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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    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,...

  • Business Buzz: Target your customer, not your competitor

    Business Buzz: Target your customer, not your competitor

    PHUKET: We see it all the time in marketing, company X trying to prove they are better than company Y, engaging in tit-for-tat marketing and social media battles trying to out-compete the competition. Now, while there is the theory that any publicity is still beneficial, I would argue it is far better to engage your potential customers directly and build…

  • Finance: Neil Woodford, financial genius?

    Finance: Neil Woodford, financial genius?

    PHUKET: I know this has been written about in other media already, but as this fund and its manager have a great track record and I believe we are nearing a sale in stocks, it is a good discussion to review. For those of you who don’t know the fund or manager, Neil Woodford ran the Invesco Perpetual Income Fund…

  • Phuket Vice Governor’s virgin beach dream

    Phuket Vice Governor’s virgin beach dream

    PHUKET: Although the fate of Phuket’s beach management system remains undecided (story here), Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat has revealed that he wants the plan to include ‘virgin beaches’. “There will be some beaches that will not have a 10 per cent zone, which means there will be nothing there – no umbrellas, no businesses, nothing. All 100 per cent natural,”…

  • Phuket Challenge: stickk to no bags for a week

    Phuket Challenge: stickk to no bags for a week

    PHUKET: I challenge you. Yes, you – whoever you are – to go one week in Phuket without using a single plastic bag. The number of foreign whingers who waddle onto this beautiful island shouting about Thai ignorance in double-bagging that fried sausage on a stick… and then go buy a double-bagged sausage on a stick is dumbfounding. It was…

  • Phuket City serial thief caught

    Phuket City serial thief caught

    PHUKET: A serial thief was arrested in Srisoonthorn last night after police were able to track down the motorbike he used during the crime spree. Jessadakorn Sukkrajang, 18, was apprehended at his home at about 9pm, confirmed Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of the Phuket City Police. Within just one month, Phuket City officers received five different reports of broken car…

  • UNODC anti-human trafficking program launched in Phuket

    UNODC anti-human trafficking program launched in Phuket

    PHUKET: An international e-learning program designed to train law enforcement units to tackle human trafficking was launched in Phuket yesterday. About 40 Phuket officers will be the first in all of Asia to undergo the training developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “The program is designed to provide background information, offer techniques on how to…

  • Mentally unstable man attacks Phuket ATM

    Mentally unstable man attacks Phuket ATM

    PHUKET: Police arrested an allegedly mentally ill man who attacked an ATM machine in Phuket Town with a metal bar yesterday morning. The man, who police declined to name due to his condition, fled the scene without attempting to take any money from the Krungsri Bank ATM. “A police car on patrol in the area quickly responded to the incident,”…

  • Snake sparks electrical fire in Phuket

    Snake sparks electrical fire in Phuket

    PHUKET: A Phuket mayor blamed a small snake for a fire near the Shooting Range in Chalong today. “Locals saw the snake slide into the transformer next to the shack right before it exploded and started the fire,” said Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos. “Luckily, no one was injured.” The owner of the shop, which sold decorative household items, was not…

  • Truck driver slams into parked 18-wheeler and dies

    Truck driver slams into parked 18-wheeler and dies

    PHUKET: The driver of a pickup truck died early this morning after slamming full throttle into the back of a parked 18-wheeled truck on Thepkrasattri Road. Annurak Chompoo, the 40-year-old driver of the 18-wheeler, told police that he had parked on the side of the road with his hazard lights turned on as he prepared to make a delivery to…

  • Gaur killer surrenders to police

    Gaur killer surrenders to police

    KRABI: The killer of a beloved gaur, a protected species of bovine, surrendered to police in Krabi yesterday morning. Preeda Paklaw, 41, presented himself, along with his shotgun, to the Plai Phraya Police. “Mr Preeda said that while he was hunting, he saw something in the dark that looked like a serow. He then shot twice,” said Maj Somporn Deeduang…

  • AMCHAM: Discover how well Phuket hotels actually perform

    AMCHAM: Discover how well Phuket hotels actually perform

    PHUKET: American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Greater Phuket Chapter is breaking down how the island’s hotels are really performing in the current, challenging market conditions at the ‘By The Numbers’ event tomorrow night. The event will be led by STR Global’s Area Director Asia Pacific Jesper Palmqvist at Outrigger Laguna Phuket. STR Global’s mission is to democratize data intelligence and…

  • Laguna Phuket Golf Club scores big

    Laguna Phuket Golf Club scores big

    PHUKET: After a comprehensive 18-month upgrade, Laguna Phuket Golf Club bagged three prestigious awards at the Asian Golf Awards 2015 ceremony held at Orchid Country Club in Singapore. The Asian Golf Awards are devoted to recognizing and honoring the best facilities in the Asia Pacific Golf industry. Besides being named the Best Renovated Course of the Year, Laguna Phuket Golf…

  • Sea turtle caught with mouthful

    Sea turtle caught with mouthful

    KRABI: A local fisherman caught quite a surprise yesterday when he found a sea turtle with a half swallowed fish. Madyah Thamsuan, 63, was fishing near his home in Khlong Thom District when he noticed a turtle with a fish tail hanging out of its mouth. “The turtle appeared to be very weak and was unable to either swallow or…

  • 100-baht taxi rides during Patong Carnival

    100-baht taxi rides during Patong Carnival

    PHUKET: Anyone coming or going from Phuket’s primary party town during the Patong Carnival will now be able to enjoy taxi rides, confirmed Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsab. From November 1-3, GrabTaxi and GrabCar will be charging only 100 baht for a ride to or from Patong. “This is a great offer by the company to support the festival and to…

  • Police hunt slayer of beloved gaur

    Police hunt slayer of beloved gaur

    KRABI: Officers are hunting the killer of a much-beloved gaur that was found shot dead in a Krabi palm plantation yesterday. “Locals explained to us that the gaur, which is a protected species in Thailand, had migrated down from Khao Sok National Park. They said that the bull was very calm and peaceful,” said Meechai Aiyasoon, head of the Khlong…

  • Ministry of Farang Affairs: Expensive is better

    Ministry of Farang Affairs: Expensive is better

    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.…

  • Phuket policeman killed in big bike crash

    Phuket policeman killed in big bike crash

    PHUKET: A Karon Police officer was killed after he lost control of his Honda big bike in Rawai early this morning. Police believe that Lance Corporal Nattachai Huahin was unfamiliar with the area and hit a curb at high speed just after midnight. “At the scene, we found the body of LCpl Nattachai with a broken neck and severe head…

  • Opinion: Effects of feeding monkeys

    Opinion: Effects of feeding monkeys

    Kritkantatong Kantap, 46, has been a member of the research team at the SEA Monkey Project of Chulalongkorn University since 2010 where he is part of a team that studies monkey species in Thailand. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ramkhamhaeng University. Here he talks about how feeding monkeys can be detrimental to their natural behavior and…

  • Bangkok Hospital Group aims to broaden medical tourism with new facility

    Bangkok Hospital Group aims to broaden medical tourism with new facility

    PHUKET: One of the primary reasons the Bangkok Hospital Group purchased Phuket International Hospital for 3.61 billion baht last year was to bring the hospital’s exceptionally strong aesthetic surgery branch into the fold, explains Sanguan Kunaporn, the Director of the Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute at Phuket International Hospital. This month, the group will stage the soft opening of a new…

  • Good samaritan chases Phuket gold thief

    Good samaritan chases Phuket gold thief

    PHUKET: A Phuket local pursued a snatch thief attempting to flee the scene of the crime for three kilometers before the thief crashed his motorbike today. Supachai Mattanang, 20, witnessed the the man rip a gold necklace, worth about 20,000 baht, off the neck of a Myanmar national near the Down Town Market before fleeing the scene on his motorbike.…

  • Kitten season begins at Soi Dog

    Kitten season begins at Soi Dog

    PHUKET: Hotter days signify the beginning of cat breeding season, where thousands of kittens will be born. Many of these kittens will unfortunately end up in shelters or on the streets. Every year Soi Dog receives a surplus of kittens waiting to be given to loving homes. All kittens are sterilized and vaccinated at no charge to the adopter. However,…

  • Minivan camera catches epic Phuket truck crash [video] | Thaiger

    Minivan camera catches epic Phuket truck crash [video]

    PHUKET: A tourist heading to Phuket International Airport and his van driver narrowly escaped death after an out-of-control truck piled with construction materials flipped on Kata Hill and skidded to a stop within a meter of them yesterday afternoon. The two people in the crashed truck were minorly injured and taken to Patong Hospital. “The 51-year-old driver, Apichart Toreewong, told…

  • Opinion: Fighting Andaman trash

    Opinion: Fighting Andaman trash

    PHUKET: The excellent work the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) has done over the years to try to save iconic ocean animals found washed up on the island’s shores deserves the full support of the community. However, as the head of the agency’s Endangered Species Unit has pointed out, the real solutions are preventative measures that see the community tackling…

  • Fifth suspect in Phuket Vegetarian Festival killing surrenders

    Fifth suspect in Phuket Vegetarian Festival killing surrenders

    PHUKET: A fifth man wanted for the gang slaying of a 15-year-old during the closing procession of the Vegetarian Festival surrendered to police yesterday (story here). One more suspect remains at large. A-non Wandee, 27, also known as ‘Non Kolai’, preseneted himself to police, but insisted that he was innocent. Mr A-non was charged with gang murder and attempted murder,…

  • Up in the Air: Bangkok Airways spreads its wings

    Up in the Air: Bangkok Airways spreads its wings

    PHUKET: Bangkok Airways finally launched a daily flight service connecting Phuket and Hat Yai with an inaugural launch ceremony after touchdown at Hat Yai Airport on October 11. As previously reported by Up in the Air, the link between south Thailand’s two busiest airports is long overdue. There are thousands of people from Songkhla and surrounding provinces who have been…

  • Business Buzz: Quick tips to increase results

    Business Buzz: Quick tips to increase results

    PHUKET: One of the biggest issues businesses have with online marketing is attracting eyeballs to their content. It doesn’t matter how good your website or social media content is if no one sees it. So the secret to getting much better results is to get your content seen. Here are five quick tips on how to increase your results with…

  • Finance: Stocking up on stocks

    Finance: Stocking up on stocks

    PHUKET: Market corrections like the one that started last August are never times to completely abandon the stock market. Instead, they are great opportunities to buy quality stocks with strong fundamentals and technical charts, that should emerge higher once the correction is over. For that reason, you should consider adding the following stocks to your market correction shopping list because…

  • Video Report: Patong’s Carnival kicks off this Sunday

    Video Report: Patong’s Carnival kicks off this Sunday

    PHUKET: Patong’s annual carnival is set to hit the beach town’s sands on November 1 with the theme: ‘Patong Seafood Festival 2015’. The event has been marking the beginning of Phuket’s high season for 30 years now, and will take place from November 1-3. Tourists and locals are all invited to join the concerts, historical exhibits and the renowned parade,…

  • Tourists spot school of whale sharks off Phuket

    Tourists spot school of whale sharks off Phuket

    PHUKET: Tourists and officers were delighted when they spotted a school of whale sharks off of Phuket’s coast this weekend. After receiving reports of an injured whale shark, Than Bok Khorani National Park officers took a boat out to see what assistance, if any, could be rendered. “We found a school of five swimming between Koh Hong and Koh Yao…

  • Phuket governor attends funeral of police chase victims

    Phuket governor attends funeral of police chase victims

    PHUKET: Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada attended the funeral of the two suspected drug dealers who were killed in a police chase that sparked the Phuket riot earlier this month (story here). Numerous government officials and police officers joined Governor Chamroen at the ceremony for Patomwat Panarak, 22, and Teerapong Srisamut, 17. “I am deeply sorry for this loss of life. We…