Phuket

Landslide stops Patong Hill traffic

Published

16 years ago

October 21, 2003

Landslide stops Patong Hill traffic | The Thaiger

KATHU: A landslide early this afternoon close to the crest of Patong Hill brought traffic to a standstill as rain continued to blanket Phuket. Vice-Governor Pongpow Ketthong told the Gazette that earth and large branches tumbled onto Prabaramee Rd, on the Patong side of the hill near the Pun Tao Kong Chinese shrine, causing huge traffic jams in both directions. Vehicles were able to move again after about an hour. Staff from the Patong Municipality and the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority were still clearing debris late this afternoon. “No one was hurt and no property was damaged,” V/Gov Pongpow said. “As soon as the road has been cleared, traffic can return to normal.” Phuket was placed on a national list of landslide-prone provinces earlier this year – and continuing bad weather has accentuated the risk. Wijit Puangsombat, Chief Weather Forecaster at the Southern Regional Meteorological Center (West), said today that the rain is expected to continue for another three or four days, though it will probably not be heavy enough to trigger flooding. Between 9 am and 1 pm today, 25.6 mm of rain was recorded at Phuket Airport, 35.6 mm in Phuket Town and 36.7 mm at Takuapa, Phang Nga. K. Wijit said Phuket’s recent weather was the result of a high pressure zone over the north of Australia that had trapped water-bearing clouds over Phuket and the Andaman region.

Patong

Phuket’s lifeguards say goodbye to a champion of local beach safety

Published

20 hours ago

August 18, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTOS: Phuket Lifeguard Service

A commemoration ceremony has been held for Prathaiyuth Chuayuan, a local Phuketian who helped drive Phuket’s first beach lifeguard services. He passed away on Friday morning after a heart attack.

He first experienced chest pains whilst delivering his daughter to school in Phuket Town on Friday morning, drove himself immediately to the Vachira Hospital nearby but succumbed to cardiac arrest around 9am.

He was 57 years old.

He worked with Australian lifesavers to help train local lifeguards and improve the skills of the Phuket’s beach enthusiasts, and finally sought international accreditation for the growing body of competent Phuket lifeguards.

The Phuket Lifeguards Service, founded and run by Prathaiyuth and his wife Witanya, saved innumerable lives each year whilst battling Provincial Hall and local government for increased funding in annual contract negotiations.

Daren Jenner, a FOT (Friend of The Thaiger) and local safety officer for the International Surf Lifesaving Association, sent a message to us expressing his deepest condolences to Prathaiyuth’s wife, family and friends.

“I had many good conversations with him over the years. He was a good-hearted man who did his best in difficult and changing circumstances. A very big loss for Phuket and the lifesaving community here. ISLA sends our deepest respect for his long commitment to ocean safety in SE Asia.”

Phuket's lifeguards say goodbye to a champion of local beach safety | News by The Thaiger

Environment

Phuket villager braves the surf to rescue tangled turtle

Published

23 hours ago

August 18, 2019

Tanutam Thawan

Phuket villager braves the surf to rescue tangled turtle | The Thaiger

A local villager in Phuket’s north has risked his own life to retrieve a young sea turtle caught up in fishermen’s netting. The turtle was spotted, caught up in the branches of a fallen tree along the shores of Mai Khao beach. The monsoon was kicking up big waves and it’s unlikely the locals knew how to swim, especially in the surf conditions.

The local villager makes a few attempts to retrieve the turtle, eventually separating the turtle and netting from the tree branches with a meat cleaver.

After clearing the netting from around the turtle’s flippers and neck, it was taken by an officer from the local Phuket Department of Marine Resources for evaluation and treatment before it will be released back to the sea.

VIDEO: ห้องวีอาร์ ทะเลใต้ // @มานพ สิงห์ 8802

🔴 #ภูเก็ต #เต่าติดอวน วันนี้ 17 สิงหาคม 2562 ชาวบ้านได้ช่วยเหลือเต่าติดอวนพันตามคอลำตัว คลื่นได้ซัดเจ้าเต่าน้อย เข้าหาฝั่งหน้าหาดไม้ขาว ชาวบ้านได้แก้เชือกออกตามคลิป และได้เเจ้งเจ้าหน้าที่มารับไปอนุบาลเป็นที่เรียบร้อย #NewshawkPhuket Cr.ห้องวีอาร์ ทะเลใต้ // @มานพ สิงห์ 8802
Posted by เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket on Saturday, 17 August 2019

Environment

Marium, the baby dugong internet star, dies. Plastic found in stomach.

Published

23 hours ago

August 18, 2019

The Thaiger

The orphaned female baby dugong, winning the hearts of many and helping to educate Thais about the importance of the local dugong population, has died with plastic waste lining its stomach, prompting a surge of mourning on social media.

Marium was found in April off the coast of Krabi, southern Thailand, and photos of her nuzzling marine biologists quickly went viral. When a second orphaned dugong was found, subsequently named Jamil by Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, the pair became internet stars.

Dugongs, a species of sea cow, are listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List, facing environmental threats including pollution, habitat loss and hunting. In Thailand, Marium and Jamil soon became symbols for the conservation of the oceans. Fans could watch Marium on a live feed, receiving veterinary treatment, and being fed up to 15 times a day.

But last week the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources posted that Marium was sick and refusing food. Marium died just after midnight on Saturday morning. An autopsy revealed plastic debris in the intestine, resulting in inflammation and the accumulation of gas, as well as a respiratory infection and a buildup of pus.

The DMCR posted the announcement of the death of “little angel” Marium.

Veterinarian Nantarika Chansue, who treated Marium, says, “She taught us how to love and then went away as if saying please tell everyone to look after us and conserve her species..”

Marium, the baby dugong internet star, dies. Plastic found in stomach. | News by The Thaiger