Hot News
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Huge narcotics haul seized from four major drug operations
Police said four successful recent drug busts had led to the confiscation of a huge haul of narcotics, including more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, three kilograms of highly concentrated hashish oil, over 100,000 methamphetamine pills, some 5,300 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 850 grams of ketamine. Deputy police chief Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakhan and Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) head…
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Half a ton of marijuana seized in Mekong sting
A total of 490 kilograms of dried marijuana worth 15 million baht in street value has been seized by Thai authorities in Bung Kan province in the far north-east of Thailand on the Mekong River, Saturday, but the suspected Laotian smugglers managed to flee. Bung Kan Customs checkpoint head Prasongsak Boonma said the four Laotian smugglers, who were bringing sacks…
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Three Kathu men arrested with drugs
Three local men have been arrested following the drug crackdown period between April 19-21 with a long list of drugs. The first two men, 42 year old Weerapan Intarakratok and 23 year old Thanapas Rakwet, were arrested after the police received a report from an undercover officer that Thanapas sold methamphetamine to juveniles in the Kathu area. Police lured him…
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Fake notes and drugs found on passenger at Phuket Airport
Police have arrested a man carrying 53 counterfeit 1000 baht banknotes and drugs at Phuket Airport. Police say the 36 year old Nanawa Na Songkhla from Chiang Mai was acting suspiciously whilst going through a security checkpoint. When security staffed checked his carry-on luggage they found 800 methamphetamine pills, nearly 5 grams of crystal methamphetamine, marijuana and the fake 1000 baht…
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An addiction to the music beats
The 19 year old Thai-French girl who was born on the island of Phuket, Sophie Marguerite Indracusin, is widely known as an actress working with Channel 7 and has been shining in through television shows and dramas as the main role for years. Now it’s time for her to introduce another perspective of herself, through her first single ‘Mary Jane’.…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, March 20
MH370 has NOT been found | Bar owner in Pattaya bashed unconscious | 10 million baht worth of marijuana seized in Chumpon | Officials concerned over damage on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao | Nok Air being asked to ‘please explain’ over poor on-time record | 103 ‘practice bombs’ found near Vachira Hospital Bangkok.
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Tourists arrested over alleged illicit drug use in Ranong
Twenty-seven tourists have been arrested and charged with drug abuse on Koh Phayam in Ranong province (north of Phuket near the Myanmar border) after testing positive for substance abuse. Friday’s raid in the province’s Muang district was part of the authorities’ joint operation to search the island’s three night entertainment venues, Ranong Tourist Police inspector Pol Lt-Colonel Manaporn Likhitmanont told…
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Drugs, weapon and preserved animal carcasses found in Rawai
Phuket police and a team of local authorities have arrested 27 year old Anchalee Pantumat, from Nakhon Sawan province, with a list of illegal items including 113 grams of marijuana, a carbine (rifle) with eleven .30 bullets along with jungle cat fur and a sambar deer skull. At her house in Rawai, Police also found marijuana and methamphetamine paraphernalia, 2…
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Three foreigners, one Thai arrested for drug possession in Kamala
Kamala police arrested 27 year old Viktor Dvinsky from Russia and 22 year old Berezina Vladystava with 14.44 grams of cocaine, 2 amphetamine pills, 17.66 grams of marijuana. Police also seized an iPhone and $2,400 and 11,000 Baht in cash. They were charged for possession and trading of illicit drugs. After the two were arrested, police extended the investigation and…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, January 17
Second boat incident in three days | Prawit’s offering to resign if found guilty of ‘wrongdoing’ | Smart Visa details | Krabi and Thepa coal plants ‘still happening’ | PM puts hold on cannabis crops | Tax breaks for Thai families having babies.
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SATURDAY MORNING HEADLINES – All your news in 3 minutes
Welcome to your weekend. Your Saturday ‘Boat Lagoon Weekend’ is on tonight from 6pm. Plenty of fun and food for all ages. For our weekend headlines, just click on the heading for the full story. Here are today’s main Phuket and Thai headlines… Two Thai men wed in Queensland Australia Two Thai men have been among the first same-sex couples…
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Koh Phangan bars closed for selling drugs to tourists
An Army division in Surat Thani has invoked Article 44 to order two pubs at the popular tourist destination of Koh Phangan to be closed indefinitely after they were found selling drug to foreign tourists. Colonel Kriangkrai Srirak, deputy commander of the Fifth Infantry Division, said he invoked Article 44 to order the indefinite closure of Reggae Bar and Bello…
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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…
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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…
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Marijuana valued at 2 million Baht – crackdown in Phang Nga
Phang Nga police have arrested 6 local fishermen with 456 kilograms of dry marijuana leaves. The 6 fishermen include 31 year old Boonkum Bohmuang, 27 year old Rachan Thong-Iad, 25 year old Sakrit Thong-Iad, 36 year old Thalerngsak Thanyupak and 37 year old Manoch Thintalay. After being informed about the drugs being transported by boat through the Andaman Sea, an…
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Major narcotics sting reveals 27 drug networks
A crackdown on 27 drug-dealing networks across Thailand has delivered 734 arrests and the confiscation of a huge amount of illicit drugs. This, according to the Royal Thai Police’s Narcotics Control Coordinating Center. The stings all took place between September 2 – 11. The suspects included 15 alleged narcotics producers, 52 alleged drugs distributors and 256 persons accused of having…
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Opinion: Need to revise drug laws
PHUKET: The recent arrest by Region 8 Police of two men for posing as officers of the law and trying to extort money from the families of teenage boys found drinking krathom leaf extract is just the latest reminder of the need for Thailand to reconsider and revise its draconian drug control laws. It might strike some as futile to…
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Motorbike trio arrested for stealing from Chinese tourist, marijuana
PHUKET: Three men were arrested yesterday in Phuket town with assorted currencies amounting to at least 200,000 baht as well as electronics they stole from a Chinese tourist’s hotel room in Patong. The men were also in possession of marijuana. Lt Col Pongpichan Chayanonpiriya of the Patong Police confirmed to Phuket Gazette reporters that Thanakorn Akarabut, 24; Harich Dada, 18;…
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Excuse Buster: Alternatives to the ‘white devil’
PHUKET: “This may seem exaggerated and far-fetched, but sugar is the most dangerous drug of the times and can still be easily acquired everywhere,” says Paul van der Velpen, the head of Amsterdam’s health service. This is the same Amsterdam where the sale of cannabis is legalized. Research that refined sugar is one of the main reasons for our current…
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Shooting suspect arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: A suspect wanted for shooting and injuring a boat crew member last week was arrested yesterday in Rassada. The victim, named Suchat Hetthong, was injured when a heated argument led to a shootout at his home near Koh Sirey Bridge (story here). “Our investigations led us to arrest one of the suspects, named Parin Supalak, 18, at his rented…
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Rise in Phuket’s troubled teens
PHUKET: The director of the Phuket Juvenile Observation and Protection Center (JOPC) said she believes teenagers across Phuket are becoming more aggressive. Rawee Kuhamooka told the Phuket Gazette that every year JOPC staff have to work harder to control their detainees. Ms Rawee’s comments come after a riot at the center earlier this month left the building’s grounds, cafeteria, therapy…
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Wichit marijuana dealer apprehended, bought stash through Facebook
PHUKET: Provincial police arrested a 28-year-old man yesterday after a raid of his home turned up 1.3 kilograms of marijuana. Nopparut Tongserikun was arrested after police found the category 5 drugs, along with drug paraphernalia at his house on Wirat Hong Yok Road in Wichit sub-district. Police received a tip from an informant that Mr Nopparut was allegedly selling marijuana…
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Phuket drug ring found weapons online
PHUKET: Four Thai men have been arrested after drug raids in Chalong uncovered crystal meth, guns, bullets and marijuana, police confirmed. At a press conference yesterday, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teerapol Thipjaroen and staff announced that the arrests had been made by following online leads. “Mr Teerapong Rithirak, 23, was caught on June 23 in Chalong, while trying to sell…
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Russian man found hanged in Patong hotel room
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a Russian man who was found hanged by the neck in a room at a Patong hotel yesterday. Hotel staff found Ivan Romankin, 29, at about 5:20pm, hanging from a steel beam. Patong police refused to release the name of the four-storey hotel. They suspect Mr Romankin had been dead for six hours…
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Australia set to legalise cultivation of medical cannabis
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australia set to legalise cultivation of medical cannabis Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Australia is expected to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for medical or scientific purposes with a bill introduced to parliament on Wednesday – the first step towards doctors eventually prescribing it to patients…
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Dirty dozen picked up in mass Phuket raid
PHUKET: A large task force swept up twelve suspects wanted for a series of crimes ranging from illegal drugs and firearms, to their role in the Thalang Police Station riot (story here). “The joint mission on Sunday saw 120 officers from local police forces, Thalang District and the Royal Thai Navy make 12 arrests with 12 search warrants,” said Phuket…
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Phuket drug dealer busted with 11kg of marijuana
PHUKET: Police arrested a 22-year-old man for possession of about 11 kilograms of marijuana, an illegal firearm and other drug paraphernalia at a location near Bangkok Hospital Phuket yesterday evening. “We received a tip-off that Subinnimit Rakvet, 22, was dealing marijuana in the Talad Yai area, making deliverers on his Kawasaki Ninja motorbike,” said Maj Ritthichai Choomchuy of the Phuket…
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Police pursue 83 arrest warrants for Phuket riots
PHUKET: Police are pursuing those named in the 83 unserved arrest warrants issued last month for suspects wanted in connection with the Thalang Police Station riot in October (story here). Officials have been collecting videographic and photographic evidence against the suspects, resulting in charges for assaulting officers, blockading traffic and arson, confirmed Region 8 Police Commander Tesa Siriwato on Tuesday.…
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Region 8 Police seize more than 100 guns in crackdown
PHUKET: Region 8 Police sized more than 100 firearms, including one weapon of war, in a week-long crackdown ahead of tomorrow’s Loy Krathong festivities (story here). “Region 8 Police and local officers in Surat Thani, Nakorn Sri Thammarat, Chumphon, Ranong, Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket conducted massive raids to get guns and drugs off the streets this week,” said Chalermkiat…
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A Decade Ago: Chasing the white dragon
PHUKET: Headlines about methamphetamine, kratom, marijuana and even a little cocaine find their way into the Phuket Gazette fairly regularly. But, heroin… that’s a beast that rarely surfaces on this paradise island. There was of course 22-year-old John Cawley, who was busted for running ‘birdie powder’ from Phuket to Koh Samui in 2013, but smack in general is either very…
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