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  • Phuket youth crime blitz nets 220 arrests for weapons, drugs charges

    Phuket youth crime blitz nets 220 arrests for weapons, drugs charges

    PHUKET: In a 12-day blitz on youth crime in Phuket Town, Phuket City Police arrested 220 people on drugs and weapons charges – and six youths for attempted murder after being caught in two separate gang sword fights at Saphan Hin.Phuket City Police chief Col Sermphan Sirikong told the Phuket Gazette today that the campaign began on October 25 and…

  • Phuket Sport: Jones Lang LaSalle Cricket league launched | Thaiger

    Phuket Sport: Jones Lang LaSalle Cricket league launched

    PHUKET: The Jones Lang LaSalle Cricket League was launched last Sunday, complementing a fun family day at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG). Teams with players representing the Southern and Northern hemispheres, as well as the Subcontinent vied for the inaugural 10 over tri-series crown. The first match of the round robin structured tourney set the pace for the day, with…

  • Phuket Sport PSS Academy host local tournament

    Phuket Sport PSS Academy host local tournament

    PHUKET: The Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) Academy Program welcomed Kajonkiet FC, Bang Jo and a Thalang team to Thanyaura Sports and Leisure Club for a three-team training tournament on Saturday. The PSS Under-8 team played two matches against Bang Jo. In the first game, the U8s went 1-0 up with a goal by Daniel C, but were pegged back by…

  • Phuket Andaman Culture Festival deferred until December | Thaiger

    Phuket Andaman Culture Festival deferred until December

    PHUKET: The deputy chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Relations Department Sophon Kiemkarn today confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that the Andaman Culture Festival, which was due to start tomorrow, has been postponed until December. “We have yet to be informed of the exact dates when the festival will be held,” Mr Sophon told the Gazette. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck…

  • Futsal World Cup: Thailand may still qualify for second round despite losing

    Futsal World Cup: Thailand may still qualify for second round despite losing

    PHUKET: Despite losing two of their group stage matches, hosts of the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012, Thailand, still have a chance to make history by advancing to the second round of the prestigious tournament. If Thailand does advance, it would be the first time in its four appearances. Going into the match last with a world ranking of 13,…

  • Governor urges prompt completion of Phuket mangrove flyover

    Governor urges prompt completion of Phuket mangrove flyover

    PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday urged officials to complete the Klong Koh Pee flyover, which will traverse 600 meters of protected mangrove forest on the border of Phuket Town, as quickly as possible.During an inspection visit to the site at Saphan Hin, officials told Governor Maitri that Cabinet had approved a budget of 170-million-baht for the project and that…

  • Phuket Sports: IronKids by the kids

    Phuket Sports: IronKids by the kids

    PHUKET: In the build up to IronKids 2012 on December 1, the Phuket Gazette interviewed six participants who will be featured throughout November. The first IronKid is 13-year-old Malaysian, Zoe Bowden. Phuket Gazette:Why are you competing in the IronKids competition?Zoe Bowden: To meet new people, to learn from others and also to have some exposure.Every time you go for a…

  • Phuket Sports: BIS football tourney kicks-off tomorrow

    Phuket Sports: BIS football tourney kicks-off tomorrow

    PHUKET: British International School (BIS) Phuket opens its gates to the local and international community tomorrow, hosting for the eleventh year, the BIS Phuket International 7-a-side Football Tournament. Mr Rex Grey, event organizer and athletic director at BIS Phuket says: “We know from previous tournaments that competition will be keen, but first and foremost there is always good sportsmanship. We…

  • World Sports: Man Utd through; Celtic hold-up Barca

    World Sports: Man Utd through; Celtic hold-up Barca

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sporting news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Barca stunned by Celtic as United reach last 16 Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Barcelona wasted their first chance to reach the Champions League last 16 after a surprise defeat by Celtic but Manchester United edged through and six-goal Bayern Munich rocketed closer to progression…

  • World News: Turkey to ask for Patriot missiles; Britian hardens stance on Syria

    World News: Turkey to ask for Patriot missiles; Britian hardens stance on Syria

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Turkey to ask NATO for Patriot missiles – report Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Turkey will imminently lodge an official request with NATO asking the military alliance to deploy Patriot missiles along its border with Syria to guard against violence spilling over, a senior Turkish foreign…

  • British expat dies in Phuket motorbike crash

    British expat dies in Phuket motorbike crash

    PHUKET: A British expat living on the island died last night after the motorbike he was riding slammed into the back of a pickup truck in Thalang. Police named the deceased as Christopher Ian Hart, 44, from Littleborough* in the United Kingdom. Lt Col Somkit Kaosung of the Thalang Police was notified of the accident at 9:34 pm. Officers arriving…

  • Patong Hill road repairs on hold until March

    Patong Hill road repairs on hold until March

    PHUKET: Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad has revealed that the much-anticipated 22-million-baht permanent repairs to Patong Hill road may not begin until March. The section of road, just west of the Chinese shrine at the top of the hill, first collapsed during heavy rains last October, then again in early May with the advent of this year’s monsoon season.…

  • President Obama survives re-election

    President Obama survives re-election

    PHUKET: President Barack Obama rolled to re-election and a second term in the White House on Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney and overcoming deep doubts about his handling of the US economy.Obama defeated Romney in a series of key swing states despite a weak economic recovery and persistently high unemployment as US voters decided to stick with the first…

  • FIFA Futsal World Cup: Do or die for Thailand and Paraguay

    FIFA Futsal World Cup: Do or die for Thailand and Paraguay

    PHUKET: It’s do or die for the Thailand national futsal squad, who are set to play Paraguay in their final group stage match of the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012. To be played at Bangkok’s Huamark Indoor Stadium this evening, the match-up is certain to be tense and full of high energy as both sides fight for passage onto the…

  • Phuket Reminder: Gazette office closed Wednesday | Thaiger

    Phuket Reminder: Gazette office closed Wednesday

    PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette would like to inform our readers and advertisers that our office in Koh Kaew will be closed on Wednesday due to a scheduled, all-day blackout in the area to upgrade power lines. The blackout will affect Soi Harn Farang and Soi Koh Kaew 33, and may affect adjoining areas that are supplied electricity from power cables…

  • Phuket Police impostor arrested, says he stole B1.5mn in “donations’

    Phuket Police impostor arrested, says he stole B1.5mn in “donations’

    PHUKET: Police on Monday arrested a man for impersonating a police officer after he was caught in a sting operation soliciting 8,500 baht from a “victim” who was asked to pay for a dinner hosted by Phuket police chief Choti Chavaviwat.Chaowaroj Jangjob, 44, was arrested near Phun Phol Plaza in Phuket Town after police received a report from a person,…

  • Breaking News: Myanmar drug smugglers sentenced to death for murder of Chinese on the Mekong

    Breaking News: Myanmar drug smugglers sentenced to death for murder of Chinese on the Mekong

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China sentences four to death for murders on the MekongPhuket Gazette / ReutersPHUKET: A court in southwestern China today sentenced a Myanmar drug smuggler and three members of his gang to death for murdering 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River in a case marking China’s growing…

  • World Sports: Green Moon gives great feeling

    World Sports: Green Moon gives great feeling

    PHUKET: Green Moon thundered down the straight to win the A$6.2 million (192 million baht) Melbourne Cup today, upsetting a host of highly-fancied foreign entrants to bring Australia’s most coveted racing prize back into local hands. The Robert Hickmott-trained stallion charged to the front with 300 meters to the line and held off fast-finishing runner-up Fiorente to win the two-mile…

  • KBank issues ATM advisory to customers

    KBank issues ATM advisory to customers

    PHUKET: Following the arrest of two Bulgarian men for “skimming” customer card details from a Kasikornbank (KBank) ATM in Karon, KBank has issued a statement to the Phuket Gazette calling for all its customers who suspect that their card details have been hacked to contact the bank immediately. The bank has the authority to temporarily stop the ATM and freeze…

  • World Sports: Melbourne Cup overshadowed by betting scandal

    World Sports: Melbourne Cup overshadowed by betting scandal

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sporting news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Betting scandal overshadows Melbourne Cup Reuters PHUKET: Australian jockey Damien Oliver, who will ride Americain in the Melbourne Cup later today, has admitted to placing an illegal bet on a rival horse and could face a lengthy ban, local media reported. The allegations have cast…

  • Phuket Yellow Shirts protest “Red Shirt Village’ project

    Phuket Yellow Shirts protest “Red Shirt Village’ project

    PHUKET: A small group of protesters turned out at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town yesterday to burn images of key local red-shirt leaders in protest of an anticipated official opening of a Red Shirt Village in Phuket. “Our protest was organized after we heard the news that the red shirts planned to announce the ‘opening’ of a Red Shirt…

  • One Burmese dead, four seriously poisoned by “generator fumes’

    One Burmese dead, four seriously poisoned by “generator fumes’

    PHUKET: One Burmese laborer is dead and four others are still in hospital after they spent the night guarding a construction site property, including a running generator in a closed room, police say.“Burmese told us that the five workers were ordered to stay in the office to look after equipment because items were being stolen,” said Lt Col Yongyuth Krongmalai…

  • World Sports: Champions League preview

    World Sports: Champions League preview

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sporting news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Barca, United, Porto, Malaga are almost there Reuters PHUKET: Barcelona, Manchester United, Porto and unlikely contenders Malaga can book their tickets to the Champions League knockout stages by winning in midweek. The quartet have all won the opening three group games and if they win…

  • Bulgarian ATM hackers arrested in Phuket

    Bulgarian ATM hackers arrested in Phuket

    PHUKET: Phuket Police last night arrested two Bulgarian men who were caught removing a “skimming device” from an ATM in Karon, on Phuket’s west coast.Tourist Police moved in and arrested Tervel Kaloyanov Dimitrov, 31, and Ancho Stankov, 33, at about 8pm while they were removing the panel from a Kasikornbank (KBank) ATM machine on Patak Road.The men used a “skimmer”…

  • Phuket Business: Andaman tourism campaign aims for 20 million

    Phuket Business: Andaman tourism campaign aims for 20 million

    PHUKET: Woravat Auapinyakul, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, has told the Phuket Gazette that he expects the “Andaman – The World Experience” tourism initiative to attract more than 20 million tourists to the region. At a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall held recently to chart the progress of the tourism initiative, Mr Woravat said that intense competition within the…

  • Phuket Business: Makro – now bigger and better

    Phuket Business: Makro – now bigger and better

    PHUKET: The newly renovated Makro Phuket has reopened its doors, announcing that it is better equipped to meet the cooking and catering needs of local hotels, restaurants and cafés (HoReCa).With an emphasis on enhancing the capabilities of businesses to maintain international standards, the membership-based wholesaler has increased the quantity and diversity of its consumer products, which include both fresh and…

  • Americans, Australians injured in Phuket-bound tour bus crash

    Americans, Australians injured in Phuket-bound tour bus crash

    PHUKET: A tour bus carrying Australian and American tourists heading from Krabi to Phuket flipped and slammed into a wall of a house in Phang Nga early yesterday afternoon. Seven of the 18 tourists on the bus were taken to hospital. The rest were administered first aid by rescue workers and then taken to their hotel in Patong. Officers at…

  • Lucky escape for mother, baby as Phuket hillside resort wall collapses

    Lucky escape for mother, baby as Phuket hillside resort wall collapses

    PHUKET: A mother and her 3-month-old baby boy made a lucky escape as a wall from a Phuket hillside resort came crashing down on their home in Patong on Saturday morning. Responding to a call at 9:45am, Patong Police officers led by Lt Col Pratuang Polmana and rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation rushed to the scene, below The Senses…

  • World News: Housing crisis for victims of Hurricane Sandy

    World News: Housing crisis for victims of Hurricane Sandy

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community US storm victims face housing crisis as cold snap hits Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A housing crisis loomed in New York City as victims of superstorm Sandy struggled without heat in near-freezing temperatures yesterday and nearly 1 million people in neighboring New Jersey shivered in…

  • Futsal World Cup: Thailand falls to Ukraine

    Futsal World Cup: Thailand falls to Ukraine

    BANGKOK: Reinforced by a loud and synergetic home crowd, the ‘War Elephants’ climbed back from a five goal deficit, only to fall 3-5 to Ukraine in the two sides’ second group-stage match of the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup. Played last night at a full-capacity Huamark Indoor Stadium in East Bangkok, the match’s first half was dominated by the world’s…