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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Sponsored Infinito helps hotels in Thailand with revenue management
Maximising revenue and profit–isn’t that the ultimate goal for every business in the hospitality industry? If you run a hotel, you might have heard that revenue management is an effective way to boost your top-line revenue. It involves using data...
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Police seize bumper haul of illegal lumber
PHUKET: Marine Police on Friday seized a truckload of rough-cut planks of wood hewn from protected trees that were bound for Phi Phi Island, where they were to be used to build a restaurant. The truck, bearing Chachoengsao license plates and driven by Janyarat Janput, 34, was stopped near Jianwanich pier in Rassada near Phuket Town during a random check…
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No further safety measures at shooting range after tourist kills self
PHUKET: Officials have confirmed that no further safety measures are to be introduced at the Phuket shooting range where a British tourist took his own life on Saturday. Liam Colven, a 21-year-old from the Isle of Skye in Scotland, arrived at the Thalang Shooting Range on Saturday afternoon. During live-fire target practice, Mr Colven pointed the .11mm handgun he was…
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Anthony Lark takes the reins at Trisara
PHUKET: Widely respected hotelier Anthony Lark has been appointed managing director and general manager of Trisara, a high-end resort of 48 pool villas and 20 privately owned residences on Phuket’s west coast. In his new role, Mr Lark will continue to provide hospitality advisory services to the clients of the Montara Hospitality Group, which operates the resort, and will develop…
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Trial for Tiger disco inferno to start April 23
PHUKET: The first witness testimony over the deaths of four people in Patong’s notorious Tiger Disco inferno is set for April 23, Public Prosecutor Vivath Kitjurak has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. The trial will begin almost three years after the blaze claimed the lives of four people, including two tourists. The popular nightclub erupted into flames at about 4am…
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Business Buzz: Social media for profit – passing fad or must-have tool?
PHUKET: No matter where we go, we are surrounded by social media and its influences. Tweet this, like that, share and like this; terms we were not familiar with all that long ago are now in common, daily use. So is this a passing fad or is this social media craze here to stay, and even more importantly, is this…
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Temple assets should be publicly revealed: panel
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Temple assets should be publicly revealed: panel The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Paiboon Nittawan, chairman of the National Reform Council’s committee on protecting Buddhism, said yesterday the NRC would consider the committee’s reform proposals tomorrow. The committee studied the current state of Buddhism affairs and…
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Lee Kuan Yew, modern Singapore’s founding father, dies at 91
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Lee Kuan Yew, modern Singapore’s founding father, dies at 91 Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister, died on Monday aged 91, triggering a flood of tributes to the man who oversaw the tiny city-state’s rapid rise from a British colonial…
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British man, 21, kills self at Phuket gun range
PHUKET: A 21-year-old British man turned a gun on himself and committed suicide at a Phuket shooting range this afternoon. Staff and witnesses at the Thalang Shooting Range said the man arrived at the tourist attraction before 3pm. The man hired an 11mm pistol and emptied his magazine at the target, before asking for three more bullets. He then turned…
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Suspects yet to be charged for billion-baht illegal beach rental scheme
PHUKET: The public prosecutor has yet to press formal charges against the Kata-Karon mayor or any of the other suspects allegedly involved in the island’s billion-baht illegal beach rental scheme. At least 15 people, including Kata-Karon Mayor Tawee Thongcham, were accused at a press conference in September last year of illegally issuing permits for local beach vendors to use public…
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Police ramp up campaign against illegal ivory trade in Phuket
PHUKET: All people in Phuket trading in ivory have until April 21 to register with the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) or face legal action, police warned yesterday. The deadline was delivered by Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayuth Karajedee at an inspection of the Royal Paragon Phuket store in Chalong. “Several stores in Phuket sell…
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Death sentence for man who had his family killed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Death sentence for man who had his family killed The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Bangkok’s Thon Buri Criminal Court yesterday handed down the death sentence to 23-year-old Kittinan Homchong, after finding him guilty of hiring killers to murder his parents and older brother in 2014.…
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Chinese tourists safe after airport taxi slams into motorcycle, kills man
PHUKET: Two Chinese tourists brought their holiday in Phuket to a close by witnessing one man being killed and another suffering serious injuries in a road accident before dawn this morning. The tourists were heading to Phuket International Airport when their taxi slammed into a motorcycle at Baan Porn, in Thalang, at about 5am, explained Lt Suporn Muangkhai of the…
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Myanmar convicts five over fake rape claim that sparked riots
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Myanmar convicts five over fake rape claim that sparked riots Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A Myanmar court convicted five people for spreading fabricated allegations that a Muslim man raped a Buddhist woman, which led to deadly riots last July, a court official said on Friday.…
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Yemen mosque suicide bomb attacks leave 137 dead
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Suicide bombers slay 137 in Yemen mosque attacks Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Suicide bombers killed at least 137 worshippers and wounded hundreds more during Friday prayers at two mosques in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, in coordinated attacks claimed by Islamic State. The attacks on mosques…
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Ex-princess’ family members get five-year jail terms
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ex-princess’ family members get five-year jail terms The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Three relatives of the former Princess Srirasm were given five-and-a-half-year prison terms yesterday for abduction, intimidation and lese majeste – crimes associated with a racketeering gang led by disgraced former crime-buster Maj Gen…
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Government evicts Surin Beach clubs
PHUKET: Several iconic beach clubs are among 39 businesses along the Surin beachfront boardwalk that were given eviction notices yesterday. The notices, and the negation of contracts for the use of the buildings, follows the demolishing last year of some of the businesses’ developments on the west side of the boardwalk, which were deemed to be encroaching on public land…
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Aussie charged for fatal Phuket stabbing in court on Monday
PHUKET: Mark Pendlebury, the Australian expat charged for the fatal stabbing of a Patong nightclub security staffer on March 11, is expected to present himself in court on Monday. Mr Pendlebury was granted bail by the Phuket Provincial Court, confirmed Lt Col Jessada Saengsuree of the Patong Police. “He must present himself to the court on March 23 in order…
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Opinion: Teaching tourists proper footiquette
PHUKET: The fining of a Chinese tourist for washing her feet in a sink in a public restroom on Phi Phi Don hardly comes as earth-shattering news. It does, however, raise several cultural issues in a country which is so dependent on mass tourism, but at the same time famously sensitive to issues regarding the lowest of the lower extremities.…
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Opinion: Need for more speed in court proceedings
Sakun Suanpharn, 53, originally from Uttaradit, took up the position of Chief Judge of Phuket Provincial Court on April 1 last year. Judge Sakun earned a Bachelor’s of Law, Barrister-at-law from Ramkhamhaeng University. Before coming to Phuket, Judge Sakun served as Chief Judge of Yala Juvenile Court, following more than 20 years’ experience after graduating from university. Here, he explains…
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Opinion: Take it easy, people
PHUKET: Take it easy, people. What our government is trying to do is bring back “The Land of Smiles”. The nation’s leaders are trying to fix all of the problems that have plagued Thailand for decades. I have heard some say that Rome wasn’t built in a day… so, give the government a chance to work out these problems. What…
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One Direction star Zayn Malik flees Phuket, dumps Asian tour
PHUKET: Zayn Malik of One Direction, who was spotted with a woman outside of a Phuket nightclub this week, has dropped out of the band’s Asian tour due to “stress”, confirmed his publicist on Thursday. “Zayn has been signed off with stress and is flying back to the UK to recuperate. The band wish him well and will continue with…
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Special Report: Thailand’s wine industry at crossroads
SPECIAL REPORT Though many foreigners, and some Thais, often succumb to strong cravings for fermented grape juice, Thailand’s wine industry is metaphorically, and literally, in ferment. The Kingdom produces a limited amount of premium wine, not nearly enough to satisfy demand. In addition, the import business is riddled with taxes, making fine wines all-the-more expensive. In steps Thai ingenuity –…
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Phuket expat sailor Kevin Ashby dies from cancer, age 44
PHUKET: Well-known Phuket expat sailor Kevin Ashby has died after a long battle against colon cancer, staff at Vachira Phuket Hospital confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today. Mr Ashby, aged 44, passed away yesterday. Originally from South Africa, Mr Ashby moved to Phuket after the 2004 tsunami and sailed in many Phuket regattas. He became a familiar face at the…
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Phuket’s first underpass set to open April 6
PHUKET: The underpass at the Darasamuth Intersection, in front of Central Festival Phuket shopping mall, is set to re-open to traffic with a grand opening ceremony on April 6. Minister of Transport Air Chief Marshall Prajin Janthong will be the guest of honor at the event, Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad told the Phuket Gazette. “The ceremony will be…
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Claims of torture over court attack materialize
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Claims of torture over court attack materialize The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police will have doctors to re-examine four of the suspects allegedly involved in the hand-grenade attack on the Criminal Court following allegations of physical assault and torture to obtain confessions. Police spokesperson Lt…
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Islamist gunmen slay 20 foreign tourists in museum massacre
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Islamist gunmen slay 20 foreign tourists in museum massacre Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Tunisia said it would deploy thearmy to major cities and arrested nine people on Thursday after20 foreign tourists were shot dead in an attack on a museumwhich Islamic State militants called “the…
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Former Australian leader Malcolm Fraser dies at 84
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Former Australian leader Malcolm Fraser dies at 84 Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Former conservative Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, who led the country from 1975 to 1983 but later turned against his party over its tough immigration policy and involvement in the Iraq war, died…
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Dead babies found in house freezer in southern France
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dead babies found in house freezer in southern France Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police have found the corpses of four babies in the freezer at a house in southern France, after a man reported finding a dead baby in a cooler bag in his family’s…
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Racha Yai resort to face land encroachment charges
PHUKET: The mayor of Rawai is prepared to press encroachment charges against a hotel on Koh Racha Yai for building a bridge on public land. Officials were notified of the offending structure, owned by Rayaburi Resort, when government workers arrived at the site to dredge the Patak Canal, a project which began on March 7 (story here). The bridge crossed…
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Man found dead in small Phuket canal
PHUKET: Police have yet to rule out murder as a possible cause of death for a man whose body was found in a small Phuket canal this morning, just meters from where he was drinking with recently made friends last night. Officers arrived at the scene, near a shack behind Wat Baan Don in Srisoonthorn, at about 8:15am. “The man’s…
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