Search Results for: cat

  • World NewsGaza death toll tops 500 as U.S. steps up ceasefire efforts

    Gaza death toll tops 500 as U.S. steps up ceasefire efforts

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gaza death toll tops 500 as U.S. steps up ceasefire efforts Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Palestinian death toll in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip jumped to more than 500 on Monday, as the United States, alarmed by escalating civilian bloodshed, took a…

  • Phuket NewsLand Dept explains legal loophole to owning park land

    Land Dept explains legal loophole to owning park land

    PHUKET: A legal loophole dating back more than 50 years may be just what those accused of encroaching on Phuket’s Sirinath National Park need to legally claim privately owned plots within the park’s boundaries. The surprise was delivered to Governor Maitri Inthusut this afternoon by a Deputy Director-General of the Land Department, Thammasak Chana, accompanied by Phuket Land Office chief…

  • Thai LifeJapanese brunch a reminder of why we love Phuket

    Japanese brunch a reminder of why we love Phuket

    If you moved to Phuket to escape the hustle and bustle of big city life, it might be a short while before you start regretting your move. At times, Phuket seems as bad as any urban center, with all its traffic jams, road works and condominiums popping up everywhere. Add the millions of tourists visiting the island each year and…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket visa runs surge as expats scurry for legitimate stays

    Phuket visa runs surge as expats scurry for legitimate stays

    PHUKET: The ongoing crackdown on foreigners staying in Thailand by doing visa runs to re-enter the country on visa-exemption status has sparked a surge in the number of foreigners in Phuket travelling to Penang to obtain visas issued by the Royal Thai Consulate there. Preeyapan Adithepwarangkul, owner of KBV Visa Run, told the Phuket Gazette that demand for the Penang…

  • World NewsBosnia buries 284 war victims unearthed from gruesome death pit

    Bosnia buries 284 war victims unearthed from gruesome death pit

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bosnia buries 284 war victims unearthed from gruesome death pit Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The remains of 284 victims of the Bosnian war were laid to rest on Sunday having been unearthed from what is believed to be the largest mass grave of Europe’s worst…

  • Thailand NewsNakhon Ratchasima tackles underprivileged kids’ issues

    Nakhon Ratchasima tackles underprivileged kids’ issues

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nakhon Ratchasima tackles underprivileged kids’ issues The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Six-year-old Yot (not his real name) was described by his scavenger mum as a problem child. He hated going to school and was so addicted to computer games he began begging to cover the…

  • Thailand NewsAMLO follows money trail to bring down Siamese rosewood smuggling cartel

    AMLO follows money trail to bring down Siamese rosewood smuggling cartel

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community AMLO follows money trail to bring down Siamese rosewood smuggling cartel The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: With the anti-money laundering law covering trade in endangered Siamese rosewood, investigators have been able to follow the money trail related to the timber smuggling gangs and have come…

  • Thailand NewsThais split on whether Yingluck will come back

    Thais split on whether Yingluck will come back

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thais split on whether Yingluck will come back The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: About half of the people who responded in a recent survey support the junta’s granting of permission for ousted prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to take a short trip out of the country,…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket Raceweek: Foxy Lady breezes to victory

    Phuket Raceweek: Foxy Lady breezes to victory

    PHUKET: Bill Bremner’s Foxy Lady VI breezed around the course off the east coast of Phuket today to win the IRC Racing I Class of the 2014 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek Regatta. Placing fourth in today’s race was little more than a formality for the too-hot-to-handle Foxy Lady (story here) crew to ensure they had enough points to allow…

  • Phuket NewsSpecial Report: Tackling Phuket’s kid thugs is no child’s play

    Special Report: Tackling Phuket’s kid thugs is no child’s play

    A growing number of teenagers in Phuket are becoming involved in drug abuse and violent crimes in a shift that is concerning local officials involved with juvenile cases, from court judges who hand down sentences to the minors to the counselors tasked with reforming them in the hope the children do not become repeat offenders. The Gazette’s Saran Mitrarat reports.…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket Police launch 10pm street curfew for minors

    Phuket Police launch 10pm street curfew for minors

    PHUKET: Following the recent spate of violent teenage attacks throughout Phuket, the island’s top-ranking police officer has ordered a 10pm curfew for all minors, effective immediately. “I have ordered officers from every police station in Phuket to start cracking down on children under 18 years old who are found roaming the streets at night,” Provincial Police Commander Krajang Suwannarat told…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket Raceweek: Doldrums leave fleet hanging on for final day

    Phuket Raceweek: Doldrums leave fleet hanging on for final day

    PHUKET: The signs were ominous as the boats left the anchorage this morning for Day 3 of the 2014 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek. Grey skies, no rustling in the trees and confusing reports from the weather professionals. Wind Guru was predicting anything from zero to four knots and Windfinder were predicting in the eight knot range, while the Thai…

  • Phuket NewsProtest over Club Med lease brings promise of public hearing

    Protest over Club Med lease brings promise of public hearing

    PHUKET: A protest in April over renewing the lease for Club Med’s beachfront property in Kata has won locals the promise of a public hearing before any decision is made. “We will have a hearing next month,” Phuket Provincial Administration Organization [PPAO] Vice President Chawalit Na Nakorn told the Phuket Gazette this week. “The interest of the majority is our…

  • World NewsObama condemns Russia over Malaysia Airlines plane shot down over Ukraine

    Obama condemns Russia over Malaysia Airlines plane shot down over Ukraine

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Obama condemns Russia over downed plane in Ukraine Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: U.S. President Barack Obama demanded Russia stop supporting separatists in Ukraine after the downing of a Malaysian airliner by a surface-to-air missile he said was fired from rebel territory raised the prospect of…

  • Phuket NewsPolice raid illegal Phuket forest homestead

    Police raid illegal Phuket forest homestead

    PHUKET: A Phuket police raid on an illegal homestead in the Kamala Forest yesterday found no people but did turn up a registered rifle which police are using to pursue suspects. More than 30 Phuket police officers and a special squad from Region 8 Police went to the site, located three kilometers away from the nearest road, after local residents…

  • Phuket NewsNext Target: Land-snatching Phuket officials

    Next Target: Land-snatching Phuket officials

    PHUKET: National level politicians involved in commandeering more than 1,000 rai of public land in Phuket will face fire as a joint agency operation pushes to shake out the long history of illegal land titles plaguing Sirinath National Park. “The people at the root of the issue of encroachment in Sirinath Park go all the way up to the top……

  • Business NewsNominations being accepted for Thailand’s first Expat Entrepreneur Awards

    Nominations being accepted for Thailand’s first Expat Entrepreneur Awards

    PHUKET: Bangkok-based publisher, The BigChilli Company, has announced that it will be hosting Thailand’s first Expat Entrepreneur Awards 2014 on September 25 in Bangkok. The accolades will be awarded in a variety of categories such as arts and culture, education, hospitality and travel to highlight the contributions that foreign-owned/managed companies have made to Thailand’s economy. The awards ceremony is jointly…

  • Phuket NewsSea Sheperd rails against allegedly wild caught dolphins for Phuket Dolphinarium

    Sea Sheperd rails against allegedly wild caught dolphins for Phuket Dolphinarium

    PHUKET: Sea Shepard Global has put out a call to stop the Nemo Dolphinarium from being built in Phuket. Phuket Aqua Project Co Ltd’s application for the facility has been handed over to the Department of Fisheries’ head office in Bangkok, confirmed Kiattikhun Charoensawan, chief of the Phuket Fisheries Office, to the Phuket Gazette today. “I don’t see the construction…

  • Phuket NewsVideo Report: Pony Up – Phuket marine conservationists launch international seahorse specialty course

    Video Report: Pony Up – Phuket marine conservationists launch international seahorse specialty course

    PHUKET: Marine conservationists in Phuket today announced the international launch of a seahorse diver specialty course to promote accurate crowdsourcing as Thailand, and the rest of the world, attempts to protect endangered populations. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) course will teach student divers the basics of seahorse biology and conservation, how to identify and search for seahorses and…

  • Thai LifeExcuse Buster: Sleep tight and lose weight

    Excuse Buster: Sleep tight and lose weight

    PHUKET: Very often people come to me asking for a “revolutionary” exercise and diet program. Success however, doesn’t result from a trendy new work-out routine, but from getting the basics right – and sleep is one of those basics. To all you late night owls out there, I’m talking to you! Sleep plays one of the most profound roles in…

  • Thai LifeDisabled Australian cyclists end week-long tour in Phuket

    Disabled Australian cyclists end week-long tour in Phuket

    School staff prepare pandan leaf handicrafts as gifts for the cyclists. Photo: Jeremie Schatz PHUKET: After a week of riding and more than 600 kilometers, a group of 21 cyclists from the Disability Sport and Recreation (DSR) initiative completed their journey from Surat Thani to Phuket Panyanukul School in Pa Khlok on Monday afternoon. The Victoria, Australia-based group, dubbed CyclePower,…

  • Thai LifeGo north to Mai Khao and the Sarasin Bridge

    Go north to Mai Khao and the Sarasin Bridge

    PHUKET: The Mai Khao region in Phuket’s northwest has long been home to breeding Andaman sea turtles, not to mention an abundance of other species of flora and fauna, although Homo Touristicus remained noticeable by their absence until quite recently. Nowadays, that’s all changed, as a gathering influx of both tourists and residents flood this formerly quiet corner. The opportunities…

  • Phuket NewsKnife-wielding bag snatcher bagged by Phuket police

    Knife-wielding bag snatcher bagged by Phuket police

    PHUKET: Police snared the knife-wielding thief who threatened and robbed a Chinese couple last night at Karon View Point in just over 24 hours. “We were notified about the attack at about 10:30 yesterday morning,” said Lt Col Ason Jiraksa of the Karon Police. “The victims said the man threatened them with a knife, snatched the woman’s bag and then…

  • Phuket NewsBe alert, Phuket: Traffic violation clampdown begins today

    Be alert, Phuket: Traffic violation clampdown begins today

    PHUKET: Police officers throughout Phuket are ready to dish out fines for motorists who violate traffic laws as part of a nationwide crackdown on road safety starting today. The Royal Thai Police identified 199 intersections throughout the country known for being traffic-heavy and dangerous, three of which are in Phuket, said Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Sakchai Limcharoen yesterday. They…

  • Phuket NewsItalian couple return home to find Phuket rental house on fire

    Italian couple return home to find Phuket rental house on fire

    PHUKET: A short circuit started a fire in the Cherng Talay rental house of an Italian couple yesterday, damaging their bedroom. Antonino Raneri, 54, and his wife Claudia Crescini Laffranchini, 56, were out when the blaze started on Soi Bangtao 11. “At about 5pm my wife and I came home and saw smoke coming from the house,” said Mr Raneri.…

  • Business NewsAmari appoints new AGM based in Patong

    Amari appoints new AGM based in Patong

    PHUKET: ONYX Hospitality Group, which operates the well-known Amari hotel brand, has announced a restructure of its key hotel and corporate operations roles in Thailand. As part of the restructure, ONYX has promoted their talented hospitality professionals Pierre-Andre Pelletier and David Cumming to the positions of Vice President Area General Manager for Southern Thailand and Bangkok, respectively. Both veterans in…

  • Thai LifeSoutheast Asia surgeons gather for breast augmentation seminar

    Southeast Asia surgeons gather for breast augmentation seminar

    PHUKET: Bangkok-Phuket Institute of Cosmetic Surgery (BPICS) hosted a breast augmentation seminar and live surgery on July 4 in Samkong. “We invited our colleagues from Hong Kong and from ASEAN countries Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam,” said Institute Director Dr Witoon Wisuthseriwong, who has more than 13 years experience working at Bangkok International Hospital Phuket. About 50 participants had the…

  • Phuket NewsBondi Bar Bashers impress with victory over Village

    Bondi Bar Bashers impress with victory over Village

    PHUKET: In the second round of the Outrigger T20 competition, the Village played Bondi Beach Bashers in what promised to be an exciting game with The Village welcoming back a few of their previous stars. The Village won the toss and elected to bat, however, they got off to a shaky start, losing both their opening batsmen in the first…

  • World NewsThousands flee as typhoon batters east Philippines, heads to Manila

    Thousands flee as typhoon batters east Philippines, heads to Manila

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thousands flee as typhoon batters east Philippines, heads to Manila Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thousands of people in the Philippines fled from their homes on Tuesday as the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year made landfall, toppling trees and cutting power as it…

  • World NewsIsrael targets top Hamas leader as cease-fire collapses

    Israel targets top Hamas leader as cease-fire collapses

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Israel targets top Hamas leader as cease-fire collapses Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Israel resumed its air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday a day after holding its fire in deference to an Egyptian-proposed cease-fire deal that failed to get Hamas militants to halt rocket…