- News
Traffic diversions – Laguna Phuket Marathon 2018
PHOTOS: Laguna Phuket Marathon The 2018 Laguna Phuket Marathon is set to take place on June 9 and 10 at Laguna Phuket and will welcome a record number of runners – in excess of 8,000 from more than 50 countries. A number of roads used for the course will therefore be closed at certain times during the race (see below),…
- News
A wet weekend around the country
Around the country there’s been a surging southern monsoon mixing with a front crossing over the South China Sea, moving north and sucking in moist air from the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean. The Thai Meteorological Department is reporting “more isolated heavy to very heavy rain will hit all regions of the country from today until June 11…
- Property
Trang: Southern Thailand’s rising star
As real estate in the markets of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi increasingly becomes unattractive to investors and speculators due to rapid appreciation and the lack of new land coming up for sale, markets in other southern Thai provinces are beginning to bud. Trang is one such market that speculators would be wise not to ignore. The President of the…
- News
Small guest-houses and hotels closing down across Chiang Mai
Hotels, from small to medium size, are closing down across Chaing Mai following recent crackdowns and enforcement of the Hotel Act. Similar crackdowns are underway across the country this week, notably in Krabi as well. About 100 protesters have staged protests outside City Hall demanding that their issues be raised with the Tourism Ministry and the Thai PM. Small and…
- News
Crazy school songtaew driver slapped with 5,000 baht fine and suspension
CCTV footage from an intersection near Kabinburi, east of Bangkok, showed a fully loaded school songtaew almost collide with other vehicles as the driver plowed through a red light. Thai Rath reports the songtaew almost topples over, such is the speed and swerve. The children came from three area schools – Kabin Withaya, Jiamin School and Ruksasap School in Prachinburi. Following…
- News
Suspected Russian pedophile arrested in Pattaya
Thai police continue to close in on foreign pedophiles operating in Thailand. A 39 year old Russian man has been arrested by Thai Tourist Police on charges related to the possession of child pornography. On Wednesday police raided a property in the Pratumnak Hill area of Pattaya and arrested 39 year old Alexey Fadeev. During the raid police confiscated a notebook…
- News
Officials keeping an eye on illegal World Cup football gambling
Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong says, “The Ministry of Interior has reminded us that the World Cup football will be held from June 14 to July 15. Obviously it’s already a very big event in the media. More children, youth and adults will be coerced to take part in illegal football gambling.” “Offenders under the Gambling Act shall be liable to…
- News
‘Big Joke’ takes down Russian credit card fraudster
Tourist police deputy commissioner Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal has led a team of police in taking down a Russian credit card fraudster in the north east. Maj Gen Surachet is affectionately known as “Big Joke” in the Thai media following a series of high profile crime busts. In his latest sting, 43 year old Kiselev Andrey Vladimirovice, was trapped with…
- News
New ferry services proposed to connect Andaman ports
PHOTO: Pattaya Mail (The Pattaya/Hua Hin ferry that started last year. Similar to the new services being proposed for the Andaman region.) It’s being called the “Andaman Ring” – new proposed routes connecting Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi with a modern fleet of new ferries which authorities say will cut journey times and help cater for the expanding tourism in the…
- News
Krabi elephants reporting for treatment at animal hospital
Many elephants have been brought to receive medial treatment at the elephant hospital in Krabi province after they fell sick, Benjatham Thaitham, a veterinarian at the Krabi elephant hospital, says the arrival of the rainy season has caused many elephants to be brought to the hospital by their mahouts for treatment. She says she’s worried that the elephants may been…
- News
Darasamuth underpass closed today for maintenance
The Phuket PR Office says the Darasamuth Underpass (adjacent to Central Festival) is closed from 9am to 3pm today (Thursday, June 7) while workers repair light bulbs. This announcement from the Phuket Highways Chief Somwang Lohanut. Mr Somwang says, “both the northbound and southbound lanes through the underpass will be temporary closed. Workers will be carrying out repairs and replacing…
- News
NBTC been told to clean up the overhead cabling mess
PHOTO The Nation Last year PM Prayut Chan-o-cha declared war on Thailand’s overhead electric cabling signalling provincial governments to get their overhead house in order. The clean up has been complicated by the many services that run their systems overhead – cable TV, electricity suppliers, internet and telecom providers. Now the Nation Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) has been tasked…
- News
Hmong workers victims of human trafficking – Intercepted in Prachuap Khiri Khan
27 Hmong workers have been intercepted who appear to have been smuggled over the border near the Singkhorn crossing (a pass across the Tenasserim Hills on the border between Thailand and Myanmar in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province). Ban Muang is reporting that police, military, immigration and Prachuap Khiri Khan authorities intercepted four pick up trucks yesterday. The workers had paid 700…
- News
Thailand Event Round-Up – June 2018
by Paul Poole, PAUL POOLE (SOUTH EAST ASIA) June is the month for runners in Thailand. One of Thailand’s most hotly anticipated sporting events take place on June 9 & 10, the popular Laguna Phuket International Marathon. Now in its 13th year, the race is one of the most well-attended races in Asia with runners flying to Phuket from all…
- News
Paraquat and other farm pesticides to be phased out – PM assures protesters
The Thaig government is promising to phase out the use of Paraquat as an farm chemical. The PM was responding to a ramping up of protests outside Government house and in social media where opposition was growing following a decision not to ban the use of Paraquat and two other agri-chemicals. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says the government will now set 2019…
- News
Protests planned outside Government House over ‘hazardous chemicals’ decision
Anti-paraquat protesters are going to rally out the front of Government House today. Around 300 rubber planters are set to join members of a network of organisations protesting against anti-hazardous substances being allowed in Thai agriculture. They say they are protesting against the continued use of the agro-chemicals paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate. President of the association of rubber planters, Sunthorn…
- World News
Tropical depression over South China Sea
PHOTO: Rain sweeping across Da Nang, Vietnam Travellers planning to head to Vietnam and China’s Hainan Island during June 5-8 are being urged to check the weather before their departure. The Thai Meteorological Department says… “the tropical depression over the upper South China Sea was centered about 255 km. east of Da Nang, Vietnam, or latitude 16.5 degree North, longitude…
- News
TECNO Mobile and Manchester City Football Club developing Thai youth football talent
Football inspires Thai people like no other sport. Whether a player, spectator or follower of an English Premier League team, Thai people are passionate about the sport and unwavering in support of their team. Thai youngsters play football from an early age at schools, on the streets, in the parks and dream of one day becoming a professional like their…
- News
Pilot whale beaches itself in Songkhla
PHOTOS: ThaiWhales’ Facebook page A pilot whale has died in Songkhla after being cared for by a team of vets and villagers over four days. What they found in a subsequent autopsy shocked everyone. The 4.5 metre pilot whale beached itself on the shore in the Chana district of Songkhla on May 29. Villagers and veterinarians from the local marine and…
- News
Southern monsoon has arrived – rain predicted around the country
All parts of Thailand are likely to see heavy rains this week with the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) ordering its offices to prepare accordingly. During June 4-7, according to the Thai Meteorological website, the southwest monsoon prevails over the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand. They say this will cause more rain and isolated heavy showers. “The…
- Property
Perspective: West coast hoteliers give some insight into low season hotel traffic – Phuket
Speaking to a number of west-coast hoteliers on the island The Thaiger heard a few ‘truths’ about Phuket’s surging tourism industry, from the front line and not from the Associations which are forever pitching extravagant occupancy rates, spinning the numbers. The TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) can sometimes be accused of painting a ‘too rosy’ picture of what’s happening in…
- News
Two race finale wraps up successful 2018 Samui Regatta
PHOTO: Java Yachting The sun teased and the wind held steady on the final day of the 2018 Samui Regatta. Race Officer Ross Chisholm set two windward/ leewards for the keelboat and multihulls classes while it was a three-race showdown for the Hydrofoil Kites off Mae Nam Beach. It’s been a week of dominance by Kevin and Tom Whitcraft and…
- Thai Life
Heading to Phang Nga Bay
FROM THE PHUKET GAZETTE ARCHIVES By Mark Knowles Caught up in the daily routines of living and working in Phuket, it’s all too easy to forget that you have some of the most amazing natural attractions in the world right on your door step. Phang Nga Bay, with its towering limestone cliffs, swathes of tidal mangroves, isolated island beaches and…
- Thai Life
Air Asia flight arrives in Hua Hin. Hey, it’s a really big deal!!
One flight a day, four times a week. Hua Hin Today goes grand with its headlines about the inaugural Air Asia flight. It’s straight out of the 1930s… “Hua Hin Realises the Age of International Flight” “In what may prove to be a game-changing event for the local tourism industry, Hua Hin airport has welcomed the inaugural Air Asia direct flight…
- World News
Bangkok Airline and Lao Airline sign codeshare
Bangkok Airways and Lao Airlines have now agreed on a code shares for flights between Laos and Thailand. Passengers will gain more flight options and they can book travel to a third destination served by the partnering airlines more conveniently. They will be able to make the through-flight bookings at the one time rather than having to make two separate…
- News
Breezy Day 4 sets up final day showdown at 2018 Samui Regatta
The Multihull class enjoying the breeze on Day 4 of the 2018 Samui Regatta. Thursday’s day off for the keelboats and multihulls was greeted with glorious sunshine, zero breeze and finished in the afternoon with a refreshing storm. Nothing lost from a sailing perspective and following the storm Samui Regatta was re-booted with 10-15 knots of fresh breeze today and…
- Food
Songkhla Seafood Festival 2018 – on now.
The Songkhla Seafood Festival 2018 is on now and celebrating its 19th year. It’s taking place at Sra Bua, Laem Samila, Songkhla until June 9, 2018. The event is known for offering all kinds of seafood fresh off the boat, including fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, squid and jellyfish, caught during the 12-day festival. There will be more than 100 seafood…
- News
Local teachers work with Soi Dog to pass on lessons in animal welfare
On May 24 – 25, Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation conducted animal welfare workshops entitled ‘Humans Love Animals, Animals Love Environment’, gathering local school teachers from 12 schools across the island. Realising the importance of the younger generation and the power of education, the Foundation’s education team passed on their animal welfare knowledge through these educators who shared the experience and…
- Health
Top International Schools in Sukhumvit – and what is unique about them
by Daniel Lummis There are numerous challenges to be faced when living in a country with a culture very different to your own but perhaps the most difficult, for parents at any rate, is that of choosing a school in which your children will thrive and receive a first-class education. Bangkok is home to many excellent international schools but facilities,…
- World News
Six Thais arrested over re-posting ‘fake news’
A Cambodian man has been arrested in Phnom Penh this morning after allegedly posting fake news about comments allegedly made by the Thai PM. Meanwhile, six Thais have been charged with crimes against the Thai Computer Crimes Act for disseminating fake news about junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha. According to police, the suspects confessed to sharing a satirical piece of ‘fake’…
