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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Suan Luang fish killers caught
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City workers scoop the remains of the poisoned fish out of the pond at Suan Luang Park.
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PHUKET CITY: Scores of municipal workers have been working since Saturday morning to remove thousands of rotting fish from the main pond at Suan Luang Park, after a group of fishermen were caught using poison to kill and capture them on Friday night.
An officer from Phuket City Municipality, who asked not to be named, told the Gazette that the municipal employees responsible for patrolling the park at night first noticed fish floating on the surface of the pond between 2 am and 3 am on Saturday August 16.
A subsequent search led to the detainment by security guards and eventual arrest by police of four fishermen who were using chemicals to kill the fish, which they then recovered using hand nets.
The men had planned to sell their catch at a local market, the officer said.
The officer described the chemicals used by the fishermen as “similar to look men (moth balls).”
Also collected as evidence were the fishing nets and 80 kilograms of dead fish, mostly pla nil (Nile tilapia) and pla duk (catfish). Both are staples of the Thai diet and are farmed extensively throughout the country.
The officer told the Gazette that she had heard that all of the suspects have been released on bail, but the Gazette has not yet been able to confirm this or get the names of the suspects from police.
Although there are red signs posted around the pond that make it clear that fishing is forbidden, the number of fish in the pond probably made it too attractive for the suspects to resist, she said.
People commonly release fish into the pond as part of merit-making ceremonies, she added.
The murky pond has four battery-operated paddle aerators to help keep oxygen levels in the pond high enough to sustain the fish that live there, she added.
Many smaller species of fish were able to survive the poisoning of the pond, she said.
“The water gets quite dirty, so we need to pump it to the treatment plant in Vichit,” she added.
Security guards and municipal officials did their job in helping to arrest the men so the public shouldn’t become unduly worried by the incident, she said.
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Phuket, Thailand
16:28
local time (GMT +7) |
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Man killed in Samkong shooting
PHUKET CITY: Police are investigating the murder of a man killed by two shotgun blasts near his shack in Samkong early yesterday morning.
Pol Maj Pitakpol Sompong of the Phuket City Police told the Gazette that the wife of 40-year-old Rungroj Saekui reported finding her husband dead outside their unnumbered shack off Soi Samkong 1 at about 2 am yesterday.
The wife, whose name was not disclosed, told police she felt ill and went to sleep at about 8 pm the night before, just as her husband was going out to look after his chickens as usual.
She told police she thought she heard what sounded like gunfire about 10 minutes later, but didn’t go out to investigate.
When she awoke at about 2 am and wondered why her husband was not by her side, she went out to find him dead and screamed for help, police reported her as saying.
When police arrived at the scene, which is inaccessible by car, they found Khun Rungroj dead of two shotgun blasts to the pelvis. Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers took the body to Vachira Phuket Hospital for examination and two 12-gauge shells were recovered as evidence, he said.
Police have dismissed initial speculation that the murder may have been motivated by a land dispute.
They questioned landowner Kanchana Na Ranong, who told them her family had given Rungroj permission to occupy the land back in 1983 and that he had lived there ever since without incident, he said.
The Na Ranongs are a family of wealthy Phuket landowners whose business interests include ownership of the Pearl Group of Companies and its flagship resort the Indigo Pearl in Nai Yang.
“I don’t think the killer was a professional. I suspect the victim knew his assailant and was probably having a conversation with him when the shots were fired from a distance of less than two meters,” Maj Pitakpol said.
The victim was known to enjoy drinking whiskey at his doorway, but had given up alcohol for the three-month Buddhist Lent that began in mid-July, he said.
The victim’s wife told police her husband never had any problems with anybody, he added.
Police are still questioning other suspects in the case, he said.
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Phuket, Thailand
14:32
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
British tourist recovering after fall at Phuket resort
PHUKET: British tourist Dominic Chadwick who suffered neck injuries after a nasty fall at his hotel in Phuket is recovering nicely and is in good spirits.
According to his Malaysian traveling companion, Dominic fell about eight feet when he was walking up a ramp towards an entrance to the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa after a night out. As he fell, he grabbed the branch of a nearby tree, which broke and caused him to land on the back of his neck.
Several of Dominic’s family members are with him at the hospital and told the Gazette that they were upset that the Blackpool Gazette (no relation to the Phuket Gazette) had published a sensationalized version of the accident, making them reluctant to say anything more to any media.
However, Dominic’s brother James said that the Hilton was not at fault whatsoever, and that the Bangkok Phuket Hospital is excellent.
Dominic was sitting up in bed smiling when the Gazette visited him. He was able to speak coherently and is looking forward to returning home to England with his family in the near future. In the meantime, he is receiving physiotherapy at the hospital.
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Phuket, Thailand
22:34
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Four die in weekend horror smashes
PA KHLOK: Four people were killed on Sunday night in two separate road accidents involving motorcycles. One of the victims was a five-year-old child.
At about 7 pm on Sunday, two women and a boy – members of the same family – were killed after the motorcycle they were riding collided with a pickup truck on the Baan Para – Baan Muang Mai Rd in Pa Khlok, on the route to the Mission Hills Golf Course, said Thalang Police Officer Pol Maj Seksan Konsakorn.
The driver of the pickup told police that he was driving his vehicle at about 80kmh when he saw the motorbike being driven at speed along the sidewalk. As the pickup approached, the motorbike veered into the side of the truck, causing the collision and knocking the three family members to the ground, he added.
The bodies of the three victims, all pronounced dead at the scene by Kusoldharm Foundation volunteers, were taken to Thalang Hospital for autopsy.
“The left side of the pickup suffered damage consistent with the information the driver gave us and the vehicle came to rest in the correct lane, which suggests the vehicle was being driven appropriately,” the policeman added.
Maj Seksan identified one of the women as 43-year-old Vassana Puengpak, a native of Srisaket province. The other woman and the child remained unidentified, although police said the child was about five years old.
“I will contact their relatives in Srisaket so funeral arrangements can be made,” he said.
On the same night, one man was killed in a horrific collision between a Mercedes-Benz and a motorcycle on Thepkrasattri Rd.
Pol Maj Prakorb Boonkwan of the Thalang Police said that at about 9 pm Pradit Mulikabutra was attempting to traverse Thepkrasattri Rd on his saleng (motorcycle with illegal sidecar) to reach the opposite lane.
Riding against the flow of traffic near Baan Nai Klum Mosque, Khun Pradit was killed instantly when the Mercedes-Benz smashed into his motorcycle at high speed, the policeman said. K. Pradit's left leg was crushed and his right leg ripped clean off, he added.
The car driver, Sittha Ngan-Sathit, 36, told police that he had been driving at about 90kmh when the saleng suddenly maneuvered straight into his path, making the head-on collision unavoidable.
“We cannot make presumptions about who is in the wrong in this case. The motorcycle driver drove in the wrong lane to reach the other side, and the Benz driver was going very fast,” said Maj Prakorb.
However, police have yet to file any charges against Khun Sittha, as is usually standard in all road accidents resulting in death.
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Phuket, Thailand
17:58
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
B20m CCTV system for Rawai
RAWAI: As part of a bid to crack down on crime in the area, Rawai Municipality has been granted 20 million baht in central government funding for the installation of 32 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos made the announcement at an August 15 ceremony held to announce a range of crime-fighting initiatives in Rawai.
Camera installation should begin in early 2009, with work scheduled for completion by the end of the year. An independent contractor is now being sought to install the cameras.
“We need to consider how this system will benefit Rawai after it has been installed. It won’t give us 100% protection against crime, but it will go some way to preventing robberies and muggings. It is certainly a lot better to have the cameras than to not have them. Tourists and residents will feel much safer with them installed,” he said.
Rawai, which falls under the responsibility of Chalong Police District, has been the site of numerous violent muggings in recent years, some conducted by armed youths against foreign tourists.
Also in attendance at the ceremony was Phuket Police Commander Maj Gen Apirak Hongthong and officers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Gen Apirak said that a special team of officers has been lined up to monitor Phuket’s motorcycle gangs and Internet shops frequented by suspected criminals.
Police will work with local government sectors to keep an eye on criminals in Rawai, he added.
The move comes as part of an overall goal to clean up the image of Rawai and the surrounding area in the eyes of tourists and residents alike.
According to statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police, crime in Rawai has been steadily declining in recent months.
“We want tourists and residents to feel safe in the upcoming high season,” added Gen Apirak.
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Phuket, Thailand
17:52
local time (GMT +7) |
Monday, August 18, 2008
Tourism steady despite economic woes
PHUKET CITY: Despite global economic problems, tourism in Phuket continues to grow, with 4.79 million tourists having passed through Phuket International Airport since the beginning of the fiscal 2008, up 600,000 from the same period a year earlier.
Anoma Thongyai, deputy director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) South Region 4 Office in Phuket, revealed the figures at the monthly Governor Meets the Press conference held on August 15.
Although fuel prices are still high and tourism destinations around the world have felt the strain of a volatile global economy, occupancy rates in Phuket's hotels remain at between 40% and 55%, about average for low season on the island, Khun Anoma added.
One area of change lies in the spending habits of tourists, who after shelling out for costly air tickets are more careful about spending and less likely to buy extravagant items on impulse, she said.
Tourists visiting Phuket this low season are come mostly from Australia, the Middle East, India, Hong Kong, China, Korea and Japan. The number of Japanese visitors is increasing, partially in response to the reopening of the direct Narita-Phuket route in July, which has seen load factors averaging about 90%.
There are also eight charter flights operating between Hong Kong and Phuket.
While the number of foreign visitors has remained steady, fewer Thais have been visiting, said K. Anoma.
She cited the reduction in domestic flights available from carriers low-cost Nok Air and One-Two-Go as a major factor.
PIA Director Wg Cmdr Wicha Nernlop said that after One-Two-Go and Nok Air ceased operating flights from Phuket, some100 tourists a day were left waiting for standby seats on flights out of PIA, leading to cramped conditions in the airport's waiting area.
THAI Airways is expected to announce the addition of several more flights between Bangkok and Phuket, he said.
However, a member of THAI Airways reservations department today told the Gazette that the only impending increase in carrying capacity would come on September 1, when flight TG 1221 from Don Meuang to Phuket, and its return leg, would resume service.
The flights were suspended starting March 30 for the low season, she said.
There are no new flights planned, but THAI might add special, non-scheduled flights to help meet passenger demand during peak periods, she added.
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Phuket, Thailand
16:22
local time (GMT +7) |
Monday, August 18, 2008
Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2008 breaks records before it begins
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Athletes charge for the water in the Laguna Triathlon 2007.
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BANG TAO: With more than three months still to go until the Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2008 on December 7, the “Race of Legends” has already sold out.
Some 750 athletes and about 50 teams of participants rushed to secure their places through online bookings for the 15th annual Laguna Phuket Triathlon after dates for the international competition were announced.
The event comprises a 1.8-km swim, a 55-km cycle ride and a 12-km run. There will also be the usual 6-km fun run, which is still open for entries, plus a new addition: a race especially designed for children – details of which are yet to be announced.
During the triathlon, athletes will run and ride from the Laguna area on the west coast of the island, up to the north of the island and back to Laguna again. They will be passing through jungle and rubber plantations and along beach fronts and villages.
The race will include athletes swimming the first 1,200 meters in the sea before sprinting 100 meters across the beach to swim the last 600 meters in a lagoon.
This year’s event has support from Thai Airways International and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Timex has come on board as an official supplier and new media partners include Asia Runner, Lifestyle & Travel, Action Asia, Talk magazines and the Phuket Gazette.
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Phuket, Thailand
09:01
local time (GMT +7) |
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