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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Sponsored The 5 most common travel emergencies in Thailand and how to be prepared
Thailand is a popular destination known for its dynamic culture, stunning beaches, and bustling cities however, travellers can face unexpected travel emergencies that include medical issues, road accidents, petty theft, and natural disasters. To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip,...
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Not a gogo bar girl
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: The environmental cost of development
PHUKET: Reports that the newly-formed Phuket City Development Company plans long-term investment in the province as a future ‘smart city’ and regional hub for so-called ‘MICE’ tourism is potential good news for the island. The Phuket Gazette hopes that in addition to the group’s business goals, sustainability and environmental conservation will be included while planning its objectives. The list of…
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Aot launches detailed maps to help Phuket airport visitors
PHUKET: The Airports of Thailand (AoT) has released a map for Phuket Airport after the September 16 opening of the new international terminal and commencement of renovations at the old (now domestic only) terminal. Work to revamp the domestic terminal began on November 1. The map gives directions on how to access the parking area, while an additional graphic notifies…
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Angry driver assaults Phuket gas station employee
PHUKET: Police have summoned a gas station employee and a car owner for questioning after a video clip of the driver assaulting the employee surfaced on social media yesterday. The CCTV clip (click here) shows a black Honda with licence plate number 5577 driving up to a Shell gas station in Tah Chat Chai about 6pm yesterday. After talking to…
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Samkong Underpass to be closed for sign installation
PHUKET: The Phuket Highways Office has announced that the Samkong Underpass will be closed again from 9pm tonight until 4am tomorrow for a sign installation. “Wiwat Construction Co Ltd, the company contracted to build the underpass, revealed that the six-meter-long sign board adorned with its name will be installed on an I-beam at the tunnel,” said Phuket Highways Office Director…
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Security tightened for Loy Krathong
PHUKET: Region 8 Police are working to boost security measures during this year’s Loy Krathong Festival on Monday and are requesting the public to follow rules and regulations for the sake of their own safety. “We have received an official report stating that everything will return to normal after the 30-day mourning period is over. Therefore, the festival will be…
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Flotilla to join 30-day remembrance ceremony at Promthep Cape
PHUKET: A flotilla of 50 Royal Thai Navy vessels and private yachts are to join the candle-lit ceremony at Promthep Cape this Saturday to mark the 30th day of mourning since the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thousands of people are expected to attend the event to commemorate the late monarch, to be held atop the cliff at…
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Man arrested for destroying Phuket ATM
PHUKET: A man was arrested last night after he lashed out at an ATM in Patong earlier that day. “We received a report from Krungthai Bank that their ATM in front of Arunsom Hotel was destroyed. CCTV footage showed a man repeatedly striking it at 2:52am, before making his escape,” said Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of Patong Police. Investigations revealed…
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Aspiring Phuket singer gets fussy in Bangla
PHUKET: A Facebook video showing a flared up Thai singer shouting and arguing with locals in Bangla went viral Sunday night. The video shows alleged Waii Kamikaze and her boyfriend drunk and fighting with locals on Bangla Road. Facebook page ‘Red Skill V.SE’ uploaded and shared the video, with the caption: “They say she is a famous singer who just…
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Patong hotel staff walk into bloodbath
PHUKET: A 63-year-old French tourist was found dead with his throat cut in a Patong hotel room last night. Patong Police Captain Sirinart Cherdchutrakulthong received the report at about 9:30pm after a ‘Delicious Residence’ hotel staff member found the man’s body in a pool of blood in the bathroom. The deceased had checked into the hotel last Friday and was…
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Russian family of five survives speedboat sinking
KRABI: A Russian family of five, a guide and a coxswain were rescued yesterday evening after their speedboat sprang a leak and sank in Phang Nga Bay. Thanbok Khoranee National Park Chief Champen Pompakdee and a team of officers arrived at the scene – 5 sea miles (over 9 km) from Koh Hong – in three boats and successfully rescued…
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French Consul to hold first aid workshop
PHUKET: The French Honorary Consul of Phuket is holding the first in a series of basic first aid workshops at Bangkok Hospital Phuket on November 17. Organized in collaboration with Bonjour Phuket, the workshop starts at 7pm and will be conducted in French, comprising about 15 minutes of theory by a qualified medic from Noumea Hospital, followed by practical demonstration…
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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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Tourist associations tackle overcharging of Chinese visitors
PHUKET: Two Chinese associations in Phuket came together at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint Sunday to distribute brochures detailing ‘fair pricing’ information in order to protect Chinese tourists from being ripped off by tour operators. Ronnarit Cheunsangarun of the Thai Chinese Tourism Association, Phuket Office; Nonpuree Patarakumakornsakul of the Phuket Chinese Guide Association; and other representatives from both associations handed out…
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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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DDPM drains flooded areas in Krabi
KRABI: The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Krabi began draining water from about 50 rai of land yesterday morning, after heavy rains in Khao Kram sub-district flooded a mosque, a house and a road in the area. The water level was measured to be 1.5 meters deep, and sometimes goes up to two meters during periods of heavy…
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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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Mon motorcyclist mugs Russian clubber in Patong
PHUKET: A Mon man was arrested on Saturday for robbing a Russian woman in a dark alley when she took a ride with him after leaving a night club on Bangla Road at 2am looking for a taxi. The 30-year-old victim, named by police only as ‘Victoria’, said she was beaten and robbed by Samlee Sangjan, 27, on Tuesday after…
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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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Flash floods cause massive traffic jam in Phuket
PHUKET: Flash flooding has caused a major traffic jam on Thepkrasattri Road southbound, with hundreds of vehicles trying to make their way through the catastrophe this afternoon. Police and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers are redirecting small vehicles and motorcycles to use the alternative road in front of Phuket Muang Thalang School. The flood occurred north of Thalang Town after hours…
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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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