Phuket News

Mysterious documentary filmed today in Phuket City

PHUKET: At least four pairs of contestants taking part in a travel documentary are racing around Phuket using various forms of transport today. One of the challenges that faced the contestants was to pull each other through Phuket City in the midday heat using rickshaws as they searched for “King Rama V Park”. The contestants pictured here made “four wrong…

Rage on the road turns fatal

PATONG: A hot-headed youth has been arrested after he shot and killed another man during an argument at a stoplight in Patong on Thursday morning. The victim was 32-year-old Kamjon “Neng” Pungprom. He died from a single gunshot wound to his abdomen. The shooting occurred at the three-way intersection along the new Phang Muang Road, not far from the Patong…

High-season tourism outlook bleak: PTA

PHUKET CITY: Despite a large drop in fuel prices internationally, the outlook for this year’s high season for tourism remains bleak, a top tourism industry leader says. Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) Vice-President Bhuritt Maswongsa told the Gazette that current occupancy rates and bookings from now until the end of the year should result in an island-wide average occupancy rate of…

Two arrested in Phuket heroin mega-bust

RASSADA (Kom Chad Luek): Police arrested a Thai man and a Taiwanese national along with 104 kilos of heroin at a house in the Phuket City Home residential estate yesterday afternoon, deputy national police chief Priewphan Damapong announced at a press conference in Bangkok yesterday. Speaking at the Royal Thai Police Drug Suppression Division headquarters on Viphawadee-Rangsit Rd, Gen Preowpan…

Local Muslims begin sacred journey

MAI KHAO: Phuket Governor Preecha Ruangjan and other top officials attended a ceremony, on Sunday, at Phuket International Airport to send off some 250 local Muslims leaving to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, local Thai-language news sources have reported. Also attending the farewell were Phuket Senator Thanyarat Atchariyachai, Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising and…

War on drugs underway

BANGKOK (TNA): The government has launched a new round of drug suppression in a ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat last Thursday. The 90-day “war on drugs”, which kicked off on November 3, is scheduled to last through till the end of January. In his speech announcing the crackdown, PM Somchai encouraged authorities to devote their full attention…

Phuket Carnival dates announced

PATONG: This year’s Phuket Carnival will take place from December 15 to 20 at Patong Beach, some six weeks after the traditional starting date of November 1. Phuket Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukban said this year’s events will differ slightly from carnivals in past years, which have featured top rock acts including Modern Dog and even a performance once by the…

Americans dominate beach volleyball final

KARON: In the final playoff of the Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball 2008 tournament, Jennifer Boss and April Ross overcame fellow Americans Nicole Branagh and Tyra Turner to win at Karon Beach on Sunday. After two sets, the teams couldn’t be separated with Branagh and Turner winning the first set 21-18 and Ross and Boss the second 21-14. The final went…

UK cancels visas of Thaksin, wife

BANGKOK (The Nation): The British Embassy has revoked entry visas of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman. The cancellations, which were decided while the couple were outside England, were notified to airlines yesterday. The decision was made by the United Kingdom Border Agency, and the notification email was signed by Bangkok-based Immigration Liaison Manager Andy Gray. The…

Israir announces direct flights from mid-December

PHUKET: Israeli airline Israir announced Wednesday that as of December it will begin operating two flights to Thailand, including direct flights between Israel and Phuket. Israel-based news service ynetnews.com reported that the flights, aboard Airbus A-330 planes, will be available during the height of Phuket’s high season: from December 15 to February 28. The flights will leave Israel on Sundays…

Urgent need for B Rh Negative blood

BANGKOK: Foreign Correspondents Club Thailand (FCCT) member and well-known local restaurateur Thomas McNamara is in critical condition and in need of blood type B Rh NEGATIVE. If you or anybody you know has this rare blood type, please contact Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok (Tel: 02-6671000) where Mr McNamara is being treated in Intensive Care Unit 526. A transfusion will help…

Young Brit dies in mystery fall

PATONG: A young English tourist mysteriously fell from a building in Patong early Monday evening and died en route to hospital. Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnark identified the deceased from his passport as UK national Joseph John Nason, age 22. Mr Nason and a friend, aged 19, had just arrived in Phuket on a flight from Bangkok and were…

Bus crash claims 2, injures 30

MAI KHAO (NBT): A fully-loaded bus headed for Satun overturned and crashed at about 9 pm Sunday night, killing two people and injuring at least 30 more. The state-run Andaman News service reported that the accident occurred on the outbound lane of Thepkasattri Rd, in the Ban Maak Prok area of Mai Khao Village 1. Tah Chat Chai Police Superintendent Sakchai…

Laguna Phuket turns to China, Middle East as Europe stays away

PHUKET: Laguna Phuket, the giant five-star resort complex on Bangtao Beach, Phuket, says it plans to look more and more towards China and the Middle East next year to compensate for a continuing plunge in bookings from European tourists. The operators expect the global financial crisis and domestic political unrest to continue affecting international arrivals next year, particularly Europeans, long…

Stress taking a toll

BANGKOK (The Nation): Heads of families or breadwinners in urban areas in Bangkok and 18 other provinces are suffering from stress due to political turmoil and economic woes, an Abac poll revealed yesterday. The poll was conducted from October 10 to November 1. Of 3,293 respondents surveyed, 59 per cent said they were ‘stressed out’ by the country’s ongoing political…

Kajonkietsuksa School celebrates Halloween

WICHIT: Students and teachers of the Kajonkietsuksa School’s bilingual program today dressed up for a range of special Halloween activities being held at the school. These fun events are taking place before an abundance of parties all over the island this evening, including a ‘Sexy’, black-and-gold dress-up Hellfire event at the Watermark. What? Halloween gone sexy?

Central gets its HomeWorks done

WICHIT: After a year under construction, the 1-billion-baht HomeWorks home improvement mall opened its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday, October 25. Built by the CRC Power Retail Company Limited, one of the many arms of the massive Central Retail Corporation, the bypass road’s latest mega-retail outlet is located at the Darasamuth School Intersection, right across…

AOT launches “Lucky Flight’ promo at Phuket Airport

MAI KHAO: The Airports Authority Of Thailand (AOT) launched its three-day “Lucky Flight by AOT” promotion on Monday, when some of the 250 passengers arriving aboard Thai Airways flight TG 1205 won presents in a lucky draw held upon their arrival at 11 am. Manager magazine’s on-line Thai language news service quoted Phuket International Airport (PIA) deputy director Sucheeb Sansiripan…

They’re here! Box Jellyfish found in Phuket waters

PANWA: The Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) has issued an official warning following the collection of almost 40 box jellyfish in a trap in shallow waters, off Ao Nambor, on Phuket’s east coast. Some 38 of the jellyfish, which favor shallow brackish water, were recovered from a fish trap in a mangrove area on July 30. Eighteen more were found…

Big Buddha gets big bell

KARON: Work on the the enormous Buddha image in the Nakkerd Hills is now about 90% complete and a huge bronze bell was installed at the site to mark King Chulalongkorn Memorial Day on Thursday.The one-million baht bell, which weighs one metric ton, was a gift from the Rassada Cooperative Credit Union. Work on the image, officially known as Phra…

Man suspected of journalist killing turns himself in

NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: A man wanted on suspicion of involvement in the killing of Matichon journalist Athiwat Chainurat handed himself in to authorities in Nakhon Sri Thammarat on October 22. Lamduan “Kop” Kaowsisot, 25, from Bang Khan District gave himself up to Amnuay Jaritngam, headman of Village 1, Tambon Ban Lamnao, Bang Khan District after learning that a warrant for…

Police to launch traffic law crackdown

PHUKET CITY: In an attempt to reduce road accidents, Phuket Provincial Police have vowed to get tough on traffic violations under a new road-safety program, the state-run Andaman News service has reported on the NBT network. The National Police Bureau will reactivate a traffic and road safety center in a bid to stem the alarming number of deaths resulting from…

Preecha Ruangjan installed as new governor

PHUKET CITY: Preecha Ruangjan took office as the new Phuket Governor at Provincial Hall on Monday. Gov Preecha, who comes to Phuket after serving as governor of his home province of Phichit, paid his respects to the statue of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in front of Provincial Hall, then accepted flower baskets from many top officials and department heads. Tomorrow,…

Chai-Anan elected Kathu mayor

KATHU: By exactly 1,000 votes, Chai-Anan Suttikun beat rival candidate Somkid Choosawat in the October 12 election for Mayor of Kathu, Phuket Election Committee (PEC) Director Supap Akkam has confirmed. Mr Chai-Anan, representing the Rak Kathu (Love Kathu) party, garnered 4,815 votes, while Mr Somkid from rival party Kathu Pattana (Kathu Development) secured 3,815 votes. The result makes Mr Chai-Anan…

Man arrested for murder at Khao Khad Viewpoint

WICHIT: Phuket City Police took just 12 hours to arrest one man for the brutal stabbing and shooting murder of a bank employee on the night of October 12, but another key suspect in the case remains at large. According the the Phuket Provincial Police website, Phuket City Police Duty Officer Nanon Pitakkulthon was notified on October 13 that a…

Truck gone wild, but nobody hurt

PHUKET: A truck crashed through a roadside wall and careened down a steep embankment after its brakes failed this afternoon. No one was hurt in the accident, which occurred at about 5pm on Ake-Wanich Rd where nearby hillside land is being cleared for the construction of several apartment blocks.

Truck gone wild!

Two survive family “wipeout’ attempt

SAKOO: Police are investigating two possible motives for the shooting attack that left two rubber tappers dead and a third critically injured high in the Layan hills on Friday afternoon. Tah Chat Chai Police Inspector Somkid Khaosang identified the two deceased as Suppachai Nuan-eung and Boonrit Inthong. Both men were found dead at their hillside home, located off Layan Rd…

TAT awards Dusit Laguna Phuket best hotel in South

PHUKET: Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket has won the 7th Thailand Tourism Award 2008 from the TAT for being the best hotel in the South with over 80 rooms. Criteria considered by the judges included the level of service, attention to protecting natural resources and the environment, sustaining art and culture, self-sufficiency and corporate social responsibility. General Manager of Dusit Thani…

Google Maps launched for Phuket businesses

PHUKET: The Gazette Guide, Phuket’s local business directory (yellow pages), has today announced the availability of Google Maps to its roughly 4,000 listed businesses. Users of the online version of the directory can now pinpoint precisely where a business is located – a major benefit in a community where postal addresses are often more confounding than enlightening. An example of…