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    Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?

    Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...

  • Phuket Rugby 10s: Group stages draw to a close

    Phuket Rugby 10s: Group stages draw to a close

    Phuket Rugby 10s: Group stages of the 10s have reached their conclusion. The next round sees the determination of finalists. Asian Japanese Dragons 5 Taipai baboons 21 INSEAD 0 Rebel Dubai Dragons 7 Bangkok Bangers Colts 7 Bucket Brigade 0 Emirates Flying Muppets 0 Qantas Koalas 7 Moorabbin Rams 26 Sinagapore Barbarians 0 Al Ain Amblers 7 San Miguel Wanderers…

  • Testing police for drugs doesn’t work: Phuket poll

    Testing police for drugs doesn’t work: Phuket poll

    PHUKET: A strong majority of Phuket Gazette readers feel that the Phuket Provincial Police drug testing of all its officers is not effective in ensuring police are free of drugs, the results of a recent readers’ poll reveal. Readers were asked to reply to the question: The Phuket Provincial Police have announced that all officers under their command will be…

  • Phuket Rugby 10s: Referees stamp their authority

    Phuket Rugby 10s: Referees stamp their authority

    Phuket Rugby 10s: Referees stamping their authority on the games.

  • Phuket Rugby 10s: Great day, great atmosphere and great rugby

    Phuket Rugby 10s: Great day, great atmosphere and great rugby

    Phuket Rugby 10s: Mid-day round-up. Royal Thai Police 38 INSEAD 0 Bedhoff Kings RFC 10 Bangkok Bangers Colts 10 Thai Legends 12 Emirates Flying Muppets 0 Dubai Exiles 12 Moorabbin Rams 19 Kriel Roosters 31 San Miguel Wanderers 0 All photos by Dean Noble — Neil Quail

  • Phuket Property Review on news stands now

    Phuket Property Review on news stands now

    PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette is pleased to announce that its Phuket Property Review is now available as a free 16-page supplement to the May 28 issue, on sale at newsstands around the island today. The Phuket Property Review analyzes market trends in five parts of the island: North, South, East, West and ‘Inland’, and provides additional advice on such topics…

  • Phuket International Rugby 10s is invaluable to the Asia Center Foundation.

    Phuket International Rugby 10s is invaluable to the Asia Center Foundation.

    PHUKET: “Phuket International Rugby 10s is invaluable to the Asia Center Foundation. Support and donations from all involved with the tournament gives over 100 children the opportunity for a better life.” Roelien Muller, Director of the Asia Center Foundation, explaining the importance of the Phuket Rugby 10s. Donations are always welcomed for this worthy cause.

  • Phuket Heineken International Rugby 10s main tournament under starter’s orders

    Phuket Heineken International Rugby 10s main tournament under starter’s orders

    PHUKET: Good morning Phuket! Welcome to the 13th Rugby 10s main event. Following yesterday’s exciting Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers competition the main tournament has already kicked off at 8.30am with the Royal Thai Police taking on the Rebel Dubai Dragons at Karon Stadium. Games start every twenty minutes. Bring friends and family for a fun filled day of festival rubgy…

  • Abhisit launches Democrat election campaign in Phuket

    Abhisit launches Democrat election campaign in Phuket

    PHUKET: Caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva arrived in Phuket this afternoon ahead of a rally at Saphan Hin in Phuket Town tonight to mark the launch of the Democrat Party campaign for the July 3 national election. Top of his agenda was to inspect the site of the Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center in Mai Khao, while accompanied by…

  • Phuket ‘hashers’ mourn three fallen comrades | Thaiger

    Phuket ‘hashers’ mourn three fallen comrades

    PHUKET: Two more members of the Phuket Hash House Harriers died this week following the death of a “hasher” in a motorcycle accident on Monday. The most recent was Ruurd Jansen, 66, who died after the roof of his house collapsed on him on Wednesday. Mr Jansen and his wife ran a beach-side restaurant called “Som” (“Orange”) near the Laguna…

  • Phuket final reminder to catch the UEFA Champions League Final

    Phuket final reminder to catch the UEFA Champions League Final

    PHUKET: Wembley Stadium will play host to the best in European football this Saturday, when English champions Manchester United face off against Barcelona. The UEFA Champions League Final will kick-off at 8:45pm Central European Time (1:45am on Sunday in Phuket), and is expected to serve up a scintillating display of football with both teams vying for their fourth title. Pundits…

  • Anti-protest protest gets rolling in Phuket

    Anti-protest protest gets rolling in Phuket

    PHUKET: A small band of activists have been rolling through the streets of Phuket in salaeng (motorbikes with sidecar) in recent days, urging the public to ignore a campaign to cast “no” votes in the upcoming general election. The 30-strong group travels with Thai flags hoisted high and carrying signs that read: “If we vote for nobody, who will run…

  • Phuket Rugby 10s kick off today

    Phuket Rugby 10s kick off today

    PHUKET: The 13th Phuket International Rugby 10s kicked off today with Phuket’s own Vagabonds intent on providing stiff opposition for the challengers in the event. Karon Stadium again plays home to the hugely popular tournament, and after recent rains the surface is in ideal condition for rugby. For information on the tournament and updates on games as they are played,…

  • “It’s a shame the scrums are not contested.” at Phuket 10s

    “It’s a shame the scrums are not contested.” at Phuket 10s

    PHUKET: Susanne Olovsson, a member of Sweden’s International women’s rugby team playing for Kuala Lumpur’s Selangor Old Dogs in the Phuket Rugby 10s at Karon Stadium. Susanne is the prop forward for her country, which placed 12th in the last women’s World Cup. “I’m really enjoying the Phuket 10s, a great competition, though suffering with the heat and humidity,” she…

  • One dead, two injured in Phuket motorbike collision

    One dead, two injured in Phuket motorbike collision

    PHUKET: A young woman was killed and two teenage boys injured when their motorcycles collided at a U-turn in Thalang early this morning. Capt Praman Yukkaphan of Thalang Police identified the deceased as Urairat Khongket, an employee of a rubber glove factory in Baan Manik, Srisoonthorn. Originally from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, the 27-year-old probably died instantly from massive head injuries…

  • Phuket Rugby 10s at Karon Stadium simmers!

    Phuket Rugby 10s at Karon Stadium simmers!

    PHUKET: The Phuket Rugby 10s simmers with the Phuket Viagrabonds, Cottesloe Old Gulls, Morrabbin Rams and the Taipei Silverbacks all showing themselves as potential winners. The results from games nine to 12 in the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Competition at Karon Stadium were: Selangor Old Dogs 0 Cottesloe Old Gulls 15 Wanderers Jagermeister Wrinklies 24 Hong Kong Bulls 7 Old…

  • Phuket Rugby 10s heats up!

    Phuket Rugby 10s heats up!

    PHUKET: The Phuket rugby 10s continues, in glorious sunshine, though harsh for the players. The standard is high with top scorers so far, our very own Phuket Viagrabonds and the Morrabbin Rams. The results from the following four games in the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Comp were: Phuket Viagrabonds 31 Asian Japanese Dragons 0 Morrabbin Rams 38 Aarabian Gulf Legends…

  • New Phuket bridge to open next week

    New Phuket bridge to open next week

    PHUKET: The new bridge connecting Phuket with Phang Nga will be open to traffic next week as planned, the Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) announced. Known as the “Sarasin Bridge 2” throughout the construction phase, the new roadway will be known officially as the Srisoonthorn Bridge. “The new bridge is about 94 per cent complete and the construction contract ends…

  • Phuket police net bumper haul in pirate raids

    Phuket police net bumper haul in pirate raids

    PHUKET: Two high-profile raids in Phuket yesterday, in the prime tourist areas of Kata and Patong, landed goods valued at more than a million baht. The first raid was on a shop near Dino Park in Kata, at about 3pm. There, officers seized a haul of hundreds of imitation brand-name shorts and wallets, and more than 400 pirate wristwatches. Officers…

  • Iceland volcano eruption has no effect on Phuket flights

    Iceland volcano eruption has no effect on Phuket flights

    PHUKET: THE eruption of the Grimsvötn volcano in Iceland has not affected flights at Phuket International Airport, the Phuket Gazette was told yesterday. Airlines are also back in the skies over Europe as schedules return to normal today after a week of flight disruptions caused by a cloud of volcanic ash drifting over parts of the continent, Bloomberg reported. On…

  • Steep slope stalls Phuket shortcut plan

    Steep slope stalls Phuket shortcut plan

    PHUKET: Work is underway on a new road joining Kathu and Wichit, in central Phuket, but the plans are being reviewed as the main hill the road was to have passed over has now proved too steep to pave. Teeraporn Jirarattanakorn, director of the Department of Rural Roads office in Phuket, told the Phuket Gazette the completed 1.5-kilometer road will…

  • Rugby 10s gets Phuket buzzing

    Rugby 10s gets Phuket buzzing

    PHUKET: THE 13th Phuket International Rugby 10s kicks off tomorrow May 27 with Phuket’s own Vagabonds intent on providing stiff opposition for would be challengers in the event. Karon Stadium again plays home to this hugely popular tournament and after recent rains the surface is in ideal condition for rugby. Phuket Vagabonds rivalry with the Bangkok Bangers will certainly entice…

  • Patong’s first high school to open 2014

    Patong’s first high school to open 2014

    PHUKET: Patong Municipality will spend 320 million baht to renovate and expand the Ban Sainamyen School, establishing it as the busy Phuket tourist town’s first high school. Plans have been drawn up and construction is expected to take two years, with the high school slated to open in 2014. “The [existing] school building is old but clean, though at present…

  • Rubbish piling up on Phuket’s sister ‘eco-island’

    Rubbish piling up on Phuket’s sister ‘eco-island’

    PHUKET: Now that the two municipal landfills on Koh Yao Noi are filled to capacity, villagers living on the island are demanding new solutions. About 30 villagers on May 12 handed a letter of complaint to Mayor Somphol Roengsamut at the Koh Yao Noi Municipality offices. The group said waste management had been a problem for years on the island.…

  • Dems out in droves in Phuket

    Dems out in droves in Phuket

    PHUKET: Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr and Raywat Areerob arrived at Provincial Hall at 8:30am today to register as the Democrat Party candidates in the upcoming general election. Mrs Anchalee will run in Phuket constituency 1, which covers all of Muang District except Rassada and Koh Kaew subdistricts. Mr Raywat will run in constituency 2, which covers the rest of the island.…

  • Windsor notches eight gold medals at BIS, Phuket | Thaiger

    Windsor notches eight gold medals at BIS, Phuket

    PHUKET: BRITISH International School (BIS) hosted 382 young athletes for its impressive third Flying Fish International Swimming Invitational and witnessed the emergence of a future star from Phuket. Twenty-one teams represented seven countries from around the region including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, China, the Philippines and Pakistan. The vast number of boys and girls were organized by age, ranging from…

  • Phuket Live Wire: WiFi versus 3G

    Phuket Live Wire: WiFi versus 3G

    PHUKET: More than a dozen people have asked me in the past week, “What’s the difference between WiFi and 3G?” I am sure the interest has nothing to do with learning about technology. Every one of the people is considering buying an iPad 2. They can figure out which color they want and how much memory they want, but they’re…

  • “Comebacks happen in finals” | Thaiger

    “Comebacks happen in finals”

    “I said at the break that comebacks happen in finals and used the example of Liverpool in the Champions League. I knew we could come back from the deficit.” Leinster out-half and man of the match, Jonathan Sexton after his team’s victory over Northampton Saints in the Heineken Cup Final.May 22, 2011 — Neil Quail

  • Thailand champions from Phuket place fifth in South Africa

    Thailand champions from Phuket place fifth in South Africa

    PHUKET’S golfing duo Michael Weinstein and Kenth Fredin returned from a successful – if somewhat saturated – World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) Finals held in the Eden district of South Africa. Victory in Bangkok at the qualifying tournament in March this year, awarded Michael and Kenth the opportunity to represent Thailand at the 36-hole challenge final. Played on the Jack…

  • Legends to match up at Thanyapura, Phuket

    Legends to match up at Thanyapura, Phuket

    PHUKET: THE host venue for the Liverpool Legends versus the Legends of Thailand Phuket leg has officially been advised to the Phuket Gazette as the Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Center (TSLC), by the owners and promoters North Scoreboard Co Ltd. “Thanyapura was selected for the quality of the pitch and facilities to support our international teams and visitors, as well…

  • Crowds turn out to support Phuket election candidates

    Crowds turn out to support Phuket election candidates

    PHUKET: A large crowd of supporters greeted three political hopefuls this morning as they arrived at Phuket Provincial Hall to register their candidacies with the Phuket Election Committee (PEC). First on hand to register, at 8:30am, was Bhumjaithai Party candidate Jirayus Songyos, who will contest Phuket Constituency 2. The second applicant was Pheu Thai Party candidate Wisit Jai-arj, who will…