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Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Phuket Gazette: ASEAN business news
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. exports to China reach historic US$203.9 billion in 2011 Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: The U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC) yesterday released its annual report on U.S. State Exports to China for 2011, showing that it surpassed US200 billion for the first time in history.…
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Phuket Gazette: 10 dead, 52 hurt in just 2 road accidents; Speeders to be fined
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ten killed and 52 injured in Two upcountry smash-ups Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: In a black day on Thai roads yesterday, 10 people died and 52 were hurt, many seriously, in just two multi-car pile-ups. The first accident involved 18 cars on Mittaparb Road…
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Phuket Gazette: Taliban use child in bombing; Captain goes nuts; US$500 million mega jackpot
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Officials: Taliban used child to carry out Afghan suicide attack Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: A suicide bombing which injured five people in southern Afghanistan earlier this week was carried out by a child, the Australian Department of Defense said yesterday. The Taliban previously claimed…
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Phuket police probe recovers 17 stolen cars
PHUKET: An investigation by Phuket Police has led to the recovery of 17 stolen cars from a warehouse in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, including several from car rental agencies based in Phuket.Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Boonlert Onklang told the Phuket Gazette that he initially received two theft complaints filed by car rental agency owners Pattarisiri Manokham and Boonying Thonglor.The owners had…
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Phuket Area News: Gang hacks off tourist’s thumb in bag snatch
PHUKET:Krabi Police arrested three teenagers and one 20-year-old yesterday after a gang cut off a German woman’s thumb during an early-morning bag snatch in Krabi Town, across Phang-nga Bay from Phuket.Muang District Police Deputy Superintendent Chatchawan Ninchan said Hanna Zerlaut and Sina Maureen Beckert, both 21, were attacked while walking along Chaofa Road in Tambon Paknam, Krabi Town, at about…
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Phuket Sports: Lomas learn from the best
PHUKET: Rugby World Cup winning coach Bob Dwyer and former Leicester Tigers elite performance director Mike Pennistone staged the first of three coaching clinics in association with Phuket’s rugby development program at TSLC recently. It was the second international rugby match I had ever attended. With just under four minutes to go, Irish flanker Gordon Hamilton took a pass from…
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Phuket Immigration to close for holidays
PHUKET: The Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town will be closed for five days in April to observe a series of public holidays. The Phuket Immigration Volunteers today issued a notice that the office will be closed on: Friday, April 6 – Chakri Memorial Day Monday, April 9 – Public Holiday to observe the Royal Funeral for Her Royal Highness…
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Phuket Andaman News: Police raid illegal Phang Nga logging camp
PHUKET: A mass raid on an illegal logging camp on Monday by more than 20 Border Patrol Police officers resulted in 13 felled trees and more than 100 logs being seized.The raid, led by Phang Nga Governor Thumrong Charoenkul, was instigated by a complaint that illegal logging was being conducted at the hillside site, in Khao Krata Thong, in Phang…
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Phuket Gazette: Massive BMW auto recall; Osama bin Laden cited for Bali bombing
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community BMW recalls 1.3 million vehicles worldwide Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: German automaker BMW AG yesterday issued a recall for approximately 1.3 million vehicles worldwide due to a problem with the battery cable cover.The vehicle company said it would be recalling all BMW 5 and 6 Series…
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Fire engulfs Phuket store, causes B10mn damage
PHUKET: A fire at a construction equipment store in downtown Cherng Talay this morning caused an estimated 10 million baht in damages, according to Phuket Police.Cherng Talay Police at 6am were informed of a fire at the Cherng Talay Ruam Wassadu store, located near their police station on Srisoonthorn Road.Some 10 fire trucks and 40 officers arrived, dispatched from Cherng…
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Phuket Poll: China offers highest tourism growth potential
PHUKET: The Chinese market holds the highest growth potential for the Phuket tourism industry, according to the results of the latest Phuket Gazette Readers’ Poll. A total of 358 readers took part in the poll, which ran from March 8 until Saturday morning. Readers were asked, “Which of the following inbound markets holds the highest growth potential for the Phuket…
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Phuket Gazette: Owen’s return; F1 for Thailand; AFC champions
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ferguson says returning Owen can help United push for the title Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A fit-again Michael Owen could play a key role in Manchester United’s push for the Premier League title, according to manager Sir Alex Ferguson.The 32-year-old striker is on the verge of…
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Phuket, Krabi rocked by ‘sudden’ thunderstorms
PHUKET: Following a stretch of hot weather, greater Phuket Town was hit by thunderstorms and torrential rainfall late yesterday afternoon. At about the same time in Muang District Krabi, a fierce squall damaged homes and felled rubber trees in a surrounding plantation in Khao Khraam subdistrict.The squall hit the rubber-tapping community of Khao Khraam Village 5 at about 5pm, causing…
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Phuket Business: Learning from the master investor
PHUKET: Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is arguably the greatest investor of our time. Most of us can never hope to achieve the kind of success he has had, but we would all probably do well to follow some of his very common-sense advice. I have gathered a few quotes attributed to him for this week’s article. They’re pretty…
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Phuket fractional ownership ventures into new waters
PHUKET: Among the many luxury yachts to go on display at the 2012 Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) at Royal Phuket Marina. on Thursday will be the event’s first fractional ownership boat for sale. Shared ownership pioneer Absolute Fractionals will showcase the Elan42 luxury motor yacht. A product of one of Europe’s largest and long established shipbuilders, the yacht features…
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Phuket Live Wire looks at Windows 8: ‘You probably won’t like it’
PHUKET: I have spent two of the past three Live Wire columns extolling the virtues of Apple products. A few of my friends were shocked. After all, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool PC user. I’ve written many dozens of books about Windows and Office, and thousands of articles. Windows is like an old security blanket to me. Sparring partner, too. And it’s…
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Noppowon all set, Phuket’s De Cesare outgunned at ITF tournament
PHUKET: Week two of the Phuket Chang ITF Women’s Pro Circuit tennis tournament opened today with six round one single’s matches and five in double’s competition at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC).Phuket’s Helen De Cesare had earned a wild card entry, but found herself drawn against number two seed Kurumi Nara of Japan. The 17-year-old De Cesare couldn’t keep…
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Phuket MP Anchalee rallies on Constitution change, red-shirt compensation
PHUKET: Less than a week after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinatwatra held her “mobile Cabinet meeting” on the island, Phuket Democrat Party MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr yesterday raised a slew of concerns facing the national government. Among her “concerns” were the current redrafting of the Constitution, the multi-million-baht compensation to be paid to the families of red-shirt protesters killed in the May…
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Phuket model crowned Miss Thailand World 2012
PHUKET: Phuket model Vanessa “Na-Chatra” Muangkod was crowned Miss Thailand World 2012 on Saturday night, and picked up three other accolades during the renowned beauty pageant. Miss Muangkod, a former student at Satree Phuket School, was also bestowed the titles Miss Beauty With a Purpose, Miss Top Model and Best in Swimsuit at the gala event, organized by Thai TV…
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Suzuki Swift on a roll in Phuket
PHUKET: The Suzuki car dealership in Phuket Town is reporting brisk sales of the “all new” Suzuki Swift eco-car and expects to sell 200 units by the end of the month from its recently renovated showroom in Phuket Town. The showroom, on Surin Road near the Shell service station, is well-known to scores of Suzuki SJ413 “Caribian” drivers on the…
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Weird World News: Woman pee addict spills story, North Korea loves triplets and vasectomy doctor serves slices
PHUKET: This week’s Weird World News round-up takes aim at people ingesting and breeding in the name of addiction, state approval and for the promise of pizza. Woman addicted to drinking own pee A 53-year-old Colorado woman has been addicted to drinking her own urine for the past four years, it emerged this past week. Photos of the woman –…
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Man survives high-tension drama in Phuket
PHUKET: A man in search of food sent shivers up the spines of Phuket residents yesterday, when he began dangling from power cables strung up above a bus stop in Thalang District. Thalang Police were notified of the man’s strange behavior at about 4:30pm. Arriving at the site, in front of the TAT office opposite the municipal market on Ban…
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Phuket Sports: Mydeen knocks first ACG ton
PHUKET: Recovered from their recent defeat at the hands of the Laguna CC, the Village showed no mercy to Phuket’s youth development cricket team in dishing out a 235 run demolition of the Leopards. This season’s 15th match of the Island Furniture League became batting practice for several of the Village players while the Leopards were hoping to gain valuable…
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Phuket Sports: She’s “Dear’ to the heart of Indigo Pearl
PHUKET: Tennis played well at any level is an enviable pursuit. Those with the physical skill and coordination required to spot a ball traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour, then choose a shot before returning the two and a half inch diameter projectile over a three foot obstacle and land it accurately within a 27ft by 39ft area,…
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Phuket Gazette ‘Green Report’: Regional mangrove restoration project receives green light
PHUKET: Efforts to restore the lost mangrove forests of Thailand and other parts of Asia will receive a boost this week when international partners gather in Krabi province, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, to discuss the use of project funding received via Germany’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).The meeting, which is being coordinated by the Trang-based Southeast…
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Phuket Sports: Plans for Rassada futsal pitch benched
PHUKET: Rassada residents scored a goal by benching the plans for Rassada futsal field in Phuket’s Kanjanapisek Park until a public hearing can be scheduled. A letter of complaint was filed by local residents against the development of the Rassada futsal field to Rassada Municipality Administrative Office (OrBorTor) Chief Dechakanee Leelanont. “We will have less area for exercising because the…
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Phuket Sports: Pulsating play in round six of PSSL
PHUKET: The Pita Bar Phuketeers and Eden FC got the ball rolling for round six of the Phuket Super Six League (PSSL) last Wednesday evening at Headstart’s Football Island. The Phuketeers grabbed an early 2-0 lead when Yannik Christll tapped in after Fabian Kleiner Scniedelmann’s shot was spilled by the goalkeeper. Christll doubled his team’s advantage with a fine solo…
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Phuket elections: Phudit wins Rassada; Samran retains Chalong seat
PHUKET: Preliminary results of two local elections in Phuket yesterday indicate that Phudit “Ko Noi” Raksarat will take over administration of Rassada Municipality, while Somran Jindapol has been elected Mayor of Chalong Municipality. Before yesterday’s election, Mr Somran was incumbent president of the Chalong Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), which was upgraded to municipal status on October 1 last year. In…
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Phuket’s Kata Group opens ‘Beyond Resort’ in Khao Lak
PHUKET: The Kata Group, one of Phuket’s best-known resort chains, celebrated the latest addition to its portfolio of luxury resorts on Friday.Located in Phuket’s neighboring province of Phang Nga, the new property in Khao Lak, branded as the ‘Beyond Resort Khao Lak’, is the group’s first foray out of Phuket since the opening of its Kandaburi Resort and Spa on…
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Phuket Opinion: A tiny price tag for saving the mangroves
PHUKET: It is a pity that regional mass transport issues, and ‘mega-projects’ to whoosh ever-more tourists around the island, trumped the need for more sustainable tourism development during Tuesday’s mobile Cabinet meeting here in Phuket. In the first-ever official visit to the island by a female Thai premier, PM Yingluck Shinawatra performed admirably. She was smiling and charismatic throughout, despite…
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