News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
The Thaiger is your essential resource for staying connected with Thailand’s captivating blend of tradition and modernity. To remain in the loop with the country’s most trusted news source, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
-
Sponsored Mark One Tailor: The best bespoke tailor in Khao Lak
When it comes to high-quality bespoke tailoring in Khao Lak, Mark One Tailor stands out as one of the most trusted names. With decades of experience, this tailor shop has built a solid reputation for exceptional craftsmanship, premium fabrics, and...
-
Eco-tour firms protest tuk tuk ‘bullies&’
PHUKET TOWN: About 70 staff from five eco-tour companies gathered in front of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office on Phuket Rd last night to protest the “bullying” behavior of tuk tuk drivers in the Kata-Karon area. The protest blocked traffic for about an hour. Anupharb Thirarath, director of the TAT Phuket office, was handed a letter by the…
-
Employers turn in 126 “unemployables’
PHUKET: In the latest development of the government’s crackdown on illegal aliens, 126 Burmese have been rounded up and will be shipped back to Burma within the next few days. Phuket Immigration made the arrests after tip-offs from Phuket employers. Three days ago, police publicly urged employers to tell police of any Burmese who are not fit to work as…
-
Four arrested for credit card offenses
PHUKET TOWN: Police have nabbed one Malaysian and three Thais suspected of a major credit card fraud and forgery operation. Lee On Chin, a 49-year-old Chinese Malaysian, and Kiattikorn Rakkaew, 33, were arrested Tuesday in front of Daeng Plaza Hotel on Phuket Rd while using credit cards to draw money from an ATM machine. Prajak Nalita, 32, was arrested the…
-
Another runaway bus on Patong Hill
PATONG: Twenty-six people were injured yesterday afternoon when a bus careered off the road and into a wall at the bottom of Patong Hill. Aboard the bus belonging to Chiang Mai tour company Udom Tour were 39 Thai passengers, aged from 40-60, who were on a 10-day tour of the South. Pol Serg Maj Suthep Sukeaw, of Kathu Police Station,…
-
B2m damage in three-home blaze
PHUKET TOWN: A kitchen fire raged out of control and gutted three units of a two-story townhouse complex in Moo Baan Karn Kaeha yesterday afternoon. Total damage is estimated at more than 2 million baht. Five firefighters took nearly one hour to put out the blaze. No injuries were reported. The fire started in the kitchen of one of the…
-
Koreans can be interpreters, not guides – Gov
PHUKET TOWN: In response to a long-standing dispute between Thai guides and Korean tour operators, Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday announced that 99 Korean nationals will be allowed to register as tour-guide interpreters. The announcement was made at a meeting, attended by local government officials and Korean tour operators, which was arranged to resolve months of conflict. The conflict arose…
-
Police officer robbed during Phuket stay
PHUKET TOWN: An Immigration Police officer from Surat Thani, working in Phuket on assignment, had his jewelry and his gun stolen from his hotel room at the S.T. Hotel on Sakdidet Rd on Saturday night. Pol Lt Parichat Jaturonphan, of Phuket Town Police Station, said that Pol Capt Sudjarit Vongsakate was staying at the hotel with his family. Lt Parichat…
-
Immigration scandal officer to be prosecuted
BANGKOK: Investigations into the corruption scandal at the Patong Immigration Office have already nailed one officer, according to a highly-placed source in the Immigration Department in Bangkok. The source, who requested anonymity, told the Gazette today, “One Immigration officer [from Phuket] has been found to have behaved incorrectly. We will be bringing criminal charges against him. “Another officer is still…
-
Lucky Complex operator out of luck
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has taken back management of the abandoned Lucky Complex in Saphan Hin after the company in charge of running it failed to pay rent on the building for more than two years. OrBorJor officials, including the president, Dr Prasit Koeysiripong, went to inspect the Lucky Complex on Saturday, shortly after the OrBorJor…
-
Patong to get power boost
PATONG: To reduce the number of unscheduled blackouts in Patong, the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has installed a new substation opposite the Holiday Inn on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd. The substation – which has yet to be hooked up to the town’s power supply – has the capacity to boost power supply in the area from 33 kilovolts to…
-
Governor CEO experiment “a success’
PHUKET TOWN: After five months, the experiment of having a governor CEO run Phuket has proved to be a success, says Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Interior, Yongyuth Wichaidith. Speaking at the opening of the new Patong Municipality Office yesterday, K. Yongyuth said the appointment of Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has led to issues being dealt with faster than under…
-
Patong Municipality moves house
PATONG: Patong Municipality moved into its luxurious new offices on Ratpatanusorn Rd this morning. Yongyuth Wichaidith, Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Interior, chaired the opening ceremony, which included the traditional blessing of the buildings by Buddhist monks. The new location comprises three buildings on 6.5 rai of land, built at a total cost of 58.2 million baht. The main Municipality…
-
Immigration Dept: corruption exposed
PHUKET: A major investigation has been launched into the activities of Immigration officers in Patong after the seizure of some 40 passports in Haad Yai in recent days. The passports were on their way back from Malaysia after being sent for “visa run” renewals and are now in the possession of the Immigration Department in Bangkok. Among those whose passports…
-
Cool relief blows across Phuket
PHUKET: After months of searing heat and little rain, blessedly cool weather reached Phuket today – but the relief will probably last no longer than 36 hours. Tawat Tantamanu of the Southwestern Regional Meteorological Center told the Gazette that the drop in temperature was caused by a low-pressure system moving up from Malaysia. “It has brought clouds and showers this…
-
Fleeing Patong bombers dump grenade
PATONG: Police suspect that two young men who dumped a hand grenade in a garbage bin around midnight last night had been on their way to bomb an entertainment venue in Soi Bangla. A tuk-tuk driver alerted police after seeing a passenger on a motorbike holding the grenade. Officers were dispatched to cut off the men’s route into Rat-U-Thit 200…
-
Mob blocks Laguna entrance
CHERNG TALAY: About 300 villagers from Cherng Talay blocked the entrance to Laguna Phuket today to protest over a variety of grievances against the operators of the five-star resort complex. The mob blocked hotel cars, taxis and buses, with the result that resort guests arriving or departing were forced to carry their bags through the picket lines. The protest started…
-
Shark: Will it? Won’t it?
PATONG: Reports that the Shark Club will reopen soon continue to surface – but so far none of the reports appears to have teeth. Earlier rumors that the club would reopen did, however, spark a visit to the venue in the early hours of Friday by the Chief of Kathu District, Suthin Uthaithamrong. K. Suthin told the Gazette that he…
-
Play fair, Songkhran revelers told
PHUKET: Police have issued a list of instructions to prevent next month’s Songkhran revels from getting out of hand. The list came with a plea from Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, for people to indulge in traditional water play from April 13 to April 15 without drunkenness or lewdness. In past years, people’s clothes have…
-
Airport traffic in February take-off
PHUKET: Passenger traffic at Phuket International Airport rose by 8.85% in February compared with the same month last year, according to figures just released by airport officials. The statistics show that 376,829 passengers arrived at, or departed from, the airport, compared with 346,179 last February. The number of international passengers rose by 17.94% to 156,185, while the number of passengers…
-
Walking street project postponed
PHUKET TOWN: The launch of the “Seven Wonders of Phuket” project planned for April 7 has been postponed until April 21. The project aims to attract visitors to the town’s historical areas with activities supporting a “Seven Wonders” theme, and by turning Thalang Rd into a pedestrian-only zone on Sundays. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to preside over the…
-
Mutilated body washed up in mangroves
THALANG: Police have no clues in the hunt for a killer or killers who disemboweled a man and dumped his mutilated body at sea. The body washed up among mangroves near the Fishery Center at Moo 4, Baan Laem Sai, where villagers found it about 6 pm yesterday. The victim’s throat had been slashed with such force that his head…
-
Shark rumor sparks official check
PATONG: Government officials checked the Shark Club last night after hearing a rumor that the venue, closed permanently on the orders of Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi, was planning to reopen tomorrow night. Chief of the Phuket Provincial Governor’s office Lertkiat Vongpuaphan visited the Shark Club in Patong to investigate the rumors, an officer in the Governor’s office told the Gazette.…
-
Villagers fight to save klong
BANG TAO: About 30 villagers are fighting to preserve a public klong [canal] they say is being filled in by a private company against their wishes. Villagers of Baan Bang Tao submitted a complaint to the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) at an extraordinary meeting yesterday. The villagers say 10 fishing boats could once park in the klong behind…
-
Injunction slapped on editors’ assets probe
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Administrative Court has issued an injunction on a money-laundering investigation into journalists critical of the government, pending its review of the matter. Senior journalists of Nation Multimedia Group (NMG), who had petitioned the court for the injunction, hailed the decision as a symbolic gesture by the judges and a strong message upholding press freedom. “This court’s…
-
German tourist dies of head injuries
KAMALA: A 40-year-old German tourist was found dead on a stairway with severe head injuries early this morning. Police believe his death was accidental but have not ruled out foul play. Police named the man as Peter Otto, of Kamala Buri Guesthouse. Other guests heard what sounded like Mr Otto’s door opening about 4 am, and then heard someone falling…
-
Metered cabs to start April 1
PHUKET: Metered yellow and blue taxis will be cruising Phuket’s streets from April 1, says the proprietor of the private company starting the service. Tawatchai Meeniam, Managing Director of Phuket Metered Taxi Service Co, told the Gazette today that he hopes to start with five taxis, all of them new Mitsubishi Lancers. Fares for the 24-hour service will be 30…
-
Drought puts spotlight on mine pits
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Town and Country Planning Department is looking into the possibility of using mine pits as supplementary sources of fresh water for Phuket, where current water resources are being depleted, the department head said yesterday. Phuket has more than 100 mine pits capable of supplying about 49.5 million cubic metres of water for consumption each year, said…
-
Riddle of the frozen fisherman
RASSADA: Police believe a Filipino tuna boat crewman, whose body parts were kept in a freezer after a fatal incident at sea last month, died accidentally. After the “Hong Swun Ju” docked at Rassada on Sunday morning, the captain, Hsu Kuo-Ho, 52, told Phuket Town police what happened. He said that while fishing in international waters on February 24, he…
-
Broken heart drives Norwegian to suicide
PATONG: Police believe a 31-year-old Norwegian tourist hanged himself at the weekend because his Thai girlfriend had found another man. Officers from Kathu Police Station were called to a house in Phra Barami Rd about 3.30 am on Saturday where they found the man’s body in a rented room. His girlfriend had earlier discovered the tourist, who was hanging from…
-
Phuket Town water to be shut off
PHUKET TOWN: Central Phuket Town will be without tap water from 10 am tomorrow until about 7 am on Wednesday to allow a rainwater pipe to be hooked up to the main water supply. The hook up will be carried out at the intersection of Yaowarat Rd and Soi Rungrawee, near Wachira Phuket Hospital, where Phuket Town’s Public Works Department…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.