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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Russian couple fined for sex in a Phuket tuk-tuk
PHUKET: Police have fined a Russian couple 500 baht each after a video clip of them appearing to have sex in the back of a tuk-tuk in Karon went viral. The 28-second clip was posted on Friday and shows a man and a woman moving suggestively in the tuk-tuk with the woman’s shirt lifted to expose her torso. Karon Police…
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One dead in Phuket after fatal overtake attempt
PHUKET: A man was killed last night after he crashed head-on into a minivan in Sakoo. Lt Thanakarn Uchanarasamee of Sakoo Police and rescue workers received the report at about 8pm. “Van driver Vitavat Jongsathichacorn, of PPKK Tour Service, told us that he was taking two Australian tourists to the airport while the motorcyclist, Panakorn Boonrong, was coming from the…
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Thai tourist apologizes for starfish selfie, tour guide fined
TRANG: A Thai tourist apologized yesterday on social media for taking selfies with a starfish at a national park in Trang province, while her tour guide was ordered to pay a fine. Earlier on Thursday, the tourist’s selfies with a starfish went viral. She was widely condemned, as there is a ban on removing marine animals from from the sea.…
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Drug mule arrested in Phuket with 800,000 baht’s worth of pills
PHUKET: Police arrested a Phuket-bound man for transporting ya ba (methamphetamine) worth 800,000 baht at a Tah Chat Chai checkpoint yesterday afternoon. Lt Col Tawach Tansakul of Tah Chat Chai police and his team apprehended Anan Navarat, 39, at about 3pm. “Mr Anan was traveling by bus from Nakhon Sri Thammarat and looked suspicious to us during a routine check,”…
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Elderly couple returns lost British passport, bank book and cash
PHUKET: An elderly couple this morning returned a wallet containing a British passport, bank book and cash totalling more than 150,000 baht at Pakbang Beach in Rawai. Prayong Sukkaew, 79, and his wife were collecting bottles at about 6am to sell for money when they spotted the wallet, picked it up and handed it over to Rawai Police officers. “We…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Farang is always wrong
PHUKET: The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister…
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Opinion: Jealousy is a powerful motivator
PHUKET: Phuket was in the international news spotlight again last week, this time for the heartbreaking murder of an 11-month-old baby girl, hanged by her own father in Nai Thon (story here). Most readers will already be familiar with the tragically short life of Natalee ‘Biw’ Wongtalay, whose execution went viral after her late father, 21, chose to post it…
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His Majesty’s tunes to be played at jazz concert in his honor
PHUKET: Jazz lovers are in for a treat when the free concert ‘Jazz for King 2 – Andaman Jazz by the Sea’ kicks off in Phuket on May 20, featuring the music of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). The event will be held at Loma Park in Patong from 7-10pm, hosted by the Andaman Natural Resources…
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Phuket Police search for missing 11-year-old boy
PHUKET: Police are searching for an 11-year-old boy who was reported missing by his family on Tuesday night. Panaphat Chumrak (‘Nong Nu’) disappeared from his home in Soi Pasak 4, Don Chom Tao Road in Cherng Talay at about 8:30pm. “Nong Nu is about 132cm tall, weighs 30kg and has short hair. He was last seen wearing a red and…
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Phuket Police try to identify injured elderly foreigner
PHUKET: An injured, elderly foreigner ran amok shouting for help from passersby in Phuket Town last night. The man had head and back injuries, but officials were unable to identify him as he was incoherent. He had blonde hair and was wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts. Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers received reports of him by concerned locals at…
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Phuket lovers’ quarrel ends in near-drowning
PHUKET: A ‘tomboy’ narrowly escaped drowning early this morning after she walked into the sea at Saphan Hin following an argument with her girlfriend. Lt Col Pongpichan Chayanonpiriya of Phuket City Police received reports of the incident at about 6:30am. “We found a young woman at the scene, crying and calling out for ‘Jip’. After searching the area for 30…
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Ex-security guard arrested for assault, theft in Phuket
PHUKET: An ex-security guard at a hotel in Pa Khlok was arrested and charged for assault as well as theft and possession of an illegal firearm and drugs, on Tuesday after he beat up a hotel staff member and robbed her last week. Thalang Police apprehended the suspect, Panya Jara, 28, at his rental house in Pa Khlok where they…
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Drug suspects escape police custody in Phuket
PHUKET: Police are hunting for two suspects who escaped custody and fled from a police vehicle at a traffic light on the way to the station early on Tuesday morning. “Suriya Lakpech and Wasurat Malikabutr, both 21, had initially been arrested in front of the Vijit Resort in Rawai after officers asked to inspect their belongings because they looked ‘suspicious’.…
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Illegal Chinese tour guide arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: A Chinese tour guide who abandoned a bus full of tourists at the side of the road in Phang Nga on Tuesday (story here) was arrested in Phuket yesterday. Ms Ammy, whose real name police later learned to be Huang Ling, was arrested for illegally working as a tour guide without permission. “After the incident in Phang Nga, we…
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Illegal Chinese tour guide wanted for abandoning Phuket tour group
PHUKET: Police are hunting for an illegal Chinese tour guide who abandoned 24 Chinese tourists at the side of the road in Phang Nga yesterday evening after arguing with them about money. The tourist police received a report of the incident from the Chinese Consul in Phuket at about 7pm. The tourists had called the consulate for help after they…
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Phuket-based Siam Real Estate to go head to head in Full Metal Dojo
PHUKET: Kingdom Co Ltd, drivers of Full Metal Dojo (FMD), a favorite Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion, has announced an innovative new sponsorship deal that pits two rival real estate firms against each other in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). Competing agencies Siam Real Estate from Phuket and BKK BestLife will fight it out on FMD’s Facebook page…
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Business Buzz: Email marketing missing the mark
PHUKET: Recently, my business partner and I have been analyzing email marketing and what came to light was quite a surprise. He is a systems engineer so it is fair to say his level of knowledge of IT far surpasses my own. We were collaborating on our latest project and the issue of email marketing and whether it was effective…
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American school teacher injured in Phuket collision
PHUKET: A newly-appointed American school teacher at Kajonkiet International School (KIS) Phuket was injured in a motorbike crash with a car in Kathu this morning. “The accident occurred at about 8:30am near the U-turn on Phra Phuket Kaew road. We found a damaged white Honda City and Yamaha Nuovo on the road,” said Capt Watthathorn Bumrungthin of Kathu Police. “The…
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Phuket gov launches clean-up campaign
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong yesterday launched a campaign titled ‘Clean Phuket with our Hands and Hearts’, as promised during his first ‘Governor meets Media’ gathering at Phuket Provincial Hall last month (story here). The week-long campaign, that is to last until Sunday, will be held each month, the governor stated. “As Phuket is an international tourism destination, it is…
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Family man dead as pick-up ploughs into sedan
KRABI: One man was killed while three others were severely injured after a speeding pick-up truck and a Toyota sedan collided, sending both vehicles into a roadside waterway in Krabi yesterday afternoon. The car was carrying three people – driver Suphachai Limtrakil, 69, his wife Anchalee Sriwittayabancha, 42, and their 14-year-old daughter. Mr Suphachai was killed. The truck was driven…
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Plastic bottle blamed for Phuket Town car flip
PHUKET: In a crash that is being blamed on a plastic bottle, a car in Phuket Town flipped over onto its roof yesterday afternoon after the driver lost control at a traffic stop. “We arrived at the scene, on Komaraphat Roat near the Phuket City Municipality pawnshop, to see a silver Honda City sedan lying upside down on the side…
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Building catches fire in Patong, 100,000 baht in damages
PHUKET: A four-storey building caught fire last night on Rat-U-thit 200 Pi road in Patong, resulting in about 100,000 baht’s worth of damages. Police officers held back traffic and tourists as firefighters battled the flames for about 30 minutes. Lt Col Jongserm Preecha of Patong Police confirmed that only the first floor of the building had been damaged. “There were…
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Samui tour guide found dead after ‘feeling the heat’
SAMUI: A Pathum Thani native was found dead in a rented room on Samui Island yesterday, from what police believe to have been heatstroke. The room is in a restaurant building on Chaweng Beach. Capt Boonnam Srinarat of Bo Phut Police confirmed the death, at about 5:40pm, of Thongchai Sudjaeng, 44, a tour guide who catered to Chinese tourists. “Mr…
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Motorbike trio arrested for stealing from Chinese tourist, marijuana
PHUKET: Three men were arrested yesterday in Phuket town with assorted currencies amounting to at least 200,000 baht as well as electronics they stole from a Chinese tourist’s hotel room in Patong. The men were also in possession of marijuana. Lt Col Pongpichan Chayanonpiriya of the Patong Police confirmed to Phuket Gazette reporters that Thanakorn Akarabut, 24; Harich Dada, 18;…
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