. Among the additions are ten extra flights on the Bangkok-Phuket route from December 31, 1998 through January 3, 1999. Extra flights were also added on the carrier’s Bangkok-Chiang…
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Protest Leads To New Taxi License Scheme
PHUKET TOWN: An agreement was reached yesterday to lift restrictions on motorbike taxi licenses granted by Patong municipality following a peaceful rally staged by unregistered operators at Provincial Hall. Over 350 taxi drivers rode in a motorcade from Patong to Phuket Town shortly before noon in a show of unity to have the current licensing scheme opened to non-Patong residents.…
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King’s Cup Sets Sail
KATA: Racing at the 12th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta opened on Monday with 82 yachts taking part in The Boathouse Coastal Race. Olympic helmsman Andreas Bienz led a Swiss crew aboard Jenny III to victory in the Racing Class. Overall winners in the other four divisions were New Zealander Muzza Nordstrand on Fine Pitch in the Ocean Multihull Class; Andrew…
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Airport Arrivals Flying High
MAI KHAO: The number of passengers arriving at Phuket International Airport during the first eleven months of 1998 has surpassed the total recorded for all of last year, an airport spokesman announced today. From January 1, 1998 through November 30, 1998, a total of 1,380,325 passenger arrivals were recorded, versus 1,377,744 for full-year 1997. In November, 92,500 passengers disembarked from…
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Pawn Shop Sets Loan Record
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Municipal Pawn Shop will post its best year ever as more than a quarter of a billion baht in loans were recorded in the first eleven months of 1998, surpassing last year’s record 235 million baht loan total. Manager Phuwadon Chinnupathum reported that from January 1, 1998 through November 30, 1998, a total of 257.4 million…
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German Man Arrested In Drug Raid
KATHU: Tung Thong Sub-district police officers have arrested a 36-year-old German man on drug charges following surveillance of his Soi Bangtong home. Gerhard Mateses was apprehended by a team of 12 police officers from the sub-district station shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday as he walked behind his home. According to the police report, officers discovered a small container of marijuana…
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Bank Officers Testify At Murder Trial
PHUKET TOWN: The prosecution called two bank officers to the witness stand yesterday at the Phuket Provincial Courthouse in the ongoing trial of five suspects charged in connection with the murder of businessman Danis Wayne Tong. The officers of the Phuket main branches of Bangkok Bank Limited and Siam Commercial Bank offered testimony on checks presented by Tong and one…
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Traffic Injuries Climb To Six-month High
PHUKET: Traffic-related injuries and deaths rose to their highest level in six months during the most recent reporting period, the Phuket Provincial Health Department has advised. In its report to the Phuket Governor, the agency said 849 patients were admitted to government hospitals from September 20 through October 19, including 780 with motorbike-related injuries. A total of 18 people died…
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Few Shed Tears Over Departure Of November
MAI KHAO: Sun worshipers were glad to see November come to an end. Last month, Phuket saw almost twice as much rain as occurred during the same period last year, with 466.8 millimeters recorded at the Southwestern Meteorological Center’s monitoring station at Phuket International Airport. Last year, 251 millimeters fell during the entire month. Amorn Chantanavivate, the center’s director, blamed…
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VAT Payments Boost Provincial Coffers
PHUKET TOWN: Provincial revenue officials reported that tax collections were up 22 percent during the first month of the new fiscal year compared to October 1997. From October 1, 1998 through October 31, 1998, the revenue department collected a total of 166,946,000 baht, up more than 30.7 million baht from the same period last year. Income tax collection rose 47…
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Fund Donations Top 4.6 Million Baht
PHUKET TOWN: More than 4.6 million baht has been donated by local residents and organizations to the nationwide Thai-Help-Thai Fund, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Office announced last week. Through November 26, a total of 4,605,472 baht had been raised in the grassroots effort to help repay Thailand’s national debt and fund various social assistance programs.
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Swing Set Collapse Kills Youngster
PA KHLOCK: A seven-year-old boy was killed last Thursday when a playground swing set collapsed during a morning recess at Ban Para School. Witnesses told Thalang District police that primary student Saroj Lawan was swinging on the apparatus with another male classmate at around 11 o’clock on the morning of November 26 when it suddenly collapsed. A metal support struck…
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Europeans Check In For Long Stays
BANGKOK: When it comes to taking a holiday in Thailand, German and Swiss tourists check in for the longest stays. Vacationers from the two European countries remained, on average, in the Kingdom longer than any other segment surveyed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in its just-released detailed statistical report for the first half of the year. From January…
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Officials Keeping Eye On Jet-skis
PHUKET: As the high season gets underway, authorities are keeping a close watch on jet-ski rental businesses operating on west coast beaches to ensure compliance with provincial regulations. Vice Governor Amnuay Sanguannam is overseeing the joint enforcement efforts of district, harbor, marine and police officials. Weekly reports are being filed by the various departments with the vice governor’s office in…
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Foreigner Death Toll On The Rise
PHUKET TOWN: The number of foreigners who have died in Phuket so far this year has surpassed the total recorded in 1997, Phuket Tourist Police told the Gazette today. A total of 33 foreigners died in the province from January 1 through November 25, 1998. By comparison, 23 deaths were recorded in calendar year 1997. Of the 33 deaths recorded…
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Immigration To “Encourage” Registration
PHUKET TOWN: Pol Col Phirojana Paresakul, Superintendent of the Phuket Immigration Office, told the Gazette today that his office will be “encouraging” all aliens who remain in Thailand for longer than 90 days to notify the department of their residential address every three months as required by law. He stated that the law would be strictly enforced by his officers…
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Survey Reveals Room At The Inn
PHUKET TOWN: Last-minute vacationers hoping to reserve a room along Phuket’s sun-drenched beaches for a year-end holiday are coming up empty. But while seaside accommodation from Nai Yang to Nai Harn is booked solid from Christmas through the first weekend of the New Year, there is room at the inn in Phuket Town. A random telephone survey conducted today by…
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Doctor Testifies In Murder Trial
PHUKET TOWN: A doctor who examined the body of Roger Jennings testified in court yesterday that the 56-year-old British publican died from a loss of blood following 19 stab wounds. Dr Somchai Chaichayanon of Kathu Hospital was the only witness called to the stand on Monday before Phuket Provincial Court Judge Amornpoj Kulwijit in the ongoing trial of two suspects…
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Activists Call For End To “Rape” Of Maya Bay
PHUKET TOWN: A group of 20 environmental activists staged a rally outside two city venues on Saturday afternoon to protest the changes underway at Phi Phi Leh Island’s Maya Bay to accommodate the shooting of the Hollywood film The Beach. Flanked by fellow activists from Krabi and Trang provinces, Wisanu Mula of the Phuket Environmental Club called on the public…
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