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  • Road deathsFrench man killed after a motorcycle incident on the cliff-road to Kamala, Phuket

    French man killed after a motorcycle incident on the cliff-road to Kamala, Phuket

    PHOTO: Phuket Hotnews On December 23, Kamala police received a report about a motorcycle accident on the Patong – Kamala cliff-road (Kuan Yak Curve), in front of the Ocean Wind Hotel. The man’s body was found lying in grass, besides his motorbike at 9:50am. At the scene, police found the body of 35 year old Karim Elmir, a tourist from…

  • World NewsThe Chinese sneezed and south-east asian tourism caught cold

    The Chinese sneezed and south-east asian tourism caught cold

    PHOTO: asia.nikkei.com Things have gone a bit quiet on the tourist front. Thai authorities and people affected by the downturn are wringing their hands as the rise and rise of tourism in the Land of Smiles has seen it first sustained reversal in fortunes for two decades. But it’s not just in Thailand. It’s not as if the tourists are…

  • Tourism NewsWhere are Thai airbnb customers staying over the holiday period?

    Where are Thai airbnb customers staying over the holiday period?

    Where are the people booking share accomodation staying for the Christmas and New Year period? • Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido are among the top five trending destinations where Thai travellers usher in another year • Seoul is the most-booked overseas destination for Thai travellers on New Year’s Eve • Chiang Mai is the most popular domestic destination for Thai travellers…

  • Tourism NewsTwo new airlines to hit Thai skies in 2020

    Two new airlines to hit Thai skies in 2020

    PHOTO: Eastar Airlines Two new Thai low-cost carriers are set to take to the skies early 2020. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand made the announcement yesterday. They are the first new Thai airlines being launched since the lifting of the ‘red flag’ by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in 2017. Thai Eastar Jet and Thai Summer Airways have already…

  • Politics NewsThais split over the holding of the ‘Skywalk’ rally in Bangkok – Poll

    Thais split over the holding of the ‘Skywalk’ rally in Bangkok – Poll

    PHOTO: Khaosod English Thai people have been surveyed on their attitudes towards the December 14 “Skywalk” rally held by the Future forward Party. They responded to a recent NIDA poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration. The controversial rally was held on the busy Pathumwan skywalk, outside MBK and linking the National Stadium BTS station. The event attracted around…

  • Phuket NewsWhale spotted near Similan Islands – VIDEO

    Whale spotted near Similan Islands – VIDEO

    A scuba diving instructor has posted a video of a whale spotted near the Similan islands off the coast of Phang Nga. The whale is thought to be a blue whale species. The post was on his Facebook page called ‘Num Sasita Thippayawat’. In the post there is also a video of a pod of dolphins swimming alongside the boat…

  • HealthWellbeing, chronic disease and integrative medicine

    Wellbeing, chronic disease and integrative medicine

    Re-printed with permission from expatlifeinthailand.com by Sevcan Gast, MD Since 1946, the WHO (World Health Organisation) has defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (1). Wellness, a more recent term, is “the pursuit of overall health in a physical and mental matter. It is a multidimensional state…

  • Phuket NewsBody of missing 18 year old boat boy found off Phuket

    Body of missing 18 year old boat boy found off Phuket

    SCREENSHOT: Phuket People’s Voice Searchers have found the body of 18 year old Kittipong “Boy” Samunboot off the east coast of Phuket, near to where he fell off a tour speedboat on Wednesday. He fell overboard from the tour speedboat “Choksuphasan” on Wednesday about 4pm and had not been seen since, despite ongoing searches involving the Royal Thai Navy and…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesOver 30,000 displaced in Narathiwat floods, southern Thailand

    Over 30,000 displaced in Narathiwat floods, southern Thailand

    Out of almost nowhere, and amidst a looming drought for many parts of the country, heavy rains have left flooded areas in Narathiwat, in Thailand’s deep south, displacing over 30,000 people. Soldiers, government officials and volunteers yesterday rushed to the assistance of 37,171 people hit by unseasonal floods in five districts of the southern Thai province, according to Thai Rath.…

  • Politics NewsThailand’s Army chief warns of a ‘proxy crisis’

    Thailand’s Army chief warns of a ‘proxy crisis’

    PHOTO: Matichon The Army chief, General Apirat Kongsompong, is warning Thais about what he sees as a “proxy crisis” facing the country. The comments, without directly referring to the event by name, were a veiled criticism of the “Run Against Dictatorship” event coming up next month. The commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army took the “everything’s OK, but…” approach to…

  • Environment NewsThailand’s Maya Bay to remain closed for another two years

    Thailand’s Maya Bay to remain closed for another two years

    So that’s going to be almost the end of 2021. The Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation has announced that Maya Bay is going to be closed for another two years to provide a better opportunity for the ecological system to recover, whilst also completing and implementing plans for management of tourists at the famous tourist attraction. Maya…

  • HealthHospital in Bangkok first to open a specific medical cannabis clinic

    Hospital in Bangkok first to open a specific medical cannabis clinic

    A hospital in Nonthaburi, Bangkok, has opened its first medical cannabis clinic. The Phra Nangklao Hospital is under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health. The Minister says that the clinic will be staffed by six doctors, a dentist, five pharmacists and four nurses. All have completed a specific training course in the use of cannabis in medical cases. The…

  • Phuket NewsThe Thaiger is looking for a writer, in English, to join our team

    The Thaiger is looking for a writer, in English, to join our team

    The Thaiger is still looking for a full-time writer, in English. • You must be a native English speaker • You will work from our offices in Cherngtalay, Phuket • A visa and work permit are available • The Thaiger has full training available for the right applicant • You will have had some experience in writing, journalism or creative…

  • Tourism NewsPopular UK website canes Mövenpick Resort in Bangtao, Phuket for its use of a baby elephant to entertain guests

    Popular UK website canes Mövenpick Resort in Bangtao, Phuket for its use of a baby elephant to entertain guests

    A big international social media and entertainment website based in the UK, LADbible.com, which attracts around 18-20 million clicks a month, has caned a Phuket hotel over some photos of guests interacting with a baby elephant. The photos and story was circulated locally last week but has now been picked up by the popular website, spreading the poor publicity for…

  • Phuket NewsMissing – Three people remain lost in boat incidents off Phuket

    Missing – Three people remain lost in boat incidents off Phuket

    PHOTO: Newsflare The Polish and Thai couple that headed off Phuket’s southern beaches for an afternoon expedition nearly two weeks ago, are still missing. More searchers have been added as the search remains active, and widens. And an 18 year old crew from a speedboat, who fell overboard on Wednesday during a collision, hasn’t been seen since. Polish 26 year…

  • Bangkok NewsSchool building, where 13 year old shot a fellow student, has been closed down

    School building, where 13 year old shot a fellow student, has been closed down

    An entire school building has been closed following a fatal shooting of a 13 year old student by another student on Wednesday in Nonthaburi, Bangkok. The class, which both were students, has been suspended until next week. The 13 year old shooter told police he shot the victim “out of desperation after being repeatedly bullied”. After the daily flag raising…

  • World NewsVietnam extends 15 day visa-free travel for some countries

    Vietnam extends 15 day visa-free travel for some countries

    Vietnam’s tourism operators are welcoming the Vietnam government’s decision to extend the visa-free stays for citizens from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark and Belarus for another three years. The eight countries have already enjoyed visa exemption (for a stay up to 15 days) since 2015, but it was due to expire at the end of this year.…

  • Phuket News18 year old crew remains missing after boat collision off Phuket yesterday, one dead

    18 year old crew remains missing after boat collision off Phuket yesterday, one dead

    PHOTO: Phuket People’s Voice The Royal Thai Navy continued searching off Phuket’s east coast today for 18 year old Kittipong ‘Boy’ Samunboot, a crew who fell overboard in yesterday’s collision between a tour boat and a large luxury yacht off Koh Khai Nok. The incident happened around 4pm. A search for the missing young man continued last night and was…

  • Business NewsWhy is Thailand’s PropTech market so valuable…

    Why is Thailand’s PropTech market so valuable…

    … and who will come out on top in the battle of the portals and hybrids, 2020 and beyond? How big is the Thailand economy? Is Thailand just for tourism? The explosive growth in the economy has now placed Thailand as the second largest economy in Southeast Asia. With over 70 million people now residing in Thailand, the country boasts one of…

  • ExpatsTop 10 Feng Shui master tips to re-organise your home

    Top 10 Feng Shui master tips to re-organise your home

    The ancient wisdom of Feng Shui looks at how the life energy or “qi” in the environment, like our homes, affect our life, health, relationships, and prosperity. In this article, we want to share tips that some famous Feng Shui masters, who are sought after by celebrities, tycoons, politicians, and big brands, recommend to help you re-organise your house. Even…

  • Crime News13 year old shoots classmate in Bangkok afters repeated taunts

    13 year old shoots classmate in Bangkok afters repeated taunts

    PHOTO: Siam Nonthaburi Foundation A teenage schoolboy has shot dead a 13 year old classmate who he says had repeatedly insulted and bullied him at a school in Muang district yesterday morning. The fatal shooting occurred inside a public school in Bang Kraso, Nonthaburi, a north west suburb of Bankok. The 13 year old shooter was apprehended and taken to the…

  • Northern Thailand NewsFugitive ‘serial killer’ Somkid arrested on Bangkok-bound train

    Fugitive ‘serial killer’ Somkid arrested on Bangkok-bound train

    Police have arrested the convicted killer Somkid Poompuang, who has been nick-named in Thai media as “Jack the Ripper” and “Kid the Ripper” this morning. He was on the run since a murder in Khon Kaen last Sunday. 55 year old Somkid was on a train at a railway station in the Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima province in north…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket resort owners Castlewood Group goes into liquidation

    Phuket resort owners Castlewood Group goes into liquidation

    UPDATE: “The liquidation is for Singapore assets only, NOT Thai assets, the (Phuket) hotel is not being liquidated and operating as normal,” according to the Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa General Manager Chris Adams. PHOTO: Couple Travel The World The future of a Phuket resort in the booming Layan Beach/Cherngtalay area, funded by a Singapore-based property developer, is under a cloud following…

  • World NewsBurmese authorities intercept boat carrying 173 Rohingya Muslims

    Burmese authorities intercept boat carrying 173 Rohingya Muslims

    FILE PHOTO: The New Humanitarian Burmese authorities have intercepted a boat and detained 173 Rohingya ‘boat people’ off the southern coast of Myanmar. They believe that the group from the Muslim minority group were heading to sea to seek a better life an avoid persecution. They were intercepted by a Navy vessel who detained the group and charged them ‘travelling illegally’.…

  • PropertyWhat it’s like to live in a resort in Thailand?

    What it’s like to live in a resort in Thailand?

    From clear crystal waters to dense lush jungles and rolling hills, iconic locations are magnets that attract travellers seeking relaxation and adventure to Thailand. But as more hotels and resorts start offering rooms or private villas, people may wonder what the perks and privileges of a perpetual holiday lifestyle may be. Bedroom views While city life demands us to constantly…

  • Phuket NewsTen days later, no sign of missing Phuket pair, or their kayak

    Ten days later, no sign of missing Phuket pair, or their kayak

    PHOTO: Phuket People’s Voice Nearly ten days have passed since Polish tourist Mateusz Juszkiewicz and his Thai friend Werakan Siriprakon went missing off the southern coast of Phuket. The hopes of finding them alive are fading fast as vast swathes of the Andaman and coastal areas have been searched by up to 100 Navy, officers, Tourist Police, Rawai police and…

  • Bangkok News“They were just being playful” – Bangkok tuk tuk driver

    “They were just being playful” – Bangkok tuk tuk driver

    “They were just being playful.” Playful indeed! A couple caught engaging in some spontaneous ‘close-and-personal’ in the back of a Bangkok tuk-tuk has got Thailand’s online community in a fluster. Whilst tourism numbers stagnate and thousands gather in the centre of the city for the biggest political rally in five years, THIS has been the biggest talking point for Thai…

  • Politics NewsUK heads towards Brexit and Thailand ponders an FTA with Britain

    UK heads towards Brexit and Thailand ponders an FTA with Britain

    Thailand is pondering the possibilities of creating a free trade agreement with the UK after British PM Boris Johnson’s historic victory in the UK election last week, which is expected to pave the way for the passage of the ‘Brexit’ separation form the EU soon. The UK will then have to make separate agreements with each individual country. Traditionally these…

  • Koh Samui NewsSurat Thani fisherman missing after falling off boat last night

    Surat Thani fisherman missing after falling off boat last night

    FILE PHOTO: Khaosod English Police and rescue crews are still searching for a fisherman missing since last night. Today’s search off Koh Samui involves ships and aircraft of the 2nd Naval Area. The search was launched as soon as police were alerted about a fishing boat crew member who fell into the sea off the island late last night. At…

  • Bangkok NewsThree men abandon van packed with drugs in Bangkok

    Three men abandon van packed with drugs in Bangkok

    PHOTOS: INN News Three men have abandoned a luxury passenger van in the Bang Khun Thian area of Bangkok. It was packed full of methamphetamine pills. Police Officers from the Sam Dum Police Station discovered 100 packs of methamphetamine ‘Yaba’ pills, totalling 200,000, placed inside a large bag. The suspects fled the scene choosing to give up the drugs and…