Search Results for: cat

  • World NewsDrunk passenger triggers hijack alert on Australian flight to Bali

    Drunk passenger triggers hijack alert on Australian flight to Bali

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Drunk passenger triggers hijack alert on Australian flight to Bali Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The pilot of a Virgin Australia plane flying from Brisbane to the Indonesian holiday island of Bali on Friday reported a hijacking attempt after a passenger tried to enter the cockpit,…

  • Thai LifeAll tied up: The art of cowboy rope tricks

    All tied up: The art of cowboy rope tricks

    PHUKET: With more people on the planet, nearly infinite methods of communication and a travel culture that sees people from all walks of life turning up in the most unsuspecting places, there is no telling where you might find influences from foreign cultures. For example, if Phuket entertainer Manoo Suwanmaneesilp hadn’t somehow gotten the chance to see old black-and-white westerns…

  • OpinionCan’t wash your hands with dirty water

    Can’t wash your hands with dirty water

    PHUKET: Hardly a week passes nowadays without a damaging news report about water-related issues in Phuket. Of these, none could be more harmful to the island’s reputation than reports of untreated wastewater flowing directly into the sea at some of the island’s most popular beaches. Such reports are nothing new. Sadly, untreated wastewater entering Patong Bay is now so common…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket to launch trash separation project for World Environment Day

    Phuket to launch trash separation project for World Environment Day

    PHUKET: Municipalities across Phuket will launch a project to ensure the separation of hazardous materials from public trash on June 5 in a united effort to prevent dangerous materials from contaminating the island’s beaches, canals and the ocean. The project was agreed to at a meeting on Wednesday held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) Phuket office.…

  • Cannabis NewsPutting the ‘I’ in your Phuket garden

    Putting the ‘I’ in your Phuket garden

    PHUKET: You probably hadn’t noticed that I was plowing my way through the botanical alphabet before getting distracted by more alluring prospects, or the pressing horticultural needs of a four-month- long drought. Well, anyway, most of the tropical plants listed under the letter “I” are in the index by virtue of an Indian designation: Indian banyan, Indian cork tree, Indian…

  • World NewsAustralia rules out link between debris and Malaysian plane | Thaiger

    Australia rules out link between debris and Malaysian plane

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australia rules out link between debris and Malaysian plane Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Authorities ruled out any link between debris picked up on an Australian beach and a missing Malaysian jetliner on Thursday as a tropical cyclone again threatened to hamper a 26-nation air, surface…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News: Recession looms; Red shirt slain; Officer dies in helicopter plunge; Outrage over Chao Praya drownings

    Thailand News: Recession looms; Red shirt slain; Officer dies in helicopter plunge; Outrage over Chao Praya drownings

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Recesssion looms as MPC to further trim growth forecast in June The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee will lower its forecast for the Kingdom’s 2014 economic growth at its next meeting in June. Paiboon Kittisrikangwan, secretary of the Monetary…

  • World NewsBody of Korean boy who raised alarm on sinking ferry believed found

    Body of Korean boy who raised alarm on sinking ferry believed found

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Body of Korean boy who raised alarm on sinking ferry believed found Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The body of a South Korean boy whose shaking voice first raised the alarm that a passenger ferry with hundreds on board was in trouble has been found, his…

  • Business NewsRevamped Tesco Lotus Extra fully open from today

    Revamped Tesco Lotus Extra fully open from today

    PHUKET: Renovations on the Tesco Lotus Extra Phuket mall, located off the bypass road in Sam Kong, were recently completed and the revamped mall is now fully open for business as of today. Tesco says that more shops, famous brands, and a new food court have been added to the mall, including Starbucks, Fuji, Giordano, Air Asia, as well as…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket airport health officials ramp up MERS surveillance

    Phuket airport health officials ramp up MERS surveillance

    PHUKET: Health officials at Phuket International Airport have ramped up efforts to identify any travellers arriving in Phuket who are suspected of carrying the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (Mers-CoV). The news follows the death of a Malaysian man from complications caused by MERS after returning from Saudi Arabia, in what appears to be the first fatal case of the disease…

  • World NewsBrazil set to pass Internet bill of rights

    Brazil set to pass Internet bill of rights

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Brazil set to pass Internet bill of rights Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Brazil’s Senate unanimously approved groundbreaking legislation on Tuesday that guarantees equal access to the Internet and protects the privacy of Brazilian users in the wake of U.S. spying revelations. President Dilma Rousseff, who…

  • Thailand NewsYingluck offers to quit; Park chief probe over missing activist; Four dead from swine flu

    Yingluck offers to quit; Park chief probe over missing activist; Four dead from swine flu

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yingluck to leave politics if country wants it; hasn’t raised issue with Thaksin The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday she is ready to step down if the people want her out, but added that she had not discussed the…

  • World NewsParents search for abducted Nigeria girls, say 234 missing | Thaiger

    Parents search for abducted Nigeria girls, say 234 missing

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Parents search for abducted Nigeria girls, say 234 missing Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Parents of girls abducted by Islamist militants were searching for their daughters in a remote forest, they told the state governor on Monday, adding that 234 were still missing, a much higher…

  • Thailand NewsDisappearance of Karen activist prompts concern; NACC denies bias; Teacher exam cheating probe begins

    Disappearance of Karen activist prompts concern; NACC denies bias; Teacher exam cheating probe begins

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Disappearance of Karen activist prompts concern The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Several organisations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International Thailand, are pressing Thai authorities to speed up investigation into the disappearance of a leading Karen activist. Por Cha Lee Rakchongcharoen, also known as “Billy”,…

  • World NewsUkraine peace deal falters as rebels show no sign of surrender

    Ukraine peace deal falters as rebels show no sign of surrender

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ukraine peace deal falters as rebels show no sign of surrender Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: An international agreement to avert wider conflict in Ukraine was faltering on Monday, with pro-Moscow separatist gunmen showing no sign of surrendering government buildings they have seized. U.S. and European…

  • Thai LifeEmerald pools and more just across the bay from Phuket

    Emerald pools and more just across the bay from Phuket

    PHUKET: Typically, upon hearing any reference of Krabi, the first thing that springs to mind is the stalactite-studded Railay, party-island Phi Phi or any one of the other 154 awe-inspiring islands that draw millions of visitors a year to this quiet province on the Andaman Sea. Without a doubt, visitors who come to this little corner of the world would…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket officials order a halt to deadly bungy jump

    Phuket officials order a halt to deadly bungy jump

    PHUKET: Officers have ordered a halt to any further development of the illegal bungy-jumping site in Phuket where two men died and one was seriously injured Friday night. “It was built more than four times higher than had been approved,” said Chalong Mayor Samran Jindapol. The Chalong Municipality had approved construction of a 12-meter jump tower. However, the final construction,…

  • Phuket NewsKamala combats black water threat

    Kamala combats black water threat

    PHUKET: Phuket officials pushed for a 300-million-baht water-treatment plant on Friday after Kamala residents filed a complaint about stinking black wastewater. Officials and residents chalked the rancid water up to laundries and residents washing clothes and releasing the untreated wastewater into a canal that connects to the sea, said Krit Sariya, chief of the Kamala branch of the Community Organizations…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket laundry raided over wastewater poisoning canal and wells

    Phuket laundry raided over wastewater poisoning canal and wells

    PHUKET: A commercial laundry in Chalong has been ordered to restrict its operations pending an inquiry into untreated wastewater poisoning of private wells and killing fish in a nearby canal. Officials led by Chalong Mayor Samran Jindaphol Friday morning raided the laundry, located along a dirt track off Soi Klumyang, about 300 meters south of Wat Chalong. “Just the stench…

  • Phuket NewsVideo Report: Phuket’s B70mn one-stop yacht center to open Monday

    Video Report: Phuket’s B70mn one-stop yacht center to open Monday

    PHUKET: Two years behind schedule and 70 million baht in the making, Phuket’s long-awaited one-stop yacht center will open with a two-week trial period, starting on Monday. “Officers involved in yacht-arrival services, such as immigration, customs and the harbor master, are now moving into their new offices,” Phuket Marine Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut told the Phuket Gazette. The rotunda-style building at…

  • OpinionSustaining Phuket people and environment

    Sustaining Phuket people and environment

    Sayan Chanachaiwong, 56, has been Kathu District Chief for about five months. With a master’s degree in political science from Ramkhamhaeng University, he worked as district chief in the restive Deep South province of Narathiwat for more than nine years, most recently in Su-ngai Padi, before coming to Phuket. Here, he talks about his three priorities for Kathu. PHUKET: My…

  • Pattaya NewsShady Business: Phuket beaches kept out of the sun

    Shady Business: Phuket beaches kept out of the sun

    Special Report Just over a generation ago, there were few chairs or umbrellas on the sands of Phuket. Now, they cover up to 80 per cent of many popular beaches. Last June, the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism said their excessive numbers have a negative impact on tourists’ experiences. What’s happening, and who’s in charge? The Phuket Gazette’s Irfarn Jamdukor…

  • OpinionUnwanted babies in Phuket are not to be abandoned

    Unwanted babies in Phuket are not to be abandoned

    Special Report The discovery of a newborn boy abandoned in the bed of a pick-up truck in front of a luxury resort on April 10 has highlighted the issue of unwanted pregnancies on Phuket. Many women, not knowing which way to turn, abandon their babies or seek illegal abortions. The Gazette‘s Chutharat Plerin explores what options are available for pregnant…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket officials threaten protest over Club Med lease

    Phuket officials threaten protest over Club Med lease

    PHUKET: Kata-Karon officials yesterday threatened public protests if the lease for the Club Med resort located on 39 rai of public land along the Kata beachfront is renewed. The 30-year lease, which began in 1985, will expire on September 24 next year. “For 30 years we have been waiting for the contract to expire,” said Kamnan Winai Chidchiew, who led…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Students add Easter twist to dwindling Venezuela protests

    Phuket Gazette World News: Students add Easter twist to dwindling Venezuela protests

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Students add Easter twist to dwindling Venezuela protests Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Venezuelan students are marching barefoot, building crucifixes and planning to burn effigies of President Nicolas Maduro to try and breathe new life into their protest movement over Easter. The religious-themed demonstrations are the…

  • Thai LifeHuge line up of events for Phuket Pride Week 2014

    Huge line up of events for Phuket Pride Week 2014

    PHUKET: The Phuket Loves You Club (PLU) has just announced its line up of events for Phuket Pride Week 2014 with eight days of fun and celebrations planned. The theme for this year’s Pride Week is “Celebrating Who We Are”. All through the week there will be parties and events which will offer the opportunity for all people – gay,…

  • Phuket NewsWolfpack gore the Galahs to retain Cricket 7s title

    Wolfpack gore the Galahs to retain Cricket 7s title

    PHUKET: Australia’s Wolfpack retained their title by winning the 11th Annual Phuket International Cricket Week 2014 Kata Group International Cricket 7s at Republic Phuket Football Ground last weekend. Captained by Australian Indoor Cricket Team champion Will Badger, the Wolfpack fought back to defeat the Galah Cricket Team, who had been admirable opponents during the Kata 7s. Wolfpack had defeated Phuket…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Search continues for South Korea ferry sinking survivors

    Phuket Gazette World News: Search continues for South Korea ferry sinking survivors

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Search continues for South Korea ferry sinking survivors Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: South Korean coastguard and navy divers resumed searching on Thursday for about 290 people still missing, many of them students from the same high school, after a ferry capsized in sight of land.…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: More than 300 people missing after South Korean ferry sinks

    Phuket Gazette World News: More than 300 people missing after South Korean ferry sinks

    More than 300 people missing after South Korea ferry sinks Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: More than 300 people were missing after a ferry sank off South Korea, the coastguard said on Wednesday, with a three-fold increase in the number of passengers unaccounted for put down to a miscalculation by officials. The ferry was carrying 477 people, of whom 164…

  • Phuket NewsDust to Dust: Phuket’s struggle to clear the air

    Dust to Dust: Phuket’s struggle to clear the air

    Special Report Each month thousands of people seek treatment at Phuket hospitals for breathing difficulties, eye and nose problems and even nausea – all brought on by dust and other forms of air pollution. The Phuket Gazette‘s Irfarn Jamdukor investigates. PHUKET: The Phuket health chief has revealed the disturbing news that in February alone more than 2,500 people in Phuket…