Year: 2001

  • Phuket News

    One dead, two stabbed at ‘full moon’ party

    BANGKOK (AFP): One foreigner drowned and two Britons were stabbed and seriously wounded during a giant beach party at a southern Thai resort last night. According to local reports, about 50,000 people – mainly foreigners – were at the party. A tourist police spokesman on the nearby island of Koh Samui said one foreigner was drowned after going for a…

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  • Phuket NewsResorts busy but suffering | Thaiger

    Resorts busy but suffering

    BANGKOK (AFP): Many resorts have no rooms left, but Thailand’s key tourism industry has taken a battering over the New Year holidays because of the September 11 terror attacks, according to a study released today. Thai Farmers Research Center (TFRC) said fears of terrorism and the gloomy world economy would drive New Year revenue from foreign tourists down to 3.0…

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  • Phuket NewsYacht excise tax finally reduced | Thaiger

    Yacht excise tax finally reduced

    PHUKET: The chief of the Phuket Provincial Excise Office, Narong Srivanitchakorn, has announced that the long-awaited reduction in excise tax on foreign registered yachts has finally come into effect. The new rate of excise tax means that anyone keeping a foreign-registered boat in Thailand for longer than six months must pay taxes and duties totaling 37.6%, or 47.2% if the…

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  • Phuket NewsSenator steps into land row | Thaiger

    Senator steps into land row

    PA KHLOK: Phuket Senator Paiboon Upatising stepped into the middle of a dispute between local villagers and a Bangkok-based landowner yesterday, standing surety for 15 villagers accused of trespass and of obstructing government officials in the execution of their duty. The charges relate to a piece of land abutting the klong in which villagers keep their fishing boats. The villagers…

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  • Phuket NewsDuangchalerm charged with murder | Thaiger

    Duangchalerm charged with murder

    BANGKOK (AFP): Prosecutors today laid charges against Duangchalerm Yoobamrung and his brother Wanchalerm over the killing of a policeman on October 29 in a Bangkok nightclub. Duangchalerm, 20, who is still in hiding, was charged with murder, while Wanchalerm, who was in court today, was charged with impeding his brother’s arrest and with illegal possession of arms, said Chavalit Lamjuanjorn,…

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  • Phuket NewsFirecracker blasts restaurant window | Thaiger

    Firecracker blasts restaurant window

    PHUKET TOWN: A firecracker planted outside the Tokyo House Japanese restaurant exploded yesterday at 2 am, making a hole in the restaurant’s front window. A second firecracker failed to detonate. Tanongsak Vongsanikul, the owner and manager of the restaurant on Phang Nga Rd, played down the incident. He told the Gazette, “I’m not taking the matter too seriously, and I…

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  • Phuket NewsCAT appeals for web watchdogs | Thaiger

    CAT appeals for web watchdogs

    THAILAND: The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) has appealed to the public to report any websites that contain rude words, that promote pornography or illicit drugs, or that defame royalty or any religion. The CAT will forward reports to the Royal Thai Police for investigation. To make a report between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, call 02-6142514-5 or fax 02-…

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  • Phuket NewsBaby elephant up for “adoption’ | Thaiger

    Baby elephant up for “adoption’

    PHUKET: The Elephant Help Project (EHP) has appealed for people to “adopt” the soon-to-be-born calf of 18-year-old elephant Sairoong, who is expecting to see in the New Year with her first baby. The arrival of the newborn jumbo will not be a first just for Sairoong, according to Chotika Hotrapavanon, Executive Director of the EHP. She told the Gazette that…

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  • Phuket NewsRed herring in reef bombing probe | Thaiger

    Red herring in reef bombing probe

    KRABI: Investigators probing the dynamiting of coral in Koh Lanta National Park thought they had made a breakthrough yesterday when a tip-off led them to two men who, they found, were in possession of explosives. Questioning revealed, however, that the two suspects had not been involved in the destruction of the Hin Daeng and Hin Muang reefs. Pol Col Adisak…

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  • Phuket NewsTAT figures show effects of Sept 11 | Thaiger

    TAT figures show effects of Sept 11

    BANGKOK (AFP): Projected growth in Thailand’s tourist arrivals this year has been cut by more than half as a result of the September 11 attacks on the United States, officials said yesterday. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said in a statement that, before September 11, visitor arrivals for the whole year had been predicted at 10.3 million, an increase…

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  • Phuket NewsPirate goods warehouses raided | Thaiger

    Pirate goods warehouses raided

    PATONG: More than 50 officers from Bangkok’s Crime Suppression Division (CSD) netted more than 7,000 items of fake brand-name merchandise yesterday evening in raids on five warehouses near the market off Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd. The officers organized the raids after being tipped off by private investigators hired by popular brand-name companies. Raphee Chumprapa, who tracks down illegal copies of…

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  • Phuket NewsStats show tourism boom – up to September | Thaiger

    Stats show tourism boom – up to September

    THAILAND: Before the effects of the September 11 atrocities hit, Thailand’s tourism was booming, with the number of tourists visiting the country up by more than 7% on the figure for 2000. According to the latest statistics issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), 7,496,718 international tourists arrived between January 1 and September 30 – a 7.16% increase on…

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  • Phuket News15th murder this year in fishing port | Thaiger

    15th murder this year in fishing port

    PHUKET TOWN: A man was found murdered on Sunday in the fishing port on Soi Si Sena, raising this year’s murder toll in the area to at least 15. Pol Maj Jiradej Kawinkij of Phuket Town Police Station said that police, after receiving a report at around 8:30 am, arrived at the scene to find the body floating in the…

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  • Phuket NewsAmbushes kill five police, one guard | Thaiger

    Ambushes kill five police, one guard

    BANGKOK (AFP): Gunmen opened fire in simultaneous attacks on police checkpoints in three southern Thai provinces, killing five officers and a civilian guard, officials said this morning. The unidentified attackers hit five police outposts – one in Yala, one in Pattani, and three in Narathiwat – at about 7:30 last night, local police said. Thai Interior Minister Purachai Piemsoomboon said…

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  • Phuket NewsWorld-renowned reefs, fish destroyed by dynamite | Thaiger

    World-renowned reefs, fish destroyed by dynamite

    KRABI: The diving community along the Andaman coast is in an uproar after fishermen used dynamite to blast fish around the famed coral reefs at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, destroying both the reefs and the marine life around them. Both sites are underwater mountains in Koh Lanta National Park. Hin Daeng, which has a peak that pokes above the…

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  • Phuket NewsVendor arrested for selling protected fish | Thaiger

    Vendor arrested for selling protected fish

    PHUKET TOWN: A vendor has been arrested for selling protected fish species at the Rassada Pier today, just days after Phuket Senator Paiboon Upatising lodged an official complaint with Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi about gaps in the law that allow many arrested for illegal fishing to walk free. Acting on a tip-off, the Marine Police and officers from the Provincial…

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  • Phuket News60,000 nabbed in clean-up | Thaiger

    60,000 nabbed in clean-up

    BANGKOK (AFP): Almost 60,000 people were arrested in the first three months of the ongoing crackdown on Bangkok’s after-hours nightspots, brothels and gambling dens, police said today. Thai police spokesman Pongsapat Pongcharoen said the crackdown had resulted in 24,867 cases involving 58,894 people. Some 8,621 people were caught betting in Thailand’s huge underground lottery while 540 people were busted for…

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  • Phuket NewsPolice step up festive season security | Thaiger

    Police step up festive season security

    PATONG: Police will tonight launch a campaign to improve tourists’ safety over the festive season by beefing up the police presence on the street. The campaign will run until January 15. A task force of 100 officers, drawn from Phuket’s Tourist, Marine and Highway Police as well as officers from Kathu Police Station, will assemble at 8 pm tonight at…

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  • Phuket NewsNaughty tour guides in the spotlight | Thaiger

    Naughty tour guides in the spotlight

    PHUKET: Vice-governor Vinai Buapradit chaired a meeting of high-ranking officials, tour guides and tourism industry representatives on Friday to discuss the problem of tour guides who damage Phuket’s tourism. At the meeting, K. Vinai highlighted the importance of the issue, saying, “The problem with tour guides is important because they represent 60 million Thais. “I’ve asked everybody here today to…

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  • Phuket NewsHealth Office Chief transferred | Thaiger

    Health Office Chief transferred

    PHUKET: Dr Boonrieng Chuchaisangrat, Chief of Phuket’s Provincial Health Office (PHO), has been reassigned to an equivalent post in the northern province of Uttaradit. His transfer will take effect on January 24. Replacing him will be Dr Wanchai Sattayawutitong, currently the Director of the International Health Division of the Office of the Permanent Secretary in Bangkok. Dr Boonrieng told the…

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  • Phuket NewsJudgment soon on murder suspect’s sanity | Thaiger

    Judgment soon on murder suspect’s sanity

    PHUKET: Specialists at the Suan Saranlom Hospital in Surat Thani say that by the end of this month they will be able to form a judgment as to whether murder suspect Siwadol “Dol” Lomin is insane or not. Dol is the prime suspect in the murder of popular Koh Yao long-tail boatman Bangsen Jaidee, 52, whose body was found floating…

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  • Phuket NewsCabinet slashes visas on arrival | Thaiger

    Cabinet slashes visas on arrival

    BANGKOK (AFP, Gazette): The cabinet decided at a meeting yesterday to axe 81 nations from a list of 97 whose citizens may obtain a 15-day tourist visa on arrival. The new list of 16 is expected to be brought into force about a month from now. Citizens from the countries chopped off the list will then have to obtain a…

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  • Phuket NewsBoom in business registrations | Thaiger

    Boom in business registrations

    PHUKET: The latest statistics on business registrations show that business people on the island are not nearly as pessimistic as might be thought, given the global downturn and the expected effects of the September 11 atrocities. In fact, the numbers from the Phuket Commercial Registration Office (CRO) show, there has been an increase in new business registrations. Veerachai Tantiwathanavallop, Director…

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  • Phuket NewsRassada Port officially opened | Thaiger

    Rassada Port officially opened

    PHUKET TOWN: CEO Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi today officially opened Rassada Port. The port, which was built by and belongs to the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), is managed by SeaTran Travel Co, which on August 20 was awarded the contract to operate the port for 30 years. SeaTran plans to develop the port into a center for tourist distribution, and…

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  • Phuket NewsSenator pushes for action on illegal fishing | Thaiger

    Senator pushes for action on illegal fishing

    PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Senator Paiboon Upatising yesterday lodged an official complaint with Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi about a loophole in the law that allows people to catch certain protected species of fish with impunity. In his complaint, Senator Paiboon said that even though many people are arrested for illegal fishing, they are released because of gaps in the law, or…

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  • Phuket NewsAll-night opening for Christmas, New Year | Thaiger

    All-night opening for Christmas, New Year

    PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police announced today that, as in previous years, entertainment venues may stay open from Christmas Eve until 6 am on Christmas Day, and from New Year’s Eve until 6 am on New Year’s Day. Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, told the Gazette, “All entertainment venues will be allowed to trade through…

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  • Phuket NewsGov backs away from Phi Phi row | Thaiger

    Gov backs away from Phi Phi row

    PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi today backed away from his controversial suggestion that the national government should buy out existing businesses on the Phi Phi islands and run the islands as a state enterprise. Addressing a press conference, the Governor said, laughing, “I don’t want to talk about this. I just wanted to shed some light on the subject. “I…

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  • Phuket NewsSeminar identifies greatest threats to Phuket | Thaiger

    Seminar identifies greatest threats to Phuket

    PHUKET TOWN: The greatest threat to Phuket’s continued success as a top tourist destination is not a lack of planning, but the fact that few plans are put into action and, when they are, there is a lack of supervision or enforcement. That was the clear message from the majority of speakers in yesterday’s seminar on “The Prospects for Land…

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  • Phuket NewsMotorcycle injury stats keep breaking records | Thaiger

    Motorcycle injury stats keep breaking records

    PHUKET: The number of people injured in traffic accidents involving motorcycles continues to reach new heights, according to the latest statistics released by the Wachira, Thalang and Patong government hospitals. Between September 20 and October 20, 958 people were injured in motorcycle accidents, boosting the year’s total to 9,481 – a 12% rise on the 8,434 injured in the same…

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  • Phuket NewsMeeting slams illegal Korean tour guides | Thaiger

    Meeting slams illegal Korean tour guides

    PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi today spearheaded an attack on the problem of illegal Korean tour guides at a high-level political meeting. The meeting, at the Phuket Provincial Hall, brought together MPs from the Parliamentary Tourism Committee and local tourism officials. “Thai guides have complained that Koreans have become the real guides, Gov Pongpayome said, “while the Thai guides…

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  • Phuket NewsAustralia road show “a big success’ | Thaiger

    Australia road show “a big success’

    PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Road Show in Australia earlier this month was a great success, Panu Massirat, a member of the Phuket Tourism Association and organizer of the road show, said today. “As soon as I got back to Phuket, I got more than 10 phone calls from tour agencies in Australia asking me about tourism in Phuket, and the…

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  • Phuket NewsTeenagers reenact Ao Nang killing | Thaiger

    Teenagers reenact Ao Nang killing

    KRABI: The three teenagers accused of the murder of German tourist Petra Sack on Ao Nang Beach two weeks ago took part yesterday in a reenactment of the crime. But despite one of them retracing his flight from the scene, during which, he told police, he had lost the knife used to stab Ms Sack, police were unable to find…

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  • Phuket NewsA false sense of security | Thaiger

    A false sense of security

    PHUKET TOWN: This year has not been a good one for 47-year-old security guard Pirat Rungpian, from Nakhon Pathom. After six years of robbing businesses he was supposed to be protecting, his career in crime finally came to a halt after a wheel fell off. Literally. Pirat was arrested in Nakhon Sawan on Friday on a charge of attempted robbery…

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  • Phuket NewsIslander stings “black money’ con man | Thaiger

    Islander stings “black money’ con man

    BANGKOK: Utter the phrases “West African” and “black money” in the same breath, and, surely, most people will sniff one of the oldest con-tricks in the book. Yet it seems that there are still some people out there whose greed makes them blind to their own gullibility. Granted, in the latest case to come to light, the con men carefully…

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  • Phuket NewsThree confess to Ao Nang murder – police | Thaiger

    Three confess to Ao Nang murder – police

    KRABI: Police have arrested three construction workers from Amphur Chaoud, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, who, they say, have confessed to stabbing 33-year-old German tourist Petra Sack on Ao Nang Beach on November 28 at Ao Nang. Miss Sack died four hours after the stabbing. Two of the three were arrested on Sunday. One, a 16-year-old, was found in Songkhla, where he…

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  • Phuket NewsPolice seek better photos of mob leaders | Thaiger

    Police seek better photos of mob leaders

    THALANG: Police have been unable to issue warrants for the arrests of people suspected of being involved in a mob three weeks ago at the Yacht Haven marina because the pictures they have are not clear enough for positive identification. The mob beat up Kent Michalick, a member of the crew of the superyacht Yanneke Too and trashed the pick-up…

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  • Phuket NewsRegatta ends on windless note | Thaiger

    Regatta ends on windless note

    KATA: The 15th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta ended with a whimper rather than a bang when the final day’s racing was canceled for lack of wind – the second such windless day in the six-day event. As a result, the seven class awards were made on the basis of races completed by the end of Friday, as follows: Racing: 1.…

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