News
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Sponsored Is tap water in Thailand safe to consume?
Wondering if you can drink the tap water in Thailand? From brushing your teeth to filling up a bottle, it’s helpful to understand a few basics. Tap water safety in Thailand varies by location, and while some people use it...
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, February 20
Woman NOT happy with pick-up parked over her driveway | Car chase for two Nigerians on Cambodian border | Vandals leaving their mark in Krabi | How NOT to reverse a container truck | 23 tourists stung by jellyfish | 62 year long-term resident in Pattaya giving back to his community. Coming to you from the Floating Donut in Laguna…
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301 ‘lucky number plates’ up for bidding
The Phuket Land Transport Office announced the auction of 301 plates with ‘lucky numbers’. The profit from the auction will be donated to the road accident victims fund. The Chief of Phuket Land Transport Office, Banyat Kanta, said that the 13th auction will kick off on March 3 – 4 at the conference room of Phuket’s Rajabhat University. “This will help…
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23 tourists stung by ‘Bluebottles’ in Songkhla
PHOTO: National Geographic Twenty-three tourists have been stung by bluebottle jellyfish, properly referred to as the Portuguese man o’ war (Physalis physalis), at two popular beaches in Songkhla during the past three days, a senior public health official reported today. Doctor Uthitsak Hariratanakul, chief Songkhla public health officer, said the 23 swimmers were injured by the jellyfish at the Chalathat…
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Tourists leave their mark on Railay Beach
Tourists seeking to leave their mark on Thailand have vandalised a cave tunnel leading onto Krabi’s popular Railay Beach, carving their names and other graffiti in the rock walls and stalactites. Hard objects were used to scrawl names and messages along the 200 metre passage, said Somboon Ngafa, chairman of the Railay Bay Tourism Association Club. The beach and bay…
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Illegal immigrant arrested over fake US bank notes
A 29 year old Nigerian, Chukwuemeka Anslem Njibigbo, has been arrested after exchanging a fake 100 dollar bank note at the Kasikorn Bank in Central Festival Phuket. Police received a report from the bank about the fake $100 bank note. After checking, police found that the Nigerian man went to exchange the money on February 13 and returned to the…
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Truck crash-reverses into ditch in Karon
Traffic is closed between Patong and Karon as police and emergency responders try and clear a nearly-overturned container truck at the bottom of the hill between the Novotel Karon and Centara Beach resort. Police are expecting it to take at least a couple of hours to clear for traffic. https://www.facebook.com/phuketgazette/videos/1618908354853653/
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PIA air-conditioning breaks down, again
…and this woman’s not happy about it. Hundreds of Facebook users have given their support to a woman’s complaint about a breakdown of air-conditioners at the Phuket International Airport, which she says causes heat to be trapped and body odour to spread inside the passenger building. “Is this a model of a green airport?” Facebook user Paithoon Tou Monpanthong asked…
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Phuket’s Rajabhat launches a fun run
Phuket Rajabhat University Alumni has kicked off a fun run to ‘encourage a healthy lifestyle’. More than 2,000 runners registered for the event. Early yesterday (February 18), Phuket’s Vice Governor, Sanit Srivihok chaired the opening ceremony of the new fun run together with executives and seniors of the university as well as students and locals living around the university. “This…
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Public cynical about justice for ‘influential people’ – Survey
Although the investigation into construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta’s alleged illegal hunting is ongoing, the public says they have little confidence that he will ever be punished if found guilty. Nearly two-thirds, or 64.2 per cent, of people recently surveyed believe the case, where Premchai and three others are accused of poaching and possessing wildlife in a Kanchanaburi wildlife park, will…
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Personal grudge behind killing of rubber tapper in South – Police
An elderly rubber tapper was shot dead early on Sunday morning in a rubber plantation in Narathiwat’s Yi Ngor district. Police suspect the fatal shooting might stem from a personal conflict, although they have not ruled out issues related to the deep South’s unrest and national security as a possible motive. Following a 6.20am report of a homicide, police went…
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Time to make her move
By Somroutai Sapsomboon It has been almost six months since former PM Yingluck Shinawatra fled the country, just before a court verdict in a criminal case that stemmed from her government’s corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme. She has lived in seclusion overseas for months until, shortly before the New Year, she was spotted in public in London. Just last week, Yingluck was…
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Ao Po Grand Marina gets dragged into Premchai investigations
PHOTO: aopograndmarina.com Italian-Thai Development president Premchai Karnasuta is subject to another encroachment investigation as a firm in which he is major shareholder is accused of encroaching on mangrove forests and the public sea in Phuket. Jatuporn Buruphat, director general of the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, said on Friday that he had instructed officials to conduct a probe against Ao…
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Fire in Ban Thai’s spa in Patong
About noon today (February 17), Patong police receieved a report about a fire in Spanakarn, a 4-story spa business, located inside the Ban Thai Hotel. The fire started in a room named Rachawadee on the third floor of the building. A staff member, Naetdao Kongsoongnern, who was a witness to the fire, told the police that she was at the…
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Anupas announces farewell to Honda cars in Phuket
Anupas Vividhkarn announced it will end its four-branch Honda car sale representative offices and showrooms across Phuket and Pang Nga today (February 17) after 32 years in business. The Managing Director, Montri Hongyok, chaired the press conference today (February 17) at Novotel Phuket Phokeetra Hotel along with the Deputy Managing Director, Montawee Hongyok. “All shops will stop operations from March…
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Dirty water stains our beaches. And our reputation.
Comment by Tim Newton Waste water, drainage, ‘dirty water’, organic sewerage, run off… call it what you want. It’s an ongoing blight on Phuket’s best assets – it’s beautiful stretches of beaches. In the past week, alone, black, sludgy run-off has been reported at Patong, Kamala, Surin and Karon. Officials have been getting their photo-opportunities, pointing at the dirty drainage,…
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Tourist visa extension mobile service for Krabi
Krabi Immigration has launched a mobile van service for visa extensions targeting foreign tourists staying in Ao Nang. Krabi Privincial Immigration Office Superintendent, Pol Col Suparuek Pankosol, along with immigration officers, launched the mobile van and services at Ao Nang Beach yesterday (February 16). The new service will allow tourists to report their extension (other than 90 day reporting) without…
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Tougher screening for public transport drivers
Beginning on March 1, applicants for licences to drive public transport will have to submit a medical certificate in a form approved by the Medical Council of Thailand. The Department of Land Transport announced this week that the aim is to standardise its processing and increase efficiency in screening out people with health conditions that prohibit them from driving. Department…
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Kalasin rape, shooting suspect turns himself in
The 29 year old suspect, who allegedly shot a male third-year university student in the cheek in Kalasin’s Na Mon district early on Tuesday morning before abducting and raping a female sophomore student, has surrendered to police this afternoon (February 16). Rubber tapper Thisanu Phonarat, surrendered to Kam Moung police officers at a gas station belonging to his elder sister.…
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An Xin tour bus crashes in Phang Nga killing the driver, injuring 19
A Chinese tour bus of An Xin Tour Company has crashed into an electric pole on Phetchakasem Road in Phang Nga today (February 16) killing the driver while injuring Chinese passengers. The tourists booked with CNR Travel were heading to the Ban Tha Noon Pier. At the scene of the accident on the Phang Nga – Takuatung route in Krasom…
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More drug dealers arrested at Phuket Gateway
Five busts in two weeks. Three more people have now been arrested at Thachatchai checkpoint at the Phuket Gateway with 16.6 grams of methamphetamine and 542 amphetamine pills at just after midnight (February 16). The two men and one woman include 34 year old Anuchit Buathong from Phuket, 31 year old Mana Changnam from Krabi and 29 year old Nattaya…
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Thailand Kite Festival returns to Hua Hin in March
PHOTO: Peter Lynn Kites The ever-popular Thailand International Kite Festival is set to take to the skies on March 23-25, 2018 at the Army Non Commissioned Officer School, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan. Fancy Kite Show: This year, the event will see 20 kite-flying teams from around the world, including Switzerland, Germany and France. The displays of beautiful kites from all…
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National manhunt after rape, shooting suspect evades police
An arrest warrant has been issued for a 29-year-old suspect accused of shooting a male third-year university student in the cheek in Kalasin’s Na Mon district and abducting and raping a female sophomore student. The female student was later released in a Phuphan forest early Tuesday morning. Thisanu Thonarat was described as armed and dangerous, Kalasin police chief Pol Maj-General…
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Police suspect illegal abortion clinic in Hua Hin
Prachuap Khiri Khan police are gathering evidence to apply for a court’s permission to search a clinic suspected of providing illegal abortion services in Muang Hua Hin municipality, following Tuesday’s discovery of four foetuses in garbage bins near a convenience store in Soi Hua Hin 68. Hua Hin superintendent Pol Colonel Sitthichai Srisopacharoenrat said police were tracking a male suspect…
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Mystery woman drowns off Phang Nga beach
PHOTO: komchadluek.net A woman, over the age of 60 in a black swimsuit, drowned on a beach north of Phuket on Tuesday. When emergency responders arrived at Khuk Khak Beach in Takuapa district, Phang Nga, the woman was already deceased. A security guard at the hotel fronting beach the woman was swimming tried to apply CPR before rescuers arrived, but…
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Fire in Phuket town destroys four houses
Another fire following a string of fires over the past week in Phuket. The fire started in a sofa shop near Komarapat Intersection in Phuket Town and has destroyed four houses causing damage valued at approximately 1 million Baht. Before noon today (February 15), Muang Phuket Police received a report about a fire on the side of Thepkasattri Road, near…
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Muslim paramilitary soldiers injured in Yala bomb attack
Two Muslim paramilitary soldiers were severely injured in a bomb attack while they were escorting a group of teachers to a school in Yala province on Thursday morning, police said. Police said Muslim insurgents had detonated an IED hidden along the main road in Bannang Sareng village in Muang district at 7.30am. A team of seven paramilitary soldiers on four…
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Phi Phi’s Maya Bay to be closed this June. Or maybe not…
According to AFP, Maya Bay is going to be closed in June this year. “The once-pristine Thai bay which became a tourist magnet after the 2000 movie “The Beach” will be closed to boats for several months to prevent further damage to its coral, an official said Wednesday. Hordes of tourists flock daily to Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi…
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Brush fire destroys old worker’s camp in Kathu
An old worker’s camp on fire just behind the Shell petrol station in Phra Phuket Kaew Road, adjacent to the Anupas car service centre. No one was in the dwelling at the time. The fire spread quickly to adjoining bush land but two fire crews attended quickly and brouht the blaze under control within 20 minutes. Police believe there was…
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Keeping track of foreigners in Thailand – new e-passport data to be used
The Immigration Bureau and the Interior Ministry have been instructed to speed up the implementation of a single-platform online database of foreigners entering and leaving the Kingdom. The order was given by Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan when he chaired the meeting of the fifth government committee in charge of bureaucratic reforms at Government House. “The single platform database would…
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Yingluck lobbying for a chat with Japanese PM
National Legislative Assembly whip Somchai Sawangkarn has revealed that a diplomatic source in Japan told him Yingluck Shinawatra has been trying to meet Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The source also told Somchai that the fugitive former premier was also seeking to meet old business and political connections in Japan and planned to call a press conference in late February…
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