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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.
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Krabi locals pray to fossil for lottery win
KRABI: Locals prayed over an age-old fossil earlier this week, hoping to receive blessings in the shape of a winning lottery ticket. The fossil was among others discovered when Wutthichai Rodkoom was dredging his land with a backhoe in Khlong Thapsai, Khlong Thom District, in April. Each stone weighed a few hundred kilograms. “I didn’t realize the stones were fossils…
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Water meter thefts on the rise
PHUKET: The Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) is warning islanders of a growing rash of thefts of water meters across the province. The thieves are most likely stealing the meters to sell them, or to exchange them with other meters and defraud the water authority, confirmed PWA Manager Pisak Chonlayut. “We’ve been receiving an increasing number of reports of meters disappearing…
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Palm nut producers feel squeeze, petition governor
KRABI: Palm nut producers in Krabi took a petition to the local Office of Commercial Affairs (OCA) on Wednesday, asking for government assistance in buoying the price of their product. OCA representative Barirak Chusit received requests from palm farmers, who took 10 trucks, carrying 500 tonnes of palm nuts, into the government-run Krabi Palm Oil Extraction facility. Palm farmers in…
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Finance: Runts rally amid mixed earnings season
PHUKET: As of the beginning of May, earnings season was in full swing, with the markets sending mixed messages to investors. So far, some big names like Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) and Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AM- ZN), with the latter sometimes being a difficult stock to own given its ups and downs, have put in good earnings reports and have pretty…
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Opinion: Putting the public’s safety first
PHUKET: Reports of structural damage at the Jungceylon shopping complex in Patong need to be taken seriously to protect shoppers from potential danger, but calls to close down the entire complex indefinitely appear to be unduly alarmist given the situation on the ground – and beneath it. News that support pillars in the basement of the complex were damaged apparently…
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Rip current warning issued for Kata-Karon
PHUKET: Karon Municipality issued a rip current warning to all swimmers at Kata and Karon beaches yesterday. “Southwest winds are battering the island, causing strong waves, so we are warning beach-goers to be especially careful,” said Karon Mayor Thawee Thongcham. “We advise everyone to avoid swimming for their own safety. However, if anyone decides to enter the water, please follow…
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Sea gypsies sue Baron World Trade
PHUKET: More than 200 of Rawai’s sea gypsies are named as plaintiffs in a civil lawsuit against Baron World Trade Co Ltd, for allegedly blocking access to their sacred ceremonial grounds. The lawsuit, which was filed June 13, calls for 500,000 baht in reparations to the community, and is the latest development in the ongoing land feud between the sea…
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Phuket Gov joins Rawai Muslims for Iftar
PHUKET: Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, accompanied by other government officials visited a mosque in the Rawai village of Saiyuan on the evening of June 14. “We’re here to encourage and support local Muslims during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which commemorates the first revelation of the Koran to the Prophet Muhammad, according to Islamic belief,” said Gov Chamroen.…
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Patong police raid knock-off shops
PHUKET: Seven shop owners were arrested in Patong yesterday morning and have been charged with selling pirated goods estimated at 2 million baht in value, police confirmed today. A joint team, led by the Economic Crime Suppression Division 4 (ECD) superintendent Kittisap Thongseewong, raided businesses along Patong’s beach road and OTOP market. “We seized a total 2,072 pirated goods, including…
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Tour company director arrested, another on the run
PHUKET: Police arrested a senior director and shareholder of Tranlee Travel Co Ltd today for allegedly faking two Thai national ID cards used to register the company. Another director is on the run. “Kritchakorn Roongmongkolnam, one of the company directors, surrendered today. The other, named Weerachai Kampaiprapankul, is still on the run,” said Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Saman Chainarong.…
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Murderer on the run after stabbing girlfriend’s lover
PHUKET: One man is dead after being discovered by his lover’s boyfriend on the second floor of the Irawadee condo in Kathu. Wachaya Thepsing, 29, fled to Trang province and alerted police there of the murder of her former lover. Kantang Police then contacted police in Kathu, informing them of Ms Wachaya’s report, said Lt Sawanya Eiattrong of Kathu Police.…
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Ladyboy romp ends with empty wallet
PHUKET: A Thai ladyboy was arrested early yesterday morning, after stealing money from a Singaporean tourist in Patong. Ng Wei Kiat, 31, met Tanakorn Jaiban, 25, on Bangla Road about 3am. “Mr Ng was reportedly interested in Ms Tanakorn, and they both went to have some fun in a hotel room on Phra Metta Road,” said Lt Col Weerapong Rakito…
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New insurance app aims to make claims hassle free
PHUKET: Claim Di is a new mobile application for facilitating communication and claims between drivers and their insurance companies, so they can complete their own transactions without waiting for a surveyor. The insurance facilitator application was launched in Phuket last week. It is a fully functional outsourced application for insurance services, including immediate claims at the scene without waiting, emergency…
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Opinion: Being a responsible pet owner
PHUKET: Boonsom Roongudom, 59, is a Phuket native. He received a veterinary degree from the Department of Livestock Development (DLD), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Mr Boonsom has been working as a veterinarian for the Phuket Municipality since 1980. Here, he talks about the on-going issue of abandoned cats and dogs in Phuket City and outlines his suggestions for a…
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Hungry python captured near Patong school
PHUKET: A three-meter-long python was captured near a school in Patong this morning. The snake was found with its head stuck in netting covering a chicken coop at 9:30am in Soi Phra Barami 6, next to Kalim school. The snake must have been trying to get at the chickens but it was too big to fit through the holes in…
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Safety regulations reviewed after fatal Phi Phi boat collision
PHUKET: Officials from the Phuket Marine Office (PMO) told the Phuket Gazette that the investigation into a fatal speedboat collision in Phang Nga Bay on June 8 (story here), may result in additional regulations for speedboat operators. Tanthai Wongsayree, an officer with the PMO, said that staff are in the process of reviewing the causes of the boat collision, which…
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Illegal lumber cache confiscated in protected forest
PHANG NGA: Investigators seized more than one tonne of contraband lumber found in national forest in Takuapa on Saturday. The team, led by Takuapa District Chief Manit Pianthong, seized a total of 43 pieces of lumber that had been cut from protected trees in the Khao Lak Khao Ton forest preserve. “The illegal lumber was found in Bang Muang sub-district.…
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Another fill ‘n’ run incident in Krabi
Krabi: Police in Krabi are hunting for a motorist who allegedly sped away from a gas pump without paying, after filling his tank with 800 baht worth of fuel. Manida Boonthaworn, 26, the owner of the PT Petroleum gas station, last week filed a complaint at the Khlong Thom Police Station after reviewing CCTV footage. “The footage shows a silver-bronze…
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Samkong traffic to be redirected for underpass work
PHUKET: Both northbound and southbound lanes of the new Samkong Underpass are to be opened to traffic this Sunday, Phuket City Traffic Police has confirmed. “Motorists heading south for Central Festival should turn right at the Samkong Intersection, crossing over the underpass there, as they will not be able to turn right at the Darasamuth Intersection after entering the underpass,”…
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Island View: The perks of parking are ready to be reaped
PHUKET: Friends often whine to me about the traffic issues in Phuket Town, usually about how difficult it can be to get in and out of town during morning and evening rush hours. But I had no idea just how implausibly gridlocked the center of town can become, until I scheduled a lunch meet there. We were booked to meet…
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Law enforcement goes digital in effort to curb land fraud
PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigations (DSI) announced it will launch a mobile application, allowing users to evaluate properties remotely before buying or selling land. The ‘DSI Map on Mobile’ application is expected to debut within the next couple of months.This announcement comes after a string of land raids, prosecutions of incorrect or falsified land documents and the revocation of…
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Off-duty officers killed in Saturday shootout
PHUKET: Two police officers are dead following an off-duty shootout in Phuket Town in the early hours of Saturday morning. Col Peerayuth Karajedee of Phuket City Police reported that officers were arguing with each other outside the Huapan bar, near the Seahorse Circle in town. According to witnesses, Kathu police officer Lance Corporal Wongsathorn Theparan, 21, visited the venue with…
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Condo construction halted after deadly crane collapse
PHUKET: Police have ordered a halt to construction of an eight-story building near Phuket International Airport after a crane collapsed at the site yesterday, killing one construction worker and injuring three others. (story here) The crane collapsed at 9:30am at the construction site of The Terminal Phuket condominium. Sakoo police confirmed this morning that Mr Nikorn Tabtawee, 30, from Nakhon…
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Video Report: Surin reopens for 70th anniversary of HM King’s coronation
PHUKET: More than 5,000 people, including government officials, military officials and yellow-clad locals, poured onto Surin Beach for its grand reopening on the 70th anniversary of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s coronation yesterday. The beach’s reopening comes after the April demolitions of private structures, found to be illicitly operating on public land (story here). The renovated beach was renamed as ‘Rajabhakti…
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Sea gypsies break down over letter ‘misunderstanding’
PHUKET: Rawai sea gypsies were left distraught yesterday afternoon, after the Region 4 Army deputy commander Kunnawut Morkaew left Phuket Provincial Hall without accepting a letter they had prepared for him. “We have been waiting to submit the letter all day. We don’t understand why the general left without accepting it,” a member of the group said. A meeting between…
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Future of Brexit and British pensions
PHUKET: The possibility of the UK leaving the European Union is a subject of hot debate among the British. Most of the debate revolves around the implications for the future within the UK itself but not much is said of what kind of implications this could have on expats. For the most part, things will change very little either way…
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Breaking News: Man killed in crane collapse
PHUKET: One person is dead after a crane collapsed on a construction site near Phuket International Airport this morning. Officers from the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation are heading to the site. — Kritsada Mueanhawong
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Opinion: Education key to “Smart City’ success
PHUKET: Given its present status as a mass tourism destination, Phuket has potential for development as one of the enthusiastically-dubbed ‘Smart Cities’. In the broader sense, however, the real key to our future success in this digital age lies in raising local educational standards. Previous successive governments have trumpeted similar grandiose schemes, but without adequate funding or ever directly addressing…
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Gov, officials inspect mall’s crumbling columns
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada inspected the crumbling pillars at Jungceylon mall yesterday, urging the public not to panic. Jungceylon CEO Prawit Janyasitikul confirmed yesterday that four concrete pillars were found to be damaged in the mall’s basement indoor market, the Port Zone. The area was immediately closed off (story here). Public outcry began after an anonymous source posted pictures…
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Patong serial snatcher arrested
PHUKET: Police arrested a serial purse snatcher in Patong yesterday, after tracking his whereabouts with CCTV footage. Police apprehended Nissan Islam, 21, as he was driving from Kamala to Patong. “A woman reported that a man on a motorbike snatched her purse and fled while she was walking on Soi Kebsab last week,” said Col Chaiwat Auikam of the Patong…
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