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Phuket anti-government protesters break camp in face of martial law
PHUKET: The long-standing anti-government protest in Phuket led by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) broke down its stage last night out of respect for martial law which was decreed early yesterday. The PDRC protesters dominated Phuket Provincial Hall, forcing it to close for about four and half months before allowing it to re-open on April 8 (story here). Even…
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German expat Franky arrested on Austrian fraud charges
PHUKET: German expat Detlef Gerhard Hewer, 49, was arrested in Phuket yesterday afternoon on a warrant issued by a Thai court at the request of the Austrian embassy in Bangkok. Mr Detlef, better known by his nickname Franky, is wanted for fraud charges in Austria, Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong Police explained. “He was flown to Bangkok to…
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Phuket lifeguards to be back on duty by next Tuesday
PHUKET: Phuket lifeguards say they expect to sign their new contract and be back at work by next Tuesday at the latest and possibly as early as this Saturday. A dispute over the terms of the contract led lifeguards to walk off the beaches on April 27, when their last contract concluded (story here). One drowning death, that of 26-year-old…
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Drop election if too dangerous: Army
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Drop election if too dangerous: Army The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Election Commission (EC) secretary general Puchong Nutrawong said the Army had told him that if the next general election was likely to result in bloodshed, or would be too difficult to arrange, the EC…
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Army chief takes aim at political deadlock
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Army chief Prayuth takes aim at political deadlock The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: With martial law in place, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha intends to bring together all stakeholders in the political conflict to break the deadlock, as he says the country cannot continue in…
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Martial law more bad news for embattled tourism industry
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Martial law more bad news for embattled tourism industry The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Tourists may start avoiding Thailand in droves now that the military has declared martial law, as many countries have issued advisories warning their citizens about the political crisis here. Travel and…
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Record levels of meth seizures in Asia: UNODC
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Record levels of meth seizures in Asia: UNODC The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Growing demand in East and Southeast Asia is leading to an expansion of global production and trafficking in methamphetamine and new psychoactive substances, according to a UN Office on Drugs and Crime…
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China confronts U.S. envoy over cyber-spying accusations
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community China confronts U.S. envoy over cyber-spying accusations Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: China summoned the U.S. ambassador after the United States accused five Chinese military officers of hacking into American companies to steal trade secrets, warning Washington it could take further action, the foreign ministry said…
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Phuket police arrest man for rape of woman, her 14-year-old niece
PHUKET: Police arrested a Phuket resident today for the rape of a 24-year-old Myanmar national and her 14-year-old niece in the forest along Ao Yon – Khao Khad Road on May 8. The man, who turned himself in, was charged with rape, rape of a person under the age of 15, and theft. The 44-year-old suspect has denied all charges.…
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Chief departs Phuket with park encroachment raids
PHUKET: As his last major act as chief of Sirinath National Park, Cheewapap Cheewatham this morning led 50 officers on raids of businesses deemed to be illegally built on national park land near Nai Thon Beach. “Seven new shops – six on the beach, one on the beachfront road – have been built without permission from Sirinath National Park and…
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Phuket Governor off island to report to army base
PHUKET: Bangkok’s appointed leader to the island, Phuket Governor Maitri Insthusut, departed this morning to report to the Royal Thai Army base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Governor Maitri’s trip comes in the wake of Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha’s declaration of martial law, which took affect at 3am today (story here). Governor Maitri is expected to arrive at the base…
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Not enough time to prepare for Asian Games, says Thailand
PHUKET: A final decision on a country that will replace Vietnam as the host of the 2019 Asian Games will be made in September. That being the case, the question is whether Thailand, which has hosted many Games when others had thrown their hands up, will throw its hat into the ring. Vietnam laid out comprehensive plans to host the…
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Sun still shining in Phuket, despite martial law order
PHUKET: The declaration of nationwide martial law as of 3am today has left Phuket officials unperturbed. “Officials are just working as usual,” Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa told the Phuket Gazette this morning. The martial law order, essentially giving the army control of the country, was issued by Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha (story here). After more than six months…
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Krabi squatters protest police force after man is shot
PHUKET: About 100 people rallied outside Krabi City Hall yesterday to condemn the police and related officials for using excessive force to disperse their rally on Sunday. The group also called for Krabi Governor Prasit Osathanont to launch an investigation and mete out punishment to those behind the incident on the Southern Sea Board Road, in which a protester reportedly…
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Army declares martial law
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Army chief declares martial law The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha Tuesday declared martial law that covers the entire nation. Martial law took effect at 3am. Gen Prayuth stated that the declaration was necessary to prevent people from committing violence and…
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Floods affect over 1 million in Balkans, destruction ‘terrifying’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Floods affect over 1 million in Balkans, destruction ‘terrifying’ Reuters/ Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Bosnia said on Monday that more than a quarter of its 4 million people had been affected by the worst floods to hit the Balkans in living memory, comparing the “terrifying” destruction to…
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Exercising off-duty cop nabs two animal touts in Phuket
PHUKET: An off-duty police officer leaped from his bicycle and arrested two out of six men on Soi Bangla who were offering tourists photo opportunities with animals yesterday. Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho swooped in to make the arrest of the six men after seeing them touting four iguanas and two slow lorises. He quickly arrested Suchai Jaroenpu, 32, from Phang…
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Tourist drowns, first victim of lifeguard-less Phuket beaches
PHUKET: A tourist drowned at a lifeguard-less Phuket beach yesterday afternoon, after a budget debacle delayed the signing of the Phuket Lifeguard contract. Supachet Ngamsong, 26, from Northern Thailand, had just finished dinner with five friends when he went into the sea alone at Karon at about 5pm, said Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Sopon Borrirak. “He called out for help…
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Chalong top cop back at work in home station
PHUKET: Chalong Police Superintendent Krittapas Dazintharasorn, who was transferred to the Thalang Police Station in early April when he and his officers came under fire for alleged extortion, returned to take up the reins in Chalong on May 1. The charges against the Chalong police were filed in the wake of 20 dive instructors being rounded up by Chalong cops…
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Mathayom 6 graduates killed in Phuket hit-and-run
PHUKET: Police are hunting for the driver who killed two teenagers in a hit-and-run crime in Phuket last night. Piyabut Thongngarm, 18, died at the scene, while Jenista Purisawane, 18, died en route to hospital, Capt Thada Sodarak of the Chalong Police said. “It was raining when we arrived at the scene, near the Rawai shell museum. It was clear…
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West Ham United FC Academy to train Phuket youths
PHUKET: Having trained English Premier League stars Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard Jr, West Ham Academy’s coaches are coming to Phuket to do what they do best – teach others to play at the top of their game. The Elite Residential Soccer Course Phuket 2014, organized by the Bangkok Soccer School and featuring West Ham United FC Academy…
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Phuket officials vote to halt dredging of marina canal
PHUKET: The dredging of the Koh Kaew Canal, which provides access to two key marinas on the east coast of Phuket, has stopped due to environmental concerns. Sasorn Sassadeekul of the Marine Office Region 5 headquarters in Phuket agreed to halt the dredging of the canal at the request of Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak at a meeting at Provincial…
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Running after dark – Thanyapura Neon Night Run
PHUKET: Grab your glow sticks and get ready for the inaugural Neon Night Run, a glow-in-the-dark family fun run at Thanyapura Phuket. Entrance to the five-hour neon-themed races and festivities costs 300 baht and will kick off at 5pm on May 31. The fun run is stacked with events with four fun-run categories for kids, ranging from 500 meters up…
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Thai visa-van ban at Malaysian border not part of recent crackdown
PHUKET: The blockade preventing Thai visa-run vans from entering Malaysia on their way to Penang is not linked to the recent crackdown on visa runs in Thailand, confirmed a KBV Phuket Visa Run staffer. “Thai visa-run drivers and vehicles have not been allowed to cross the Malaysian border for more than a week now due to a small protest of…
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Jungceylon Patong sees first quarter spike in clients
PHUKET: Jungceylon Patong has announced a 20 per cent increase in clients for the first quarter this year over its figures during the same period in 2013. The increase has resulted in the daily averages at the Phuket shopping mall jumping from 45,000 – 50,000 visitors a day to 50,000 – 55,000, explained Chief Executive Officer of Jungceylon Patong Phuket…
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Serial sunscreen shoplifter snagged in sunny Phuket
PHUKET: A sunscreen shoplifter was arrested with over 20 bottles of the lotion by Phuket Police yesterday afternoon. Daoruang Budda, 31, was identified by police from CCTV footage at a Family Mart convenience store in Patong. “After we got the description out, one of our officers spotted her riding a motorbike in Patong. We followed and approached her at the…
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Rescued snorkeller stabilized, returns to Canada by air ambulance
PHUKET: After a tragic snorkelling accident that left him in the ICU for nearly a month, Canadian national Mike Reynolds and his medical team departed from Phuket Thursday afternoon and landed safely in Canada last night. Mr Reynolds, 73, suffered a drowning-induced heart attack while snorkelling off the coast of Phi Phi Island on April 22. After about 30 minutes…
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Mayor to tackle Patong corruption
Chalermluck Kebsup, 50, was voted in as Patong Mayor in the polls on April 26 (story here). She has a master’s degree in political science from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University and was Phuket Member of Parliament for 10 years, from 2001 to 2010. She is also a Patong native and a prominent businesswoman. Ms Chalermluck has also received the state…
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Balancing good and bad in a digital age
PHUKET: There is an apocryphal “curse” attributed to the ancient Chinese that is typically rendered as: “May you live in interesting times”. While its origins are sketchy at best, its popularity appears to be growing in this new era of digital information overload. The days of a popular culture developed through a limited mainstream media are long gone. Content consumers…
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Tourist visa runs are not dead: Immigration boss
PHUKET: Tourists who can prove that they are genuinely staying only short-term while travelling in Thailand will be allowed to leave on “visa-runs” and re-enter the country, Immigration Commissioner Pharnu Kerdlarpphon confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “Genuine tourists are fine. All they have to do is prove to the immigration officer at the border checkpoint that they really are tourists…
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