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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Sponsored Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers a prospect full of excitement and adventure, but in the same vein, if any injuries were to occur (and god forbid it does), the local healthcare system can be confusing at first glance for many expats...
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Building and managing your portfolio
PHUKET: In prior articles, planning for and managing retirement was discussed. The key is getting to the end goal, which is to have a worry-free retirement. Once retirees have gone through the steps, all that’s left is to build and manage their portfolios. Portfolio management is perhaps the most critical aspect to any retirement. With the help of a trusted…
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Phuket Opinion: Tourism meets toilet humor
PHUKET: Efforts by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to clean up corruption in Phuket have had some dramatic results, steering the island toward sustainability – at least for the time being. Unfortunately, some smaller destinations, including the Phi Phi Island chain, continue to suffer from unregulated development and mass tourism on a scale that has led to…
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Phuket medical experts work to rule out Ebola in death of Brit
PHUKET: A Disease Prevention team from the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) is working to rule out Ebola as the cause of death for a British expat recently returned from Nigeria. Martin John Roberts Clark, 68, returned to Phuket on October 7. He was found dead in his condo on Thursday afternoon. “Our team was there yesterday to collect…
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Phuket speedboat crash victim to undergo spinal cord surgery
PHUKET: A Tunisian national will undergo surgery in Phuket for severe injuries sustained to his spinal cord during the horrific speedboat crash that killed two Korean tourists last weekend (story here). Ali Bouzgarrou, 67, who had been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Hospital, was moved to Bangkok Hospital Phuket yesterday for the surgery.…
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Triple Tribute: Beyonce, Michael Jackson and Rihanna clones coming to Phuket
PHUKET: Triple Tribute, direct from London, will arrive on the fair shores of Phuket to pay homage to the infectious music of Beyonce, Michael Jackson and Rihanna at Laguna on November 15. Triple Tribute is a musical bonanza of powerful vocals, explosive dance routines and stunning costumes, which will accompany the artists’ top hits, anthems and ballads. “Sasha Fierce” named…
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Frenchman, 70, fights off armed robbers in Phuket
PHUKET: A 70-year-old French national fought off a pair of teens attempting to rob his female companion at knife-point in Phuket last night. David Estermann and his friend, Aurelie Allain-Lebreton, were driving along Soi Suksan 2, a poorly lit road in Rawai, when they were forced to a stop by the two teens. “They stopped their bike in front of…
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Heavyweight bike brands gearing up for Phuket market
PHUKET: Despite a fall this year in Thailand’s overall sales of motorcycles and automotive parts, big-bike sales are continuing to thrive. In Phuket, a relatively new destination for bikes over 500cc, brands like Ducati and Triumph are pushing the companies’ marketing strategies to make their famed machines accessible to everyone. “Ducati’s market strategy is to move toward developing models that…
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Phuket honors HM King Chulalongkorn
PHUKET: The life and achievements of HM King Chulalongkorn were commemorated in a ceremony at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday. Govenor Nisit Jansomwong led an assembly of officials in adorning the “Chulalongkorn the Great” monument with flowers. After the ceremony and speeches, Governor Nisit presented five 10,000-baht prizes to students who won an “Abolition of Slavery in Thailand” drawing competition, which…
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Phuket officials conduct safety inspection after fatal speedboat crash
PHUKET: Marine Department officials inspected boats at the Royal Phuket Marina yesterday in an effort to boost tourists’ confidence in the safety of speedboat tours following a horrific crash that killed two Korean tourists on Sunday (story here). Jiraporn Jantarasiri, deputy director of the Marine Department, led officials to the marina for an unannounced safety spot check. “All boats were…
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Officials hope tourists dig Phuket tin-mining festival
PHUKET: Phuket residents and tourists have been invited to join a three-day festival in Srisoonthorn to celebrate Loy Krathong and honor the island’s tin-mining history. The event will be held at the Bang Maruan Lagoon, which is located next to the site of the old Bang Maruan Mine in the center of the island, from November 4 to 6. “Locals…
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Future of Phuket’s jet-ski operators to be decided next week: officials
PHUKET: Jet-ski operators will meet with the Phuket Marine Office on Monday to discuss their fates, following a decision last week that has allowed them to temporarily park their craft on Kamala Beach (story here). “We have assigned the Phuket Marine Office to take responsibility of the issue concerning jet-ski management, as the operators must seek permission from the office…
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Dubai Petanque returns to Phuket to make amends for last year
PHUKET: Dubai Petanque returns to Thailand to take on teams from Phuket and France in a two-day round-robin tournament starting on November 1. Phuket Petanque Club last November shook Dubai Petanque with a 48-20 win, and there is no doubt that Dubai will be looking for revenge. The three-way contest will be a modification of last year’s Grand Slam Tournament,…
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Phuket’s top brass declare beaches ready for high season
PHUKET: The island’s beaches are ready for the incoming high season, top-ranking Phuket-based officials announced yesterday. “We are confident that we have nice, beautiful beaches to which we can welcome tourists from all over the world,” said Sayan Prasongsamrej, commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command. However, Vice Admiral Sayan noted that the beach battle has not yet…
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Phuket motorist run over, killed on Patong Hill
PHUKET: A man was run over by a large truck* after he fell off his motorbike on Patong Hill this afternoon. “We received a report that a man was killed instantly after being hit by a large truck. This is all the information we have at the moment,” a Patong police officer confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “Police and rescue…
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Cremation ceremony for “original Phuket expat’ Eric Snyder on Saturday
PHUKET: Well-known long-term Phuket expat Eric Snyder, 70, who recently succumbed to skin cancer, is lying in state at Wat Chalong this week. The cremation ceremony for Mr Snyder will be at noon on Saturday. Friends are invited to come pay their respects to one of the island’s “original expats”. Mr Snyder arrived in Phuket in 1975 and remained in…
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Phuket Art Dinner: Dine on all-star chefs’ culinary interpretations of modern art
PHUKET: Ever wondered what Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa or any piece of modern art might taste like – or at least a gastronomic interpretation? Take your chances this Saturday at 7pm by joining the Think Design Art Dinner at Nikki Beach Club, where six of Thailand’s top chefs will be collaborating to create…
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Australian tourist mauled by Phuket tiger
PHUKET: An Australian tourist was mauled by a tiger at Phuket’s Tiger Kingdom yesterday afternoon, Kathu District Chief Sayan Chanachaiwong confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today. The tiger attacked Paul Goudie, 49, after he climbed into the cage with the animal at about 1pm to have his photograph taken. Mr Goudie was taken to Phuket International Hospital for treatment. He…
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Video Report: Phuket welder allegedly sparks furniture shop inferno
PHUKET: A welder’s sparks that allegedly fell onto highly-flammable material left a furniture shop in Phuket Town gutted yesterday afternoon. The flames were contained and put out within 30 minutes. However, a rice warehouse next to the furniture store incurred some damage, confirmed Pornthip Chumsri of the Phuket City Police. “I had hired a repairman to replace the old roof.…
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Police arrest woman for contracting Phuket killing
PHUKET: Police arrested a woman last night for hiring a hitman to kill a Phuket resident earlier this year. Anyanee Jongmun, 29, was arrested outside of her house in Srisoonthorn after the assassin, Chatchai Torkeaw, gave up her name to police. Mr Chatchai, was arrested on Saturday (story here) for the stabbing murder of 42-year-old Nongluk Thavorn, who was found…
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Russian drowns while snorkelling off Phi Phi island, east of Phuket
PHUKET: A Russian tourist drowned while snorkelling off the tourist island of Phi Phi, east of Phuket, yesterday. “Evgenii Kuznetcov, 54, was taken to Phi Phi Hospital, but sadly he was pronounced dead on arrival,” Krabi City Police Deputy Superintendent Noppadol Mukda told the Phuket Gazette. Mr Kuznetcov and his wife had joined a Phuket speedboat tour to visit Koh…
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Breaking News: Divers recover body of Korean tourist from sunken speedboat
PHUKET: Search and rescue divers pulled the body of one of the two missing Korean tourists from the wreckage of the speedboat that now lies at the bottom of Phang Nga Bay, east of Phuket, confirmed Lt Col Chatchai Sakdee of the Phuket Marine Police. Marine Police named the Korean woman as An Sun Yong, 28. One Korean tourist is…
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Phuket Governor makes clean beaches priority
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Chansomwong got on the clean-Phuket bandwagon, as he led locals, students and officials onto Patong Beach for “Beach Cleaning Day” on Sunday. “This activity is organized to strengthen the love and unity of the people within the community; help them develop a love for their hometown; help them keep it clean; and preserve our natural resources and…
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Triple homicide: suspect flees into jungle north of Phuket
PHUKET: Police in Phang Nga, north of Phuket, are hunting a man who killed his estranged wife and her parents after he was allegedly denied entry into their house. The bodies of Piyawan Jankerdkaew, 28; Prakob Jankerdkaew, 54; and Vas Jankerdkaew, 59, were found with gunshot wounds to the head yesterday afternoon in Kura Buri, Phang Nga. “We were called…
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Angry mob prevents suspected hired assassin from reenacting Phuket stabbing
PHUKET: An angry mob of villagers yesterday prevented police from carrying out a full reenactment of the stabbing murder of a woman by a suspected hired assassin in Phuket earlier this year. “Chatchai Torkeaw, 25, was apprehended on Saturday after he successfully evaded arrest for almost six months,” Thalang Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri told the Phuket Gazette. He was arrested…
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‘The Jungle Book’ puppet production swings into Phuket
PHUKET: In the next installment of quality island entertainment, Events International and the Phuket Gazette are proud to present the Jungle Book Puppet Theater. Suitable for children of all ages, the sparkling new puppet theater adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book will swing into British International School Phuket (BISP), HeadStart International School and Kajonkietsuksa International School next month. This…
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Three Phuket tourists tumble, mayor aims to increase safety at Promthep Cape
PHUKET: Officials are considering more options to boost safety at Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape after three tourists – two Chinese and one Thai – slipped from the rocks this weekend. However, building a protective fence remains off the table. “During the [southwest] monsoon season, there is a lot of rain and the waves are high. These conditions make it easy…
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Bag blamed for Phuket speedboat crash [video]
PHUKET: The speedboat driver who crashed into a fishing trawler yesterday has blamed a plastic bag for the accident. The Seastar speedboat sank after hitting the trawler, leaving 35 injured and two missing (story here). “About 20 minutes after we departed from Maya Bay [on Koh Phi Phi] the sky got very dark and a black plastic bag flew under…
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Video Report: Patong’s first mayor cremated, honored by Royal Household Bureau
PHUKET: Patong’s first mayor, Pian Keesin, was cremated at Wat Laem Singh in Phuket on Saturday. Mr Pian died from a heart-valve disease in his home at the Rock Garden housing estate on October 7 at the age of 70. A fai prachataan provided by the Royal Household Bureau was used to ignite the cremation pyre in recognition of Mr…
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Registration remains open for the Challenge Laguna Phuket
PHUKET: Registration is still open for the 2014 half-distance Challenge Laguna Phuket in Thailand – and the opportunity still exists to compete in this unique destination event that has captured the hearts of triathletes all over the world. The race, set for November 30, will be the second Challenge Family series race to be staged on this paradise tropical island,…
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Teen goes missing after selling gold in Phuket
PHUKET: A relative of a 16-year-old girl has made a public plea for help in finding the teen, who went missing yesterday. Kanyarat “Nong Chor” Kananthai was last seen at 11am in Kathu selling her gold necklace for 4,300 baht to a shop near her house. “Nong Chor came from Udon Thai province with our grandmother about two months ago…
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