News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
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New Phuket Air Terminal: Transport Minister acknowledges barrage of angry complaints
PHUKET: A stream of harsh complaints about the new terminal at Phuket International Airport prompted a visit by Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith on Saturday. Long lines, delays, the lack of essential equipment, insufficient and confused personnel, and angry passengers have all marred the opening days of the new facility (story here). Mr Arkhom acknowledged that airport staff were dealing with…
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New look for Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: This year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon has a new look and a new bike course for the international athletes heading to the island to compete in a 1.8-km swim, 50-km bike ride and 12-km run at the Laguna Phuket resort on Sunday, November 20. The organizers celebrated the triathlon’s 23rd anniversary by unveiling its fresh new look for participating athletes…
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Russian tourist dies at Karon
PHUKET: A Russian tourist died Saturday afternoon, shortly after bring pulled out from the waves by rescue workers at Karon Beach. “Police received reports about 3:30pm that Urosov Roman, 43, had been pulled from the water near the Naka statue,” said Karon Police Captain Weerayuth Thansirisukhaworakul. Mr Roman’s wife, who declined to be named, told police she was lying on…
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Woman flips car to save jay-walking dog
PHUKET: A woman was charged with reckless driving after she smashed into an electric pole on Chao Fa West Road, trying to avoid a jay-walking dog on Saturday. “Chuangkwan Pantanakitvibun, 24, was on her way from the Land & Houses apartment complex to Phuket Town at about noon, when she saw the dog crossing the street and swerved left to…
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Teen thief nabbed for Phuket Town car break-ins
PHUKET: Police arrested a 16-year-old boy yesterday who they allege is behind a string of car break-ins and robberies in Phuket Town. On August 27, the suspect reportedly smashed the window of a Chevrolet and stole about 50,000 baht in cash and other belongings from inside the car. Another car was broken into and 6,000 baht cash was stolen from…
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New bridge to Koh Lanta approved
KRABI: Construction of a bridge linking Koh Lanta with the mainland in Krabi has been approved by the central government, it was announced last week. The new 1.5km bridge is to stretch from Hua Hin Pier on the mainland to Klong Maak Pier on Lanta Noi. The crossing will facilitate the approximately five million tourists visiting the island annually, who…
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Three injured in Yamu boat fire
PHUKET: Three men were injured when their speedboat caught fire off Yamu Pier in Pakhlok at about 9:15 this morning. One of the men sustained serious injuries, including a broken leg and burns across 40-50 per cent of his body, according to emergency responders. The three-engine speedboat, registered to CC Blue Marine, reportedly caught fire while the three crew members…
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Pole position for speeding Phuket driver
PHUKET: A Phang Nga man landed himself in Thalang Hospital after losing control of his Toyota Yaris while speeding along Thepkrasattri Road this morning. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and slammed backwards into a lamppost on the Northbound curve of the island’s main thoroughfare near the Sai Kaew Beach entrance in Mai Khao, shortly before 10am. Rescue…
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Local airlines ban use of Samsung Galaxy note 7
PHUKET: Several international and domestic carriers, including Thai Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion air, Bangkok Airways and Air Asia, have banned the use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phones on board their aircraft, following reports of the device ‘exploding’ surfaced after its launch last month. Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT), which operates the Kingdom’s major airports, including Phuket International…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: The power of amulets
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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Opinion: Boosting startups in Phuket
PHUKET: The new Ministry of Digital Economy and Society shows the correct spirit in supporting and promoting startup businesses through its recent Startup Thailand 2016 activities here in Phuket. Our island has enormous potential as a hub for digital technology outfits, but fostering success for local startups in competitive international markets will require a much more ‘international outlook’ than many…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016 schedule announced
PHUKET: The controversial Phuket Vegetarian Festival, one of the most widely-celebrated events in Phuket each year, is being held from October 1-9 at various shrines and locations throughout the island. Held in the ninth month of the lunar calendar, the festival features a host of events and draws large crowds to Phuket each year (story here). The Phuket City Municipality…
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Bangkok surpasses London as world’s top destination city
BANGKOK: The Thai capital, projected to welcome 21.47 million international inbound visitors this year, has been awarded the ‘World’s Best City Award’ for the fourth year in a row. The awards are organized by Travel and Leisure magazine. According to the annual Mastercard Global Destinations Cities Index released today, Bangkok edges out second-ranked London, which is set to welcome 19.88…
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Passenger recalls Phuket runway accident
PHUKET: Mongkunkit Phongnarisorn sat in a window seat aboard the Thai Airways flight that ran off the Phuket Airport runway last night. The Phuket-based businessman was returning from Bangkok aboard flight TG221. “Everything seemed to be going perfectly normally,” Mr Mongkunkit told the Phuket Gazette today, adding that he travels regularly for work. Things began to get interesting when the…
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Police hunt for Phuket Town thieves
PHUKET: Police are hunting for suspects who broke into a car and stole 6,000 baht cash in Phuket Town early Sunday morning. Supawat Owas, 30, the owner of the car, reported the incident to Phuket City Police the same day. “Ms Supawat says she was at Mahanakhon bar in Phuket Town. She left the bar at about 3am to find…
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Boat operator rescued after fierce waves capsize longtail
PHANG NGA: A longtail boat operator was pulled from Phang Nga Bay yesterday after his longtail boat capsized in the heavy surf. Sawek Wansadee, 32, left the pier at Hat Noppharat Thara, Phi Phi National Park, at about 9am. He told the Phuket Gazette that he quickly found his little low-profile longtail taking a beating from waves of about two…
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Clampdown coming on zero-dollar tourism
PHUKET: The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) has promised to clamp down on ‘zero-dollar tourism’ following an inspection tour of several touristic venues in Phuket on Tuesday. CNTA chief Wang Chiao Fong and an entourage of Chinese officials were accompanied by Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office Director Sirawee Waloh as they visited jewelry stores and tourist spots. The…
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Phuket-bound plane veers off runway
PHUKET: A flight from Bangkok skidded off the runway while landing at Phuket International Airport yesterday evening. Thai Airways flight TG 221 departed from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 6:15pm, bound to arrive in Phuket at 7:35pm. An official statement issued by Thai Airways says that “poor weather” conditions and visibility were reported at the time of the flight’s arrival…
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Families to cash in on anti-noise spending
PHUKET: Representatives of more than 400 families in Baan Mak Prok gathered at Nurool Ebadeyah Mosque to meet with airport officials on Tuesday, to discuss how the budget for noise reduction will be used. Last week, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith announced that Thailand’s Cabinet had approved a 3 billion baht budget to spend on anti-noise pollution measures for the new…
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Same-same but different at new terminal
PHUKET: Long lines, delays, non-existent essential equipment, a lack of personnel and confused travellers have all marred the opening days of the Phuket International Airport’s new terminal. Phuket airport officials admitted the new terminal’s immigration systems are not working, even after test flights from China and the terminal’s official September 16 opening by Thailand’s Prime Minister (story here). Somsak Pakdeerak,…
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Rendered images of Rajabhakti Park released
PHUKET: Rendered images of the plans for Surin Beach, officially reopened as ‘Rajabhakti Park’ in June (story here), were released to the public this week. Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat said modestly that officials are looking to make it the “most beautiful beach in the world”. The estimated project budget is more than 800 million baht. “Surin Beach is already…
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Outrage over dolphin death prompts ultimatum
KRABI: Locals in Krabi Province were outraged over the weekend after a social media post went viral yesterday. The post shows a dead baby dolphin caught in an illegal coastal fishing net system. A user on the social networking application ‘Line’ shared the photographs, taken in the Khao Khram sub-district’s Tah Paree Bay. After examining the calf, a Marine official…
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Aussie crash victim succumbs to head injuries
PHUKET: An Australian man died from severe head injuries on Saturday, about two hours after he crashed his motorcycle into a roadside barrier in Kamala. The victim, who was initially unidentified (story here), was later named as Roger Frederick Younger, 37. “Mr Younger was critically injured when he crashed his bike near the Muslim graveyard in Kamala on Saturday,” said…
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Double motorcyclist deaths shrouded in mystery
PHUKET: Two motorcyclists died in two separate mysterious accidents on Thepkrasattri Road in the early hours of Sunday – one a woman in her mid twenties, the other a man, also in his mid twenties. Police responded to the first accident in Koh Kaew on the northbound lanes of the road at about 2.30am. “We received a report that there…
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Debt-burdened Krabi vendor found dead
KRABI: A local Krabi resident walked into a blood bath on Saturday morning when he entered his room to find the body of his wife, who had asked to be left alone the night before. Sudrak Khumsuk, 33, found 28-year-old Supranee Wangthanom with a gunshot wound to the head and a four-page note on the bed next to her. The…
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Krabi tourism gets airlift from Asian influx
KRABI used to flip-flop between having a regimented high-season – catering to winter snowbird visitors from Scandinavia and Europe – and a low-season during which many hotels even scrapped breakfast buffets. However, the latest research by C9 Hotelworks reveals skyrocketing airlift is edging the market towards being a year-round destination. The C9 Hotelworks ‘Krabi Hotel Market Update 2016’ report reveals…
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Another baby trashed, this time in a Patong trash can
PHUKET: Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers removed a baby from a trash can in Patong in the early hours of the morning on Saturday. Power to the city was reportedly off, and the person who found the newborn told the rescue personnel that he didn’t see the child at first. “We were alerted to the presence of the baby by a…
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Unidentified man in critical condition after bike crash
PHUKET: An unidentified white male was seriously injured when he crashed his bike into a roadside barrier near the Muslim graveyard in Kamala about 12:40pm today. The injured driver was rushed to Patong Hospital where he remains in critical condition from head injuries, said Capt Prasert Thongprom of Kamala Police. Witnesses at the scene said the victim was heading from…
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Thousands gather to welcome PM to Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha was greeted by thousands of fans during his one-day trip to Phuket on Friday, during which he committed that his government would support mega projects on the island. PM Prayuth chaired the opening ceremony of the new terminal at Phuket International Airport (story here) and then headed to Patong to inaugurate ‘Startup Thailand’ and…
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PM launches Startup Thailand in Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha officially launched ‘Startup Thailand’ and ‘Digital Thailand’ 2016 at the Duangjitt Resort & Spa in Patong yesterday. The regional launch of this nationwide initiative is aimed at helping budding local businesses to get off the ground and into the international arena of digital commerce. The Startup Thailand 2016 campaign was launched by the prime…
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