News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
The Thaiger is your essential resource for staying connected with Thailand’s captivating blend of tradition and modernity. To remain in the loop with the country’s most trusted news source, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
-
Sponsored
Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort puts sustainability at its heart
The term sustainability is often thrown around as a buzzword in the hospitality industry, but at Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort, it’s genuinely part of their mission. Located in Makham Bay, just south of Phuket Town, the beautiful resort puts...
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Protesters storm Army HQ; Replacing Yingluck is not an option; Abhisit could take Suthep’s place
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Protesters storm Army HQ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: In a symbolic move, hundreds of anti-government protesters stormed the Army headquarters on Rajdamnoen Nok Road yesterday and briefly occupied the lawn of the headquarters. The move was one of the more dramatic moments in their…
-
Phuket Opinion: Tackling power woes needs input from all
Natthaporn Kochsiripong, 34, is the Electricity Supply Assistant Manager at the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA). A Bangkok native, Mr Natthaporn has a degree in engineering from Thammasat University and a master’s degree in management from Ramkhamhaeng University. Here, he talks about the electrical issues facing Phuket. PHUKET: Phuket has become an island that never sleeps. This has caused a…
-
Phuket Opinion: Click to care
PHUKET: Sharing a link on Facebook may save a whale or a starving child in Africa, but if the number of clicks truly count, then what headlines people look at highlight where our genuine interests are – and it’s shameful. The statistics available through Google Analytics, shown clearly on the Phuket Gazette Forum, are depressing, and I know I am…
-
Sights set on a Safer Phuket
PHUKET: A new safety initiative was launched this week with the aim of improving the island’s coastal water safety through significant changes in safety standards and training. The initiative, ‘Safer Phuket’, has received executive level support, endorsed by Governor Maitri Inthusut along with backing from several Government departments and HE Ambassador Mark Kent of the British Embassy in Bangkok. Martin…
-
DSI puts violent Phuket taxi driver rank in cross hairs
PHUKET: The head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) team operating in Phuket believes that enough information was gathered during a sting operation of a violent taxi rank on the island to launch a full-out investigation. “For us to step in, we must declare a case a ‘special investigation’. Given what happened at the Merlin Beach Resort at Tri…
-
Kamala Police net meth dealers in hotel sting
PHUKET: Plainclothes police arrested two ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) dealers in a sting operation at a Phuket guesthouse on Wednesday night, seizing a total of 1.6 grams of the drug. Lt Suchart Chumphusaeng led four other officers of the Kamala Police in the raid at Popeye’s Place guesthouse, near Phuket FantaSea, where plainclothes officers had arranged to buy 1.6 grams…
-
Anti-Yingluck protesters in Phuket pledge to not back down
PHUKET: Protesters have vowed to keep pressure on the Phuket provincial government until results of the anti-government rallies are seen in Bangkok. “The protests in front of Provincial Hall will continue until the big protest taking Bangkok by storm sees results,” protest co-ordinator Amnuay Kumban told the Phuket Gazette this morning. “The protests have gone too far to start backing…
-
Doctor: American snorkeller fatality in Similans a heart attack, not a drowning
PHUKET: A 78-year-old American snorkeler died from a heart attack in the Similan Island National Park on Tuesday, a doctor at Thai Muang Hospital confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. Officers of the Royal Thai Navy, keeping any eye on tourists in the water from the beach, did not spot William Aloyuisus McCleary’s motionless body at first, as it was…
-
As Provincial Hall falls silent, Phuket Governor works on
PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut assured the public yesterday that everything is “business as usual”, despite the closure of Phuket Provincial Hall by protesters on Wednesday. Governor Maitri explained that he was continuing his work outside the office. “The main gate is closed and Provincial Hall is silent, just as the protesters requested, but I am still doing my job. My…
-
Phuket murder convict Lee Aldhouse happy to serve jail time in Thailand
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse, sentenced today to 25 years in jail for the murder of American Marine Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket in 2010, is happy to serve his jail term in Thailand, the Phuket Gazette was told today. The Phuket Provincial Court sentenced Aldhouse, known in Muay Thai kickboxing arenas as the “Pitbull”, to 25 years’ imprisonment for the…
-
Phuket Honorary Consul reports violent abuse, intimidation by taxi drivers
PHUKET: The Honorary Consul of Ireland this week revealed to the Phuket Governor how she was threatened and intimidated at a resort in Rawai, where taxi drivers refused to let her leave after picking up a friend and her children.The news came at Governor Maitri Inthusut’s quarterly meeting with Phuket’s honorary consuls at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday.“I went to…
-
Another memorable year of the Phuket Dinghy Series
PHUKET: With day one of the final of the Phuket Dinghy series being canceled due to the freak storm that hit Cape Panwa last Saturday, the race resumed on Sunday morning in light wind conditions. A fleet of 17 Optimists and three Lasers did the windward – leeward course in anticipation of wind shift, which is not uncommon after the…
-
Stoney Monday founder faces trial in Phuket for B80mn fraud
PHUKET: The Australian who formerly ran the Stoney Monday Oasis Hotel in Patong has been arrested in Krabi and brought back to Phuket to face trial for embezzlement and six counts of fraud. The alleged damages total more than 80 million baht. Rell Vivien Hayes, 51, was arrested last Friday while allegedly selling property at an upscale resort south of…
-
Swedish tourist drowns at popular Phuket beach
PHUKET: Big Phuket waves at Karon Beach claimed another tourist’s life yesterday afternoon. Swedish national Ann Gorli Teres Fjellner, 59, was knocked over and dragged out by heavy waves at about 9:30am, Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Pachai Matthayan told the Phuket Gazette. “Lifeguards saw the waves pull her out, but when they went to save her, she was already missing…
-
Victim’s sister laments 25-year sentence for Aldhouse Phuket murder
PHUKET: The sister of American Marine Dashawn Longfellow today lamented the 25-year jail term handed down to her brother’s killer, British national Lee Aldhouse, saying that the sentence was not long enough. Marquis Longfellow voiced her disappointment with the sentence less than an hour after Aldhouse was given the 25-year jail term today (story here). “Lee took the life of…
-
Brit kickboxer “Pitbull’ Aldhouse handed 25 years for Phuket murder
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse today was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for the stabbing murder of American Marine Dashawn Longfellow following a bar fight in Phuket in 2010. The sentence was handed down at Phuket Provincial Court this morning. Mr Aldhouse, who entered a guilty plea on August 28 (story here), has one month to appeal the sentence. The…
-
Phuket officials target taxi ranks
PHUKET: Phuket officials put taxi ranks on the chopping block on Tuesday in hopes of allowing police to take quick action against illegal parking. As a result, all taxi rank operators in Phuket must identify themselves to local police stations by December 31, the same deadline day for all taxi, tuk-tuk and tour van drivers on the island to become…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Syrian opposition to attend Geneva; US airlines playing it safe over East China Sea; Price jumps for Philippines’ typhoon rebuilding; Vietnam attacks social media
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Syrian opposition to attend Geneva peace conference Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Syrian National Coalition opposition group will attend the “Geneva 2” talks in January aimed at ending the civil war, the group’s president, Ahmad Jarba, said on Wednesday. In an interview with Reuters and…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Protesters take more ministries; Water-plan forum shut down; Funds dwindle for fight against Aids
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Protesters lay siege to more ministries; some officials express support The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: For a third day yesterday, anti-government protesters continued to lay siege to key government offices in order to challenge Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government and her brother Thaksin’s authority. The…
-
Phuket provincial government shut down in anti-Yingluck protests
PHUKET: Thousands of Phuket residents stormed Phuket Provincial Hall this morning, forcing the provincial government to shut down in protest of “Thaksinocracy” and the Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra administration. “Phuket residents came here without being called on, which shows that they truly don’t want this government any more,” said former Rassada Mayor Suratin Liangudom. “We have prepared a bouquet of…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: PM slapped by censure; Tourism may lose B25bn; Bullion bonanza; More rain for South
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Govt fights censure, protests The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A political battle took place on two fronts yesterday, with anti-government protesters besieging more government ministries and the opposition beginning its no-confidence onslaught against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in the House.Thousands of demonstrators, protesting against a government-backed bill…
-
Triathlon champion Chris McCormack takes reins of Thanyapura Phuket
PHUKET: Thanyapura Phuket has appointed multiple world champion athlete, Chris McCormack, as Executive Chairman of the island’s world-class megaplex as it takes a big stride into the future with the establishment of Thanyapura International to take its unique and ground-breaking “Thanyapura Active Healthy Lifestyle” concept to the world.Mr McCormack will take up the reins at Thanyapura Phuket on December, 1,…
-
Buakaw breaking it down in Phuket
PHUKET: Muay Thai is Thailand’s signature sport, and its most famous active practitioner is Buakaw Banchamek, the rock-hard pugilist from Surin who first stepped into the ring at the tender age of eight and has been fighting regularly ever since – last Monday (November 18) right here in Phuket. Thailand has produced some great fighters over the years: Khaosai Galaxy…
-
Slashed woman dies after Phuket hotel fall, roommate found dead
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist has died after falling from the second-floor balcony of a Phuket Town hotel this morning while bleeding heavily from deep lacerations.Jiang Chengyuem, 42, left a suicide note behind before leaping from The Pago hotel balcony with cuts across her throat, wrists, chest and stomach, said Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Prawit Engchuan.Chinese tourists who were part…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: PM Yingluck extends ISA; Suthep calls for people’s government; Floods ease in South
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PM extends ISA and insists she won’t resign or dissolve House The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra last night extended the invocation of special internal security law to cover entire Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan’s Bang Phli district and Pathum Thani’s Ladlumkaew district.Since October 18,…
-
Marine safety summit sails forward with local, international support
PHUKET: Safer Phuket, a new marine-safety non-government organization (NGO), made a splash today with the announcement of the Coastal Water Safety Summit in January at the PIMEX Boat Show. The announcement comes in the wake of over 200 tourists being stranded on nearby islands over the weekend due to heavy weather (story here), and fatal rip currents on Phuket’s west-coast…
-
Phuket Heartbreak: Father identifies Gao Yang’s body
PHUKET: The father of Gao Yang underwent the heart-wrenching process of identifying his son’s body today. The 20-year-old Chinese national Gao Yang slipped from the rocks at Promthep Cape and fell into the sea at the iconic promontory last Wednesday. His body was recovered after it was spotted by a passing speedboat on Friday (story here). Gao Haiming, 49, arrived…
-
Victory is Sweet for Swiss Olympian at 20th Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: Swiss Olympian Ruedi Wild has triumphed once again at the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, successfully defending his title from his debut performance in the iconic endurance event last year. In the women’s field, Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest’s headliner from Australia, Melissa Hauschildt, newly-crowned 2013 ITU Long distance World Championship and 2013 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, who made her LPT debut…
-
Don’t risk tourists’ lives, warns Royal Thai Navy
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy has warned all tour operators to obey orders to stay in port during dangerous weather conditions following navy ships being dispatched to rescue tourists stranded at Koh Racha and the Similan Islands over the weekend.“If the ports are ordered to close due to the weather, please do not launch your vessels. We understand it is…
-
Man with throat slashed found in Patong pond
PHUKET: Police are looking to identify a man whose body was found in a lagoon behind the Patong Municipality offices early yesterday morning. The man’s throat had been slashed and his torso had been stabbed at least 17 times, reported officers at the scene (map here). “The body was found at 8am by local tuk-tuk driver Pattanapong Sombat, 36,” Maj…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.