Search Results for: Bangkok
- Phuket News
Hotel thieves nabbed at airport
PATONG: A 20-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl were arrested at Phuket International Airport January 10 while in possession of more than 250,000 baht’s worth of Swiss francs and a digital camera they had stolen from a couple staying in Patong.Duty Inspector Pol Lt Col Pisit Chunpet, of Kathu District Police Station, said the thieves, whom he declined to name, were…
- Phuket News
US experts lead counter-terrorism workshop
PATONG: Some 30 Thai police and military personnel are undergoing a two-week “Military Law Enforcement/Boarding Officer” course conducted by US military experts at the Patong Resort Hotel.The training, which began Monday, is the latest of many ventures funded by the US Defense Department’s Counter Terrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP) for Thailand. The program, which in 2006 had a budget of about…
- Phuket News
Island CCTV “ready next month’
PHUKET CITY Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth on Monday announced that the island-wide 16-million-baht closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system will be operational in three popular tourist districts by mid-February.Work on the project, begun last August, was funded under former Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura’s discretionary budget for provincial development.The network, being installed by telecommunications provider CAT Telecom Public Company…
- Phuket News
Tourism Minister affirms tourism targets
PHUKET CITY: Tourism and Sports Minister Dr Suwit Yodmanee yesterday affirmed the government’s national targets for 2007 of 14.8 million foreign tourists and 82 million Thai tourists, with earnings of 547,500 million baht and 377,800 million baht respectively.Dr Suwit announced the targets at a meeting of about 280 government and private sector representatives from the 14 southern provinces at The…
- Phuket News
New Year road toll hits targets
PHUKET: Three people died and 32 people were injured in 35 reported accidents from December 28 to January 3, nearly matching the government’s target road toll for the “seven days of danger” holiday period.The Phuket Provincial Road Safety Center for New Year’s 2007 had set a target of three dead and 39 injured in 35 accidents.The figures were released this…
- Phuket News
Two more bombs explode at Central World, Pratunam
BANGKOK (The Nation): Two more bombs exploded in the heart of Bangkok once the new year started, severely injuring many foreign tourists and some Thais.The two bombs exploded nearly at the same time seconds after the new year started.The first bomb exploded at the Best Sea Foods restaurant on the Saen Saeb Canal near the Pratunam Pier just seconds after…
- Phuket News
Tsunami memorial services at Kamala announced
KAMALA: Tsunami memorial services will be held at the Andaman Tsunami Victims Monument at Kamala Beach on Tuesday, from 12:40 pm to 4 pm. Formal dress is requested for attendees.The ceremony schedule is as follows:12:40 pm-1:20 pm: Guest registration.1:20 pm: Mourning ceremony, a minute of silence for the victims.1:35 pm: Speech by Kazushi Miyashita, President of the Phuket Japanese Association.1:40…
- Phuket News
Palad Nivit leaves Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Nivit Aroonrat left Phuket this afternoon to take up the position of Palad of Samut Sakhon Province.The transfer was announced December 13. Palad Nivit will officially take up his new duties in Samut Sakhon on December 25.Palad Nivit told the Gazette that he had applied for a transfer from Phuket after a stay…
- Phuket News
Police trace DNA in Friendship Beach murder
RAWAI: The case originally described by police as a daylight rape-murder at Friendship Beach is being reexamined, as police found no trace of a struggle near the body of motorbike taxi driver Tada Sa-nguansak.Police report that they have sent DNA samples found at the scene to Bangkok for DNA tests against potential suspects. So far two suspects have been cleared.K.…
- Phuket News
Phuket strong in property awards
BANGKOK: Players in Phuket’s property industry scooped three national prizes and shared top honors for the country’s Best Villa Development at the inaugural Thailand Property Awards at the JW Marriott on Sukhumvit Rd, Bangkok, on December 13.The awards ceremony was attended by more than 200 guests from the real estate industry, including developers, agents, architects, interior designers and members of…
- Phuket News
Minimum wage raised
PHUKET: The Ministry of Labor has announced a five-baht increase in the minimum wage in Phuket, from 181 baht to 186 baht a day, with effect from January 1.Dacha Praikpatanarak, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Labor Office (PPLO), said the Ministry of Labor announced the new minimum wage rates for all provinces and Bangkok on October 30.The ruling was issued…
- Phuket News
Island matriarch passes away
PHUKET: Khunying Kanchana Na Ranong died about 1 pm yesterday after suffering a heart attack at a Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok. She was 84.A well-known and much-respected figure on the island, Khunying Kanchana was Chairwoman of the Pearl Group of Companies, which includes the Indigo Pearl resort at Nai Yang, Toyota Pearl Co and the Pearl Hotel in Phuket City.She…
- Phuket News
Bloody day on Phuket’s roads
PHUKET: Four people, including three 11-year-old boys, were killed in two separate road accidents on Monday.The first accident occurred about 7:30 pm, when three boys on a motorcycle and a sedan collided head-on in front of Andavana Spa, on Thepprathan Rd, Koh Sireh.The driver, Channarong Sadimin, and one of his passengers, Suriyapong Premjaroen, died at the scene.The third boy, Piyapong…
- Phuket News
New Phuket Vice-Governors appointed
PHUKET CITY: Two new Vice-Governors will take up their posts on the island on December 4. On the same day, current Phuket Vice-Governor Pongsak Plaivaj will be transferred to Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, where he will serve as a Vice-Governor.The two new Vice-Governors will be Tri Augkaradacha, promoted from Roi-Et Provincial Chief Administrative Officer, and Smith Palawatvichai, currently serving as…
- Phuket News
Former Kathu Land Office Chief found guilty
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Criminal Court in Bangkok on Monday sentenced former Kathu Land Office Chief Bunchoo Limraksasin to 20 years in prison after finding him guilty on 10 counts of demanding bribes for land titles between December 21, 2001 and March 8, 2003.The court also found a second defendant in the case, 34-year-old Meena Kalra, guilty on seven counts…
- Phuket News
“Peanut gambling’ gang caught
KAMALA: Four men, including a retired police officer, have been arrested for their participation in a “peanut gambling” swindle after a woman, whose name is being withheld at her request, was conned out of 1 million baht before reporting the racket to the police.The woman reported the con to police on November 8 and cooperated in a sting operation, luring…
- Phuket News
Weapons seized in Kathu
KATHU: Four men were arrested yesterday after a routine inspection of their pickup at the Phra Barami Rd vehicle control point uncovered four pistols, ammunition, a walkie-talkie and two pairs of latex gloves.Tung Tong Police Deputy Inspector for Crime Suppression Pol Capt Wiwut Chumnankit said police pulled over the red-gray Mitsubishi pickup, with a Phuket license plate, at the checkpoint…
- Phuket News
Dive operators get court reprieve
PHUKET: The Administrative Court in Nakhon Sri Thammarat has ruled the new regulations affecting Phuket dive operators suspended indefinitely, pending the results of a court case challenging their legality.News of the suspension came from Aekachai Soonthorn, who has been appointed defense attorney for the province in the case. Aekachai is also Secretary to the Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad),…
- Phuket News
Chetwynd-Talbot still in Phuket jail
PHUKET CITY: Briton Paul Chetwynd-Talbot is still being held at Phuket Provincial Prison, though he is expected to be transfered to the more comfortable Klong Prem Prison in Ladyao, Bangkok, before the end of the year.Paisarn Suwannaraksa, Director of Phuket Prison, told the Gazette, “It will be more comfortable for the prisoner because he is a foreigner, and easier for…
- Phuket News
Rape-murder case awaiting forensics results
RAWAI: Police investigating the rape and murder of Phuket native Tada Sa-nguansak, 49, whose body was found in broad daylight on Friendship Beach June 28, are awaiting the results of forensics tests being carried out in Bangkok.Pol Lt Col Peerapan Meemak of Chalong Police Station told the Gazette, “We are waiting for tests results from the Forensic Laboratory Institute in…
- Phuket News
B1m fugitive arrested in Phitsanuloke
PHITSANULOKE (The Nation): Fugitive murder suspect Thai-American national Saner Wonggoun was arrested yesterday at a market in Phitsanuloke province.The former US Air Force non-commissioned officer pleaded guilty to a murder charge filed by local police in California for the murder of his pregnant wife Sopha in 1994, police said.The arrest came just seven days after Thai and US authorities announced…
- Phuket News
Foreign teachers: eligible bachelors only need apply
PHUKET: Schools across the island will ask Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit to petition the Ministry of Education (MoE) to ease new regulations requiring all new teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree and to pass an extensive background check before they can begin work.The decision was made at a meeting at the Phuket Educational Service Area (PESA) office on…
- Phuket News
THAI boosts flight services
BANGKOK: Thai Airways International (THAI) on Tuesday increased its weekly number of domestic flights from Bangkok to Phuket from 77 to 82. The increase is part of its route extension and adjustment plans to cope with an expected increase in air passenger traffic during the northern winter period. The extra flights will continue until March 24, 2007. Service on the…
- Phuket News
New Governor warns of ‘problems’
PHUKET: Bangkok native Niran Kalayanamit was promoted to Governor of Phuket yesterday following the weekly Cabinet meeting in Bangkok.Cabinet approved the promotion as part of a bureaucratic reshuffle of 60 Ministry of Interior officials.Governor Niran, 52, has been Phuket Vice-Governor for the past five years, moving to the province after tenure as Director of the Foreign Affairs Division of the…
- Phuket News
Valentino and wife released on bail
BANGKOK (The Nation): Well-known Phuket resident Tan Teik Hai, aka “Valentino”, and his wife Suwaphat Kheereephon were released on bail of 600,000 each on October 29 following their arrest on charges of encroaching on a vast plot of beachfront land on Koh Yao Yai in Phang Nga.Tan, a Malaysian national who serves as the honorary consul to Morocco, and his wife,…
- Phuket News
Honorary Consul couple arrested
BANGKOK (The Nation): Police last night arrested Malaysian national and honorary consul to Morocco Tan Tek Hai, known better on the island as “Valentino”, 56, and his wife Suwaphat Kheereephon, 41, who is an honorary consul to Djibouti.The couple were arrested by Department of Special Investigation (DSI) agents at their home for allegedly encroaching on a large plot of public…
- Phuket News
B1m reward for US-Thai fugitive
BANGKOK: Thai and US law enforcement officials today announced a 1-million-baht reward for information leading to the capture of Saner Wonggoun, a most-wanted US fugitive believed to be hiding in Thailand. Saner, alias “Shorty” or “Buck”, is wanted in connection with the 1994 murder of his pregnant wife and their eight-month-old unborn child. Saner, born in Nakon Nayok Province in…
- Phuket News
Beach Volleyball: Brazilians top seeds at Phuket Open
PHUKET: The World No 1 pairing of Larissa and Juliana from Brazil have been named as No 1 seeds at the Phuket Thailand Open, the final round of the Swatch FIVB Beach Volley World Tour 06. Seeded No 2 are current Olympic and World Champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh from the USA. Two more Brazilian teams – Ana Paula…
- Phuket News
Phuket IT icon John Seebach dead
CHERNG TALAY: Island Technology founder John Seebach died of heart failure yesterday evening at the age of 48.John, who also wrote a bi-monthly column on information technology issues for the Phuket Gazette, died after teaching his wife Autcharawan “Gay” Pratumwan how to swim at the Banyan Tree resort at Laguna Phuket.“He was teaching me how to swim like a professional,…
- Phuket News
Suriya’s wife talks to the Gazette
CHERNG TALAY: In an exclusive interview with the Phuket Gazette, Chanthana Chaowanich has explained the sequence of events the night her husband, well-known businessman Suriya Chaowanich, 49, was assassinated.K. Chanthana, 34, from Bangkok, was with K. Suriya at their home in Baan Bang Jo on the night of September 12.“I was not feeling well, and was lying down in our…
