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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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Boat operator rescued after fierce waves capsize longtail
PHANG NGA: A longtail boat operator was pulled from Phang Nga Bay yesterday after his longtail boat capsized in the heavy surf. Sawek Wansadee, 32, left the pier at Hat Noppharat Thara, Phi Phi National Park, at about 9am. He told the Phuket Gazette that he quickly found his little low-profile longtail taking a beating from waves of about two…
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Ya bah-peddling duo arrested in Krabi
KRABI: A ya bah (methamphetamine) peddling duo was arrested at a palm tree plantation in Krabi yesterday. Lamthap Police officers had been keeping an eye on Nakhon Promsaeng, 37, and Thongkan Duangkaew, 33, since the beginning of this month, due to suspicions that they might be selling drugs to teenagers. “We arrested the duo with 54 ya bah pills at…
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Clampdown coming on zero-dollar tourism
PHUKET: The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) has promised to clamp down on ‘zero-dollar tourism’ following an inspection tour of several touristic venues in Phuket on Tuesday. CNTA chief Wang Chiao Fong and an entourage of Chinese officials were accompanied by Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office Director Sirawee Waloh as they visited jewelry stores and tourist spots. The…
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Phuket-bound plane veers off runway
PHUKET: A flight from Bangkok skidded off the runway while landing at Phuket International Airport yesterday evening. Thai Airways flight TG 221 departed from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 6:15pm, bound to arrive in Phuket at 7:35pm. An official statement issued by Thai Airways says that “poor weather” conditions and visibility were reported at the time of the flight’s arrival…
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Same-same but different at new terminal
PHUKET: Long lines, delays, non-existent essential equipment, a lack of personnel and confused travellers have all marred the opening days of the Phuket International Airport’s new terminal. Phuket airport officials admitted the new terminal’s immigration systems are not working, even after test flights from China and the terminal’s official September 16 opening by Thailand’s Prime Minister (story here). Somsak Pakdeerak,…
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Teens busted for bike thefts
PHUKET: Two teenagers suspected of stealing a total of nine motorbikes in the past few months were arrested in Phuket Town on Sunday. The boys – one a 14 year old, the other a 17 year old – were apprehended when Phuket City Police responded to a 3am report of an accident on Surin Road in Phuket Town and found…
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Rendered images of Rajabhakti Park released
PHUKET: Rendered images of the plans for Surin Beach, officially reopened as ‘Rajabhakti Park’ in June (story here), were released to the public this week. Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat said modestly that officials are looking to make it the “most beautiful beach in the world”. The estimated project budget is more than 800 million baht. “Surin Beach is already…
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Outrage over dolphin death prompts ultimatum
KRABI: Locals in Krabi Province were outraged over the weekend after a social media post went viral yesterday. The post shows a dead baby dolphin caught in an illegal coastal fishing net system. A user on the social networking application ‘Line’ shared the photographs, taken in the Khao Khram sub-district’s Tah Paree Bay. After examining the calf, a Marine official…
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Double motorcyclist deaths shrouded in mystery
PHUKET: Two motorcyclists died in two separate mysterious accidents on Thepkrasattri Road in the early hours of Sunday – one a woman in her mid twenties, the other a man, also in his mid twenties. Police responded to the first accident in Koh Kaew on the northbound lanes of the road at about 2.30am. “We received a report that there…
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PM’s visit dashes sea gypsies’ hopes for land dispute resolution
PHUKET: A minister of the Interior sank provincial officials’ hopes for the potential resolution of one of Phuket’s longest-running conflicts, during a ‘state visit’ by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-Cha to the island on Friday. Decades-long disputes between the Rawai sea gypsies and developers in the island’s southernmost municipality had entered a new round of government-mediated negotiations in February when Governor…
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Debt-burdened Krabi vendor found dead
KRABI: A local Krabi resident walked into a blood bath on Saturday morning when he entered his room to find the body of his wife, who had asked to be left alone the night before. Sudrak Khumsuk, 33, found 28-year-old Supranee Wangthanom with a gunshot wound to the head and a four-page note on the bed next to her. The…
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Krabi tourism gets airlift from Asian influx
KRABI used to flip-flop between having a regimented high-season – catering to winter snowbird visitors from Scandinavia and Europe – and a low-season during which many hotels even scrapped breakfast buffets. However, the latest research by C9 Hotelworks reveals skyrocketing airlift is edging the market towards being a year-round destination. The C9 Hotelworks ‘Krabi Hotel Market Update 2016’ report reveals…
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Unidentified man in critical condition after bike crash
PHUKET: An unidentified white male was seriously injured when he crashed his bike into a roadside barrier near the Muslim graveyard in Kamala about 12:40pm today. The injured driver was rushed to Patong Hospital where he remains in critical condition from head injuries, said Capt Prasert Thongprom of Kamala Police. Witnesses at the scene said the victim was heading from…
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Self-taught snake catcher nabs five-meter-long king cobra
KOH LANTA: A five-meter long king cobra discovered by an 11-year-old girl was caught by a Koh Lanta local yesterday evening. Worawut Longasun says he has trained himself to capture snakes by watching videos on television and YouTube. The snake was found in the storage area of Aree Wansuk’s house by her daughter who spotted the reptile’s tail while playing…
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Thousands gather to welcome PM to Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha was greeted by thousands of fans during his one-day trip to Phuket on Friday, during which he committed that his government would support mega projects on the island. PM Prayuth chaired the opening ceremony of the new terminal at Phuket International Airport (story here) and then headed to Patong to inaugurate ‘Startup Thailand’ and…
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PM launches Startup Thailand in Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha officially launched ‘Startup Thailand’ and ‘Digital Thailand’ 2016 at the Duangjitt Resort & Spa in Patong yesterday. The regional launch of this nationwide initiative is aimed at helping budding local businesses to get off the ground and into the international arena of digital commerce. The Startup Thailand 2016 campaign was launched by the prime…
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Opinion: Learning from mistakes during Samkong Underpass construction
PHUKET: Chalermpol Wongkiattikun, originally from Chonburi province, is currently the Samkong Underpass project engineer from the Department of Highways. He graduated with a Master’s degree in structural engineering from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Srinakharinwirot University. Here, he talks about the problems with the Samkong Underpass construction and his advice for…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Willing to forgo principles
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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Sea gypsies march to submit letter to PM
PHUKET: Hundreds of sea gypsies and community activists today marched to Phuket’s Rajabhat University in an attempt to petition the prime minister during his visit to the campus today. The gypsies had gathered at Rassada Municipality Office earlier in the morning and then marched to the university, where Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha was meeting with Phuket industry leaders, but they…
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Island View: Don’t need a 12-lane highway
PHUKET: With over 20,000 deaths every year, Thailand is second only to Libya – a country in the midst of a civil war – for the highest rate of annual traffic fatalities. Here in Phuket, poor planning, dense populations, unqualified drivers and a lack of law enforcement conspire to constantly raise each week’s body-count. The main thoroughfare through the island…
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Opinion: Born to be wild
PHUKET: The report of gibbons reproducing naturally in the wild in Phuket comes as rare good news for an island that has suffered much environmental degradation in recent decades. Hopefully this discovery can serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving what remains of our once natural ecosystems. Baby gibbons rank right up there in the Anthropomorphic Hall of…
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Jehovah’s Witness to hold national convention
PHUKET: Members of the church of Jehovah’s Witness from Phuket and throughout Thailand are meeting in Bangkok from Friday September 30 to Sunday October 2 for a multinational convention titled ‘Remain Loyal to Jehovah!’. The convention, to be held at Thurakit Bandit University on Prachachuen Road in the Lak Si district of the capital, is one of a series of…
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Phuket sports organizations make it to SPIA Asia finals
PHUKET: A handful of Phuket events and sports businesses have made the final shortlists of the 2016 Asian Sports Industry Awards (SPIA Asia) and will be competing against the best in Thailand and Asia for a prestigious SPIA award this year. A total of 72 Thai entries made the final shortlist for SPIA Asia 2016 in a variety of categories,…
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PM opens international terminal
PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha arrived at Phuket International Airport this morning. The visit by the head of Thailand’s military government is billed to last only for today, as he headlines the opening ceremonies of the airport’s international terminal, inaugurates ‘Startup Thailand’ and meets with trade representatives at Phuket Rajabhat University. This morning, in an elaborate ceremony attended by…
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Task force raids Coconut Island development in new encroachment case
PHUKET: Officers from a joint task force raided a Coconut Island (Koh Maprao) development yesterday, after locals warned authorities that the developer had already begun construction without proper land ownership documents. Police refused to name the property development company or the female suspect listed on the development’s tax documents, stating that they were in the preliminary stages of investigations. “After…
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Krabi monks cough up cash to repair road
KRABI: Monks and other locals in Krabi took it upon themselves yesterday to finally fix a road that had remained damaged for over a decade. The Abbot of Suwan Thararam Temple, Luang Phor Prathuan Jitseelo, led a team of nine monks and locals in repairing the pot-holed road. The monks financed the operation by diving into their own pockets as…
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Local vendors oppose Supercheap rumored to open in Rassada
PHUKET: Local vendors took to the streets of Rassada on Tuesday to voice their opinions, following rumors that Supercheap plans to open a store in the area. About 40 vendors gathered in Soi King Kaew Utit at about 5:30pm. “Panumas Nukuea, one of the vendors, has stated that locals can’t compete with the prices that Supercheap offers its customers and…
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Krathom peddling, foreigner-targeting bus gang apprehended
PHANG NGA: Police detained three men yesterday accused of robbing a Belgian tourist aboard a Phuket-bound bus. Peter De Balabander boarded the bus in Surat Thani and said he had asked bus staff to load his bags, but after arriving at Khao Sok National Park in Surat Thani and hailing a taxi to his rented bungalow, he realized that he…
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American man found dead in Patong apartment
PHUKET: Investigations are underway into the death of an American man, whose body was found in a rented apartment in Patong Tuesday night. The body of 63-year-old Horace Nelson Higdon Jr was found after a housekeeping staff member noticed a foul smell coming from inside the third-floor apartment at the Fasai Apartment & Home on Pisitkoranee Road. “The owner of…
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Wanted posters of bombing suspects go up in Phuket
PHUKET: Wanted posters with photographs of the August 12 bombing suspects (story here) as well the suspects of the Samui bombing last year (story here) were put up in four hot spots on the island yesterday. The four 3×4 meter posters show pictures of the eight suspects. The general public is being urged to contact the 24-hour hotline on 191…
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