Phuket
Hotel buying spree continues

PHUKET: Central Hotels & Resorts (CHR), which last month announced that it had bought the Islandia Park Resort in Karon for more than a billion baht, has also bought the Jiva Resort & Spa in Kata.
This most recent purchase brings the number of properties CHR owns in Phuket to four; the company’s other properties in Phuket are the Central Karon Village and Central Waterfront Suites in Karon. The company has a further 10 resorts and hotels in Thailand.
CHR would not disclose the price paid for the 128-room Jiva Resort, but the Gazette understands that it was around 400 million baht and that global investment firm Lehman Brothers is also a party to the deal.
Elsewhere on the island, a plot of beachfront land at Emerald Bay, south of Patong, is in the process of being sold by its current owners, Taiwan’s Evergreen Group, which has shipping, airline and hotel interests.
The details of this deal have yet to be made public.
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Expats
Deceased Phuket expat’s body stuck in hospital due to passport mix-up

In a nightmarish scenario, a deceased Phuket expat’s body is stuck in a Thai hospital as his step‐daughter claims hospital administrators won’t release the body due to a passport mix‐up.
Gemma Swift, the step‐daughter of 75 year old David Donoghue, who died 2 weeks ago, says she is pleading with embassy staff in Thailand to resolve, what she says, is purely an administrative issue after Donoghue’s passport number at the hospital was from that of an expired one.
Donoghue’s current passport was on file with the British Embassy, but because it did not match what the hospital had, his body has remained at the hospital. Swift says it was something that could easily be corrected and the situation was “horrendous” for the family.
“The British Embassy over in Bangkok, they said that because [the number] was from his current passport, they were unable to change the letter. They have said that they won’t reissue a letter with the passport number that he’s got in the hospital with him.”
She said her family planned to arrange a funeral for him in Thailand, then bring his ashes back to the UK. As he retired to Phuket 15 years ago, her family would then take his ashes back to Thailand, as per his wishes, to scatter them.
However, none of his family members were able to travel to Thailand to be with Donoghue in his final days, as the mandatory 14 day quarantine period upon entering Thailand, would not have allowed them to see him.
“I thought this was a basic human right to be able to give somebody a funeral and I accept that there is always going to be red tape…but please just issue a letter and let us bring him home.”
She said before Covid-19, family members travelled often to Phuket to visit Donoghue, who once worked for the Thai tourist police. She says the entire ordeal has been heartbreaking as her family was unable to say goodbye.
“That on its own was heart breaking, and now to get this two weeks later, to find out we can’t give him a funeral, or get his ashes back, it’s just horrendous.”
“It’s like being on autopilot… once we know we have done everything we can, we can start the grieving process, but at the minute we can’t.”
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said they are assisting Donoghue’s family during the difficult time.
“Our staff are in contact with the local hospital and funeral director to help his family obtain the necessary paperwork to ensure his body is treated in line with their wishes.”
If the situation isn’t fixed, Donoghue’s body will join a mass cremation at the hospital.
SOURCE: BBC News
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Phuket
Thailand News Today | Covid passport talks, Thai Airways heads to court | March 2

In today’s Thailand News Today…. The island of Phuket has a firm plan to get its residents vaccinated leading up to an October opening for tourists, the Thai PM backs up his police over last Sunday’s protest violence and Thai Airway’s employee union criticises the changes to employee contracts.
But the plan must be approved by the national government by April, if the province wants to open tourism by October 1. Phuket has a resident population of around 300- 400,000 people.
Before you go rushing off to book your plane tickets we’d stress that this is another in a long list of proposals that have not come to fruition and we’d urge patience until the Government approves the plans.
Meanwhile the island has taken delivery of 4,000 doses of the Chinese Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccinations started yesterday, with priority given to 1,500 healthcare workers and 500 “at-risk” officials exposed to Covid-19 patients.
On a broader note… Thailand’s Tourism Minister says he has asked the Public Health Ministry to approve a vaccine passport scheme aimed at reviving Thailand’s devastated tourism sector. According to the Minister, the government is looking to the World Health Organisation to issue a statement on vaccine passports before it makes a final decision on the matter.
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha has defended police action against protesters taking part in Sunday’s anti-government rally in Bangkok. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau used tear gas, a water cannon and rubber bullets in an effort to drive protesters back from the PM’s residence. The PM insists the actions were in line with international standards. He says that police did not violate the protesters’ rights.
Thai researchers are claiming that horseshoe bats are not responsible for transmitting the Covid virus to humans. A researcher with the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases-Health Science Centre, says that even though the bats have tested positive for a coronavirus, it is not the strain that is transmissible to humans, and it’s certainly not the virus that causes Covid-19.
As Thai Airways tries to sell new contracts and conditions to its remaining workforce, the labour union of the national carrier is challenging changes to the employment contracts, where Thai Airways employees are being asked to agree to changes as part of the bigger financial rehabilitation program.
But a union representative says the new contracts are unfair because it includes fewer leave days and shorter holidays. The union has filed a complaint with the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare.
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Phuket
Police investigate reports of women’s underwear stolen from Phuket homes

Police in Phuket are looking for a suspect who residents say has been stealing women’s underwear. Surveillance camera footage from a resident’s home shows a teenager driving through a neighbourhood, then stopping and stealing ladies panties that were hanging up to dry.
One resident told Phuket News that numerous residents in Thalang’s Baan Lipon area have reported missing underwear.
“Recently neighbors have been reporting that many items of their underwear have been stolen. Many residents are worried about the man hovering around here trying to steal underwear.”
A man told the Phuket News that his wife’s underwear was stolen and he’s now worried about his family’s safety. Another resident says he’s also concerned.
“As a resident in this area, I am worried about the safety of the local residents. Underwear has been stolen, something else could happen as well.”
In a similar case back in October, a 46 year old man was arrested for allegedly breaking into homes in Ratchaburi and stealing women’s underwear. Police says they seized 70 pairs of panties.
SOURCE: Phuket News
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)4 days ago
International travellers allowed to transit Thailand from Monday
- Bangkok3 days ago
Woman talks about the life of a Thai “pretty” after model’s death
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
Public Health Minister gets first Covid-19 vaccine shot in Thailand
- Chon Buri1 day ago
Bike rider killed after crashing motorbike into parked truck in Chon Buri
- Bangkok2 days ago
At least 22 people arrested at Bangkok protest, officer dies of heart failure
- Bangkok3 days ago
Royal Thai Police accused of “ticket” promotion system to buy senior positions
- Cannabis2 days ago
Another drug bust near the Mekong River, 500 kilograms of cannabis seized
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)2 days ago
Thai PM says Covid-19 jab is safe, urges people to get vaccinated