News
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Top 5 luxury villas in Phuket and Koh Samui for your next holiday
Ask people to name the most beautiful places in Thailand, and you'll often hear Phuket and Koh Samui being mentioned. Who would disagree? One is renowned for its bustling nightlife, vibrant culture, and lively beach scene, while the other is...
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Gloucester man killed in crash
PHUKET: A British expatriate died after reportedly being cut off by a pickup truck on Saturday night. Michael Fraser Macpherson, 44, was killed on Kwang Road, in front of the Baan Manee Kram Jomthong Tanee housing complex, when his motorcycle slammed into the side of a pickup truck at about 8:40pm. Police reported that Mr Macpherson was not wearing a…
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Train services in deep South set to resume today
PATTANI: Trains in the Deep South are to resume operations today, in time to serve the surge in Muslim holidaymakers celebrating Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice), following completion of repairs to railway tracks in Pattani damaged by a bomb blast on September 3. Thanongsak Pongprasert, deputy governor of the State Railway of Thailand, said yesterday that a train without passengers…
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Test flights arrive at Phuket’s new international terminal
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport began testing the facilities of the new international terminal this week with a handful of flights ahead of the official opening of the terminal later this month. Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha is scheduled to preside over the grand opening of the new facility on September 16 (story here). Phuket Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan said the…
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Woman finds snake in her paste tin
PHUKET: A Phuketian Facebook user took to social media after finding a disfigured snake in her anchovy paste. Facebook user Wanida Pagamat yesterday posted an image of Thai anchovy paste (Pla-ra) with a black snake-like slough in it. She claimed to have bought the paste in a local Phuket store. “How do you sell this to someone? It looks like…
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DSI: Land officer’s death not on CCTV
BANGKOK: The Department of Special Investigations (DSI) claims that it has no CCTV footage of the events surrounding the suspicious death of Tawatchai Anukul in a police cell, insisting that the system’s server was faulty at the time. Police are investigating the death of Mr Tawatchai, 66, a former land department official previously based in Phuket and Phang Nga, to…
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Phuket Smart City Innovation Park launched
PHUKET: The Phuket Smart City Innovation Park officially opened at Saphan Hin yesterday. “The four-storey building is a symbol that the pioneer smart city project in Phuket is becoming a reality. The venture is supported by the Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA),” Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada said at the launch. The building houses an ASEAN Tourism Software Excellence Center, IOT…
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Officials plan to install 1,000 CCTV cameras
PHUKET: Ten more CCTV cameras are to be installed along Bangla Road, Patong police announced this week. The cameras are to be installed as part of a public-private sector partnership, Patong Police Col Chaiwat Auikam said. Managing Director of the Pisona Group and member of a well-known Thai family in Patong, Preechawut ‘Prab’ Keesin, said the project received support from…
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Showers, high surf expected next week
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office confirmed they have issued no warnings for boats leaving shore due to the recent spate of weather yesterday. “The waves and wind are still stable and suitable for boating,” said Phuket Marine Chief Surat Sirisaiyas. “However, we have issued a notice urging all boats to proceed with caution as their vision may be impaired during…
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Opinion: Buying and investing in property in Phuket
PHUKET: Panuwat Somrit is a Phuket lawyer specializing in property. He has been practicing law for the past six years. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University. Here he talks about how to buy and invest in property in Phuket. Buying or investing in property may seem like a straight forward and easy transaction. You simply…
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Opinion: Woes of a traveller
PHUKET: People say they love travelling, but what they really mean is that they enjoy spending time in other places, not the actual experience of travelling itself. Air travel is one of those unfortunate gray areas where regulations seem to vary from airport to airport. For a recent trip from Phuket to Bangkok, I booked and paid for my flight…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: How to ‘wai’ properly
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 Stephff.…
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600,000 tons of trash weighs down Krabi
KRABI: Deputy Prime Minister Admiral Narong Pipatanasai was in Krabi today to see what can be done about 600,000 tons of untreated waste piling up in the province. Admiral Narong met with Krabi Governor Pinit Boonlert and other provincial agencies at Krabi City Hall to discuss waste management measures as well as to observe progress on other public works undertaken…
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Finance: Bullish biotech breaks previous highs
PHUKET: As of early June, the US S&P 500, Nasdaq and the Dow are all at critical turning points because after a two-year long correction, the market is tightly compressed and sitting only a few points from a new all-time high – or making new highs such as with the Dow and S&P500. The big picture is this: The last…
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PM Prayuth set to visit Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who is scheduled to visit Phuket next Friday, has a number of items on his agenda, including the grand opening of the new airport terminal and the regional launch of Startup Thailand. The following is the itinerary for his visit (some details subject to change): 8:30-9:30am: Grand opening ceremony of the new terminal at…
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Tranlee asset auction hailed “success’ with B166mn in bids
PHUKET: The auctioning of assets seized from defunct Tranlee Travel Co by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) raised more than 166 million baht, it was revealed today. AMLO Auctioneer Col Kovit Piromwong announced this afternoon that three days of auctions at Phuket City Hall from September 6 to 8 saw bidding on 34 boats and 83 tour buses for a…
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Opinion: Addressing road safety in Phuket
PHUKET: A proposal under consideration by the Department of Land Transport that would privatize driver education nationwide correctly recognizes and attempts to address the horrific state of road safety in the Kingdom. Unfortunately, the root causes of the problem run at a far deeper level than any bureaucratic reform could ever hope to reach, let alone rectify. It seems that…
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Video: Chao Fa black spot claims American motorcyclist
PHUKET: Chalong Municipality released video footage on Tuesday of collisions between cars and motorbikes at an accident black spot on Chao Fah East Road in Chalong, including that of a smash that killed an American motorcyclist on September 5. Municipality spokesperson Suphawattakan Kunlak said the footage of the fatal accident and other serious smashes involving motorcycles, where Soi Thanuthep opens…
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Local vendors cash in on Pokemon trend
PHUKET: Local vendors at popular Pokemon catching spots in Phuket have experienced a boost in income since the launch of Pokemon GO in Thailand. However, some vendors expect this spike to be short lived. For those who are wondering what Pokemon GO is, it is Nintendo Company’s mobile phone game which marries a classic 20-year-old franchise with augmented reality, and…
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On Deck: A look inside the Royal Pavilion
PHUKET: I recently attended the National Science and Technology Fair in Bangkok at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. The attraction for me was a Royal Pavilion that included boats made by His Majesty the King of Thailand. Many will know that His Majesty has built a number of boats in his time. Twenty-five to be precise, all dinghies. His first was…
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Flood, landslide warnings for Phuket, Phang Nga and Ranong
PHUKET: The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has repeated warnings of possible flash floods and landslides as monsoon rains continue to inundate Phuket and surrounding provinces. “Parts of Phuket, Phang Nga and Ranong could well be hit with flash floods this week and there is a high probability of landslides in these areas,” NDWC chief Chayasarn Tonanon told the Phuket…
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Phuket Sea Gypsy sued again in new land dispute case
PHUKET: Rawai Sea Gypsies are facing yet another fight over their right to remain in their century-old village, which offers splendid views across the Andaman Sea. Rawai local Bancha Hatsaithong is being sued over allegedly encroaching on land owned by Jindarak Thammajak. This latest Sea Gypsy land dispute came to Phuket Provincial Court on Monday for its initial assessment, with…
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Boisterous bidding raises over B102.7mn at Tranlee auction
PHUKET: More than 150 assets seized from embattled Tranlee Travel Co fetched 102,742,000 baht at auction today. The auction to sell off boats, buses and other assets once owned by the now defunct travel company began at 10am today and is set to continue over the next few days until all of the assets have been sold off. The assets…
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Paralyzed American fall victim responsive after spine surgery
KRABI: An American teacher who was critically injured when she fell down a 45-meter-high cliff at Railay Bay in Krabi is conscious and responsive after being rescued on Friday, but still cannot move her legs. Hannah Michel Gavios, 23, is being treated at Bangkok Hospital Phuket after falling down the rock face while fleeing a would-be molester on Thursday night.…
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Muslim Cleric shooting investigations may reveal local guns-for-hire network
PHUKET: Police are hunting for one man while another has surrendered himself, both allegedly involved in a ‘network’ that ordered an attack on a Muslim cleric in Koh Kaew last month. The cleric, Weerachat Kahapana, chased down and injured his shooters after getting shot at (story here). Two suspects, Thanachai Choothong, 24, and Wisuth Yokyong, 23, were apprehended after the…
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Still no leads on fake bombs in Krabi
KRABI: Two devices, similar in design to the ones used in last month’s bombings (story here), were found in Krabi Town last week. Authorities believe that the devices, which consisted of wires connected to an electronic circuit board, were left to scare passersby and to test the emergency response capabilities of police. Police currently do not have any leads after…
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Tourists flee stinking trash on Koh Tao
KOH TAO: Tourists are checking out of their hotels on Koh Tao in droves – fleeing the stink of a 45,000-ton mountain of garbage that is growing by the day after the island’s incinerator broke down three weeks ago. With trash piling up at a rate of 30 to 40 tons a day on the island off Surat Thani, and…
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Phuket Old Town’s overhead power lines gone for good
PHUKET: The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) announced on Saturday that it had finally completed a three-phase project to bury electric cables in the center of Phuket Town. The beautifying of Phuket Old Town by burying power cables began in 2010 along Thalang Road. The second phase saw the removal of overhead cables along parts of Dibuk Road, Krabi Road and…
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First Mother’s Day bombings suspect arrested
BANGKOK: Police today confirmed the arrest of a suspect linked to the wave of bombings in tourist towns last month that killed four people and wounded dozens, including foreigners. The bombs and arson attacks August 11-12 in various towns south of Bangkok including Hua Hin, Surat Thani and in Phuket raised fears that a Muslim separatist insurgency, for years largely…
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Blaze guts Phuket Town home
PHUKET: It took five fire trucks about 40 minutes to extinguish a second-storey blaze in Phuket Town yesterday. Emergency services received a report of the house fire at 9:20am at number 44/2 on Patiphat Road. The second floor bedroom and prayer room in the two-storey house, named ‘Baan Thamrongpornsawat,’ were ablaze when firefighters arrived,” said Phuket City Police Lt Thaksin…
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Motorcyclist killed as CRV driver runs light
PHUKET: A motorcyclist was killed in Chalong on Saturday when a CRV driver ran a red light and crashed into him. CCTV footage from Chalong Municipality shows the CRV crashing into the motorbike at the T-junction in front of Baan Chalong School on Cha Fa West Road. The bike rider, Wattana Enkbuth, was thrown off and his head hit the…
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