PHUKET: Racha Yai islanders on Saturday urged Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut to build a health center on the popular day-trip isle as one way to solve the problem of tourist drownings there. The Chinese embassy has already promised money to support the construction of the center, they said
PHUKET: Police are investigating the cause of death of a Russian tourist whose body was discovered in his Karon hotel room on Saturday. The tourist, Yury Kiryukhin, 36, was to check out on Saturday and fly home. Staff at the Baan Karonburi Resort discovered Mr Kiryukhin’s body on the bed in his room at 8:30am, said Karon Police case investigator Capt Channarong Prakongkua.
Dr Somkiat Khokiattiwong, 54, is head of the Oceanography and Marine Environment Unit at the Phuket Marine Biological Center. A Phuket native, he has a master’s degree in oceanography from McGill University in Canada and a PhD in eco-toxicology from Southern Denmark University, Denmark. Here, he talks about how Patong can better handle its treated wastewater.
PHUKET: A man luckily survived a fall from a multi-storey bookstore in the heart of Phuket Town yesterday evening, after landing on the company pickup truck he drove to the store. Lt Phoom Semmaworanon of the Phuket City Police arrived at the scene, a shop called The Book Shop on Yaowarat Road, with Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers at 6:20pm.
PHUKET: One of the largest projects ever designed to document the worrisome trend of declining shark sightings in Thailand was announced today in Phuket. In the wake of professional diver testimonials showing a 95 per cent decrease in shark sightings at Thailand’s renowned dive destination the Similans, the founders UK NGO Shark Guardian have moved forward with the Thailand E-Shark Project, which will run from November 1 to April 30. The project is designed to document the number of shark sightings by ocean explorers to provide scientific data supporting general observations of a dramatic decrease of shark sightings across the nation.
PHUKET: A Phuket Tourist Police officer has been kicked off the force as the prosecutor moves forward in charging him over a double-homicide in a drug-den shootout in March.
PHUKET: Preparations are underway for one and all to join the “Festival of the Sacrifice” activities to be held at the Muslim Wittaya Phuket School in Koh Kaew on October 15.
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday conducted an inspection tour of police stations at three key tourism beach areas – Patong, Kamala and Karon – as part of his campaign to promote Phuket as a safe holiday destination. Joining the governor on his tour was Kathu District Chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol
PHUKET: The trend for local drug dealers to source their product from a kingpin operating out of a maximum-security prison was evident again this week as Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers in Phuket arrested two suspects found in possession of 2,336 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) in raids north of Phuket Town on Monday. Undercover police learned of a dealer selling ya bah in Phuket Town for 1,800 baht per 10 pills, CSD officer Seksan Komsakorn said on Tuesday. “Officers set up a deal to buy 30 pills for 5,400 baht.
PHUKET: Minor flooding from heavy rains across Phuket over the weekend has now drained, leaving roads clear and island residents to resume their daily business, officials have reported. The news comes after deluges flooded main roads in Phuket Town – notably Phuket Road, Montri Road and Rassada Road, all in the heart of the Phuket Old Town quarter, where water ran up to 20cm deep yesterday. Heavy rain over the weekend also caused a landslide on Saturday on Soi Yodsanae, the lone road leading up the hill to the Big Buddha image in Chalong.