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Thailand downs Hong Kong in Phuket Davis Cup
PHUKET: The Thai Davis Cup team triumphed against Hong Kong 4-1 in the regional (Asia/Oceania) matchup at Thanyapura Phuket yesterday. After an uncertain start (story here) which saw Thailand’s Warit Sornbutnark defeated in the opening match against Hong Kong’s Phillip King, the home team rallied to win the following four matches over the weekend to triumph with an impressive margin.…
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New ports to be developed for popular island gateways north of Phuket
PHUKET: The Marine Department on Friday announced plans to develop two major seaports at Phang Nga jump-off points to the popular Similan and Surin islands. “Our aim is to promote sustainable tourism for Phang Nga’s Andaman islands. We also want to promote it as another diving location,” said Marine Office 5 Director Wichai Khamkong. The news follows two public hearings…
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Phuket Police arrest scissor-wielding French thief
PHUKET: Police arrested a Frenchman for threatening a Phuket convenience store clerk with a pair of scissors in an attempt to get a refund on Saturday.Riad Lahkim, 37, bought a mobile phone at a 7-eleven on Thursday. Dissatisfied, he took it back to the store two days later – at 4:30am.“He bought the phone for 1,200 baht and asked for…
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Phuket baby born with rare condition out of ICU, finally home
PHUKET: A Phuket baby who survived surgery after being born with her intestines protruding from her abdomen was discharged from the hospital this weekend. Ornpreeya “Ang-Sing” Saisrikosol was born earlier this month with a rare condition called gastroschisis, and immediately underwent emergency surgery (story here), explained Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Jessada Chungpaibulpatana. Ang-Sing’s parents, at first devastated by their daughter’s…
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Phuket Gazette World News: At least three killed in Egyptian tour bus blast
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two Koreans and Egyptian driver die in Sinai tourist bus blast Phuket Gazette / ReutersPHUKET: A bomb on a tourist bus in Egypt’s Sinai killed at least two South Koreans and the Egyptian driver on Sunday, army and security sources said, in the first attack on tourists…
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Phuket Police pounce on booze ban violator
PHUKET: Police discovered one shop in Phuket Town illegally selling alcohol during the celebration of Makha Bucha Day. The bust yesterday was made by Phuket City Police, who arrested two other vendors for trading after hours, said Phuket City Police Superintendent Sermphan Sirikong. “We apprehended three local shop owners: one in Phuket Town near Surin Circle at 11pm and two…
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Déjà vu for Phuket Passport Office
PHUKET: The Phuket Passport Office had a false start this week as it re-opened its doors for service on Monday, just to close them again on Friday. Protesting has forced the second closure of the Passport Division in Bangkok, the first of which closed the Phuket office for nearly a month (story here). The headquarters in the capital terminated its…
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Thailand tied with Hong Kong after first Davis Cup matches
PHUKET: Thailand and Hong Kong are now tied, one win each, following the opening matches of the Davis Cup (Asia/Oceania region group 2) at Thanyapura yesterday. The first match of the day saw Thailand’s Warit Sornbutnark (ranked number 1,258 in the world for singles) lose three straight sets to Hong Kong’s Phillip King (2-6, 6-7, 3-6). However, Thailand’s players redeemed…
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Mixed holiday keeps Phuket temples and shop owners busy
PHUKET: Reverence for Makha Bucha Day outshined Valentine’s Day in Phuket, but flower shop owners benefited from the lovers’ day rush. Local temples and flower shops had a busy day as Phuket residents flocked to make merit for Makha Bucha Day and ordered flowers for their loved ones. Wat Wichit Sangkaram on Narisorn Road saw a high volume of visitors…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Operation Valentine a success says CMPO; Rice farmers told to take out loans to ease distress
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Chalerm vows non-stop campaign to clear sites Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: The man in charge of the government’s Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) yesterday vowed to step up the operation to evict anti-government protesters, while the protest groups remained defiant about continuing their…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Kerry says China willing to pressure North Korea on nuclear plans
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kerry says China willing to pressure North Korea on nuclear plans Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that China is willing to exert more pressure to get North Korea to give up its nuclear programme. He told reporters…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Russia, NATO plan joint operation on Syria’s chemical weapons
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Russia, NATO plan joint operation on Syria’s chemical weapons Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Russia and NATO are drawing up plans for a rare joint naval operation in the Mediterranean to protect the U.S. ship that will destroy Syria’s deadliest chemical weapons, officials and other sources…
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Patong Bay’s brown water is safe, says Phuket expert
PHUKET: Despite its brown color and stench, Patong Bay is clean and safe, Suppakorn Meekaew, Patong Municipality’s Sanitation Department Chief, told the Phuket Gazette on Tuesday. “People swimming and enjoying the beach should not panic about the color of the water. They can swim as usual – it will not affect their health,” Mr Suppakorn said. “The brown color doesn’t…
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Phuket Opinion: Taking the higher path to reporting
Boonrat Apiwanthanakorn, 56, from Haad Yai, is the new president of the Phuket Press Club. He has a BA from the Teacher College in Songkhla and over 20 years experience in journalism, working for Kietibhumi and Chaotai newspapers and Thai TV Channels 3 and 5. He now works for Khaosod newspaper and the Phuket Andaman, which he owns.Here, he talks…
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Phuket Opinion: Just give it time
PHUKET: Enough was enough. After nearly being run down by a mechanical dinosaur, I made my way through glass doors to the car park. The overbearing cacophony that apparently is a necessary companion to the modern shopping experience – or at least of the Games Zone on the basement level of the Big C shopping complex on the bypass road…
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Phuket Opinion: Clean up time for Tourist Police
PHUKET: A recent protest in Patong against alleged corruption by Tourist Police officers (story here) will likely go unnoticed nationally given the current state of affairs in the country, yet the issues and the outcry raised offer valuable insights into the serious problems that confront us nationally, locally and individually. The broader issue is how a democracy can function, let…
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All invited to save the ocean with Laguna Phuket’s 20th annual Sea Turtle Release
PHUKET: There comes a point in life when it’s time to let go… of some turtles. To help you do that, Laguna Phuket is hosting the 20th Sea Turtle Release event at XANA Beach Club next Friday from 4:30 to 6:30pm. There will be 80 juvenile green sea turtles available for release (first come, first served). To release a sea…
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Norwegian man in ICU saved by Phuket blood donors
PHUKET: The life of a critically ill Norwegian man was saved when O-negative blood donors stepped up last week to provide the three units of blood he desperately needed. “He received the blood he required and is stable now,” Corporate Social Responsibility Project Manager for Bangkok Hospital Phuket Pareeya Jullaphong told the Phuket Gazette on Tuesday. Five days earlier, the…
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Phuket Governor continues stampede of visits to support agricultural strategy
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut’s charge into the province’s agricultural tourism sector led him to an elephant ranch Wednesday morning. “The inspection of this elephant ranch is a continuation of our inspection of a pineapple garden (story here), goat farm (video story here) and vegetable farm. We are visiting them to raise awareness of Phuket’s potential for agricultural tourism,” Gov…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Police launch Operation Valentine to clear Rajdamnoen rally site
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police launch Operation Valentine to clear Rajdamnoen rally site Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Police this morning launched Operation Valentine to “reclaim public space” from protesters led by the ‘Students and People Network for Thailand’s Reform’ (STR). Dozens of companies of policemen gathered at the…
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Nothing as sweet as incentives for Phuket pineapples
PHUKET Governor Maitri Inthusut has underlined his commitment to developing the island’s pineapple industry, having confirmed a budget of 1.1 million baht to train local farmers and expand the available growing area in Thalang. On January 31, Governor Maitri led officers on an inspection tour to harvest and sample pineapples from the plantation of Wichai Saetun at Baan Bang Roang…
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Dozens of fish saved from entangled net at top Phuket dive destination
PHUKET: Divers saved dozens of reef fish trapped in an enormous fishing net draped over one of Phuket’s most popular dive sites: marine conservation area, Shark Point. “We had just spent five or six minutes watching a leopard shark swimming around us, and then, as we came around the corner, we saw a blanket of net covering a large amount…
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Phuket crepe vendor’s livelihood up in flames
PHUKET: A longtime vendor of Thai mini-crepes saw his sidecar shop burned to a crisp after a gas leak yesterday afternoon.It took firefighters 20 minutes to put out the fire, near Muang Municipal School in Phuket Town.“I’ve been selling mini-crepes (kanum tokyo) to Muang Phuket School students every evening for a long time,” said the 44-year-old owner of the stand,…
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Davis Cup Phuket tennis drawings held
PHUKET: The drawing for the first round of match pairs in the Davis Cup BNP Paribas Group II, Zone Asia/Oceania (Thailand vs Hong Kong) was held this morning at Phuket’s Thanyapura. Tennis superstars train at Tanyapura. Video: PGTV Starting tomorrow, players from Thailand and Hong Kong will cross rackets on Thanyapura’s world-class tennis courts in three days of intense competition.…
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Phuket booze ban keeps Cupid’s arrows flying straight
PHUKET: A nationwide ban on the sale and purchase of alcohol will be in effect this Valentine’s Day in celebration of Makha Bucha Day, one of the four annual religious holidays in Thailand. “By law, alcohol sales and purchases are banned throughout the country in order to respect the holy day,” Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police Peerayuth Karajedee told…
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Phuket Civil Defense Volunteers feted at 60th Anniversary
PHUKET: A celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Civil Defense Volunteers was hosted by Governor Maitri Inthusut on Monday. Civil defence volunteers help law-enforcement officers fulfill a wide range of duties, such as manning checkpoints, monitoring election stations, administering urine drug tests and providing security for government buildings. At the ceremony, which took place at the…
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Third dive boat’s final plunge sparks fire-safety awareness efforts
PHUKET: The revelation of the sinking of a third dive boat in the Andaman Sea within the last month has sparked concerns over fire safety issues on all Phuket tour boats. On February 2, the Phuket-based Bunmee I sank in Koh Lanta National Park after an electrical short circuit caused a fire to erupt in the engine room. Less than…
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Runaway driver leaves visa runners stranded, swipes more than B37,000
A ROUTINE visa run to Penang late last month hit a speed bump at the Malaysian border when visa runners returned to the van from the immigration checkpoint to find their driver had absconded.It had been business as usual for the passengers until they reached the border checkpoint in Sadao on January 20. “This time was the same as always.…
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Electrical short started fire on Phuket’s MV Blue Star, says chief
PHUKET: The fire that caused the liveaboard dive boat MV Blue Star to sink in Myanmar waters was started by an electrical short circuit in the engine room, confirmed Ranong Marine Office Deputy Chief Pramuan Thessana this morning. “The dive boat left from Thap Lamu Pier in Khao Lak on January 29,” Mr Pramuan said. “It took the tourists on…
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Phuket Marine Office offers B10,000 reward for pictures of oil-dumpers
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office is offering a 10,000 baht reward for photographs of people dumping oil into the sea.It is illegal to release oil into the sea, said Phuket Marine Office chief Phuriphat Teerakulpisut.“But we can only arrest suspects if we have enough proof or catch them in action. In the past, we have been too late, and the…
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