Phuket News and Events Phuket News and Events (thaivisa.com) http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:26:19 +0700 2 Phuket Murder Suspect Collared In Coffin Shop http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Murder-Suspect-Collared-Cof-t315909.html Phuket murder suspect collared in coffin shop



Mr Kiattisak arrives at Chalong Police Station last night after
his capture in Chumphon earlier that day.



The suspect poses in a group photo with arresting officers,
together with a small arsenal of weapons seized as evidence
in the case.

CHALONG, PHUKET: Police yesterday morning arrested two suspects for the November 4 shooting murder of 38-year-old Weerathep Kamchan inside a flower shop on Chao Fa East Road.

Police initially suspected romantic jealousy as the motive for the murder, as the victim was known to be having a relationship with 36-year-old Boonruen Buasi, a married woman.
Mrs Boonruen, who was with the victim at the time of the shooting, immediately reported his murder to police.

Chalong Police Inspector Jarun Bangprasert said Boonruen's husband, 36-year-old Kiattisak Buasi, was picked up at the 'Mai Coffin Shop' in Chumphon's Muang District at around 7:30am yesterday.
About half an hour earlier, police had arrested his alleged accomplice, 27-year-old Weerawat Sonsuwan.

Mr Weerawat was apprehended as he was arriving to work at the nearby Chumphon Hospital.
Inside Mr Weerawat's red Isuzu pickup police found four shotguns of various calibers, ammunition and five cellphones, Maj Jarun said.

The nature of his work at the hospital has not been reported.
Both men have already confessed to charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
Mr Weerawat has also been charged with two arms violations.

Police have not yet determined which man actually pulled the trigger.
The key piece of evidence leading to the arrest was CCTV surveillance footage of the two men passing though the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint about an hour after the shooting, Maj Jarun said.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/20

]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:24:04 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Murder-Suspect-Collared-Cof-t315909.html Tsunami Warning Critic To Launch New System http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Tsunami-Warning-Critic-Launch-Sys-t315896.html Tsunami warning critic to launch new system



Phuket has 19 warning of the 200 tsunami warning towers
that were set up by the system Dr Smith devised.
This one is one of three along Patong Beach.

PHUKET CITY: Former National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) director and a critic of the current warning system's administration plans to launch an additional disaster warning system with the aim of better informing the public of impending disasters.
The man behind the new warning system, Dr Smith Dharmasaroja, is preparing to launch the 'parallel' national tsunami warning system on December 26, the fifth anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster.

Dr Smith said the foundation has the same objectives that the NDWC was founded upon.
The new foundation will have as its deputy board chairman former Irrigation Department director Pramoj Maiklad.
Mr Pramoj, a retired water supply expert, is well known to Thais as the man seen accompanying HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej on numerous inspection tours of irrigation and water supply projects around the country.

The new foundation will be called the Foundation for National Disaster Warning System of Thailand (NDWST) and would use volunteer technical experts and community radio stations to help warn the public of impending disasters, Dr Smith said.
Dr Smith is a harsh critic of the current work and administration of the NDWC, which is now under the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology.

He is currently in a legal battle with the NDWC over allegations previously made about their work, he said.
As head of the Meteorological Department ten years before the 2004 disaster, Dr Smith was ignored and ridiculed for warning of the dangers of a tsunami along Thailand's coastline.

After the disaster, he was appointed by then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to head up the NDWC, which was initially under the Prime Minister's Office.
A parallel network is required to protect people in risk areas from a variety of disasters including landslides, storm surges and flooding, as well as tsunamis, he said.

Group Captain Somsak Khaosuwan, director of the NDWC's warning system management team, said he was aware of Dr Smith's plan.
The NDWC is willing to work with Dr Smith's foundation after its launch, he said.
"We are happy to exchange information with any group that is working for the public benefit," he said.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/20

]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:18:33 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Tsunami-Warning-Critic-Launch-Sys-t315896.html Phuket Acid Attack Meters From Cop Shop http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Acid-Attack-Meters-Shop-t315769.html Phuket acid attack meters from cop shop

PATONG, PHUKET: A man threw acid in the face of a 27-year-old woman just 100 meters from Kathu Police Station in the early hours of this morning.
The victim, Sirirat Nankham, is being treated at Vachira Phuket Hospital. Her left eye is swollen shut and she has blisters all over her body.

Ms Sirirat, who works as a cashier at a beer bar underneath the Tiger Pub and Discotheque on Soi Bangla, told police she was attacked at around 12.45am this morning.

She was riding her motorcycle down Ratchapratan-nusorn Road when two men pulled up beside her outside the Patong Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office.
The man riding pillion threw the acid at her face, causing her to fall off her motorcycle.
The attackers fled immediately.

A passer-by brought Ms Sirirat to Patong Hospital, where she was able to give a statement to police before being transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City, where she remains.
Police believe the attack may be a case of mistaken identity.
Ms Sirirat told them she did not recognize the men and had not had any disputes with anyone recently.

Neither had she had an affair with any married men, she said.
Police suspect the attack may have been meant for her younger sister, who borrowed Ms Sirirat's motorbike the day before the attack.
The two men may have been hired to attack the younger girl, mistakenly attacking Ms Sirirat instead because she was riding the same bike, police believe.

Police are examining CCTV footage from a camera at the Patong Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office in an effort to gather enough evidence to get a court warrant to arrest the two men.
Acid attacks are not unprecedented in Phuket and are usually motivated by jealousy.

In June 2007 a mother and daughter were charged with throwing acid in the face of a 23-year-old woman because they believed she was having an affair with the mother's husband.
In November 2006 a woman threw acid at her husband and his new girlfriend after the man asked for a divorce.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/20

]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:34:59 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Acid-Attack-Meters-Shop-t315769.html Hold Outs Against Jet-ski Insurance Scheme http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hold-Outs-Jet-ski-Insurance-Scheme-t315584.html Hold outs against jet-ski insurance scheme



Jet-skis insured under the Phuket scheme display
the diamond-shaped sticker shown here.

PHUKET CITY: The majority of jet-ski operators on the island have applied for compulsory insurance, but five operators are holding out against the new regulation.
Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop yesterday afternoon held a meeting with 15 jet-ski operators to discuss compliance with a provincial policy requiring all jet-ski operators to apply for policies by the deadline that passed on Monday.

The rule was put in place after foreign diplomats complained that their nationals were being ripped off by jet-ski operators who insisted they pay for damages they never caused, or inflated costs for actual damages.
The scam made international headlines after one jet-ski operator allegedly threatened a group of British military personnel on shore leave in Patong.

The incident was subsequently reported in the local and international media, sparking debate about the safety of Phuket as a tourist destination.
At yesterday's meeting the jet-ski operators told Gov Wichai that five jet-ski operators, with a total of 17 machines, have refused to take out policies.

"I will have to ask them to come and talk to me about this before we proceed with legal charges…This is a provincial policy that all jet-ski operators must follow," Gov Wichai said.
Working in the jet-ski rental industry is also a job class foreigners cannot be involved in, he reminded the operators.

In a related development, Gov Wichai gave jet-ski operators permission to hold a public relations event at Patong Beach on November 26.
The reason is to inform the public that with the insurance scheme in place there is no longer any reason to worry about being extorted by jet-ski operators.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/19

]]> Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:04:23 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hold-Outs-Jet-ski-Insurance-Scheme-t315584.html Fury Over Flooding In Patong http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Fury-Flooding-Patong-t315152.html Fury over flooding in Patong

A victim of the 'Nanai River' pushes his stalled
vehicle through the floodwater in Patong.

PATONG / PHUKET: -- Pedestrians and motorists were struggling through meter-deep floodwater on Nanai Road this evening following heavy rains earlier today.

Local residents fed up with the flooding, which they claim has become worse over the past few months, have nicknamed the 50-meter stretch of road ‘Nanai River’.

Several local residents who spoke to the Gazette in May predicted severe flooding in the rainy season.

At that time, residents’ concerns were met with assurances from Patong Municipality that the problem would be solved within three to four months.

Almost seven months later, residents say the flooding is worse than ever, blaming poorly-managed construction projects, inadequate drainage in the area and lack of action from the authorities.

According to Deputy Director of Sanitation at Patong Municipality Teeranun Boonma, rainwater used to drain through the Aroonpat Village estate, through a section of private land and into a canal.

However, the owner of the private land blocked the drains, causing the flooding, he claimed.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-17

]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:59:08 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Fury-Flooding-Patong-t315152.html Phuket To Host Asia-pacific Ironman Championship http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Host-Asia-pacific-Ironman-C-t315129.html Phuket to host Asia-Pacific Ironman Championship

Winners of last year's Laguna Phuket Triathlon. File photo.
LAGUNA PHUKET: The world’s top Ironman competitors will descend on Laguna Phuket next year following confirmation that the Cherng Talay-based resort complex will host the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship race.

The announcement of the season-ending event comes after an agreement to stage the race was signed between Laguna Hotels and Resorts Plc and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC).

The race will take place on December 5, birthday of Thailand's beloved monarch HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The 70.3 race will incorporate Laguna Phuket Triathlon’s trademark swim course comprising two-bodies of water, a challenging and spectacular bike course with hilly sections and winding rural roads through rubber plantations and villages, before culminating with a two-loop flat run that will include roads within Laguna Phuket.

Athletes can qualify to compete at some 35 Ironman 70.3 races held around the world.

The championship race will offer a US$60,000 professional prize purse as well 50 qualifying places for the 2011 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida.

The event is expected to reach a worldwide audience in excess of 380 million.

Phuket was selected due to its proven track record for hosting major sporting events, such as the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, Phuket International Marathon and the FIVB Women’s Beach Volleyball World Tour.

Murphy Reinschreiber, WTC’s managing director of Asia-Pacific and long-term Laguna Phuket Triathlon Race Director, said Laguna was the obvious choice.

“The decision to host the Series Championship event at Laguna Phuket was an easy one,” he said.

“The resort serves as a destination with broad appeal to athletes in all of our markets, including Australia, Singapore, Japan, the US and Europe. It is a proven triathlon venue.”

Laguna Resorts and Hotels Managing Director Michael Ayling said the decision reflected Laguna’s ability to organize world-class triathlon competitions.

“The management of Laguna Phuket and the government of Phuket Province are truly honored, extremely excited and proud that Phuket has been selected to host the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship,” he said.

“We feel that the 16 years of hard work and dedication that has gone into organizing the Laguna Phuket Triathlon has been rewarded by the international triathlon community, who recognize that we have the know-how and resources to ensure a very successful Asia-Pacific 70.3 Championship event in 2010 and beyond.”

Laguna Phuket stages its own annual triathlon event held on the first weekend of December.

The event is known as the ‘Race of Champions’ due to the number of world-class triathletes it attracts.

This year will feature defending champions Belinda Granger and Richie Cunningham as well as Beijing Olympic gold medalist Jan Frodeno. – Dan Ogunshakin


-- Phuket Gazette

2009-11-17]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:20:21 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Host-Asia-pacific-Ironman-C-t315129.html Celestial Light Show Over Phuket This Week http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Celestial-Light-Show-Phuket-Week-t314732.html Celestial light show over Phuket this week

The Leonids meteor shower captured in
Japan in 2001. Photo: ASCII/AstroArts

PHUKET: -- If the night sky over Phuket remains clear this week stargazers will be treated to the spectacle of hundreds of meteors streaking overhead, early Wednesday morning.

The annual celestial show known as The Leonids occurs as the Earth passes through the trail of an ancient comet.

Astronomers predict a shower of up to 500 meteors per hour, visible to the naked eye, as the Leonid cycle reaches a 33-year peak in intensity.

Rajabhat Phuket University Assistant Professor Sakchai Phetchuai said the meteor shower will be visible over the island just after midnight on Tuesday.

“The shower could last up to six hours but the peak time will be at around 2am Wednesday,” he said.

Beaches, mountains and other locations away from the light pollution of big cities will offer the best views.

Stargazers should spend at least 15 minutes in the darkness before the meteor shower begins, said Suparerk Karuhanont from the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand.

The meteors come from a trail of debris from the comet Tempel-Tuttle (55P/Tempel-Tuttle), named after independent discoveries of its existence by astronomers Ernst Tempel in 1865, and Horace Parnell Tuttle in 1866.

According to NASA, a Leonid meteor shower of such intensity may not be visible for another 100 years.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-16

]]> Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:48:19 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Celestial-Light-Show-Phuket-Week-t314732.html Major Retailers Start Charging For Plastic Bags http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Major-Retailers-Start-Charging-Pla-t314698.html Will plastic bag scheme help Phuket?

PHUKET CITY: -- Some said it could never happen, but starting on December 4 most of the island’s major retailers will begin charging customers for plastic bags.

Already on board with the project are Central, Big C, Tesco-Lotus, Makro, Supercheap and Jungceylon.

Starting on December 4, most major retailers on the island will begin charging customers one or two baht for plastic bags. It is hoped the charge will result in a significant drop in the amount of plastic that reaches the island’s incinerator at Saphan Hin.

Do you think this initiative will cut down significantly on the approximately 500 tonnes of garbage sent to the island’s incinerator every day?

Have your say in the latest Phuket Gazette Reader’s Poll by clicking here and casting your vote:
http://www.phuketgazette.net/poll/


-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-16



]]> Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:32:53 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Major-Retailers-Start-Charging-Pla-t314698.html Phuket Bike Bandit Leaves Brits Broke http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Bike-Bandit-Leaves-Brits-Bro-t314697.html Phuket bike bandit leaves Brits broke

Kata Noi Road in Phuket where tourists had bags
stolen from baskets on their rented motorcycles.

PHUKET: -- Two tourists robbed in Kata were left penniless when a thief snatched a bag containing all their remaining holiday cash from the basket on their rented motorbike last week.

The thief, riding another motorbike, snatched the bag on Kata Noi Road early Monday evening.

The bag belonging to British holidaymaker 21-year-old Emma Kim Parker, a passenger on the bike driven by a male traveling companion, contained the equivalent of about 230,000 baht in US dollars and euro.

An expensive Nikon camera was also in the bag.

Police believe the lone basket bandit took advantage of the fact that the tourists would not be able to give chase with two of them weighing down their bike.

The pair had planned to stay in Thailand for several weeks, but with no spending money left after arriving less than a week before the theft, they told the Gazette they were so traumatized that they wanted to go home as soon as possible.

“This is our first time in Thailand and we don’t know what to do now. We’ve never had this kind of experience and didn’t expect our stuff could be stolen off a [moving] motorbike,” they said.

While waiting for money to be sent from abroad so they could buy flights home, the young travelers had to rely on charity from the owner of the Pineapple Guesthouse where they were staying.

“There is a safe deposit box in their room, but they didn’t keep their money in there. I don’t know why,” said the owner.

According to the police, the bandit had already targeted a young Swedish couple who were riding a motorcycle in the same area an hour earlier that evening, making off with a camera and 3,000 baht in cash.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-16

]]> Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:28:55 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Bike-Bandit-Leaves-Brits-Bro-t314697.html One-two-go To Launch New Phuket Flight http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Launch-Phuket-Flight-t314117.html One-Two-Go to launch new Phuket flight

One-Two-Go announces the new high-season flights at their headquarters in Bangkok.
PHUKET CITY: Low-cost carrier One-Two-Go will launch a second daily round-trip flight between Bangkok and Phuket starting on December 3.

One-Two-Go Public Relations and Marketing Communications Officer Namon Patisang said fares for the flights begin at 1,750 baht, all inclusive.

The new flight will depart Phuket at 1:40pm daily and make the return from Don Meuang at 3:30pm.

One-Two-Go already operates one flight between the two destinations, departing Don Meuang at 11:50 am and making the return trip from Phuket at 1:35pm.

One-Two-Go will also raise the number of daily flights between Don Meuang and Chiang Mai to four daily and reintroduce daily service from Bangkok to Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

Prices on the Nakhon Sri Thammarat route are initially being offered at a special promotional rate of just 1,250 baht, all inclusive.

The added flight represents a recovery for One-Two-Go in Phuket following the crash of flight OG269 on September 16, 2007 that claimed the lives of 90 people, including 45 foreign tourists.

The carrier was subsequently hit with a forced suspension of service in 2008 pending a safety review of its operations.

A Transport Ministry probe into the cause of the crash later found it was a combination of wind shear, pilot error and systemic failures at the airline and the Civil Aviation Authority.

The Indonesian pilot of the aircraft was among those who perished in the flight. There were 40 survivors.

 – Sitthipong Nongkaew and Stephen Fein


-- Phuket Gazette

2009-11-13]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:03:46 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Launch-Phuket-Flight-t314117.html Award Winning Dj Makes Phuket Debut http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Award-Winning-Dj-Phuket-Debut-t313884.html Award winning DJ makes Phuket debut



Grammy-winning DJ David Morales will be performing on Patong Beach this Friday.

PATONG, PHUKET: US DJ and remix artist extraordinaire David Morales will make his long-awaited Phuket debut this Friday at Seduction Beach Club and Disco at Patong Beach.

The multi-award winning producer and artist is probably most famous for his 1998 hit single Needin' U, which was released under the alias The Face.
The American 'superstar DJ' will bring his own blend of upbeat US house to Phuket, adding to the ever increasing list of international DJs who have played on the island in 2009.

2009 has been a major breakthrough year for house music on the 'Pearl of the Andaman', and fans of the genre have witnessed performances from Judge Jules, Layo & Bushwacka!, Louis Vega, Hed Kandi and many more.
Morales was born in New York in the early 1960s and grew up at a time when the Big Apple was a melting pot of popular culture, something that influenced his style of play as he became more involved in the industry.

Despite being of Puerto Rican descent, Morales wasn't enamored with Latino music, preferring instead the black music that surrounded him in his home town neighborhood of Brooklyn, including artists like James Brown, the Ojays and Gladys Knight and the Pips.
"I was exposed to black music in the '60s, so that was the music that I liked," he said.
"I didn't even like Latin music, so I really grew up on black music."

Although he will make his Phuket debut as a DJ, Morales visited the island two years ago, choosing to spend his time chilling out.
"I had a wonderful time relaxing. I didn't even venture out of the resort," he said.
Famous for his marathon 16-hour sets, fans of Morales hoping to see another epic stint this Friday will be disappointed by the length of the set, but not by the quality on what promises to be another electronic music on the island.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/12

]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:03:56 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Award-Winning-Dj-Phuket-Debut-t313884.html Michael Jackson’s This Is It Arrives In Phuket http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Michael-Jacksons-Arrives-Phuke-t313881.html Michael Jackson's This Is It arrives in Phuket



Michael Jackson's posthumous movie/documentary
This Is It is now showing in Phuket, two weeks after its worldwide release.


PHUKET: The Michael Jackson documentary This Is It is now showing at the SFX Coliseum cinema in Central Festival Phuket, an SFX spokesperson has confirmed.

The announcement follows news last month that Phuket cinemas could not show the digital version of the movie upon its worldwide release on October 28 as none of the theaters had the digital projection equipment required.
However, an SFX spokesperson confirmed that SFX Coliseum cinema today began showing the only celluloid version in Thailand of This Is It.
This Is It will be shown five times a day for the next two weeks, the spokesperson said.
The movie is in English with Thai subtitles. For showing times or further information visit the website sfcinemacity.co.th and select the Phuket link under 'Today's Showtimes'. Alternatively, call the cinema on 076-209 042.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/12

]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:57:42 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Michael-Jacksons-Arrives-Phuke-t313881.html Belgian Beauties Bound For Phuket http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Belgian-Beauties-Bound-Phuket-t313646.html Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Belgian beauties bound for Phuket

PHUKET CITY: Twenty Belgian beauties will touch down in Phuket on Monday as part of eight days of activities in the run up to the 2010 Miss Belgium pageant.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) South Region 4 office director Bangornrat Shinaprayoon said the activities will include beach tours, photo and video shoots, kayaking in Phang Nga Bay, Thai cooking classes, a visit to Chalong Temple and Thai massage and spa treatments.

The 20 contestants will fly in on an XL Airways charter flight direct from Brussels.

The visit is organized in part by Best Tours and the TAT office in Paris.

The purpose is to promote tourism and increase the number of tourists from Belgium to Thailand and Phuket.

While on the island the beauties will stay at the Cape Panwa Hotel.

“When the pageant is broadcast, many Belgians throughout country will watch. It will be a very good way to promote tourism,” Ms Bangornrat told the Gazette.

“Lots of Europeans think Phuket is still damaged by the tsunami, so this will be a good way to show them that Phuket has regained its charm and is ready to welcome everyone.”

On average, about 35,000 Belgians visit Phuket each year.

Belgium has a population of about 10.5 million. – Sitthipong Nongkaew


-- Phuket Gazette

2009-11-11]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:00:23 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Belgian-Beauties-Bound-Phuket-t313646.html Ibap Monthly Meeting http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Ibap-Monthly-Meeting-t313640.html
IBAP has taken on the task to assist the Ban Banthong school in Kathu & is asking for attendees to bring along any items such as pens, pencils, notebooks or even a monetary donation to help the kids who are from a poorer section of society. Much of the school furniture is in a state of disrepair & IBAP is planning to build new desks for the classrooms.

Attendance fee includes drinks & snacks. Guests are welcome & do not need to be accompanied by a member. Please visit http://ibap-phuket.org for information.]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:37:41 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Ibap-Monthly-Meeting-t313640.html Phuket Blackout Schedule Announced http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Blackout-Schedule-Announced-t313398.html Phuket blackout schedule announced

PHUKET CITY: The Phuket office of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced the following scheduled power cuts to carry out maintenance on high voltage wires, starting with parts of Chalong on Thursday.

November 12 (9am to 4pm): Chalong

Affected areas include parts of Patak Rd, south side, from Chalong Circle to the Phuket Shooting Range. Patak Villa is among the affected areas.

November 13 (9am to 4pm): Phuket City

The affected area starts at the Ranong Rd-Pattana Rd intersection and continues along Pattana Rd, including Soi Lor Rong, Pattana Rd Sois 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 all the way though the Wirat Hongyok Rd intersection and continuing along that north side of that road, all the way to the temporary market opposite the back entrance to Suan Luang Park.

The PEA apologizes for any inconvenience.

For more information contact: Provincial Electricity Authority Phuket, Operations and Maintenance Department. Tel: 076-211663 (Ext. 45311). Fax: 076-219966.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/11

]]> Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:15:12 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Phuket-Blackout-Schedule-Announced-t313398.html British Man Dies In Rawai http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/British-Man-Dies-Rawai-t313295.html Tuesday, November 10, 2009

British man dies in Rawai

PHUKET CITY: A 52-year-old British man was found dead in his rented home in Rawai earlier today.

Chalong Police Duty Officer Tienchai Duangsuwan was informed of the death by the man’s Thai girlfriend at 3:30am.

The couple shared a rented home on Soi Kok Mar in Rawai.

They moved into the dwelling about one week ago.

The woman told police the man had earlier woken up complaining of chest pains, then drank some water before returning to bed.

Police suspect he died of heart failure.

Workers from the Phuket Ruamjai Foundation sent his remains to Vachira Phuket Hospital for examination.

The man’s identity is known to police, but will be withheld pending notification of kin.

-- Phuket Gazette

2009-11-10]]> Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:44:35 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/British-Man-Dies-Rawai-t313295.html More Trouble At Panason City In Phuket http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Trouble-Panason-City-Phuket-t312978.html More trouble at Panason City in Phuket

Mrs Yaowaluck's home and salaeng are now
completely surrounded by high mounds of dirt.


The fill reaches half way up the side of this dwelling.

WICHIT, PHUKET: -- Problems continue at the troubled Panason City housing project, with workmen this morning allegedly trying to bury seven houses under mounds of earth using three excavators, according to residents of nearby Ketkaew village.

Four of the houses were still occupied, 50-year-old local woman Yaowaluck Promsiri said.

The incident caused outrage among local residents, 30 of whom are understood to have gone to Phuket Provincial Hall today to demand an audience with Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop.

The development has been the subject of numerous protests over the past year, with residents claiming the developers are trying to drive them out of their homes against their consent.

Two weeks ago a crowd of about 60 protesters gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall to demand that the governor step in to resolve the conflict.

For our previous report, click here.

The project owners claim a number of families are living on the 78-rai plot without title deeds and are thus trespassing on company land.

Mrs Yaowaluck, who has lived in a house in Ketkaew village with her husband and daughter for over 10 years, said she left her house this morning on a salaeng (motorcycle with illegal sidecar) to find her path blocked by a mound of dirt.

The dirt, which had been previously piled up elsewhere, was now covering seven local residents’ homes.

Mrs Yaowaluck said residents of Ketkaew village didn’t have any title deeds, but had residency contracts with the company that originally sold them the houses.

She claimed the Panason City project owners had agreed not to go ahead with any more work on the project until a scheduled meeting with local residents was held on November 30.

“Until then they shouldn’t do anything,” she said.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-09

]]> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:19:23 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Trouble-Panason-City-Phuket-t312978.html Chinese Takes Top Honors In Phuket Programming Meet http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Chinese-Takes-Top-Honors-Phuket-Pr-t312976.html Chinese takes top honors in Phuket programming meet

The winning team from Shanghai Jiaotong University in
China pose with Dr CJ Hwang, ACM-ICPC Asia director.

PHUKET CITY: -- IT whizzes from universities across Asia convened in Phuket last week to compete in an international computer programming contest.

The Association for Computing Machinery International Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM-ICPC) took place at Prince of Songkla University on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sixty teams of three students each from universities in Thailand, China, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, South Korea and Hong Kong competed to solve computer programming problems.

A team from Shanghai Jiaotong University in China eventually triumphed. They will compete against the winners of other regional contests at next year’s finals in Harbin, China.

A team from the National University of Singapore were runners up, followed by a Vietnamese team from Ho Chi Minh City University of Science.

Of 27 Thai teams, the highest placing was to a team from Kasetsart University that finished 19th.

PSU’s four teams finished 54th, 57th, 58th and 60th.

The ACM-ICPC contest has taken place every year for more than 20 years.

This year’s face-off at PSU was the first time the contest has taken place in Thailand.

It was sponsored by IBM and SIPA, the Thai software promotion agency,

Dr C J Hwang, ACM-ICPC Asia director, praised the enthusiasm of the PSU and SIPA staff who organized the event.

“Although this was the first time, I was very satisfied with their world-class performance, including the problem setting, judging and management,” he said.

There are now 300,000 students competing in the contest across the world, he said.

“The contest aims to raise the potential and skill of the students, training them to apply theory to practical problems,” he said.

Siripon Mektanatip, manager of SIPA’s Phuket branch, was pleased with the performance of the Thai students.

“It’s obvious that Thai students are now very smart computer programmers” he said. “The contest is like a stage from which they can show off their talent and develop their potential.”

He said SIPA hoped a Thai university could host the ASM-ICPC World Final in 2014.

“The chance of being chosen is quite high,” he said.

For more information about the contest: http://www.acmicpc-thailand.org/


-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-09

]]> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:14:05 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Chinese-Takes-Top-Honors-Phuket-Pr-t312976.html Americans Cash In On Phuket Volleyball Win http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Americans-Cash-Phuket-Volleyball-t312842.html Americans cash in on Phuket volleyball win

Phuket Thailand Open gold medal winners for the
second-straight year are April Ross (left) and Jen Kessy
of the United States.


The first-ever Russian women's SWATCH
FIVB World Tour medal went to third-place
finishers Evgenia Ukolova (left) and Maria
Bratkova.

KARON, PHUKET: -- With a masterful performance, the American pair of Jen Kessy and April Ross captured their second-straight Phuket Thailand Open title on Karon Beach yesterday, walking off the sand with the winners’ check of US$30,000.

The top-seeded Kessy and Ross finished their four days of competition by downing compatriots Angie Akers and Tyra Turner with clinical precision in the 37-minute final, 21-12 and 21-17.

Playing with the poise of true champions, it was all business for Kessy and Ross.

The match was the seventh FIVB meeting between the two teams and Kessy and Ross have finished on the winning side each time.

Yesterday’s championship match also marked the third-straight all-American finale for the Phuket Thailand Open.

It was the sixth SWATCH FIVB World Tour gold medal for Kessy and Ross since forming their partnership in 2007.

Ms Akers was competing in her first-ever gold medal match. She and Turner split the US$21,000 second-place prize.

Turner was competing in her second Phuket Thailand Open title match. Ms Turner also appeared in last year’s final with Nicole Branagh, losing to Kessy and Ross 18-21, 21-14 and 15-12 in 63 minutes.

In the bronze medal match, 22nd-seeded Maria Bratkova and Evgenia Ukolova secured Russia’s first-ever women’s podium finish, much to the delight of a large contingent of Russian supporters who turned out for the match.

Riding the wave of support, the pair struggled back from one set down to win 15-21, 22-20 and 15-9 win in 53 minutes over 17th-seeded Lauren Fendrick and Ashley Ivy of the United States.

The win denied the Americans what would have been their third podium sweep in the 18-year history of the international beach volleyball circuit.

Bratkova and Ukolova were crowded by autograph seekers after the exciting win.

But the undisputed star of the tournament was Ms Ross, who was awarded the tournament MVP prize.

Her powerful, laser-like serves put Akers and Turner on the back foot as they did the five pairs that fell before them.

After a great deal of passion in the third place final, the final came off more like an exhibition, as there was no national partisanship in the all-American encounter.

Among the VIPs in attendance were Permanent Secretary for Interior and Former Phuket Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi, current Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop and his wife Taiseka, Phuket Provincial Administration Organization President Paiboon Ubatising, Kata Group Director and sport tourism pioneer Eam Thavornwongwongse, event organizer Geoffrey Rowe of Pentangle Promotions and Karon Mayor Tawee Tongcham.

Karon Deputy Mayor Sompong Darbpeth said after the match that he was very happy with the all of the organizational elements of the event, though he was a little disappointed with the crowd turnout.

The stadium was only about 75% full for the free-admission final match. About half of the crowd was made up of foreigners.

Asked whether the stadium construction harmed the large sand dunes that largely spared Karon from the 2004 tsunami disaster, Mr Sompong said the improvements had been carefully carried out with respect to the environment.

No concrete or permanent structures were involved and the dunes face more damage from erosion from heavy monsoon-season surf, he said.

This year’s tournament was the largest on the 16-stop SWATCH FIVB tour, with 66 teams from 28 countries taking part.


-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-09

]]> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:33:50 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Americans-Cash-Phuket-Volleyball-t312842.html Bt3 Bn Budget For Phuket http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bt3-Bn-Budget-Phuket-t312682.html Bt3 bn budget for Phuket

BANGKOK: The government has allocated a budget of Bt3 billion under the Thai Khemkhaeng stimulus package for construction of the national exhibition and convention project in Phuket, Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said yesterday.

He was speaking after meeting with civil officials and other participants in Phuket.

The exhibition and convention centre will be the same kind as the National Queen Sirikit Convention Centre in Bangkok. It has been designed to accommodate 4,000 people and is expected to take three years to build.


-- The Nation 2009-11-08

]]> Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:42:47 +0700 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bt3-Bn-Budget-Phuket-t312682.html