Month: July 2018

  • Phuket NewsKathu Street Festival, preserving culture and tradition

    Kathu Street Festival, preserving culture and tradition

    The tenth annual Kathu Culture Street Festival is on until Sunday night (July 29) and is being held on Wichit Songkhram Road, showcasing the cultural heritage of one of Phuket’s oldest and most vibrant communities. Vice Governor Snith says, “this is the second time that I am taking part in the Kathu Culture Street Festival. The festival is important to…

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  • Bangkok NewsOnline poker casino smashed in Klong Toei raid

    Online poker casino smashed in Klong Toei raid

    Thailand’s favourite crime buster, Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, aka ‘Big Joke’, has arrested 58 Chinese nationals running casino operations in an upmarket tower block in Bangkok’s Klong Toei district. Daily News is reporting that a large cache of evidence in the form of computers, notebooks, phones and account books was recovered during the raid on two sections of the…

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  • PropertyWhat a difference an airport could make

    What a difference an airport could make

    Phuket’s Northern neighbour Phang Nga, and its key tourism magnet of Khao Lak, is seeing increasingly broader demand. One clear sign of the times is the new international offerings in the current pipeline including such brands as Sheraton, Holiday Inn and Avani. And a new airport to service the area as well. Read more about the confirmed new Phang Nga airport HERE.…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsAustralian doctor reveals about the complicated sedation of Mu Pa 13

    Australian doctor reveals about the complicated sedation of Mu Pa 13

    Dr Richard Harris, the Australian doctor involved in the Tham Luang cave rescue, has revealed new details about the sedation of the young football team, following a ceremony at Government House in his home city of Adelaide on Thursday where he received a standing ovation. Thai PBS reports that Dr Harris spoke about howhe taught the other divers how to…

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  • Thai Life5 property checks buyers mysteriously overlook in Thailand

    5 property checks buyers mysteriously overlook in Thailand

    by Desmond Hughes In many countries, once a decision to purchase a property has been made, a deposit paid, the parties should be able to sit back and handover legal matters to their lawyers, and concentrate on admittedly stressful practical matters such as furniture removal, checking boilers / heating / air conditioning systems and often working through a ‘chain’ of…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket honours HM The King on his 66th birthday

    Phuket honours HM The King on his 66th birthday

    A host of special ceremonies are being held across Phuket today to honor and celebrate HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun’s 66th Birthday. The first ceremony, which got underway at 6.30am, was presided over by Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong offering alms to 67 monks as part of a blessing ceremony to honor HM The King at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town. Also…

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  • Thailand NewsLocal rains in Nan and Trat cause devastation – seven killed two missing

    Local rains in Nan and Trat cause devastation – seven killed two missing

    Heavy rains in northern Thailand and on the Cambodian border in Trat are causing local emergencies. At least seven villagers have been killed and two others missing after heavy rains triggered a mudslide from a mountain into their valley village in the Bo Klua district of Nan province this morning Saturday). The landslide occurred at the Ban Huay Kham in…

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  • Thailand NewsClawing back the tiger population

    Clawing back the tiger population

    (10 minute read) The plight of the Indochinese Tiger is a particular passion for The Thaiger. As a leading sponsor of SaveWildTigers.org we applaud all the work being done in Thailand and around South East Asia in support of the survival of the species. By Piyaporn Wongruang Ahead of the Global Tiger Day on Sunday, July 29, lead tiger researchers and…

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  • Thailand NewsTwo day booze ban finishes tonight at midnight

    Two day booze ban finishes tonight at midnight

    The sale or serving of alcohol will remain prohibited in Phuket until midnight tonight (Saturday) as part of a nationwide ban commemorating the start of Buddhist Lent. Yesterday (Friday) alcohol was banned for the main Buddhist annual holiday, Asanha Bucha Day. “Alcohol sales are prohibited from midnight Thursday until midnight Saturday.” Alcohol may be sold in only one location: hotels.…

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  • Phuket NewsKathu Culture Street Festival until Sunday night

    Kathu Culture Street Festival until Sunday night

    The tenth annual Kathu Culture Street Festival is on until Sunday night (July 29) and is being held on Wichit Songkhram Road, showcasing the cultural heritage of one of Phuket’s oldest and most vibrant communities. Vice Governor Snith says, “this is the second time that I am taking part in the Kathu Culture Street Festival. The festival is important to…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s croc watch takes to the skies over Layan Beach

    Phuket’s croc watch takes to the skies over Layan Beach

    Phuket’s latest crocodile escapee was spotted from a drone yesterday (July 27) afternoon near Layan Beach. The drone spotted the crocodile 200 metres from Layan Beach at 3pm yesterday. Cages have been set up along the beach and around rocks with chicken meat to tempt the hungry crocodile. The lone crocodile has been drifting with the current northwards along Phuket’s west…

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  • Phuket NewsBody of missing Indian man washed up on Karon Beach

    Body of missing Indian man washed up on Karon Beach

    The Phuket Tourist Police have confirmed the discovery of the body of an Indian man who has been missing in the seas off Karon Beach since Wednesday (July 25). The man’s body was found at Karon Beach yesterday (July 27). Karon Police were notified at 5pm last Wednesday that a tourist was missing. Another Indian man had already been taken…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsSing Buri and Chiang Rai – major drug busts

    Sing Buri and Chiang Rai – major drug busts

    Police in Sing Buri, central Thailand, say they’ve cracked open a major drug syndicate with the arrest of key members. A major drug-trafficking ring’s members were arrested along with 11,600,000 methamphetamine pills and some 700kg of crystal methamphetamine or “ice”. The announcement from the deputy national police chief Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakan yesterday. Following a tipoff by undercover police on…

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  • World NewsMyanmar tourism growth stalls in first half of 2018

    Myanmar tourism growth stalls in first half of 2018

    (4 minute read) Myanmar has seen a slight contraction in tourist number during the first half of t2018. Tourist arrivals still reached 1,722,049 visits, a drop of 2%, according to the latest update by Hotel and Tourism Ministry. Thai tourists remain the top source market but China is catching up. Other tourists are coming from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Vietnam…

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  • Krabi NewsKrabi tackles macaque population control

    Krabi tackles macaque population control

    Krabi officials have neutered 157 monkeys in Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park as part of its operation to control the macaque population. The program echoes a similar program conducted to reduce the numbers of mischievous monkeys in Phuket during June. The monkeys are captured, neutered and re-moved to a new home where they can live in peace…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsSerbians on the run after trying to fire-torch their way into a Chiang Mai ATM

    Serbians on the run after trying to fire-torch their way into a Chiang Mai ATM

    PHOTOS: Sanook Two Serbians are on the run after trying to use a make-shift fire-torch to break into a Bangkok Bank ATM in Chiang Mai. Sanook report that the pair tried to use a gas canister for cooking to help cut their way into the ATM next to the Ratchaphak University. But the walls of the ATM was too thick and…

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  • Phuket NewsRegister your crocodile by August 10 – Phuket Governor

    Register your crocodile by August 10 – Phuket Governor

    OK, all you closet-crocodile owners, it’s time to register your crocodile. And make it snappy! Owners of crocodiles in Phuket must register them with the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office before August 10, 2018, or they will face legal action. Phuket’s Governor says “The province has issued an announcement notifying crocodile owners who have yet to register to the Phuket Provincial…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsPhrae bus crash – 35 university students injured

    Phrae bus crash – 35 university students injured

    Thirty-five students from the Uttaradit Rajabhat University have been injured following a bus and car collision on the Rayong to Chaing Mai road last night (Thursday). Four of the students and the unidentified car driver were seriously injured and the rest suffered minor injuries, including the 52 year old bus driver Wichien Phromtha. Pol Lieutenant Apichat Chuathong of Huai Rai…

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  • Hua Hin NewsLucky amulet or lousy shot? Cha-am man escapes gun attack.

    Lucky amulet or lousy shot? Cha-am man escapes gun attack.

    Sanook is reporting that Cha-Am police found three casings from a 9mm gun near the Bor Prakhon housing estate by Soi 2 in Nong Ta Phot sub-district yesterday. A man was allegedly shot at six times by his son-in-law but not a single bullet hit him. The man claims that his good luck came from an amulet he bought a…

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  • Bangkok NewsGang of four kids steal BKK woman’s Honda Wave

    Gang of four kids steal BKK woman’s Honda Wave

    Four young Thais have been caught red-handed stealing a woman’s motorbike in Thonburi, on the western banks of the Chao Phraya in Bangkok. Posted by Wanchana Ariya, she laments about the “youth of today” and the “future of the nation” in her Facebook page. The footage showed a group of four boys stealing the bike in the Wong Wian 22 area of…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsFormer US pilot shoots himself dead at house in Chiang Mai

    Former US pilot shoots himself dead at house in Chiang Mai

    PHOTO COMPILATION: Ban Muang A 62 year old former US pilot has shot himself in Chiang Mai on Wednesday. Ban Muang is reporting that the man’s Thai wife heard a single shot ring out at their house on the Rattanakosin Road in Chiang Mai. The woman ran to a bedroom where her husband was dead from a bullet wound to the…

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  • World NewsDoubleTree by Hilton Penang invites you to Malaysia’s culinary capital

    DoubleTree by Hilton Penang invites you to Malaysia’s culinary capital

    DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Penang is inviting food lovers to discover the amazing flavors of Penang with a journey of discovery into the island’s unique culinary scene. Part of Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT), this stunning seafront resort is the perfect base from which to explore the gastronomic culture of Penang, which is often labeled the “Culinary Capital of Malaysia”. The…

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  • World NewsRescuers search for 131 missing persons in Laos flooding

    Rescuers search for 131 missing persons in Laos flooding

    Laotian rescuers are continuing their search for 131 missing people. They have been missing since Monday’s fracture of the banks of the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower dam causing devastating floods to villages in the southern Laos province of Attapeu. The Laos PM Thongloun Sisoulith says, “Impact of this flooding is enormous.” The Vientiane Times is reporting that the disaster…

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  • World NewsAid and rescuers pour into southern Laos to help flood victims

    Aid and rescuers pour into southern Laos to help flood victims

    PHOTO: The Nation Rescuers from Thailand and China are arriving at Laos’ flooded southern district of Attapeu to assist local soldiers in search and rescue efforts following the collapse of a saddle dam belonging to a major dam construction project that caused massive downstream flooding. The dam broke its banks on Monday night. Scores of Laotians remained on the missing…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket crocodile spotted off Laypang Beach

    Phuket crocodile spotted off Laypang Beach

    Phuket’s latest crocodile escapee was spotted from a drone yesterday (July 26) evening near Laypang Beach, north of Bang Tao Beach. The crocodile catching team were notified by local fishermen at 6pm that the crocodile was seen swimming in the water near Laypang Beach. The drone spotted the crocodile near an island off the shore of Sirinat National Park area.…

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  • World News16 billion USD wiped off Facebook shares

    16 billion USD wiped off Facebook shares

    Facebook has had a horror day on the share market as it starts rolling out new privacy policies which are cutting into the company’s bottomline. Mark Zuckerberg, personally, lost 16 billion US dollars in the market rout. CNN reports that Facebook shares plunged 19% on Thursday after executives warned that revenue growth would slow as the company focuses on user…

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  • Koh Samui NewsAgama Yoga founder Swami Vivekananda accused of sexual assault

    Agama Yoga founder Swami Vivekananda accused of sexual assault

    The founder of the Koh Phangan based yoga and tantra school Agama, Swami Vivekananda Saraswati, has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault. He claims to be the “brilliant exponent of a unique and modern trend of thinking in Yoga” who “has reached high states of spiritual realisation.” Agama Yoga is one of the world’s largest yoga training centres. Swami’s…

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  • Bangkok NewsSHOW DC host photographic exhibition celebrating His Majesty’s 66th birthday

    SHOW DC host photographic exhibition celebrating His Majesty’s 66th birthday

    A photo exhibition to celebrate the 66th birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebyavarangkul is being held at SHOW DC in Bang Kapi, Bangkok, until July 31, 2018. A total of 66 royal photos from His Majesty’s youth through to today are on display in a unique layout that forms the shape of “66” in Thai numerals. A book…

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  • Phuket NewsCroc tracks found on Bang Tao Beach

    Croc tracks found on Bang Tao Beach

    Traces of a crocodile claw footprints have been found at Bang Tao Beach today (July 26) as the crocodile search operation has struggled to find the shy reptiles citing strong wind and waves along the west coast. The crocodile search team claim they’ve found the croc-prints which, believed to be of the missing crocodile at Bang Tao Beach. The search…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsMiracle as amulet “saves” father and son in Chiang Mai

    Miracle as amulet “saves” father and son in Chiang Mai

    Sanook is reporting that Thai media are hailing the survival of a father and son as a miracle. The father and his three year old boy walked away from a horror crash on the Chiang Mai-Lampang highway. 30 year old Chat was travelling along Route 11 on his way home with his son from Lamphun to Muang district of Lampang.…

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  • Phuket NewsSearch continues for missing Indian tourist at Karon Beach

    Search continues for missing Indian tourist at Karon Beach

    A search is continuing for an Indian man who has been missing in the seas off Karon Beach since yesterday (July 25). Karon Police were notified at 5pm yesterday that a tourist was missing. Another Indian man had already been taken to hospital after being pulled from the sea. Karon Municipality is reporting that yesterday, lifeguards rescued one Indian tourist…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s tourism spotlight turns green – Asia’s biggest sustainable tourism event

    Phuket’s tourism spotlight turns green – Asia’s biggest sustainable tourism event

    The Phuket Hotels Association has announced a new annual international forum called PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism), which will be held on the island for the first time this September to support the region’s hospitality industry in its fight for a sustainable future. The PHIST Forum 2018 will take place on Monday, September 24 2018 at JW Marriott…

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  • Thailand NewsGPS tourists trackers and mandatory travel insurance – BKK travel fair seminar

    GPS tourists trackers and mandatory travel insurance – BKK travel fair seminar

    PHOTO: South China Morning Post Two great suggestions at a Bangkok travel fair, both aimed at making things easier for Thai authorities without improving safety for tourists. At the Thai Chic Travel Fair seminar held in Bangkok yesterday (Wednesday), officials suggested that making it a mandatory requirement for all foreign visitors to Thailand to have travel insurance would ease the…

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  • Koh Samui NewsTwo gibbon touts arrested on Samui – three gibbons rescued

    Two gibbon touts arrested on Samui – three gibbons rescued

    Yesterday we posted the story about Samui beach touts hawking a baby gibbon for tourist photos – a lucrative little cash business at 100 baht per photo. But the practice is frowned upon my may westerners these days and remains illegal in Thailand. Facebook blogger Arkadiy Kulev was keen to see the touts arrested. Today (Thursday), Samui police have arrested two…

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  • South Thailand NewsJealous wife attacks husband with Ito kitchen knife in Chumpon

    Jealous wife attacks husband with Ito kitchen knife in Chumpon

    Police and rescue medics rushed to the scene of an attack on a Chumpon man. Sanook reports that Police found 38 year old Anon with serious wounds to his head and arm on a concrete road outside a house. He was taken to Sawee Hospital. They found out that the attacker was Anon’s estranged wife, 45 year old Nit. Both are construction…

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  • Phuket NewsNew traffic conditions at the Chalong Circle roadworks

    New traffic conditions at the Chalong Circle roadworks

    PHOTOS: Watcharapon Thaveesin The Phuket Highway Office has announced that the roundabout is closed and traffic is diverted around the construction site, effective until November 18. The new traffic plans will make the underpass construction faster by diverting traffic away from the actual circle area. The contractor is rushing the work schedule during this period, especially over the low season as…

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  • HealthPhuket lifeguards warn about blue-bottles

    Phuket lifeguards warn about blue-bottles

    Be alert but not alarmed. The Phuket Lifeguard Service are warning swimmers after blue-bottle ‘jellyfish’ that have recently been found on several of the island’s west-coast beaches and spotted along Patong Beach this morning (July 26). “…found some Blue-bottles at Patong Beach and Nai Yang Beach. Swim Safe everyone,” the message reads from the Phuket Lifeguard Service Facebook page. Blue-bottles…

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