Search Results for: Thailand
- Phuket News
Phuket united in birthday wishes for HM The King
PHUKET: Scores of civil servants dressed in pink gathered at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town this morning to take part in an alms-giving ceremony to honor the 84th birthday of Thailand’s beloved monarch HRH King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The ceremony, which got underway at 7am, was presided over by Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha and his wife Mrs Nalinee Augkaradacha in…
- Phuket News
Phuket Live Wire – Need for speed
PHUKET: From time to time, I get messages from people who have looked at the Phuket Internet Speed Reporting site and wonder why we’re measuring international download speeds, using one specific test (DSLReports) to one destination, Los Angeles. Here’s a typical comment: Woody, why should I care how fast this test runs to Los Angeles? I’m happy. My torrents download…
- Business News
Kings Cup Regatta to generate B600mn for Phuket
PHUKET: This year’s Kings Cup Regatta is expected to rake in 600 million baht for Phuket. Presiding over a press conference to promote this year’s event, Phuket Governor Tri Aukaradacha last week said that this year’s revenue for the province is likely to exceed that of last year’s edition. Noting that last year’s regatta generated about 550 million baht for…
- Business News
Dewa Phuket wins 7 awards
PHUKET: Dewa Phuket, the boutique resort at Nai Yang beach, bagged seven awards at the ‘2011–2013 Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards’, or HAPA. The HAPA Southeast Asian regional ceremony, which took place on November 17 and 18 in Singapore, welcomed hospitality sector representatives from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Created by World Asia Publications in 2002, HAPA recognizes…
- Phuket News
Phuket Property: Corrupt land ownership cannot be ‘revoked’
PHUKET: While the Andaman Travel Trade 2011 expo was winding to a close at Phuket Rajabhat University last Saturday, a sinister irony pervaded the venue and brought conflict to ‘Brand Phuket’. Tucked away in a small conference room in the same building as the jovial expo was Pheu Thai Party Spokesman and MP Prompong Nopparit, who was holding a public…
- Thailand News
Aussie pays Bt40mn ‘boybride’ price
PHUKET: An Australian man wed his young Thai boyfriend in Chiang Mai yesterday, forking over 40 million baht in “boybride price” to the man’s family for the privilege. The traditional ceremony took place at the Chiang Mai home of Mr Chaiyanon “Un” Worasilp, a 27-year-old from Chachoengsao province, whose first name is unfortunately translated by the on-line Google Translation service…
- Phuket News
Ironman 70.3 champions ready for Phuket challenge
PHUKET: Organizers of the 2011 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship welcomed athletes and officials for the start of the second annual triathlon being held at Laguna Phuket on December 4. President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Paiboon Upatising led the guest speakers and said he was particularly pleased with the organization of the event. “On behalf of the OrBorJor,…
- Phuket News
Phuket World Musiq Fest launches HM The King’s birthday celebrations
PHUKET: Celebrations for HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 84th birthday on Monday, December 5, got underway across Phuket last night with the opening of the inaugural Phuket World Musiq Festival. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha officiated the opening ceremony, marking the beginning of the four-day festival, which will culminate on December 5 with Thai National Artist Naowarat Pongpaiboon leading the “Father of…
- Thailand News
Thaksin to get Thai passport as ‘New Year’s gift’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand to ‘soon’ issue passport for fugitive former premier Thaksin Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thailand will issue a passport for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra “very soon”, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said yesterday. Phuket Gazette partner newspaper The Nation quotes Surapong as saying that the passport…
- Phuket News
FC Phuket ready to pluck Chanthaburi “Hares’ on Sunday
PHUKET: FC Phuket Head Coach Sompong Wattana has resumed his duty as “chief of the tribe” – just in time for the Southern Sea Kirin’s long-awaited home match against Cash Today Chanthaburi FC, nicknamed “The Hares”, on Sunday. The coach, who goes by the nickname “Rock Rhino”, rejoined the team on Wednesday following a leave of absence he took last…
- Thailand News
Anti-graft alliance vows to keep close watch
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community “Clean Thailand DIY” campaign The NationThe Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), an alliance of private watchdog groups, yesterday launched the “Clean Thailand DIY” campaign to monitor the government’s spending of Bt800 billion earmarked for post-flood recovery efforts. ACN chairman Pramon Sutivong said the group is inviting people to…
- Chiang Mai News
Phuket misses out on Dance Festival as it moves to Chiang Mai
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dance Festival moves to Chiang Mai due to flooding The Nation Thanks to the flooding, the Dance Center has not only postponed its International Dance Festival but relocated it from Bangkok and shortened it. It’s set for tomorrow. “This is the 11th edition and the first…
- Thailand News
Yingluck falls ill; Police denies rumors about key burglary suspect
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yingluck cancels events after falling sick The NationAccording to a source close to the prime minister, Yingluck appeared faint, complained of a headache and vomited during a lunch break at Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi. She had earlier inspected a flooded area of Pak Kret district…
- Phuket News
Phuket marks World AIDS Day
PHUKET: Phuket has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in Southern Thailand and the third-highest per-capita rate of infection in the country, Phuket Public Health Office Chief Sak Tanchaikul announced today. Dr Sak delivered the news at a press conference to mark today, December 1, as World AIDS Day. “This year the slogan is ‘Getting to Zero’,” said Dr Sak. He…
- Thailand News
Phuket Media Watch – Bounty offered in Sophoth theft case
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bounty for fugitive in Sophoth case The Nation A 200,000-baht bounty has been offered for the capture of the alleged ringleader, reportedly on the run in Laos, who took millions of baht during the burglary at Transport Ministry permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom’s house. A senior commander,…
- Business News
Phuket Business – Looking forward to 2012
PHUKET: Walking into my local shopping center yesterday I was amazed to see Christmas decorations adorning the shops and general surroundings. A quick check of the date on my watch and I realized that although the trees, baubles and tinsel were a trifle early, it certainly was closer to the holidays than I had imagined! This gave me food for…
- Business News
THAI Phuket flights operating as usual
PHUKET: Thai Airways International (THAI) is still operating its full schedule of regular flights between Bangkok and Phuket – for now. An officer from the ‘Enterprise Communication Department’ of THAI, asking not to be named, told the Phuket Gazette, “I have yet to receive any news about reductions in flights to Phuket.” Her statement was in response to a report…
- Business News
Brazil targeted as new tourist source market for Phuket
PHUKET: Brazilians are among the latest target group of tourists to be lured to Phuket and the Andaman region. Speaking recently at a press conference for the Andaman Travel Trade 2011 exhibition, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing Juthaporn Rerngronasa highlighted the South American country as an expanding market for incoming tourism. There were 10 operators from Brazil at this…
- Business News
Luxury car imports into Phuket steady
PHUKET: Despite global economic turmoil, the luxury car import business continues to perform well in an expanding domestic market. Saksri Kerdphol, General Manager of Phuket’s premier foreign automobile dealer and servicer AutoExpress, speaks exclusively with the Gazette about foreign cars and the import market trends in Phuket.Phuket Gazette: How would you describe AutoExpress clients? Who is your main target group…
- Phuket News
Phuket Special Report: Slavery on the high seas
Workers in Thailand’s fishing industry often find themselves living a violent nightmare with no escape in sight and no help. Meanwhile, human rights experts and local organizations look for ways out.SPECIAL REPORTPHUKET: The next time you sit down to a seafood dinner in Phuket, think of Min, a Karen-Burmese migrant worker from Shan State.Min is one of countless migrant workers…
- Property
Phuket’s Eden Oasis is now complete
PHUKET: Developers of the Eden Thailand property development near Karon Beach recently announced that the 11 newly completed units of Phase Two of their Eden Oasis project are now for sale. Eden Oasis includes seven one-bedroom condominiums and four two-bedroom, two-level duplexes ranging in price from 4.9 million baht to 8.2mn baht. Eden Oasis is nestled on the hillside with…
- Property
Taming Phuket’s savage condohotel beast
PHUKET: Nearly two decades ago, in 1993, Laguna Phuket started residential sales for their Allamanda condominium. Asia was a rising star, the baht surged in appreciation and foreign investment into Thailand property was still in its early days. Though residential-led hospitality, or condo-hotels, was hardly new on the scene, here the book was blank on how, why or what the…
- World News
Phuket Media Watch – Nigeria passes anti-gay bill
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nigerian senate passes anti-gay bill Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Nigerian senate has passed a bill which prohibits same-sex marriages and introduces extreme prison sentences for people involved in homosexuality, local media reported on Wednesday. Under the new bill, anybody convicted of homosexuality risks a jail term…
- Business News
Phuket Tourism Update: TAT mounts global push
PHUKET: The Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will kick off a global campaign in December to woo back tourists to Phuket and other destinations in the aftermath of the flood disaster.The campaign is set to run from December 15 until January 15, 2012, with THA members across the country, mostly three and four star…
- Thailand News
Phuket Media Watch – Passing on Thaksin pardon
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Passing on Thaksin pardon The Nation The government appeared to bow to political pressure last week when it backtracked on a plan to grant former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra a pardon on the occasion of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 84th birthday. The People’s Alliance for Democracy…
- World News
Resort island of Bali bans smoking in all public places
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Indonesian resort island of Bali bans smoking in all public places Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The provincial legislature on the Indonesian resort island of Bali has passed a new law which will soon ban smoking in all public places, the Jakarta Globe reported on Monday. It is…
- Phuket News
Superyachts return for Phuket Rendezvous
PHUKET: The annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous, the exclusive international event for both motor and sailing superyachts, returns to Phuket on December 16-18. The annual event, one of the largest gathering of superyachts in Asia, welcomes sail and motor yachts over 100-feet long to the festivities taking place over three days on and off the waters of the Phuket and the…
- Phuket News
Phuket ‘brand’ up for discussion at Wednesday’s AMCHAM meet
PHUKET: The Greater Phuket chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) will be holding its next meeting at the Anantara Resort in Mai Khao on Wednesday (November 30). “This meeting is a ‘must attend’ for those working in the hospitality, travel, property and hotel sectors,” says real estate guru Bill Barnett. “At a time when Phuket is making a…
- Phuket News
Three Phuket athletes bring home gold
PHUKET: Three athletes from Phuket earned gold medals at the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia. Nitchaon Jindapol earned a gold medal with the Thailand women’s badminton team, who made hosts Indonesia settle for silver in the final bout. Maneepong Jongjitt also gave Phuket badminton a name, earning a bronze medal with Thailand’s mens’ team. Maneepong, with doubles partner…
- Phuket News
Southern Thai football is charging ahead with Krabi and Pattalung
PHUKET: Southern Thai football is charging ahead with Krabi FC and Pattalung FC each prevailing at the top of their respective groups in the Thai Premier League (TPL) 2011 Division Two AIS League promotion playoffs. The playoffs, which began in October and are set to conclude in December, divide 12 fine finalists into two groups of six. Upon conclusion, only…
