News
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Sponsored Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort puts sustainability at its heart
The term sustainability is often thrown around as a buzzword in the hospitality industry, but at Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort, it’s genuinely part of their mission. Located in Makham Bay, just south of Phuket Town, the beautiful resort puts...
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Phuket firefighters “sink’ fire-ravaged fishing boat
PHUKET: Firefighters breached the hull and partially sank a Taiwanese fishing boat off Phuket’s Saphan Pla Pier in Rassada late last night to stop flames from spreading to other vessels. The fire teams arrived after midnight to find smoke billowing from the boat, which was moored close to the pier. “We believe the fire broke out in the engine room,”…
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Education, disaster relief in Phuket not to be sacrificed for underground cables, Patong councilor says
PHUKET: One of the 14 Patong Municipality councilors who on Friday voted against a project to bury the power cables along the beachfront road has come forward to explain the decision. “The council supports the project, but we will not sacrifice the town’s kindergarten-expansion plans or disaster-relief fund in order to beautify the Patong beachfront,” councilor Weerawit Krueasombut told the…
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Police, Navy get tough on illegal Phuket taxi drivers
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy and Patong Police have teamed up to take down any illegal taxi drivers found operating in Phuket’s premier party town. “We have arrested 13 illegal taxi and tuk-tuk drivers so far. There will be more to come,” Patong Police Traffic Inspector Ekkarat Plaiduang told the Phuket Gazette this morning. “We made the first five arrests…
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Phuket officials to face charges for Freedom Beach land titles
PHUKET: The Royal Forestry Department (RFD) will press charges against at least seven officials for illegally issuing land titles for plots at Phuket’s Freedom Beach. “Seven officers were involved in issuing land titles for plots within the protected forest at Freedom Beach,” said Cheewapap Cheewatham, the former Sirinath National Park chief who now serves as director of the RFD’s Forest…
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Firm faces probe after sex killing by guard
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Firm faces probe after sex killing by guard The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police will investigate a firm that provided security guards to a Bangkok condo project after one of its guards was charged with sexually molesting and killing a four-year-old girl last week. The…
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UK’s Prince William and wife Kate thrilled at second baby news
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UK’s Prince William and wife Kate thrilled at second baby news Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Britain’s Prince William said on Monday he and wife Kate were thrilled to be expecting their second baby, after news of the pregnancy was released early because the Duchess had…
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Teen lucky to be alive after premature birth, says Phuket doctor
PHUKET: A teenager was rushed from a Phuket worker’s camp to hospital this morning with serious blood loss after giving premature birth to a baby girl, who was found dead at the scene. Myanmar national Zar Ni The, the 19-year-old wife of one of the migrant worker, went into labor prematurely at a Phanason Parkville estate worker’s camp on Sri…
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Body found off Phuket beach by jet-skiing tourists
UPDATE: After this initial report was posted online, the Gazette was informed that one of its own editors, Jeremie Schatz, enjoying his time off, discovered the body while surfing with a friend. It was Jeremie and his surfing buddy who pulled the body to shore. PHUKET: An unidentified body was found floating in the ocean off Phuket’s west coast by…
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Phuket yachts ordered out of Ao Yon Bay
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has ordered all yacht owners with vessels moored in Ao Yon Bay to move them to other anchorages in Phuket or face six months in jail. Local Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut admitted to the Phuket Gazette this morning that he had signed the order a full three weeks ago, on August 18, and gave…
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Thai Navy deploys warship to rescue Phuket fishermen
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy base in Phuket deployed the HTMS Chonburi to rescue six fishermen after their longtail boat engine stalled and their anchor rope broke in strong waves off Koh Mai Thon yesterday. Lt Cdr Natthanai Lekjaikla, captain of the HTMS Chonburi, explained that the Navy was notified of the men’s predicament at about midday. “We kept in…
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Unidentified body found in Phuket Town canal
PHUKET: Police are working to identify a dead body found floating in a canal near the Waste Incineration Power Plant and Landfill at Saphan Hin, on the outskirts of Phuket Town yesterday morning. Local villagers alerted the police of the discovery at about 7:30am. “We believe the man had gone fishing and fell into the water without anyone noticing. It…
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Williams beats Wozniacki for 18th grand slam title
PHUKET: World number one Serena Williams swept past good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-3 6-3 in the US Open final on Sunday to move into the record books with her 18th grand slam title. The third straight and sixth overall US Open crown for the 32-year-old American, her 18 career slams put her into a tie with Chris Evert…
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Guard held for murder of 4-year-old girl in Thon Buri
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Guard held for murder of 4-year-old girl in Thon Buri The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting and killing a four-year-old girl in Thon Buri in Bangkok. The girl went missing in her neighbourhood on Wednesday and was…
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Sukhothai and Ayutthaya hit hard by floods
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sukhothai and Ayutthaya hit hard by floods The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Flooding in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya remains critical with hundreds of homes inundated, while a flash flood hit Chiang Rai’s Muang and Mae Sai districts yesterday morning. Meanwhile, ML Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who resumed as…
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Arab League vows to confront Islamic State, join international efforts
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Arab League vows to confront Islamic State, join international efforts Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Arab League foreign ministers agreed on Sunday to take all necessary measures to confront Islamic State and cooperate with international, regional and national efforts to combat militants who have overrun swathes…
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Police take down armed teens for Phuket Town street shootings
PHUKET: Police have arrested two teenagers, and expect to soon take into custody a third suspect, for shooting into a shop and then a family home in Phuket Town late Tuesday night. Butrprom Choopeng, 18, was arrested yesterday at a house in Bangthong village in Kathu. He was found in possession of a homemade .22-caliber handgun with one round of…
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Chinese tourist dies after day trip to Phi Phi Island
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist has died after being pulled unconscious from the water during a day trip with friends from Phuket to Phi Phi Island yesterday afternoon. Tour staff spotted Wang Yuhua, 61, floating face down in the water, prompting the boat crew to quickly recover her from the water and speed her to Phi Phi Hospital. Ms Wang was…
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Customs staff face probe over 500 ‘missing’ cars
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Customs staff face probe over 500 ‘missing’ cars The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Two officials from the Customs Department have been moved to inactive positions pending investigation into their role in the disappearance of some 500 luxury vehicles that went missing from the customs’ bonded…
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NACC stands by case against Yingluck, asks if all files read
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NACC stands by case against Yingluck, asks if all files read The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Panthep Klanarongran, chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), reiterated yesterday that former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra had been derelict in her duty, which led to huge losses in…
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Sukhothai fights flood, as barrier on Yom breaks
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sukhothai fights flood, as barrier on Yom breaks The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Floods have wreaked havoc in 25 provinces and claimed eight lives over the past two weeks. Five of the flood-hit provinces – Sukhothai, Nan, Chaiyaphum, Tak and Nakhon Sawan – are still…
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Phuket Marine chief plays down ‘get AIS connected or go to jail’ order
PHUKET: Phuriphat Theerakulpisut, chief of the Phuket Marine Office, today played down an alarming report that all foreign yachts in Phuket had to be fitted with AIS (Automatic Identification System) devices by October 1 or face six months in jail. The news follows Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday signing an order to make AIS receivers mandatory on all craft in…
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Phuket taxi brawl lands Aussie tourists in hospital, custody
PHUKET: A drunken brawl inside a Phuket taxi landed three Australian tourists in hospital with minor injuries late last night. A fourth Aussie tourist, Todd Taylor, 31, who was blamed for starting the fight, was taken to Thalang Police Station for questioning. Taxi driver Jaran Chamnankaow told police that he picked up four passengers in Patong at about 10pm, and…
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French tourist smashes motorbike through Phuket salon window
PHUKET: A French tourist injured her leg today after she lost control of her rented motorbike and crashed through the glass window of a Phuket Town beauty salon. Rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation called to the scene on Phang Nga Road by the startled salon owner found Nastasya Kotnarovsky, 27, with minor injuries to her left leg and scratches…
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Phuket Cycling Fest 2014 ready to roll
PHUKET: If you have some untouched reserves of stamina and feel like exploring the beauty of Phuket in a more natural, personal manner, head for the Phuket Cycling Fest 2014, which kicks off tomorrow, September 6, at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town. A bustling bicycle fair boasting booths and stalls from bicycle specialists will be held at the park,…
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Phuket officials order illegal beach wall to be demolished
PHUKET: An illegal beach wall built near Bang Tao Beach after the tsunami in 2004 will be demolished today, officials have told the Phuket Gazette. “We received a complaint from a local landowner who said the wall cuts off his legally-owned plot of land from the beach,” said Cherng Talay Mayor Ma-ann Samran. “Following an inspection of the area [yesterday],…
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Costs, lack of demand delay Phuket Airport Bus service to Karon
PHUKET: High costs and lack of demand has forced the operators of the Airport Express Bus service to push back the launch of its new route from Patong to Kata-Karon until at least October. However, bus company chairman Prakob Panyawai is working on adding two more bus stops in Patong, Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) chief Terayout Prasertphol confirmed to…
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Prayuth assures fair selection of reform council members
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Prayuth assures fair selection of reform council members The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday gave his assurance that members of the National Reform Council (NRC) would be selected fairly and carefully, with none of the candidates being especially favoured because…
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Ukraine, rebels back peace plan, ceasefire from Friday
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ukraine, rebels back peace plan, ceasefire from Friday Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and the main pro-Russian rebel leader said they would both order ceasefires on Friday, provided that an agreement is signed on a new peace plan to end the five-month…
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Phuket Opinion: A sobering approach
PHUKET: Recent reports of “sobering new alcohol laws” by some English-language news outlets have led to a great deal of bar-stool conversation, as well as speculation among social media. The truth of the matter is that the Alcohol Sales Act of 2008, and subsequent ministerial regulations, have remained completely unchanged since the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO) took…
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Special Report: Police “hungary’ for Phuket murder conviction
Special Report CONFESSED killer Moshe David is expected to be sentenced on Monday for the gruesome 2012 murder of fellow Hungarian Peter Reisz. Although police believe he will escape the death penalty, they do have faith he will be handed a “very long sentence”. Following Mr David’s first murder trial will be a second, for the murder of another Hungarian,…
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