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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Security guard stabbed to death in Karon
KARON, PHUKET: A security guard at the Access Resort and Villas hotel is on the run after allegedly stabbing a colleague in the heart with a sharp hand scraper. Sunin Saithong, 54, died in uniform outside the hotel on Patak Road in Karon at around 8 pm on February 16. Duty Officer Anukul Nookade of Chalong Police said he believed…
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MOI to publish pub safety manual
PHUKET CITY: Entertainment venues in 14 provinces around the south of Thailand have been put on notice to ensure they measure up to new government safety regulations or face the consequences. Addressing a press conference at the Phuket Merlin Hotel on February 13, Deputy Minister of the Interior Thavorn Senniam announced deadlines for entertainment venues around the region to fall…
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Phuket PAD joins Isarn road trip
PHUKET: Approximately 20 of Phuket’s People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters traveled to Udon Thani to attend a PAD rally on February 14. Udon Thani is a stronghold of the now-disbanded People Power Party (PPP). The Phuket PAD supporters used vehicles with Bangkok registered license plates to avoid possible confrontations and returned to Phuket the next day. There were no reports…
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Abbot on the run
NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: Police are hunting for the abbot of a temple after he allegedly beat up his male lover in the early hours of January 23.Police were called to Wat Khuan Soong in Chawang District just before 4 am by a man who said that the temple abbot had beaten him with a chair.When they arrived at the scene,…
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Patong declared “Red Zone” in war on Pirated goods
PHUKET CITY: Acknowledging the scale of the trade in counterfeit goods on the island, the head of the Phuket Customs Office has identified Patong as one of several “red zones” in the battle against pirated goods, the state-run Thai News Agency has reported. Phuket Customs Office chief Sompong Onprasert said the problem was the worst in areas popular with tourists,…
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Komkai murder suspect turns himself in
PHUKET CITY: A village headman from Pattalung province yesterday surrendered himself to Phuket police in a bid to clear his name over allegations he was involved in the shooting murder of Jintana Plaza heiress Komkai Kositkoon in July last year. Mr Wiroj “Plop” Issara, 47, a headman in Phatthalung’s Koh Maak district, surrendered himself to Police Region 8 Commander Santarn Chayanon…
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Action needed to reduce dengue threat
PHUKET CITY: This year could see a severe outbreak of dengue fever in Phuket if action is not taken to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds, the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office has warned.Comparing the local infection rate for early 2009 with the rates of the five preceding years shows a higher rate than normal, health office chief Dr Pongsawas Ratanasang said.Random…
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Police closing in on Makha Bucha Day shooter
CHALONG, PHUKET: Chalong Police say they are making good progress in their investigation into the attempted murder of businessman Chalermpol Pranweerapaiboon, who was shot in the back of the neck by an assailant at Wat Luangpoo Supha on Maka Bucha Day (February 12). Despite the claims of progress, Chalong Police Duty Officer Parichat Jaturonphan declined to name any suspects or…
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Solution to Patong Hospital doctor shortage in sight
PATONG, PHUKET: Starting in April, Patong Hospital will have have more doctors and other medical staff working – enough to serve patients 24 hours day. The plan was confirmed by the provincial Chief Doctor, Pongsawas Ratanasang, who insisted that the doctor shortage at the state-run facility had been tackled. The short-term solution is to have four doctors on duty: Hospital…
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Briton takes life by hanging
PATONG, PHUKET: Kathu Police are treating the death of a British man found in a Patong guesthouse early Thursday morning as a suicide. Kathu Police Duty Officer Jongserm Preecha identified the deceased as 36-year-old Robert William Hilton. The death was reported to Kathu Police at around 4 am by his girlfriend, 30-year-old Srisaket native Sommai Deejai. When police including Kathu…
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Phuket Chamber of Commerce elects new president
PHUKET: Dr Sirichai Silapa-archa was elected as the new president of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce (PCC) at the association’s annual election conference, held at the The Metropole hotel on February 12. Dr Sirichai Silapa-archa, 51, is an assistant director at Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he is a surgeon specializing in urology. In addition to his medical training, he also…
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TAT targets Spanish, Japanese markets
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes to see a surge in the number of visitors from Spain, following its participation in the Feria Internacional de Turismo 2009 tourism trade show in that country earlier this month. The TAT took its “Seven Wonders of Amazing Thailand” roadshow campaign to Spain, which is emerging as a valuable market for Thai…
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Jintana Plaza gutted in alleged arson attack
PATONG, PHUKET: A fire ripped through the Jintana Shopping Center early Friday morning, causing an estimated 10 million baht’s worth of damage. Police believe the fire was started deliberately as it follows a number of arson attacks on the center, as well as the mafia-style murder of center heiress Komkai Kositoon in July last year. Duty Officer Jongsrame Preecha of…
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Man commits suicide in Rassada
RASSADA, PHUKET: A young man on Thursday committed suicide by hanging in the home he shared with relatives in Tambon Rassada, police have revealed. Phuket City Police Duty Officer Anek Mongkol and Kusoldharm Foundation officers at 12:20 pm responded to a report of the suicide and went to the scene, an apartment on the fourth floor of building five in…
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Phuket to host ASEAN+3 finance ministers meeting
BANGKOK: Phuket will host a meeting of finance ministers of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its three East Asian partner nations of Japan, China, and South Korea (ASEAN+3) on February 22 to discuss joint efforts to revive the regional economy. The meetings will take place at at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, the Gazette has…
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Dead infant found floating in Kamala Bay
KAMALA, PHUKET: Kamala police have launched an investigation to try to find the mother of an infant girl whose tiny body was recovered from a black plastic bag found by fishermen in Kamala Bay. The gruesome discovery was reported to Kamala Police at about 1:30 pm on Thursday. Police and Kusoldharm Foundation workers rushed to the scene to examine the remains…
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Historic wall demolished in Old Phuket Town
PHUKET CITY: A 105-year-old Sino-Portuguese wall in Phuket’s old town was demolished by construction workers on February 3 to make way for commercial buildings. The wall, on Krabi Rd, had formed the perimeter of Prapitak Chinpracha estate, built in 1904. On February 3, Capt Bunyarit Chaisuwan, an archaeologist at the Fine Arts Region 15 Office in Phuket, received a report…
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Luxury charter helicopter service launched in Sakoo
SAKOO, PHUKET: Phuket’s super-rich take note: the island now has its own luxury charter helicopter service ready to fly VIP tourists and businessmen to luxury resorts in the Andaman region. Advance Aviation launched its Phuket service from its brand new helipad in Sakoo on January 9, flying about five flights during its first month in operation. Vice Chairman Chai Nasylvanta…
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Environment Impact study for Phuket Airport expansion underway
MAI KHAO, PHUKET: Government officers, airport officials and representatives of a consulting firm met late last month to discuss progress on the three-month environmental impact assessment (EIA) now underway on the planned 5-billion-baht expansion of Phuket International Airport. Maj Kamon Wongsombun, director of the Airports of Thailand (AOT) Development and Planning Division, started off with an overview of the project,…
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Sheraton to host 44th ASEAN Education Ministers Conference
PHUKET: The 44th ASEAN Education Ministers meeting will take place at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket from April 5 to 9.The announcement was made on January 27 at Phuket Rajabhat University in Rassada after Thai Education Ministry officials conducted a site visit and held discussions with local venue operators.Deputy Permanent Secretary to the Education Ministry Sriwikar Mektawatwaikul held a meeting…
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EGCO scraps plan to build incinerator
PHUKET: The Electricity Generating Public Company Limited (EGCO Group) has scrapped its plans for a power plant fueled by garbage in Phuket as a result of the difficulty in collecting and separating rubbish. Construction of the power plant was scheduled to begin early this year. An agreement to conduct a feasibility study on the project as a pilot for other…
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Temple shooting mars Makha Bucha Day
CHALONG, PHUKET: The owner of a tour company is unconscious but in stable condition after being shot in the neck at a well-known temple where he and his family had just finished offering alms to make merit on Makha Bucha Day. Just before noon yesterday, Chalong Police were informed of a shooting in the parking lot of Wat Luangpoo Supha,…
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Police nab two for licence plate fraud
PHUKET CITY: Checks of vehicle registration data by police have revealed that some cars on Phuket’s roads are stolen vehicles with fake license plates. At a press conference at Phuket City Police Station on February 4, Governor Preecha Ruangjan and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong presented two suspects caught with stolen vehicles. The first vehicle, a black Honda Civic…
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Foreign Affairs Ministry to open branch in Phuket
PHUKET: Foreign visitors to the region and local expat residents will soon be able to take advantage of a local branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be established at Phuket Provincial Hall. Phuket Governor Preecha Ruangjan told the Gazette on January 30 that he had received confirmation that day to go ahead with plans to establish the Foreign…
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Lions gone, smiles back in at Laguna resort complex
PHUKET: Laguna Resorts & Hotels Plc has confirmed to the Gazette that as of 2:00am today the “illegal assembly” blockading the roads into its Laguna Phuket resort complex dispersed and that all resort entrance roads are now fully open. The six Laguna Phuket hotels are rapidly returning to normal operations. In an official statement, a spokesperson wrote: “During the afternoon…
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Laguna protesters dig in for the long haul
PHUKET, CHERNG TALAY: The workers’ protest at Laguna Phuket resort is now in its third day and all seven entrances into the core of the resort remain blocked by the protesters and vehicles. However, Laguna residents are still able to access their homes, but some can only do so on foot or by motorbike. Some of the protest leaders last…
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A bad week for dwindling dugong population
CAPE PANWA, PHUKET: A top marine mammal researcher is drawing up a national action plan for conserving the country’s dwindling population of dugong, three of which were found dead this week. “We have a national action plan for dugong and seagrass in Thailand to conserve the seagrass habitat, reduce mortality, continue monitoring numbers and study behavior,” said Kanjana Adulyanukosol of the…
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Bt 20m for Silaphan Beach upgrade
RASSADA, PHUKET: Rassada Municipality will invest 20 million baht to develop the Silaphan Beach area of Koh Sireh into a new tourist destination. Speaking at the end of his first year in office, Rassada Mayor Surathin Liangudom said the investment is one of many the municipality is undertaking to improve infrastructure in the subdistrict, which surrounds Phuket City to the…
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Brit charged with drug dealing
KAMALA, PHUKET: A British man faces the prospect of a lifetime in jail after being caught at a Kamala Police checkpoint with cocaine, ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and marijuana on Wednesday. David Kevin Griffin, 49, was driving toward Patong when he was stopped by Kamala Police officers at around 1:45 am at the checkpoint in Nanok Village. Police say they…
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Destination Air services suspended pending buyout
PHUKET: The Destination Air seaplane shuttle service, the license for which was revoked by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) last year, has confirmed that all of its services will remain suspended until the company is bought out. Destination Air Managing Director Pat James told the Gazette that the owners currently have four parties interested in buying the charter carrier.…
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