Phuket News
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Police to charge tour van driver today over lethal Phuket crash
PHUKET: Tuan Russala Samae, the tour van driver involved in the fatal crash that killed 9-year-old British International School student Kunnarree Lattuada-Lancini on November 29, has been discharged from Vachira Phuket Hospital. “He is to present himself at Chalong Police Station on Thursday [today] to be charged with reckless driving causing death,” Sub Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop told the Gazette on…
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CCTV captures unidentified man using missing American’s bank card in Phuket
PHUKET: The mother of missing American Brett Bean was unable to confirm if images captured by CCTV cameras in Patong and Chalong show her son making ATM transactions after his disappearance in Phuket. Lynne Bean, who posted a 50,000 baht reward to help find her son was asked to visit Karon Police Station today to try to identify a man…
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Live Wire: 3G WiFi offerings in Phuket
PHUKET: In the first installment of this series, I talked about the general state of internet connections in Phuket. Last week, I covered the current offerings in land lines, with TOT Fiber 2U 10 Mega bits per second (Mbps) representing the best bang for your baht (sometimes; 1,500 baht/month), True DOCSIS “Ultra” coming in second (if you can get it;…
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Live Wire: A decade of hard internet knocks
PHUKET: This is the final installment in a four-part series of articles about getting connected to the internet in Phuket. High season is upon us and many people are looking for good internet connections – for a month, a year, or the rest of their lives. In these four articles I’ve tried to distill more than a decade’s worth of…
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Mother offers B50k reward for missing Phuket expat Brett Bean
PHUKET: The mother of an American ski instructor, who was last seen in Phuket, has offered a 50,000-baht reward to find her son. Speaking at Karon Police Station today, 69-year-old Lynne Bean appealed to the public for any information that would help find Brett Bean, her 43-year-old son who failed to make a flight home to Los Angeles on November…
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Phuket ready to rendezvous
PHUKET: Organizers are making final preparations for the 12th annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous and the anticipation is palpable. Most yachts have arrived, bringing with them captains, crew and VIP guests who are getting revved up for sun, sailing and socializing. The buzz is growing with Christmas around the corner and Phuket’s beaches bustling with families, honeymooners, holiday makers and friendly…
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Kvalka surrenders, denies active role in Phuket Reisz murder
PHUKET: Following his surrender to Samui Police on Saturday, Gyorgy Lajos Kvalka denied any role in the killing of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz. Tourist Police Commander Roy Ingpairoj arrived from Bangkok to present Mr Kvalka, 48, to the press at the Phuket Tourist Police headquarters in Phuket Town on Saturday night. Named on the arrest warrant as “Kvalka Lajos Gyoergy”,…
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Football Roundup: Van Persie breaches City fortress, Everton win
PHUKET: Manchester United laid down a significant marker in the Premier League title race as Robin Van Persie’s late free kick sealed a dramatic 3-2 Premier League derby win at Manchester City’s home fortress yesterday. City fought back after Wayne Rooney’s first-half double but goals from Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta proved in vain as Van Persie marked his first…
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Pong powers home to win Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: Blue skies and consistent winds marked the final day of the 2012 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in fitting style yesterday as teams and their boats assembled at the start line in a final bid to resolve their class contests. Some results had effectively completed on Friday, but most of the classes were anticipated to deliver a thrilling final day…
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World Football Roundup: Torres ignites Chelsea; bad record for Queens Park
PHUKET: Fernando Torres continued to silence his critics by scoring twice for the second game running as third-placed Chelsea won 3-1 at Sunderland last night to record their first Premier League victory under Rafael Benitez.The much-maligned Spain forward struck two goals in the first half, his second from the penalty spot, and almost completed a hat-trick shortly after halftime when…
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Phuket motorbike taxis hit over fares
PHUKET: A motorbike taxi representative from Patong has railed against his fellow drivers, calling for “more ethical” behavior and cessation of the practice of gouging tourists for short journeys in the resort town.The call came at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on November 28. At the meeting, designed to handle a multitude of issues concerning motorbike taxis, Chumpol Aiabsakul,…
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Samui Police arrest second Hungarian suspect for Phuket Reisz murder
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat has confirmed that police on Koh Samui have arrested Hungarian national Gyorgy Lajos Kvalka, wanted in connection with the murder of fellow Hungarian Peter Reisz in Phuket. “We are in contact with police there, but at this stage we are not sure when the suspect will be brought to Phuket,” Maj Gen Choti…
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Phuket Governor opens tourist center in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut joined officials from the Cherng Talay Tambon Administrative Organization (OrBorTor) yesterday as he presided over the opening ceremony of a new tourist information center at Surin Beach. Cherng Talay OrBorTor President Ma-ann Samran told the Phuket Gazette that the decision to establish the center came in response to the increasing number of tourists visiting the…
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Phuket King’s Cup competitors look to bag every point in light winds
PHUKET: With winds easing off slightly during yesterday’s racing, competitors looked to maximize every possible advantage as valuable points were up for grabs.Frank Pong and his Jelik team have been the quickest of the IRC Zero class boats in the last few races, but Kevin Whitcraft’s Won Ma Rang shared class honours yesterday. Won Ma Rang took victory in race…
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Phuket Sports: Futsal – Pearl set to shock “Lightning Shrimp’
PHUKET: The island’s professional futsal team, the “Andaman Pearl”, face a tough away fixture against the Surat Thani Futsal Club, nicknamed the ‘Lighting Shrimp”, tonight. Patt Srivijit, assistant coach of Phuket United, told the Gazette that the game against their southern rivals will be a big match, but he hopes the team use this game to push up the league.…
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International Sports: Euro 2020 plan lauded in cash-strapped continent
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Sports news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UEFA’s Euro 2020 plan lauded in cash-strapped continent Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: UEFA’s decision to host the 2020 European Championship across the continent rather than in one or two host nations has been greeted with enthusiasm as countries battle the crippling financial crisis. European football’s…
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Phuket murder suspect Moshe David re-enacts Reisz killing
PHUKET: Moshe David, the prime suspect in the murder investigation of his former business associate Peter Reisz, this morning re-enacted the sequence of events that led to the death of Mr Reisz. As with all public appearances since his arrest, Mr David was silent in front of reporters. However, Provincial Police Region 8 Commander Gen Yongyuth Charoenwanith announced to the…
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Thailand’s development as a sailing nation with the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: Kevin Whitcraft, owner and crew member of Wan Marang and president of the King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee talks about the development of Thailand as a sailing nation, and one truly classic regatta. Who is the skipper of your boat this year?Our skipper, Jaray Tipsuk, is a sailor who has won two silver medals in the SEA Games, and…
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International Boxing: Bout has all the makings of a classic
Marquez and Pacquiao both aim for vindication Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Tomorrow’s non-title welterweight bout between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez has all the makings of a classic as the two fighters prepare to meet for a fourth and, almost certainly, final time in the ring. Their previous three encounters were gripping, all-action affairs between Filipino Pacquiao, probably…
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Phuket Sports: New Brazilian unveiled by Phuket United
PHUKET: Phuket United unveiled their new Brazilian signing, Jardel de Andrade Apolonio, a defensive player from the Liga Futsal League of Brazil, this week. The 29-year old player will wear the number 29 shirt. In an interview with the Phuket Gazette Jardel describes his thoughts on the eve of his first match with the Andaman Pearl: “I like Phuket and…
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Police add Thai suspect to Phuket murder manhunt
PHUKET: Moshe David, prime suspect for the murder of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz in Phuket, was presented to the press today after his arrest in Bangkok yesterday. During a press conference in Surat Thani, home to the popular tourist island Koh Samui, Provincial Police Region 8 Commander Gen Yongyuth Charoenwanit announced that officers were now searching for a Thai man…
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Nepal’s former crown prince shipped to Bangkok: Phuket Police
PHUKET: Nepal’s former crown prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev was transferred to Bangkok on December 4 to face charges at Thonglor Police Station, the Phuket Gazette was told. A senior officer involved in the case, who asked not to be named, told the Gazette that Mr Shah was transferred to Bangkok at 10pm on Tuesday. “He was sent to…
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US embassy ramps up search for American missing in Phuket
PHUKET: The US Embassy in Bangkok has stepped up its search for missing American citizen Brett Chapman Bean, 43, who was last known to be in Phuket. Staff at the AirAsia office at Phuket Airport confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that Mr Bean had booked a seat on board flight FD3012, which was scheduled to depart Phuket at 9:30pm on…
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Kata Reef roped off for swimmer, diver safety
PHUKET: A local contingent of marine safety officials and conservationists have installed a “reef line” around the North Kata Reef to protect swimmers, scuba divers and snorkelers from boat traffic and to prevent damage to the reef. Staff from the Marine Safety Center and volunteers from the environmental conservation organization, Go Eco Phuket, joined forces with local government agencies to…
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Phuket King’s Cup Regatta gives spectacular tribute and racing
PHUKET: The entire Phuket King’s Cup Regatta fleet took part in an inspiring sail pass close to Nai Harn Bay yesterday, before the start of the third day of racing. Royal Thai Navy yachts led the procession of Regatta boats from around the world, as they sailed past three Royal Thai Navy ships positioned off Nai Harn Bay. This spectacular…
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Alleged killer of Hungarian businessman caught in Bangkok
PHUKET: Police arrested Israeli-Hungarian dual national Moshe David at a shopping mall in Bangkok today for the killing of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz, whose body was found hidden with hands bound in a rubber plantation on Phuket on November 29. “We are now searching for another suspect in the case,” Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavaviwat told the Phuket Gazette.…
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Father of the Nation
PHUKET: Today, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama IX of the Chakri Dynasty, turns 85 years old.Looking back in time, the circumstances surrounding HM King Bhumibol’s 1946 ascension to the throne couldn’t have been more remarkable. Born the second son to Prince Mahidol of Songkhla, the brother of King Prachadhipok (Rama VII), neither the King nor his elder brother…
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Phuket honors HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 85th birthday
PHUKET: A host of special ceremonies are being held across Phuket today to honor and celebrate HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 85th birthday, as well as Father’s Day. The ceremonies kicked off at 6:30am with Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut and a host of other public dignitaries leading the offering of alms to 86 monks as part of a blessing ceremony to…
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Phuket residents urged to support Christmas blood drive
PHUKET: As the Christmas and New Year festive season draws closer, Phuket’s residents are being asked to donate blood to ensure an adequate supply is available for hospitals to deal with emergencies. The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) mobile donation clinic will be out and about during December to collect blood donations from the public. “We need all blood types,…
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Krabi police seize 9 cars, M16 as meth ring crumbles
PHUKET: Police believe they have broken a major local drug network with the arrests of 13 suspects and the seizure of more than 6 million baht in drugs in Krabi province, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket.During the raids, police also seized more than 5mn baht in assets, including nine cars and five firearms, Krabi Provincial Police Commander Nantadech Yoinuan…
Phuket is a province in the south of Thailand. Phuket's beaches face the Andaman Sea allowing the west coast beaches fantastic sunsets right throughout the year. If you're looking for news in Phuket, go to thethaiger.com/phuket Or follow our instant news in our Facebook pages.
The good news is that Phuket is famous for its foodie scene with an enormously diverse range of local and international foods - Phuket and southern favorites, street food along with international choices catering for the 12 million visitors to the island each year. Thaiger follows Phuket news and information 24 hours a day with regular updates.
Phuket is only 'just' an island with a 300 metre bridge linking it to Thailand's mainland. We're always reporting in the news that the channel beneath is frequently dredged to maintain Phuket's status as an island. On the other side of Sarasin Bridge is the Province of Phang Nga.
Getting to Phuket is easy as the island has land, air and sea connections. Phuket is also used as a take-off point for local island trips as Thailand's largest island is surrounded by over 30 pristine islands. Koh Phi Phi and the famous Maya Bay are always in the news and would be the best known of the island's just off Phuket's shores.
Phuket is an island and a province. It's the largest island in Thailand – 48 km north to south, 21 km east to west.
It's about 20% smaller, in area, than Singapore but much less densely populated. Whilst the island nation of Singapore boasts a population of nearly 6 million, Phuket has a permanent population of around 400-450,000 (but varies a lot with the influx of tourists and a workforce that is always changing). Most of Phuket remains jungle and tropical rainforest despite an acceleration of development over the past 20 years.
Unlike some of Thailand's other popular islands (that are in the Gulf of Thailand), the news is that Phuket is located in the Andaman Sea.
Phuket is 878 km north of the equator.
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