Tim Newton
- News
How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?
It’s a question asked by an article nearly a year ago. Tim Newton ponders if much has changed in the last 12 months…. “In the worst of the incidents, 25 people died on Monday in Chonburi province after a pick-up truck and a minivan collided and burst into flames. In all, 426 people died on Thailand’s road between Dec 29…
- News
There’s trouble brewing
The Alcohol Control Board is suing open air beer gardens, specifically the one at Central World Plaza in Bangkok, for ‘violating advertising laws’. But that’s not all. The Board’s Director, Nipon Chinanonwait, says he’s now on a mission to target other such venues and events around the country. His reason? These locations and events “encourage people to drink” and that…
- Thailand News
A word from the cockpit – end of year report
In a bit of a break from the usual news, here’s a quick update about what we’ve been doing in the past 12 months and what we’re up to in the next few months. For those of you that have returned from the moon, a joint venture company and The Thaiger Co. Ltd., acquired the digital assets of Phuket Gazette…
- News
4th Supersports 10 Mile International Run set for March 24 & 25, 2018
For the fourth consecutive year, Thailand’s leading sports retailer, Supersports, is organising the country’s only mile-distance race, the Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 Phuket Presented by Thanyapura on March 24 and 25, 2018 at Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort. Organisers expect 4,000 people to take part. The Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 Phuket attracts runners from around Thailand…
- News
TUESDAY MORNING BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes
Welcome to your Tuesday in Phuket. Another excellent day on the way with only a 10% chance of rain later on. The forecast says ‘Mostly sunny’. Back to work and school following your day off (if you were lucky enough to have a long weekend). Here’s today’s main headlines… Change.org calls for General Prawit to step down An online campaign…
- News
New Phuket bus schedule App
The Phuket Land Transport Office is launching a new application called “Bus Beam” connecting people with public transportations, gathering all the schedules for bus services around Phuket. There are 6 bus operators who have joined the application so far. The Deputy Director General of Land Transport Department, Cherdchai Sanansrisakorn along with Phuket’s Vice Governor, Prakob Wongmaneerung, chaired the opening ceremony…
- Thailand News
Bitcoin cracked $1,000 on the first day of 2017. Then…
The ‘B” isn’t for Baht, it’s Bitcoin. An idiot’s guide to Bitcoin and one American reporter’s dabble in the new world of cryptocurrency. By this week Bitcoin cracked US$12,000. But that was just the start. The price topped US$17,000 on some exchanges on Thursday – US$18,000 on at least one. If we quoted a price here, by the time you…
- News
Thalang & Chalong drug arrests
Thalang police arrested two Phuket men with 4,000 methamphetamine pills whilst Chalong police were busy arresting a man from Surat Thani with 3,474 methamphetamine pills along with 109 grams of crystal methamphetamine. The two cases have an estimated street value in excess of 2 million baht. On December 8, Thalang police arrested 24 year old Jirapat Samranrat and 24 year…
- News
Miss Pinky Promise debuts to help reconcile the nation, or scare children.
With the Government keen to find a winning strategy to help heal deep political wounds, you’d wonder why they’ve unveiled this creepy costume character to come to their aid. “Nong Kiew Koy”, or “Miss Pinky Promise”, has become an overnight social media sensation after being introduced at the Defence Ministry as a “mascot for reconciliation”. Netizens have not been kind…
- Opinion
Observations on the demise of the Phuket Football Club
Tim Newton, camera-in-hand, filming commentary from Steve Johnston at Surakul Stadium, circa 2013. In 2013 and 2014 I was attending most of the Phuket FC matches held at Surukul Stadium as part of my work, reporting stuff for my employer at the time. I had no particular interest in soccer but it was local, it was something our company sponsored…
- News
WEDNESDAY MORNING BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes
PHUKET FC hangs up its boots Phuket Football Club has hung up its football boots for the last time and announced its dissolution after getting sued by 3 foreign players for a total of 83 million Baht. The President of Phuket FC held a press conference yesterday announcing the club is being forced to disband. The 3 players, including Roland,…
- Phuket News
Maya Bay is Number 9. What is the World’s Best Beach?
And Maya Bay isn’t the only Tai beach included in the list. FlightNetwork.om rated the world’s best beaches. Thailand’s Maya Bay, on Koh Phi Phi Ley came in at #9. Maya Bay has been closed for rehabilitation since the middle of 2018 and is scheduled for limited re-opening some time in 2021. Tourists and boats will be limited to less…
- Opinion
Toon inspires a nation. Prawit has a lot of explaining to do.
Two Thai men, probably at the peak of their careers. One inspiring a nation. The other making disgraceful comments and ‘mis-speaking’ about the death of a young cadet and laughing off the serious issue of hazing in Thai military culture. It’s been a busy week for the country’s elderly Deputy PM and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and musician/marathon runner, Antiwara…
- Thai Life
Where is the world’s most popular place for expats? You won’t believe it.
This city is the winner of the 2017 Expat Insider Survey. I’ll admit, I’ve never heard of it. Where is the best place in the world to live as an expat? Mexico? Thailand? Malaysia? Bahrain? BAHRAIN?! No way, surely not. But yes. Manama, the capital of Bahrain, has come out on top in a survey of the world’s best places…
- News
SATURDAY MORNING BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes
Welcome to Saturday. The forecast promises a 100% chance of rain but we’re sure there will be plenty of sunny breaks. Here’s this morning’s briefing.. Deputy PM apologises Two senior military officers have been transferred out of the Thai Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School in the wake of a scandal surrounding the death of an 18 year old cadet on…
- News
Wednesday Morning Briefing – everything you need to know in 3 minutes
How many methamphetamine tablets!? PHOTO: The Nation The Kathu Police Station Superintendent is heading to Patong to be the acting Patong Police Station Superintendent. This follows the transfer of several officers over the ongoing bribe scandal including former Patong Superintendent, Pol. Col. Tassanai Oladirek. Pol. Col. M.L. Pattanachak Chakrabhan will move from Kathu Police Station to be acting Patong Police…
- News
Aung San Suu Kyi – battered but not bruised over Rhakine crisis
ASEAN is expressing ‘solidarity’ with the elected defacto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in her efforts to “promote humanitarian assistance to ease tensions and conflict in Rakhine state.” Leaders at APEC are officially supporting the civilian leader rather than issuing a sterner rebuke over her country’s handling of the Rohingya crisis. Meanwhile Myanmar’s army has acquitted itself after an…
- Thai Life
Phuket’s gay scene gets another chance with Chinese GLBTI
PHOTO: ZAG Nightclub performers, TheGayPassport.com This article first appeared in The Nation courtesy of AFP. It’s an insight into the rebirth of one of the more ‘tatty’ ends of Patong – Soi Paradise, the ‘gay zone’ – where gay bars have opened and closed over the years struggling to attract a consistent flow of customers. For one of south east…
- News
The Laverty’s Little Lie – how NOT to scam your insurance company
PHOTO: express.co.uk When we first saw this story, not provided by one of our reporters but from a UK provincial rag, we were suspicious. We contacted the local police. Nothing. We asked other reporters around the island. Nothing. We re-published the article with the caveat that we were trying to verify the facts with local police. We weren’t the only…
- Thailand News
Sports tourism flourishing in Phuket
By Paul Poole, Thailand’s sponsorship guru Few places in Thailand host more sporting events than Phuket, and every year thousands of tourists – both local and foreign – head to the island to participate in or witness a sporting event. Hardly a month goes by without a sporting event taking place on Phuket. Be it swimming, biking, running, golfing or…
- News
Sun Sea Sand Colour! Patong Parade kicks off the 2017 Festival.
The Patong Parade kicked off the Patong Festival for 2017 under the banner ‘Sea Sun Sand’. The annual parade has never looked better with local businesses going to a lot of trouble. And the crowds certainly reacted with record turn-out of both locals and tourists (who probably had little idea the event was on). There were the usual delays as…
- News
Happy Loy Krathong. Here are your kratong launching locations in Phuket.
Happy Loy Krathong. That one day of the year where you can celebrate with fireworks, sky lanterns and sparklers. But this year authorities are saying ‘only floating Krathongs thanks’, and preferably no polystyrene or steel pins. Bangkok’s Governor Aswin Kwanmuang is quoted as saying that only “polite celebrations” should be organised for this year’s festivities. He alluded to the timing…
- Thai Life
‘A Prayer Before Dawn’. About to HIT our screens.
‘A Prayer Before Dawn’ is a 2017 British-French drama film directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire. It was shown in the Midnight Screenings section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and stars Joe Cole as Billy Moore. Bar girls, drugs, a young farang in Thailand to have a good time… what could possibly go wrong?! The film’s screenplay has been adapted from…
- Thailand News
Less stress? Don’t come to Asia.
So you’re looking for the world’s least stressful cities? Better look outside Asia then according to this new list. The 2017 Global Least & Most Stressful Cities Ranking by online laundry service Zipjet ranked 150 cities around the world based on a range of factors including average annual sunshine hours, population density and green space, traffic and air pollution, unemployment,…
- News
Lady in black. And red.
Remember our lady turned away from a US function in honour of the Late King Rama 9? The lady defied the ‘black & tasteful’ dress code and arrived in her own version of ‘black’ along with a few accessories. Link here… https://www.facebook.com/maizingGpee.Official/videos/542699439405074/ Well, her journalist husband (a Pulitzer Prize nominee) has gone full Op Ed and fired back at the…
- News
The collection of the Royal Relics and Ashes, this morning from Sanam Luang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdR-aYtauT0 Watch in English by clicking the selection at the bottom-right of the frame. Courtesy Thai PBS.
- News
AFTER 5PM: The symbolic Royal Cremation at the Sanam Luang Royal Crematorium
Click in the lower right corner to listen to the English commentary.
- Thailand News
THURSDAY after Midday: Arrival of the Royal Procession at Sunam Luang Royal Crematorium
There is an English commentary. Click in the bottom left hand corner for English.
- News
- News
HM King Bhumibol’s art exhibition at Saphan Hin
Phuket Art Club is presenting an art exhibition showcasing the works of HM the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Tin Mine Monument of Saphan Hin park in order to pay respect and express grief for the late King. Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, chaired the opening ceremony of the exhibition yesterday (October 23). There are 11 artworks featuring 26 artists…
