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.
-
Sponsored 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
-
FC Phuket 0 – 0 Suphanburi FC
PHUKET: FC Phuket played Suphanburi FC to a scoreless draw on soggy pitch at Surakul Stadium yesterday afternoon. Just over 1,700 turned up for the match, including a busload of orange-clad Suphanburi supporers who turned up for the match. FC Phuket’s best chance of the match came at 13 minutes, when Suphanburi keeper Prasit Nuamsala dived to his right to…
-
Buses roll out of Phuket Bus Terminal 2
PHUKET: The Phuket Bus Terminal 2 finally went into operation this morning – more than 28 months after the completion of the structure. “I think the first day has gone well so far,” said Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) chief Teerayut Prasertpol. Mr Teerayut estimated that about 70 per cent of the public is already aware that almost all inter-provincial…
-
Phuket to be ‘Atlantis of the East’? Not on Gov Tri’s watch
PHUKET: In the face of widespread rumors of Phuket becoming the “Atlantis of the East”, Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha has jokingly declared that he would be happy to resign his position if the island sinks into the Andaman Sea. “Rumors are rumors,” Gov Tri said. “I don’t think Phuket will sink. In fact, I’ll stake my position as a guarantee.…
-
FC Phuket ready for Suphanburi elephant charge
PHUKET: FC Phuket are back into action with a tough match against Suphanburi FC this afternoon at Surakul Stadium. The field should be sloppy, as the stadium was hit with heavy rains last night and again this afternoon. Coming into the sixth fixture for the 2012 Thai Yamaha 1 league, Phuket are in 10th place with a win, three draws…
-
Phuket Bike Week comes of age
PHUKET: It was postponed for a couple of weeks, but now Phuket Bike Week is on and raring to go. The 18th Phuket Bike Week kicked off today with a shed-load of activities in Patong. The festival started at 3pm at Patong Beach football field where the Motorcycle Exhibition Festival will carry on until midnight. However there’s plenty of other…
-
Villagers worry as aftershocks continue to rock Phuket
PHUKET: The fourth and largest tremor of the day hit Phuket at 3:10pm today, a 3.3 magnitude tremor clearly felt across the island with a large sonic boom clearly heard at the offices of the Phuket Gazette, about eight kilometers southeast of the epicenter near the municipal market in Thalang. Other tremors recorded by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) earthquake…
-
Phuket Airport included in B4bn upgrade
PHUKET: Aerothai, the state enterprise that operates air traffic control at airports throughout Thailand, including Suvarnabhumi and Phuket International Airport, will spend 4 billion baht on upgrading its computer and communications network. The upgrade to replace outdated equipment will be privately funded, said Aphinun Vannangkura, Aerothai Vice President for Air Traffic Management. “The upgrade will introduce more computer systems into…
-
ICT Ministry plans disaster communications fix for Phuket
PHUKET: A team of Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experts yesterday consulted with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on how to improve communications during future disaster evacuations. The team, led by ICT communications expert Chaiyun Pengkiatpairot, aims to prevent a mobile phone network overload, such as that which hindered communications during the evacuation of tsunami-risk areas on April 11.…
-
Tesco Lotus launches “green bag’ campaign in Phuket
PHUKET: Tesco Lotus is gearing up for Earth Day 2012 on Saturday with a special event at its Tesco Thalang mall this afternoon to launch a new campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags at all Tesco stores in Phuket. Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak will officially open the event at 2pm. In addition to fun activities promoting “green…
-
Fear of recurring earthquake stresses Phuket villagers
PHUKET: A team of mental health professionals on Wednesday visited villagers at Srisoonthorn Moo 2 to provide counselling after the 4.3-Richter earthquake struck fear into their hearts on Monday. Data from the Thai Meteorological Department has identified Thalang as the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake, with the villagers being rattled several times a day since by recurring aftershocks. Leading the team…
-
Phuket fishmeal factory probe takes a twist
PHUKET: Phuket officials investigating a complaint about foul smells emanating from a fishmeal factory yesterday found little amiss – and now suspect that the complaint may be more about business than bad odors. Led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak and Phuket Damrongtham Center Director Prapan Kanprasang, the officials toured the Saeng Aroon fishmeal factory on the banks of Klong…
-
Phuket opens ‘village watch’ earthquake monitoring center
PHUKET: Srisoonthorn Municipality have set up an ‘earthquake monitoring center’ after discovering that Thalang was at the epicenter of the recent aftershocks that rattled Phuket. The center aims to provide accurate information and to warn local villagers in the case of an emergency, said Srisoonthorn Mayor Worawut Songyot. “The earthquake monitoring center has been established to coordinate efforts in the…
-
Phuket Business: Transit proposals keep coming
PHUKET: Two more parties have engaged the Phuket provincial government about the prospect of developing the island’s multi-billion baht light rail and tunnel mega projects. A multinational delegation from the Chinese construction giant China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) visited with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha recently. “We are the biggest company in China and the 80th largest company of the top…
-
Phuket Business: ThaiVisa penetrates neighboring markets
PHUKET: ThaiVisa.com, the leading English-language social networking website about Thailand, is expanding its operations to Myanmar and Cambodia.“We have carefully studied internet traffic trends and we see a sharp rise in search traffic and interest about our neighbor Myanmar,” said Barry Main, marketing director of Bangkok-based ThaiVisa Expat Group Co Ltd.“We believe it’s pretty easy for us to get a…
-
Phuket Police seek help in identifying dead hospital patient
PHUKET: Phuket Police are trying to identify the body of a woman, thought to be from Myanmar, who died in the emergency ward of Thalang Hospital yesterday. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkhwan was notified of the woman’s death at 7:30am by staff at Thalang Hospital, who asked officers to assist in identifying the body. The woman’s body was left…
-
Stay calm and enjoy your holiday, says Phuket tourism chief
PHUKET: Phuket tourism industry leaders are calling on the local media not to exaggerate in their reporting of the recent seismic activity in Phuket, as doing so could adversely affect the local economy. Phuket Tourist Association President Somboon Jirayus said yesterday that tourists from places like Japan and parts of Europe where earthquakes are common were more likely to view…
-
Patong Mayor pushes for new road to Phuket’s Freedom Beach
PHUKET: THE Patong Municipal Council has agreed to fund a study to look into building a new road to access Freedom Beach, crossing over public forest land in the area. The road was among several proposals unanimously approved by the council during its budget meeting last week. Patong Mayor Pian Keesin presided over the meeting, which was attended by 15…
-
Phuket dam passes post-quake safety inspection
PHUKET: Phuket officials have declared the dam at Bang Neaw Dum Reservoir in Thalang structurally sound following a safety inspection earlier today. The inspection was prompted by a series earthquakes centered in Thalang over the past few days, including a 4.3 Richter tremor yesterday morning. That quake left local residents living downstream fearing the structural integrity of the dam might…
-
Phuket residents seek assistance for earthquake damage
PHUKET: Srisoonthorn Municipal engineers today visited homes in Baan Bangkham in Thalang to survey the damage caused by yesterday’s earthquake. Assistant village headman Somnuek Jaturacoopkullapong reported today that the earthquake, felt by most Phuket residents yesterday, damaged more than 30 houses in the village, four severely. “We were inside at about 4:30pm when we heard a loud noise and then…
-
Police crack Phang Nga drug network linked to “kingpin prisoner’
PHUKET: Acting on a tip-off police raided two separate addresses in Phang Nga yesterday resulting in the arrest of six men and the recovery of drugs, weapons, cash and other valuables. The gang was reportedly controlled by an inmate at Nakhon Sri Thammar at Provincial Prison who ordered drugs to be delivered to one of the suspects netted in the…
-
Dane dies of blood loss after Phuket tsunami evacuation
PHUKET: A Danish tourist injured during the evacuation of Patong Beach last Wednesday was found dead of apparent blood loss in his Patong hotel room yesterday afternoon. Patong Police were notified of the death at 5pm by 40-year-old motorbike taxi driver Lamai Ouan – on. Arriving at the scene with Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation workers, police found the body of the…
-
Tiger Group considers suing MP Chuwit as police probe fails
PHUKET: A spokesman for Phuket’s Tiger Group told the media over the weekend that his company is still considering legal action against politician Chuwit Kamolvisit following his allegation that a casino had operated out of one of the company’s venues in Patong. The threat of legal retribution follows the failure of two police investigations to uncover any wrongdoing at any…
-
Phuket Songkran Seven Days of Danger road toll latest: 3 dead, 32 injured
PHUKET: With the Songkran “Seven Days of Danger” road-safety campaign ending at midnight tonight, the road toll for the Thai New Year stands at three people dead and a further 32 admitted to hospital as a result of road incidents. Witthaya Piraka, 42, died on April 12 when while under the influence of alcohol he drove his motorbike into a…
-
Amway to deliver B2.5bn boost to Phuket
PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects the 18,000 Amway sales representatives arriving from China to spend up to 2.5 billion baht during their month-long stay on Phuket.Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak together with Director Bangonrat Shinaprayoon of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office welcomed and gave flowers to the first group of…
-
Phuket Police re-open road to Patong as earthquake fears subside
PHUKET: Police have re-opened the main road over Patong Hill, linking Phuket Town with Patong on Phuket’s west coast.The road was closed as a precaution following the earthquake felt across the island earlier this afternoon.Traffic remains heavy in the area.The Phuket Gazette urges all motorists to exercise caution and patience while travelling through the area.
-
Phuket Earthquake: NDWC gives all-clear, removes alert watch
PHUKET: The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has removed its “alert watch” order for tsunamis and further earthquakes, the Phuket Gazette has been told.“The NDWC removed the alert watch just before 6pm,” said San Jantharawong, chief of the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket).“The alert was removed because this was a much smaller earthquake than…
-
Phuket Earthquake: USGS reports Sumatra quake at depth of 14km
PHUKET: The USGS has reported that the earthquake struck at a depth of 14.7 kilometers, not two kilometers as originally reported. Click here to see the USGS report:https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc00094q0.html
-
Phuket Opinion: Take off the gloves
PHUKET: The recent ban on mixed martial arts (MMA) events by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) is a sad but unsurprising development, and one which will deprive growing numbers of MMA enthusiasts in Thailand from watching these exciting events live, while costing the country millions of baht in lost revenue. (See current issue of the Phuket Gazette.) Thailand is…
-
Breaking News: No tsunami warning or evacuation order yet: Phuket DDPM
PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) have confirmed that a tsunami warning has not yet been issued.“There has been no tsunami warning and no evacuation alert. We are still monitoring the situation,” DDPM-Phuket chief San Jantharawong told the Phuket Gazette.“We are now on alert watch. We will remain on alert watch until the…
-
Breaking News: 5.3 earthquake rattles Phuket
PHUKET: The Thai Meteorologicial Department has reported a 5.3-magnitude earthquake striking off the coast of northern Sumatra at 4:46pm. See here: https://www.tmd.go.th/en/earthquake_report.php The earthquake struck at a depth of only two kilometers. The Gazette has received a report from Patong Beach that some people have left the beach area as a precaution. The Gazette has received no reports of any…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.