Search Results for: cat

  • Business NewsRawai roasters tout Thai coffee beans

    Rawai roasters tout Thai coffee beans

    PHUKET: With the fast approaching Asean Economic Community (AEC) integration, Thailand’s coffee producers will be facing stiff competition from neighboring coffee behemoths Indonesia and Vietnam. Coffee industry experts have long been calling on coffee producers in the kingdom to bring specialty coffee products to market and move away from supplying bulk beans to instant coffee manufacturers. The high-quality beans are…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket man packing heat, drugs crashes after staring down police vehicle

    Phuket man packing heat, drugs crashes after staring down police vehicle

    PHUKET: A man in the illegal possession of two guns and drugs was so distracted by a police vehicle last night that he crashed his motorbike into a car in Thalang. Police rushed over to the badly injured Chainarong Singsombat, 27, to whisk him away to hospital, but hesitated when they discovered that he was packing heat. “We found a…

  • Business NewsHow to choose an offshore broker

    How to choose an offshore broker

    PHUKET: As an expatriate, there are a number of important aspects to consider before choosing an offshore broker or a custodian to hold your investment assets. At the same time, you will need to keep in mind that not every offshore broker will be able to offer a perfect solution for all of your needs – especially if your financial…

  • PropertyConnecting the Myanmar-Phuket tourism dots

    Connecting the Myanmar-Phuket tourism dots

    PHUKET: Myanmar is on my mind as I recall the famous line from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s classic poem Paul Revere’s Ride, “One if by land, and two if by sea”. The bard might very well have been speaking about Asia’s rising tourism dragon and Thailand’s neighbor Myanmar, though this slight annotation might also be apt: “Three if by low-cost airline…

  • Phuket NewsCrackdown banning ‘walk-in visa runs’ to begin August 13

    Crackdown banning ‘walk-in visa runs’ to begin August 13

    PHUKET: Foreigners will be allowed to continue to re-enter Thailand on three consecutive “walk-in” visas until August 12, Ranong Immigration Superintendent Ekkorn Bussababordin assured the Phuket Gazette today. The news follows the appearance of a formal notice posted on Bangkok Immigration’s website on May 8 stating that any persons who exit Thailand after completing a stay in the Kingdom on…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket sailor Scott Duncanson wins his fourth Coronation Cup at Top of the Gulf Regatta

    Phuket sailor Scott Duncanson wins his fourth Coronation Cup at Top of the Gulf Regatta

    PHUKET: Local yachtsman Scott Duncanson has brought home his fourth prestigious Coronation Cup after securing victory in the Platu national championship finals at the Top of the Gulf Regatta in Jomtien last week. Duncanson, already a three-time winner in 2002, 2008 and 2010, and representing the Ao Chalong Yacht Club, was joined by fellow Phuket yachtsmen Alfie Rowson and Anthony…

  • PropertyForeign directors: Not only power but also responsibility

    Foreign directors: Not only power but also responsibility

    PHUKET: MANY foreigners have chosen Thailand not only as their preferred location for retirement but also for doing business. Usually, such businesses are operated under the umbrella of a Thai company due to legal restrictions regulating the conditions under which foreign persons are allowed to carry out business in Thailand. Such a Thai company is required to have at least…

  • Business NewsBusiness as usual for bars, despite bans

    Business as usual for bars, despite bans

    PHUKET: Despite a handful of unexpected alcohol bans due to elections brought about by the ongoing, nationwide political protests, business seems to be barreling forward as usual in Phuket’s premier party town. The Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Anoma Wongyai, told the Gazette, “I think because the alcohol bans were short-lived, only one or two days long, they…

  • Phuket NewsResort guru Michael Ayling joins Royal Phuket Marina

    Resort guru Michael Ayling joins Royal Phuket Marina

    PHUKET: Michael Ayling, former Managing Director of Laguna Resorts & Hotels, today began his new role as Managing Director/General Manager at Royal Phuket Marina (RPM). “The goal is to make RPM a destination, not just a marina, and Michael has vast experience in this field,” RPM Chairman Gulu Lalvani told the Phuket Gazette this morning. Mr Lalvani also revealed plans…

  • World NewsRebels declare victory in east Ukraine vote on self-rule

    Rebels declare victory in east Ukraine vote on self-rule

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rebels declare victory in east Ukraine vote on self-rule Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Pro-Moscow rebels declared a resounding victory in a referendum on self-rule for eastern Ukraine, with some saying that meant independence and others eventual union with Russia as fighting flared in a conflict…

  • Pattaya NewsUkraine consul frets over tourist safety in Phuket

    Ukraine consul frets over tourist safety in Phuket

    PHUKET: Ukrainian Honorary Consul to Thailand Alexander Zub yesterday formally expressed his concern about the increasing number of road accidents in Phuket, and to discuss the safety of Ukrainian tourists who visit the island. “Ukrainian tourists in Phuket tend to rent motorbikes or cars rather than opting [sic] for public transport, which could increase the risk of them being involved…

  • World NewsElection massacres of Muslims darken India immigration debate

    Election massacres of Muslims darken India immigration debate

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Election massacres of Muslims darken India immigration debate Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: From his hiding place in a cowshed, Sefaqul Islam watched as masked gunmen moved through his village, shot women and children dead with automatic rifles and tossed wounded survivors into the blazing remains…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News: TV stations occupied, fears of clashes rise; July 20 poll in doubt; Sacred oxen predict a good year

    Thailand News: TV stations occupied, fears of clashes rise; July 20 poll in doubt; Sacred oxen predict a good year

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘Final fight’ to bring down govt The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Anti-government protesters yesterday began their “final fight” to topple the embattled government by occupying the country’s five major television stations and other key locations, amid mounting fears of street clashes between rival political groups.…

  • OpinionWhen noise is good

    When noise is good

    PHUKET: I stopped at my local 7-Eleven on the way home from work the other night, tired out from a day of peering at my computer screen and mildly irritated for the umpteenth time at the inconvenience of having to buy something – drinking water – that I get out of the tap where I come from. As I entered…

  • OpinionPhuket kids to save Karon

    Phuket kids to save Karon

    Yuphayao Alshammary, 50, has been Director of Suwan-keereekate School in Karon since May 2013. She has an MA in Education Management from Maha Sarakham University and is now pursuing a PhD. Before coming to Phuket, she was director of two rural Northeast schools for more than 15 years. Here, she talks about how supporting education can help solve Karon’s social…

  • OpinionLegal enigmas: foreigners beware

    Legal enigmas: foreigners beware

    PHUKET: The news stories that have spilled across the pages of the Phuket Gazette over the past few weeks have thrown into sharp relief what it takes for a foreigner to live on this paradise island. A Russian woman who had made her home here being refused re-entry to Thailand last month because officers from the Immigration Bureau suspected her…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News: Yingluck corruption indictment; Blasts hit Bangkok; PDRC vows to announce new government today

    Thailand News: Yingluck corruption indictment; Blasts hit Bangkok; PDRC vows to announce new government today

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Deadlock remains despite Yingluck dismissal, indictment The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The political deadlock remains steadfast despite former caretaker prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra being dealt a double blow this week, with the Constitutional Court sacking her on Wednesday and the National Anti-Corruption Commission indicting her…

  • Phuket NewsVideo Report: “Smart Province’ project will bring free WiFi to Phuket

    Video Report: “Smart Province’ project will bring free WiFi to Phuket

    PHUKET: Phuket is slated to have free WiFi throughout the island as part of it becoming Thailand’s next “Smart Province”. “Access to free WiFi is one of the many benefits of the technology we are using to connect the nation,” said Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) Surachai Srisarcam. “Through our ‘Smart Country’ project, local…

  • PropertyThe darling buds of May

    The darling buds of May

    PHUKET: I live a life which is all too often shrouded in deep confusion. It’s not unlike waking on a dark winter’s morning and having the option of resolutely pulling a massive down comforter over my head, thus shutting out any promise of the imminent menace of an all-too-soon sunrise. Sorry, George Harrison, the sun isn’t coming out today, best…

  • Phuket NewsAussie lifeguards help bring man back to life

    Aussie lifeguards help bring man back to life

    PHUKET: After 30 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and six injections of adrenaline, Mike Reynolds’ heart started to beat again. His 18-year-old daughter, Kristi, rushed into the emergency room as the two holidaying Australian lifeguards that had saved him from a drowning-induced heart attack while on a trip to Phi Phi Island waited outside. Also standing outside the room was…

  • Hua Hin NewsVietnam says China rammed ships in South China Sea

    Vietnam says China rammed ships in South China Sea

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Vietnam says China rammed ships in South China Sea Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Vietnam said on Wednesday a Chinese vessel intentionally rammed two of its ships in a part of the disputed South China Sea where Beijing has deployed a giant oil rig, sending tensions…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News: Yingluck ousted; Govt pushes for election; Villagers fight to save quake-hit homes; Reward for Haad Yai bombers

    Thailand News: Yingluck ousted; Govt pushes for election; Villagers fight to save quake-hit homes; Reward for Haad Yai bombers

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yingluck Ousted The Nation/ Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thailand’s first female prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was removed from office yesterday after serving as premier for two years, nine months, and two days. The dismissal followed a Constitutional Court ruling that she had violated the charter by unlawfully…

  • Thai LifeCycling on coconuts

    Cycling on coconuts

    PHUKET: I FIND myself writing increasingly about the concept of “escape” from Phuket these days. Talking to fellow cyclists and other residents alike, the need to find a sanctuary away from the everyday hassles, stress, traffic and urbanization of Phuket keeps coming up. It seems that the work week is taking its toll on people living in Phuket and so…

  • Phuket NewsFears of corpse confirmed, but not human

    Fears of corpse confirmed, but not human

    PHUKET: Police called this morning to investigate a possible corpse wrapped in a bag in Phuket Town found the bodies of two dogs instead. Residents called authorities after noticing a rotting odor coming from the bag, found outside an abandoned house near the Revenue Department office on Narisorn Road. Rescue workers who were first on the scene hesitated to investigate.…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket chief wages war to bring common sense to employment laws

    Phuket chief wages war to bring common sense to employment laws

    Special Report  Poor definitions in work permits have left loopholes that allow criminal foreigners to skirt the law and corrupt officials to take advantage of law-abiding foreigners. To this, Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) chief Yaowapa Pibulpol is waging a war to bring common sense to the enforcement of employment regulations. The Phuket Gazette’s Saran Mitrarat reports. PHUKET: The events…

  • PropertyGone in the blink of an eye

    Gone in the blink of an eye

    PHUKET: Humans blink 10 to 15 times a minute. Start rolling out the time-line and you start edging up over 20,000 blinks a day or more harrowing yet, perhaps 40 million blinks in a lifetime. Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Proverbially, the things…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News: Haad Yai blasts wound 10; Yingluck’s fate decided today; Aftershocks continue; AMLO busts Bt1bn smuggling ring

    Thailand News: Haad Yai blasts wound 10; Yingluck’s fate decided today; Aftershocks continue; AMLO busts Bt1bn smuggling ring

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two blasts rock Haad Yai, wounding 10 people The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Two large bomb attacks were carried out yesterday in Haad Yai business district of Songkhla province, wounding 10 people and causing large fires and heavy property damage. Initially it was reported that…

  • Hua Hin NewsPhuket runway maintenance affects Chinese flights

    Phuket runway maintenance affects Chinese flights

    PHUKET: Sichuan Airlines will relocate its Phuket operations to Krabi from May 15 through August 12 while runway maintenance is carried out during overnight hours at Phuket International Airport. The affected flights will be the Chengdu to Phuket and Chongqing to Phuket services. Sichuan Airlines offers two flights per week from both Chengdu and Chongqing direct to Phuket. Shanghai Airlines…

  • Phuket NewsFight night at Ta-ied Stadium

    Fight night at Ta-ied Stadium

    PHUKET: Tonight, Ta-ied Stadium will host seven Muay Thai fights, including two semifinal fights and a Super Fight. The stadium is located on Soi Ta-ied in Chalong with the fights starting at 9pm. The fighters include Tukkatatong from Tiger Muay Thai, Nakornsri from Rawai Muay Thai, Mongkornpet from Dragon Muay Thai and Sangmoreragot from Phuket TopTeam. The Super Fight card…

  • World NewsNigeria’s Boko Haram threatens to sell kidnapped schoolgirls

    Nigeria’s Boko Haram threatens to sell kidnapped schoolgirls

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nigeria’s Boko Haram threatens to sell kidnapped schoolgirls Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The leader of Boko Haram on Monday threatened to sell more than 200 schoolgirls his Islamist militant group kidnapped in northeastern Nigeria last month. Boko Haram militants stormed an all-girl secondary school in…