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Cruises probe: porn videos found, boat seized
PHUKET: Tourist police have uncovered more evidence they believe links Lifestyle in Asia Co and its managing director, William Anthony Ranauro, to an alleged sex cruise operation promoted on a website, www.loveboatcruises.net. The website has been inaccessible since Saturday, 20 April. Pol Maj Supamit Sukjaroen, Inspector of the Phuket Tourist Police, told the Gazette that investigators conducted a second search…
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Police appeal for information on dead man
PATONG: Police have appealed for information to help them identify a Caucasian man found dead yesterday evening in an abandoned building on Thaweewong Rd. Pol Maj Sanguan Muangtam of the Kathu Police station said that police believe the man was between 40 and 45 years of age. He was about 175 cm tall, with blond hair and a mustache, and…
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Seven Wonders festival opens
PHUKET TOWN: Deputy Prime Minister Pitak Intrawitayanun presided over the opening of the Seven Wonders of Phuket festival on Sunday, during which Thalang Rd, in the oldest part of the town, was turned into a walking street. About 1,000 people turned up to take part in or watch activities along the road, which included a bicycle rally in the morning,…
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Patong Municipality pawnshop set to open
PATONG: The Patong Municipality is set to open its new pawnshop on Ratpatanusorn Rd on May 1 – Labor Day – as part of a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Interior to give people access to low-cost financing through their municipalities. Sakorn Cheua-yuan, Deputy Mayor of Patong, said, “This is a good chance for people living in Patong to…
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Sex cruise&’ raid is a bust
PHUKET TOWN: A high-profile raid today on the offices of tour cruise operator Lifestyle in Asia Co Ltd turned up no evidence to support a connection between the company and a web site promoting exclusive sex tours in Phuket. The intention of the raid was to turn up evidence that Lifestyle in Asia was running cruises advertised at the web…
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Thalang Rd to close at midnight
PHUKET TOWN: The section of Thalang Rd between Thepkrasattri Rd and Montri Rd will be closed at midnight tonight to allow organizers to build a stage for the first Seven Wonders of Phuket festival on Sunday. Pol Lt Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen, Deputy Superintendent of Phuket Police Station, told the Gazette that a section of Deebuk Rd near the intersection with…
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Plea for bigger police budget
PHUKET: Benjapol Thongton, a member of Phuket’s Public Committee of Inquiry into Police Affairs, today called for Phuket’s police to be given a larger budget. K. Benjapol made his plea at a three-hour meeting of the committee chaired by Pol Gen Soonthorn Saikwan, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, at Phuket Town Police Station. “The committee and police are…
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Couple urged to call Brit embassy
BANGKOK: The British Embassy is keen to make contact with Stacey Paige and Phil Bennet, who are reportedly in the Phuket region. They are asked to call Fiona at the Embassy’s Consular Section, Tel: 02-3058333.
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FIFA President heading for Phuket
PHUKET: Sepp Blatter, president of soccer’s international ruling body, FIFA, will be the guest of honor at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conference at the Kata Beach Resort later this month, the Gazette learned today. Eam Thavornvongwongse, Director of the Kata Group of Hotels, said that the conference of the AFC – FIFA’s administrative organization for Asia – will be…
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Appeal for information on two foreigners
PHUKET: The Chief of Phuket Immigration Police has appealed to the public for information on two foreign men who both disappeared a few weeks ago after separate strange incidents at the Kata Beach Resort. Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, Superintendent of the Phuket Immigration office, said police want to talk to a man, thought to be named Morris and believed to…
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Elderly Japanese dies on coral tour
PHUKET: Japanese tourist Akira Yamagida, 67, died while on a coral sightseeing tour at Koh Hei on Sunday. Pol Maj Jasada Sangsuri, of Chalong Police Station, told the Gazette yesterday that Mr Yamagida was swimming with his friend Yasuhiro Yamauchi, 56, and two other tourists just five meters off a Koh Hei beach at about midday. After they had been…
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Three dead, 311 injured during Songkran
PHUKET: Three people were killed in traffic accidents in Phuket during the four-day Songkran holiday, according to statistics from the island’s hospitals. The Phuket Provincial Health Office reported that all of the victims died in motorcycle accidents, and all were confirmed to have been under the influence of alcohol. In the same period, 311 people were injured on the roads.…
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Water shortage imminent, says Mayor
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Town Mayor Phummisak Hongsyok has warned that Phuket faces a shortage of water within five years, and that not enough is being done to solve the problem. At a press conference yesterday the Mayor complained that Phuket’s infrastructure is not being developed to keep up with the increasing demand from local residents and tourists. “Phuket is a…
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Solution proposed for mangrove encroachment
PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has proposed assigning small plots of public land to poor people in order to stop further encroachment into Phuket’s dwindling mangrove forests. Gov Pongpayome said in a recent announcement that he had received several complaints about families setting up homes in the mangroves of Phuket. To solve the problem, he recommends building small “villages” with…
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Girls, 13 and 14, busted for ya bah
THALANG: Marine Police officers arrested a 13-year-old girl Tuesday afternoon after she picked up a package containing ya bah (methamphetamine) and heroin from the Thalang post office. Police had received a tip-off alleging that the girl, who was accompanied by a 14-year-old girl friend, was acting as a drug courier for her father, Usman. Police watched her movements for several…
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150 queue to wish Gov Happy New Year
PHUKET TOWN: About 150 Thais and foreigners, including government officers, local politicians and business leaders, gathered at the Governor’s Mansion on Narisorn Rd this morning to take part in the traditional exchange of New Year blessings with Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi and his wife, Mantana. Phuket’s three Vice Governors were the first in a long queue of well-wishers to…
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Boat safety boost for Songkhran
PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said yesterday it will be stepping up boat safety measures during this year’s Songkhran festival. Napasorn Kakai, Assistant Director of the local office of the TAT, said that arrangements have been made for officers from the Phuket Harbor Office, the Marine Police and the Tourist Police to be stationed…
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American diver dies in cave
KRABI: The Royal Thai Navy today returned to Phuket with the body of American tourist Jeffrey S. Gall, 48, who disappeared March 25 while diving in a cave off Koh Ha Yai. Pol Lt Col Prasopchai Bunluesil, Deputy Superintendent of Phuket Marine Police, told the Gazette today that Mr Gall was on vacation with his wife, staying on Phi Phi…
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Meatball vendor killed in robbery
THALANG: The body of a meatball vendor was found by villagers at the side of Thepkrasattri Rd last night. Police believe he was killed in the course of a robbery. The man has been identified as 38-year-old Charoon Sura, a resident of Thalang. Pol Maj Pornthep Phutluecha of Thalang Police Station told the Gazette that villagers called police at about…
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Bike Week off to a roaring start
PHUKET: About 200 bikers rumbled around Phuket today as part of the 8th annual Phuket Bike Week. Hundreds of big bike enthusiasts from all over the country and from overseas have been arriving over the past few days for the six-day festival in Phuket. Yesterday evening, Rat-U-Thit 200 Phi Rd in Patong was jammed with big bikes for a welcome…
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Health Chief in plea for safe Songkhran
PHUKET: Dr Wanchai Sattayawutthipong, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, has urged people to be particularly careful on Phuket’s roads during this year’s Songkhran festival. Citing statistics showing the rising numbers of dead and injured during the period in each successive year, Dr Wanchai urged everyone to take care when driving, to use safety belts or helmets, and not…
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“Women auction parties’ report denied
PHUKET: Col Apirak Hongtong, Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police, yesterday emphatically denied a newspaper report alleging that regular parties are held in Phuket at which Thai women are auctioned off to foreigners. His comments followed the publishing of a front-page article on Thursday in a local Thai newspaper. The paper named Col Apirak as its source for the story. Col…
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Schoolboy in love triangle machete attack
PHUKET TOWN: A high school student has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly chasing two fellow students on a motorcycle and slashing one of one them with a machete. Pol Lt Kittitat Dangnui, of Phuket Town Police Station, told the Gazette that police were called into Wachira Phuket Hospital at about 1 am Thursday to investigate an incident involving…
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Immigration plans big improvements
PHUKET: Phuket Immigration has announced plans to radically improve its service to tourists and foreigners living in Phuket. Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, the Superintendent of the Phuket Immigration Office, told the Gazette today that many foreigners who come to Phuket want to extend their stay in the country, but when their Immigration stamps expire, they do not know the correct…
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Seven Wonders get green light
PHUKET TOWN: A seven-week schedule of festivities was announced yesterday as part of a plan to attract more visitors to Phuket Town’s historic downtown area. The “Seven Wonders of Phuket” festival will start on April 21, and will run for the following six Sundays. JSL Co won the right to organize the festival with its concept of promoting a “Green…
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Don&’t bore your guests – Gov
PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi today urged organizers of events in Phuket to be aware of what their guests are likely to enjoy, and not to bore them with endless speeches and other formalities. His remarks came at an all-day seminar held at the Royal Phuket City, focusing on Tourism Destination Preservation and Being A Good Host. Gov Pongpayome…
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Parks launch underwater self-guided tours
SIMILANS: The marine national parks at the Similan and Chumphon islands have each launched an underwater trail along which divers can enjoy a self-guided tour of corals and other underwater marine life. Divers will be handed three plastic cards with the pictures and names of the many corals and tropical fish they are likely to see as they travel the…
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Policeman stabbed while making arrest
PHUKET TOWN: A police officer was knifed while making an arrest at about 3 am on Sunday at the Sri Sena fishing port. Pol L/Cpl Rakchart Suksrinuan went to question Ruengsak Cholasarn, 33, following a complaint by Pairoj Kongchartthai, 19, that Ruengsak had stabbed him during an argument. K. Pairoj was admitted to Wachira Hospital with minor stab wounds to…
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Aliens top gambling in arrest figures
PHUKET: Illegal immigrants topped the arrests statistics last month, with 421 people caught in raids from March 1 to 24, according to the latest figures released by police. Gambling dropped from its customary number-one spot, with 273 arrested in 91 raids, up from 176 arrests made in 82 raids during for the same period in February. Arrests for drug-related offences…
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Prison still brimming with drug offenders
PHUKET TOWN: Statistics released by Provincial Prison officials last week show that narcotics offenders, or those awaiting trial on drugs-related charges, make up more than half of the prison population. Of the 1,247 inmates, 523 men and 119 women are in for narcotics offenses. Of the remaining prisoners, 217 are being held for theft, 136 for murder or attempted murder,…
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