News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, December 15
Parents of dead Army cadet say they’ll sue the Army | Two Thai athletes stripped of their SEA gold medals | New points system for traffic infringements being started next year | Myanmar Reuters journalists arrested | Toon stepping up the pace.
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FRIDAY MORNING NEWS BRIEFING – All your news in 3 minutes
Promises of some rain from the Meteorological Department but it’s looking fine so far for the final day of the working week. Main story this morning is the Army handing down its findings into an investigation into the death of Phakhapong Tanyakan. The full story on the website but it leads our briefs for this morning… Tanyakan family says they…
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Army concludes cadet’s death was from natural causes. Family says they’ll sue.
The family of cadet Phakhapong Tanyakan is dissatisfied with the conclusions of an investigation into the cause of his death and plans to sue the Army. An investigation into the death of the first-year cadet at Nakhon Nayok’s Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School by an Army committee has been completed and the report handed over to the Supreme Commander of…
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Reporters arrested in Myanmar information suppression
Myanmar police have charged two Reuters reporters covering the Rohingya crisis with violating the Official Secrets Act, Yangon-based Eleven Media reports. 31 year old Wa Lone and 27 year old Kyaw Soe Oo are accused of sending classified information they gleaned from security officials in Yangon who had just returned from Rakhine state, where a military crackdown has sent more…
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It’s time for “Upcycling the Oceans”
On January 27 and 28 2018, the PHA and TAT, in association with resources giant PTT and environmental design studio Ecoalf, will launch a new campaign aimed at collecting ocean waste and transforming it into stylish clothing and accessories. Taking place at Patong Beach, the associations will work together with the local community to collect waste and litter from the…
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Deputy PM now has to explain seven multi-million baht watches
It never rains but it pours for Deputy PM and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. While he has yet to clarify his possession of a seemingly multimillion-baht watch, social media users have raised questions about seven other watches he is seen wearing at recent events. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which is investigating the premier’s respected senior aide, yesterday said…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, December 14
Prawit’s been caught wearing another seven watches | The Army will release it’s report into dead cadet today | Patong Mayor says the 10% zones aren’t being ‘expanded’ | PM dances with the red shirts in Kalasin | Hemp crops will be legal from January 1, but… All brought to you by Phuket’s 102.75 FM, The Thaiger.
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4th Supersports 10 Mile International Run set for March 24 & 25, 2018
For the fourth consecutive year, Thailand’s leading sports retailer, Supersports, is organising the country’s only mile-distance race, the Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 Phuket Presented by Thanyapura on March 24 and 25, 2018 at Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort. Organisers expect 4,000 people to take part. The Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 Phuket attracts runners from around Thailand…
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Royal Crematorium exhibition continues to draw huge crowds
More than 3 million visitors have attended the exhibition at the Royal Crematorium of HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej since it opened on November 2, Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said on Wednesday. A total of 3,005,206 visitors reportedly visited the site from its opening until Tuesday. Visitors to the site, which will remain open for public viewing until the…
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Are the 10% beach zones becoming 20% zones?
Despite appearances that the 10% beach zones seem to be magically growing into the remaining 90% of Patong Beach, Patong Mayor, Chalermluck Kebsup has assured the Phuket Gazette that the rule remains the same and the operators are still following the rules for the placement of sun lounges and umbrellas. “The 10% zoning remains the same and there are signs…
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UPDATE: Alleged Laos money smuggling – 98 million baht
Suspecting that the two Lao men arrested on Tuesday trying to cross the border into Laos from Nong Khai with more than 98 million baht in undeclared Thai banknotes might be part of a larger criminal undertaking, Thai Customs officials plan to discuss the matter with their Lao counterparts. Nong Khai Customs chief Nimit Saeng-ampai said on Wednesday the suspects’…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, December 13
Underground cabling works start April 2018 | Schools remain closed in Songkhla | Hells Angel Aussie and his Thai wife in custody | Couple trying to smuggle 98 million baht over Thai-Laos border | Missing Ukranian swimmer found – alive and well. Brought to you by The Thaiger 102.75 FM.
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Phuket Brand, Phuket Best Festival 2017 – Starts December 29
FILE PHOTO ‘Phuket Brand, Phuket Best Festival’ starts on December 29 for 11 days until January 8, 2018. It will feature famous food brands and entertainment at Saphan Hin Park. The City of Gastronomy will offer local street food for tourists while also providing food from luxury restaurants and hotels to locals at the same place, reflecting the diverse range…
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WEDNESDAY MORNING BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes
PHOTO: That’s a LOT of cash to take over the border. Mum & Dad have a currency exchange business. Really?! Welcome to Wednesday. Here’s our daily 3 minute news read to bring you up to date with some of the major local news stories…. Taking a bit of cash over the border. 89 million baht! Customs officials have discovered more than…
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Australian and Thai arrested over alleged smuggling of huge batch of crystal meth
Police have arrested an Australian man – believed to be a member of the Hells Angels gang in Pattaya – and his Thai female accomplice over an alleged attempt to smuggle a large batch of crystal methamphetamine into Thailand. Assets worth 30 million baht have been seized from the couple, senior police told a press conference in Bangkok on Tuesday.…
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Thailand ranks #1 for road deaths on World Atlas website. Dash-cams proposed as solution.
With Thailand unofficially acknowledged as having the highest fatality rate in road accidents worldwide, road safety advocates and police are backing a proposal that would see as many as 80 per cent of cars equipped with dashboard cameras and carrying “Photo in Car” stickers to discourage violations. Don’t Drive Drunk Foundation secretary-general Dr Taejing Siripanich said Thailand last month ranked…
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The can of worms makes its way to Damrongtham Centre
Sarantip Chaeton, who earlier found worms in a can of fish, has visited the Damrongtham Centre at the Provincial Hall today (December 12) asking for some answers from the manufacturer. Read the original story HERE. She told staff at the Damrongtham Centre that the Office of Consumer Protection Board in Phuket informed her that there would be a staff from…
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Missing Ukranian swimmer turns up – alive and well
Happy ending for our missing Ukranian man. Original story HERE. The missing Ukrainian man, 27 year old Mykhailo Ryboichuk who went missing on December 10 has been found safe today (December 12). It ends up that he was just going for a swim, got out of the water when he had finished, didn’t tell others that he’d returned and went…
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Amphetamine crackdown in Krabi worth 10 million baht
This morning (December 12), Krabi police arrested 28 year old Jirasak Wongsa-Ad and 22 year old Apinan Matboonnoi at a house in Ao Luek district with 48,000 amphetamine pills. The 48,000 amphetamine pills were found wrapped in white plastic buckets and buried near a banana tree in the backyard of the house. Police also seized other items at the house,…
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There’s room for three boat shows in Thailand, but not like it is now…
PHOTO: Marine Scene Asia Opinion by Paul Poole An article in the Phuket Gazette on 30 November 2017 welcomed the annual boat show season in Thailand. It raises the question, “is there room for three boat shows each year?” Original story HERE. The question is worth considering as boat show season kicks off for 2017/2018, with a steady stream of…
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TUESDAY MORNING BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes
Welcome to your Tuesday in Phuket. Another excellent day on the way with only a 10% chance of rain later on. The forecast says ‘Mostly sunny’. Back to work and school following your day off (if you were lucky enough to have a long weekend). Here’s today’s main headlines… Change.org calls for General Prawit to step down An online campaign…
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New Phuket bus schedule App
The Phuket Land Transport Office is launching a new application called “Bus Beam” connecting people with public transportations, gathering all the schedules for bus services around Phuket. There are 6 bus operators who have joined the application so far. The Deputy Director General of Land Transport Department, Cherdchai Sanansrisakorn along with Phuket’s Vice Governor, Prakob Wongmaneerung, chaired the opening ceremony…
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Tourist disappears after swimming off Patong Beach
A 27 year old Ukrainian tourist disappeared after swimming off Patong Beach last evening (December 10). A team of Patong lifeguards along with the Kulsoldham Phuket Foundation volunteers combed the beach area following a report that a tourist had gone missing at about 6.30pm (sunset last night was at 6.09pm). A boat driver, who is a witness, says that he…
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Worms found in famous local canned fish tin
Phuket woman Sarantip Chaeton found worms in a tin of canned fish. Her post on social media has become viral with more than 124,544 shares. She revealed on December 9 that she bought the canned fish on December 8. Her sister bought three cans which all mention an expiry date of October 16, 2020, with the manufacturing date being October…
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Surprise proposal at Phukethon
The mini-marathon runner at yesterday’s Phukethon, Pakornkij Kanchanaroj, made a surprise proposal to his girlfriend, Nannapat Saepua, after finishing the run together. The groom has revealed that the couple are from Nakhon Si Thammarat. He is a power plant engineer and his future wife is a social work officer and they have been together for 9 years. The two families…
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Skull of the anonymous corpse found in Thalang drain, found.
Following the case early yesterday where a man’s body was found without its head in Thalang (story HERE), police have discovered his skull in a watercourse in Baan Lipon, Thalang (December 10) after a three hour search. After finding the body, police conducted a survey by walking along the watercourse at 9 am Sunday from the scene backwards to Lan…
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MONDAY MORNING BRIEFING – All your local news in 3 minutes
PHOTO: Kata Rocks winds up their 2017 Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous. Enjoy your public holiday today, if you’re lucky enough to have it off. It’s Constitution Day. A beautiful sunny day ahead with just a few clouds. Should be the same for the next three days too. Here’s today’s main news stories…. “I borrowed the watch from a friend” Deputy…
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Bitcoin cracked $1,000 on the first day of 2017. Then…
The ‘B” isn’t for Baht, it’s Bitcoin. An idiot’s guide to Bitcoin and one American reporter’s dabble in the new world of cryptocurrency. By this week Bitcoin cracked US$12,000. But that was just the start. The price topped US$17,000 on some exchanges on Thursday – US$18,000 on at least one. If we quoted a price here, by the time you…
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Thalang & Chalong drug arrests
Thalang police arrested two Phuket men with 4,000 methamphetamine pills whilst Chalong police were busy arresting a man from Surat Thani with 3,474 methamphetamine pills along with 109 grams of crystal methamphetamine. The two cases have an estimated street value in excess of 2 million baht. On December 8, Thalang police arrested 24 year old Jirapat Samranrat and 24 year…
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Headless corpse found in a Thalang drain
Thalang police received a report about a dead body found in a drain on Thepkasattri Road in Thalang heading towards Phuket Town last night (December 9). At the scene, police found a large crowd crowded around a drain with a strong smell coming from it. After opening it up, police found a decayed male body without his head. The man…
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