PHUKET: Scores of everyday people are voluntarily undergoing lifeguard training in order to help Phuket’s strained contingent of lifeguards cope with the growing number of tourists, expats and local residents who need to be saved from dangerous surf. There are currently 38 beach guard stations at 13 beaches in Phuket, staffed by a total of 108 lifeguards, explained Phuket Lifeguard Club President Prathaiyuth Chuayuan. “From January through July this year, we saved 641 people, comprising 577 foreigners and 64 Thais,” Mr Prathaiyuth told the Phuket Gazette.
PHUKET: Phuket’s first Organized Crime Center for Tourism is set to open tomorrow, with one office at Phuket International Airport and one office at the Phuket City Police Station. The offices are being established to get a grip on tourist operators extorting money from island visitors, money launderers, illegal taxi drivers (story
PHUKET: The Phuket contingent of Pitak Siam supporters who joined the anti-government rally in Bangkok will head back home today. The thousands-strong peaceful protest – intended to “only escort” former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former Prime Minister and Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai to Parliament House – was headed off by „riot“ police at Ratchawithi Intersection yesterday
PHUKET: The environmental damage to Koh Samet is not as great as initially feared, according to five Phuket-based marine biologists who have just returned from a fact-finding mission to the oil-spill stricken island (story
PHUKET: Only one of the three musicians charged with killing American tourist Bobby Ray Carter Jr in Krabi last week appeared in court for arraignment on Monday.
PHUKET: The Australian Federal Police (AFP) are in Phuket to hold a joint workshop with Phuket authorities on tackling the issue of transnational crime on the island. “Phuket is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world
PHUKET: A taxi company using illegal “black taxis” to serve Phuket International Airport said it will continue to do so despite the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) opening its Organized Crime Center for Tourism there on Friday (story
PHUKET: Members of the Phuket Pitak Siam group and their anti-government cohorts in Bangkok will join Democrat supporters and People’s Army protesters to rally against the amnesty bill in front of Parliament House tomorrow. An estimated 70,000 people are expected to join the street protest, Pitak Siam Phuket coordinator Apharat Chartchutikumjorn told the Phuket Gazette this morning. “The Democrat Party has announced that they will protest overnight and that more people will be coming to join us.
PHUKET: Efforts to salvage the cargo ship Unity, which sunk in high seas on its way to Phi Phi Island last week (story
PHUKET: Heavy rain in Phuket this morning caused minor flooding across the island, including in Patong on the west coast, in Chalong in the south and in Srisoonthorn in Thalang. Roads cut off by flash-flood runoff forced traffic to a standstill as small vehicles could not get through