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PHUKET NEWS
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014
Phuket Seven Day Weather Forecast The Phuket News offers flexible advertising options both online and in print.
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FRI JANUARY 24
SAT JANUARY 25
SUN JANUARY 26
MON JANUARY 27
TUE JANUARY 28
WED JANUARY 29
THU JANUARY 30
High: +32° Low: +23°
High: +32° Low: +24°
High: +32° Low: +24°
High: +31° Low: +23°
High: +32° Low: +23°
High: +32° Low: +24°
High: +32° Low: +24°
Wind 22 km/h
Wind 18 km/h
Wind 18 km/h
Wind 22 km/h
Wind 22 km/h
Wind 25 km/h
Firefighters battle blaze GENERAL MANAGER GENERAL MANAGER
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irefighters from Wichit were called on Monday morning (January 20) to a blaze at a house occupied by employees of Phuket Intercraft furniture store on Chao Fah West Road. From the time the firemen arrived at about 9.30am, it took around an hour to douse the fire, which largely destroyed the accommodation for 30 workers. No one was hurt or injured in the fire – one man sleeping inside managed to escape. Pol Lt Col Sanit Noorit from Wichit Police told The Phuket News that a police forensics team would investigate the cause, but Nutchanart Suwanchauwarit, the wife of Phuket Intercraft owner Worapan Suwanchauwarit, believes an electrical device was at fault. M rs Nutcha na r t said around 30 workers lived in
F
The damage from Monday's fire. Inset: Nutchanart Suwanchauwarit, wife of the owner. the accommodation building, which was one of several buildings belonging to the company. “If the fire had crossed the road, it would have burnt the whole lot (including a factory and storage area), because there was a lot of foam and wood inside the factory.” Several years ago, a similar fire destroyed the accom-
modation complex and the company was not insured. Mrs Nutchanart said they were also not insured this time around. She explained that one of the workers, Mr Satchukorn, was sleeping inside at the time of the fire. He awoke to the smoke and managed to flee the building in time. She said the fire alarm was not working at the time.
Mrs Nutchanart said they would rebuild the accommodation further away from the furniture factory this time. A staff member from the nearby Kajonkiet School said the fire was around 500 metres from the school. Staff moved all the students to the ground floor until they were sure the fire had been extinguished.
Wind 25 km/h
Bag snatch in Thalang A MEMBER OF THE BANGkok Airways ground crew at Phuket International Airport fell victim to a bag snatcher at the Tesco-Lotus in Thalang at 8.30pm on Sunday (January 19). After doing her shopping with a friend, Nipawan Saelue went out to her bike. Getting ready to leave the car park, she placed her bag on the bike. Within moments a young man on a motorbike rode by and snatched the bag. Mrs Nipawan and her friend gave chase but the robber outran them. However, they were able to tell police that the snatcher’s bike was a Honda Dream, and gave officers the licence plate number. In her bag, Mrs Nipawan said, were an iPhone, B1,000 in cash, two ATM cards and a credit card, her Thai ID card and her airport ID card. Eakkapop Thongtub
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Farkas Gyula, who was found wandering in Kamala.
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Lost tourist headed on a plane home HUNGARIAN TOURIST, 73-year-old Farkas Gyula will be sent back home to Europe, after he was found lost in Kamala on Saturday evening (January 11). Paul Edden of the Kamala Police Volunteers said that since the story appeared in The Phuket News, the Hungarian Embassy in Bangkok had been in touch. “They knew him. He was here in 2012 and it was exactly the same problem.” Mr Gyula was found in Kamala by locals and taken to the police station. He is a Hungarian national but lives in Switzerland. He told police he was staying at the Swissotel, but the hotel had no record of him.
Mr Edden said Mr Gyula has Alzheimer’s, and in 2012 his personal health insurance had covered his flight home from Phuket. It was hoped the same thing would happen this time. Mr Edden thanked everyone who had shared the story on Facebook, because the police had earlier had trouble getting in touch with the Hungarian Embassy. “Thanks to everyone for their help, the community has done a good thing, and the story reached the right people. He will in time be sent home.” Mr Gyula is now under the care of the Phuket Town Tourist Police until a flight home is organised. thephuketnews