News
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OrBorTor elections force alcohol ban
PHUKET: Starting tomorrow at 6 pm, sale of alcohol will be banned in all eight tambons holding elections on Sunday for tambon administration organization (OrBorTor) representatives.The ban will last until midnight on Sunday.The eight affected tambons are Chalong, Koh Kaew, Cherng Talay, Mai Khao, Srisoonthorn, Thepkrasattri, Sakoo and Kamala.A representative at the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) confirmed to the Gazette…
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Korean-guide saga rolls on
PHUKET: The fiery spat between the Phuket Guide Association (PGA) and Korean tour operators has reignited after the Korean tour operators’ representatives were barred from overseeing the Korean-language proficiency test being taken by Thai guides.Kim Tae Woen, chairman of the Korean Association, voiced his concerns about the testing arrangements, saying that only two people, handpicked by PGA President Panompol Thummachartaiyom,…
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One dead, one injured in karaoke brawl
KATHU: Police have arrested youths, including a 16-year-old boy, for stabbing one man to death and seriously injuring another during a brawl at a karaoke bar just after midnight on Tuesday morning. Tung Tong Police Station Investigator Sub Lt Pattapee Srichay told the Gazette that his station received a report of a fight at the Dowrueng Restaurant and Karaoke on…
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Search continues for missing men after boat sinking
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Police and the Royal Thai Navy Third Naval Command continue to search the waters around Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi for two missing men whose fishing boat capsized and sank in heavy seas late Sunday afternoon.Phuket Marine Police Inspector Lt Col Prasert Srikunnarat identified the two men as Surat Boonserm and Phuthong Tirawattana, both…
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TOT moves ahead with Phuket line expansion
PHUKET: TOT is expanding its coverage in Phuket with the addition of 11 telephone exchanges, switchboards that connect calls, this month, together providing 5,400 new phone lines for the island.Copper cabling across Phuket will also be upgraded to support high-speed ADSL Internet access and improve the quality of services offered.Many Phuket residents have been complaining about problems with telephone lines…
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“Visa extensions’ for dependents allowed – for now
PHUKET: Following news reports last month that the Immigration Bureau will no longer issue “permit to stay” extensions for spouses and families of holders of retirement visas, Phuket Provincial Immigration Office (PPIO) Superintendent Pol Col Ittipon Atchariyapradit has told the Gazette he will will continue issuing such extensions until he receives an order to stop doing so.“We are still issuing…
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Knudsen murder suspects arrested
CHALONG: Two teenagers arrested by police have reportedly confessed to the stabbing murder of 53-year-old Norwegian Simen Sparre Knudsen on September 23, along with several other armed robberies of foreign tourists driving motorbikes alone late at night.A source from Chalong Police, who requested that his name not be printed, identified the two suspects as 18-year-old Narongsak “Sak” Tongviset and his…
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New retail center planned for Phuket
RASSADA: A group of Thai investors have bought and cleared the only remaining section of undeveloped land at the Tesco-Lotus intersection with the intention of developing a large retail and entertainment complex there. Phuket Governor Niran Kalayananamit told the Gazette recently that the Bangkok-based investors had approached him to discuss the proposed development, which is still in its initial design phase.…
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Patong announces trash-sorting initiative
PATONG: Residents of Patong should get ready to start sorting their trash, as Patong Municipality plans to improve its waste management system by distributing plastic garbage bags in 10 colors, each designated for a particular category of waste.The scheme, developed jointly with the Thai Industrialist Development Forum (TIDF), was announced at a press conference hosted by Patong Mayor Pian Keesin…
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Governor calls for parental punishments
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit has called for stricter punishments to be enforced on the parents of unruly teenagers who consistently break the law, after a spate of robberies by a gang of youths.At a Security Committee Meeting at Katina Hotel on Thursday, Phuket Provincial Police Superintendent of General Staff Pol Col Peerayut Karajedee reported to Governor Niran on the…
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Insurers start paying out air-crash claims
PHUKET: In addition to payouts due from the Thai Social Security Office and One-Two-Go airline, relatives of 31 deceased victims of flight OG269 collectively stand to receive more than 45 million baht in compensation from 15 Thai insurers. Some of the firms have already begun paying out claims.Phuket Provincial Insurance Office Chief Suwimon Saelim on Thursday said her office had…
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Phuket police facing manpower crisis
PHUKET: Some 10% of all police officers in Phuket have applied for transfers out of the province, with many citing overwork as their reason, adding to the problem of Phuket’s already understaffed police force.Word of the widespread dissatisfaction in the ranks came from Lt Gen Thanee Tavitcha, Commander of Royal Thai Police Region 8.Some 10% of Phuket’s current police force…
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Monk-stabber to walk free
PHUKET CITY: A man arrested Thursday for stabbing a monk at a Phuket temple on Wednesday will walk free without being charged, as police believe him to be mentally unstable.Pol Capt Atthapol Wannasaengthong of the Phuket City Police told the Gazette that about 4 am Wednesday, Uthen “Pra Pinnateepo” Ronnarit, 52, was in his living quarters when he heard a…
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Air crash claims another life
PHUKET (Gazette, Nation): A 22-year-old Welsh woman being treated at Bangkok General Hospital in Bangkok after surviving the crash landing of One-Two-Go flight OG269 was confirmed dead today as a result of severe burns.Bethan Jones, 22, received severe burns to 50% of her body in the fire that followed the crash and was flown from Phuket to Bangkok on September…
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Chalong Police pressured over Knudsen murder
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police expect the investigation into the stabbing murder of Norwegian Simen Sparre Knudsen to end in arrests soon.Knudsen, a resident of Phuket for 20 years, was stabbed and left for dead on a dark, hilly roadside in Rawai on September 23.He later died in hospital, despite a valiant effort by a German man to save his life.…
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Red-shirt-Friday campaign sweeps Phuket
PHUKET: In a global groundswell of support for the people of Burma, SMS messages have been circulating around the island in the past few hours with the message: “In support of our incredibly brave friends in Burma: May all the people around the world wear a red shirt on Friday, September 28.”This message was brought to the Gazette‘s attention by…
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One-Two-Go crash probe points to wind shear, pilot decision
BANGKOK (Nation): The probe into the crash of One-Two-Go flight OG029 points to wind shear and the pilot’s decision to land despite weather warnings as likely causes, the air crash investigation committee has announced.“The initial finding, which encompasses the weather conditions at the time of the accident, communications between the tower and the crashed plane’s pilot as well as other…
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Reinard sets Phuket cycling record
PHUKET: Luxembourg national and local environmental activist Marco Reinard completed his 24-hour solo bike ride around Phuket at 6 pm on Saturday, arriving at Yoonique Stone bar, Nai Harn, the same place he had set off from the day before at 4.30 pm.Marco’s pedal-powered ride to promote environmental awareness covered a record 522 kilometers, clocking an average speed of 22kmh.…
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Police hunt for Knudsen’s killer
RAWAI: Police say they have suspects in mind but are collecting more evidence to submit to Phuket Provincial Court when they apply for arrest warrants in the case of Norwegian Simen Sparre Knudsen, who was stabbed to death on September 23.Mr Knudsen, 47, was stabbed and left for dead on the road from the Kata Viewpoint to Rawai at about…
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Patong Hill road being resurfaced
PATONG: In response to the large number of accidents on the section of Phra Barami Rd from Kathu to Patong – one of the busiest roads on the island – the Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) is spending nearly 10 million baht on resurfacing the road.PPHO Deputy Chief Nirong Khumtua explained to the Gazette, “We have received many complaints from…
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Reinard rides again
PHUKET: Luxembourg national and local environmental activist Marco Reinard is due to complete his 24-hour solo mountain bike marathon ride around Phuket at 4 pm today, arriving at Yoonique Stone bar, Nai Harn, the same place he set off from yesterday.Marco’s ride for environmental awareness is part of his continuing campaign to create awareness of pollution and environmental issues facing…
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One-Two-Go crash victims to each receive US$150,000
PHUKET AIRPORT: Survivors and the families of those who died in the crash landing of One-Two-Go flight OG269 on Sunday will each receive an insurance payout of US$150,000 (about 5 million baht), Udom Thantprasongchai, managing director of Orient Thai, which operates One-Two-Go, said today.Speaking to the press at Phuket Airport Office, K. Udom explained that One-Two-Go had already offered up…
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Air-crash mystery hero steps forward
PHUKET CITY: Australian Robert Borland, who was pulled from the burning wreckage of One-Two-Go Flight OG269 on Sunday by a “man in a yellow shirt”, finally had a chance to thank his savior in a meeting arranged yesterday afternoon by the staff of Bangkok Phuket Hospital, where both men are being treated for injuries sustained in the crash.The hero was identified as…
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French mourn air-crash victims
PHUKET AIRPORT: A French delegation arrived in Phuket this morning to mourn the loss of 10 French nationals killed in Sunday’s One-Two-Go plane crash. Led by Rama Yade, Minister of State responsible for foreign affairs and human rights, the group arrived at the airport at 9:30 am and placed flowers before a metal storage container housing the bodies of 10 victims,…
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OrBorTor gear up for elections
PHUKET: The Phuket Election Committee (PEC) today held a meeting to present ballots and ballot boxes to representatives from each Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) on behalf of the Central Election Commission in Bangkok. “Each OrBorTor must keep these things safe in a place where there is a security guard,” PEC Director Supap Akkam told the Gazette. Elections for OrBorTor councils…
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Poor turnout for Korean MOU signing
PHUKET CITY: After months of setbacks, debates and discussions, only 25 of the island’s 54 Korean tour operators signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ensuring that they will hire Thai tour guides.Kim Tae Woen, Chairman of the Korean Association, and Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima welcomed representatives from 25 of the island’s Korean tour operators to Phuket Provincial Hall and thanked…
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33 foreign crash victims remain unidentified
PHUKET AIRPORT: Forty-eight hours after the ill-fated One-Two-Go flight OG269 crashed at Phuket International Airport (PIA), killing 89 of the 130 people on board, the cause of the disaster is still unknown and 33 corpses of foreigners remain unidentified. Phuket Airport Director Sq Ldr Pornchai Eua-aree told the Gazette that there is no problem with the runway and that the…
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Death toll at 89, all bodies recovered
PHUKET: As Phuket woke up to memories of yesterday’s airport disaster, the death toll of those on board One-Two-Go flight OG269 stood at 89, including five crew members. A press conference held this morning at Phuket International Airport was attended by Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongchaoom; Kalaya Pakakrong, acting managing director of Airports of Thailand (AOT); Udom Thantiprasongchai, managing director…
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Death toll in Phuket plane crash rises
PHUKET (Nation): Some 60 bodies have been retrieved from the wreckage of a One-Two-Go airplane from Bangkok that exploded and broke in two after it slid off the runway and crashed at Phuket International Airport this afternoon.Some reports put the death toll at about 80, but this has yet to be confirmed. The nationalities of those on board are not…
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Khao Lak road collapses
KHAO LAK: A large section of Petchkasem Rd near Khao Lak, as well as part of a recently-built sidewalk and steel barrier, plunged 40 meters down a slope after heavy rain on Wednesday night.The landslide, near the Baan Krating resort at the top of the range at Lamru National Park, came to rest a few meters from a building near…
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