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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American drugs suspect teaching at Krabi school arrested
KRABI: A man wanted by authorities in the United States on drugs charges was arrested yesterday morning in Krabi province, where he worked as a teacher at an international school. The suspect, Alexander Jonathan Rosen, was arrested in front of the school after the US Embassy made a request for assistance to national police chief Gen Chakthip Chaijinda. Police found…
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Infant found dead hours after being fed
PHUKET: A 20-day-old baby girl was found dead at a Burmese worker camp in Thalang last night. Col Chattri Choowichien of Thalang Police received the report at about 10:30pm from Soi Na Yao in Pa Khlok. “Ms Soo, 31, told us that she was breast-feeding her new-born daughter in their room at about 6pm. The baby started choking on the…
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Phuket tourist detained two days for capturing fish
KOH RACHA: A tourist was arrested and jailed yesterday for catching and keeping two fish at a beach on Phuket’s Racha Island. The arrest was made after locals reported the man collecting live fish in a water bottle at Plub Pla Beach. At about 2pm, Fisheries Officer Nares Choopueng, along with Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Department (DMCR) officials, confronted…
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EducationUSA Thailand to host informational fair
PHUKET: EducationUSA Thailand, a program of the US Department of State and US Embassy Bangkok, is inviting high school and university students, parents, and educators to its annual series of higher-education fairs. The Phuket fair is slated for February 1 at Satri Phuket School, with Chiang Mai scheduled for February 2 at Le Meridien Chiang Mai, and Bangkok on February…
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Phuket man faces possible amputation after being scratched by a cat
PHUKET: A 63-year-old Phuket man has undergone two surgeries and almost had to have his leg amputated after a seemingly harmless scratch by a cat last week. A Facebook user named Yak Rerm Ton Mai Kab Krai Bang Khun (real name Rungnapha Ngamjan, the victim’s daughter-in-law) posted a picture of a severely infected leg with a caption that read: “Warning!…
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Canadian tourist dies in single-vehicle accident, friend severely injured
PHUKET: A young Canadian woman faces months of rehabilitation and huge hospital bills after being severely injured in a single-vehicle accident that claimed her friend’s life in Phuket last week, the Vancouver Sun reported yesterday. Nezabravka (Nezi) Borislavova, 24, from Vancouver, suffered internal injuries, two broken shoulders, a broken arm and broken wrist, according to her family friend Patrick Parenteau.…
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Parents protest closing of municipality kindergarten
PHUKET: At least 200 parents and students gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday morning to protest against the closing of the Phuket City Municipality kindergarten. The group was led by Chanakan Nansang and Pranee Thongkao, with several protesters carrying signs that read ‘Why close the kindergarten and open a secondary school?’ Ms Chanakan said that Phuket Municipality School had not…
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Thai immigration to deport alleged pedophile, sex-offender today
PHUKET: Authorities will today deport a suspected Czech pedophile back to his home country where he is wanted for allegedly committing sexual crimes. “Czech authorities will provide five policemen to escort him during his flight back,” Immigration Bureau chief Nattorn Prohsunthorn said yesterday. The suspect, Zdenek Pfeifer, 49, was arrested in Phuket last week in response to a request from…
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Suspected OD victim found in Phuket Town
PHUKET: Police believe a drug overdose may be the cause of death of a Myanmar man whose body was found outside a Phuket Town hostel this morning with drug paraphernalia nearby and a white power in his shirt pocket. Police are now testing the white powder and investigating the cause of death. “We received the report at about 8am and…
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Blood test for Lucky the elephant goes awry
PHUKET: An agitated elephant injured two people and damaged two vehicles while officers were drawing his blood as part of a general health and DNA check on Saturday. A total of 219 elephants were given blood tests at Nakkerd Hills camps by officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), who are currently investigating elephant trafficking…
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Pick-up stuck after drunk Phuket man drives onto beach
PHUKET: Rescue workers spent more than seven hours freeing a pick-up truck from the sands of Bang Tao Beach yesterday morning. The owner of the Isuzu pick-up, Supot Muthina, 32, reported his predicament to Cherng Talay Police at about 8am. He said that he had gotten drunk about 3am and decided to drive to the beach to listen to some…
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Phuket tuk-tuk driver injured after crashing into police box
PHUKET: A tuk-tuk driver sustained serious injuries after crashing into a police box situated atop a median in Kathu this morning. The accident occurred at about 8am near the Kathu-Patong junction, on the way down from Patong Hill. The driver had no identification documents with him, but police believe his name is Faad Yayi, aged between 70-80 years. They also…
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PHA launches ‘Brand Phuket’ logo
PHUKET: The Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) unveiled ‘Brand Phuket’ at the annual Thailand Tourism Forum this afternoon, held at the InterContinental Bangkok, with more than 550 travel and tourism leaders from around the region in attendance. The brand identity, set to drive the profile of the destination worldwide, was created by global branding agency QUO, focusing on positive stories about…
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Fisherman drags ashore ‘disappeared’ 4 million baht speedboat
PHANG NGA: A speedboat that went missing on Thursday was found floating off Koh Yao, Phang Nga Bay, by a local fisherman yesterday afternoon. The speedboat belonged to the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra resort and reportedly ‘disappeared into thin air’ after being anchored off Krabi (story here). The fisherman, Apichat Singharoon, 32, reported his discovery to the Klong Prasong village headman,…
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Business Buzz: Social media trends to look out for this year
PHUKET: As we begin another new year, it is a timely opportunity to consider what we should look out for in 2017. It is always important to reevaluate your digital footprint on a regular basis.Here are my 2017 tips to have a successful year in social media and beat your competition, increase your revenues and improve customer loyalty. Remember, an…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Investigating death
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: Re-evaluating beach safety in Phuket
PHUKET: IT IS reassuring to know that lifeguard services will continue uninterrupted at popular Phuket beaches this year (story here), but we still need to do a better job of publicizing beach safety risks. The pending contract agreement between the Phuket Lifeguard Club (PLC) and the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) will continue to minimize the number of preventable drowning…
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BREAKING NEWS: One seriously injured after explosion on yacht
PHUKET: Two men were injured after a fire extinguisher exploded inside a yacht at the Boat Lagoon at about 2pm today. The yacht, named Serenity, is on the hardstand at the marina for repairs. Both men, who are employees of Marine Engineering Co, were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital where one is reported to be in critical condition. Maj Somchai…
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Elephant “sees red’ during blood test, rams into pick-up
PHUKET: Visitors and officers watched in horror yesterday as an elephant became agitated during a blood test at a camp in the Nakkerd Hill, damaging a pick-up truck parked nearby. The 15-year-old elephant, named ‘Plai Kong Thong’ was undergoing a general health and DNA check by officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), who are…
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Mother, son among four arrested in Phuket krathom bust
PHUKET: About 50 kilograms of krathom were seized and four suspects arrested following raids on four houses in Talad Yai yesterday afternoon. A joint task force comprising Army 41, Navy 3 and Phuket City Police officers raided the houses in the Sapan Ruam community on Anupas Phuket Karn Road, after neighbors complained of krathom dealing taking place there. “At the…
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Phuket police hunt for Rawai burglary suspect
PHUKET: Police are hunting for a burglar who broke into a British man’s rental house in Rawai on Tuesday. Steven Denkhag, 47, filed a complaint with Chalong Police that his belongings, 3,000 baht in cash, and several ATM cards had been stolen from his house. One of Mr Senkhag’s friends, a Facebook user named Onlyyou Formemylove, shared CCTV footage of…
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Immigration Chief says Phuket Airport now fully equipped
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport is now ‘fully equipped’ in terms of personnel and equipment to handle arriving and departing passengers, the Immigration Commissioner announced on Tuesday. He added that officials have “done their best” to reduce long queues and make immigration service faster. Long lines, delays, non-existent essential equipment, a lack of personnel and “confused travellers” all marred the opening…
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Man found dead in water tank
PHUKET: The body of an Indonesian crew member was found in a ship’s water tank yesterday morning. The ship, named Fuh Cih Fu no 68, was moored off Koh Tapao Noi in Wichit. Although the body was initially discovered by a crew member on the vessel the day before, it was not reported until about 9am yesterday, according to Maj…
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Manhunt for Phuket hit and run killer is underway
PHUKET: The search is on for a driver involved in the hit and run killing of an elderly man in Thalang yesterday. Capt Chatree Chuwichian of Thalang Police received a report of a man who was crossing the street and got hit by a pickup truck about 6am. “Witnesses claimed that a pickup truck crashed into Sangop Sookkaew, 78, and…
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Interpol wanted Czech pedophile arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: Royal Thai Police last night arrested a Czech Interpol fugitive wanted for allegedly spreading HIV in both Thailand and his home country. Zdenek Pfeifer, 49, was arrested at the Sila apartments in Cherng Talay. He was initially charged with overstaying his visa, but will now be taken to Bangkok for processing of charges filed against him. Mr Pfeifer has…
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Phuket, Surat Thani police collaborate on B1.5mn drug bust
PHUKET: A suspected dealer was arrested with drugs worth at least 1.5 million baht at his apartment in Phuket Town on Sunday. Phuket City Police received a tip-off from Surat Thani Police that a suspect named Payoongkorn Inaksorn would be delivering drugs from Surat Thani to Phuket. Officers in Surat Thani received the information after apprehending another drug dealer who…
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Minor caught shoplifting at Supercheap store
PHUKET: A Phang Nga girl was arrested early this morning in Phuket after she was caught shoplifting from a Supercheap store near the Heroines’ Monument. Capt Suporn Muangkairong of Thalang Police received the report about 4am. “Staff told us that she had entered the store with a bag, but they paid no heed to it. However, the door alarms started…
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Phuket cops dress as postmen to nab B500K worth of drugs
PHUKET: A suspected dealer was busted with drugs worth about half a million baht by undercover police officers in Phuket Town on Sunday. A tip from another dealer, who had surrendered himself on Saturday, led Phuket City Police officials to the post office behind Provincial Hall. “The dealer told us that a man named Korapat Thipasak, 33, would come to…
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Another taxi driver kills another motorcyclist in Phuket
PHUKET: A motorcyclist was killed late last night in a head-on collision with a taxi in Cherng Talay. Lt Col Rassada Kluengwong of Cherng Talay Police received reports of the incident at about 1:50am. “We arrived to find the body of 43-year-old Sarayuth Duangjan lying face down on the asphalt in the middle of the road,” said Col Rassada. “Rescue…
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Police hunt for shooter of injured Burmese woman
PHUKET: A woman was shot during a ya bah (methamphetamine) ‘exchange’ at a Burmese workers’ camp yesterday morning. Capt Kraisorn Boonprasob of Thalang Police received reports of the incident from 41-year-old Mongkol Wongpradit, the caretaker of the camp located in Thalang. “Chan, a worker at the camp, told us that two Thai men on a white motorbike approached him and…
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