Phuket News | The Phuket News

Damrong Pidech, Director of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, unofficially visited the Sirinart Marine National Park, in north of Phuket, on Tuesday (May 29) to examine an alleged case of land encroachment. The initial purpose of his visit was to take a look at three roads in the Layan area – 800-metre-long Layan Soi 9, Soi 7/1 (1.3 km) and Soi 7/2 (597 metres) – which were built in 2008 by OrBorTor Cherng Talay and a private company and which supposedly intrude into the park. Power poles and cables were also installed along the roads, supposedly with the approval of a former chief of the Sirinart Park. Since then, there have been ongoing court battles between officials of the park and OrBorTor Cherng Thalay. These have yet to come to a conclusion, but Mr Pidetch said he would in any case set up a committee to investigate. The Sirinart park covers 56,250 rai along the west coast, from the tip of Mai Khao, through Nai Yang and Nai Torn beaches and down to Layan, an area in which several luxury property developments and resorts have opened up in recent years. Questioning the legitimacy of some of these, Mr Pidetch said he would set up a team to investigate the origins of the deeds for land the properties are built on. At least seven hotels and resorts, covering a total of more than 700 rai will be examined, he said. His team will take about 30 days to search for evidence such as aerial photographs and documents supporting the issue of the title deeds. He said that he would like to apply “the Wang Nam Kiew model” to any resorts found to be illegal. He was referring to the Wang Nam Kiew area of Nakhon Ratchassima Province in Isarn, which saw a boom in illegal building in recent years, with as many as 150 resorts being established on supposedly protected land. After investigating the situation, Mr Damrong ordered 25 of these to be bulldozed last year. See photographs for an example (Picture by Noppatjak Attanon). His clean-out of Wang Nam Kiew also included intense investigation of officials involved in the issuing of title deeds. This tough approach naturally sparked outrage among property owners and villagers, with protests and attempts to block the demolitions. A map of the Sirinart Marine National Park can be seen here .

Friday 1 June 2012, 04:50PM

Phuket dengue fever cases on the rise

Chief of The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PHO), Doctor Sak Tengchaikul, announced today (June 1) that the extreme conditions of the rainy season and climate change has led to a rise in the number of dengue cases.

Friday 1 June 2012, 04:40PM

Parliament chaos over reconciliation debate

The Thai parliament was thrown into chaos for a second day Thursday, as lawmakers clashed over plans to push through a reconciliation debate that threatens to widen the country's bitter divides.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 09:17PM

First-time home buyers spoiled for choice

Phuket News / Business

Thursday 31 May 2012, 07:05PM

PHUKET: Home buyers in Phuket will be spoiled for choice this weekend when presales open for two major developments by Bangkok developers.

'Brand Phuket' still defies definition

Phuket News / Business

Thursday 31 May 2012, 07:03PM

PHUKET: The American Chamber of Commerce in Phuket (AmCham) and the Phuket PR Network on May 24 held the first of four meetings to try to come up with a definition of “Brand Phuket”.

Superyacht crew school set to open

Phuket News / Business

Thursday 31 May 2012, 06:59PM

PHUKET: A new school opens in Thalang on June 16, offering courses that lead graduates to a life of glamour and high salaries – working on superyachts around the world.

BBC film on HM the King resurfaces

THAILAND: A three-hour-long BBC documentary made in the 1970s, and containing rare footage of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej talking with a BBC reporter, has been rediscovered and posted on YouTube.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 04:39PM

WTO warns of Asian protectionism threat

The head of the World Trade Organisation on Thursday warned against growing Asian protectionism and said the region would not escape the impact of economic woes across the globe.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 04:03PM

Gravely humorous

Buddhism, its adherents would say, has many advantages over all other philosophies. But with most believers being cremated, it’s Christians who get to have the last word – on a gravestone.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 02:30PM

Finally, a bloody good decision

An auction house announced Thursday it had withdrawn from sale a vial said to contain blood taken from late US president Ronald Reagan after he was shot in 1981.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 02:28PM

Young athlete dies in bike smash

PHUKET: A reserve member of the Bangkok canoeing team in the National Youth Games died in a motorbike crash in Rawai this morning.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 02:23PM

Stew on this

A Japanese artist cooked his own genitals and served them to five paying diners in Tokyo to cover the medical costs, in a bizarre act to raise awareness about sexual minorities.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 02:21PM

Model Majesty is added to Legoland

A Lego model of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth complete with a diamond-encrusted crown is to go on display in time for the diamond jubilee.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 02:20PM

Queen Elizabeth II: a lifetime of devotion to duty

Phuket News / World

Thursday 31 May 2012, 02:11PM

Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrates her diamond jubilee this month, has spent a lifetime upholding her pledges to serve her peoples, earning a reputation in the process for calm shrewdness.

Nepal's war children head from poverty to university

Phuket News / World

Thursday 31 May 2012, 02:02PM

The gates of one of Nepal’s top private schools swing open and 20 children who hope to be the doctors, lawyers and scientists of tomorrow spill out into a smart Kathmandu suburb.

Chinese consulate discussed for Phuket

PHUKET: The Songkhla-based Chinese Consul General, Xu Mingliang, met Wednesday, May 30 with Phuket Vice-Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada to discuss opening a consulate in Phuket.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 01:59PM

Tree falls on Phuket truck, one hurt

PHUKET: A man was injured when a tree fell onto a pick-up truck at around 11 am on Sunday (May 27) morning, as he and his employee were travelling along the Kamala-Patong road.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 01:56PM

Reconciliation bill acts to deepen divides

Thousands of Thai ultra-royalists rallied Wednesday in Bangkok against a bill they fear will open the door for ousted premier Thaksin Shinatwatra to return to the politically-fractured kingdom.

Thursday 31 May 2012, 08:38AM

Joy as Suu Kyi greets Myanmar migrants