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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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Hungry python captured near Patong school
PHUKET: A three-meter-long python was captured near a school in Patong this morning. The snake was found with its head stuck in netting covering a chicken coop at 9:30am in Soi Phra Barami 6, next to Kalim school. The snake must have been trying to get at the chickens but it was too big to fit through the holes in…
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Safety regulations reviewed after fatal Phi Phi boat collision
PHUKET: Officials from the Phuket Marine Office (PMO) told the Phuket Gazette that the investigation into a fatal speedboat collision in Phang Nga Bay on June 8 (story here), may result in additional regulations for speedboat operators. Tanthai Wongsayree, an officer with the PMO, said that staff are in the process of reviewing the causes of the boat collision, which…
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Storms damage famous fossils in Krabi
KRABI: Geologists are seeking a solution to preserve one of Thailand’s largest fossil sites, after it was damaged by monsoon waves. Naturally-formed slabs of fossilized shells, believed to be about 75 million years old, at Fossil Shell Beach – locally known as ‘Susan Hoi’ – have broken off recently. The beachfront site in Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi…
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Illegal lumber cache confiscated in protected forest
PHANG NGA: Investigators seized more than one tonne of contraband lumber found in national forest in Takuapa on Saturday. The team, led by Takuapa District Chief Manit Pianthong, seized a total of 43 pieces of lumber that had been cut from protected trees in the Khao Lak Khao Ton forest preserve. “The illegal lumber was found in Bang Muang sub-district.…
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Samkong traffic to be redirected for underpass work
PHUKET: Both northbound and southbound lanes of the new Samkong Underpass are to be opened to traffic this Sunday, Phuket City Traffic Police has confirmed. “Motorists heading south for Central Festival should turn right at the Samkong Intersection, crossing over the underpass there, as they will not be able to turn right at the Darasamuth Intersection after entering the underpass,”…
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Island View: The perks of parking are ready to be reaped
PHUKET: Friends often whine to me about the traffic issues in Phuket Town, usually about how difficult it can be to get in and out of town during morning and evening rush hours. But I had no idea just how implausibly gridlocked the center of town can become, until I scheduled a lunch meet there. We were booked to meet…
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Phuket going ‘smart’ with B430mn initiative
PHUKET: The province is forging ahead to develop ‘smart city’ status with a 430 million baht initiative launched earlier this year. Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak gave the green light on March 21 to launch the pilot project. “The Thai government had been developing a smart-city concept, focusing on information-technology systems, which would become the foundation for the economy, society…
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Law enforcement goes digital in effort to curb land fraud
PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigations (DSI) announced it will launch a mobile application, allowing users to evaluate properties remotely before buying or selling land. The ‘DSI Map on Mobile’ application is expected to debut within the next couple of months.This announcement comes after a string of land raids, prosecutions of incorrect or falsified land documents and the revocation of…
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Condo construction halted after deadly crane collapse
PHUKET: Police have ordered a halt to construction of an eight-story building near Phuket International Airport after a crane collapsed at the site yesterday, killing one construction worker and injuring three others. (story here) The crane collapsed at 9:30am at the construction site of The Terminal Phuket condominium. Sakoo police confirmed this morning that Mr Nikorn Tabtawee, 30, from Nakhon…
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Video Report: Surin reopens for 70th anniversary of HM King’s coronation
PHUKET: More than 5,000 people, including government officials, military officials and yellow-clad locals, poured onto Surin Beach for its grand reopening on the 70th anniversary of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s coronation yesterday. The beach’s reopening comes after the April demolitions of private structures, found to be illicitly operating on public land (story here). The renovated beach was renamed as ‘Rajabhakti…
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Truck driver charged for crushing 79-year-old to death
PHUKET: A 79-year-old motorcyclist was crushed to death when he collided with a garbage truck in Mai Khao yesterday. “The accident occurred near Baan Kor En School. The man’s motorbike was wedged under the front right wheel of the truck. His body was stuck to the back left wheel,” said Tah Chat Chai Police Deputy Superintendent Sarit Bootnongsaeng. Mee Doomlak,…
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Sea gypsies break down over letter ‘misunderstanding’
PHUKET: Rawai sea gypsies were left distraught yesterday afternoon, after the Region 4 Army deputy commander Kunnawut Morkaew left Phuket Provincial Hall without accepting a letter they had prepared for him. “We have been waiting to submit the letter all day. We don’t understand why the general left without accepting it,” a member of the group said. A meeting between…
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Breaking News: Man killed in crane collapse
PHUKET: One person is dead after a crane collapsed on a construction site near Phuket International Airport this morning. Officers from the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation are heading to the site. — Kritsada Mueanhawong
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Opinion: Education key to “Smart City’ success
PHUKET: Given its present status as a mass tourism destination, Phuket has potential for development as one of the enthusiastically-dubbed ‘Smart Cities’. In the broader sense, however, the real key to our future success in this digital age lies in raising local educational standards. Previous successive governments have trumpeted similar grandiose schemes, but without adequate funding or ever directly addressing…
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Facial reconstruction for Phuket boat crash victim
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist injured in the boat collision that killed two tourists and left 18 others wounded is receiving facial reconstructive surgery at Bangkok Hospital Phuket, hospital officials confirmed today. The patient, Mr Zigang Zhu, 29, was referred to Bangkok Hospital from Phuket Provincial Hospital.Staff reported that Mr Zhu sustained multiple fractures, multiple wounds to his right leg and…
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Gov, officials inspect mall’s crumbling columns
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada inspected the crumbling pillars at Jungceylon mall yesterday, urging the public not to panic. Jungceylon CEO Prawit Janyasitikul confirmed yesterday that four concrete pillars were found to be damaged in the mall’s basement indoor market, the Port Zone. The area was immediately closed off (story here). Public outcry began after an anonymous source posted pictures…
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Huge haul of illegal fireworks seized in raid
SAMUI: Police seized an illegal stockpile of fireworks estimated to be worth two million baht from a shophouse in Koh Samui this week. Police raided the property on Taweerat Road in the Bo Phut district at 5pm, after a tip off from local officials. Bo Phut Police Lt Denduang Tongsisuk said the owner, named only as Mr Off, had locked…
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Phuket FC pres furious after false reports of club’s bankruptcy
PHUKET: The president of the Phuket Football Club (Phuket FC) is fuming after news reports about the club’s alleged financial troubles went public earlier this month. Reports stated that management owed club players and staff two months in back pay, amounting to more than 1.6 million baht. Reports also stated that electricity services were cut at the team’s headquarters, after…
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Woman upset with daughter jumps down a well
KRABI: Krabi locals yesterday reported a woman jumping into a well behind Ao Leuk Police Station. “Sawat Bootkrajong, 59, reportedly jumped into the five-meter-deep well, due to a domestic dispute involving her daughter’s return to her hometown in Ratchaburi,” said Pornthip Paklang of the Ao Leuk rescue team. Rescue workers spent about 40 minutes negotiating with Ms Sawat, before convincing…
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Experts meet challenge of sustainable development in honor of HM King
BANGKOK: The nation’s top environmental experts and planners met in Bangkok this week to address the challenges faced in bringing about sustainable development in Asia, in a conference held in honor of His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 70th Anniversary of his accession to the throne. The two-day seminar, dubbed ‘Sustainable Development Challenge in Asia’, was held at the Dusit…
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Crumbling pillars force closure of Jungceylon shops
PHUKET: Jungceylon CEO Prawit Janyasitikul confirmed today that four concrete pillars were found to be damaged on Monday in the mall’s basement indoor market, the Port Zone. The area was immediately closed off after the discovery on Sunday evening. However, the rest of the shopping mall remains open for business, said Mr Prawit. “The safety of our shoppers and staff…
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Police seize protected species from Hua Hin Zoo
HUA HIN: A police raid at Hua Hin Zoo in Prachuap Khiri Khan province yesterday led to the confiscation of more than 100 animals, The Nation reports. The raid was launched as part of a crackdown on illicit animal trades, after investigations into the Tiger Temple lead to the discovery of animal parts and corpses (story here). The Department of…
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Blinding light at intersection disgruntles locals
PHUKET: Wichit Municipality has asked the advertising company operating an LED billboard at the Central Festival Intersection to dim their sign, after receiving complaints from commuters. Wichit Mayor Kreetha Chotwitpipat said locals have sent in complaints to his office that too much light emanates from the billboard at the Central Festival-Darasamuth intersection, particularly at night. “At this stage, we have…
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Suspects in Patong killing captured
PHUKET: Police have captured two men allegedly involved in a Patong cafe brawl that left one dead and another injured on Tuesday. Police said the two men were apprehended after one man turned himself in and revealed the location of his accomplice. “We received reports that the primary suspect, Nattasak Srimok, 24, and his friend Issara Boontos, 25, were fleeing…
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Patong lifeguards revive Russian boy after swimming lesson with dad goes wrong
PHUKET: Patong Beach lifeguards were hailed as heroes yesterday for saving the life of a 5-year-old Russian boy, who nearly drowned while being taught to swim by his father. The incident occurred at the beach area opposite the entrance to Bangla Road. Lifeguard Somprasong Seangchart said the boy’s father ran up the beach carrying his unconscious son to seek help…
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![Two dead, 20 injured in speedboat collision [video] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1_20166816319476_zCbuwxHtiqtZMcGCzBEVRsOWkgpmRrCRueMqbTjK_jpeg.jpeg)
Two dead, 20 injured in speedboat collision [video]
PHUKET: Two tourists were killed and about 20 injured, many of the seriously, when two speed boats loaded with tourists collided near Phi Phi about 12:30pm today. The boats, named Chanakit 856 and Hongfah 20 were carrying 36 and 26 passengers respectively. The bodies of the dead tourists and the injured were ferried back to Phuket’s Rassada pier where emergency…
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Surin Beach reopens tomorrow as Rajabhakti Park
PHUKET: Surin Beach is to be officially reopened as Rajabhakti Park tomorrow, in a ceremony to commemorate the reign of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who ascended the throne on the same date in 1946. Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has invited Phuketians to dress in yellow and attend the public event at Phuket’s ‘Beach of Honor’, which King Bhumibol visited…
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Opinion: Extending tourism benefits to locals
Charan Sangsarn has been the Secretary General of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce since 2014. He’s earned Bachelor’s degrees from the Faculty of Law, Ramkhamhaeng University and Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, as well as one from the Faculty of Public Administration, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. He also has a Master’s degree in Political Science from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University and…
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“Tiger Temple’ faces possible closure, more criminal investigation
KANCHANABURI: The ‘Tiger Temple’ could be permanently closed if its land use permit from the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) is revoked, the National Office of Buddhism disclosed yesterday. With the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department (DNP) relocating all tigers from Wat Pa Luangta Bua, better known as the ‘Tiger Temple’, and finding evidence of illegal trading in…
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Russian man found hanged in Patong hotel room
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a Russian man who was found hanged by the neck in a room at a Patong hotel yesterday. Hotel staff found Ivan Romankin, 29, at about 5:20pm, hanging from a steel beam. Patong police refused to release the name of the four-storey hotel. They suspect Mr Romankin had been dead for six hours…
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