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Helmetless motorbike driver dies on deadly Phuket road
PHUKET: A helmetless man died of head injuries last night after his motorbike collided with a SUV being driven at high speed on Pa Khlok Road near the Heroines’ Monument (map here). “The body of Prasit Munmai, 50, was lying face down on the road near his motorbike when we arrived,” said Kittipoom Tinthalang of the Thalang Police. “Mr Pasit…
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Tanker truck vapor prompts Phuket scare
PHUKET: A tanker truck parked roadside with vapor pouring from its pressurized tank full of oxygen sent Phuket residents into a state of high alert last night. The 18-wheeler remained parked in front of the Thalang Museum, near the Heroine’s Monument (map here), with its engine running because residents hesitated to approach it for fear it would explode. “The truck’s…
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Phuket Airport bus service still struggling
PHUKET: The airport bus service continues to operate at a loss, mainly due to management and marketing problems, its owner has told the Phuket Gazette. The buses, which travel from Phuket International Airport to Patong, have been carrying six to eight passengers each morning and about 12 to15 in the afternoons, company owner Prakob Panyawai said. “We have not been…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Cameron in battle over EU referendum
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityPHUKET: British Prime Minister David Cameron’s control over his own party looks set to be challenged after a rebel lawmaker on Sunday launched a campaign to bring forward a planned referendum on European Union membership to next year.The move sets up a parliamentary showdown between rival factions of…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Destruction of Syrian chemical weapons begins
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityPHUKET: International experts began overseeing the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal on Sunday, said an official from the mission that has averted a U.S. strike but could rob President Bashar al-Assad of his most feared weapon.The process is being conducted amid a civil war in which 120,000…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Mexico monster truck accident kills 8, including kids, injures 79
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityPHUKET: Eight people, including four children, were killed and 79 injured when a monster truck careened into a crowd at a show in northern Mexico, an official at the public prosecutor’s office in the city of Chihuahua said on Sunday.The incident late on Saturday afternoon took place at…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Bangkok warned over flood tide; Chalerm has water on the brain; Nok Air has rough landing
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bangkok residents warned over flood tide The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The first high-tide period of this month is imminent – and Bangkok residents in riverside communities who do not have flood barriers must be ready for possible flooding, say authorities. “Please move your belongings…
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Gazette’s Full Guide to Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2013
PHUKET: The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival started at sunset last night after area shrines raised go teng poles to allow the Jade Emperor and the Nine Emperor Gods to descend to our earthly realm. The nine-day festival, which ends on October 13, attracts thousands of visitors to Phuket to witness the festivities, which include fire walking, bladed-ladder climbing, specialty foods…
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Special Report: Full moon fever more contagious on East Coast
Special Report In a country that markets itself to the world as “fun”, the debaucheries of Thailand’s full moon parties have stolen the spotlight as concerns mount over the safety of young partygoers seeking to break loose from reality and walk on a moonbeam. The Phuket Gazette‘s Chutharat Plerin reportsPHUKET: Australia’s Honorary Consul in Phuket condemned all full moon parties…
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Phuket Opinion: No pesticides please, we’re only human
PHUKET: In the wake of the latest surge in dengue fever cases in Phuket and Thailand as a whole, the Public Health Ministry is once again stepping up its efforts to reduce if not eliminate the looming threat. At the core of the officials’ latest reactive strategy (now that’s an oxymoron!) is the so-called “3-3-3” campaign that in more words…
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Phuket Opinion: Out of the house, into a brave new world
The Chief of the Phuket Women’s Development Fund is 52-year-old Natthaporn Phanitpichatewon. A Chiang Mai native, she has lived in Phuket for 30 years. She is a realtor and board member of the Phuket Red Cross and the Juvenile Observation and Protection Center.Here she talks about why women shouldn’t stay home and how she helps women start their own businesses.…
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Phuket Opinion: Legacy of accuracy in black and white
PHUKET: With advances in information technology in recent years, much has been said about the “inevitable” demise of print media. Few among us would deny that we are living in a time of breathtaking change in the way news is delivered, consumed and shared. Copyright laws are becoming virtually unenforceable in our global world, and the new reality is that…
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New traffic lights re-ignite on dangerous stretch of Phuket road
PHUKET: One of the deadliest stretches of Thepkrasattri Road got new traffic lights on Thursday. Or rather, got its old ones up and operating again. The 2.9m baht lights, located at the Baan Khaolarn intersection between the PTT station in Sri Soonthorn and Tesco Lotus in Thalang, have been installed to increase safety in the area, said Director of Phuket…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Response to BRN demands; Surachai grateful for royal pardon; More flood warnings
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Response to BRN up to Paradorn now The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: National Security Council (NSC) chief Paradorn Pattanatabut will make a final decision on how to respond to Barisan Revolusi Nasional’s (BRN) five demands, keeping in mind the recommendations of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc),…
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Kamala Beach encroachers given more time to remove illegal structures
PHUKET: Bar and restaurant owners whose establishments encroach on Kamala Beach have been given more time to remove their illegal structures. The original deadline, set after an inspection by local authorities in early September, was yesterday (story here). “We will inspect the beach on October 8 and make a list of any establishments that have not removed their encroaching structures,”…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Obama’s no-show raises questions in Asia; Assad to pay price; Red Napoleon dies at 102; Search postponed for survivors in Sicilian wreck
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Obama cancels Asia tour over shutdown; raises questions on U.S. pivot Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: President Barack Obama called off plans to visit Asia and attend two summits because of the U.S. government shutdown, raising questions about the strategic “pivot” to the region that he announced just…
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Phuket illegal taxi driver, guilty of kidnap and sexual assault, walks free on suspended sentence
PHUKET: The illegal Phuket taxi driver who abducted and sexually assaulted a teenage Chinese tourist while under the influence of drugs and alcohol walked out of Phuket Provincial Court a free man today after being handed down a suspended sentence. Paitoon Kruain, 32, was handed a sentence of 13 months suspended jail time and a fine of 10,500 baht after…
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All rise for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: Phuket folk from all over the island spent this afternoon pasting gold leaf onto Go Teng poles, hoping for good luck, before they are raised at every Chinese shrine in Phuket this afternoon at 5:09pm to mark the start of the 2013 Vegetarian Festival. “We have set up lots of places to eat in the vicinity of our shrine…
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Chinese drowning spurs ultimatum on Racha Island safety
PHUKET: Responding to the recent spate of Chinese tourist drownings at Racha Yai island, the head of the Conservation Club there yesterday issued the Phuket Government a safety ultimatum. “The authorities have to put pressure on tour companies to increase tourist safety,” said Sarit Jandee, head of the club. “The tour companies need to do more – provide life jackets…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival firecrackers blamed for house fire
PHUKET: Children playing with firecrackers before the Phuket Vegetarian Festival gets underway this evening have been named as the likely cause of a home in Thalang being gutted by fire.Two teams of firefighters arrived at the house of Rungtiwa Nuansri, 29, in Thepkrasattri, at about 8pm last night to find her modest home ablaze.The firemen took about an hour to…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Woman shot dead in White House death drive; Italy migrant boat disaster beyond 300; Europeans burned alive for organ trafficking
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Driver shot dead in car chase near U.S. Capitol Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A dramatic car chase through the streets of Washington from near the White House to the U.S. Capitol ended in gunfire on Thursday when law enforcement officers shot and killed the driver as lawmakers…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Kratom not legal yet; Flood-aid food lands 51 in hospital; Minister stands firm amid Thaksin Cabinet reshuffle rumors
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Kratom not legal yet, but closer The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong confirmed yesterday that the narcotics control committee under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has still not reached a decision on whether to remove “kratom” (Mitragyna speciosa) from the…
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Phuket taxi mafia probe targets Kamala, Rawai
PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has revealed that the next two areas to be investigated for alleged taxi mafia activity are the Phuket beachside communities of Rawai and Kamala. The move has already received the support of Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, who has ordered the investigations to be carried out without further delay. Lt Col Somboon Sarasit,…
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Phuket floods already, and more rain on the horizon
PHUKET: Steady rain in Phuket caused minor flooding this morning at the usual places in Phuket: in front of Patong Hospital and on Chao Fa West Road in Chalong.However, no roads were reported to be cut off and small vehicles were able to make their way through the water.Floodwater collected in the area in front of Patong Hospital on Phang…
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Phuket beach encroachers face Kamala Friday deadline
PHUKET: Shop and bar owners that have been found to be encroaching on Kamala Beach have until tomorrow to take down their offending structures.If they are not removed voluntarily, they will be demolished, said Kamala Tambon Administrative Organization (OrBorTor) Vice President Seri Larpmark.Mr Seri first inspected construction on the beach in early September. “We found many shops and bars encroaching…
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Thieves take a break in Phuket coffee shop, before making off with loot
PHUKET: Thieves broke into a coffee shop and stole a Samsung tablet and a CCTV recording unit, but not before availing themselves of the shop’s offerings.Police called to the scene found two bottles of Singha beer and two empty cake containers in a garbage bin, and a fan still turned on.Wassana Thanormsak, the owner of The Elephant coffee shop on…
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From planes to trains and back to automobiles
PHUKET: Over the past few weeks, political debates in Thailand have often been centered on the government’s national high-speed railway project. Punches, counter punches and even the kitchen sink have been thrown into the arena. Who the heck needs to run with the bulls when you can get gored by an out-of-control locomotive? During the same period, I was able…
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Phuket kart racing: Grimes eyes New Orleans
PHUKET: After returning from their holiday back in the UK, the Grimes boys (Ben and Sam Grimes) got back into action at the penultimate round of the 2013 Asia Max Challenge at the Sepang International Kart Circuit in Malaysia.The junior category boasted a fierce field of 35 drivers and Sam started the weekend well by out-qualifying his elder brother Ben…
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On roadside north of Phuket, stomachache turns into baby boy
PHUKET: Rescue workers taking a Burmese woman with complaints of a bad stomachache to Takuapa Hospital this morning were surprised when she suddenly gave birth to a baby boy.“We received an emergency call to pick up Ms Soe, 35, a Burmese worker at a rubber plantation, just after midnight. She reported having a very bad stomachache for no reason,” said…
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Body of missing Chinese swimmer washes ashore Phuket’s Kata Beach
PHUKET: The body of a Chinese tourist who disappeared while swimming at Karon Beach on Monday was found washed ashore at Kata Beach, about three kilometers away, yesterday afternoon.“We have now found the body of Sheng Caoliang, who was 31 years old and reported as missing on Sunday,” Karon Police officer Lt Sathaporn Seenoon said.“Mr Sheng and a friend went…
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