News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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More Phuket ‘reds’ to Bangkok
PHUKET: More Phuket people are joining the red shirt protest in Bangkok, one of the leaders of the Phuket United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) told the Gazette today. “At the beginning, more than 400 people from Phuket had come to join the protest. Before last night’s fighting, about 100 were left,” Phuket red shirt leader Wisut ‘Ae Inside’…
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Bangkok death toll hits 16
PHUKET: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Emergency Health Center this morning revised its death and injury toll from yesterday’s clashes between troops and protesters, to 16 dead and 157 people injured. Andrew Drummond, a British journalist with decades of experience in reporting news in Thailand and Southeast Asia, told the Gazette that the capital seemed “much quieter” and traffic seemed to…
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Phuket still safe for tourism: Russian Ambassador
PHUKET: The Russian ambassador to Thailand reaffirmed Phuket as a safe tourist destination after a tour of the island last weekend. Santi Udomkiratak, Deputy Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation for Phuket, Krabi and Phang-nga, said that Russian Ambassador Alexander Mariyasov reiterated during his visit that the current political turmoil in Bangkok had very little effect on the safety of…
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Internet outages plague Phuket
PHUKET: Following a week of intermittent internet access, at times leaving consumers with no access at all, Triple Broad Band Internet (3BB) has confirmed that the outages are expected to continue until the end of the month while the company installs a new network. Pongsakorn Yuktawet, General Manager of 3BB’s Upper Southern Region, based in Phuket, said the outages were…
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Windmills planned for Phuket
PHUKET: The Energy Ministry is moving forward with plans to build more wind turbines in Phuket. Mr Wichai Limsawad, head of the Renewable Energy Department’s wind power section, told the Gazette that Laem Phromthep is a good spot to erect more windmills. “We have collected wind energy data at the Phromthep Alternative Energy Station windmill since 1983. The turbine there…
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Blackout in Thalang
THALANG: The Thalang office of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced power cuts to carry out maintenance on high voltage wires from 9am to 5pm on Saturday. Affected areas are along the west side of Thepkrasattri Road, from the offices of the Kata Thai Company (near the old Siam City Cement plant) all the way to the Muang Thalang…
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Crucial Phuket road deteriorating
PHUKET: The state of the Patong-Karon road has gotten worse over the years and accidents are now an everyday occurrence, local residents say.The name of the winding road, dubbed Route 4233, changes from Sirirat Road on the Patong side to Patak Road after passing into tambon Karon near Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort.Three sections are particularly hazardous due to poor…
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Phuket bids to save the dog conch
PA KHLOK, PHUKET: In a bid to increase depleted stocks, fisheries workers released 12,000 cultured dog conch shells into the sea off Pa Khlok in Phuket earlier this month.The operation was conducted jointly by the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Center 5 in Phuket and the Phang Nga Coastal Fishery Research and Development Center, where the dog conches (hawy chak…
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Banyan Tree banks on Phuket
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: The political turmoil in Thailand is hurting Phuket icon the Banyan Tree Group as guests cancel room reservations in the strife-torn nation. The hospitality group said it had lost about $1.2 million in cancellations by May 7, or…
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Summary / Update on Thai crisis
PHUKET: Thailand is tense this morning after clashes between “Red Shirt” anti-government protesters and troops left one dead and eight wounded, including a renegade general allied with some factions among the demonstrators. The fresh violence in Bangkok last night came after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva shelved a plan to hold early elections in November and hopes faded for resolution of…
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Thailand, but not Phuket, in lockdown
PHUKET: The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has imposed emergency law in 15 more provinces in the central, northern and northeastern parts of Thailand, CRES spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said. Phuket, however, is not on the list of affected provinces and remains calm, as it has been since the red-shirt demonstrations began two months ago. The 2nd…
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Patong tuk-tuk drivers get driving lessons
PATONG: Yes, the headline is correct. In hopes of boosting the image of public transport in Patong, the newly-launched Patong Taxi Federation (PTF) saw its first 80 members complete a driver’s training course on May 8 at the Phuket Land Transport Office. Preechavude Keesin, president of the PTF and son of Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, oversaw the training, which consisted…
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Thai FA Cup: FC Phuket downs Samut Prakarn, 2-1
PHUKET: FC Phuket advanced to the third round of the Thai FA Cup thanks to a 2-1 victory away at Samut Prakarn yesterday. The Southern Sea Kirin qualified for the second round match after beating Nakhon Ratchasima 2-1 at home in the opening round. Prolific teenager Adisak Kraisorn, who was named ‘man of the match’, opened the scoring in the…
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New marketing director at Laguna Phuket
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: The Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket has announced the appointment of Ms Erica Robinson as Director of Marketing Communications. She will lead the marketing and communication strategies for the resort, which is based in the Laguna Phuket complex. With ten…
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Phuket shunned by travellers
PHUKET: In poll results sure to shock many in Phuket, Thailand’s Koh Lanta, Khao Lak, Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Samui have won 4 out of 10 honors for the Top Ten beach destinations in Asia. Phuket did not rank among them. The poll, conducted by TripAdvisor and titled ‘Traveler’s Choice Awards for 2010’, closed yesterday. The Thai beach resorts were…
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Hot, humid conditions in Phuket
PHUKET: Thai authorities issued a public health warning earlier this week after nationwide temperatures soared to their highest in 20 years. With temperatures across the country hitting 40 degrees Celsius, the Public Health Ministry advised people to stay indoors to avoid getting heat stroke. Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said exposure to heat could result in abnormally high body temperature,…
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Expo 2020 in Phuket?
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) will work with the Ministry of Interior to canvas provinces in Thailand, including Phuket, to present their credentials to participate in the bid to a host Expo 2020. According to TTR…
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Frank Visakay dies in Phuket, age 71
PHUKET: Long-term Phuket expat Frank Visakay of the USA died in his rented home in Rawai today of apparent heart failure. He was 71. Neighbors discovered his body in his home on Soi Pattana after becoming concerned because he had not left the house for a few days. Friends close to Mr Visakay said he had been suffering from a…
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Phuket police nab serial thief
PHUKET: Chalong Police are seeking a foreign tourist whose credit card and Norwegian driving license were recovered during the arrest of an alleged serial thief over the weekend. Chalong Police Inspector Sutham Rattanasawangwongse received a tipoff at 5:30pm on Sunday that 40-year-old Sombat Supprasit was spotted riding a motorbike without a license plate near Nong Harn Lake in Karon. Mr…
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Riddle in THAI’s Phuket policy
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: Cancellations and a shortfall in advance bookings are forcing THAI Airways to revise its route network, capacity and fleet use to curb losses. Phuket continues to be a riddle in the plans. According to TTR Weekly, adjustments are…
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Cable TV Internet in Phuket
PHUKET: Cable TV users in Phuket can now take advantage of fast broadband Internet after a number of local cable companies signed MOUs with communications provider CAT Telecom. On Friday, Rawai Cable became the latest company to sign the agreement, which allows CAT to provide 4MB Internet through existing cable connections. The other companies are Phuket Cable, PA Business Phuket,…
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Firefighting blunder leaves Phuket lumberyard in cinders
PHUKET: A lumberyard in Thalang sustained hundreds of thousands of baht in damages yesterday after firefighters from Thepkrasattri Municipality rushed to fight the blaze with an empty water tank. Local residents reported a fire at Ta Wood Trading on Thepkrasattri northbound at about 2pm yesterday. The fire was still small when the firefighters arrived, but after realizing their fire truck’s…
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FC Phuket down Surat Thani, 2-0
PHUKET: FC Phuket went into the mid-season break on a high note, defeating the Surat Thani Roosters 2-0 at Surakul Stadium on Saturday. Despite the absence of influential Ivory Coast midfielder Diarra Ali, the Southern Sea Kirin put on another solid performance. Both sides struggled to find rhythm early in the game, but FC Phuket eventually took the lead in…
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Costly clip job
SAMUT PRAKAN: A woman in Samut Prakan is suing a beauty salon for 100,000 baht in damages over a haircut. On April 24, Naphasason Angkuramaethisak, 49, went to the salon to have her long hair cut into a more fashionable short style she saw in a magazine. When 29-year-old Narathip Thaiphat finished the cut, Ms Naphasason was shocked at how…
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Phuket tsunami alert canceled
PHUKET: A tsunami alert for Phuket and five other nearby Andaman provinces this afternoon was canceled less than a hour after it had been issued. The National Disaster Warning Center issued the alert for Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Satun, Ranong and Trang at 1:18pm. The alert followed a 7.4 magnitude earthquake which struck off northern Sumatra in Indonesia at 12.59pm.…
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OPINION: Crackdown on cracked heads in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong’s order for a crackdown on riding as a passenger (pillion) on a motorbike without a helmet is laudable, but won’t be easy to enforce. Under the plan, police will be responsible for ensuring compliance with an existing law that allows them to issue fines of up to 500 baht for anyone caught on…
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Phuket hit by coral bleaching
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: Marine scientists have been closely watching massive coral bleaching in the Andaman Sea around Phuket, believed to be the worst case in Thai waters for 20 years. According to the Bangkok Post, coral reefs off Phuket, Krabi and…
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TAT bike tour of Old Phuket Town
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office in Phuket is inviting people to take part in an educational bike ride around Phuket Old Town on May 23. The four-hour ride, which starts at 7am, will be a cultural tour of the town with stops at historically important sites and explanations about the local way of life. The event is…
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Score one for Phuket football
PHUKET: Officials from the newly-formed Phuket Football Association (PFA) have committed themselves to develop football in the province following an AFC Vision Asia team’s assessment visit to initiate their Vision Thailand Project in Phuket. Football officials in Phuket have high hopes that the island will become the next haven for the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC’s) Vision Asia program. The AFC,…
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Swedish tourist slashed in Phuket robbery
KARON, PHUKET: Police are hunting a bandit who slashed a young Swedish tourist’s wrist after she resisted his efforts to steal her bag. The victim, 22-year-old Emilia Therese Andersson, needed several stitches at Patong Hospital after the attack, which took place near the tsunami warning tower on the beach road. Miss Andersson told Lt Chachawan Phoonareumit of Chalong Police she…
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