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 Where to travel in Thailand in July [2025]
This month, I want to invite you to wander through art spaces, misty hills, and garden paths, where the only thing on the itinerary is to linger. Let’s take a slower route, one for the dreamers, the journal keepers, and...
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Phuket Police promise progress in child rape case
PHUKET: Police expect to receive test results within the next two weeks confirming the rape of a 9-year-old girl, case investigator Lt Col Rassada Kluengwong of the Tah Chat Chai Police told the Phuket Gazette today. The move is expected to clear the way for legal proceedings to be taken against the alleged perpetrator, a local shopkeeper in the north…
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Aussie survives 18-storey hotel plunge
PHUKET: The Australian man who fell 18 floors from a Patong hotel balcony earlier today is recovering at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town. (Click here to see Phuket Breaking News report.) John Hurley, 39, suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung, serious injuries to his right leg and a broken left hand in the fall. His leg was nearly torn…
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Phuket teen ax murderer to face court next week
PHUKET: The 15-year-old boy who confessed to murdering his stepfather with an ax on August 21 has been charged with premeditated murder and will go to trial next week, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Lt Col Boonlert Onklang of the Chalong Police Station today told the Gazette that the boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, remains…
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World Sports: South Africa scrap draw in first test
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World sports news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community South Africa forces draw in first test with Australia Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: South Africa were forced to scrap their way through an uncomfortable final day of the first test against a Michael Clarke-inspired Australia today to save a match they had once looked like winning.Australia…
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Australian man falls from 18th-storey balcony at Patong hotel
PHUKET BREAKING NEWS: An Australian man has been admitted to Patong Hospital for injuries sustained in a fall from an 18th-storey balcony at the Royal Paradise Hotel. The man, in his late 30s, reportedly fell from the building at about 1pm. The Phuket Gazette has yet to establish the extent of his injuries.
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Thailand News: Renewed fears from seismic strikes
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fears of ‘big one’ on Mae Chan Fault The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Sunday’s magnitude 6.8 earthquake and aftershocks in Myanmar have renewed fears in Thailand over safety from seismic strikes. “We have to identify the quake risks of each type of building and prepare response…
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World News: Israel hits Syrian artillery; Deep concerns voiced by UN
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Israel hits Syrian artillery that fired on Golan Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Israel’s army fired tank shells into Syria yesterday and scored “direct hits” in response to a Syrian mortar shell that struck the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the Israeli military said in a statement. It…
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Chris McCormack to race at Laguna Phuket
PHUKET: Australian Chris “Macca” McCormack, the two-time Ironman World Champion and one of the most successful athletes in triathlon history, has signed up to compete in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) on November 25 and Ironman 70.3 Laguna on December 2.Macca has won 200 races around the world since 1993 including 12 Ironman victories, more than any other male competitor,…
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International Sports: Summary of the latest news and action
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sporting news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tennis – Novak Djokovic The world’s top three players all scaled dizzy heights in 2012 but Novak Djokovic ended the year staring down at his rivals after grinding down Roger Federer to win the ATP World Tour Finals title in brutal fashion at London’s O2…
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Eight injured as bus flips in heavy rain in Phang Nga
PHUKET BREAKING NEWS: A tour bus en route from Phuket to Chumphon, north of Koh Samui on the Gulf of Thailand, slammed into a bridge guardrail and flipped onto its side in heavy rain in Phang Nga province late this afternoon.Lt Col Anan Kuaboonkaew of Takua Pa Police received a report of the accident at 5:30pm.“Eight of the 20 passengers…
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Koh Lanta officials blame turtle soup for “strange’ outbreak
PHUKET: Officials on Koh Lanta believe a sick hawksbill sea turtle was the cause of a mass poisoning that may have contributed to the death of a 61-year-old man and resulted in 43 other villagers being admitted to hospital. (Click here to see Phuket Breaking News report.) “Many people in the Urak Lawoi sea gypsy village on Koh Lanta Yai…
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Phuket Business: Get your head in the clouds
PHUKET: Information technology (IT) has dramatically changed the way people communicate and do business. Changes in information technology are rapidly taking place and investors who are able to spot the newest trends can profit from those trends greatly. One continually evolving trend is “cloud computing”. Investors focused on IT growth stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have several options when it…
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Phuket heartbreak blamed for Rassada suicide
PHUKET BREAKING NEWS: A man was found dead in his home in Rassada, north of Phuket Town, this morning after neighbors reported a loud argument between him and his girlfriend late last night.Police have yet to close their investigation, but at this stage are treating the case as suicide, the Phuket Gazette was told.
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One dead, 43 hospitalized after “strange’ outbreak on Koh Lanta
PHUKET BREAKING NEWS: Officials on Koh Lanta in Krabi province are investigating the cause of an outbreak that has been blamed for one death so far, and has left 43 other villagers in hospital.Despite initial concerns the villagers had contracted hand, foot and mouth disease, officials are investigating whether it was a sick turtle that the villagers had eaten that…
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Phang Nga politician gunned down in broad daylight
PHUKET: While Phang Nga Immigration officers were busy rounding up the 112 Rohingya refugees who landed at Tai Muang on Saturday, police in the neighboring town of Khok Kloy were responding to a drive-by assassination of a leading local community figure. Lt Nakhon Tangruamsub of Khok Kloy Police told the Phuket Gazette that he received a report of a man…
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Thai authorities arrest 112 Rohingya after boat washes ashore in Phang Nga
PHUKET: Heavy seas on Saturday forced a boat loaded with 112 Rohingya, attempting the perilous journey to Malaysia, to land north of Phuket on Tai Muang beach in Phang Nga, where they were promptly arrested by the authorities. According to police the boat was part of a flotilla of seven boats ferrying over 1,000 Rohingya that departed their native Rakhine…
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Phuket Poll: Let us pay, not run for visas, expats say
PHUKET: More than half of all respondents to a Phuket Gazette online poll have voted for options other than making the obligatory, and often dangerous, visa runs that are required every 30 to 90 days in order to continue their stay in Thailand. Nearly a quarter of all respondents, including Thai nationals, preferred foreigners to present themselves to the Phuket…
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Doing Business in Thailand: AMCHAM Legal Forum
PHUKET: AMCHAM will hold a forum titled ‘Doing Business in Thailand – 3 Things You Should Know’, on Thursday, November 29, at Royal Phuket Marina. Three top international lawyers will be on hand to talk about how to do business without Thai nominees, enforcing contracts through arbitration, and the increasing focus on criminal corrupt practices and anti-corruption laws. The event…
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Man injured as power pole falls on house
PHUKET BREAKING NEWS: A man was rushed to hospital for immediate treatment of injuries sustained yesterday when a power pole fell onto a house in Cherng Talay, on Phuket’s west coast, dragging live power cables down to the street.
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Petraeus-Broadwell Affair: Irony and tragedy before and after the revelation
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityPHUKET / CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters): When Paula Broadwell first met David Petraeus in 2006, she was a soldier-turned-graduate student at Harvard University. The acclaimed U.S. Army general gave her his card and offered to help her with her studies.Broadwell soon began trading emails with the general, and…
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Strong earthquake felt in Bangkok this morning; no reports of tremors in Phuket
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityPHUKET: A major earthquake measuring 6.6 magnitude struck central Myanmar this morning, around 60 km (37 miles) northwest of the city of Mandalay, the U.S. Geological Survey said.Residents in Bangkok, the capital of neighbouring Thailand, also said they felt the strong quake.There have been no known reports of…
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Phuket World Sports: Klitschko triumphs over Wach, retains world title belts
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityReuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET / HAMBURG: World heavyweight boxing champion Vladimir Klitschko was made to go the distance against Polish challenger Mariusz Wach but earned a unanimous points decision last night to retain his four title belts.The 36-year-old Ukrainian, who holds the IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA crowns,…
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FIFA Futsal World Cup: Thailand face Spain in round of 16
PHUKET: Hosts of the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012, Thailand, have reached a new benchmark by advancing to the second round of the prestigious tournament – for the first time in four appearances. A shock win by the Solomon Islands over Guatemala on the final day of the World Cup’s group stage proved to be a blessing for Thailand, who…
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Phuket Poll: Should Phuket fight for the right to party?
PHUKET: Paris Hilton’s announcement late last month that a two-day dance party will be held at Surin Beach to celebrate New Year 2013 has set the cat among the pigeons, sparking a debate over whether or not Phuket should host such large-scale events. The event, being organized by Sydictive Element, is hoping to bring 14 world-renowned DJs and artists to…
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Krabi Police reject YouTube rapist bail blame
PHUKET: The Krabi Provincial Police will post a YouTube video in response to the “Evil man in Krabi” music video that has caused a furore in Phuket’s sister tourism province across Phang Nga Bay. The news was announced at a press conference yesterday called by Krabi Governor Prasit Osathanon to answer publicly what action has been taken in the case.…
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Phuket Sports: Breaking free from the fear of choking
PHUKET: It’s been an eventful few weeks with Sumitra “Dear” Basnyat winning the inaugural Sugarpova contest and playing events in Bahrain and Bangkok. Sumitra concluded a major change with her equipment sponsor, which means for the next critical phase of her career we will be using and promoting Pacific racquets/grips and strings. Maria Sharapova launched her Sugarpova candy brand a…
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Phuket Sailing: Youth sailing club
PHUKET: It was a slow start to the day as sailors were greeted with blue skies and no wind. The morning was spent under the guidance of Akapoj Kankeaw (Tik) and Teerapong Tokratoak (Nu), both previous winners of the Phuket King’s Cup Optimist Regatta 2011, on racing tactics and boat tuning. After lunch, a steady breeze picked up, which provided…
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Phuket Sports: King’s Cup helps sports tourism
PHUKET: Recognized throughout the eastern hemisphere as the premier sailing event of its kind, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta will once more put on a spectacular display of the finest sailing talent from around the world from December 1 to 8, 2012. In addition, the Regatta’s gravitas in attracting sailors from over 35 countries, and some of the fastest racing…
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Phuket incinerator struggling to cope with landfill, rising tide of trash
PHUKET: Phuket’s main landfill site on the outskirts of Phuket Town is a long way from disappearing, despite the new 960-million-baht incinerator working at near-capacity of 700 tons of trash a day. Prachum Suriya, chief of the Phuket City Municipality Environment Office, confirmed to the Phuket Gazette on Wednesday that the landfill site is “100 per cent full”. Earlier in…
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World News: Syria – Millions in need of aid as winter sets in
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thousands flee Syria in exodus, millions more in need of aid Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Thousands of Syrians fled their country yesterday in one of the biggest refugee exoduses of the 20-month civil war after rebels seized a border town, and the United Nations warned that…
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