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Korean tourist to Phuket found dead snorkeling off Phi Phi Island
PHUKET: A 29-year-old Korean tourist on holiday in Phuket has died while snorkeling off Phi Phi Island during a day trip to the popular beach resort. The man, named by Tourist Police as Jury Kuk Kim, was on a Korean package tour and staying at a hotel in Patong. The tour group, comprising about 40 tourists from South Korea, arrived…
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Phuket making waves as jet-skis get legal
PHUKET: The issue of jet-ski insurance, a topic that never seems to be off the back-burner, resurfaced earlier this month at the Honorary Consuls’ regular four-monthly meeting. British Honorary Consul Martin Carpenter asked the Marine Department chief if he could provide clear information warning tourists of the potential quagmire they face should they get into problems while renting a jet-ski.…
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Phuket Opinion: Setting standards for everything
PHUKET: The mantra of government officials regurgitating their need to preserve “Phuket’s tourism image” and to “restore tourist confidence” in what is promoted as a world-class international tourism destination, took an interesting twist last week. (See page 7 story, current issue of the Phuket Gazette. Digital subscribers click here to download the full newspaper.) One would think that local officials…
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Parliament joins Phuket national park fray
PHUKET: Narit Khamnurak, Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE), this week led a parliamentary inquiry to follow up the investigation into resorts accused of encroaching on national park land on Phuket’s west coast. At Sirinath Marine National Park headquarters, Mr Narit together with nine officers on Friday reviewed the investigation reports…
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Work begins on repairing Patong Hill road landslide site
PHUKET: Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luadwonghat kept his promise made yesterday that as soon as the rains stopped today, his workers were out in force making temporary repairs to the Patong Hill road. The section of road, just west of the Chinese shrine at the top of the hill, first collapsed during heavy rains last October, then again in…
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Lucky escape for Phuket driver as police hunt 18-wheeler
PHUKET: A 19-year-old man escaped serious injury when the Isuzu pickup he was driving slammed into an 18-wheeled truck and trailer on Thepkrasattri Road in the north of Phuket this afternoon. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkwan arrived at the scene, near the Baan Muang Mai market in Thalang, at about 1:30pm to find Mr Ken Patan still pinned inside…
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Three more injured turtles wash up on Phuket’s beaches
PHUKET: Another three young Olive Ridley sea turtles were discovered washed up on Phuket beaches yesterday. All were missing limbs, presumed to have been severed by discarded fishing nets. Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, who heads the Endangered Species Unit at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), told the Phuket Gazette that the turtles were discovered by local residents and lifeguards at…
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Weather News: Bangkok gets biggest soaking in 100 years
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rainfall highest in 100 years, BMA claims Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday insisted that rainfall in the capital this month has been the highest in 100 years. “I have clear information,” said Sanya Sheenimit in his capacity as chief…
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AirAsia move to axe Phuket-Bali, Ubon flights sparks ire from ‘stranded’ travellers
PHUKET: Low cost carrier AirAsia’s decision to cease operations from Phuket to Bali and to Ubon Ratchthani has sparked a storm of angry comments directed at AirAsia’s call center by passengers feeling that they have been left stranded. Staff at the AirAsia office in Phuket told the Phuket Gazette that they had fielded many queries, mainly asking what travellers can…
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Phuket Sports: Pride, punishment and pain
PHUKET: Singapore was a tragedy for Lewis Hamilton and McLaren. Hamilton would have been the clear winner, until his gearbox disintegrated and catapulted Vettel into first place, Button to second, and most importantly, Alonso into third place. That changed what might have been. A resurgent Vettel is now hunting down Alonso, and Hamilton has dropped to the back of the…
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Carnage to Phuket’s marine life continues
PHUKET: In just one day, half a dozen Olive Ridley sea turtles were rescued in Phuket, all suffering lacerations caused by fishing nets, and a young dolphin was stranded on Mai Khao Beach.Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, head of the Endangered Species Unit (ESU) at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), revealed yesterday that ESU officers received a report from lifeguards at Karon…
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Work on Phuket’s B600mn underpass to begin after October 9
PHUKET: Construction of the underpass at the Darasamuth Intersection, in front of the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall, will not commence until at least October 9, the director of the Highways Department’s Phuket office confirmed today. The government tender for Italian-Thai Co Ltd, Thailand’s largest construction contractor, to formally take on the project was supposed to be signed today, Phuket…
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Go Eco Phuket record reef cleanup will go on, say organizers
PHUKET: Organizers of the Go Eco Phuket dive reef cleanup project this Sunday, which is on target to set a new world record for the number of people taking part in a single underwater cleanup operation, say the event will go ahead. “There is no chance we are canceling,” Tony Andrews, Thailand’s West Coast PADI Regional Manager and Go Eco…
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June warms up Phuket FC for September showdown with Sri Racha
PHUKET: The Islander’s newly appointed head coach, Anuruck “June” Srikerd got his first chance to see his new side in action during a friendly match against a mixed Southern B-side last night. Played on Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club’s artificial-grass pitch, the friendly proved to be a much needed confidence boost for Phuket, who scored 5 unanswered goals against their…
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Rain causes Patong Hill road landslide – again
PHUKET: The section of road on Patong Hill that was washed away by heavy rain last year has suffered another landslide, in the same place, after days of heavy rain soaking Phuket this week. The section of road, just west of the Chinese shrine at the top of the hill, first collapsed during heavy rains last October, then again in…
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It would be a challenging task for Thailand…
“It would be a challenging task for Thailand. It may not be easy for Thailand to host a race. There may be several problems to solve before Thailand hosts a race such as noise pollution,” PHUKET: Suwat Sidthilaw, permanent secretary to the Tourism and Sports Ministry talks about the possibility of Bangkok hosting a night time Formula One race in…
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Thai Navy in Phuket does it “Gangnam Style’
PHUKET: Thai Sailors at the Navy Third Area Command, based at Cape Panwa on Phuket’s east coast, have broken their stoic mold and posted a video on YouTube showing that they can have fun too, by dancing in the now-globally infectious Korean “Gangnam Style”. Click here to see the video. “The video was created for the farewell party last night…
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Waves continue to sweep injured turtles onto Phuket
PHUKET: Officers at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) recovered a juvenile Olive Ridley sea turtle suffering from lacerations, and its front left flipper amputated entirely, from Mai Khao Beach yesterday. “We received a report from The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation that the turtle had washed ashore in front of Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa – Marriott at Mai…
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Missing Phuket student, 17, found drowned
PHUKET: Rescue workers have recovered the body of the missing 17-year-old student who was swept away by strong waves when he entered the surf while with friends at Nai Yang Beach on Tuesday.Nithipol Lorlaem’s body was found this morning, about 500 meters from the police box near the beach, where he was last seen in the strong surf.“Six lifeguards, Mr…
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Travel Malaysia Consumer Fair starts tomorrow
PHUKET: Starting tomorrow the Tourism Malaysia Phuket Office for Southern Thailand, will once again be staging the Travel Malaysia Consumer Fair at Central Festival Phuket. This will be the second series of road shows and consumer fairs held in selected areas in Southern Thailand, includ ing Trang, Koh Samui and now Phuket. Selected outbound tour operators in Phuket will be…
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Roads reopen as floods recede, but residents still on high alert
PHUKET: Police today reopened roads in Phuket’s busiest tourist town of Patong after heavy rain there yesterday delivered floodwaters reaching depths of up to a meter deep, cutting off roads and access throughout the resort town. The worst affected area was Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in front of the Patong Hospital. Thaweewong Road, including near Loma Park on the…
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Health officials call for a ‘safer’ Phuket Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: With 70 people injured and one person dying from complications brought on by smoke inhalation during the Vegetarian Festival last year, the Phuket Health Office is calling for more stringent measures to protect celebrants from harm this year. Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) chief Dr Sak Tanchaikul called the heads of Chinese shrines taking part in the this year’s…
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Thailand News: Failure to join CLMV could cost millions
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Reluctance to join single-visa scheme could prove to be costly Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Thailand has to revise its strategy concerning a regional single visa scheme, or it could lose millions of tourists to neighboring countries, which are kicking off the “CLMV Single Visa”…
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Phuket Vice Governor to take the big chair on October 1
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa will take on the responsibility of Acting Governor from October 1 following the Thai Cabinet failing to name a successor to Tri Augkardacha, who will retire this Sunday, September 30.The news follows a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday not including the annual reshuffle of provincial governors on its agenda as Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit…
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Search launched for 17-year-old feared drowned in Phuket
PHUKET: The search continues for a 17-year-old student who disappeared in strong waves at Nai Yang Beach late yesterday afternoon.Royal Thai Navy officers from the Third Naval Area command in Phuket and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers resumed their search for Nithipol Lorlaem at 8am today, after it was deemed unsafe to continue the search around midnight last night.Mr Nithipol’s parents,…
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Update: Jellyfish attack not anywhere near Phuket
PHUKET: Following the confusing report by the Daily Mail of a British mum on holiday suffering severe injuries in a jellyfish attack “somewhere near Phuket”, the Phuket Gazette has since discovered that the woman was first treated at a hospital near Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand, about 600 kilometers away from Phuket. Contrary to our earlier report, Bangkok…
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Weather warning issued as rain soaks Phuket traffic
PHUKET: Heavy rain across Phuket this morning has caused minor flooding in some areas and severely hampered traffic flow during the morning rush hour.The Phuket Gazette has received reports of minor flooding in Phuket Town, as well as some parts of Chalong and Patong.The news comes as the Thai Meteorological Department (MD) at 5am today issued its eighth consecutive “heavy…
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Go-Eco Phuket dives for biggest reef cleanup in world
PHUKET: Qualifiers keep dropping with Go-Eco Phuket as the environmental group prepares for its official launch on September 30 with the biggest reef cleanup of any kind in the world. “On September 30, the eyes of the world will be attracted to Phuket,” Tony Andrews, Thailand’s West coast PADI Regional Manager and Project AWARE Ambassador, said at a press conference…
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Phuket landowner denies “ghosting’ land titles
PHUKET: Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Secretary-General Col Dusadee Arayawuth encountered an unusual experience during his inspection of four plots in Phuket yesterday. The named landowner, for two plots along the coastal road north of Patong, denied any knowledge of owning the land under investigation and expressed no intention of even wanting to claim ownership of the plots in question.…
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Phuket endangered species experts launch turtle preservation project
PHUKET: Islanders living on Koh Ra and Koh Pratong in Phang Nga have been selected by the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) to participate in a pilot scheme for a community network to preserve the sea turtle population. Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, who heads the PMBC’s Endangered Species Unit, told the Phuket Gazette that the number of turtles laying eggs on…
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