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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.

  • More wastewater outlets flowing into sea at Krabi | Thaiger

    More wastewater outlets flowing into sea at Krabi

    Can we allow this wastewater to keep flowing into our beaches? Krabi video footage from Karl Vandenhove. https://www.facebook.com/phuketgazette/videos/1642758232468665/

  • Naked tourist hugs a rock in Samui. But not just any rock! | Thaiger

    Naked tourist hugs a rock in Samui. But not just any rock!

    Samui residents are calling on police to locate and arrest a naked foreign tourist who was photographed hugging Hin Ta rock, which is regarded by local residents as a symbol of Koh Samui in Surat Thani. The photos show the unidentified woman walking around and hugging the rock, which resembles a phallus, to pose for photos. They were posted on…

  • THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, March 13 | Thaiger

    THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, March 13

    National ban on darts boards | Premchai denied postponement to acknowledge his bribery charges | Daring escape by pick-up in Rayong | Air pollution returns to Bangkok | Boat sinks off Krabi | Disability campaigner threatens to sue BTS and BKK Authorities | Police nab a pick-up with 1,800 kg of beef; that’s one BIG BBQ!!

  • “Labels Out For Autism Campaign”. Monday, April 2. | Thaiger

    “Labels Out For Autism Campaign”. Monday, April 2.

    World Autism Day, April 2, 2018, wear your “Labels Out For Autism Campaign” On Monday, April 2, 2018, join The Thaiger, KIS Phuket and NP Graphics and Photography in celebrating the individuals on World Autism Awareness Day and raising autism awareness in Phuket. Simply bare your label and wear your shirt inside out for one day, to show we all understand…

  • Yacht sunk off Railay Beach | Thaiger

    Yacht sunk off Railay Beach

    A yacht was found sunk at Railay Bay, Ao Nang, Krabi yesterday (Monday). The cause is believed to be a leak while left at anchor. No reports of anyone injured or missing. The Chief of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Worapot Lomli, received a report about the incident and ordered officers to head to the sunken yacht…

  • 5 Reasons to head to the Top Of The Gulf Regatta 2018 | Thaiger

    5 Reasons to head to the Top Of The Gulf Regatta 2018

    Now entering its 14th year, the Top of the Gulf Regatta at Ocean Marina in Pattaya has grown to become an award-winning multi-class regatta held annually in the Gulf of Thailand. Homed at Ocean Marina Yacht Club, the regatta has morphed from its humble roots into one of the largest sailing events in Asia today, and attract sailors of all…

  • 500kg of garbage washed onto national park beach every day | Thaiger

    500kg of garbage washed onto national park beach every day

    From 400 to 500 kilograms of garbage had been washed by waves onto a beach on Koh Rung in the Mu Koh Chang National Park in Trat each morning during the past week, the park chief said today (Monday). Kosit Nilrat said he had assigned 17 officials to clean up the beach at Ao Bor of Koh Rung every morning…

  • Half-sunken garbage barge threatens Phi Phi beaches | Thaiger

    Half-sunken garbage barge threatens Phi Phi beaches

    The owner of a sinking garbage boat near Koh Phi Phi in Krabi has been told by harbour officials today (Monday) to fix it as quickly as possible amid fears it would pollute the water. The boat, Chachandee, which measures 23 x 4 metres, slipped off its anchor at a bay in front of Koh Phi Phi in Tambon Ao…

  • THAIGER TODAY Monday, March 12 | Thaiger

    THAIGER TODAY Monday, March 12

    New faces on the political scene | Rabies Epidemic Zone for Nonthaburi and Bangkok | Fire in Pattaya’s Walking Street | 27 tourists arrested on island near Ranong | Spate of drownings over weekend | Guy in hospital with amnesia, ummm, actually wanted by police… BUSTED!

  • Phone thief nabbed in Surin Beach convenience store | Thaiger

    Phone thief nabbed in Surin Beach convenience store

    FILE PHOTO Phuket police arrested a Thai man soon after he stole a bag containing an iPhone 8 Plus from a Russian tourist at a beach on Sunday evening. 27 year old Preach Homsup from Ubon Ratchathani, was arrested at 7pm in front of a Family Mart convenience store in Tambon Choeng Thalay, Thalang district, near Surin Beach. He was…

  • The new face of Thai politics? | Thaiger

    The new face of Thai politics?

    The so-called “new blood” political party to be led by “pro-democracy” billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has promised to be an alternative to lead the conflict-plagued country out of the cycle of political division. The 39 year old auto-parts tycoon admitted that he had been described as “another Thaksin Shinawatra”, but asked for time to prove himself. “There’s no way to prove…

  • Tourists arrested over alleged illicit drug use in Ranong | Thaiger

    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…

  • Rabies survey shows widespread ignorance | Thaiger

    Rabies survey shows widespread ignorance

    Amid a major outbreak of rabies nationwide, including three human deaths so far this year, a survey reveals major misunderstandings among the public about the disease. The Public Health Ministry survey shows that up to 60 per cent of the nearly 12,000 people surveyed wrongly believed that rabies could be cured. Additionally, 34 per cent did not know that death…

  • Fire in Pattaya’s Walking Street. Two injured. | Thaiger

    Fire in Pattaya’s Walking Street. Two injured.

    Bars in Walking Street Pattaya were in flames last night (Saturday) after a transformer exploded in the packed red light district. Two tourists were rushed to hospital. Witnesses say there was a large explosion around 10pm. The blaze quickly spread to neighbouring bars as motorbikes parked on the street burst into flames as well. Dozens of bars in a plaza…

  • 90 arrested, 74 motorcycles seized in crackdown | Thaiger

    90 arrested, 74 motorcycles seized in crackdown

    Bangkok police arrested 90 motorcyclists and pillion riders and seized 74 modified motorcycles in a crackdown on street racing on Bangkok’s streets. At the end of the operation on Friday night, tourist police deputy chief Pol Lt-General Surachet Hakpal held a press conference at 2.30am early on Saturday on the main ground in front of Tesco Lotus Extra on Rama…

  • Two dead and two injured. Plane crashes in Paklok, Phuket. | Thaiger

    Two dead and two injured. Plane crashes in Paklok, Phuket.

    UPDATE: A small plane crashed in a field in front of the Phuket Air Park, in Paklok, at 10.20am this morning. There were 4 people on the plane and two casualties have been confirmed. The two casualties are the pilot and the engineer while the two injured are civil aviation students. Local officials have been at the scene for rescue…

  • Re-enactment of brutal street murder | Thaiger

    Re-enactment of brutal street murder

    Wichit Police brought the 46 year old ex-husband murderer (he has confessed to the crime), Winit Kumkrong, to the crime scene for a re-enactment this morning (March 9). He said that his ex-wife tried to drive over him with the car which, he says, was the motivation that led to the murder. Read the original story HERE. “After checking the…

  • THAIGER TODAY Friday, March 9 | Thaiger

    THAIGER TODAY Friday, March 9

    Freak storm cells caught on video | Changes for renters and landlords | Russian tourist run over and killed in Pattaya | Raid on Chiang Mai house selling dodgy health supplements | Rabies situation – under control but under watch.

  • Houses destroyed at Baan Bang Tao School | Thaiger

    Houses destroyed at Baan Bang Tao School

    Two teachers’ houses in the Baan Bang Tao School were on fire last night at about 8pm. The houses are completely destroyed after a furious blaze. No injuries or casualties have been reported. The houses were located behind the school. They were 2 storey buildings made of mixed timber and concrete and built 40 years ago. Firefighters took about 40…

  • Ex-husband kills woman on the street | Thaiger

    Ex-husband kills woman on the street

    The ex-husband of a head maid stabbed her in the the street almost 10 times in the middle of a crowd in southern Phuket Town. Police found the dead body of 47 year old Lamai Chokkuea, the head maid of a cleaning company, in her uniform with many cuts from a knife, including 4-5 wounds on her neck, 1 on…

  • Rama X banknotes go into circulation from April 6 | Thaiger

    Rama X banknotes go into circulation from April 6

    The first banknotes bearing a portrait of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn will be issued on April 6, Chakri Day. The Bank of Thailand announced on Thursday that, in accordance with permission granted by the palace, it would release banknotes bearing an image of King Rama X that day in the denominations of 20, 50 and 100 baht 500 baht…

  • Surf and water sports groups call for beach space | Thaiger

    Surf and water sports groups call for beach space

    More than 30 surf and water sports operators gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (March 7) calling for more beach space to conduct their businesses. The group handed the letter to the Chief of Phuket Provincial Office, Thalerngsak Nutprahan, who will hand over the letter to Phuket’s Governor regarding their proposal. “We asked the Governor to allow the existing operators…

  • Accelerating Rabies vaccinations in Trang | Thaiger

    Accelerating Rabies vaccinations in Trang

    There have been three deaths in Kalasin province linked to Rabies. And some suspected cases around Bangkok. The vaccination program in Trang brings it all a bit closer to home. Phairoj Intharasri, chief livestock officer in the southern province, said Muang, Huay Yod, Palian and Wang Wiset districts have been on rabies alerts since late February or March. His office…

  • Has Alexa been laughing at you? | Thaiger

    Has Alexa been laughing at you?

    Voice recognition personal assistants are all the rage at the moment, sometimes with hilarious results. Alexa is a offering from Amzon and might be having the last laugh. (By the way Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos was found to be the world’s richest man in a Bloomberg article today). Anyway, Amazon is promising to keep virtual assistant Alexa from spontaneously cackling,…

  • 7 French people arrested over kidnapping of a French woman | Thaiger

    7 French people arrested over kidnapping of a French woman

    Chalong Police and Kamala Police have arrested 7 French men and women, including 25 year old Idriss Sulliman, 25 year old Yann Kimulina, 21 year old Brahim Saifdine, 23 year old Mouhcin Wizkrane, 32 year old Yacine Maatoug, 21 year old Lydia Kouang Nlend and 19 year old Sahra Zerari, for kidnapping and physically abusing a 21 year old French…

  • ‘MURDER AMONG THE MATEYS’ – Murder Mystery Dinner Night | Thaiger

    ‘MURDER AMONG THE MATEYS’ – Murder Mystery Dinner Night

    After a voyage filled with pillaging and plundering, The Jaded Jewel – a pirate ship captained by Redbeard, an old but dangerous pirate – is docked in a cove near Port Royal. As the pirates head into town to celebrate their homecoming and spend their gold and goods, a night of turmoil and trouble is sure to transpire. As the…

  • THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, March 7 | Thaiger

    THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, March 7

    Outgoing tourism will rise to 10 million this year | Rabies precautions in BKK | Thai Cabinet waters down the fines for illegal foreign workers | Premchai’s wife will be charged for owning elephant tusks | Bank of Thailand has laid down the foundations for banking agents | Aussie firefighter helping out in Lampang | Krabi residents support closing down…

  • Chinese tourist assaulted in Krabi | Thaiger

    Chinese tourist assaulted in Krabi

    A Facebook user, Jay Boonruang (in Thai language), posted a long story about a Chinese client at her hostel being assaulted by men on the street yesterday (March 6). “The Chinese woman, in her 20’s, couldn’t speak English at all. I could speak a little bit of Chinese so I talked to her. She travelled alone in Krabi. She checked…

  • Drugs, weapon and preserved animal carcasses found in Rawai | Thaiger

    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…

  • Krabi residents, “Close Maya Bay” | Thaiger

    Krabi residents, “Close Maya Bay”

    An initial survey by a leading marine scientist found that most residents supported the closure of the popular Maya Bay in Krabi after more than 80% of coral reefs in the area were damaged. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, deputy dean of the Fishery Faculty at Kasetsart University, said his team was compiling results from an opinion survey of more than 300 local…