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- Phuket News
Wachira sets two national firsts
PHUKET TOWN: Deputy Public Health Minister Dr Surapong Suebwonglee today announced that Wachira Phuket Hospital has set two public health care firsts for Thailand. It is the first to have a government-owned hyperbaric chamber, and the first to treat HIV patients under the 30-baht medical scheme. Dr Surapong officially opened the hyperbaric chamber, which will be used to treat divers…
- Phuket News
Thai-Burma border “may reopen soon’
RANONG: Speculation is growing that Thailand’s border with Burma, closed since May 22, may reopen later this month. Closure of the border has resulted in major economic losses on both sides of the border, and has restricted visa run options for foreigners in the South of Thailand An officer at the Immigration Department in Ranong told the Gazette today, “We’ve…
- Phuket News
Island facing drought crisis
PHUKET: The current water shortage on Phuket could become a crisis by the end of this month unless substantial rain falls in the meantime. Water is no longer being supplied from Bang Wad Dam, the island’s main reservoir, for fear that the dam wall may crack if the level falls too far. Water from nine former tin mines is now…
- Phuket News
Gov defends “average’ satisfaction rating
PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi today defended his performance during his first six months as Governor CEO, from October last year to March. The Governor’s defense of his record followed the release of the results of a survey by the Rajabhat Institute Phuket of local levels of satisfaction with Gov Pongpayome’s performance. Addressing a public forum held at the…
- Phuket News
Fireworks festival postponed
PHUKET TOWN: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has rescheduled its fireworks festival, which was originally slated to be held at Saphan Hin on July 26. Naphasorn Kakai, Assistant Director of TAT Region 4, today announced that the 45-minute spectacular, using more than 4,000 skyrockets costing about 2 million baht, will now be held on August 12. She explained that…
- Phuket News
New flight to link Phuket and Israel
PHUKET TOWN: Direct weekly flights between Phuket and the Israeli city of Tel Aviv are to begin in November, an Israeli diplomat told the Gazette today. Subject to confirmation in September or October, El Al Israel Airlines will provide a weekly service for six months. Edward Shapira, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Israel, said the aim was…
- Phuket News
Phuket Town trash levy to rise 200%
PHUKET TOWN: In September, if Phuket Town Municipality gets its way, households in Phuket Town will be required to pay 200% more for their trash to be collected. Businesses face a 50% rise. Aryoot Tamsiriroj, Vice-Mayor of the town, yesterday told the Gazette that the municipality has proposed a rise in its trash collection fee from 10 baht per house…
- Phuket News
Phuket seeks TAT cash for 10 projects
PHUKET: Phuket has named 10 projects it wants the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to fund in order to boost the number of visitors to the island. The 10 projects are: – Underground power lines in Phuket Town, Patong, Kata and Karon; – A pier at Ao Poh; – A second bus station; – Improvements to the four-lane route through…
- Phuket News
Glittering opening for car showroom
PHUKET TOWN: Accompanied by dancing girls clad in gold, the glamorous new BMW 735Li was launched in Phuket last night. The launch was part of the celebrations of the official grand opening of the Performance Motors (Thailand) showroom on Thepkrasattri Road. The top-of-the-range 735Li sells for 9.9 million baht. Three have already been sold in Phuket. As the authorized dealer…
- Phuket News
“Supertour’ tipped to splurge B75m
PHUKET TOWN: The biggest single group of tourists ever to visit Phuket will arrive next month for what, it is hoped, will be a massive spending spree that sets the precedent for more large groups to follow. One estimate puts the spending potential of the group in Phuket at more than 25 million baht a day over three days, boosting…
- Phuket News
Smart new police reporting center
PHUKET TOWN: The Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8, Pol Lt Gen Paisarn Tangjaitrong, today opened a smart new public service center on the ground floor of the Phuket Town Police Station. The first of its kind in the country, the new 1.45-million-baht center – paid for entirely by private donations – has more in common with a modern banking…
- Phuket News
Phuket finally gets power boost
PHUKET: New high-capacity power cables installed by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to upgrade the island’s power supply are now hooked up to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) grid and are supplying power, Banlue Teeramethawit, EGAT’s Assistant Governor of Transmission Construction, announced yesterday. The cables, costing 500 million baht, stretch 77 kilometers from the nearest main substation in…
- Phuket News
Lehman to up Thai holdings by $250m
BANGKOK (The Nation): US investment bank Lehman Brothers said it was committed to boosting its investment in Thailand by an additional US$250 million (Bt10.6 billion). The announcement followed a meeting on Tuesday between Lehman Brothers Inc chairman and CEO Richard S. Fuld, Jr, and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. It was the third meeting between the two in the last 18…
- Phuket News
Tin mine probe launched
PHUKET: With a looming water shortage on the island, government officials today began sorting out tin mine land claims. The government has been eyeing the island’s 115 old tin mines as a source of much-needed water, but some prominent Phuket families claim outright ownership of the mines, with some families holding Chanote titles dating back as long as 50 years.…
- Phuket News
Governor defends support for marina
PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpoyome Vasaputi defended himself today against criticism over the fast-tracking of the project to build Phuket’s third yacht marina. Gulu Lalvani, head of international telephone manufacturer Binatone, has undertaken to spend around a billion baht on the project, the Royal Phuket Marina, provided that the governor can help slice through bureaucratic red tape. Speaking at his regular…
- Phuket News
It’s official: Phuket goes crackers
PHUKET TOWN: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is to stage a Fireworks Festival at Saphan Hin on July 26. More than 4,000 skyrockets and other fireworks, costing about 2 million baht, will be fired off in a 45-minute spectacular, which the TAT hopes will attract tourists from overseas and from neighboring provinces. If it is successful it will become…
- Phuket News
Committee to probe shoddy road
CHERNG TALAY: Following a protest by villagers on Wednesday about the poor quality of a new concrete road in Moo 2, Cherng Talay, a special committee has been formed to investigate the handling of the 4-million-baht budget for the project, and the officials involved. Siri Yokthong, chief of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), said yesterday that the OrBorTor…
- Phuket News
Phuket looks at creative ways to raise funds
PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi says he is seeking new ways to raise additional funds to develop the island. The provincial government, he explained, receives 3.2 billion baht a year from Bangkok. About 2 billion baht of this covers fixed costs such as salaries and equipment, while the remaining 1.2 billion baht is allocated for specific projects. So far this…
- Phuket News
Sewerage project almost complete
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Town Mayor Phummisak Hongsyok has announced that the final phase of the project to upgrade Phuket Town’s sewers is nearing completion. Speaking at a press conference, Mayor Phummisak said, “Phase 2 [the final phase] of the project is 77% complete and is on target to finish on schedule, on January 2 next year.” He explained that, of…
- Phuket News
Sea rescue center will protect tourists
CHALONG: A 15-million-baht Sea Rescue Center is to be set up to coordinate emergency rescue operations off Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, it was revealed today. The center, to be set up in Chalong, will become a nerve center for information about mishaps and accidents at sea, which will be gathered and disseminated to various marine agencies. Making the announcement…
- Phuket News
Amulet trader robbed of B3m
PHUKET: An amulet trader has reported to police that cash and amulets worth a total of 3 million baht were stolen from his room at the Royal Phuket City Hotel while he slept. Somchai Srisagawarat, 43, from Bangkok, arrived in Phuket on Tuesday on a business trip and checked into the four-star hotel. He reported to police the following day…
- Phuket News
New Bowling alley opens at Big C
PHUKET: The first 30-lane bowling alley in Phuket, built at a cost of more than 30 million baht, was officially opened at the Big C Supercenter this morning. Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi presided over the opening of CS Bowl , which was also attended by movie stars Yutthapichai Chanlayka, Clerk Rollings and Jayjintai Antimanon. Initially, CS Bowl will charge just…
- Phuket News
Japan to pay for clinic for Burmese
PHUKET TOWN: Aeko Nakamura, first secretary to the Japanese Ambassador to Thailand, met with Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday to discuss Japanese government funding for a health clinic for Burmese immigrants. Details of the meeting were not released, but it is understood the governor used the meeting to lobby for further financial support to cover the running costs of the…
- Phuket News
OrBorJor chief faces ‘Mob Monday’
PHUKET TOWN: Dr Prasit Koeysiripong, President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), had his hands full yesterday dealing with two mass protests. The main protest came as 300 villagers from Moo Baan Saku Moo 1, in Thalang, descended upon the OrBorJor offices at 11 am to demand that their local council be ordered to build a provincially funded road…
- Phuket News
Patong Municipality pawnshop set to open
PATONG: The Patong Municipality is set to open its new pawnshop on Ratpatanusorn Rd on May 1 – Labor Day – as part of a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Interior to give people access to low-cost financing through their municipalities. Sakorn Cheua-yuan, Deputy Mayor of Patong, said, “This is a good chance for people living in Patong to…
- Phuket News
Seven Wonders get green light
PHUKET TOWN: A seven-week schedule of festivities was announced yesterday as part of a plan to attract more visitors to Phuket Town’s historic downtown area. The “Seven Wonders of Phuket” festival will start on April 21, and will run for the following six Sundays. JSL Co won the right to organize the festival with its concept of promoting a “Green…
- Phuket News
B2m damage in three-home blaze
PHUKET TOWN: A kitchen fire raged out of control and gutted three units of a two-story townhouse complex in Moo Baan Karn Kaeha yesterday afternoon. Total damage is estimated at more than 2 million baht. Five firefighters took nearly one hour to put out the blaze. No injuries were reported. The fire started in the kitchen of one of the…
- Phuket News
Burglars rob MP’s company of B1m
PHUKET TOWN: Burglars on Saturday night broke into exporting company Jianvanich Office, of which Phuket Democrat MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr is Managing Director, and stole cash and jewelry worth about 1 million baht. Pol Lt Parichat Jaturonphant, of Phuket Town Police Station, told the Gazette that at 11:30 yesterday morning, Apirak Vanich, 37, the company’s manager and K. Anchalee’s younger brother,…
- Phuket News
Drought puts spotlight on mine pits
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Town and Country Planning Department is looking into the possibility of using mine pits as supplementary sources of fresh water for Phuket, where current water resources are being depleted, the department head said yesterday. Phuket has more than 100 mine pits capable of supplying about 49.5 million cubic metres of water for consumption each year, said…
- Phuket News
Goods valued at B2m netted in Rawai raid
RAWAI: Marine police today raided the 2nd Hand shop on Wiset Rd and seized boat parts they estimate to be worth more than two million baht. Officers raided the store after being tipped-off by an informant, who stands to receive a reward of 30% of the value of the goods determined by Customs. Officers asked shop owner Kaewta Brickley to…
