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New orphanage nearing completion
KOH KAEW: Construction of the Phuket SOS Children’s Village on 10 rai on the road from Thepkrasattri Rd to British International School (BIS) is expected to be completed by the end of this month. The SOS Foundation of Thailand, under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, is a member of the Austria-based charity SOS Kinderdorf International (SOS-KDI). The…
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Phuket-bound tourists stranded in Bangkok
PHUKET: Now that One-Two-Go and Nok Air have stopped flying to Phuket, many tourists are unable to find flights to our southern isle.Angry Finnish tourist Arto Tiitinen called from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok this morning to inform the Gazette that many other irate Phuket-bound tourists were awaiting standby flights.“I’m surprised that there are not extra flights; now my family must holiday elsewhere.…
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Land brokers in murder-suicide
THALANG: A local land broker shot dead his female business partner and then turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide last Sunday.The incident occurred at Manas House rented apartments on Thepkrasattri Rd in Srisoonthorn.After the owner of the apartment block heard gunshots, he called the police, who arrived at the scene about 5 pm, Pol Maj Prakob Boonkwun told the Gazette.The…
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Soldiers of fortune found dead in Rawai
RAWAI: Two men who worked for a “security” company in Iraq died from suspected drug overdoses in Rawai on Monday while on holiday in Phuket.Australian ex-soldier Jason Gerrard Flynn, 32, from Perth, and James Plunkett Howe, 34, from the UK, were staying in Soi Sammakkee 2 with their Australian friend Mark Leo, who discovered their bodies on Monday morning.“Both of…
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Nok Air ceases Phuket flights
PHUKET: From August 1, low-cost carrier Nok Air will no longer operate flights between Phuket and Bangkok, the Gazette has confirmed.The move follows Nok Air ceasing its services between Krabi and Bangkok on July 1.“Nok Air has no official statement regarding its marketing strategies, but if one looks carefully at what we are doing they might be able to figure…
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“Wave watcher’ may predict tsunamis
PHUKET: An automatic weather station to be installed on Koh Racha Noi will also measure wave and tidal movements, which may be able to help warn against impending tsunamis.The proposal has been approved by the Royal Thai Navy and the Town & Country Planning Department, though the budget required has yet to be determined, said Chumnong Chitpukdee, Director of Southern…
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Tosaporn named Korean Honorary Consul for Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Member of Parliament Tosaporn Tephabutra has been appointed the Republic of Korea’s Honorary Consul for Phuket and the new consular office here opened yesterday. Its opening occurs in a year coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Thailand, which will be observed on October 4. Presiding over the opening ceremony at the new office, located near Surakul Stadium on Wichit Songkram…
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Father who allegedly abducted girl to Cambodia is arrested
SWEDEN (Nation): Alicia Elfversson on Friday arrived in Sweden with her mother and aunt, who for the past year have been looking for the girl. Alicia was reported missing on June 4 last year after her father, Torgier Nordbo, picked her up for a routine visit to see relatives in Norway. (Click here for previous report.) Nordbo, who has business…
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Phuket “69ers’ to promote Thai ICT in China
PHUKET CITY: Representatives from Phuket businesses and other organizations will travel to Nanning City in Guangxi, China, for the 5th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) to be held from October 22-25.Phuket Vice-Governor Smith Palawatwichai met officers from the Department of Export Promotion (DEP), the Phuket Office of the Software Industries Promotion Agency (SIPA) and Phuket business operators at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday…
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Immigration chief targets “national stability’
PHUKET CITY: In Phuket to officiate at the opening of the new Phuket Provincial Immigration Office at Saphan Hin today, Immigration Commissioner Lt Gen Chatchawan Suksomchit yesterday announced that he is shaking up his ranks to use technology to be more effective.Gen Chatchawan, Thailand’s top Immigration officer, said his goal is to improve “national stability” in order to restore investor…
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Anti-smuggler task force stages simulation
AO CHALONG: While the record fleet was wrapping up racing in the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek at Chalong Bay on Sunday, the Phuket Marine Police, Thai Customs officers and the Royal Thai Navy Third Fleet staged a co-ordinated, simulated raid on a fishing boat with the crew pretending to be arms smugglers.In the exercise, a response group combining all three organizations…
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Man drowns in “freak wave’
PATONG (Gazette, Kom Chad Leuk): The body of one of the three men who were dashed against rocks at Paradise Beach by a single large wave on Saturday was recovered today.Cap Nithikorn Rawang, duty officer at Kathu Police Station, told the Gazette that the men were fishing off a rocky outcrop near Paradise Beach when they were swamped by a…
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Yo!2 blitzes Phuket Raceweek regatta
AO CHALONG: Perth-based sailor Peter Ahern, skippering his new boat Yo!2, left the rest of the fleet in his wake at this year’s Six Senses Phuket Raceweek with eight wins from eight races to take the honors in the top-flight IRC 1 class today. Ahern, who is also the Commodore of the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Perth, finished…
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OrBorTor moves to keep Koh Maphrao clean
KOH MAPHRAO: In a move to keep Koh Maphrao clean, Koh Kaew Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), the local authority responsible for Koh Maphrao, will place trash cans around the island.Koh Kaew OrBorTor President Kuakiat Jitkua today told the Gazette, “I’m trying to improve waste disposal at Laem Hin and Koh Maphrao. “On Wednesday, we held a beach cleanup with local…
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Yo!2 finds Raceweek plain sailing
AO CHALONG: Peter Ahern’s crew aboard Yo2! have maintained their lead in the IRC 1 class of this year’s Six Senses Phuket Raceweek with two more wins today, leaving them with four wins from four races so far in the series. Other provisional results posted this afternoon show that Ben Copely’s Swan 42 Katsu, racing in her first Raceweek regatta,…
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Yo!2 blows into first place in Raceweek opener
AO CHALONG: After torrential downpours delayed the start of the first race yesterday morning, crews racing in the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek regatta were blessed with steady winds of more than 10 knots pushing the record fleet around the courses. The fleet of 44 yachts, competing in seven classes, faced miserable conditions as heavy rain forced organizers to delay the…
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Vandals slash Patong election campaign posters
PATONG: Ahead of the Patong municipal election on Sunday, many of the campaign posters of mayoral candidate Somkiet Kuru, of the Patong Gao Na (Progress) party, posted throughout the resort town, have been slashed by vandals.Khun Somkiet is the only mayoral candidate opposing Pian Keesin, who is campaigning for his second consecutive term as mayor.Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnark…
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Fuel price cuts effective Friday
PHUKET: Phuket motorists will benefit from a reduction in fuel prices tomorrow following an announcement today by the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) that gasohol, diesel and benzine prices at PTT and Bangchak stations will be lowered.Sunee Sorn-In, owner of the Kata Petroleum gas station operated under PTT, confirmed that the reduction will come into effect tomorrow and that her gas…
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New international school set to open
THALANG: Phuket International Academy (PIA), under construction on Soi Teenped-Nanai, in Baan Nanai and next to Khao Pra Taew National Park, is scheduled to open on September 8 with its first students, ranging from nursery to Grade 4, taking classes.The academy, once complete, will run through senior high school and a boast modern sports and performing arts facilities. All construction is scheduled…
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World health tourism conference slated to bring US$10 million
KARON: An international convention on medical and health tourism to be be held in Phuket next year is expected to generate US$10 million, according to the event’s organizer, SOS Medical Tourism Services.The World Medical Health Tourism Conference (TWMHTC) 2009 will be held at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa from September 16 to 18 2009.“Phuket is the ideal location…
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OrBorJor to offer incentives for rooms tax
PHUKET: In a move to encourage Phuket hotels to pay their dues, Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising has said that the OrBorJor would start offering incentives to hotels that paid the controversial rooms tax.Although he did not specifically explain what incentives would be offered, Khun Paiboon said that they would be in the form of personnel or…
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One-two-go, Orient Thai hit by 30-day flight suspension
BANGKOK (Nation): One-Two-Go and Orient Thai Airlines risk seeing their aviation licenses revoked if they fail to tackle the defects that led to the suspension of their flight services today.That possibility comes amid growing concerns about the airlines’ safety standards.About 40,000 passengers on their booking lists will be affected by the 30-day flight suspension starting today and will receive combined…
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Big Buddha cost to top 100 million baht
CHALONG: The total cost of Phuket’s Big Buddha image on top of the Nakkerd Hills between Kata-Karon and Chalong is predicted to surpass 100 million baht, said Suporn Vanichkul, President of the Mingmongkol Faith 45 committee, which is raising funds for the project.K. Suporn told the Gazette that the structural work on the Big Buddha is almost finished and that…
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One-Two-Go forced to suspend operations
BANGKOK (Nation): Low-cost carrier One-Two-Go will suspend its operations from Tuesday until September 15, making it the first airline victim of record oil prices. Founder and CEO Udom Tatiprosongchai said the unrelenting rise in oil prices had forced the airline to shut down temporarily. “The company has been losing money for months, and we cannot continue like this,” said K.…
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Trawler sinks off Koh Racha Yai
KOH RACHA YAI: Crew on board the Sang Samut scrambled on top of their upturned hull yesterday morning as their 40-foot fishing boat sunk in rough seas off Koh Racha Yai.Sopon Sukkarin, vice-chairman of Koh Racha Yai Conservation and Prevention Network Club, told the Gazette, “The boat started taking on water the night before, when there were torrential downpours and…
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Intarat takes to the air
KARON: Maj Gen Intarat Yodbangtoey, “special adviser” to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Anongwan Thepsutin, wrapped up his two-day visit to Phuket yesterday with a helicopter inspection tour of suspected illegally acquired land plots on Phuket.“About 20 construction sites believed to be illegal are under investigation by the DSI [Department of Special Investigations]. We expect the DSI to announce the…
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Heavy rains cause traffic delays
KOH KAEW: As the rain continues to fall on the island, motorists on Thepkrasattri Rd near Boat Lagoon this morning saw waters rise to more than a meter deep across the three northbound lanes.Police allowed only high-clearance vehicles to pass, such as pickup trucks, directing them in single file through the shallowest point, while diverting other vehicles to alternative routes.Many…
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Campaign to reduce plastic waste launched
PHUKET CITY: In possibly Phuket’s first unilateral move to reduce the volume of trash created each day on the island, the leaders of all 19 local administration organizations on Phuket – as well as representatives of 23 businesses, shops, department stores and resorts on the island – signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at The Metropole hotel on July 9.…
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Goat beauties open agricultural fair
CHERNG TALAY: This year’s Cherng Talay Agricultural Fair began today with a beauty contest with a difference – the pageant aimed to find the island’s most attractive goat. Organized by Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), the five-day event offers islanders a chance to cop an eyeful of Phuket’s most attractive fruits, flowers and farm animals. Flowers and other agricultural…
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Abandoned Kancils baffle Customs officers
CHALONG: The discovery of two Perodua Kancil cars, found abandoned at two different locations on the island last week, have sparked a search by Customs officers for the people who left them behind.Customs officers found one of the Malaysian-made cars hidden in a rubber plantation on Sakdidet Rd, Wichit, on July 8.The white four-door Perodua Kancil was not fitted with…
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