Phuket News

Phuket ice truck flips, causes massive tailback

PHUKET: An ice truck flipped at the busy Bangkhu Intersection, at the north end of the bypass road, during rush hour this morning, causing massive tailbacks on Phuket's critical Thepkrasattri Road.The Gazette has not received any reports of injuries in the accident.Traffic remains blocked across both lanes southbound as far back as the Baan Keha public housing estate in Thalang.Motorists are urged to avoid

Light-fingered Phuket woman undone by iPhone app

PHUKET: Phuket Police used a location app today to track down within 10 minutes a woman who had stolen a Danish tourist’s iPhone. Michael Dybdahl, 51, from Denmark, reported that his iPhone was missing to the Patong Police at 11:30am.“He said a woman visited his room at Bangla House last night, but he could not find his phone after she left,” said Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong Police.Mr Dybdahl used...

Chinese tourists, skipper injured in speedboat collision off Phuket

PHUKET: Four Chinese tourists and one Thai national were injured yesterday after two speedboats collided at the docks on Koh Khai Nok, off the east coast of Phuket.“The Nontasak was heading toward the pier at about 3pm and crashed into the Star Andaman, which was carrying 32 Chinese tourists, as it was reversing from the pier,” said Lt Col Chatchai Sakdee of Phuket Marine Police.The Nontasak, driven by...

Short-term solutions underway for perilous Phuket curve

PHUKET: Short-term safety measures are now being implemented to slow down motorists approaching the dangerous “100 bodies curve” and should be completed within a week, confirmed officials. The construction follows a blockade of Chao Fa West Road between Wang Talang Jewelry and Rolly Tasker Sails that was staged on Sunday by villagers, angry about the conditions of the road and the government’s...

 

 

PACC anti-graft squad begins investigation of Phuket police extortion allegations

PHUKET: More than 10 officers from the Public-sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) are on the island investigating allegations that Chalong Police officers extorted money from the Phuket dive community.The team arrived in Phuket yesterday and have yet to set a date for their departure, the team’s lead investigator, who...

   

Frenchman murdered in his sleep, confesses suspect

PHUKET: French tourist Fabrice Boigeol was bludgeoned to death in his sleep, Myanmar national Shwe Oo confessed yesterday.The body of Mr Boigeol, 37, was found in a pool of blood partially under a mattress in a room at the Moragot Resort, located off Saiyuan Road in Rawai, on April 18 (story here).After days scouring the area for clues, police arrested Mr Shwe at a rubber plantation near a worker’s camp in...

Lifeguards walk off Phuket beaches as PPAO drops ball on contract

PHUKET: Lifeguards abandoned the island’s tourist beaches today after the Phuket Provincial Administration Office (PPAO) failed to break the deadlock surrounding a 22-million-baht lifeguard contract that expired yesterday. “Since the contract has ended, it is no longer our responsibility to patrol the beaches. All 108 lifeguards have...