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Phuket Sports: New Brazilian unveiled by Phuket United
PHUKET: Phuket United unveiled their new Brazilian signing, Jardel de Andrade Apolonio, a defensive player from the Liga Futsal League of Brazil, this week. The 29-year old player will wear the number 29 shirt. In an interview with the Phuket Gazette Jardel describes his thoughts on the eve of his first match with the Andaman Pearl: “I like Phuket and…
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Phuket tsunami film ‘The Impossible’ drawing crowds, but no criticism
PHUKET: Although initially thought by some as insensitive, The Impossible, which recounts a Spanish family’s survival and struggle to be reunited in the wake of the devastating 2004 tsunami, is drawing crowds, but no criticism, in Phuket. The blockbuster film starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor was shot at a variety of locations in Phuket, with many extras being chosen…
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World News: Huge cuts at Citigroup as financial crisis still bites
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Citigroup to cut more than 11,000 jobs worldwide Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Global financial conglomerate Citigroup yesterday announced it plans to cut more than 11,000 jobs, or about four percent of its global workforce, in a bold move by the company’s new chief executive…
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Police add Thai suspect to Phuket murder manhunt
PHUKET: Moshe David, prime suspect for the murder of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz in Phuket, was presented to the press today after his arrest in Bangkok yesterday. During a press conference in Surat Thani, home to the popular tourist island Koh Samui, Provincial Police Region 8 Commander Gen Yongyuth Charoenwanit announced that officers were now searching for a Thai man…
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Thailand News: Ex-PM Abhisit and Deputy Suthep to face murder charge
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ex-PM Abhisit and Deputy Suthep to face murder charge Phuket Gazette / Nation Breaking News PHUKET: Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban will be charged with conspiracy to murder related to the death of a civilian during the red-shirt protests in…
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World News: 77-year-old rescued in aftermath of Typhoon Bopha; 332 dead
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Philippines finds elderly survivor after typhoon kills 332 Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Rescue workers found a 77-year-old man alive today who had survived on coconuts for two days after a powerful typhoon ravaged the south of the Philippines killing 332 people, with hundreds missing. A…
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US embassy ramps up search for American missing in Phuket
PHUKET: The US Embassy in Bangkok has stepped up its search for missing American citizen Brett Chapman Bean, 43, who was last known to be in Phuket. Staff at the AirAsia office at Phuket Airport confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that Mr Bean had booked a seat on board flight FD3012, which was scheduled to depart Phuket at 9:30pm on…
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Letter from the Phuket Governor: Safety first, with urban growth a close second
Maitri Inthusut arrived on the island to take up the position of Governor of Phuket on October 8. With a master’s degree in political science from Thammasat University, he joined the National Security Council, rising to the position of NSC Secretary-General, before taking up the position of Chief Secretary for the Secretariat of the Cabinet. He has also served as…
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Kata Reef roped off for swimmer, diver safety
PHUKET: A local contingent of marine safety officials and conservationists have installed a “reef line” around the North Kata Reef to protect swimmers, scuba divers and snorkelers from boat traffic and to prevent damage to the reef. Staff from the Marine Safety Center and volunteers from the environmental conservation organization, Go Eco Phuket, joined forces with local government agencies to…
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Laguna Phuket issues statement over baby elephants
PHUKET: The management at Laguna Resorts & Hotels, which operates the five-hotel resort complex on Phuket’s west coast, have issued a statement about the baby elephant “Joey”, which was seized in raids in Phuket in February. Ziya Birkan, Deputy Managing Director at Laguna Resorts & Hotels, wrote in the statement: “We’re very pleased the authorities have resolved the question of…
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Phuket King’s Cup Regatta gives spectacular tribute and racing
PHUKET: The entire Phuket King’s Cup Regatta fleet took part in an inspiring sail pass close to Nai Harn Bay yesterday, before the start of the third day of racing. Royal Thai Navy yachts led the procession of Regatta boats from around the world, as they sailed past three Royal Thai Navy ships positioned off Nai Harn Bay. This spectacular…
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Alleged killer of Hungarian businessman caught in Bangkok
PHUKET: Police arrested Israeli-Hungarian dual national Moshe David at a shopping mall in Bangkok today for the killing of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz, whose body was found hidden with hands bound in a rubber plantation on Phuket on November 29. “We are now searching for another suspect in the case,” Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavaviwat told the Phuket Gazette.…
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Phuket honors HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 85th birthday
PHUKET: A host of special ceremonies are being held across Phuket today to honor and celebrate HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 85th birthday, as well as Father’s Day. The ceremonies kicked off at 6:30am with Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut and a host of other public dignitaries leading the offering of alms to 86 monks as part of a blessing ceremony to…
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Nationwide manhunt for alleged killer of Hungarian businessman
PHUKET: A nationwide manhunt was launched for the alleged executioner of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz, whose body was found hidden with hands bound in a rubber plantation on Patong Hill on November 29. “We have contacted every local police station on the island, and immigration offices nationwide, with information about the arrest warrant for dual Israeli-Hungarian national Moshe David,” said…
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World News: Children killed by Vietnam war-era shell
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Old U.S. mortar shell kills 4 kids in southern Vietnam Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: An old mortar shell, which was dropped by the United States Air Force on a village in southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War, exploded on Sunday afternoon, killing four young…
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Phuket Business: HotelTravel – here to stay
PHUKET: After 13 years building his company from the ground up, Phuket expat Blair Speers set a local business benchmark last month when he sold HotelTravel.com (HT) to the Indian based travel and e-commerce group that operates MakeMyTrip.com. Shortly after the US$25 million (760mn baht) acquisition was finalized, executives from the MakeMyTrip Ltd Group (MMT) met with employees at the…
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Phuket Business: Chapel bells boost dress sales
PHUKET: The business of love continues on an upward trend, with Phuket’s Modern Wedding Studio reporting a spike in monthly sales volume by as much as 75% over the last three years. “Business shot through the roof after we were featured on a game show called ‘SME Tee Tak‘ a few years ago.” Mr Narin explained that the nationally televised…
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Krabi police seize 9 cars, M16 as meth ring crumbles
PHUKET: Police believe they have broken a major local drug network with the arrests of 13 suspects and the seizure of more than 6 million baht in drugs in Krabi province, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket.During the raids, police also seized more than 5mn baht in assets, including nine cars and five firearms, Krabi Provincial Police Commander Nantadech Yoinuan…
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Phuket King’s Cup begins
PHUKET: The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is once more putting on a spectacular display of the finest sailing talent, with a total of 168 boats entering from over 35 countries, each striving to win the ‘must-have’ racing trophy of Asia. Beginning today and continuing through to this Saturday, December 8, the full complement of classes for the 2012 race year…
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World News: Syrian jets bomb opposition forces near Damascus
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Syrian forces pound Damascus suburbs Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Syrian forces pounded rebel-held suburbs around Damascus with fighter jets and rockets yesterday, opposition activists said, killing and wounding dozens in an offensive to push rebels away from the airport and stop them closing in on the capital.The…
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Aldhouse denies Phuket murder charge
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse, charged with the murder of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket in 2010, has confessed to police to stabbing Mr Longfellow, but has denied any intention to kill him. Mr Aldhouse was extradited from the United Kingdom on Friday to stand trial in Phuket. He arrived at Phuket Airport on Saturday and was taken…
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Flames engulf Phuket dive shop
PHUKET: A newly constructed scuba diving shop and bar near the Kamala beachfront went up in flames early Sunday morning, causing an estimated one million baht in damage. It took the Kamala Fire Department about 20 minutes to dowse the flames that had engulfed Sunset Scuba and Snorkeling Center, but by that point the entire building had been gutted, Kamala…
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EPL: Swans fire 2 past Gunners as they blank; Weekend’s action review
PHUKET: Manchester United moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League after an extraordinary 4-3 victory at Reading on Saturday in which all seven goals arrived in the first 34 minutes of the match. Defensive manuals were ripped up as United trailed 1-0 and 3-2 but once again they showed their trademark resilience as two goals from…
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Alleged killer of Hungarian businessman named by Phuket police
PHUKET: Police obtained an arrest warrant today for the alleged executioner of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz, whose body was found with wrists tied in an isolated rubber plantation on Patong Hill in Kathu. The arrest warrant was issued for Moshe David, 38, a businessman based in Koh Samui, Thung Thong Police Superintendent Kraithong Chanthongbai said. “At this stage, police have…
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Aldhouse back in Phuket
PHUKET: Accused murderer Lee Aldhouse arrived back in Phuket tonight at 8:11pm, on Flight 221 from Bangkok.Dressed in a black t-shirt and carrying his personal belongings in a large, clear plastic sack, the shaven-headed Aldhouse looked defiant and focused.He was accompanied by a large contingent of police officers, including members of the Tourist Police and Special Operations Unit. Aldhouse was…
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Go Eco Phuket brings students, community together for Kata cleanup
PHUKET: Go Eco Phuket, known on the island for staging the world’s biggest reef cleanup earlier this year, are gathering again with fellow community members, Kata Municipality workers, Hilton staff and an estimated 500 students from local schools for a Kata-Karon Beach and reef cleanup. Participants in the event will target both the beaches and the associated reefs that are…
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Police tentatively identify body found in Phuket rubber plantation
PHUKET: Phuket Police tentatively identified the man murdered execution style and left in a rubber plantation on Patong Hill as Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz, 47. A missing person complaint was filed with the Koh Samui Tourist police stating that Mr Reisz had gone missing from a rented room in Phuket on November 23, Phuket Police Commander Choti Chavaviwat said. “The…
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Phuket Opinion: Motoring Misery
PHUKET: As work on the 600-million-baht underpass at the Central Festival Phuket intersection gets underway, mounting concern among commuters now turns to seeking ways to cope with what promises to be a whole new level of motoring misery.Government agencies, including traffic police, have freely admitted that work on the project, scheduled for completion in mid-October 2014, is expected to cause…
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Father appeals to Phuket public to help locate missing son
PHUKET: A distressed father is appealing to the Phuket public for help in finding his 43-year-old son who failed to make connection flights home to the US on Wednesday.Wayne Bean expected his son to arrive back in Los Angeles on November 28.However, after checking with the airlines it became obvious that his son, Brett Bean, had not made his 8:25am…
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Unidentified foreigner found tied up, dead in Patong Hill rubber plantation
PHUKET: The body of an unidentified foreigner was found in a rubber plantation on Patong Hill tied up and wrapped in a black plastic bag yesterday afternoon. “The body was that of a Caucasian man. A plastic bag covered the top half of his body and he was found face down on the ground. His face had obviously been struck…
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