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Jet-skis’ truck-trailer chaos gets “okay’ for Phuket beaches
PHUKET: Nothing can be done about the morning and evening chaos caused by jet-ski rental operators driving their trucks and trailers right onto Phuket’s beaches, explained an embattled Phuripat Theerakulpisut, acting director of the Marine Office Region 5. “I will talk to them about being a bit more organized when they drop off and pick up their jet-skis. However, tourists…
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Team Thanyapura takes top honors at Tour of Takola
PHUKET: Team Thanyapura took top honors in the Tour of Takola in Takuapa on Sunday. Local cyclists competed in the challenging 70 kilometer course, which featured a rolling terrain and two climbs, totaling a distance of 9.3km with an average grade of six per cent. Daniel Amby, of Team Thanyapura, took the top spot on the podium finishing 25 seconds…
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Motorbike taxi driver found dead at Bang Wad Dam
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a Patong motorbike taxi driver after his body was found floating in a secluded area in Bang Wad Dam. Officers were called to the area after a local discovered the body of Chanon Phumpinai, 25, on Wednesday afternoon. “We had to walk quite a long way into the forest to reach the body,”…
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Phuket officials suspend licence for companies hiring illegal guides
PHUKET: Officers arrested six illegal tour guides in Phuket on Wednesday and suspended the business licences for the companies that hired them. “Working along with military personnel and police, we stopped buses and passengers at the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint in an effort to crack down on illegal tour guides on the island,” said Santi Pawai, director of the Ministry…
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Man arrested in possession of numerous war weapons
PHUKET: A Phuket man was arrested in possession of war weapons and related paraphernalia at his home in Patong yesterday. Police were sent to the residence of Sompong Sakoonthap after several complaints were made last month about the sound of gunshots coming from his home, confirmed Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpo of the Patong Police “After a month long investigation, we…
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Minimum age requirement for jet-ski rental to be implemented in 30 days
PHUKET: New jet-ski regulations will now mandate that every renter must be at least 18 years of age to be allowed to operate the vehicle by himself. Six new jet-ski regulations are to be put in place within 30 days, confirmed Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat at a meeting with jet-ski operators this morning. “Should a driver be under the age…
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Taxi driver escapes death in single vehicle crash
PHUKET: A taxi driver narrowly escaped death early this morning after he crashed his taxi into a power pole in Thalang. Ong-art Kamruang, 32, ‘lost control’ of his vehicle near the entrance to Bang Kanoon Forest, in the northbound lanes of Thepkrasattri Road, confirmed Lt Col Sanit Nukong of the Thalang Police. “Witnesses stated that Mr Ong-art was driving too…
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Bulgarian skimmer busted in Karon
PHUKET: Police apprehended a Bulgarian ATM skimmer on Monday after a tipoff was received from a bank in Bangkok. Boris Tulumbadzhiev, 30, was arrested at an ATM in Karon by Provincial Police after investigators were alerted to suspicious card activity by the Kasikorn Bank headquarters. “We knew we would find the suspect using a particular Family Mart ATM on Sirirat…
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Phuket Lighthouse Market back by popular demand
PHUKET: Building on its success last year, the Boat Lagoon Lighthouse Market is preparing to launch a redesigned layout at its venue as it continue to provide island exposure for local vendors and big-name luxury goods dealers. “We want to create an outdoor theater concept. Something similar to ‘theater in the park’ or ‘cinema in the park’, which are both…
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Jailed journalists in Turkey say arrest aimed at gagging press
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Jailed journalists in Turkey say arrest aimed at gagging press Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Two jailed Turkish editors accused of spying and helping a terrorist group have told Reuters in a faxed message from prison that their arrest was designed to send a warning to…
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Go vocational: Research shows Phuket university students jobless
PHUKET: The Phuket City Mayor called on Mathayom students to embrace vocational education in preparation for life after graduation following the release of research indicating a surplus of university graduates and a shortage of vocational workers. Addressing students at the ‘Learn for Life 2016’ event held at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat indoor gymnasium yesterday, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana pointed out…
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Official scolds former park chief for latest encroachment claims
PHUKET: Paiboon Koomchaya, chair of the national state land boundary enhancement committee, has called for evidence of ongoing boundary adjustment at Sirinath National Park from former national parks chief Damrong Phidet, who claimed that changes are being made for the benefit of rich land encroachers (story here). Mr Paiboon, who is also Justice minister, rebuked Mr Damrong for speaking to…
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Phuket to host “Lantern Festival’ in February
PHUKET: Phuket will hold a Lantern Festival next month as officials snowball a number of celebrations together: Valentine’s Day, the Chinese New Year and the induction of Phuket as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. The event will be held throughout the island and run from February 2-22. “We will fill the island with light, as well as promote the more…
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Koh Yao Noi locals return missing smartphones
PHUKET: Honest Koh Yao locals were prompt in returning two smartphones lost by tourists on Koh Yao Noi last week. “In Koh Yao Noi, we are all segments of our society – police, locals, tour operators and hotel operators cooperate to take care of tourists and each other,” said Koh Yao Police Superintendent Jirasak Lamsak. The first phone was recovered…
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Demand for women-only motorcycle taxis soars in Indonesian capital
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Demand for women-only motorcycle taxis soars in Indonesian capital Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Jakarta is seeing a growing number of transportation services catering exclusively to women, offering better security and comfort when compared to packed public buses and trains in the Indonesian capital of 10…
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Phuket Marine Police train speedboat crews in safety, rescue
PHUKET: Marine Police launched safety and rescue education courses in Phuket following the death of a French snorkeller, who was killed by a speedboat earlier this month (story here). The campaign, entitled ‘Safety is the heart of tourist’, aims to have all crew working with tourists on the island to be trained within in two months. By January 15, more…
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Facebook begins Europe-wide campaign against extremist posts
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Facebook begins Europe-wide campaign against extremist posts Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Facebook Inc (FB.O) began a Europe-wide campaign on Monday to thwart extremist posts on social media, after German politicians in particular raised concerns about a rise in xenophobic comments linked to an influx of…
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EU team visits Thailand to assess fishing industry cleanup
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community EU team visits Thailand to assess fishing industry cleanup Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A European Union delegation that is visiting Thailand to weigh its progress in battling illegal and unregulated fishing will not make a decision this week on whether to ban Thai seafood products,…
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Phuket man takes bullet in the groin
PHUKET: A Phuket man on a motorbike was hit twice during a drive-by shooting on Thepkrasattri Road in Phuket late last night. Rawi Suksamran, 34, suffered a bullet wound to his groin area and lower back, confirmed a Kusoldharm Foundation rescue worker who arrived at the scene in Srisoonthorn. “According to witnesses, Mr Rawi was heading straight through the Thalang…
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Dirty dozen picked up in mass Phuket raid
PHUKET: A large task force swept up twelve suspects wanted for a series of crimes ranging from illegal drugs and firearms, to their role in the Thalang Police Station riot (story here). “The joint mission on Sunday saw 120 officers from local police forces, Thalang District and the Royal Thai Navy make 12 arrests with 12 search warrants,” said Phuket…
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Many young people fear losing their jobs to robots, survey finds
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Many young people fear losing their jobs to robots, survey finds Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Four out of ten young people believe machines will be able to do their jobs within a decade, an international survey published on Monday has found. Nearly half of young…
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Jakarta attack highlights jostle to lead Islamic State in SE Asia
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Jakarta attack highlights jostle to lead Islamic State in SE Asia Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Last week’s attack on Jakarta showed for the first time that Islamic State violence has arrived in Indonesia, but security experts believe the radical group’s footprint is still light here…
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Robots, new working ways to cost 5 million jobs by 2020, study says
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Robots, new working ways to cost 5 mln jobs by 2020, Davos study says Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Disruptive labor market changes, including the rise of robots and artificial intelligence, will result in a net loss of 5.1 million jobs over the next five years…
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Tennis World hit by match-fixing reports, authorities back integrity unit
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tennis-World tennis hit by match-fixing reports, authorities back integrity unit Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: World tennis was rocked on Monday by allegations that the game’s authorities have failed to deal with widespread match-fixing, just as the Australian Open, the first grand slam tournament of the…
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A Decade Ago: Invaders of the nude variety
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette‘s page one story a decade ago was about water supplies being enough to keep Phuket’s thirst quenched for the high season. However, the juicy part of the January 14-20 issue was the ‘Inside Story’: Are nudists itching to invade Thailand? The Tourism Authority of Thailand had called on Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura to see if the…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Asleep in two seconds
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Myanmar national crushed by cement truck in Phuket
PHUKET: A Myanmar national was killed after he fell off his motorbike and under the wheel of a cement truck in Thalang yesterday evening. Named on his identification card as ‘Mr Tengsor’, the 39-year-old man was crushed by the truck after he allegedly over took it and collided with another motorbike, said Lt Suporn Muangkhai of the Thalang Police. “The…
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Opinion: Solving tuk-tuk woes
Supap Pramkaew, 49, is head of the Karon tuk-tuk consortium. He has been a tuk-tuk driver in Phuket for 20 years and has lived on the island for more than 30 years. He is originally from Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Here he talks about the current issues that tuk-tuk drivers face and how the government could help alleviate some of those…
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Austrian woman in Phuket ICU after falling unconscious
PHUKET: An Austrian woman remains in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Bangkok Hospital Phuket after she fell unconscious while swimming at Patong Beach yesterday. Annemarie Gusenbauer, 63, was rushed to Patong Hospital and later transferred to the better equipped Bangkok Hospital Phuket, after her friends pulled her from the water. “We immediately called for an ambulance and administered CPR…
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Island View: Law of retaliation
PHUKET: An eye for an eye, or the law of retaliation, is the mentality that seems to be taking over Phuket these days. There have been several recent incidents where tempers flared and punches (or worse) were pulled at the slightest provocation. However, the recent video of a Krabi van driver attacking a foreigner on a motorbike, after the foreigner…
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