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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Body of Korean found at sea 5 days after disappearance
PHUKET: The body of a man believed to be that of a Korean tourist who went missing after entering the sea to save his girlfriend at Patong beach last Wednesday was found by fishermen off the northwest coast of Phuket yesterday. Korean nationals Siwoo Park, 25, and his partner Garam Hong, 28, disappeared in the surf off Patong Beach around…
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‘Fish are scarce’ report Krabi fishermen
PHUKET: Fishermen from Krabi returned to shore yesterday disappointed with the meager quantities caught on the first day of fishing following a three-month hiatus. Yesterday was the first day that large fishing vessels were allowed to return to fish in the Andaman Sea after 4,696 square kilometers between Phuket and Trang were closed off so as not to deplete fish…
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Tai Ping comes to town
PHUKET: Bangkok based fabric designer and manufacturer Thailand Carpet Manufacturing Plc opened its first satellite store in Phuket on June 25 to cater to growing demand in the province for high-quality custom- design flooring. Targeting Phuket’s hospitality industry, the company, under the brand name Tai Ping, expects to earn about 20 million baht in revenue in their first year. Located…
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![Return of the Rajabhat roboteers [video] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1_2016729332546_njElCapiGSWWIyCDulmDkxAoAWVxGORuxVgzvWiC_jpeg.jpeg)
Return of the Rajabhat roboteers [video]
PHUKET: Two teams of students from Phuket have made it through to the national level of the World Robot Olympiad 2016. The Refresh Team and the Reboot Team, both from Kathu Wittya School, are among the tech-savvy youngsters who competed in the first leg of the international contest held as Phuket Rajabhat University (PKRU) June 23-24. The competition was organized…
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Police clear Chalong traffic for baby who wouldn’t wait
PHUKET: A heavily pregnant teenage mother almost gave birth while stuck in traffic at Chalong Circle this morning. Ms Bee, the 18-year-old mother-to-be, called a relative to take her to the hospital when she felt labor pains. “By the time we reached Chalong Circle, the baby’s head was already out,” said Royah Kiewsot, the relative who accompanied her to the…
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Opinion: Improving communication to prevent accidents
PHUKET: Wang Huijuan is the Chinese vice consul general and head of the Chinese Consular Office in Phuket. Originally from Beijing, she has been working in this position since 2014. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Nankai University in China. Here, she talks about her suggestions to solve the problem of unexpected incidents and accidents involving…
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Opinion: Leisurely stroll through Old Town
PHUKET: As a first time traveller to Thailand, I’ve spent some time aimlessly wandering around Old Phuket Town, which, despite the constant buzzing of crowded telephone wires and motorbikes, can actually be quite peaceful. This town isn’t really intended for the casual stroller. Locals will hop on a motorbike just to cross the street and if they have to walk,…
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Russian tourist dies in red flag zone at Nai Harn
PHUKET: A Russian tourist died at Nai Harn Beach yesterday evening after he ignored the red warning flags and went swimming. “We found the body of Leonid Petrov, 28, lying face up on the sand. He was shirtless, with no signs of struggle on his body,” said Capt Wuthiwat Leangboonjinda of the Chalong Police. “We questioned his friend, Vladimir Avdeev,…
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Burmese migrants ‘better off’, says employment chief
PHUKET: Nothing much will change for the 100,000 migrant Myanmar nationals currently living and working on the island, Phuket Employment Office director Pitoon Damsakorn told the Phuket Gazette, shortly after the visit to Thailand by the State Counselor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi last week. Ms Suu Kyi’s arrival in Thailand last week for a three-day visit to meet…
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‘Friend’ admits to fatal stabbing of teenager
PHUKET: The self-confessed killer of the 18 year-old who was stabbed 18 times in Koh Kaew surrendered to Phuket City Police on Tuesday. Manasanan Bunga was stabbed to death just outside his house on Soi Han Farang late Sunday night (story here). Police named the suspect, who is not yet 18, only as ‘Min’. “After checking CCTV footage and interviewing…
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Finance: Keep calm and let’s talk Brexit
PHUKET: The results of the Brexit vote have shocked markets almost as much as it has shocked the global and Brussels’ elites, with plenty of talk of impending doom and gloom for the UK and the markets. For example, the Morgan Stanley strategy team was quick to proclaim they expect European stocks to fall 15 to 20 per cent from…
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Opinion: Implications of TAT’s ‘Month for Women Travellers’
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has a rich and diverse history when it comes to churning out tourism promotion campaigns, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that the agency’s recent designation of August as its ‘Month for Women Travellers’ has managed to raise a few eyebrows. The TAT clearly recognizes that the gender ratio of…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Worship Thai basil pork
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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Final demolitions hit Lay Pang and Layan
PHUKET: The last of the buildings found to be built on public beachfront land in Phuket were demolished at Lay Pang and Layan beaches on Tuesday. Ma-Ann Samran, former president of the Cherng Talay Administration Organization (OrBorTor), along with government officials, gathered on the beaches to witness the destruction. “We had earlier demolished 100 buildings across Lay Pang and Layan…
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Men flee and fire at Phuket police checkpoint
PHUKET: Two men were arrested in downtown Phuket last night after allegedly firing at police as they sped away from a checkpoint. The Chiang Mai men were on a motorbike on Phoonpon Road at 7:30pm when police ordered them to stop. While fleeing the checkpoint, one of the men, identified as Wuttichai Rattanaputiwong, 31, allegedly fired a shot from a…
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Lover’s quarrel leads to Korean tourists dead, missing
PHUKET: A Korean tourist is dead and another is missing after a domestic dispute lead them to fling themselves into the sea last night. Patong police were alerted around 3am that locals had recovered the body of a woman washed ashore on Patong Beach. “At the scene, we found the body of Ms Garam Hong, a 28 year old Korean…
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Swedish tourist beaten up by Patong tuk tuk driver and friends
PHUKET: A tuk tuk driver and four accomplices were arrested yesterday for ganging up on a Swedish tourist and beating him unconscious in Patong in the early hours of Monday morning. Police responding to reports of the beating found Frederik Gustav Wilhelm Erikson Holm, 32, lying unconscious at the end of Soi Bangla at 3.45am. He was sent to Bangkok…
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Phuket drug ring found weapons online
PHUKET: Four Thai men have been arrested after drug raids in Chalong uncovered crystal meth, guns, bullets and marijuana, police confirmed. At a press conference yesterday, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teerapol Thipjaroen and staff announced that the arrests had been made by following online leads. “Mr Teerapong Rithirak, 23, was caught on June 23 in Chalong, while trying to sell…
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Phuket karaoke firebombed by angry customer
PHUKET: Police are hunting for a man who allegedly firebombed a Phuket Town karaoke bar yesterday after his phone was seized in lieu of payment for beer and a sing song. Suvann Chaichana, the owner of ‘Fancy Karaoke’ in Phuket Town, reported that her shop had been firebombed just before 2am, says Maj Somchai Nooboon of the Phuket City Police.…
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18 year old stabbed 18 times outside his house
PHUKET: The body of a teenager, who was stabbed 18 times in the latest incident of violent crime in Phuket, was found outside his house in Koh Kaew late last night. “We received reports from locals about a body found in Soi Han Farang at about 11:55pm,” confirmed Capt Udom Petcharat of the Phuket City Police. The victim was named…
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Lanna hopes to foster Phuket-Chiang Mai trade
PHUKET: Tourism officials from northern provinces are hoping that a scheme to circulate tourists within the country will lead to better trade connections between Chiang Mai and Phuket. Samroeng Chaisen, head of the ‘Office of Strategy Management Upper Northern Provincial Cluster 1’, Supawan Teerarat of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, and other relevant officers met on June 16 to…
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On Deck: Large trimarans to the fore
PHUKET: Multihull sailing isn’t something new to Phuket. In fact, some would argue multihulls are the ideal boats for Phuket’s waters. With their shallow draft they can more easily access some areas as compared to their monohull cousins. While everyone has different tastes in terms of size, brand and two hulls or three, what is relatively new to the local…
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Governor’s Letter: Evaluating plans to develop Phuket Bay
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has held his current position since September 30, 2015. He is a Phuket native with a master’s degree in political and administrative science from the National Institute of Development Administration. Here, he shares his perspective on plans for the 63-billion-baht Phuket Bay project – a 3,000 rai artificial island proposed as a host venue for…
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109-year-old grandma oldest person in Krabi
PHUKET: Plaipraya District Chief Paisarn Srithep visited the oldest living person in Krabi on June 21 and was delighted, and surprised, to find her in good health. Pliaw Petchpuang, 109, was born in 1907. “We were surprised to find that Ms Pliaw is in great health, able to walk unassisted, and indeed busy,” said Mr Paisarn. Ms Pliaw stays with…
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Newly-arrived tourists injured in Patong bus crash
PHUKET: Five tourists, including a five-year-old boy, were injured when a tourist bus flipped over in Patong this morning. The bus, which was carrying 14 Chinese, was heading toward the Patong Bay Hill Resort & Spa from Phuket International Airport. Patong Police received reports of this the latest tour bus crash at about 8:30am. The injured were taken to Patong…
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PLTO, taxi reps in stalemate over cutting fares
PHUKET: Following the latest public backlash against high taxi fares, officials from the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) met with drivers’ representatives on Thursday to discuss a new minimum price for their services. The meeting ended with the taxi and tuk-tuk drivers turning down the PLTO’s suggestions. Public outrage erupted after Thai-speaking expat Jack Brown posted a video on Facebook…
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Phuket officials, hospitality reps talk safety
PHUKET: Phuket officials met with tourism and hospitality operators yesterday to discuss safety measures and contingency plans in case of emergencies. Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat, as well as officials from the Thai Hotels Association and Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office (MOTS), met with representatives from private and public sector hospitality businesses at a conference held at the…
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Fatal crash victim’s family demands B2.1mn in damages
PHUKET: The family of a German man killed in a Phuket road accident in December last year has demanded 1.3 million baht as compensation for his death and 800,000 baht for his partner’s injuries. The suspect, Jakarin Rodpradit, 26, has requested a month to assess the situation, after both sides met for negotiations at Phuket Provincial Court this afternoon. He…
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Thailand tourism faces uncertainty over Brexit fallout
MARKETS across Asia are reeling after it became known this afternoon that Great Britain will exit the European Union. Investors are fleeing to more stable currencies, such as the US dollar, the Swiss Franc and the Japanese Yen, causing major upheavals in Japan whose government has been trying to devalue the Yen in an effort to increase exports and stimulate…
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A closer look at the luxury car market
PHUKET: The exponential increase in the number of cars – particularly high-end ones – in Phuket in the last decade alone, warrants a closer look at some of the factors that make this multi-billion-baht business tick. Millennium Auto, one of the newest luxury car outlets to open on the island, gave an exclusive account of the ins and outs of…
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