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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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Looking Back: The rise and fall of Chiang Mai
PHUKET: Chiang Mai has existed as a city for over 700 years. It is older than Bangkok and probably as old as Sukhothai. In the past, Chiang Mai was the capital of the Kingdom of Lanna, an independent kingdom rich in resources and unique in its culture and traditions. The city was founded by King Mengrai, who came to the…
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Phuket pockets billion-baht infrastructure budget
PHUKET: A billion-baht budget for infrastructure development for 2017-2018 has been approved for Phuket, Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan announced last week. The budget is slated to improve traffic congestion and overall infrastructure development in Phuket, including building, extending and maintaining roads; installing CCTV cameras; burying overhead cables; beach development; and building and maintaining underpasses. Additionally, Governor Chokchai has re-ignited interest in…
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Another unidentified foreigner found dead, at Phuket Beach
PHUKET: Another unknown tourist has been found dead in Phuket, this time having plunged from some rocks into the sea. The victim is male and believed to be aged 50-56, but as in several similar recent cases his identity and nationality are unknown. “Witness said the man was walking on the rocks before he suddenly fell down and was dragged…
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Electrical malfunction believed to be cause of Patong nightclub fire
PHUKET: The cause of a fire at ‘Seduction’ discotheque on Soi Bangla, Phuket’s infamous party street, is believed to be an electrical malfunction in a ceiling fan. The fire started at about 7:45pm on Saturday. Six firetrucks arrived at the scene, with firefighters working for at least two hours to calm the flames that took over and extensively damaged the…
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Opinion: Protecting the Kingdom’s gentle giants
PHUKET: Recent damage to three vehicles by a couple of needle-shy elephants in Phuket is unfortunate (story here and here), but the incidents give cause to reflect on the state of elephants in Thailand. Not only is the elephant Thailand’s ‘national animal’, it also featured on Siamese flags for almost 100 years before the creation of the modern Thai State.…
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Owner reunited with lost Chinese envelopes
PHUKET: A stack of red envelopes filled with cash left behind at a Phuket Town restaurant were returned to their original owner within a few hours with the help of a Facebook post last night. The red envelopes, known as ‘hóngbao‘, are generally distributed to employees, or to children during the Chinese New Year celebrations. “At about 4pm yesterday, I…
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Video: Rare, endangered mammal safely rehabilitated in Phuket
PHUKET: A night guard working in Rawai discovered a rare and endangered mammal early yesterday morning, and quickly sprang into action to protect the creature from harm. Guard Sanya Ritto noticed a creature in the undergrowth during one of his security rounds at the Rawai Villas development. Recognizing it as a Sunda pangolin, he approached it. However, following its natural…
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Thai official released after paintings theft in Japan
JAPAN: A senior-level Thai Intellectual Property Department official, who has admitted to stealing three paintings worth 15,000 yen (4,684 baht) from a Japanese hotel, was released from custody in Japan yesterday, a Thai Foreign ministry spokesman says. The release came after representatives of the Royal Thai Consulate General in Osaka negotiated the payment of compensation to the Kyoto hotel that…
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Employers of drug suspect issue statement after his arrest
KRABI: The British International School of Krabi (BISK) today released a statement regarding the arrest of an American teacher cum alleged drug dealer employed at their school (story here). Kwanta Suksai, a director at the school, said that every teacher employed by BISK had to undergo pre-employment screening. “Criminal and other records of the teacher, named Alexander Jonathan Rosen, checked…
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Penalty, jail term announced for Koh Racha rule breakers
KOH RACHA: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has issued a ‘last warning’ to all tourists visiting Racha Island. Signs explaining what constitutes illegal behavior have been set up Ao Patok, Ao Siam and Ao Tue, in Thai, English, Russian and Chinese. The rules prohibit boats from dropping anchor when parked at Racha Yai Island, and visitors fromstanding…
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Police stumped as Russian found dead under ‘mysterious circumstances’
PHUKET: Police are working to unravel the mystery of a Russian man’s death at a Bang Tao house yesterday evening. Lt Col Sakon Krainara of Cherng Talay Police received a call from the victim’s wife, Elena Yasen, at about 5:45pm. Rescue workers and police arrived at the house to find her unconscious. “We had to revive her when we arrived.…
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Inaugural ‘Phuket RendezVous’ slated for next year
PHUKET: Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) is set to host the inaugural ‘Phuket RendezVous’ from January 4-7, 2018. Partnering with one of Asia’s most experienced luxury lifestyle event organizers, Asia RendezVous, the Phuket RendezVous showcase event will replace the Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) and build on its 14-year legacy. Hosted by RPM, the four-day-event will showcase a diverse range of…
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Snatch and run suspect arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: A Phang Nga man was arrested on Tuesday for multiple thefts in the Wichit and Kathu areas earlier this month. Col Nikorn Somsuk of Wichit Police presented the suspect Parkpoom Thinglim, 35, at a press conference yesterday. “We received several reports of snatchings by a man on a motorbike, three times in Wichit and once in Kathu. At about…
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Thai woman complains about overpricing
PHUKET: A Thai woman took to Facebook to release her anger early this morning by publicly complaining about a meal she had in Patong the previous evening that was, according to her, overpriced. She ordered two Pad Kapaow Gung (stir-fried prawns with rice, basil leaves and eggs), one beer and one bottle of water and received a bill of 420…
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“Professional’ pickpockets beaten by Phuket locals
PHUKET: Two pickpockets were caught and beaten to a pulp by locals at Wat Chalong Fair last night. Col Anantachai Piyapanun of Chalong Police received a report from locals present at the scene at about 9:30pm. “The two victims named Nunthicha Sermjabog and Jenjira Somboon were walking amid crowds at the fair when the two men, named Duangden Punna and…
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Marine experts: action needed to counter Phuket beach erosion
PHUKET: Officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and experts from academia have suggested two ways to counter the issue of erosion on Phuket beaches. However, they have yet to state when will they take action, and say they are waiting for ‘help’ from local, provincial and national authorities. On Tuesday, a team from the…
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Video: Foreign boat hunted for anchoring on coral off Phuket
PHUKET: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is hunting for a foreign boat that was captured on video anchoring on a coral reef at Koh Racha. “We received the report and video clip from a tour guide who wishes to remain anonymous,” Suchat Rattanaruengsri, head of the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Division Region 6, told the Phuket Gazette.…
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American drugs suspect teaching at Krabi school arrested
KRABI: A man wanted by authorities in the United States on drugs charges was arrested yesterday morning in Krabi province, where he worked as a teacher at an international school. The suspect, Alexander Jonathan Rosen, was arrested in front of the school after the US Embassy made a request for assistance to national police chief Gen Chakthip Chaijinda. Police found…
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Infant found dead hours after being fed
PHUKET: A 20-day-old baby girl was found dead at a Burmese worker camp in Thalang last night. Col Chattri Choowichien of Thalang Police received the report at about 10:30pm from Soi Na Yao in Pa Khlok. “Ms Soo, 31, told us that she was breast-feeding her new-born daughter in their room at about 6pm. The baby started choking on the…
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Phuket tourist detained two days for capturing fish
KOH RACHA: A tourist was arrested and jailed yesterday for catching and keeping two fish at a beach on Phuket’s Racha Island. The arrest was made after locals reported the man collecting live fish in a water bottle at Plub Pla Beach. At about 2pm, Fisheries Officer Nares Choopueng, along with Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Department (DMCR) officials, confronted…
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Rawai Mayor warns against swindler
PHUKET: Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos has issued a warning about a possible swindler posing as a Phuket City Municipality officer. Mr Aroon said that a man who called himself Raywat Chanakeaw called him to ask for money yesterday morning. The caller claimed to be a Phuket City Municipality officer and said that he had been in an accident and needed…
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Phuket man faces possible amputation after being scratched by a cat
PHUKET: A 63-year-old Phuket man has undergone two surgeries and almost had to have his leg amputated after a seemingly harmless scratch by a cat last week. A Facebook user named Yak Rerm Ton Mai Kab Krai Bang Khun (real name Rungnapha Ngamjan, the victim’s daughter-in-law) posted a picture of a severely infected leg with a caption that read: “Warning!…
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Canadian tourist dies in single-vehicle accident, friend severely injured
PHUKET: A young Canadian woman faces months of rehabilitation and huge hospital bills after being severely injured in a single-vehicle accident that claimed her friend’s life in Phuket last week, the Vancouver Sun reported yesterday. Nezabravka (Nezi) Borislavova, 24, from Vancouver, suffered internal injuries, two broken shoulders, a broken arm and broken wrist, according to her family friend Patrick Parenteau.…
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Parents protest closing of municipality kindergarten
PHUKET: At least 200 parents and students gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday morning to protest against the closing of the Phuket City Municipality kindergarten. The group was led by Chanakan Nansang and Pranee Thongkao, with several protesters carrying signs that read ‘Why close the kindergarten and open a secondary school?’ Ms Chanakan said that Phuket Municipality School had not…
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Italian man killed on Phuket road bend
PHUKET: An Italian man was killed after his motorbike crashed into a roadside barrier while he was heading toward Promthep Cape this afternoon. Lt Col Thada Sodarat of Chalong Police received the report at about 12:30pm. “The victim’s body was lying on the side of the Nai Harn-Laem Promthep Hill road and a Yamaha motorbike was wedged under the barrier.…
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Suspected OD victim found in Phuket Town
PHUKET: Police believe a drug overdose may be the cause of death of a Myanmar man whose body was found outside a Phuket Town hostel this morning with drug paraphernalia nearby and a white power in his shirt pocket. Police are now testing the white powder and investigating the cause of death. “We received the report at about 8am and…
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Blood test for Lucky the elephant goes awry
PHUKET: An agitated elephant injured two people and damaged two vehicles while officers were drawing his blood as part of a general health and DNA check on Saturday. A total of 219 elephants were given blood tests at Nakkerd Hills camps by officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), who are currently investigating elephant trafficking…
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Pick-up stuck after drunk Phuket man drives onto beach
PHUKET: Rescue workers spent more than seven hours freeing a pick-up truck from the sands of Bang Tao Beach yesterday morning. The owner of the Isuzu pick-up, Supot Muthina, 32, reported his predicament to Cherng Talay Police at about 8am. He said that he had gotten drunk about 3am and decided to drive to the beach to listen to some…
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Taxi and tuk tuk operators’ requests denied
PHUKET: The Provincial Committee turned down requests from both taxi and tuk tuk operators to either expand their services to other areas or bring more vehicles to the Island. Phuket Vice Governor Sanit Sriwihok presided over the meeting with concerned officials regarding the requests at the Provincial Hall yesterday afternoon. “Taxi operators in Phuket City are asking for permission to…
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PHA launches ‘Brand Phuket’ logo
PHUKET: The Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) unveiled ‘Brand Phuket’ at the annual Thailand Tourism Forum this afternoon, held at the InterContinental Bangkok, with more than 550 travel and tourism leaders from around the region in attendance. The brand identity, set to drive the profile of the destination worldwide, was created by global branding agency QUO, focusing on positive stories about…
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