Search Results for: Bangkok
- Phuket News
Crooked conductor caught in Mai Khao
THALANG: The Phuket Highway Police have arrested a bus conductor for stealing the equivalent of more than 18,000 baht from a young Aussie on his way to Phuket from Surat Thani.At a press conference yesterday afternoon, Phuket Highway Police Inspector Maj Jittrapol Kesornrak identified the suspect as Udon Thani native Rakpong Passawong, 22.His victim, 21-year-old Australian Jai Ruben Wadick, boarded a bus in…
- Phuket News
“Pastrygate” scandal intensifies
BANGKOK (Daily Xpress): Top Supreme Court Justice Kriengchai Jungchatupit says he would have arrested the lawyer suspected of attempting to bribe judges “on the spot”.“If I had been there, I would have arrested him on the spot,” says Kriengchai. “I would not have let him take the money back. I would have charged him with contempt.“I have learned that the person who…
- Phuket News
Snack box with a bonus winds up in court
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Supreme Court has set up a committee to investigate an alleged attempt by a politician’s lawyer to bribe court officials, which a spokesman for ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra described as “a joke and impossible”.Sarawut Benjakul, deputy secretary-general of the court, confirmed a report that a lawyer representing a politician had given a box of pastry filled with…
- Phuket News
Chief Ombudsman hears Phuket complaints
PHUKET CITY: Phuket people’s top source of grief were problems stemming from land, Chief Ombudsman Gen Theeradej Meepien told reporters after two days of hearing complaints from Phuket residents.Gen Theeradej and his staff heard complaints from local people and held public information sessions explaining the role of the Ombudsman’s Office at the Phuket Merlin Hotel on June 3 and 4.“This…
- Phuket News
BIS calls for donations for mugging victim
PHUKET CITY: The British International School Phuket (BIS) is asking for donations to help pay medical bills for Jake Carey, one of two BIS community members seriously injured in a motorbike crash that resulted from a violent mugging in Patong early Sunday morning.The other victim was Carly Moorhouse, who graduated from BIS last week and is the daughter of well…
- Phuket News
Megaquarium site still not chosen
BANGKOK: Plans by Minor International Plc to build a 2.1-billion-baht aquarium in Phuket are still in the land acquisition and design phase, and the company doesn’t expect to finalize plans or announce the project site until some time later this year at the earliest. In July 2007, Minor International Plc announced its intention to build Southeast Asia’s largest aquarium as…
- Phuket News
SPECIAL: Letter from Myanmar
BANGKOK: Since Cyclone Nargis devastated the Irrawaddy delta region in Myanmar on May 2, the world has stood by waiting to help those still suffering while the ruling military junta lets in only a trickle of relief supplies and workers. A Thailand-based Rotarian, whose name has been withheld at his request, describes the situation on the ground in Myanmar, and…
- Phuket News
Declaration of emergency not warranted: Boonsrang
BANGKOK (The Nation): Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces General Boonsrang Niumpradit sought this morning to allay growing concern that the Thai government might declare an emergency situation to crack down on the current street protests in Bangkok.“Citing of the emergency law might do more harm than good to the country,” he noted, arguing that there are many options to…
- Phuket News
More donations needed for Burmese aid shipment
PHUKET: Donations of equipment to provide emergency food and shelter for victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar are gradually piling up at collection points around Phuket, but more donations are needed before there is a chance of them providing the much-needed relief. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) Third Naval Command at Cape Panwa, Baan Kamala School and the Kusoldharm Foundation…
- Phuket News
Yachties set to battle in the Gulf
KOH SAMUI: The 7th Samui International Yacht Regatta will once again serve as the grand finale of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championships series, with this year’s event running from June 1 to 7. Callum Laing, the new organizer of the event, plans to bring this year’s competition to a new level while maintaining the same laid-back island style of…
- Phuket News
Internet petition calls for another One-Two-Go crash probe
BANGKOK (Daily Xpress): More than 4,400 people, mostly foreigners, have “signed” an Internet petition seeking another formal investigation into the crash of One-Two-GO Airlines Flight OG269 at Phuket International Airport on September 17 last year. The petition calls for a formal probe into claims that the crash may have been caused by controversial management practices by the airline. Relatives of…
- Thailand News
Local shooters take aim at park pokers
BANGKOK: The world of Thai clay-pigeon shooting has been rocked by the daily desecration of one of the sport’s club headquarters in Hua Mak. Coinciding with a group of homosexual patrons using the range for open-air trysts, shooters have had to gingerly tread around a sea of discarded condoms. While you may think that this reporter is exaggerating what could…
- Phuket News
Four more elections to be held in Phuket
PHUKET: With the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) and Phuket City Municipality elections now decided, the Phuket Election Committee (PEC) is gearing up for four more local elections set to take place over the next three monthsIn a meeting with Phuket Governor Niran Kalyanamit on Thursday, PEC Director Supap Akkam said his agency is preparing for elections for the Karon, Patong…
- Phuket News
Three arrested in ya Ice bust
PHUKET CITY: A Phuket Provincial Police undercover drug investigation unit yesterday arrested three people for possession and sale of ya Ice (crystal methamphetamine) and seized 19 grams of the drug.Officers led by Capt Pongpun Sripattharakul had arranged to buy a small amount of the drug from Udon Thani native Palakorn “Waan” Kamsaen, 19, at an apartment off Phun Pol Rd.When…
- Phuket News
Violent muggings return to Rawai
RAWAI: A foreign man was shot in the leg and stabbed in the stomach in a motorbike mugging at about 4 am on Monday. His attackers made off with his wallet, containing 300 baht.The attack was reminiscent of the spate of violent muggings that gripped the Rawai-Nai Harn area throughout the low season last year.The man, who asked to be identified only…
- Phuket News
Customs raids net B2.6m in fake goods
PHUKET: In a week of raids starting on May 7, Phuket Customs seized counterfeit and allegedly smuggled goods with a total estimated value of 2.6 million baht.Many of the seized goods were sent to Phuket by parcel delivery services, arriving on the island by bus from Bangkok.Pirated goods seized included music CDs, movie and game CDs and DVDs, D&G shoulder…
- Phuket News
Phuket goes on landslide alert
PHUKET CITY: As heavy rains continue to dowse the island, the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has issued a landslide warning, effective until at least tomorrow.“We have received good feedback from all 18 local administration organizations in Phuket. We have officers on 24-hour standby, manning phones and radios, ready to deal with any problems,”…
- Phuket News
DSI reaches out to scammed rubber investors
PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has set up a desk at Phuket City Police Station to accept complaints from victims of an “investment company” thought to have defrauded some 5,000 southerners of more than 150 million baht.Thanin Prempri, head of the DSI Phuket investigation team, told the Gazette that Amorn-ake Petluechai and two associates of his Khon Kaen-based…
- Phuket News
Navy accepting donations for cyclone relief
CAPE PANWA: The Royal Thai Navy Third Naval Command at Cape Panwa is accepting donations of food and equipment to provide emergency relief for victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. Appropriate items for donation include florescent strip lights and fittings, corrugated iron, canvas and tarpaulin for tents, dried and canned food, rice and drinking water. The donations will be taken to…
- Phuket News
Phuket Senators not short of spare change
BANGKOK: Phuket Senator Thanyarat Atchariyachai and her husband K. Pamuke have combined assets totaling just under 1.7 billion baht, according to asset declaration statements posted by the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) on its website on May 8.K. Thanyarat declared assets totaling more than 684 million baht, while her husband K. Pamuke, managing director of the Kata Group, declared assets…
- Phuket News
Burmese junta stalls aid workers
BANGKOK (Nation/Agencies): With the death toll estimated at more than 100,000 and even more people stricken homeless by Cyclone Nargis, survivors still await emergency supplies while the United Nations waits for the military junta in Myanmar to allow international workers to start relief operations.Aid officials said they are waiting for the military to approve entry visas. “We are in close…
- Phuket News
Myanmar relief efforts underway
BANGKOK: With the death toll in Myanmar now feared to be more than 100,000, a number of aid organizations have started relief efforts in the hardest-hit areas. World Vision is reporting that it is already providing clothing as well as tarpaulins, blankets, rice and drinking water in the capital, Yangon. As of yesterday, World Vision had delivered 34.8 metric tons…
- Phuket News
Eight nabbed in Cherng Talay drug-ring bust
PHUKET: Cherng Talay Police have arrested eight people on drugs charges, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth announced yesterday. Cherng Talay Police arrested Prasit Waharak, 31, from Phang Nga, in possession of ya bah (methamphetamine) in a sting operation at the Bang Tao weekend market, he explained. After questioning Prasit, the officers arrested Thanongsak Phromdech, 32, from Nakhon…
- Phuket News
Construction site extortion gang busted
PATONG: In the latest case of extortion involving Burmese workers, Kathu Police on Saturday afternoon arrested five men posing as government officers in a bid to extort money from a construction company.Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnark told the Gazette that Kathu Police were informed of the extortion bid by construction foreman Somyot Chairat, who was overseeing a project off…
- Phuket News
Investigation launched into “stolen’ tsunami victims’ coffins
PHANG NGA (Kom Chad Luek): Grave robbery has taken on a disturbing new form in Takuapa, where 11 aluminum coffins intended for tsunami victims were recently reported missing from a storage facility at Bang Maruan Cemetery.In mid-April, cemetery manager Nitinai Sornsongkram, who is responsible for inventory of tsunami victims’ remains and government property at the cemetery, noticed that 11 of…
- Phuket News
Phuket girl wins national TV talent quest
PHUKET: Phuket teenager Wichayanee “Nong Kam” Peagrin last night became the first female contestant to win The Star contest, the wildly popular Thai TV equivalent of American Idol.The final round of competition, televised nationally on Channel 9, was held last night at the full-to-capacity Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok.The final pitted the dimple-faced Nong Kam, 19, against fellow finalist Supparuj…
- Phuket News
Thai PM says Phuket needs urgent “rehabilitation’
BANGKOK (The Nation): Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said on his weekly Sunday morning radio show yesterday that Phuket needs urgent “rehabilitation” and development projects.The prime minister said he had received direct complaints from local businessmen that the central government had not done enough to “rehabilitate” the province, which has been “exploited” for tourism.The prime minister said he would soon hold a meeting…
- Phuket News
Patong illegal logging camp raided
PATONG: More than 20 forest protection officers yesterday afternoon raided an illegal logging operation high in the hills south of Patong, but the handful of workers caught by surprise at the site all managed to flee the scene.Panumet Dam-orn, who heads the Phuket-based Forest Protection Unit 2, ordered the raid after aerial surveillance of the area on Wednesday.The site is…
- Phuket News
Divers help out on Earth Day
PHUKET: More than 100 people took part in beach and underwater cleanups on Tuesday as part of Earth Day activities held on and around the island.In addition to the Royal Thai Navy, private companies took part in the cleanups on the beach and in the sea at Koh Racha Noi and Koh Racha Yai.“More than 30 people were on our…
- Phuket News
Mobile clinic for Thai passports
PHUKET CITY: The Consular Affairs department of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold a mobile service center for Thai nationals to apply for “e-passports” in Phuket City from May 12 to 23.The service center, located in the conference room of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) offices on Narisorn Rd, will be open from 8 am to 4:30…