PHUKET: We’ve all been there – standing in front of the refrigerated dairy section in a local supermarket, wondering if the locally-made unsalted butter tastes anything like the imported variety when suddenly a mountain of skin reaches up for yogurt, displaying a dark bush of underarm hair and way too many freckles. “Hey mister, this is my local supermarket! If you want to walk around semi-naked, do it at home!” my inner voice screams, but of course I say nothing, give a disdainful look and trundle off in search of anything that will put a distance between me and this uncouth shopper. Seriously, this supermarket is nowhere near the sea, so why are there people walking around in nothing but shorts or bikinis
SPECIAL REPORT PHUKET: Fearing they will have nowhere to go if court-ordered evictions are carried out, villagers at the southern Phuket sea gypsy community in Rawai have steadfastly resolved to stay put. “Our people have been living here for more than 200 years. Our homes once lined the length of the beach, but now we have only 19 rai to live on,” said village elder Ngeam Dumrongkaset, 68.
PHUKET: The new 20-baht banknote will be available for exchange at commercial banks in Phuket and nationwide from April 1, staff at the Bank of Thailand told the Phuket Gazette this morning. Bank of Thailand Deputy Governor Tongurai Limpiti publicly announced the April 1 launch date yesterday
PHUKET: A concrete well ring vendor died in Thalang yesterday afternoon after his crane truck rolled down a slope and one of the outriggers – arms used to stabilize the truck – crushed him against a coconut tree. Thalang Police were notified that a man had died at a coconut plantation behind Baan Chumpoh Mosque in Pa Khlok at about 4pm
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut has ordered the Chalong Police to take swift action in bringing to justice the three men seen setting homes ablaze in Chalong early yesterday morning. With the aid of windy conditions, it took just 30 minutes for the fire to destroy three wooden homes in Soi Palai (map
PHUKET: Following a report from local villagers that they feared a foreign expat was buried at a grave near the Big Buddha image in the Nakkerd Hills, Karon Police today trooped up the hill and exhumed the remains – only to find the body of a buried dog. “At about 10:40am today, we received a report from a local plantation owner that he had found a grave marked with a rough gravestone on his land,” said Lt Sathaporn Seenoon of the Karon Police. “He said that last month he came to cut the grass in the area and at that time he did not notice anything odd.
PHUKET: The Phuket Tourist Police officer injured in a shootout yesterday morning has had his right leg amputated in order to save his life. Sen Sgt Maj Pinchai Piyadilok, 34, was quickly transferred to the Prince of Songkla University Hospital in Haad Yai yesterday after he was shot in the leg and in the stomach in a gunfight at a housing estate near Phuket Town (story
PHUKET: The long-awaited and much supported Phuket Airport Bus Express – marking Phuket’s first ‚hop on-hop off‘ bus service from the airport to major tourist beaches along the west coast (story
PHUKET: A complaint by a senior Chinese consulate official has prompted Tourist Police Commander Roy Ingpairoj to visit Phuket in person to investigate unscrupulous jet-ski operators at Patong Beach. Maj Gen Roy led 22 Tourist Police officers on an inspection of Patong Beach late yesterday afternoon
PHUKET: Drug Suppression officers last night arrested a former Phuket tour business operator for selling drugs after his business had closed due to hard times. Muang District Chief Supachai Pochanukul told the press today that Siriwat Srisuriyachai, 43, from the northeastern province of Buri Ram, was arrested outside an entertainment venue on Sakdidet Road (map