News
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Sponsored 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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Phuket yacht dealer sells first Ferretti 850 in Asia
PHUKET: Phuket-based yacht dealership Lee Marine today announced the first sale in Asia of the new Ferretti 850 luxury cruising yacht. The recent sale of the new vessel from Italian designers Ferretti Yachts is sure to raise the bar once again for pleasure yachts in this class, said Lee Marine founder and managing director Joshua Lee. “The Ferretti 850’s dynamic…
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RTN still searching for missing Russian in Similan
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy is still searching for a Russian man who went missing in the Similan Islands last week. Aleksei Stashkov reportedly disappeared last Sunday while swimming at Koh Payan, Similan Islands, on a trip with his cousin, Mikhail Kolmogorov, 60 (story here). Mr Kolmogorov filed a missing persons report last Tuesday after he came across navy personnel…
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Mother gives birth in car 300 meters from home
PHUKET: A Lao Woman gave birth to a 2kg baby boy in the back seat of a car in Koh Kaew last night. Keothong Somthaly, 27, was being driven to hospital by her husband after she went into labor a month earlier than expected, but ended up delivering her child in the car with help from paramedics after her husband…
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Russian tourist dies after Bang Tao swim
PHUKET: A Russian tourist who went swimming at Bang Tao Beach yesterday evening was pronounced dead shortly after lifeguards pulled him from the sea. “Petr Agapov, 57, and his wife had been staying at the Amora Beach Resort in Cherngtalay since November 2,” Phuket City Police Major Nattaya Suphanpong told the Phuket Gazette, after receiving confirmation at 9pm from Vachira…
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Royal wreath ceremony held to honor fallen Phuket soldier
PHUKET: A Royal wreath placing ceremony was held at Wat Sopon Wanaram (Pa Khlok Temple) on Saturday to honor fallen soldier Thanapon Kaewpetch, a native of Phuket, who was shot dead while on duty in the Deep South last week. Private Thanapon joined the military on November 1 last year. He was killed while guarding the Thai military installation in…
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Business Buzz: Think before you share online
PHUKET: This month we are going to cover a range of things that have been topical recently, and a timely reminder of what is important locally. I am going to show my age as a Generation Xer. Growing up, compared to now, things are a little bit different. Whenever we had to do a study assignment, we used to go…
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Burmese dealers busted with large stash of drugs
PHUKET: Police yesterday arrested two Myanmar nationals for drug dealing after raiding a rented apartment room in Rassada, where they found 5,000 methamphetamine pills (ya bah) and 400 grams of crystal meth (ya ice). Aye Ayemaung, 32, was arrested in possession of 3,533 ya bah pills and 366.14 grams of ya ice, along with drug paraphernalia,” confirmed Phuket City Police…
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Phuket Gazette bags ‘Best Newspaper in South Thailand’ award
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette is honored to have been named ‘Best Newspaper in South Thailand’ at the prestigious Thailand Professionals Business & Lifestyle Awards in Bangkok on Saturday night. In presenting the award, the organizers noted that readership was the key criterion in arriving at their decision to favor the Gazette. “With national distribution throughout Thailand, the newspaper is the…
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Phuket to hold commemorative event for HM’s 30-day passing
PHUKET: Phuket is set to hold a commemorative event for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 30-days passing this weekend. Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan has invited everyone across the island to come and pay their respects to His Majesty the King at Laem Prom Thep (Promthep Cape), Rawai, this Saturday at 3pm. The public is also invited to join in the…
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Phuket man dies during final act of kindness
PHUKET: A good Samaritan who volunteered to help remove trees that had fallen and trapped cars in Pa Khlok yesterday passed out while he was doing it and was later pronounced dead at Thalang Hospital. Social media user Suchat Leucha posted a message on Facebook which read: “Deeply sorry about the passing of a kind old man, who along with…
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Governor’s Letter: Resolving conflicts between Thais and foreigners
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Dr Chokchai Dejamornthan is the island’s 47th governor. Originally from Chachoengsao, he holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Christian University of Thailand, a master’s in Social Development from the National Institute of Development Administration, and a bachelor’s degree in Law from Thammasat University. Here, he talks about resolving conflicts between Thais and foreign tourists on the…
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Island View: House hunting in Phuket
PHUKET: I’ve been living the good life at a posh little condo in Kathu for a couple of years now. I’ve changed to at least four different apartments, but all in the same complex, because I liked the idea of having a pool and a gym I can use daily. However, I’ve come to realize that I may be paying…
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Drinking session leads to stabbing death in Srisoonthorn
PHUKET: A 23-year-old man died in Thalang last night after he was stabbed in the neck and chest by his 31-year-old drinking buddy. Thalang police confirmed this morning that the body of Boonnam Ravea, 23, was found in a pool of blood at a house in Moo 7 in Srisoonthorn at 12:30am. Mr Boonnam’s body had stab wounds under his…
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1 killed, 26 injured as coach to Phuket flips on wet bend
PHANGNGA: One man was killed and 26 passengers injured when the driver of a double-decker bus lost control in a sharp curve on a wet road in Phang Nga yesterday afternoon. The bus left the road and flipped, ending up on its side, crumpling the top deck and killing a naval officer based at the Third Area Naval Command in…
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Patong Mayor unmoved by beach vendors’ pleas
PHUKET: Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup on November 1 dug in her heels against alleged public land encroachment by Patong Beach food vendors. A three-hour meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall between Patong Municipality officials, Phuket Provincial officers and beach vendors ended without any definite conclusion, which Mayor Chalermluck attributed to the fact that beach vendors ‘never made good on their promises’.…
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Australian tourist injured in elephant attack
PHUKET: An Australian tourist was hospitalized after he was attacked by an elephant chained to a tree inside a forest in Mai Khao. “Chan Yong Shun, 62, had gone for a walk in the area on Monday, when he came across the four-year-old elephant named Namwan and moved closer to take a picture,” said Tah Chat Chai Police Superintendent Prawit…
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Busted again: Ex-convict arrested for drug possession
PHUKET: A 21-year-old ex-convict was arrested with 48,700 pills of ya bah (amphetamine), while her two accomplices are on the run from police. Papawadee Yuanset was arrested near a mangrove forest in Pa Khlok about 5pm yesterday. She had previously been sentenced for possession of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) with intent to sell and was released from prison about a…
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Finance: Watching elections and electronics
PHUKET: October is known for volatility and a stock market pullback just before the US election could still happen. However, over the past several weeks, I have been seeing defensive stocks weaken and growth stocks start to strengthen. There has also been some movement back into IPOs which could be signs of a speculative bull market forming. Aside from the…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Forget why you moved to Thailand
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Opinion: Every cloud has a silver lining
PHUKET: The flooding that inundated many parts of the island late last week is an indication that massive capital investment in various flood-prevention schemes is a remedy that has to contend with land-use planning and construction oversights that have characterized Phuket’s often erratic ‘development’ over the years. One of the worst-hit areas was Patong, where scores of businesses and residences…
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Dropped candle blamed for Phuket blaze
PHUKET: A candle falling onto a bed is believed to have been the cause of a fire which gutted a row of five houses in Thalang last night. No one was injured in the blaze, which broke out at 10pm in the Baan Mak Prok community and quickly spread to nearby houses, Tah Chat Chai Police Capt Thanom Thongpan told…
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Body of fallen Phuket soldier returns home
PHUKET: The body of a soldier, shot dead while on duty in Pattani last night, was brought back to his home in Phuket’s Pa Khlok sub-district today. Private Thanapon Kaewpetch, 23, had completed his term as a soldier, but had been carrying on his duty voluntarily. Phuket officials and army personnel, led by Gen Akom Pongprom of the 41st Military…
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Air and sea operations underway to find missing Russian man
PHUKET: Officials are searching for a Russian man who went missing on Sunday while swimming at Koh Payan, Similan Islands. Aleksei Stashkov reportedly disappeared while swimming on a trip with his cousin, Mikhail Kolmogorov, 60. Mr Kolmogorov filed a missing persons report on Tuesday after he came across navy personnel from the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, while searching…
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Free trip to Grand Palace for Phuketians in mourning
PHUKET: Phuketians wishing to pay their respects to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej can now avail themselves of a free trip to the Grand Palace in Bangkok. “The Ministry of Interior has made arrangements for people to visit the Grand Palace from 9am-4pm every day,” said Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan. “Therefore, we plan to take people from Phuket to Bangkok…
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Indebted Phuket man found hanged
PHUKET: A motorbike taxi driver was found hanged in a room in Patong last night, along with a letter nearby. “We found the body of Boonchai Tongsirikul, 65, hanging from a nylon rope in a room on Pisitkoranee Road,” said Capt Sininat Cherdchutrakulthong of the Patong Police. “There were no signs of a struggle or any violence inflicted on his…
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B5mn worth of damages in Phuket plant fire
PHUKET: A power controller at the Patong water treatment plant caught fire early Tuesday morning, causing an estimated 5 million baht worth of damages. “Firefighters took 20 minutes to put out the blaze. Nearby locals reported a loud explosion, followed by smoke and flames from the plant,” said Patong Police chief Lt Col Weerapong Rakhito, who inspected the site soon…
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Low turnout for 2nd Tranlee asset auction
PHUKET: A second round of auctioning off assets seized from the defunct Tranlee Travel Co at the Phuket Municipality office yesterday attracted little interest from potential buyers. Back in September, more than 150 assets confiscated from the travel company by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) fetched 102,742,000 baht over three days of auctions, after the company was found to be…
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Five years for molester of American tourist
KRABI: The Thai man who sexually assaulted 23-year-old American tourist Hannah Michel Gavios on September 1, resulting in her falling down a 45-meter cliff at Railay Bay in Krabi, has been sentenced to five years in jail. Ms Gavios was temporarily paralyzed after falling down the crevice at night while attempting to flee the advances of Krabi native Apai Ruangwong,…
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Laguna Phuket Triathlon named ‘Best Amateur Sports Event’ of the year
PHUKET: Laguna Phuket Triathlon has been awarded this year’s ‘Best Amateur Sports Event’ at the 2016 Sports Industry Awards & Conference (SPIA Asia). The Laguna Phuket Triathlon organizers picked up the bronze award at SPIA conference in Bangkok on October 4. Winners in the same category were the Bangkok Marathon, awarded Gold, and the Top of the Gulf Regatta (Silver).…
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Electrocuted man found dead in home
PHUKET: A man was found dead with an electric wire wrapped around his wrist early this morning in Thalang. Police believe he died from a self-inflicted shock. “We received reports at 2:40am that Channarong Sinka, 30, was found in his one-storey house on a street off Thepkrasattri Road,” Thalang Police Lt Sunan Petnhu told the Phuket Gazette. “We found him…
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