Search Results for: cat

  • Thai LifeGardening: Dangers lurking in Eden

    Gardening: Dangers lurking in Eden

    PHUKET: When I was knee high to a grasshopper in rural England, there were few dangers in the countryside. True, there were scary tales of deadly nightshade that would kill you if you ate the attractive purple-black berries, and of adders lurking in the hillside bracken with potentially lethal bites. Of course I was blissfully unaware that one third of…

  • OpinionOpinion: Floating ideas

    Opinion: Floating ideas

    PHUKET: The spike in the number of marine related accidents in the Andaman is an issue of great concern. The beauty of the Andaman’s marine attractions is a major draw for tourists, but the recent deaths of a French snorkeller and Chinese diver, the maiming of two Russian divers and other marine fatalities so far this year is turning the…

  • Business NewsFinance: Ups and downs in the price of oil

    Finance: Ups and downs in the price of oil

    PHUKET: For somebody who pays attention to commodity prices, these are extremely interesting times. I still remember many talking heads on television predicting that we’d never see oil below 100 dollars per barrel. The argument was extremely convincing, especially when the markets seemed to be confirming its truth. With the flood of shale oil and the lifting of embargoes on…

  • Pattaya NewsAcross the Land: The persistent growing pains of Phuket

    Across the Land: The persistent growing pains of Phuket

    PHUKET: Last month, MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2015 announced that Thailand is the most popular regional travel destination for 2015, with three of its cities making the top ten list. Bangkok was the most popular, followed by Phuket in fifth place and Pattaya in eighth. The survey was based on 167 destinations from 22 countries across Asia Pacific and…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket orangutan “disappears’ ahead of police raid

    Phuket orangutan “disappears’ ahead of police raid

    PHUKET: A 13-year-old orangutan that conservationists were fighting to free from Phuket Zoo has gone missing, confirmed Wildlife Friends of Thailand (WFFT). “Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NRECD) of the Royal Thai Police and Department of National Parks (DNP) agreed to investigate the case of Milo, agreeing to raid the zoo this morning,” Edwin Weik, the founder and director…

  • Phuket NewsUS Embassy to hold consular outreach in Phuket

    US Embassy to hold consular outreach in Phuket

    PHUKET: The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok will hold an Outreach Visit at Millennium Resort Patong on February 26. Consular staff will be available from 8am to noon to provide the following services: • Passport renewal applications (US$110.00 or 4,070 baht for adults, and US$105.00 or 3,885 baht for children). • Passport applications for lost or stolen…

  • Phuket NewsHeadStart International inaugurates new Phuket campus

    HeadStart International inaugurates new Phuket campus

    PHUKET: HeadStart International School last week held an opening ceremony for its new campus, located at Soi Na Sua near Central Festival Phuket. “Our new campus is situated on 15 rai of beautiful landscape and is very easy to access from major locations in Phuket,” said School Director Jazon Edouard. Some of the facilities at the new campus include large,…

  • Thai LifeKeeping our sharks out of the soup

    Keeping our sharks out of the soup

    PHUKET: Movies and fascinating documentaries depict fierce predators lurking beneath the surface of azure waters just waiting to rip unsuspecting swimmers into fleshy ribbons with their hideous teeth. Well, that image is just plain wrong, according to Brendon Sing, spokesperson for Shark Guardian, a registered conservation charity. Brendon visited Palm House International School in Rawai last week to deliver this…

  • Phuket NewsTurkish Ambassador blasts Phuket airport

    Turkish Ambassador blasts Phuket airport

    PHUKET: The Turkish ambassador to Thailand blasted Phuket International Airport during a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday. “Phuket is a beautiful place and many Turkish people want to travel to the island. However, they always complain about three aspects of their trip: the narrow airport terminal, communication issues with airport employees, and immigration,” Ambassador of the Republic of…

  • Phuket NewsVideo Report: First Thailand Yacht Show a resounding success | Thaiger

    Video Report: First Thailand Yacht Show a resounding success

    PHUKET: The first government-sponsored Thailand Yacht Show attracted almost 5,000 visitors in four days, say the organizers, who hailed the inaugural event a resounding success and believe it will put Phuket firmly on the map as a regional hub for the marine leisure industry. A total of 43 boats from a variety of locala and international boat builders and brokers…

  • Thai LifeOn Deck: The case for in-water zones

    On Deck: The case for in-water zones

    PHUKET: Phuket’s ten per cent beach rule and the issue of beach and sea zoning has received a lot of attention recently and yet here we are mid high season and it’s easy to see the problems haven’t been fixed. Head down to Patong Beach any day of the week and you will see roped off swim areas. You might…

  • Phuket NewsAlmost A Decade Ago: WWII relics and superyachts

    Almost A Decade Ago: WWII relics and superyachts

    PHUKET: As the Phuket Gazette plunged in with its first-ever Thailand Yacht Show Special Edition, we narrowed the gap in ‘A Decade Ago’ to 9-years-and-9-months ago… for the sake of marine thematics. Skipping over what is without a doubt a very dry page one at the beginning of the rainy season, let’s dive to the depths of a small story…

  • World NewsApple opposes order to help unlock California shooter’s phone | Thaiger

    Apple opposes order to help unlock California shooter’s phone

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Apple opposes order to help unlock California shooter’s phone Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Apple Inc opposed a court ruling on Tuesday that ordered it to help the FBI break into an iPhone recovered from a San Bernardino shooter, heightening a dispute between tech companies and…

  • OpinionOpinion: Sailing into the future

    Opinion: Sailing into the future

    Omsin Chivapreuk, 64, is the nation’s Deputy Transport Minister. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Kasetsart University and studied Advanced Management at Harvard University. Here he talks about his expectations for the Thailand Yacht Show and how Phuket will benefit from the prestigious event. PHUKET: The Thailand Yacht Show is the first time that the Thai…

  • Thai LifeKeep it Green: Mending our ways to save marine life

    Keep it Green: Mending our ways to save marine life

    PHUKET: One could go on ad nauseam about the destruction of Phuket’s marine environment. Consider eutrofication, the remorseless process whereby the continental shelf surrounding our emerald isle is laced with chemicals from fertilizer and waste resulting in the growth of algae, and water so depleted of oxygen that few fish will tolerate it. Worse, the cement-laced sediment from land development…

  • Thai LifeBattle the dark side of gourmet toothfish dishes

    Battle the dark side of gourmet toothfish dishes

    PHUKET: There are a number of reasons that toothfish, more commonly known at the dinner table as Chilean Sea Bass, are coveted by chefs – on and off the fine china of word-class restaurants and superyachts. “Chilean Sea Bass has a fabulous taste and an almost sinful mouth-feel. Its high-fat content keeps it moist during cooking and gives it a…

  • Phuket NewsDecorated former German Honorary Consul for Phuket Dirk Naumann passes away

    Decorated former German Honorary Consul for Phuket Dirk Naumann passes away

    PHUKET: Former German Honorary Consul for Phuket Dirk Naumann passed away on Monday, his family has announced. Mr Naumann was well known and respected in Phuket and in his homeland for his 12 years of dedicated service on the island. He retired from his post in July 2014. Upon his retirement, Mr Naumann was awarded the Order of Merit from…

  • Phuket NewsMarine park officials launch safety campaign at Koh Hong

    Marine park officials launch safety campaign at Koh Hong

    PHUKET: Park officials marked dangerous swimming and snorkelling areas inside Than Bok Khorani National Park following two Russian divers being maimed by a speedboat in Phi Phi earlier this month and a number of tourists dying in marine national parks. “The entrance to the lagoon at Koh Hong is very dangerous; there is a lot of boat traffic, as well…

  • World NewsLamar shut out as Swift, Sheeran, Mars win top Grammy awards | Thaiger

    Lamar shut out as Swift, Sheeran, Mars win top Grammy awards

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Lamar shut out as Swift, Sheeran, Mars win top Grammy awards Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Rapper Kendrick Lamar led the Grammy winners on Monday with five wins but was shut out of the night’s top categories as Taylor Swift nabbed album of the year in…

  • World NewsSolar tower in desert promotes Israel’s renewable energy drive | Thaiger

    Solar tower in desert promotes Israel’s renewable energy drive

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Solar tower in desert promotes Israel’s renewable energy drive Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: In a vast expanse of open desert in southern Israel a 787-foot tower (240 metres) is taking shape that its builders hope will help make solar energy much more cost effective. The…

  • PropertyMarina across the bay

    Marina across the bay

    PHUKET: Krabi Boat Lagoon opened in late 2012 as one of the province’s first residential marinas, adding a new freehold option for foreign investors with The Cleat Condominium – a collection of 45 waterfront condominium units in three low-density buildings overlooking the marina’s 80 yacht berths. Built by Boat Development Co Ltd, the same developers who built the Phuket Boat…

  • Thai LifeIsland View: Beauty, boats and bays

    Island View: Beauty, boats and bays

    PHUKET: Waking up on a boat in Phang Nga Bay fills a person with wonder. Looking out across the bay, a magical, surreal sensation consumes you. It is not waking up from a dream, but waking up into one; the calm azure sea weaves its way around countless limestone outcroppings, the karst topography almost an extension of the water’s flow.…

  • Phuket NewsPolice bust two suspects in B5mn meth deal

    Police bust two suspects in B5mn meth deal

    PHUKET: Police arrested two key members of a major drug-dealing ring run by an inmate at Yala prison, after the pair confessed to their roles in moving about 5 million baht worth of ya ba (methamphetamine) from Chiang Rai to Southern Thailand. “This is one of the largest ya ba drug busts that we have been a part of,” Phuket…

  • World NewsAs Indonesia hunts down Islamic State, homegrown jihadis regroup | Thaiger

    As Indonesia hunts down Islamic State, homegrown jihadis regroup

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community As Indonesia hunts down Islamic State, homegrown jihadis regroup Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: As Indonesian counter-terrorism forces hunt down supporters of Islamic State following last month’s gun and suicide bomb attack in Jakarta, a quiet resurgence is unfolding of a homegrown radical network with a…

  • Phuket NewsMore than five dozen helmet-less drivers arrested in Phuket

    More than five dozen helmet-less drivers arrested in Phuket

    PHUKET: Phuket traffic police made 64 arrests in the first week of the ‘One district, One road, with 100 per cent helmets’ campaign. The new campaign was launched on February 1 in an effort to improve Phuket’s road safety. Helmet-less drivers caught at checkpoints across the island had their bikes seized and were escorted to the police station to view…

  • PropertyProud Real Estate expanding presence

    Proud Real Estate expanding presence

    PHUKET: Proud Real Estate Co is launching more hotels and amusement attractions in Hua Hin and Phuket to cash in on the flood of tourists. Proudputh Liptapanlop, Proud Real Estate executive director, said yesterday that the company would also expand its flagship hotel, the InterContinental Hua Hin Resort, by adding the 40-room BluPort Wing in October. The company expects to…

  • World NewsS.Korea: North responsible for consequences from Kaesong shutdown | Thaiger

    S.Korea: North responsible for consequences from Kaesong shutdown

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community S.Korea: North responsible for consequences from Kaesong shutdown Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: South Korea said on Friday that North Korea would be held responsible for any consequences after the North kicked out South Korean workers and froze the assets of companies at the jointly run…

  • World NewsWorld’s most polluted city, Delhi, plans new limits on car use | Thaiger

    World’s most polluted city, Delhi, plans new limits on car use

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community World’s most polluted city, Delhi, plans new limits on car use Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: The Delhi government plans another round of tough measures to restrict the use of private cars and clean up toxic air in the Indian metropolis, the world’s most polluted city.…

  • Phuket NewsHistorical Phuket park gets B42mn injection

    Historical Phuket park gets B42mn injection

    PHUKET: The Thalang Historical Park is set to receive a 42-million-baht makeover by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO). “With the budget, we will renovate 10 rai of land around the park. We had initially submitted the proposal to officials during then-PPAO President Paiboon’s visit last year, as he was intent on putting the land to productive use,” said Watcharin…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket melon mayhem takes hours to cleanup

    Phuket melon mayhem takes hours to cleanup

    PHUKET: An out-of-control pick-up truck carrying more than 50,000 baht worth of watermelons collided with a power pole in Thalang earlier this week. “There were smears of fruit everywhere on the road. It took rescue workers and police officers about an hour to clear it all up,” said Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop of the Thalang Police. The truck driver, 41-year-old Veera…