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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Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Phuket MICE tourists in Patong bus crash
PHUKET: Another bus full of passengers in Phuket, this time for a seminar, crashed into a house at the bottom of Patong Hill this morning. Nine of the passengers were taken to Patong Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Lt Thanakrit Kiawyai of Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette that the accident happened at about 6:50am. “The bus had about…
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Phuket Land Office voices support for corruption probe
PHUKET: The chief of the Phuket Land Department has voiced support for the ongoing investigation into allegations that corrupt government officials colluded with private investors to have land title deeds issued on state land. “The investigation by the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission [PACC] into illegally-issued land documents in Phuket will serve as a deterrent to other people who might be…
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Phuket beach vendors demand investigation of land title deeds
PHUKET: More than 100 vendors from Laem Singh Beach gathered outside Phuket Provincial Hall today to demand that the government investigate Chanote title deeds for the beachfront land at the scenic cape. The call to investigate the land titles follows the claimant landowner ordering a fence to be built along the property boundaries – the final result of which will…
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Phuket drug duo arrest lands Bt1mn haul
PHUKET: Phuket Police arrested a husband and wife who they say were found in possession of drugs with an estimated street value of more than one million baht. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha announced the arrests at Phuket City Hall today, adding that a total of seven people were arrested in two separate police operations during the past week. At the…
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Phuket business: Tourism campaign lures swingers; Tourism and hotel college enrolls for May
PHUKET: With the Thai summer just around the bend, club swingers are among the latest tourist group that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set its sights on. In a bid to increase golf tourists to the country by 10%, TAT this year has partnered with MasterCard to launch the “72 Hours Amazing Thailand Golf Paradise” campaign. All in,…
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Phuket Business: Sansiri sales on the up
PHUKET: Amid an oversupplied and flooded real estate market, many new developers in Phuket are struggling to close project sales. In contrast, Bangkok based mega developer Sansiri Plc has received promising feedback from buyers on the island. In the five months since taking on Phuket, the Bangkok giant has invested nearly 2.7 billion baht (approx US$ 90 million) in four…
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Phuket Business: Krabi shaping up as an oil hub
PHUKET: Agricultural development initiatives look to position Krabi province as a new regional and world hub for the production, supply and retail of palm oil.When the Asean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) comes into full effect by 2015, traders and merchants from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos will enjoy tariff-free trading of most Asean-produced goods and commodities,…
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Phuket business: Tax filing deadline approaches
PHUKET: For anybody who generated income in Thailand last year – regardless of where or how they were paid – the personal income tax filing deadline is March 31. In this two-part series, the Phuket Gazette will outline the need-to-know basics for filing personal income tax in Thailand. First, we will cover taxable income, deductions and tax certificates. In the…
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Myanmar rushes headlong into brave new world
SPECIAL REPORTPHUKET: The Japanese salary-man’s blue suit brushed past the backpacker’s Bob Marley t-shirt as they passed in the guest house hallway.“No rooms. Fully booked,” said the desk clerk.The Japanese man was on his way to shore up a lease on a garment factory and the Irish backpacker was here in Myanmar to see the wonders of Inle Lake and…
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Phuket Heroines brought to life in Battle of Thalang
PHUKET: A large crowd attended last night’s highly-stylized re-enactment of the Battle of Thalang in Phuket last night. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha chaired the opening ceremony for the event, which got underway at 7:30pm at Thalang Victory Memorial Field. Gov Tri played the part of Rama I, while his deputy Chamroen Tipayapongtada played his arch-enemy, the commander of the Burmese…
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Phuket free of bird flu, but taking no chances
PHUKET: Phuket has not had a recorded single case of H5N1 bird flu in five years, but public health workers are still training to recognize and fight the dreaded virus in the case of any future outbreaks. More than 100 public health workers and volunteers yesterday attended a “Bird Flu Prevention 2012” training seminar at Vachira Phuket Hospital. The stated…
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WFFT charges top DNP officials with defamation
PHUKET: A Dutch-born wildlife activist has filed defamation charges against top-ranking Thai officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) for claiming his shelter in Petchaburi was involved in the torture and trade of protected wildlife species. The charges are the latest salvo in the battle between the DNP and the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT),…
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Phuket Gazette: New horned dinosaurs found in Canada
– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Scientists discover two new horned dinosaurs in North America PHUKET (News Wires): Scientists at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in Ohio have discovered two new plant-eating horned dinosaurs which lived between 75 to 83 million years ago, it was announced yesterday. The fossils were found in Canada. The…
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Phuket business: A speculative investment
PHUKET: I remember as a young kid growing up in the US often seeing bumper stickers on cars with slogans about freeing Burma. When I was I first planning to move to Phuket, Thailand I still had no idea where Burma was, as the maps now showed some country I had never heard of called “Myanmar” bordering the Kingdom to…
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Phuket Live Wire: Why True and CAT go out to lunch every three hours
PHUKET: This week I’m going back to answering questions. This first one surprised me, but I’ve had confirmation now from all over Thailand. It goes like this: “Woody, I have a new TrueMove-H “3G” account. The wireless service is directly connected into my PC, with a USB stick. I watch financial markets, so I’m online for extended periods of time.…
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Phuket Airport “black taxis’ given ultimatum
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham and Wantha Phummararossukontha, Assistant Director of Phuket Provincial Transport Office (PPTO), have warned illegal taxi drivers to obtain the correct license plate or face stiff fines. Mr Wantha said action was being taken as many passengers had complained of overcharging by “black plate” taxi drivers, and the concerns he had received from legitimate…
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Phuket Police net bumper haul in serial thieves’ arrest
PHUKET: Police are urging residents in Chalong whose houses have been robbed recently to come forward and claim items recovered after the arrest of two suspects landed more than 100 stolen goods. The news comes after Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul presided over a press conference at Chalong Police Station yesterday, held to present Thawatchai Tipyotin, 42, and Jenjira…
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Phuket ready for ‘Battle of Thalang’ re-enactment tonight
PHUKET: In the run-up to the highly-anticipated re-enactment of the Battle of Thalang tonight, Phuket students and local leaders yesterday made offerings to a shrine dedicated to Phuket’s two heroines: Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn. Yesterday, members of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) and Phuket Rajabhat University (PKRU) joined local residents at a special shrine set up in the…
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Phuket Gazette: Foreigners own 100 million rai
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Foreigners own 100 million rai PHUKET (The Nation): Some 100 million rai of Thailand is owned by foreigners, mostly through their Thai spouses or nominees, Auditor-General Sriracha Charoenpanit revealed yesterday. He said if this situation was “unresolved”, it could lead to later generations of Thais having…
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Andaman Motor Show drives Phuket car sales
PHUKET: The 14th Andaman Motor Show currently under way at HomeWorks, opposite Central Festival Phuket on the bypass road, is enjoying one of its best years in car sales. The six-day event, this year under the theme “Summer on the Beach”, ends on Wednesday. “We don’t have final figures for the overall number of car loan applications yet, but I…
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Phuket Gazette: Afghanistan & Pakistan news round-up
– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. soldier goes on shooting spree, kills 16 Afghan civilians PHUKET (News Wires): A U.S. service member was arrested early yesterday morning after going on a shooting spree in southern Afghanistan, killing sixteen civilians in their homes and injuring several others, officials said. The attack happened at around 3:45am…
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Phuket to hand out souvenir shirts for Cabinet meeting
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Office will provide special “souvenir” shirts for Cabinet ministers and VIPs attending the Cabinet meeting in Phuket on March 19-20. Vice Governor Somkiat Sangkaosuttirak announced the decision to have souvenir shirts handed out at a meeting at Phuket City Hall last Thursday. The main points were the shirt style, color, pattern and the number of shirts…
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Krabi Mayor pushes for international school
PHUKET: A move to secure 30 million baht in funding to build an international school in Krabi has been presented as one of the projects to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval during the ministers’ meeting in Phuket on March 19-20.The Krabi Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports proposed the idea, currently labelled the “Andaman International School” project, to…
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Students holidaying in Phuket survive Phang Nga crash
PHUKET: Five medical students on holiday in Phuket escaped with minor injuries when the car they were traveling in struck a tree in Phang Nga yesterday.Lt Eakkapop Phuthong of Takua Thung Police received a report at 5:30pm that a vehicle had overshot a curve on Takua Thung Road at Baan Kuan, Kok Kloy.“Sidan Hayeesamadae, a 25-year-old male, was driving four…
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Phuket sports: Nanai Boys moving up
PHUKET: Eden FC broke their Phuket Super Six League duck with a win in the evening’s first match against Aladdin at Headstart International School’s Football Island last Wednesday. In an even game, Aladdin took an early lead with goal, but Eden FC pressed back and were soon two goals ahead from strikes by Joseph Arimathea and Zac Remboldt. Aladdin clawed…
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Phuket sports: Fair Play League heads into finals weekend
PHUKET: THE 2012 Fair Play League (FPL) held its penultimate round of matches at British International School last week with both U14 and U11 Divisions in action. All three games in the U14 section were played at the same time on three different pitches at the ground. Thailand put in a fine performance against league leaders France and romped to…
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Phuket sports: Thanachart Bank driven all the way by Honda FC
PHUKET: Only one Premier Division match graced last week’s Adult Futsal League’s Thursday schedule at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC). Honda came agonizingly close to producing a shock result against second placed Thanachart Bank, but clinical finishing in the latter part of the match ensured a spirited Honda performance was unrewarded. Honda v Thanachart Bank: 2-4. The Division One…
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Phuket sport: PowerPlay golf hits Phuket
PHUKET: The worldwide sport phenomenon of PowerPlay Golf has arrived in Thailand. A dynamic nine-hole format, with some twists, has been introduced to the golf-loving nation by exclusive rights and license holder Asian Golf Events Co Ltd. PowerPlay Golf was first played in the UK in 2007 and by 2011 it had expanded to 30 countries and over 600 courses,…
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Asia-Pacific Superyachts to join Phuket International Boat Show
PHUKET: Asia-Pacific Superyacht Association (APSA) will be exhibiting at this year’s Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) and Singapore Yacht Show (SYS). APSA members will be on hand to offer comprehensive information about the Asia-Pacific region, the association, its work and its member companies. “It is great that APSA has the support of the Informa Yacht Group and the APSA membership…
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Phuket business: New tourism and hotel college enrolls for May
PHUKET: In response to swelling demand in the island’s booming services industry, Thalang Technical College will be developing into the Phuket Hotel and Tourism College. The move was announced earlier this week by the college’s director, Suthep Yongyuth.“We first opened in 1997 as the Phuket Technical College number two, and then changed our name to Thalang Technical College in the…
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