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The Thaiger key takeaways Peak season brings higher prices, but smart planning and local know-how can help you experience Northern Thailand affordably. Chiang Mai, Pai, and Chiang Rai offer plenty of free or low-cost attractions, from temples and canyons to...
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Phuket Live Wire: Surfing waves at high speed
PHUKET: Understanding the changing tide of internet speeds on Phuket is easier said than done. Everybody wants to know how fast their internet connection is running, and what they can do to speed it up. Fortunately, internet speeds in Phuket have been improving – dramatically in some cases. The general SOP level (“Screams Of Pain”) this year, compared to two…
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Body of missing deckhand found off southern Phuket
PHUKET: The body of deckhand Nati Tavorn, reported missing by his Phuket employer early yesterday morning, was found floating off Coral Island (Koh Hei) yesterday afternoon. The body, discovered at about 5pm, was returned to Chalong Pier at about 6pm and taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, his employer Martin Eleveld told the Phuket Gazette. Mr Nati, 50, was a deckhand…
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German TV crew in Phuket “satisfied’ with dirty water recourse
PHUKET: The host of the popular German TV travel show We Save Your Vacation today said he was “satisfied” with the action being taken by Phuket authorities to ensure untreated wastewater does not contaminate Phuket beaches. Environmental engineer Siripong Pasari of Southern Thai Consulting Co Ltd today treated Mr Benko to a full explanation of what happened in March, when…
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No break for Phuket Snooker Cup star
PHUKET: Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm (James Wattana) ranked 67 in the world thrilled his Phuket fans with back-to-back wins over the past 24 hours at the Sangsom Phuket Snooker Cup. The tournament is being hosted at the Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa in Patong and features several of the world’s top 100 players. Play began at 1pm today with Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm (Wattana)…
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Phuket light-rail plan inches forward
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Office will finalize its list of potential bidders for work on a light-rail and other transport mega-projects next week. At a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall last Wednesday, Phuket Vice Governor Nivit Aroonrat told government officials and private sector attendees the province would draft invitation letters to the finalist bidders on June 16. Among the organizations represented…
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Phuket dinghy found adrift, deckhand missing
PHUKET: A crew member of a Phuket fishing boat charter company was reported missing this morning in Chalong Bay. Nati Tavorn, a deckhand for Phuket Fish Boat, failed to arrive at the company offices after spending the night aboard one of the company’s boats in Chalong Bay. A search of the pier and beach by company staff, where the boat…
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FC Phuket’s darling Diarra Ali returns
PHUKET: Former FC Phuket player Diarra Ali will once again call Surakul Stadium his home, the Phuket Gazette learned today. The star striker was a key player in FC Phuket’s promotion to the Football Association of Thailand’s Division 1 last December. FC Phuket Secretary Sorranan Sanae said, “Diarra will play his last game for Muangthong United at the end of…
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Burden chalks up opening win at Phuket Snooker Cup
PHUKET SNOOKER: Alfred Burden of the UK began the Sangsom Phuket Snooker Cup in fine style this afternoon with a 4-1 victory over Thailand’s Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon in the opening match. Burden is ranked 57th in the world, while Thanawat trails in 82nd place. Match two, an all-Thailand affair, started at 4pm, between Nakorn Chapon and Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm, better known to…
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Phuket family mourns drowned boy, age 7
PHUKET: A seven-year-old Phuket boy drowned today while he was bathing beside his father’s fishing boat. Sukaiya Kunpaw entered the canal in Mai Khao at about midday while his father, 38-year-old Adun Kunpaw, was cleaning his boat. With tears in his eyes and a wavering voice, Mr Adun told the Phuket Gazette that young Sukaiya was bathing on the other…
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When I was a lad…
PHUKET: “It’s something that will be a great story when I’m an old man telling my grandkids that I was once the best player in the world at golf. It’s a little surreal.” Luke Donald already relishing the opportunity to have yawning kids listen to his golfing war stories. Thirty three year old Donald becomes the third Englishman after Sir…
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Lucky FC Phuket scrape a draw
PHUKET: FC Phuket continued their poor performance away from home yesterday with a 1-1 draw against Air Force United (AF Utd). The draw leaves FC Phuket in ninth place in Thai Premier League (TPL) division one. The seven yellow cards issued were not indicative of a bad-tempered encounter, but reflected the game’s tempo and spirited challenges from both teams, aware…
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Phuket Police to lead the way to free, fair election
PHUKET: Following reports of vote buying in the run-up to the general election, Phuket’s top cop is calling for stepped-up security that could include arrest of anyone found in public without a national ID card, from June 15 onward, according to local news reports. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said today the only complaints related to the election thus…
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Phuket Breaking News: Karaoke owner gunned down in Karon
PHUKET: A karaoke owner in Karon was shot at close range by gunmen this morning after a night of drinking on Phuket’s west coast, the island’s primary destination for tourists. Sompong Saenim was drinking with five men at his karaoke bar and restaurant on Patak Road when at about 7:30am two of the group pulled out guns and fired about…
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Nadal clinical on clay
PHUKET: The “King of Clay” Rafael Nadal Parera turned in a majestic performance on Sunday to defeat world number three Roger Federer and win a record equaling sixth French Open tennis title. Nadal won the Coup des Mousquetaires [name of the French Open trophy] at his first attempt in 2005 aged 19 and made the grand slam event his own…
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Asia gets first grand slam victory
PHUKET: Li Na stamped her name on sports history on Saturday by winning the French Open at Roland Garros, becoming the first tennis player from China to win a Grand Slam singles final. A straight sets victory 6-4, 7-6 over defending champion Francesca Schiavone from Italy was completed in less than two hours by the world number seven. Li was…
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Phuket Opinion: Why not recognize honor at street level?
PHUKET: Phuket has launched a contest to name the new road that opened late in December. It connects Saphan Hin with Chao Fa East Rd on the outskirts of Phuket Town. [See story, page 2, in the current issue of the Phuket Gazette. Digital subscribers click here to download the full issue.] That a new name is needed would probably…
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F1 back in Bahrain
PHUKET – Quote of the day: “The Bahrain Grand Prix has always been a source of national pride and it is an event that transcends politics.” – Zayed Rashid Alzayani, chairman of the Bahrain International Circuit gushes over the reinstatement of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Yesterday’s unanimous decision by Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) means October 30 will see the…
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Phuket Election: Cherng Talay votes for new mayor
PHUKET: Residents in Cherng Talay today cast their ballots to put a new mayor and six council members into office. Suniran Rachatapreuk, 48, is running for re-election. He has served as Cherng Talay mayor since July 1999. His only opponent is 51-year-old Somsak Sophanon, who served as a Cherng Talay Municipality Council member during Mr Suniran’s second term, between 2003…
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Phuket politician arrested on drugs, weapons charges
PHUKET: A local politician and two other men have been arrested and charged with possession and sale of narcotics after a raid on their jungle hangout in Phuket yesterday. At a police press conference at Phuket City Police Station this morning, Phuket Provincial Police Superintendent Pekad Tantipong identified the suspects as Cherng Talay subdistrict councilor Nakhin “Poo” Wisuttharom, 36, and…
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Phuket pips Bangkok for inaugural Legends Tour match
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette this morning confirmed that the inaugural match of the Football Legends Tour – in which the Liverpool Legends squad will take on the Legends of Thailand team – will be held in Phuket. Phuket will now host the inaugural Prime Minister’s Football Legends Charity Cup match on Sunday, October 2 at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club…
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Phuket double murder was drug deal gone sour
PHUKET: Police have arrested two men for their part in the murders of a man and a woman whose bodies were dumped over a beachfront cliff in Nai Thon before dawn on Tuesday morning. Sittipong Chareonrak and Ammarin Pantip were presented to the media today at a press conference at Tah Chat Chai Checkpoint. The men were identified by Sanit…
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Officials investigate more Phuket beach encroachment
PHUKET: A handful of bars and restaurants built on Bang Tao Beach are being investigated to determine whether or not they are encroaching on state land. Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak on Wednesday led a team of investigators to the site. Accompanying him were representatives from local authorities such as Cherng Talay Municipality, Thalang District Office, Phuket Marine Office and Cherng…
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FC Phuket accept 5-2 loss
PHUKET – Quote of the day: “If we have to travel [to Bangkok FC] to play a mere six minutes, I think it will be an non beneficial waste of expense…and so we’ve made an official report stating this reason as why we won’t travel to play the rest of the game…and are ready to accept the loss with the…
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Phuket braces for more heavy rain
PHUKET: June has started out as a very rainy month in Phuket, with sustained rainfall and thunderstorms covering the island. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) website reports rainfall reached a high of 100.2mm over the 24-hour period of June 1 with winds topping 64 kilometers per hour (kmh) at Phuket International Airport. Phuket’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation this…
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Former meth addict saws own neck, dies
A MENTALLY-ill man killed himself on a building site by pushing a rotating saw into his own neck, police said. Saemdam Police were called to the scene in Bang Khun Thian district in Bangkok after the body of Ek Boonmee, 34, was found next to the saw. Mr Ek’s father, Nawi Boon-mee, 56, told police that his son suffered from…
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No more Glory for Robbie Fowler
PHUKET SPORTS: Former Liverpool FC star Robbie Fowler is in Bangkok this weekend playing in the Tesco Lotus Masters football sevens tournament, which includes teams from Asia, Europe and a selection from Phuket. Known as “God” to the Liverpool faithful, Fowler joins other ex-professionals such as Lee Sharpe and Ian Rush at Patana International School in Bangkok for the annual…
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Phuket F1 fans await Bahrain bid today
PHUKET: Formula One fans in Phuket eagerly await a decision on whether the Bahrain Grand Prix, originally scheduled for March 13, will be re-scheduled to November 20 later this year. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone may move the season’s last race in Brazil back to October 2 which could result in the Indian GP being cancelled. Bahrain was due to host…
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Phuket Live Wire: Still dreaming about 3G
PHUKET: The easiest way to get 3G service in Phuket involves a trek to the True office in Phuket Town, in the little building in front of Robinson’s department store. There you will find several people who understand 3G (believe me, that’s quite an accomplishment), and they’ll set you up with 3G service. If you already have a True SIM…
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‘Streets of Phuket’ maps added to Gazette web news
PHUKET: By popular demand, Phuket Gazette online readers can now view accurate pop-up maps embedded in news stories with the single click of a mouse, thanks to a new partnership with IMAGE Asia and their best-selling Streets Of Phuket atlas. For example, see our news about the recently opened Phuket Provincial Administration Organization Hospital on Srisena Road. Click on the…
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Phuket sailing legends line up for Raceweek
PHUKET SPORTS: The Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, winner of the Asia Boating Award for “Best Asian Regatta of the Year 2011”, returns with four days of international-standard yacht racing, from July 20 to 24. Now in its eighth year, the event attracts a host of yachts with a range of competitive standards across several classes. Critical to being voted best…
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