Search Results for: cat
- Business News
Finance: Will 2016 be the year of the bear?
PHUKET: There’s an old saying on Wall Street that might unnerve investors: “As goes January, so goes the year.” Unfortunately, January 2016 was a very bad opening for stock markets. In fact, it was one of the worst openings in one hundred years, as the Dow Jones industrial average fell about 5.5 per cent while NASDAQ fell almost eight per…
- Thai Life
Up in the Air: Phuket-Hat Yai: truly boutique flights
PHUKET: Bangkok Airways daily flights connecting Southern Thailand’s two busiest airports – Phuket (HKT) and Hat Yai International – are currently experiencing average load factors ranging from 60 to 70 per cent, with the overwhelming majority of passengers being Thai nationals, an airline executive has revealed. Pannaphorn Preechachan, Bangkok Airways chief of regional corporate communications for Southern Thailand, said the…
- Phuket News
Phuket honorary consuls request better coordination with airport
PHUKET: Phuket honorary consuls on Wednesday pushed for better access and resources for providing support to foreigners during emergency situations at Phuket International Airport. “We have requested a contact point, as well as a contact person, who will – in case of an emergency – allow us to quickly get all the necessary information and provide whatever services we can,”…
- Phuket News
B4bn Phuket land seizure not to impact Big Buddha
PHUKET: Despite photographs of Phuket’s Big Buddha appearing along side news stories about the seizure of land valued at 4 billion baht in the same area, the iconic statue will be unaffected by the Anti-Money Laundering Office’s (AMLO’s) investigation. The AMLO transaction board resolved to seize a 45-rai plot and a 19-rai plot of land along Freedom Beach and in…
- World News
Fukushima’s ground zero: No place for man or robot
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fukushima’s ground zero: No place for man or robot Phuket Gazette / Reuters JAPAN: The robots sent in to find highly radioactive fuel at Fukushima’s nuclear reactors have “died”; a subterranean “ice wall” around the crippled plant meant to stop groundwater from becoming contaminated has yet…
- Phuket News
Phuket athletes bag top spots at Philippines Ironman
PHUKET: Phuket native Jaray Jearanai – Thailand’s top triathlete – and his fellow team members at Z-Coaching Phuket made quite the impression at the Subic Bay Ironman 70.3 held in the Philippines last weekend. The Phuket-based triathlon academy bagged several victories and top spots at the competition. Mr Jaray put in one of his best performances yet to go sub…
- Thai Life
Profile: Drifting from Australia to Asia
PHUKET: Anthony Cameron, originally from Melbourne, Australia has led an interesting life compared to most. Escaping from Melbourne in his early twenties to central Victoria, he designed and built a sustainable house and raised two sustainable children, before finally settling in Phuket in 2012. Over the years, Tony has worked as a sound engineer, fruit picker, tour manager, teacher, factory…
- Phuket News
Phuket police told to keep close watch on mass SIM purchases
PHUKET: Phuket police say they were unaware of mass SIM purchases before the arrest of a suspect in Phuket on Saturday, but are keeping an eye on such activities following orders from the national police chief. National Police Commissioner General Chakthip Chaijinda has been in touch with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to discuss security concerns, Region 8…
- Phuket News
Notes found on dead Estonian at Phuket shooting range
PHUKET: Police have found two hand-written notes on the body of an Estonian national who allegedly shot himself in the head at the Patong Hill Shooting Range yesterday. Andres Podra, 38, reportedly rented a .45 handgun at the range and fired seven shots at a target before turning the gun on himself and discharging the eighth round into his head…
- World News
Yazidi teenager escaped Islamic State, appeals for help for sex slaves
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yazidi teenager escaped Islamic State, appeals for help for sex slaves Phuket Gazette / Reuters LONDON: It was a “black morning” two years ago when Islamic State militants seized the Yazidi town of Sinjar in northwest Iraq, abducting thousands of civilians including a 15-year-old girl and…
- World News
German court rules against use of Facebook button
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community German court rules against use of Facebook “like” button Phuket Gazette / Reuters FRANKFURT: A German court has ruled against an online shopping site’s use of Facebook’s “like” button on Wednesday, dealing a further legal blow to the world’s biggest social network in Germany. The Duesseldorf…
- Phuket News
“Fastest man in Phuket’ bags top spot at Powerman Malaysia
PHUKET: Thanyapura triathlon coach Ricky Ekkarat Phanthip announced his return to form with a win at the Powerman Malaysia – Asia Duathlon Championships last weekend. The ‘fastest man in Phuket’ sped his way back into action, after taking a year off following knee surgery, and won first place in the men’s 30-34 age group category. Mr Phanthip led his athletes…
- Phuket News
Phuket blood donors save American’s life
PHUKET: Thanks to the generosity of at least 20 blood donors in Phuket, an American car crash victim is now out of danger and recovering from a second round of surgery. Chonita Michelle Cleary, 24, and two of her friends were involved in a collision with a taxi when heading from Cherng Talay to Thalang town at about 1am on…
- Phuket News
Video Report: Phuketians see first solar eclipse of 2016
PHUKET: Phuketians were treated to a rare celestial spectacle this morning as the sun and moon crossed paths between 6:20am and 8:40am to create the first solar eclipse of the year. Observers in parts of Indonesia were able to see a total eclipse lasting for about four minutes, as the moon completely blocked out the sun – an event so…
- Phuket News
Krabi officials find Chikungunya virus in monkey, public urged not to panic
KRABI: Krabi officials are asking the public not to panic after monkeys at popular tourist areas were found to be infected with the dengue-like virus Chikungunya. “This viruses cannot be directly transmitted from monkeys to humans. It is passed through mosquitoes only, so there is a very low probability that humans will be infected,” said Chief of the Krabi Provincial…
- Phuket News
Phuket lawyers, accountants targeted for enabling Thai nominees
PHUKET: Officials will be investigating legal firms and accounting offices connected with businesses suspected of using Thai nominee shareholders to circumvent laws prohibiting foreigners from owning more than 49 per cent of a company within the Kingdom. “We will be looking at whether or not certain lawyers and accountants are providing transparent services for foreign investors. Foreigners are not able…
- Business News
Building a medical tourism hub
PHUKET: Phuket has the potential to become a leading regional hub for medical tourism, an industry that is well positioned for exponential growth primarily led by the demand for aesthetic treatments. Investment opportunities in medical facilities and premises are increasingly attractive amid the backdrop of a global economic slowdown. Despite the diminishing legacy market for ‘Gender Reassignment’ Surgery (GRS), more…
- Phuket News
Understanding what AEC means for Phuket
PHUKET: The feared impact the Asean Economic Community (AEC) will have on Thais in Phuket’s tourism industry is unwarranted, said AEC Information Center Director Thitipasook Jaratjessada. After years of anticipation and some delays, the AEC was officially launched on January 1, 2016. However, there are no changes to visa requirements or labor laws for citizens of member nations seeking employment…
- Phuket News
Phuket school for adults welcomes freshies
PHUKET: A school for adults in Rassada welcomed a new batch of students aged between 40 and 80 years old on Friday. Rassada Mayor Phudit Raksarat presided over a ceremony to welcome the new students. Operated by Rassada Municipality, the school aims to support self-development and lifetime learning for elderly members of the community, said Mayor Phudit. “The school encourages…
- World News
Two years on, MH370 families say search for missing jet must continue
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two years on, MH370 families say search for missing jet must continue Phuket Gazette / Reuters KUALA LUMPUR:The families of passengers lost aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 say the two-year search for the missing aircraft must go on beyond a June deadline, as new hope emerged…
- Property
AccorHotels spreads its wings
PHUKET: AccorHotels has teamed up with Avista Resort and Spa Patong Co Ltd to manage three properties in Phuket. The newly-inked agreement brings two existing Phuket properties in Kata and Patong under the new brand and management, and paves the way for the building of a brand new hotel in Karon. One of the two resorts will be re-branded as…
- Phuket News
Foreign tenants ask Phuket Governor to mediate property dispute
PHUKET: A contingent of tenants leasing rooms at a luxury resort in Kata met with the governor at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to hand him a letter demanding an investigation into issues over the property’s management. Leading the ten foreign tenants from The Aspasia Phuket resort was Dutch national Jan Cornelis van Zuilekom. Mr Zuilekom, who referred to himself as…
- Business News
Finance: Tech stocks are still dangerous
PHUKET: You would think the lessons learned in the dotcom bubble and subsequent crash would not be so quickly forgotten, but last year’s purchase by Facebook of the free smartphone app Whatsapp for 22 billion dollars was a very good reminder of how quickly we forget. There is no reason to put your life savings at risk with individual stocks…
- Phuket News
Open-air cinema part of Boat Lagoon Lighthouse Market tonight, tomorrow
PHUKET: It’s another day of perfect weather in Phuket, so grab your family and friends and head over to the Phuket Lighthouse Market at Boat Lagoon for an evening of eating, chilling and shopping. To keep the air buzzing, there will be a medley of music at 6pm starting with pop music, and then taking it down a notch hour…
- World News
German court rules Facebook may block pseudonyms
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community German court rules Facebook may block pseudonyms Phuket Gazette / Reuters BERLIN: Facebook may prevent its users from using fake names, a German court said on Thursday, overturning a previous order from the Hamburg data protection authority. The ruling is a coup for the social network…
- World News
German police arrest doctor suspected of recruiting suicide bomber for IS
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community German police arrest doctor suspected of recruiting suicide bomber for IS Phuket Gazette / Reuters BERLIN: German police on Thursday arrested a doctor in Berlin suspected of convincing a young man to join Islamic State in Iraq, where he carried out a suicide bombing on behalf…
- Phuket News
Phi Phi Island releases 83% wastewater untreated
PHUKET: About 83 per cent of wastewater on the popular tourist island of Phi Phi Don is flowing directly into the ocean untreated, confirmed officials today. A stink about the untreated wastewater was raised after it was revealed that about 1,800 cubic meters of wastewater was produced on the island each day, but only 300 cubic meters could be handled…
- Phuket News
Plans for Koh Kaew pedestrian bridge on hold
PHUKET: Plans to build a pedestrian bridge at the ever-busy Koh Kaew intersection have been put on hold, confirmed a Highways Department official on Tuesday. Italian-Thai Development Co Ltd, the construction company currently developing the Bang Khu underpass, was originally slated to build the pedestrian bridge on the north side of the junction’s traffic lights. “However, the Koh Kaew Tambon…
- World News
Philippine officials say China blocked access to disputed S. China Sea atoll
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Philippine officials say China blocked access to disputed S. China Sea atoll Phuket Gazette / Reuters MANILA: China sent several ships to a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, preventing Filipino fishermen from accessing traditional fishing grounds and raising tensions in the volatile region, Philippine…
- Opinion
Opinion: Promoting gastronomy [video]
Rangsiman Kingkaew is a Phuket native and the Secretary-General of the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) He holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree in economics from Thammasat University. Here he talks about his ideas on improving the standards of local eateries to live up to the province’s new title as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. PHUKET: Phuket was awarded the title…