PHUKET: One lucky person has yet to learn that he has won the top prize of 750,000 baht in gold from the lucky draw at the annual Red Cross Fair, which drew to a close on Sunday night. Even the winner of the second prize has yet to step forward to claim 375,000 baht in gold bars, Sarawut Rukkaw of the Phuket Red Cross told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut led the draw for the top prize at 10pm on Saturday at the central stage at Saphan Hin (map
PHUKET: Scuffles broke out in front of Wichit Police Station yesterday as tensions boiled over between Chinese-speaking Thai tour guides and Chinese nationals who they accuse of taking their jobs.
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office chief today trounced rumors that the 240-million-baht budget for an airport-to-Patong “sea taxi” had been approved.
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut highlighted the good work done by the Phuket Tourist Police this morning, about a month after the reputation of the department was tarnished by an ex-member becoming a drug dealer. Phuket Tourist Police Inspector Urumporn Koondejsumrit was asked to attend the governor’s monthly meeting and speak about the opportunities for expats to become involved with the organization. “You must be willing to help others without expecting anything in return,” Maj Urumporn said.
PHUKET: Political turmoil has forced Safer Phuket organizers to postpone the Coastal Waters Safety Summit, scheduled to be held at this year’s PIMEX boat show (story
PHUKET: The restructuring of the Central Festival taxi rank into a co-operative, part of a campaign to rid Phuket of violent taxi groups, missed its deadline by over a month. However, the process of becoming a legal co-operative should be completed this week.
PHUKET: A taxi driver and a tuk-tuk driver yesterday made two tourists very happy by returning over half a million baht and other belongings that had been left behind in their vehicles.
PHUKET: A fight between two rival gangs left two Myanmar nationals dead and two others injured at Saphan Hin last night. Both gangs had attended the final night of the Red Cross Fair.
PHUKET: Hundreds of angry anti-government protesters last night forced the organizers of the annual Phuket Red Cross Fair to cancel a live concert by Thai rock star Sek Loso, who was to perform the closing show at the fair. Sek “Seksan Sukpimai” Loso was one of many Thai celebrities who joined a publicity campaign calling on voters to cast their ballots at the upcoming February 2 election. His participation in the campaign, however, drew much criticism from anti-government factions, who posted angry comments on the Sek Loso Facebook page.
PHUKET: Christmas has always been a somewhat schizophrenic event for me. Coming from a non-religious family, it was always celebrated as a time for the extended family to get together, share food and catch up on developments over the past year, and had absolutely nothing to do with celebrating the birth of Christ. Nevertheless, my mother is religious in her yearly purchase of a fresh Christmas tree and a liberal supply of presents for our family’s nephews, nieces, cousins and sundry other relatives.