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.
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Koh Kho Khao. The vanishing island.
Locals from the Phang Nga province’s Koh Kho Khao, just north of Khao Lak, are urging the Thai PM to help them stem the heavy erosion of their island beaches from encroaching seawater. They say their beach is vanishing as the bay has intruded a hundred meters inland along its 20-kilometer coastline. And they’re saying it’s not just the annual…
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US Embassy in Bangok offers condolences
The US Embassy in Bangkok has expressed condolences to the families and friends of the two Thai students that appear to have been involved in a tragic accident in California. In its two-sentence statement, the Embassy said: “We are closely following the situation and express our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the two Thai students involved in…
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Want to win 100,000 baht? Name the new skywalk.
In case you’ve been away or just not read the news for a few weeks, Bangkok has a stunning new walkway above the Pathum Wan intersection. It’s cost 300 million baht and taken two years to construct. But it’s now open and become the new place-to-meet-friends in the capital. But the Skywalk doesn’t have a name. The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority…
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Upgraded flights from Doha to Krabi.
Qatar Airways is upping flights from Doha to Krabi to a daily basis starting December 1st. The increase in service is a response to strong demand for the destination. Currently Qatar operates twice-daily flights to Phuket from Doha and the service taps into the airlines considerable European network. Last year passenger arrivals at Krabi International Airport hit a record high exceeding…
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New restrictions for buses travelling over Patong Hill
Phuket Police, the Land Transport Office and Highways Department have met for an emergency conference to discuss possible solutions to help prevent more bus accidents on the notorious stretch of road leading into the island’s most popular tourist town. The meeting concluded that the first priority is to limit access for buses and large vehicles that have been the main…
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Dead baby found in rubbish bin near Rajabhat University
A local pedestrian had a grizzly find today when she discovered a deceased baby in a garbage bin near Rajabhat University. The Kusoldharm Rescue Team and police were called to the location at a soi in front of Dusitburi Village. Police report the the baby was approximately 7 months old, female, pale skin, black hair and found in…
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Two in serious condition following bus crash on Patong Hill
The 65 year old driver of the Chinese tour bus that crashed last night, Prajuab Sirikul, is likely to be charged with careless driving. At the moment he’s one of two people listed in a serious condition at Vachira Hospital. The other person was driving a motorbike when the bus collided with traffic around 8pm last night. He’s 31 year…
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Four hour wait to get through Don Mueang Immigration
Immigration officials are investigating how passengers had to wait for more than four hours at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. One passenger says she took four hours and 20 minutes to clear immigration and noted than many were getting weak and suffering because of the poor ventilation. People in the queue were posting that there were only 3 immigration…
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Phuket Report Card August 2017
Story from c9hotelworks.com Phuket’s Provincial government is undertaking a large-scale initiative to tackle the problem of unlicensed hotels. Since the campaign started, a total of 1,007 hotels have now applied for official operating licenses with just six approved to date. The main challenges for the process are the strict regulations associated with the Building Control and Hotel Acts. Provincial Hall…
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Charging ahead. Electric car charging stations coming to Thailand.
The Thailand chapters of four industrial companies are pooling their resources to work towards public charging stations for the next generation of electric cars in the country. Greenlots, BMW Group Thailand, Polytechnology and the Central Group are set to launch ‘Charge Now’ in Thailand which they claim is already the world’s largest network of charging stations for electric and hybrid…
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Sugar Crusher claims worker’s hand
31 year old Burmese worker Kyam Thu Aung has had a horrific accident this afternoon (Friday) losing his hand in a home sugar cane crusher. Kusoldham rescue volunteers arrived to find the man with parts of his left hand still inside the crusher. The hand had been destroyed in the crusher and almost completely separated from his forearm. The team…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, August 4
Phra Dhammajayo fled to Europe?, all quiet after Day One of new Patong parking restrictions, salvage attempt for car rented by two Thai students missing in US, Airport Director refutes claims in a FB post and more rain on the way for flood-inundated north and northeast.
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Property Lawyer Matthew McEvily Passes Away
Well-known longtime Phuket real estate lawyer Matthew McEvily passed away in the United States on June 20th. He was 59 years old. McEvily was actively involved in the real estate sector in Phuket, Bangkok and Samui. For a number of years he was a a partner in McEvily & Collins law firm, and later on his own under McEvily and…
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Don’t walk and talk. Woman gets stuck in drain.
A 26 year old woman has stepped on a drain and fallen in whilst walking in Vichit checking her mobile phone and not watching where she was going. The accident happened at the front of Muang Thai Leasing Office in Chao-fah East Road. Phuket Ruamchai and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the woman sitting on…
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The Outlook is Bullish
Despite the volatility that occurred early in the session on Thursday and Fintwits’ instantaneous panic, markets remain in a firm position on the weekly charts. The weekly chart of the SP500 still posted a higher high and higher low in relation to last week’s bar, which was bullish follow- through from the prior week’s breakout. The Thursday intraday blip brought…
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Two Thais missing in California
Two Thais remain missing after their car was found submerged in a river at the bottom a cliff in California. Foreign Affairs representative, Busadee Santipitakswith, from the Thai consulate in Los Angeles, is working with LA Police to find Thiwadee Saengsuriyarit and her friend. At this stage we only know her friend’s name as ‘Golf’. The pair went missing last…
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Surfers shine @ Kata. Kata Krew Surf Contest at Kata Beach.
Last weekend past saw the first of five planned surf competitions for the region at Kata, one of the best surf beaches on the west coast of Phuket. The event was organised and hosted by Kata Krew and the Karon Provincial Office with major support from Hanuman World, Flying Hanuman, Banana Beach, Seven Marine and SurfHouse Boardriders. The event was…
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Boats collide off James Bond island (Koh Ta Poo). 16 injured.
Two boats have collided off James Bond Island. A tour boat carrying 20 passengers, including tour guides and crew, were heading back from Koh Ta Poo, better known as James Bond Island, to Koh Panyi for lunch yesterday (Monday, July 31). On the way the ‘Wararat’ crashed into what’s been described as a long tail boat carrying 12 Chinese tourists.…
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Sakon Nakhon floods easing. Authorities worried about more rain.
The country’s disaster warning system needs to be reformed, experts emphasized yesterday, as there was no warning for the recent flash flood in Sakon Nakhon that resulted from heavy downpours and leakage in a local reservoir. Meanwhile, experts have reassured the public that there will be no big flood similar to the disaster in 2011, because there was no indication…
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Phuket hotel registration remains a challenge
Phuket is attracting an ever-increasing number of international visitors to our golden beaches and turquoise seas. But many of the millions of travellers who visit Phuket each year could be staying in unlicensed – and effectively illegal – hotels. According to a new report by hospitality consulting group C9 Hotelworks, less than a quarter of hotels in Phuket (429 out…
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‘World Day against Trafficking in Persons’. Thailand in the middle of the world’s human trafficking hot spot.
Today is ‘World Day against Trafficking in Persons’ – a day where we reflect on the many victims of trafficking who live among us, but have been forced into silence due to threats to their life, retaliation against their family, feelings of hopelessness, or being enslaved and physically unable to speak out. The day has special meaning in Thailand where…
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Don’t feed the fish. Illegal South Korean guide nabbed.
An illegal Korean tour guide was arrested at Koh Racha Yai yesterday for allowing Korean tourists to feed fish. Kanchit Klingclip, a business operator and conservationist on Racha Island, posted a video clip on line showing the tour guide taking tourists to dive and feed fish, which is a violation of the law under the Department of Marine and Coastal…
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Letter to Thai Immigration
Congratulations to the Thai Immigration Department for its forward thinking on helping to attract additional tourists by waving visa fees for some countries and halving the visa-on-arrival cost for others. A stroke of genius. I’m not sure how you will inform the citizens of these countries of your cunning plan to lure back the tourists in the wake of the…
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Boom Boom on the Border
On one side of the Thai/Malaysian border is Sungai Golok, on the Malaysian side it’s the town of Rantau Panjang. The two towns are separated by the Golok River and decades of furious fighting between Muslim separatists who want to reclaim some of the southern areas in Thailand under the Malaysian flag. The Thai Buddhists on the other side are…
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Russian stabbed in Phuket home
PHUKET: Police are searching for a ladyboy (transsexual) who is suspected of stabbing her Russian boyfriend in Phuket early yesterday morning. Gennadii Khlopotov, 31, works for a company based in Koh Kaew and lives in Rassada. So far, police know that he previously used to live with his Russian girlfriend in an apartment in Rassada, but then ended relations with…
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The global costs of human trafficking
PHUKET: Tomorrow is ‘World Day against Trafficking in Persons’ – a day where we give a voice to the many victims of trafficking who live among us, but have been forced into silence due to threats to their life, retaliation against their family, feelings of hopelessness, or being enslaved and physically unable to speak out. Human trafficking is big business.…
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Another Chinese tourist drowns in Phuket
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist died after she was overcome by strong waves that threw her off a rock and drew her into the sea at Kamala Beach this morning. Pan Ying, 32, reportedly fell in at about 11:30am. Rescue workers and lifeguards quickly took action to bring her back to shore. However, they were unable to resuscitate her and she…
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Stranger Danger: Police vow to catch creepy peeper
PHUKET: Foreigners in Chalong and Kata have asked police for help, claiming that a mysterious man has entered their homes on several occasions. Facebook user ‘Sanna Hakala’ yesterday posted pictures and a video of a man on her page with both Thai and English captions as follows: “[People in] Chalong, Phuket area – beware of this creeper! This man has…
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Red light jumper caught with gun, drugs
PHUKET: A man was arrested after running a red light in Karon, but later found to be in possession of illegal substances. Sen Sgt Maj Hatthaporn Thongkhaobua of the Karon Traffic Police was on duty at a traffic light in Karon when he saw a white Isuzu pick-up truck moving from Karon toward Chalong Circle. The driver cruised right through…
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Bail set at B1mn each for suspects in amulet fraud
PHUKET: Two of the accused in a ‘magic’ amulet fraud case presented themselves for questioning at Phuket Provincial Police Station, but denied all charges and are currently out on bail of 1 million baht each. Last week, more than 20 people filed a complaint at Chalong Police Station against Sumalee Lertwilai, claiming that she and her accomplices had cheated them…
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