Phuket

UPDATE: Speedboat collides with oil tanker off Phuket

Published

1 week ago

February 10, 2019

UPDATE: Speedboat collides with oil tanker off Phuket | The Thaiger

A number of Chinese tourists have been injured, one seriously, after the speed boat they were on hit a small oil tanker off the east coast of Phuket yesterday afternoon (Saturday).

The speed boat, Sai Nam, was carrying 10 Chinese passengers, including two children, was heading back to Phuket after a day at Koh Phi Phi.

The tour was between Koh Rung and Koh Ma Phrao when it collided with a small oil tanker, the Choke kriangkrai. The collision damaged the speedboat but it didn’t sink. The steel tanker sustained only minor damage.

The tourists on the speed boat were rescued and transferred to a nearby tour boat. Those injured were rushed to the Mission Hospital in Phuket Town.

Marine police are still investigating the cause of the collision.

On Friday, a speed boat carrying 23 Chinese tourists hit submerged reefs and sank as it was cruising around Koh Samet Island off Rayong. All the tourists were recovered by another speed boat with two of the passengers suffering minor injuries.

The list of marine incidents follows promises from the Marine police to ramp up the safety of vessels carrying tourists following last year’s Phoenix disaster when 47 Chinese tourists perished off the south west coast of Phuket.

Phuket

Two arrested with 100 kilograms of kratom in Phuket

Published

3 hours ago

February 20, 2019

Kritsada Mueanhawong

Two arrested with 100 kilograms of kratom in Phuket | The Thaiger

Two men have been arrested carrying 100 kilogram of kratom leaves at the Phuket Checkpoint early this morning.

A team of officers at the Phuket checkpoint arrested the two Thai men: 49 year old Natee Martmanang from Songkhla and 34 year old Tanan Chotchuang from Satun.

They were arrested while coming through the checkpoint at the north end of Phuket in a pickup truck. Officers seized 100 kilograms of kratom leaves.

They have been taken to the Tha Chatchai Police Station and charged with illegal possession of a Category 5 Drugs with intent to sell.

Phuket

Motorbike driver dies after slamming into the back of a parked bus, Phuket

Published

1 day ago

February 19, 2019

Kritsada Mueanhawong

Motorbike driver dies after slamming into the back of a parked bus, Phuket | The Thaiger

A motorbike driver has died after colliding with the rear of a parked bus on the side of the road in Thalang this morning.

Thalang Police say the incident happened at 5am on Sanambin Mueangmai Road (4026) which is about 200 metres from the Thalang Technical College.

Police and emergency responders arrived to find the parked bus. Embedded into the rear panels of the bus they found a motorbike and the body of a Thai man identified as 21 year old Rittchai Taokong. His body was taken to the Thalang Hospital

Thalang Police report that the bus driver, 59 year old Adul Pidjanan, had parked the bus on the side of the road. The motorbike, travelling at high speed, collided with the rear end of the bus.

Police are continuing their investigation and examining available CCTV.

Krabi

Baby Risso’s Dolphin rescued at Railay Beach in Krabi

Published

1 day ago

February 19, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTO: DMCR

A baby Risso’s Dolphin has been rescued after being found on Railay Beach in Krabi on Sunday.

Officials at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) were notified that the baby dolphin was found of the east end of Railay Beach.

The DMCR says that the species is a baby Risso’s dolphin. This one is 250 centimetres long and weighs about 100 kilograms. The dolphin was weak and unable to swim by itself.

Wounds have been found around its head which marine staff believe was caused from being battered as it washed up onto the beach by waves.

The dolphin was taken to the Phuket Marine Biology Centre (PMBC) where it’s receiving love, attention and further treatment.

Risso’s dolphin is the only species of dolphin in the genus Grampus. It is commonly known as the Monk dolphin among Taiwanese fishermen. Some of the closest related species to these dolphins include: pilot whales, pygmy killer whales, melon-headed whales, and false killer whales.