News
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The holiday season is here, bringing warmth, joy, and a chance to reflect on the year gone by. As an expat in Thailand, this Christmas is a great time to invest in something that truly matters: health. Whether for you...
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Phuket divers unite for underwater cleanup
PHUKET: Several boatloads carrying teams of experienced divers visited local reefs over the weekend, taking part in the International Coastal Cleanup Day 2008 activities organized by the UN-affiliated Green Fins Thailand initiative. Off Koh Maiton, about 10 kilometers southeast of Cape Panwa, some 30 divers led by Sea Bees Diving tour operator Stefan Hinterberger descended on an open-water dive site…
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Patong Hospital creaking under workload
PATONG (The Nation): Medical workers, including the director at Patong Hospital in Phuket, have quit the Public Health Ministry due to the enormous workload in the area, the hospital’s director, Dr Taveesak Netwongse, said. As Phuket attracts many tourists, Patong Hospital was forced to expand from a 10-bed hospital to a 60-bed one to treat the increasing number of locals…
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Man executed in Thalang forest
THEPKRASATTRI: Thalang Police are investigating the murder of a man found dead from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head in a remote part of Bang Khanoon Forest in Village 5 on Wednesday afternoon. Thalang Police Duty Inspector Anukul Nuket identified the victim as Lor Ramphang, a 45-year-old resident of Thepkrasattri Village 1. Local residents discovered the…
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Morning of the living dead
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Anyone calling in to Wat Pa Satharuam on August 22 could be forgiven for thinking they’d stumbled upon the aftermath of a natural disaster, seeing row after row of coffins lined up on the the temple grounds.Anyone waiting a little longer, however, would get even more of a shock when, after watching the death rites, the occupants of…
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Zebra shark dies; grim prospects for sea turtle
CAPE PANWA: Despite efforts by fishermen and marine biologists to save the life of a 1.8-meter zebra shark found off Sapan Hin on Monday, the fish died on Tuesday. An examination carried out at Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) failed to determine the exact cause of death. “The animal’s abdomen was swollen and discolored. We thought it might have been…
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Patong motorbike taxi killer in court today
PATONG: Low-season desperation for passengers took a deadly turn Saturday night, when a motorcycle taxi driver gunned down a rival from a competing queue in Patong. The alleged killer, who turned himself in the following day, was no stranger to being handcuffed: he was out on bail for the May 19 shooting murder of another man inside a 7-Eleven store…
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Heartbroken man takes own life with pesticide
PHUKET CITY: In what appears to be yet another case of suicide, the decomposing corpse of a Thai-American man was on Sunday found in a small apartment on Phang Nga Rd, where he took his own life by drinking insecticide. Phuket City Police Investigations Inspector Pitakpol Sompong identified the deceased as 60-year-old Narong Yingyongrattana, who was born in Thailand but…
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Two men found hanged; one in a police cell
PHUKET: Two men were found hanged in separate incidents on Saturday, one while in police custody after he was caught for robbing a German neighbor. Tung Tong Police Superintendent Arayapan Pukbuakhao identified one of the deceased as 26-year-old Anurak Prohmwiharn, unemployed and listed as living in Soi Namtok, which leads to the Kathu Waterfall. Mr Anurak’s death was initially reported…
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Apirak angry, avers arrest over Aussie attack
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongthong has stepped in to personally oversee the investigation into the brutal stabbing attack of an Australian expat and his Thai girlfriend in their home in Rawai before dawn on Wednesday (click here for our original report). Maj Gen Apirak told the Gazette today that he was so unhappy with the Chalong Police…
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Patong steps up surf safety
PATONG: Strong waves creating dangerous swimming conditions in Patong have prompted officers from Patong Municipality to volunteer to keep watch along Patong Beach for tourists who may get into difficulty in the heavy surf. The move follows a weather warning issued yesterday by the Meteorological Department urging people in risk areas along the Andaman Coast to beware of flash-flooding and…
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“State of Emergency’ order must go: Weerasak
PHUKET: Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat arrived in Phuket on Wednesday with New Zealand Ambassador to Thailand Brook Barrington and an entourage of foreign media in a bid to restore tourist confidence in Phuket after a People’s Alliance for Demorcacy (PAD) protest forced the closure of Phuket International Airport (PIA). Mr Weerasak’s visit followed his call on Tuesday for…
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One-Two-Go grounded until October
PHUKET: Controversial low-cost carrier One-Two-Go will remain grounded until at least October, but its owner is certain the airline will eventually resume services. Udom Tantiprasongchai, founder and chairman of One-Two-Go, told the Gazette this week he was confident the airline will resume its Phuket service. “We have done everything we have to do. It is now up to us to…
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Thai-Aussie couple survives fight with knife-wielding intruder
RAWAI: An Australian and his Thai girlfriend are both recovering from surgery at Bangkok Hospital Phuket after being attacked by a knife-wielding cat burglar in their home in Rawai early yesterday morning. The Swiss-born Australian, a retired teacher who asked that his name and address not be published, said he and his girlfriend underwent surgery yesterday and were “slowly on…
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Wet, wet, wet
PHUKET: Residents hoping for some sun to dry out the laundry might have to wait longer, as the Meteorological Department (MET) has issued a warning that Phuket and the other five Andaman Coast provinces remain at risk of heavy rains and flooding for the next two to three days. All ships should proceed with caution during this period, the weather warning…
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CMI finally paid for Coral Reef Squadron transport
PHUKET CITY: Following threats of a lawsuit, the company that transported 10 decommissioned military aircraft from Lopburi to Phuket in April finally received 2.4 million baht in payment for its work in the Coral Reef Squadron artificial reef project.Chuchard Santikanant, Managing Director of Cargo Marketing International Co Ltd (CMI), yesterday confirmed to the Gazette, by email, that he had received…
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Tsunami warning does not include Thailand
THAILAND: The Thai Meteorological Department, which runs the National Disaster Warning Center in Nonthaburi, has not issued a tsunami warning – or even a preliminary tsunami warning (advising that a tsunami may strike Thailand) – on its website following major earthquakes in Indonesia and Japan this morning. The US Geological Survey (USGS) Department on its website reports that the earthquake…
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Samak’s out, but PAD protests to continue in Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Despite the Constitution Court today ordering Samak Sundaravej to resign his post as prime minister, the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in Phuket will continue to protest at Saphan Hin to add pressure on the coalition government to step down.PAD Phuket leader Natjarong Ekpermsup told the Gazette, “The PAD will not leave Saphan Hin. Although Samak and his…
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PM Samak forced to step down
Bangkok (The Nation): Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has lost his post and his cabinet will function as a caretaker cabinet following this afternoon’s Constitution Court verdict that the PM is guilty of violating the nation’s charter. Six judges considered Samak to be the “employee” while three others considered him a “business partner” of a TV studio, a constitutional offence in…
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Major blackouts announced
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has announced scheduled blackouts in order to continue its work on high-voltage power lines. The blackouts, which will occur from 9 am to 5 pm, will affect the following populated areas: September 10, Rawai: from Rawai Pier to Moo Baan Promthep, including all along Rawai Beach, Rawai Happy Home and Soi Ya Nui.…
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7-Eleven robbers make a clean getaway
PHUKET CITY: Police are still searching for reliable leads that may result in the arrest of two men who held up the 7-Eleven store opposite Prompan shopping center on Chao Fa West Rd on Sunday. Phuket City Police received a call reporting the robbery around 2 am. The caller told police that two armed men in full-face helmets had stolen…
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Students take to the streets
PHUKET: Thousands of flag-waving students led by about 100 youths on motorcycles began an anti-government protest march from Provincial Hall to Sapan Hin at about 9:30 this morning. Traffic delays are expected as the kilometer-long procession marches along Narisorn Rd towards Phuket City center. The protest is expected to be peaceful. The mood among the protesters is upbeat and police…
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Met warns of floods, landslides
BANGKOK (Nation, Gazette): Phuket is among seven provinces for which warnings of heavy rains and possible flash flooding today and tomorrow were issued by the Meteorological Department earlier this morning. In its forecast, issued at 4 am, the department said a low-pressure ridge over the central, eastern and lower northeastern regions coupled with the influence of the southwest monsoon would…
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Deadly corner claims speeding Brit
RAWAI: An Englishman has died of injuries sustained in a high-speed crash on a curve on Wiset Rd early this morning. Capt Tienchai Duangsuwan of Chalong Police identified the victim as Mark Anthony Crosby, age 43. Mr Crosby had been drinking with his father in Rawai earlier that night, Capt Tienchai said, adding that the accident occurred after Mr Crosby drove…
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Ya bah busts: 5 arrested, 1,453 pills of ya bah seized
PHUKET CITY: Police arrested five men and seized 1,453 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and two firearms in a series of arrests starting early Thursday morning. Seeing two men busy repairing motorcycles in front of their home in Srisuchart Grandview Village in Rassada at 3:30 am, traffic police searched Theerawat Toh-Mad, 26, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, and Surasak Anantakan, 25, from…
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Floods in Chalong and Patong
PHUKET: Heavy rains since this morning have caused flooding at many locales around the island, causing long tailbacks along major roads and damage to shops inundated with water. Patong suffered minor floods this morning before the rain stopped to give the resort town a midday reprieve, but the skies opened again this afternoon and brought more flooding. Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi…
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Park chiefs hamper Navy plans for emergency helipads
PHUKET CITY: The Royal Thai Navy’s Third Fleet wants to build a network of helicopter landing pads on outlying islands so that tourists needing emergency medical treatment can be brought back to Phuket faster. Rear-Admiral Supot Pruksa of the Third Naval Area Command announced the initiative yesterday following his opening address at a two-day maritime safety meeting attended by 60 naval officers…
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AirAsia CEO aims to set up base in Phuket
PHUKET CITY: AirAsia would like to establish Phuket as a regional operations base, but efforts to do so have thus far been hampered by Thai bureaucracy, the company’s founder has told the Gazette.In an exclusive interview, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes also said that one of three new 164-seat Airbus A320 aircraft the airline has on order will be earmarked for…
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All quiet at Provincial Hall
PHUKET CITY: The scene at Phuket Provincial Hall remained quiet late this morning, despite Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s announcement earlier that he would not step down – as many had expected – to ease political tensions throughout the country.Just before noon there were only about 10 members of the Phuket Watch group, a local affiliate of the Peoples’ Alliance for…
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PM Samak still stonewalling
BANGKOK: Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej insisted in an address to the nation on Radio Thailand this morning that he would not step down, quashing widespread expectations that he would finally resign.Samak has been driven into a tight corner, suffering two blows in a row yesterday. The first came when Army chief Anupong Paochinda told him that the military would not…
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Buffalo ladyboys’ carjack capers
CHIANG MAI: If you happened to have been out drinking in Chiang Mai over the last few months and, after a few too many beers, decided to do the responsible thing and pull over in your car for a rest to sober up before weaving on home, then you may have come across the Buffalo Ladyboy Gang. The gang has…
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