PHUKET: Officials in Srisoonthorn and Cherng Talay, on Phuket’s west coast, today inspected more than 30 houses damaged by the storm yesterday. Many of the homes had portions of their roofs blown off by the strong winds, while others were battered by falling trees. The roof of a drinking water plant flew off and fell onto two houses in the area.
SPECIAL REPORT The Phuket Gazette investigates a reader’s inquiry into why much of the sand at Laem Panwa Beach is black – and why it sticks to anything metal. The Gazette’s Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai, Stephen Fein and Chutharat Plerin report. PHUKET: The west coast beaches of Phuket attract millions of tourists annually, but there is only one beach on the island that is truly magnetic: the black sands that line Makham Bay, off Cape Panwa in Wichit.
PHUKET: The Phuket Election Commission (PEC) has confirmed the results of elections in Rawai Municipality last month, but has yet to set a date for the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) council election because restructuring of constituency boundaries is still underway. PEC Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit updated the public on several electoral affairs during a ‘Government Meets the Media’ event at Phuket Provincial Hall on Friday. Mr Kittipong confirmed the May 13 victory of incumbent Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos, as well as several other members of Mr Solos‘ Pattana Rawai (Develop Rawai) Group.
PHUKET: The torrential rain and Force 7 winds gusting over 50kmh overnight and throughout this afternoon are causing power disruptions to many parts of Phuket, including the resort town of Patong.
PHUKET: Management at The Racha resort on Koh Racha Yai, a popular day-trip island about 25 nautical miles south of Phuket, has stepped up its campaign in environmental care on the island. The news follows environmentalists‘ accusations against greedy developers, tour operators and resort owners for
PHUKET: Phuket has a long and somewhat checkered history of past industrial development dating back to its tin-mining era, which petered out over the final decades of the last century and finally ended for good in 1992 with the closure of the last mine on the island. [See ‚Riddle of the Sands‘, current issue of the Phuket Gazette
PHUKET: Democrat Party members staged a protest in Phuket on Friday to denounce the reconciliation bills set to be discussed in Parliament. The gathering made Phuket the first province to rally against the bill, said Democrat MP Sathit Wongnongtoey. Over 2,000 joined the rally at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town, led by veteran MP Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr and MP Raywat Areerob.
PHUKET: Phuket lifeguards have dismissed the assertion that the American kitesurfer who died
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha has issued a formal warning to all head coaches of teams competing in the Phuket Youth Games to not let their athletes swim in the dangerous surf. “The warning was issued to the head of each team to make sure their athletes do not go into the water during the current treacherous windy conditions or swim in dangerous areas marked by red flags,” Gov Tri said. “Phuket is experiencing its ‘monsoon season’, which is windy and dangerous to anyone going into the sea.
PHUKET: An American kitesurfer died en route to hospital after being pulled from the surf at Phuket’s Nai Harn Beach around noon today. The man, whose name has not been released to the press, had been kitesurfing earlier that morning. He was seen by beach vendors struggling in shallow water after heading back to shore.