Search Results for: cat

  • Business NewsChalong means “celebrate’ – Phuket Business

    Chalong means “celebrate’ – Phuket Business

    PHUKET: They started the production just nine months ago but they already have reasons to celebrate – their product achieved international recognition, winning the highest award for a white rum at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in Hong Kong. But what’s even more important, it feels like a part of Phuket’s DNA – natural, local, merging traditions and cultures.…

  • PropertyBlame it on the rain – Phuket Property Watch

    Blame it on the rain – Phuket Property Watch

    PHUKET: I was channel surfing the other night when the Hollywood classic “Singin’ in the Rain” came up on screen. Settling deep into my comfy TV chair as my dog Koko lay nearby chasing dream rabbits across imaginary landscapes, things came to an all-too-sudden and conclusive end. Lightning struck near to the house and within seconds a torrential downpour ensued…

  • Business NewsAsian groups may invest US0bn in markets abroad

    Asian groups may invest US$150bn in markets abroad

    PHUKET: Institutional investors based in Asia could look to invest in excess of US$150 billion in global real estate over the next five years, though not necessarily in domestic markets. According to the latest research from leading global real estate services provider, CBRE, since there is limited investable stock available in Asia, such investors – including banks, insurance companies as…

  • Thai LifeWelcome to Phuket, baby!

    Welcome to Phuket, baby!

    PHUKET: My daughter, now 7 months old, was born in Bangkok. And even though several months have passed since that life changing event, I clearly remember every minute of that day. But what lead to it I’d be happy to forget. The pain of choosing the right hospital, the perfect doctor we could trust. I was spoiled for choice. Bangkok…

  • Phuket NewsFamiliar pattern reveals Phuket meth, not quilt

    Familiar pattern reveals Phuket meth, not quilt

    PHUKET: A man was charged with drug dealing after Phuket City Police pounced on him picking up a package that he claimed was supposed to encase a quilt – not the nearly 8,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills police found.The man, Somsak Srisakul, was presented to the press today at Phuket City Police Station.“We received a tip-off that drugs would be…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Mob boss Whitey Bulger convicted; Israel to free Palestinians; Dalai Lama website hacked; Mali polls praised

    Phuket Gazette World News: Mob boss Whitey Bulger convicted; Israel to free Palestinians; Dalai Lama website hacked; Mali polls praised

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Whitey Bulger guilty of 11 murders in sweeping Boston mob case Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: James “Whitey” Bulger, a brutal gangster who ruled over Boston’s criminal underworld in the 1970s and ’80s and evaded capture for 16 years, was found guilty of murder and racketeering by a…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket Gazette Thailand News: Ratchanok wins royal praise; Police warned over chat probe; Yingluck tapped on ivory

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Ratchanok wins royal praise; Police warned over chat probe; Yingluck tapped on ivory

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ratchanok wins royal praise The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Newly crowned world champion Ratchanok Intanon could not have been happier to receive bouquets of flowers from the Royal family, especially from Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. And the young star has set new goals – to become the…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket fighting fish gamblers netted in rubber plantation

    Phuket fighting fish gamblers netted in rubber plantation

    PHUKET: A Phuket police raid on a gambling den known for fighting fish netted nine men Saturday morning.“I received a report of a place that was open every weekend for fish gambling,” Thalang Superintendent Sirisak Warasiri said. “So I sent my men to investigate.”“They found a well-established location with tables and chairs for the gamblers,” he said.Police raided the den,…

  • FoodCarnivore’s delight – Phuket Food

    Carnivore’s delight – Phuket Food

    PHUKET: I miss you dearly, my friend. Maybe not at first, not in my first months in Thailand when I was sucked right into the world of lemongrass and coconut milk. When pork (and Thailand is up there with the best of them when it comes to the quality of pork) and poultry became the foundations of my daily diet.…

  • Phuket NewsConcern piqued by fetus hammerhead sharks on display at Phuket restaurant

    Concern piqued by fetus hammerhead sharks on display at Phuket restaurant

    PHUKET: Local concern peaked in Phuket after photos began to circulate of two baby scalloped hammerhead sharks on display in front of a restaurant in Kata last week.“The ones [scalloped hammerhead sharks] at that restaurant clearly show to everybody that they are fetuses – they are not fully grown sharks, so obviously fishermen caught a female shark somewhere, chopped her…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket Airport gets multilingual makeover, bus to resume full service on Friday

    Phuket Airport gets multilingual makeover, bus to resume full service on Friday

    PHUKET: The new Airport Express bus service, operating a “hop on, hop off” service between Phuket International Airport and the prime tourist beach destination Patong, will resume full service on Friday. “The bus service will return to the full schedule on August 16,” Prakob Panyawai, the owner of the bus company, confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. Services were pared back…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s elite captains mark 24 years of dodging rocks

    Phuket’s elite captains mark 24 years of dodging rocks

    PHUKET: A gathering of Phuket’s elite captains and core sailors of the local yachting community last night marked 24 years of dodging rocks with the launch of the fourth edition of the essential cruising guide, Southeast Asia Pilot, that made it possible. The latest edition covers the area from the Andaman Islands in Indian territorial waters to Darwin, Australia. In…

  • Phuket NewsHuman trafficker shot, captured in Surat | Thaiger

    Human trafficker shot, captured in Surat

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand arrests suspected leader of human trafficking gang Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Thai authorities have captured the suspected leader of a human trafficking gang, who confessed to selling Burmese migrants into slavery on Thai fishing boats and possibly murdering as many as seven, a Thai official said…

  • Phuket NewsPatong Mayor Pian Keesin targetted in DSI’s investigations list

    Patong Mayor Pian Keesin targetted in DSI’s investigations list

    PHUKET: Long-serving Mayor of Patong Pian Keesin, as well as ten other people and suspect locations, has been named on a Department of Special Investigations (DSI) blacklist regarding illegal taxis. The blacklist was presented yesterday as Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak and DSI Director-general Tarit Pengdith arrived on the island to open the ‘Phuket Organized Crime Center’ (story here).…

  • OpinionPhuket Opinion: Italy’s Honorary Consul – respect and enforce laws

    Phuket Opinion: Italy’s Honorary Consul – respect and enforce laws

    Dr Francesco Pensato, 53, became the Honorary Consul of Italy for Phuket and Southern Thailand in May. A director of the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce, Dr Francesco has degrees in Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Sound Engineering, and is the CEO of World Pharm, JK Drinks and King manufacturing company. Here, he talks about the most pressing problems facing Italian tourists…

  • Phuket NewsSpecial Report: Anatomy of a Phuket taxi driver

    Special Report: Anatomy of a Phuket taxi driver

    Special Report The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has opened an ‘Organized Crime Center’ [sic] at Phuket International Airport to crack down on illegal taxi drivers still operating there. The move follows widespread allegations of mafia operating on the island and illegal taxi drivers overcharging tourists. Here, the Phuket Gazette investigates what it takes to become a Phuket taxi driver.PHUKET:…

  • Thai LifeSingapore National Day – Phuket Lifestyle

    Singapore National Day – Phuket Lifestyle

    PHUKET: It’s party time…again. And for Singapore it’s the 48th time – today the small Southeast Asian country celebrates its National Day marking the anniversary of independence from Malaysia. A speech by the Prime Minister, a colorful procession presenting the island’s multicultural character and naturally, fireworks, are all planned for this special day. Looking BackBefore Singapore got its current name,…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket drug users scramble free of police net – two women arrested

    Phuket drug users scramble free of police net – two women arrested

    PHUKET: A police drug bust yesterday netted only two female meth dealers after several teenagers using drugs at a bungalow in Phuket managed to scramble to freedom.One of the two woman arrested, Supattra Kanam, 24, spotted the police arriving at the bungalow, about half a kilometer from the Heroines’ Monument. She was able to run into the house and warn…

  • Business NewsLast Call – Digging my way down to China

    Last Call – Digging my way down to China

    PHUKET: Growing up in California, one of my favorite pre-teen past times was digging holes. Not just holes but dark inviting spaces with a purpose. A fort, or looking for buried Aztec treasure, putting time capsules away to be dug up after people are weekending on Mars or the sadness of burying a demised goldfish or two. We never quite…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Gorbachev still alive; Israel-Palestine peace talks; Chile blunder; Top Mafioso arrested in London

    Phuket Gazette World News: Gorbachev still alive; Israel-Palestine peace talks; Chile blunder; Top Mafioso arrested in London

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gorbachev denies false reports of his death after hacker attack Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Mikhail Gorbachev announced to the world he was alive and well after hackers broke into microblogs run by a news agency late on Wednesday and posted false reports of his death.“I’m alive and…

  • Phuket NewsBody of executed pregnant woman found in Khao Sok National Park, north of Phuket | Thaiger

    Body of executed pregnant woman found in Khao Sok National Park, north of Phuket

    PHUKET: An unidentified pregnant woman was executed by gun and her body left in Khao Sok National Park, Phang Nga police said today.The body of the woman, believed to have been in her late 20s, was found by villagers in Phang Nga’s Kapong District yesterday.“She was wearing an orange-red maternity dress, and appeared to be pregnant,” Prajak Rodkantuk of the…

  • Phuket NewsCitizen rescue to bolster safety at Phuket beaches

    Citizen rescue to bolster safety at Phuket beaches

    PHUKET: Scores of everyday people are voluntarily undergoing lifeguard training in order to help Phuket’s strained contingent of lifeguards cope with the growing number of tourists, expats and local residents who need to be saved from dangerous surf.There are currently 38 beach guard stations at 13 beaches in Phuket, staffed by a total of 108 lifeguards, explained Phuket Lifeguard Club…

  • Phuket NewsOil spill damage not as great as feared, say Phuket Marine Biologists

    Oil spill damage not as great as feared, say Phuket Marine Biologists

    PHUKET: The environmental damage to Koh Samet is not as great as initially feared, according to five Phuket-based marine biologists who have just returned from a fact-finding mission to the oil-spill stricken island (story here). The Phuket group’s findings were similar to those reported by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. “We did not find any remains or evidence…

  • World NewsPhuket Gazette World News: Obama snubs Putin; Egypt at deadly stalemate; Nairobi fire threatens regional economies; Saudi offers Russia arms deal

    Phuket Gazette World News: Obama snubs Putin; Egypt at deadly stalemate; Nairobi fire threatens regional economies; Saudi offers Russia arms deal

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Obama snubs Putin over Snowden row Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: U.S. President Barack Obama is cancelling a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for next month in Moscow, the White House said on Wednesday.The Obama administration has repeatedly expressed disappointment after Moscow granted temporary asylum to…

  • Thai LifePhuket In focus – Dreams do come true

    Phuket In focus – Dreams do come true

    PHUKET: Terminally sick nine-year-old, Pakjira “Aom” Jamlongpan had never seen Thailand’s Andaman coast before. Now her wish to swim in the sea was finally about to come true. “Life is precious, so do your best today as you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow,” was the sentence echoing in my head as I waited for her at Chalong…

  • Phuket NewsBlack taxis scoff at Phuket Airport organized crime center

    Black taxis scoff at Phuket Airport organized crime center

    PHUKET: A taxi company using illegal “black taxis” to serve Phuket International Airport said it will continue to do so despite the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) opening its Organized Crime Center for Tourism there on Friday (story here). “Our black plate taxis will still work as usual. If the DSI officers arrest them, I will explain to the officers…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket Gazette Thailand News: Fears of major clash; Data on Imam killing; Military gunmen shot unarmed people: Court; US pushes for tougher trafficking sentences

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Fears of major clash; Data on Imam killing; Military gunmen shot unarmed people: Court; US pushes for tougher trafficking sentences

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fear of major clash if rivals face off at House The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A political confrontation is looming between pro- and anti-government mobs, with Democrat Party MPs having decided to lead a group of supporters to Parliament House today, which is protected by…

  • Business NewsRaising bar past low-tide mark – Phuket Business

    Raising bar past low-tide mark – Phuket Business

    PHUKET: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a long-standing and ill-fated tradition of stopping at the low-tide mark. For mountain resorts in the French Alps, which do not rely on what is beneath the ocean surface to draw guests, such an oversight is understandable. However, the trend of CSR projects not safeguarding heavily threatened marine systems, such as the coral reefs…

  • PropertyA new lease on island life – Phuket Property

    A new lease on island life – Phuket Property

    PHUKET: When is leasehold more valuable than freehold?: “In over 35 years in the property industry in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Thailand, and having worked in many Asian countries, I would have said until very recently, never. “However, I have to acknowledge that with the arrival of some excellent leasehold properties, the Thai property industry has recognized that a…

  • PropertyThai realtors prepare for Asean integration

    Thai realtors prepare for Asean integration

    PHUKET: The Real Estate Sales and Marketing Association of Thailand (RESAM) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), a leading global real estate association, joined forces recently to host a networking event in Phuket. The international real estate business network event, called Thailand CIPS (certified international property specialist) 2013 was an education and work program held at Royal Phuket City…