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.
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Rebels declare victory in east Ukraine vote on self-rule
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rebels declare victory in east Ukraine vote on self-rule Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Pro-Moscow rebels declared a resounding victory in a referendum on self-rule for eastern Ukraine, with some saying that meant independence and others eventual union with Russia as fighting flared in a conflict…
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Energy Ministry asks Phuket to save power ‘just in case’
PHUKET: Energy Ministry officials announced yesterday they will launch a campaign calling on all Phuket residents to minimize the electricity each household uses as a precaution against power outages during a month-long upgrade to a major gas field supply line in the Gulf of Thailand. Residents will be asked to reduce their power consumption between 6 and 10pm each night…
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Ousted Deputy PM Pracha denies Phuket stroke rumors
PHUKET: Former Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok has shot down rumors that he had a stroke after Phuket locals saw him rushed into the emergency room of Bangkok Hospital Phuket last night. Gen Pracha was taken to the hospital at about 7:30pm after he passed out on his yacht near Naka Island, off the east coast of Phuket. “I had…
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Ukraine consul frets over tourist safety in Phuket
PHUKET: Ukrainian Honorary Consul to Thailand Alexander Zub yesterday formally expressed his concern about the increasing number of road accidents in Phuket, and to discuss the safety of Ukrainian tourists who visit the island. “Ukrainian tourists in Phuket tend to rent motorbikes or cars rather than opting [sic] for public transport, which could increase the risk of them being involved…
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Indonesian opposition party wins election, eyes coalition for Jokowi
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Indonesian opposition party wins election, eyes coalition for Jokowi Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Final results from Indonesia’s legislative election confirmed on Friday that the main opposition party had won, but failed to secure enough votes to put forward its presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo without…
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Mafia conviction upheld against Berlusconi adviser
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Mafia conviction upheld against Berlusconi adviser Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Italy’s highest appeals court on Friday upheld a mafia collusion conviction against a close associate of former Silvio Berlusconi, a further blow for the former prime minister who began serving a tax-fraud sentence earlier in…
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ANC wins South Africa 2014 election with 62 percent
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ANC wins South Africa 2014 election with 62 percent Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: South Africa’s ruling African National Congress won the 2014 national election with 62.16 percent of the votes, the electoral commission said on Friday. The provisional result shows the ANC’s main rival, the…
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Phuket man found hanged
PHUKET: Police do not suspect foul play was involved in the death of a man found hanged in his company accommodation room yesterday morning. Fong Waikru, a packer at Faktong Transport Co Ltd, raised the alarm after he discovered the body of his workmate Sompol Buayai, 39, hanged. Mr Fong told police that he noticed the door to Mr Sompol’s…
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Thailand News: TV stations occupied, fears of clashes rise; July 20 poll in doubt; Sacred oxen predict a good year
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘Final fight’ to bring down govt The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Anti-government protesters yesterday began their “final fight” to topple the embattled government by occupying the country’s five major television stations and other key locations, amid mounting fears of street clashes between rival political groups.…
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Rights groups call for US sanctions against Thailand over trafficking
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Groups say Thailand should face U.S. sanctions over trafficking Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thailand should be liable to potential U.S. sanctions for failing to crack down on trafficking in migrant workers, a group of human rights and labour organisations said on Friday. In a letter…
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When noise is good
PHUKET: I stopped at my local 7-Eleven on the way home from work the other night, tired out from a day of peering at my computer screen and mildly irritated for the umpteenth time at the inconvenience of having to buy something – drinking water – that I get out of the tap where I come from. As I entered…
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Phuket kids to save Karon
Yuphayao Alshammary, 50, has been Director of Suwan-keereekate School in Karon since May 2013. She has an MA in Education Management from Maha Sarakham University and is now pursuing a PhD. Before coming to Phuket, she was director of two rural Northeast schools for more than 15 years. Here, she talks about how supporting education can help solve Karon’s social…
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Russian denied entry at Phuket International Airport over “visa’ crackdown
PHUKET: A Russian national was denied entry into Thailand by Phuket International Airport Immigration officers on April 21 and detained until she could be deported the next morning. Officers denied entry to Mariia Sgibneva, 26, more than a week before the May 3 crackdown on the “three-visa-and-out rule” aimed at stymieing international crime. “They stopped me at immigration, and ask…
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Water, tear gas fired on protesters in Bangkok
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Water, tear gas fired on protesters in Bangkok The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police guarding the government’s Centre for the Administration for Peace and Order (CAPO) fired water and teargas at anti-government protesters and senior monk, Phra Buddha Issara, who led Friday’s protest to the…
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Phuket PDRC supporters head to Bangkok
PHUKET: More than 1,000 Phuket supporters of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) have left the island to join fellow protesters in Bangkok. The news follows a call by PDRC Secretary-General Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday, urging people from around the country to join the rallies in the capital. “Phuket supporters left yesterday,” protest coordinator Amnuay Kumban told the Phuket Gazette…
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High-wire monkey causes Phuket blackout
PHUKET: Rescue workers were called last night to save a bean-picking monkey that had escaped from the home of its owner and become stuck at the top of a power pole. “When we arrived, the owners were trying to undo the rope tied to the monkey’s neck, because it had become tangled on the pole,” said a Kusoldharm Foundation Rescue…
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Hong Kong property tycoons stand trial in city’s biggest graft case
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Hong Kong property tycoons stand trial in city’s biggest graft case Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thomas and Raymond Kwok, the billionaire co-chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd, Asia’s largest developer, went on trial on Thursday in Hong Kong’s biggest corruption case since the city’s…
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Thailand News: Yingluck corruption indictment; Blasts hit Bangkok; PDRC vows to announce new government today
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Deadlock remains despite Yingluck dismissal, indictment The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The political deadlock remains steadfast despite former caretaker prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra being dealt a double blow this week, with the Constitutional Court sacking her on Wednesday and the National Anti-Corruption Commission indicting her…
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Swedish PM warns of nationalist surge as EU elections loom
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Swedish PM warns of nationalist surge as EU elections loom Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Europe’s failure to deliver economic growth and jobs has frayed public trust in democracy and fostered a nationalist climate that could reward anti-immigration, Eurosceptical parties in May’s EU elections, Sweden’s prime…
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Families of South Korea ferry dead march on presidential palace
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Families of South Korea ferry dead march on presidential palace Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Parents of children killed when a passenger ferry sank last month led a sombre march on South Korea’s presidential palace in the early hours of Friday morning, where they demanded to…
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Phuket lifeguards put lives first, agree to PPAO conditions
PHUKET: Lifeguards are set to return to Phuket beaches on May 21 as the lifeguard club gave up its demands for an increased budget at a meeting with the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) this morning. “The conditions they offered us today were the same: 22 million baht to pay for our expenses and an increased salary for 88 guards,”…
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Aussie lifeguards help bring man back to life
PHUKET: After 30 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and six injections of adrenaline, Mike Reynolds’ heart started to beat again. His 18-year-old daughter, Kristi, rushed into the emergency room as the two holidaying Australian lifeguards that had saved him from a drowning-induced heart attack while on a trip to Phi Phi Island waited outside. Also standing outside the room was…
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V/Gov Chamroen pushes for funds for Karon wastewater
PHUKET: Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada vowed yesterday to push for funds to expand Karon’s water treatment facilities as soon as possible. The vice governor spoke as he inspected the recent efforts of Karon municipality to prevent untreated wastewater in the Nong Han canal from spilling over onto the town’s popular tourist beach as it has already three times this year,…
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Don’t pay money under the table, fight it in court – says Employment chief
PHUKET: All foreigners who believe that they have been wrongfully arrested for breaching the conditions of their work permit must fight for their rights, said the chief of the Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO). “If the police insist on arresting you, let them do it. If they threaten to detain you, let them. You have the right to deny the…
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Phuket Open cancelled
PHUKET: The promoters of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Open in Phuket have decided to cancel the event scheduled for October 15 to 19 quoting continued political unrest in Thailand as the reason for their decision. With the safety and security of players and officials of paramount importance, the FIVB have accepted the promoter’s decision to cancel the event. The next…
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Snatchers snitch on sex drug seller
PHUKET: Using a tip-off from recently arrested bag-snatchers, police raided a Phuket pharmacy on Tuesday evening, seizing more than 10,000 pills of drugs being sold illicitly. Among the pills were sex aids, antidepressants, steroids and the notorious “date rape” drug Rohypnol. “Four bag-snatchers told us they planned to buy Zolam at a pharmacy in Patong,” said Patong Police Deputy Superintendent…
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Chinese vote Phuket favorite destination for students
PHUKET: Phuket has been voted the favorite destination for Chinese students. The accolade was one of six awards won by Phuket at the annual ceremony held by China’s largest Online Travel Agent (OTA), Ctrip.com, and one of nine awards won by Thai destinations in total. The “Ctrip Best Tourist Destination of the Year 2013 Awards Ceremony” was held in Shanghai…
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Fast and Furious: Patong joy ride in boss’ car ends in crash
PHUKET: A drunk driver injured a Phuket motorcyclist early yesterday morning during a high-speed joy ride in his boss’ Toyota Fortuner; the ride ended abruptly when he slammed the SUV into a utility pole. “At about 6:40am we were notified that a driver in a Toyota Fortuner had knocked a man off his motorcycle and crashed into a power pole…
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Thailand News: Yingluck ousted; Govt pushes for election; Villagers fight to save quake-hit homes; Reward for Haad Yai bombers
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Yingluck Ousted The Nation/ Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thailand’s first female prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was removed from office yesterday after serving as premier for two years, nine months, and two days. The dismissal followed a Constitutional Court ruling that she had violated the charter by unlawfully…
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Putin to Ukraine rebels: postpone secession vote
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Putin to Ukraine rebels: postpone secession vote Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Russian President Vladimir Putin called on pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine to postpone a vote on secession just five days before it was to be held, potentially pulling Ukraine back from the brink of violent…
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