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.
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Poll parents oppose school closures; Rice pledging under microscope; Pheu Thai blames Constitutional Court for crisis
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community School mergers unpopular with parents: Poll The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: More than half the parents surveyed by a Dusit Poll opposed the Education Ministry’s plan to merge 17,000 small schools across the country in order to increase efficiency and save costs.Of the total, 60 per cent…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: 19 hurt in Mother’s Day shooting; SARS in France; Syria deaths hit 82,000; Mexico volcano alert
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nineteen shot in New Orleans Mother’s Day parade Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Nineteen people including two young children were shot on Sunday when gunfire erupted at a Mother’s Day parade in New Orleans, police said.Shots rang out at 1:45 p.m. local time as the second line of…
-
Freak wave wreaks havoc on Phi Phi long-tail boats
PHUKET: A freak wave pounded the popular Phuket day-trip destination of Phi Phi island early this morning damaging 15 boats in Tonsai Bay.Though fourteen long-tail boats and one speedboat were damaged by the wave, no injuries were reported.“Fortunately, the wave hit early in the morning so nobody was out in their boat and nobody was injured,” long-tail boat owner, Pornchai…
-
Phuket’s Tourist Court given “absolute support’
PHUKET: The move to establish a new series of Tourist Courts in Phuket and at other key holiday destinations in Thailand – including Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phang Nga and Krabi – has received much support on the island. Chanchai Duangjit, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, gave his “absolute support” for the idea. “This is…
-
Phuket Opinion: Finding life balance through Daodexinxi
Sopin Koaysomboon, a 53-year-old Phuket native, is a vice president of the Phuket Daodexinxi International Club. She has been practicing Daodexinxi for more than three years. Here, she talks about how to improve our lives with exercise, meditation, songs and charity. PHUKET: People in the modern world are making a great deal of unnecessary sacrifices. Youths give up their vital…
-
Phuket Opinion: Tourist Court, another pie in the sky
PHUKET: Recent talk of establishing a special court to fast-track legal cases involving foreign visitors raises some interesting issues, but at the end of the day is unlikely to result in little more than that: just talk. The reasons put forward to establish such a court are probably well-intended and certainly easy enough to understand. Thailand’s tourism industry is a…
-
Phuket teens confess to Saphan Hin revenge killing
PHUKET: The two teens involved in the revenge murder of a member of a rival teen gang in Saphan Hin on Wednesday have turned themselves in. Tanit Kantiangtham, 18, and the 17-year-old teenager given the pseudonym “Aom” because of his age were escorted to the Wichit Police station by their cousins. At the station they confessed to having gunned down…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Programmer denies hacking; River basins protection; Bearly love
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Programmer denies any part The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A man who turned himself in to police yesterday denied having anything to do with hacking into the PM’s Office website or posting rude remarks about Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Meanwhile, the “Unlimited Hack Team”, which was mentioned…
-
Phuket Raceweek sails into view
PHUKET: The award-winning Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek, presented by Mount Gay Rum, is set to take place again on July 17-21. The event is celebrating its tenth anniversary and will feature four days of world-class yacht racing and four nights of magical, beach-side parties at the five-star Cape Panwa Hotel Principal Race Officer Simon James is planning a variety…
-
Tennis at Phuket’s TSLC
PHUKET: The final of the second International Tennis Federation (ITF) women’s tournament between number six seed Melanie Klaffner from Austria and Serbia’s Eric Doroteja was held at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) last weekend. Melanie won the final 3-6, 6-3 and 6-2 to make up for her semifinal defeat in the first ITF women’s tournament by Luksika Kumkhum. Eric,…
-
Phuket Sports: Rumors, rivals and Renault – F1
PHUKET: The Sports Authority of Thailand has confirmed that a six-kilometer Formula One circuit will be created near the Royal Thai Naval Dockyard in Bangkok, possibly with the main stands in the Chao Phraya river. There are plans for an inaugural F1 night race in 2015. Red Bull is a keen backer. Interestingly, the Malaysian GP at Sepang is probably…
-
Phuket Governor starts to tame stench of Bang Yai Canal
PHUKET: The stench of Bang Yai Canal that has been wreaking havoc in areas of Phuket Town, making some residents physical ill (story here), was partially tamed today as Phuket’s Governor launched his four-step Bang Yai Canal wastewater project. Local officials, residents and organizations joined Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut in Rassada at the Soi Paneang water pump station to inaugurate…
-
Search for Phuket gold shop killer now covers Southern Thailand
PHUKET: Police have extended their search to the whole of Southern Thailand for the man wanted for a gold shop robbery in Phuket on April 8 during which he gunned down a customer in cold blood (story here). “Police are doing their best to arrest the villain. We cannot be sure about the culprit’s whereabouts. He might or might not…
-
Kazakh tourist, 22, killed in Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: A tourist from Kazakhstan has died from head injuries after a motorbike accident on the Patong beach road early yesterday morning.Lt Thawatchai Srimai of the Patong Police explained that the tourist, aged 22, was riding his motorcycle at high speed from the Thara Patong Beach Resort & Spa at about 1:30am.“He tried to make a turn [onto Sawatdirak Road]…
-
Moyes confirmed as new Man Utd boss
United pick Moyes as Ferguson influence lives on Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Alex Ferguson’s influence at Manchester United will continue past his retirement after the Premier League champions followed his advice and appointed David Moyes as their next manager yesterday. Everton boss Moyes, who announced earlier he would be leaving the club after 11 years in charge, was the…
-
Out of Rh-negative blood, Phuket Blood Bank calls for donors
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC), often called upon to save the lives of Thais and foreigners, has no reserves of type O-negative and A-negative blood. The blood bank is also low on stocks of blood types A and B. “We try to maintain a daily minimum stock of 200 units of A, B and O blood types, and…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Mass closure of schools branded unconstitutional; PM website hacker surrenders; Army grip on nation still strong
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Closing small schools unconstitutional, say rural teachers The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Rural Teachers Society’s Northeastern branch yesterday condemned the Education Ministry’s move to close down small schools.“It’s a violation of the 2007 Constitution,” said society vice president Wittaya Panpeng.He was speaking at a teachers’ forum…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Aussie cruise tourists fall overboard; Boston bomber buried; Mega ATM cybercrime ring busted; Olympic sailor dies in America’s Cup mishap
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Aussie cruise liner passengers fall overboard Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Australian emergency crews were searching on Friday for two people who fell overboard from a Carnival Corp cruise liner off the New South Wales coast.Police said surveillance camera footage from the ship showed the 30-year-old man and…
-
Corals allegedly damaged by seawalking company to take years to grow back
PHUKET: Corals allegedly damaged by a seawalking company off Khai Nai Island, east of Phuket, could take five to six years to grow back, explained officials as they inspected the decimated underwater habitat yesterday. Over 300 square meters of coral were damaged to create a pathway for tourists to walk on the sea floor, said the Phuket Department of Marine…
-
Phuket one-stop yacht center steers course for 2015 launch
PHUKET: With the long-awaited “one-stop center” for all yachts arriving in Phuket one year overdue, officials have now announced the complex is on track to open in 2015. The 70-million-baht rotunda-style building stands proud in Chalong Bay (map here), but remains to be occupied by the relevant agencies for yacht arrivals to clear immigration, customs and the harbor master. In…
-
Phuket FC sign MoU with famous Brazilian club Cruzeiro
PHUKET: Pamuk Achariyachai, president of Phuket FC, announced that the club will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with famous Brazilian club Cruzeiro Esporte Club, next week. The bilateral agreement means Phuket and Cruzerio will be able to exchange players. The Islanders currently have two Brazilians, Luiz “Dudu” Purcino and Junior “Juninho” Guimaro, in their squad. Pamuk is looking to…
-
Saphan Hin teen gang member killed in Phuket drive-by
PHUKET: A series of violent incidents between two teen gangs culminated in one of the members being gunned down in the Saphan Hin area early yesterday morning. Jetsadakorn “Bank” Setnarm, 15, was shot twice in the chest and died while being transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital, explained Wichit Police Inspector Passakorn Sonthikun. “At about 2:30am Mr Jetsadakorn and fellow gang…
-
Swedish tourist caught in string of Phuket drug arrests
PHUKET: Karon Police arrested a Swedish tourist, along with three others, on drug charges last night. Karon Police led by Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Sophon Borirak arrested a Swedish man and his female companion at a hotel near Taina Road in Karon (map here) at 6pm. Police named the suspects as Jen Peter, 48, and Kwanpana “Tom” Thani, 29, from…
-
Phuket monks defrocked after being caught with drugs
PHUKET: Four monks and a lay worker at the well-known Wat Kajornrungsan on Ranong Road in Phuket Town were arrested Tuesday night after a tip-off led police to catch them with drugs.“We went to Wat Kajornrungsan after local residents reported to us that they suspected some monks were using drugs,” Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Prawit Engchuan told the Phuket…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Red shirts call off protest, but the poor stay; Exam cheat teachers to be charged; Plan to close 14,000 schools
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yellows stay as reds head to Parliament The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: After staging a sit-in demonstration for 17 days, the red shirts yesterday announced the end of their protest after a rally motorcade from the Constitutional Court to Parliament to call for the impeachment of five…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Italy ship crash kills 7; $50mn Brussels diamond heist; Ohio captives recount grisly ordeal; Berlusconi jailed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Seven killed, two missing after ship hits tower in Italian port Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Seven people were killed and two were missing after a container ship crashed into a concrete control tower in the northern Italian port of Genoa, rescuers said on Wednesday.The tower, which was…
-
Phuket Finance: Dumping your UK domicile
PHUKET: Many British expats are unaware that as long as they remain UK domiciled, their estates will be subject to inheritance tax. Even if you have been living outside of the country for 40 years, it doesn’t mean you automatically have lost your UK domicile. In fact it is a little tricky to shed and this means your estate could…
-
Capturing Phuket through Google Glass
PHUKET: By the time the Christmas holidays roll around this year, I’ll have one of the first sets of Google Glass in Thailand. Imagine being able to walk our beautiful beaches here in Phuket and capture the sights, sounds and experiences hands-free. That’s what Google Glass will allow me to do and most people here won’t even realize that my…
-
B26mn bid for lucky plates
PHUKET: A little more than 26 million baht (26,013,000) was earned at the 8th annual “Lucky License Plate Action” held recently at the Phuket Merlin Hotel in Phuket Town. This was five million baht short of the initial expectation of 31 million baht, and four million baht less than last year’s auction which raised 30 million baht. This year, a…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Dalai Lama decries Buddhist attacks in Myanmar; Russia, US target Syria peace; Ohio captives freed; SARS-like virus in Saudi
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dalai Lama decries Buddhist attacks on Muslims in Myanmar Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Tuesday decried Buddhist monks’ attacks on Muslims in Myanmar, saying killing in the name of religion was “unthinkable.”The Dalai Lama, a foremost Buddhist leader, told an…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.