News
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Gov pushes for tougher work permit rules
PHUKET: In a meeting in Bangkok with the Parliamentary Committee on Labor, Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi last week proposed tougher rules for the issue of work permits. The Governor was invited to the meeting following a backlash from the Phuket and Pattaya Chambers of Commerce over the recent relaxation of permit rules. Speaking on 96.75 FM radio on Monday, Gov…
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Police maids clean up, clear out
PHUKET TOWN: The theft appeared to have all the characteristics of an inside job. But who would be foolish enough to rob Phuket Town Police Station? Police listed the stolen items: several mobile phones, some cash and a camera. One day, a wall clock disappeared. Eventually the officers put the clues together and on Wednesday made their move. They raided…
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Surasak barred from election
PATONG: The Phuket Provincial Court this morning upheld an order by former Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon instructing Patong Mayor Surasak Maneesri to quit his post as mayor because of conduct likely to bring the Patong Municipality into disrepute. It therefore barred K. Surasak from running in the Patong Mayoral election, due to take place on November 16 and 17. K.…
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Dane wins Tour of Thailand
BANGKOK: Peterson Solen from Denmark won the Tour of Thailand 2002 in Bangkok yesterday and his team, Giant Asian Racing, took the first four places. Solen was followed home by fellow team riders Iratov Damir from Uzbekistan and Sergey Derevyanov of Kazakstan. Another Uzbeki rider, Kahramon Mominov, crossed the line second on the day, but placed fourth overall in the…
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Phuket must diversify – Governor
PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday reiterated his view that Phuket must develop industries apart from tourism. “Tourism is vulnerable. It’s like a crystal. We should create real-sector businesses, or businesses related to the service sector,” he said. Speaking at a meeting of the International Business Association of Phuket (IBAP) on the theme of “Phuket Tomorrow”, he said that such…
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Smoking ban law in force from midnight
PHUKET: The Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) today issued a reminder that the new law clamping down on smoking in a wide range of public places comes into effect at midnight tonight. However, Dr Wanchai Sattayawutthipong told the Gazette that his inspectors will probably not start making checks on compliance until tomorrow morning, since most places affected…
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Phuket tourism “better after Christmas’
PHUKET: The Bali bombing has affected Phuket tourism but the situation will improve after Christmas, a leading figure in the industry said today. Opas Netraumpai, Vice President of the Thailand Incentive Convention Association (TICA) and Managing Director of Club Andaman Beach Resort, said there were three stages to reactions. The first, about a week after the bombing, left Phuket hotels…
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Officials move to bolster tourism
PHUKET: A large group led by Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi will go to Europe next week to promote tourism to Phuket. Their visit to the annual World Travel Market (WTM) in London, comes amid concern about tourism prospects in the wake of the Bali bombing, and following travel advisories from a number of governments, including Britain’s, warning travelers to be…
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Smile, please
PATONG: The Club Andaman Beach Resort has organized a “Siam Smile Contest” on November 22 to celebrate Thai culture. Wandee Chang-Ngam, Assistant PR Director of Club Andaman Beach Resort, said today that the winners will be the people with the most impressive “wais” and smiles. The contest, which will be in the morning, will be in two parts, the first…
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Eight held in immigration sweeps
PHUKET TOWN: Eight foreigners were arrested by Immigration Police yesterday and today in a series of sweeps through Patong, Kata and Karon. The raids coincided with a visit to Phuket by Pol Lt Gen Chanvut Vajrabukka, the Bangkok-based Director of Immigration, who came to Phuket to “motivate the Phuket office” in their work tracking down foreigners staying or working illegally…
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Miss Andaman to win B1m
PHUKET: Kittiya Chaiyo, 17, from Cherng Talay is Phuket’s last hope in the Miss Andaman 2002 beauty contest, with competitors chasing a million-baht prize and the chance to spend a year promoting the Andaman region throughout Thailand. Sakda Sutthisathit, chairman of the pageant’s organizing committee, explained that the contest is a joint effort by the Chambers of Commerce of Ranong,…
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Lightning blamed for Customs boat blaze
AO MAKHAM: Lightning may have caused a fire aboard a 50-foot Customs inspection boat moored at the Deep Sea Port at about 10 pm on Sunday. Chanai Nakzsup, the Transportation Administrator at the Phuket Harbor Master’s Office, said, “I saw the top of the boat was on fire, and everybody was helping to put it out.” He added that it…
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Smoking ban to be thoroughly enforced
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) confirmed yesterday that a sweeping new national law that bars smoking in most public places will be strictly enforced in Phuket from November 8. PPHO health expert Somboon Aiyarak told a conference at the Provincial Hall that, with few exceptions, smoking will be banned in most public places, including cinemas, schools, hospitals,…
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Power bill payment hours extended
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) announced yesterday that electricity bills can now be paid on Saturdays at its offices in Phuket Town. Suthep Jitseree, Assistant Manager, said the 9 am-noon service was experimental until December 28 and would continue if there was sufficient demand. The office is at 173 Thalang Rd, Tambon Talad Yai, Phuket Town. For…
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Loft antiques shop raided
PHUKET TOWN: The Loft, an antiques shop on Thalang Rd, was raided this morning by police officers and specialists from the Ministry of Culture. The raid came after allegations that the owners had no license to sell antiques, and that they had been selling antique Buddha images, which is illegal with or without a license. Official interest in the shop…
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Floating body a murder mystery
PHUKET: Police have few clues in the murder of a man whose body was found floating in the sea near Koh Maiton on Wednesday. The body – probably that of a fisherman – bore at least nine stab wounds on the back and stomach, and had been in the water about six days. It was clad only in a yellow…
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Last chance to vie for Carnival Queen
PATONG: The organizers of tomorrow’s Patong carnival are still looking for more contestants – Thai or foreign – to compete for the title of “Queen of the Andaman”. Gifts will be provided for all contestants, as will costumes, with a choice of traditional Thai, colorful Hawaiian or “fancy”. Each of the 10 contestants who make the second round will earn…
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17 die in motorbike accidents
PHUKET: The island’s roads claimed at least one dead motorbike rider every two days between August 20 and September 20, the latest figures reveal. Statistics from Wachira, Thalang and Patong government hospitals show that motorcycle accidents claimed 17 lives in the period, the same number as in the previous 31 days. The statistics show that 851 people were injured on…
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Bomb squad officers croaked
PHUKET TOWN: A bomb alert forced the closure of Yaowaraj Rd between Thalang Rd and Dibuk Rd for several hours last night. Rattana Ungtrakul, 47, called police after finding a package in the basket of her motorbike, which was parked outside her curtain shop. She explained that it was a well-wrapped white post-office-style parcel addressed to her shop, with the…
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Police set up Patong security center
PATONG: Sixty police officers from a variety of units met last night to coordinate security in the Patong area. The Kathu Police Station will become the Phuket Provincial Police Center in order to make the tourists feel more security at Patong beach. The meeting brought together officers from Phuket Immigration Police, Kathu Police, the Tourist Police, the Highway Police, the…
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Black money scam busted
PATONG: Four West Africans were arrested last night after two were caught on videotape performing the classic “black money” scam. Sleweon Friday Emmanue, 29, and Camara Malam, 33, were charged with swindling while Leon D. Earley, 26, and Sailatee T. Toe, 19, were charged with entering Thailand illegally. All four are from Liberia. Pol Lt Col Jakawath Boontaweekulsawas, of Kathu…
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Center for disabled to open soon
PHUKET TOWN: A new training center for the disabled will open next month on Montri Rd, opposite the Seng Ho bookstore. Formerly a government warehouse, the two-story center will have classrooms and a meeting room equipped for training in computer skills, arts and crafts, languages and other studies. Sawai Promjinda, President of the Phuket Association of Disabled People (ADP), said…
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And for my next trick…
CHIANG RAI: A monk who claimed he used his magic powers to make a pickup disappear from a showroom had some trouble persuading police about his vanishing act. There were no witnesses, but the vehicle was discovered 27 kilometers away from the Mazda showroom in Chiang Rai, with an empty gas tank. Suspicion fell on the monk, Ekachai Pattanaeakwong, who…
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Motorbike hacker nicked
PATTAYA: Stoned, broke and angry, Ampon Rattanchot tried a new form of persuasion when a cousin refused to lend him money. Police arrived on Soi Yensabai in south Pattaya to find Ampon babbling incoherently and slashing away at the cousin’s motorcycle with a sword. Police restrained the hysterical man and found 10 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills in his pocket. Ampon…
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Politician injured in hammer attack
PHUKET TOWN: Patong politician and lawyer Sarayuth Mullum was attacked by a hammer-wielding assailant yesterday, ending up in hospital with seven stitches in his scalp and his right arm in plaster. K. Sarayuth had just finished lunch with Phuket MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr and her husband at the Sala Muslim restaurant on Surin Rd when the assault took place. His attacker…
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Hunt is on for Jumbo Junior
CHERNG TALAY: A Jumbo Junior competition for children will be held next month as part of an ongoing project to raise money for mistreated elephants. The competition will not be only about physical size but also about having a larger-than-life personality, bouncing good health and super-sized intelligence and leadership abilities. Dusit Laguna Resort Phuket has organized activities on November 25…
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Plea for game fish to be protected
PHUKET: Swift action must be taken to control the number of sailfish being caught by commercial fishermen in Phuket waters, a game fishing advocate has told the Gazette. If action is not taken, a sport that brings millions of baht a year to Phuket will be at risk, said the game fishing advocate, who asked that his name be withheld.…
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Interior Minister in snap visit to Patong
PHUKET: Recently appointed Minister of Interior Wan Muhamad Nor Matha last night made an impromptu three-hour inspection tour of Patong and stayed at the Royal Paradise Hotel. The minister made his first public appearance in Phuket earlier in the day at a meeting of about 100 police and government officers and community leaders at Phuket Provincial Hall. K. Wan Nor…
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Missing teacher found dead
PHANG NGA: The body of a teacher who went missing while on a fishing trip was found in a canal near the Sarasin Bridge on Friday. Sophol Paenklai, 48, who taught at a school in Tai Muang district, “went out to catch fish and fell into the water by accident,” said Apidaj Chuaykua, Pol Capt of Kok Kloy Police Station…
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Patong Festival planning finalized
PHUKET TOWN: A last-minute conference yesterday finalized planning for Patong’s one-day carnival on November 1 to mark the opening of the tourism high season. “We have the cooperation of police to handle security and to ensure the convenience of people who join our carnival, all day and all evening,” said spokewoman Wallee Pachantabutr, General Manager of the Impiana Phuket Cabana.…
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