PHUKET: A man who fell asleep at the wheel while returning home from dropping his girlfriend off at Phuket International Airport early this morning slammed into a power pole and caused a blackout throughout a large residential area in Thalang. Col Sarit Bootnongsaeng of the Thalang Police and first responders from the Kusoldharm Foundation arrived at the scene on Thepkrasattri Road in Baan Lipon, Srisoonthorn, shortly after 5:30am. They found a heavily damaged Toyota Fortuner SUV on its side in front of a Family Mart convenience store about 100m from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Thalang substation (map
PHUKET: Over 5,000 protesters rallied against the amnesty bill yesterday, blocking Surin Road in front of Phuket Provincial Hall as they listened to democrat leaders vehemently denounce the bill and the Yingluck administration. The protesters, mostly from Phuket and Phang Nga, signed their names in denouncement of the recently passed, controversial bill (story
PHUKET: After landing at Phuket Airport on October 7, I passed all the scam businesses and made my way to the metered taxi stand. I’ve used it for years and know that despite the word “metered” in the name, the price is fixed, about 550 baht to Patong
Danny Ruangkanch, 54, is a Narathiwat native. He graduated from the California College of the Arts 29 years ago, and spent 10 years working abroad before coming back to Thailand. He came to Phuket 15 years ago and works as a freelance artist and Moderator of Thaimtb.
PHUKET: Reports of government plans to raise both arrival and departure taxes on foreign tourists reflect an almost complete lack of cohesion on tourism policy by government officials, and fly in the face of previous pronouncements that Thailand stands at the ready to become the “tourism hub” of the Asean region. The proposed increases, a 100-baht hike in airport departure tax on international flights and a 500-baht “arrival” tax to help cover the costs of treating uninsured foreign tourists, need to be evaluated independently. The fact that they were put forward in the same week by different government ministries is likely to reinforce the perception abroad that Thailand’s reputation for hospitality is becoming increasingly eroded by greed and over-dependence on its premier cash cow: the tourism industry.
PHUKET: Phuket’s top cop promised yesterday to push tuk-tuks and taxis off of some of their regular patches, including Patong beach road, in order to create parking spots for the general public. “We’ll have new parking zones set up in two weeks,” he said. Police called in the heads of every taxi stand, as well as the people who lend drivers parking places, to make it clear that tuk-tuk and taxi drivers could not take up entire streets waiting for customers.
PHUKET: Phuket’s new top cop warned the island’s police reinforcements that swift disciplinary action will be taken and criminal charges will be levied against them if they go crooked. “The most important thing is to not use your career to benefit your own pocket,” Phuket Provincial Police Commander Ong-art Phiwruangnont told the 97 recruits, all recent graduates of the police academy. “If you accept bribes or extort people, or do anything else illegal for financial gain, you will face not only disciplinary, but also criminal charges,” Maj Gen Ong-art said.
PHUKET: The man who fatally stabbed a Karon taxi driver in Samkong early yesterday morning turned himself in today.
PHUKET: High-ranking local government officers in Phuket will start an English language and cross-cultural negotiation course this month as part of the ongoing cooperation between the United Kingdom and Thailand, said British Ambassador to Thailand Mark Kent. The announcement of the course came after a closed-door meeting between Amb Kent and Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday afternoon.
PHUKET: Gun owners with permission to carry their weapons in public may no longer do so in tourist areas, it was announced on Tuesday. The order issued by the Royal Thai Police applies nationwide and is part of an ongoing effort to improve tourist safety.