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B10m log cargo floats free
PHANG NGA: Heavy monsoon seas unleashed a 10-million-baht cargo of Indonesian logs and scattered them across waters off Phang Nga at the weekend. Now the company that owns the cargo is offering a 500-baht reward for each of 532 logs and has asked police to prevent Thai villagers “salvaging” them. On Friday evening, the logs were being towed on a…
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Unhappy workers blamed for boss’s murder
RAWAI: Police believe that the murder of a man at the wheel of his pick-up early yesterday morning was probably carried out by his disgruntled employees. Kongsin Wongpran, 40, a builder, was found slumped over the wheel with the driver’s door open on Wiset Rd, some half a kilometer from Chalong Circle, about 12:15 am on Friday. Two men on…
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Two held for mobile phone scam
PHUKET TOWN: Police have arrested a Briton and his Burmese partner and accused them of an international mobile telephone scam that was netting them thousands of baht each day. Police named the men as Gaser Jaba, 35, and Lux Chuman, 18. The pair were arrested at a house in Moo Baan Jom Thong on Kwang Rd yesterday afternoon. Police confiscated…
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Revenge&’ motive for stabbing murder
PHUKET TOWN: Police believe a Thai was murdered in a stabbing frenzy by a group of Burmese bent on revenge. Crewmen discovered the body of Pairat Singkam, 39, in the engine room of the “Sinnumchai 5” on Wednesday afternoon, while the boat was berthed in Rassada Port. Pol Capt Watcharin Jiratthikarn, of Phuket Town Police Station, said K. Pairat, a…
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Road rage over Thepkrasattri name change
PHUKET: In response to public backlash, the Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) has removed its signs along the northern section of Thepkrasattri Rd indicating the road’s original and official name, Sathienthapanakij Rd. The new signs were posted as part of a Highways Office national program to have all highways marked clearly with their proper names. PPHO Chief Visute Maiwattana today…
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Cloud seeding brings 80 mm of rain
PHUKET: A week of rainmaking to increase Phuket’s water supply has so far produced 80.3 millimeters of rain, Sanae Varit, Consultant to the Royal Bureau of Rainmaking and Agriculture Aviation in Bangkok, said at Phuket International Airport yesterday. The program to use chemical drops from airplanes to “seed” clouds and induce rain started on September 9 after Governor CEO Pongpayome…
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Hillside houses limited to 150 sqm
PHUKET: The head of the National Environment Board committee set up to evaluate construction laws in Phuket announced yesterday that, if the law restricting construction above 80 meters is to be repealed, the size of buildings should be limited to a maximum interior size of 150 square meters. Prasong Iam-anun made the announcement after a two-day public hearing about the…
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Veggie Fest fun to be closely watched
PHUKET TOWN: The Deputy-Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8 has ordered Phuket’s police force to strengthen security, especially during the Vegetarian Festival from October 5-15 when there will be many tourists, both foreign and Thai, visiting the island. Pol Maj Gen Pramote Pansakul warned yesterday that Phuket police would be vigorously enforcing the law, and would pay particular attention to…
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Aerothai inks deal with China
PHUKET: Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai), the regulatory body for the air traffic industry in Thailand, has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to boost Thailand’s chance of becoming regional air transport hub. The deal was signed at Aerothai’s office at Phuket International Airport, in recognition of Phuket’s importance to tourism in Thailand. Aerothai President Capt Padet Limpisavasti announced the…
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Phuket to launch a world-first
PHUKET: The Phuket yachting community stands to make history later this year with the launch of the Phuket Sports 8 racing/recreational yacht designed especially for local conditions. Mark Horwood of Phuket-based yacht builder Latitude 8 Yachting told the Gazette the first models ever built would be assembled in Phuket. “We expect the parts to arrive in about five weeks and…
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Thepkrasattri Rd renamed – again
PHUKET: The section of Thepkrasattri Rd from Kositwiharn temple to the Sarasin Bridge has been renamed Sathienthapanakij Rd, it was announced today. Visute Maiwattana, Chief of the Provincial Phuket Highway Office (PPHO), said at a meeting with the press, “Sathienthapanakij Rd was the name given to the road in 1950. It was named after the first Chief of the Provincial…
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Dolphin rescued at Kamala
KAMALA: A 2.4-meter bottlenose dolphin beached at Kamala yesterday was rescued by local residents and is now being cared for at Phuket FantaSea theme park. Kamala residents Inge and Don McMahon helped rescue the dolphin after villagers called for their assistance just after midday. Ms McMahon today said, “We ran down to the beach after Thai villagers told us about…
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Burmese body found in locked room
PHUKET TOWN: A 37-year-old Burmese fish factory worker was found stabbed to death and locked in his room on Thursday morning. Pol Lt Parichat Chaturonpan, from Phuket Town Police Station, named the victim as “Leesaw” and said a neighbor and co-worker of Leesaw called the police at about 10 am after he had failed to turn up for work. Officers…
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Phuket plans against Apec terrorism
PHUKET: Lertkiat Vongpuaphan, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Governor’s Office, today announced that a team of high-ranking provincial officers have drawn up plans to defend against terrorism during the 3rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting next year. Phuket will host a peripheral meeting of the summit from August 14-23, with senior government officials from 21 Apec member economies expected to…
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New website targets top-end tourists
PHUKET: In a campaign to target high-end tourists and the Mice (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) business, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Los Angeles design firm Ignition yesterday officially launched the website ExperienceThailand.com. Napasorn Kakai, Assistant Director of the local branch of the TAT, said, “We’re focusing on the Mice market, especially from America. Despite the current situation,…
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Governor’s foray closes noisy venues
PHUKET: Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi last night ordered the closure of 30 entertainment venues for trading without proper licenses or for creating excessive noise. Gov Pongpayome, with Vice-Governor Manit Wattanasen and 28 officers from the Provincial Defense Office and Phuket Town Police Station, began the “silent night” raids at 9 pm in Saphan Hin, Phuket Town. No less than…
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Immigration warns visa runs are DIY
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Immigration Office (PPIO) warned today that foreigners needing their visas renewed must complete the process themselves. Many non-Thais in Phuket have to leave the country every three months on so-called “visa runs” in order to obtain fresh visas and/or entry permits at Thai embassies and/or consulates. Assigning another person to perform the task is considered illegal…
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Police crack down on illegal aliens
PHUKET TOWN: Police plan to screen every Burmese in Phuket as part of a nationwide operation to rid the country of illegal workers. Pol Lt Col Samarn Chainarong, Officer in Charge of Investigating Aliens in Phuket, told the Gazette that he believes the number of Burmese coming to Thailand without papers is increasing every day. Officials attribute a disproportionate amount…
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Muslim drug war wins support
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has given his backing to a move by Muslim leaders to solve the problem of illegal drugs through community action. His support was expressed when leaders of Phuket’s Muslim community met at the S.T. Hotel in Phuket Town on September 3. “I am absolutely sure that the drugs problem will be reduced if…
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Governor warns on festival fireworks
PHUKET TOWN: Tourists and locals have been warned to be cautious with fireworks during this year’s annual Vegetarian Festival. In festivals of the past, scores of people have required hospital treatment. The warning came from Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi in advance of this year’s festival, to be held from October 5-15. Vendors traditionally sell firecrackers – some of them oversized…
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Navy nets Burmese on suspect boat
THALANG: The Royal Thai Navy intercepted a fishing boat off Bang Tao Beach today and found 12 suspected illegal Burmese on board. The Burmese are being held for probable deportation once their status is clarified. The ship’s captain says most of the men were legal workers who had simply changed employers. Lt Cdr Anusorn Sasutham, on a Chao Praya-class warship,…
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Talks boost China tourism market
PHUKET: More tourists from China are expected to come to Phuket as a result of talks between officials from the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce and local community bodies. Chen Jien Hua, Vice President of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, met Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi and private-sector representatives, including the Phuket Chamber of Commerce and the Phuket Tourism Association (PTA), yesterday…
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Man held for murder, stabbings
KATHU: Tung Tong police arrested a 22-year-old construction worker early this morning after he allegedly stabbed his wife and two men, leaving one man dead. Pol Capt Kittipong Klaykaew of Tung Tong Police Station named the attacker as Sitipol “Ta” Kotawan, from Nakhon Phanom, who worked at a construction camp near the Patong-Kathu intersection. Capt Kittipong said police arrived at…
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300 welcome Chinese leader
AIRPORT: Some 300 people were on hand today to welcome the Chairman of China’s National Assembly, Li Peng, when he arrived at Phuket International Airport as part of an official visit to Thailand. The greeting party included Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi, members of the Chinese community in Phuket and students waving Chinese flags as Mr Li stepped from his plane…
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Headless body found on Kata beach
KATA: Authorities are at a loss so far to establish the identity of a headless, armless body that washed up on Kata Beach yesterday. “Uncle Farang,” a 60-year-old member of the cleaning staff at the Kata Beach Hotel, shouted to alert others when he came across the body on the beach about 8 am. Police believe the body had been…
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Get away from my pig, you swine
UDON THANI: Sunthorn Sornyoo couldn’t say why, but when he spotted the pregnant, but still very slinky, sow in Sompetch Samsibai’s pigsty, he felt the juices flow. “I climbed up into the pigsty and raped her until I had an orgasm,” he explained later. Passing the cage a week later, 42-year-old Sunthorn again felt an urge to consort with the…
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Pet roaches face ban
BANGKOK: Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyurapan has warned that cockroaches imported from Madagascar could face an import ban if research finds that they are dangerous to human beings. K. Sudarat’s warning follows the discovery that many vendors at the famed Chatuchak Market recently started selling the cockroches as pets. The imported cockroaches are unusually large, certainly bigger than any cockroaches…
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Caught dead to rights
SAMUT PRAKAN: A 51-year-old undertaker at Wat Thongkung was arrested recently after he confessed to having sex with a dead woman. Filled with remorse, Sakchai Thumaseeda wrote a letter to the dead woman’s mother, spilling the beans on his nocturnal necrophiliac exploits with “Bee”, a 31-year-old woman who had recently died of Aids. Mum was not impressed and called the…
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Girl, 17, steals B50,000 from Gov’s house
PHUKET TOWN: A 17-year-old girl being held on a charge of stealing 50,000 baht from the Governor’s Residence yesterday tried committing suicide by slitting her wrists with pieces of her broken plastic bracelet. Pol Capt Akkanit Danpitaksasna, of Phuket Town Police Station, today said the girl was being held at the station after confessing to stealing 50,000 baht belonging to…
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Bike deaths keep climbing
PHUKET: Motorcycle accidents claimed 15 lives between June 20 and July 20, according to the latest statistics from Wachira, Thalang and Patong government hospitals. In the previous month, 14 people died in accidents involving motorbikes. The statistics also show that 950 people were injured on motorbikes during the period, compared with 35 injured in cars and 29 in other road…
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