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5 hidden healthcare costs in Thailand and how to avoid them
Thailand's healthcare system is affordable and supported by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme, offering essential services to most citizens. However, hidden healthcare costs can surprise patients and lead to unexpected expenses. These include specialist fees, insurance gaps, emergency services,...
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Two illegal tour guides picked up but blitz is on for illegal Chinese guides
Two illegal Thai tour guides have been arrested following a protest lasting two days from other local Thai tour guides crying foul over illegal Chinese guides taking their jobs. Yesterday (December 21) at 5 pm police visited the popular tourist spot following the local tour guide protest at Promthep Cape. Phuket’s Governor ordered a team to conduct a random check…
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Strong winds in Krabi sweep a speed boat off its mooring
A speedboat belonging to a Swedish man, that was tied up in the bay at Koh Lanta, went missing after strong north easterly winds on Wednesday night. The 9 metre speedboat named ‘Baghera’ was reported missing. A team of Marine Security Unit of Royal Thai Navy, Koh Lanta Noi, headed out on Thursday morning in search for the missing vessel.…
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70% of the illegal businesses on Laypang beach cleared. A few remain.
Cherngtalay’s OrBorTor President, Ma-Ann Samran, visited Laypang Beach yesterday (December 21) with about 30 military officers and local police to follow up on the progress of the demolition of encroached restaurants on Laypang Beach. The team found that 70% of the restaurants have already been removed. After the Supreme Court passed down its judgement on November 1 that the 178…
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Less than 200 Km to go – Toon reaches 2,000 Km milestone mark on Day 52
Rock star Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai reached the 2,000km mark of his 2,191km charity run early this morning (Friday) amid chilling weather of 10 degrees Celsius. Toon and his group started the day’s first lap at 3:20am from their rest point in Ban Mae Prao village in Tambon Ban Huad in Lapang’s Ngao district when the mercury was about 10C or…
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Accolade for Samui resort at the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2017
Thai boutique collection, Manathai Hotels and Resorts proudly announced that its Manathai Koh Samui was voted Best Luxury Island Resort at the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2017. The prestigious accolade was given during a gala dinner event hosted at the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Khun Chatri Rattanarangsri, the resort’s Executive Assistant Manager says, “This recognition confirms what we…
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Local tour guides protest over illegal Chinese tour guides
A group of local tour guides, who lead Chinese tours, protested today (December 21) at Promthep Cape against workers, they claim, are illegal Chinese tour guides taking their jobs in tour companies. https://www.facebook.com/phuketgazette/videos/1557310141013475/ The protest started yesterday (December 20) but continued again at the same place today. The group is calling for help from local authorities, saying that the tour…
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Krabi supporters of the coal power plant voice their support
More than 400 Krabi residents gathered in front of Klong Nua District Office to support the coal power plant today (December 21). The group of villagers, led by Baan Pakasai Moo 3 Village Chief, Kijja Thongthtip, says the group under the name ‘Representative of Krabi people network’, filed a letter to the district officials to pass to PM Prayut Chan-Ocha…
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Tiger-poking at a Pattaya Zoo sparks social media outrage
A Thai zoo in Pattaya is sparking outrage after a video of staff repeatedly prodding a tiger to elicit roars for tourist photos went viral, renewing criticism of Thailand’s notorious animal tourism industry. https://www.facebook.com/edwin.wiek/videos/10154902077257443/ Video by Edwin Wiek, the founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand The clip, which has garnered more than one million views since it was posted on…
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40 year old kiteboarder dies off Hua Hun beach
An Irish tourist has drowned in the sea at Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin District after a kiteboarding accident during rough seas. Pol Captain Jaruak Khongkarien, Hua Hin Police Station investigative officer, said on Wednesday that police received a report of a drowning in the sea near the beach at Soi Hua Hin 77. When they arrived, they found that…
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‘Dead’ man visits home in Si Sa Ket seven months after his own funeral
Metropolitan Police Division 1 Chief Pol Maj-General Zenith Samransamruadkit has assigned a team to investigate the misidentification of a corpse, resulting in a Si Sa Ket man being declared dead and his family holding a funeral and cremating an unknown dead male almost seven months ago. Sakhon Sacheewa, a 44 year old fisherman, returned to visit his hometown on Sunday…
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THURSDAY MORNING NEWS BRIEFS – All your local news in 3 minutes
We welcome Thursday and are enjoying the continuing good weather but know there’s a bit of possible rain on the way with a weakening tropical depression. From the TMD… “During 22-24 December, it is forecast as a tropical depression moving near Malaysia and the lower South of Thailand.” Let’s check today’s main news stories… Protesters threaten to go to BKK…
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Impounded fishing boats destroyed in blaze
A fire broke out early on Wednesday, damaging six of seven impounded Vietnamese fishing trawlers and sinking the seventh. The fishing trawlers were moored two kilometres offshore at Songkhla. Witnesses say the blaze started at about 2am but there were no fire-rescue boats available to go to the spot. As the fire engulfed the trawlers, the ropes that bound them…
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How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?
It’s a question asked by an article nearly a year ago. Tim Newton ponders if much has changed in the last 12 months…. “In the worst of the incidents, 25 people died on Monday in Chonburi province after a pick-up truck and a minivan collided and burst into flames. In all, 426 people died on Thailand’s road between Dec 29…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, December 20
Prayut backs his deputy over watch scandal | Air Asia uniforms ‘too revealing’ | Help comes to Krabi 9 year old | Baan Yamu monkeys to be shifted | National police chief vows to track down bus burners | Tanyakan family file official police complaint | Diphtheria hits young refugees in camps in Bangladesh.
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Pick-up truck loses control killing Khon Kaen driver
Kathu police received a report at 1.35am this morning (December 20) about a car crash in Phra Phuket Kaew Road. The officers and Kusoltham Phuket Foundation rushed to the scene and found a bronze pick-up truck wrapped around a lamp post in the middle of the road, near the coconut plantation curve heading east towards the Samkong Underpass intersection. Inside,…
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Blade Runner ‘Cola’ sets a good example
Remember our story about the ‘blade runner’ dog Cola, the soi dog who had a bad start in his life as a pup with both paws amputated? Story HERE. The story has gone viral since then with all the major news agencies picking up the good-news tale about a soi dog who was lucky to be adopted by Soi Dog…
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Paklok monkeys to be sterilised and moved away
After a second public hearing gathering about 50 locals of Baan Yamu in Paklok, who have all had problems with monkeys destroying their valuables, the Chief of Khao Phra Theao non-hunting area, Pongchat Chuahom, says the monkeys will be sterilised, receive a health checkup and then moved to a new home. The meeting chaired by Paklok’s Mayor, Punya Sampaorat, agreed…
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WEDNESDAY MORNING NEWS BRIEFS – All your local news in 3 minutes
More sunshine with a few clouds, more cool evenings and more fresh north-easterly winds. It’s the middle of the week in Phuket. There’s been a great reaction to our story about the young 9 year old Krabi boy who’s been having to spend much of his days in a cage. More about that in today’s daily briefs… Suspects being questioned…
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Malaysian MPs say AirAsia, Firefly stewardess uniforms too sexy
Two Malaysian ruling party lawmakers have chided homegrown low-cost airlines AirAsia and Firefly for dressing their stewardesses in uniforms that are “too revealing”. Senator Abdullah Mat Yasim, a division chief of the ruling Umno party, said in Parliament the fitted attire of AirAsia’s and Firefly’s female flight attendants can “arouse passengers”, the New Straits Times reported. The “eye-catching outfits” also…
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Cadet “Meay’s” family takes case to police
The family of a cadet whose death caught national attention turned up at a police station on Tuesday to “fight for justice”. Supitcha Tanyakan, the elder sister of Phakhapong “Meay” Tanyakan, said she still had faith in the country’s judicial system. She was speaking as her parents stood by her side at Muang Nakhon Nayok Police Station. The Tanyakans have…
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Krabi kid fenced at home after tragic accident
A Krabi man, Chamnan Duangchan, the father 9 year old Poramet Duangchan, is crying out for help after his son was hit by a car and become so worried that he feels he has to keep his son in a cage while working away from home. The 9 year old Poramet was hit by a car 5 years ago while…
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Hi-lo gambling crackdown in Koh Kaew
Police have arrested ten gamblers at a construction camp today (December 19) in Koh Kaew, east of Phuket Town. The six men and four women were found with several pieces of gambling paraphernalia – such as 12 dice, a scoreboard, one set of Hi-Lo gamble equipment, 18,000 baht in cash and some other valuables. The ten gamblers have been sent…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, December 19
9 year old in a cage in Krabi | Reprieve for Thai fishing industry | Police suspect ‘business’ behind Sunday’s bus torching | Alcohol Control Board goes after beer gardens | English proficiency on the improve in Thailand | Bad weather on the way this weekend.
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There’s trouble brewing
The Alcohol Control Board is suing open air beer gardens, specifically the one at Central World Plaza in Bangkok, for ‘violating advertising laws’. But that’s not all. The Board’s Director, Nipon Chinanonwait, says he’s now on a mission to target other such venues and events around the country. His reason? These locations and events “encourage people to drink” and that…
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TUESDAY MORNING NEWS BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes
A perfect sunny day ahead for your Tuesday with moderate to fresh north-easterly winds up to 25 kph. The fresh winds are expected to continue during the week with an approaching storm arriving this weekend. In the meantime, let’s check out the stories making headlines today… ‘Business conflicts’ might be behind bus attack in Yala The Fourth Army regional commander…
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Chalong Circle construction update
Chao Fah West road, approaching the underpass construction works at the Chalong Circle, heading south towards Rawai, is being reduced to one lane. People travelling north from Rawai to the middle of the island are advised to use Chaofa East Road instead to help reduce congestion on Chao Fah West (outside Home Pro/Villa Market). Chao Fah West, approaching the Chalong…
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Satellite imagery shows new destruction in Rakhine State
Analysis of satellite imagery reveals new destruction of Rohingya villages during October and November 2017 in the northern Rakhine State in Burma. This latest report, along with their evidence, has been released by Human Rights Watch today. Human Rights Watch have identified 40 villages with building destruction occurring in October and November, increasing the total to 354 villages that have…
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Pretty in pink – the OrBorJor expands the Potong bus services
‘Potong’, the traditional open pink ‘busses’ of Phuket operated by the OrBorJor, will now be available every day from 6 am to 7 pm featuring four new routes. be ‘Potong’, the traditional non-air conditioning busses of Phuket that can be always seen in pink operated by the OrBorJor, will now available every day from 6 am to 7 pm featuring…
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Southern militants torch passenger bus
Militants armed with rifles yesterday torched a coach heading to Bangkok after removing the passengers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district in the latest violence in the South. Prior to the attack, the militants, who authorities said were trying to create chaos, also set up roadblocks with trees that they had cut down and set fire to villagers’ houses. Officials were…
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Phuket City getting ready to join the Euro Cake League T3
Following the winding up of the former Phuket Football Club last month (story HERE), we now have a new team in town. And they’ve been auditioning players under the watchful eye of their new coach. The new football team for the island, Phuket City, welcomes its new head coach, Sarit Wuttichuay, from Bangkok while more than 100 football players attended…
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