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Sponsored Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Officers flag four suspicious Phuket companies
PHUKET: The Phuket Business Development Office (BDO) is investigating four companies for possibly using Thai nominees to maintain control over their businesses. “The names of the four companies, comprising three tour companies and one property company, have yet to be revealed, as the investigation is still underway and charges have not been filed yet,” confirmed Phuket BDO Chief Nimit Kangkajit.…
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What’s the short-term fix for Phuket public transport?
PHUKET: A number of projects have been put in motion to improve the public transport sector following the cleanup of the taxi mafia by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) last year. There are many long-term projects that have been on the table for years, such as the light-rail system. However, there have also been several new initiatives,…
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Phuket Poll: Short-term impact on public transport
PHUKET: A number of projects have been put in motion to improve the public transport sector following the cleanup of the taxi mafia by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) last year. There are many long-term projects that have been on the table for years, such as the light-rail system. However, there have also been a several new…
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HM the Queen’s birthday celebrations underway
PHUKET: Celebrations of the auspicious occasion of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 83rd birthday, which is also National Mother’s Day, began early this morning. At 7:10am, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong led the island’s top officials in offering alms to 84 monks at Sanam Chai (Chai Field) near Provincial Hall. Those attending the special occasion dressed in blue in honor of HM…
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A Decade Ago: Angry taxi drivers and a “Poop-free Patong Bay’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong is making great efforts – with what appears to be the buds of success – to make metered taxis a pillar of public transport on the island. However, a decade ago, then-Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura was hearing a different tune as his metered-taxi push left his car stuck in a sea of furious airport ‘limousine’ drivers.…
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Another heavy weather warning issued for Phuket
PHUKET: The Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has issued a new flash flood, landslide and heavy weather warning for an additional four days, DDPM Phuket Office Chief Santhawat Riwleung confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today. “We are anticipating heavy rains, which could lead to further flash floods and landslides from today to August 14,” Mr Santhawat said. “Please…
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Pink Panther laid to rest in Phuket
PHUKET: Thousands of people turned out to mourn the death of former Phuket senator and suspended Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) President Paiboon Upatising as he was laid to rest at a Catholic graveyard in Phuket Town yesterday. Adviser to the Minister of Interior Siwa Sangmanee attended the funeral as the guest of honor and headed the ceremony of putting…
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Virgin Australia’s withdrawal won’t hurt Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket tourism and arrival numbers will not be affected by Virgin Australia cancelling flights to Phuket and Bali from Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth, Director of Phuket International Airport Monrudee Gettuphan confirmed today. Virgin Australia will replace services with its budget offshoot Tigerair in a bid to stem bleeding from its international operations, where losses widened to AUS$69 million for…
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Google morphs into Alphabet; investors cheer clarity
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Google morphs into Alphabet; investors cheer clarity Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Google Inc announced a surprise overhaul of its operating structure on Monday, creating a holding company called Alphabet to pool its many subsidiaries and separate the core web advertising business from newer ventures like…
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Gibbon touts re-discovered on Phi Phi
PHUKET: Dressed up gibbons were spotted being touted day and night on Phi Phi island last weekend. However, police and national park officers insisted to the Phuket Gazette that they were unaware that the practice of charging tourists to take pictures with the protected species was continuing in the small party town of Ton Sai. The situation was brought to…
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BISP Cruzeiro Football Academy spend summer in Brazil
PHUKET: This summer, eight boys from the BISP Cruzeiro Football Academy, based at British International School Phuket (BISP), trained at the home of Brazilian champions Cruzeiro EC to learn about the facilities, watch training sessions and meet the players. Cruzeiro International Development Coordinator Adriano Queiroz explained that the Phuket-based student-athletes were invited to spend a month in Brazil where they…
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Phuket’s future Olympian smashes swimming national record
PHUKET: A Nepalese swimmer has smashed a national record at the FINA World Championships just three months after she was forced to sleep in a car and not train for a month, due to the devastating earthquake in Nepal. Sofia Gadegaard Shah, 17, who has already secured a wildcard to the 2016 Olympics, was a symbol of resilience on August…
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Opinion: Corruption battle
Law Professor Chaisit Trachoetham, 65, has been the Chairman of the State Audit Commission since 2014. He earned his Bachelor’s in Law from Thammasat University, where he is also a professor, and his Bar-at-law and Doctorate from Mahasarakam University. He has been a judge for 37 years, and is also a former president of the Court of Appeals and the…
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Gunman shoots one at crowded Chinese ceremony in Phuket
PHUKET: Police are hunting a gunman who shot a man during a crowded ceremony in front of the Guan Yu shrine in Chalong last night. Rescue workers and police arrived at the scene to find Teearapon Ponsamak, 24, crying in pain from a gunshot wound to his abdomen. “Mr Teearapon’s friends told us that he was at the shrine celebrating…
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Opinion: Real estate xenophobia
PHUKET: While some Thais are jittery about foreigners buying Thai real estate, particularly land in some form or another, they should remember that they themselves can buy real estate in most western countries, with the rationale being that one can never bring that piece of real estate back to one’s home country. It is also pertinent to remember that Thai…
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New push to turn Phuket into medical tourism hub
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong is ready to help local hospitals make a push into the medical tourism industry as millions of baht flow in for eye-care centers. “More than 30 million baht has been approved for eye-care centers at public hospitals, specifically Vachira Phuket Hospital and Patong Hospital,” Governor Nisit said in an exclusive interview with the Phuket Gazette…
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Business Buzz: Is ‘social media’ a fad, or is it forever?
PHUKET: It doesn’t matter where we go today, we are surrounded by social media and its influences. Tweet this, like that, share and like this… Terms we were not familiar with not that long ago are now in common daily language. So is this a passing fad or is the social media craze here to stay, and even more importantly,…
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Finance: Cash in on divergence with some dumb luck
PHUKET: ‘Divergence markets’ are a very interesting topic at the moment with the recent trading action in China. From a technical perspective, the action has been fascinating because the NASDAQ continued to make new highs during the first big leg down in China. This is what is called ‘divergence’, when major markets that have been mainly flowing in tandem for…
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Ferguson protests mostly peaceful on anniversary of Brown shooting
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ferguson protests mostly peaceful on anniversary of Brown shooting Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Hundreds of people marched, prayed and observed a moment of silence in Ferguson, Missouri, on Sunday, a year to the day after a white police officer shot an unarmed black teenager to…
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Many areas suffer severe flooding
PHUKET: Local officials and Thalang District Chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol took their boats out to check on about 50 households in Baan Nai Yang yesterday after they were inundated with about a meter of water. The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority [PEA] shut down power to the affected area to prevent accidents, confirmed Narong Petcharat, a Sakoo Administration Organization (OrBorTor) council member.…
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Opinion: In mourning
PHUKET: The Gazette joins the Phuket community in mourning the death of Paiboon Upatising, who passed away after a long battle against cancer last week. A descendent of Chinese immigrants, Mr Paiboon was a highly-successful businessman, who used his own good fortune to help those in need. In addition to having exclusive rights to sell Boon Rawd Brewery products on…
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On your mind: Realpolitik defines US/Thai relationship
PHUKET: Webster’s dictionary defines realpolitik as a system of politics based on a country’s situation and its needs, rather than on ideas about what is morally right and wrong. No doubt, US government officials would deny that realpolitik defines American policies, but it is hard to see any clear moral imperative with regard to that country’s relationship with Thailand. The…
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Phuket officials issue landslide, flash flood warning
PHUKET: The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket office has issued an official landslide and flash flood warning for several areas on Phuket following days of heavy rain. The alert was issued for parts of Kamala, Cherng Talay and Thepkrasattri. “Earlier this week, we asked every local government office to be aware of the weather conditions that could lead to…
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Special Report: ‘Pink Panther’ passes
PHUKET: Legendary champion of Phuket people and the highest elected official on the island Paiboon Upatising lost his battle against colon cancer on August 2 at the age of 58, with his wife and eldest son by his side. The former Phuket senator, suspended President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) and charter President of the Rotary Club of…
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UPDATE 1: Blows for Obama as key lawmakers come out against Iran deal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UPDATE 1-Blows for Obama as key lawmakers come out against Iran deal Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: U.S. President Barack Obama’s hopes of preserving the nuclear deal between Iran and worldpowers were dealt a setback on Thursday when Chuck Schumer, one of the top Democrats in…
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China removes cross from church after month-long protest ends
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China removes cross from church after month-long protest ends Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Chinese authorities removed a cross from a church on Friday after Christian protesters ended a month-long sit-in on the building’s roof in a bid to protect the cross from what they said…
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Two-day Phuket demolition comes to end
PHUKET: Two days of demolishing illegal buildings on Phuket’s west coast came to an end yesterday with local officials vowed to return and remove any other illegal structures found. “The owners of two venues, including Octopus restaurant, were fully aware of the orders to vacate the premises and tear down the structures,” said Thalang District Chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol, who led…
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Python caught prowling at sacred Phuket shrine
PHUKET: A large python was discovered seeking highland near a Phuket shrine permeated with local lore. The estimated three-meter-long snake, weighing about five kilograms, was quickly bagged at the Baan Toh Sae shrine in Kathu Wednesday, Kusoldharm Foundation rescue worker Kasun Naepnean told the Phuket Gazette. The shrine was built in honor of the legend of Toh Sae, who arrived…
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Trump is center of attention in feisty first Republican debate
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Trump is center of attention in feisty first Republican debate Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Donald Trump was the center of attention at a testy first Republican presidential debate onThursday, drawing boos from the crowd and a rebuke from a rival when he refused to rule…
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Phuket’s small boat warning remains in effect
PHUKET: The warning issued by the Phuket Marine Office for all boats less than 10-meters long to stay ashore remains in effect today. “However, it is fine for smaller boats to access nearby islands, such as Coral Island, Koh Lon or islands in Phang Nga Bay,” said Natchapong Pradit of the Phuket Marine Office. The letter issued by the Department…
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