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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Uber can’t appeal class certification order in U.S. driver lawsuit
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Uber can’t appeal class certification order in U.S. driver lawsuit Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday denied ride service Uber’s request to immediately appealan order approving class certification in a lawsuit filed by drivers who wish to be deemed employees. The…
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Phuket to host southern region Bike for Mom photo exhibition
PHUKET: Phuket has been chosen as the southern region’s venue for the Bike for Mom photo exhibition, which will be held November 21-24 at Limelight Avenue. “The exhibition will display the best photos from the Bike for Mom nationwide photo contest and about 1,000 other memorable images for the people of Phuket and the southern region to enjoy,” said Limelight…
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Myanmar parliament chief asks losing lawmakers to play fair
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Myanmar parliament chief asks losing lawmakers to play fair Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Myanmar’s parliament chairman on Monday urged lawmakers from the ruling partythrashed at the polls to play fair in the outgoing legislature’s remaining debates, which could determine the budget a new opposition-led government…
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Fingerprints from Paris bomber match man registered in Greece – prosecutor
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fingerprints from Paris bomber match man registered in Greece – prosecutor Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Fingerprints from one of the suicide bombers behind the attacks at the Stade de France inParis matched the prints of a man registered in Greece in October, a French prosecutor…
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A Decade Ago: Chasing the white dragon
PHUKET: Headlines about methamphetamine, kratom, marijuana and even a little cocaine find their way into the Phuket Gazette fairly regularly. But, heroin… that’s a beast that rarely surfaces on this paradise island. There was of course 22-year-old John Cawley, who was busted for running ‘birdie powder’ from Phuket to Koh Samui in 2013, but smack in general is either very…
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Opinion: Positive effects of alcohol zones
Pairuch Kulima, 54, has been the chief of the Phuket Excise Office (PEO) since 2011. He is a Phuket native and graduated with a master’s degree in public administration from The National Institute of Development Administration. Here he talks about the responsibilities of the PEO, the pros and cons of selling alcohol and the positive effects that the new alcohol…
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Phuket RevPAR takes hit with source market transition
PHUKET: Differences in source markets and government spending have forced Bali and Phuket to take dramatically different approaches to adjusting to the recent tourism climate with regards to balancing occupancy and rates. Hotels and resorts in Bali have taken a mostly unified approach by holding rates and allowing occupancy to dip. In Phuket, however, even within market segments, a number…
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Kratom package seized at Phuket Town Post Office
PHUKET: Phuket Marine police seized a 5-kilogram package of kratom leaves at the Phuket Town Post Office this afternoon. “After receiving a tip-off about the delivery from our source, we arrived at the post office at 9am,” Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana told Phuket Gazette. “However, when no one showed up by 3pm to claim the package, we seized…
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Illegal migrant workers, boat captain arrested
PHUKET: Three illegal migrant workers were arrested on a fishing boat during a random check by the Phuket Marine Police and the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command on Friday. “Myanmar nationals Jor Heng, 30; Nai, 25; and Mong Pu, 24, were arrested on Choksarawut 18 at Ao Makham port, along with the boat’s captain Kittisak Limwattanakpat, 37,” confirmed Phuket…
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Island View: Facebook an invaluable moving tool
PHUKET: Being a newcomer to the island, I can’t help but marvel at the relative ease with which the transition was made. I had visited Phuket a few years ago as a tourist and fallen in love with it. This year, I decided to move here to pursue certification for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). After a quick…
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First Aid Center opens on Koh Racha
PHUKET: A First Aid Center was officially opened on Koh Racha yesterday in an effort to provide medical facilities to sick or injured tourists. “The reason we started one on Koh Racha was that the island is quite far from the nearest hospital,” said Santi Pawai, director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office. “We plan on eventually…
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Regional tensions, Paris attacks hang over APEC summit
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Regional tensions, Paris attacks hang over APEC summit Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Regional tensions over the South China Sea and security concerns after the attack by Islamistmilitants on Paris could eclipse efforts by Pacific-rim leaders this week to boost trade and growth across a region…
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France in shock after Islamist attacks
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community France in shock after Islamist attacksPhuket Gazette / ReutersPHUKET: French prosecutors said on Saturday that three coordinated teams of gunmen and suicide bombers carried out a wave of attacks across Paris that killed 129 people in what President Francois Hollande called an “act of war” by Islamic…
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Over 600,000 riders registered for Bike for Dad
BANGKOK: More than 600,000 people throughout Thailand and overseas have registered for the upcoming Bike for Dad event – the historic cycling parade to mark the 88th birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Krisda Boonraj, permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, said about 100,000 of the registered participants were from Bangkok, with the majority of the rest being from the…
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Oil smuggler busted in Phuket waters
PHUKET: An oil smuggler was busted in Phuket yesterday after officials discovered 500 liters of illegal oil in a hold on a fishing vessel. “Acting on a tip-off, we tracked down Kor Sinsomboon 2 at about 11:30am. The captain was unable to produce his captain’s licence. However, the sea was too rough to search the vessel, so we escorted Manoon…
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Three Phuket “virgin beaches’ revealed
PHUKET: Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat announced the designation of the island’s first three “virgin beaches” last week, after revealing the plan to have such beaches to the public on October 31 (story here). Freedom Beach, Nui Beach and Lay Pang Beach were all named by Vice Governor Chokdee as beaches that will soon return to their natural state. “There are…
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Business Buzz: Learning from industry leaders
PHUKET: While recently I talked about focusing on your customer, not your competitor, it is also a very good idea to see what the leaders in your industry are doing and get creative ideas and inspiration from the best. If you are a small to medium enterprise, then there is a very high chance that you do not have a…
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Phuket moment of silence for Paris attack victims
PHUKET: The French Consulate in Phuket has invited the public to come together in a moment of silence at 6 tonight for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris (story here). “It is requested from the French Embassy in Bangkok to call on all French nationals who live in the area to join in the moment of silence,” French…
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Violence breaks out at Krabi Airport
KRABI: Violence broke out at Krabi International Airport yesterday between locals and squatters protesting their removal from a palm oil plantation earlier that day (story here). Dozens of locals were upset at the protesters, who had moved from the plantation to the airport after being forced off the land by Krabi police and related officials, stating that it gave Krabi…
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Patong restaurant fire quickly extinguished
PHUKET: Municipality workers were able to quickly extinguish a restaurant fire on Taweewong Road in Patong this morning. A firetruck and three water trucks put out the flames in about 5 minutes, Patong Municipality Fire Department Officer Sampawat Wannasangkam told the Phuket Gazette. The fire started in the kitchen of Chabadang at about 10am. The structure incurred only minor damages.…
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Saphan Hin curfew starts Monday
PHUKET: Phuket Municipality, in conjunction with the Phuket City Police, have announced new curfews for Sapan Hin in an effort to reduce teen violence in the area. The new policy follows orders from the Phuket Provincial Office to strengthen security at Saphan Hin after gang violence led to the shooting death of a 15-year-old bystander during the final hours of…
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Navy steps in to untangle fishing conflicts
PHUKET: The water around Phuket started to heat up when two groups with dramatically different commercial fishing practices clashed this week. To bring order to the situation, the Thailand Maritime Enforcement Coordinating Center Area 3 was forced to step in and establish a tentative plan to resolve the conflict between Satun and Phuket fishermen. “The first complaint I received was…
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At least 120 killed in Paris attacks
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least 120 people killed in Paris ‘terror’ attacks Phuket Gazette/The Nation PARIS: Police in the French capital are reporting that at least 80 people were killed in a mass hostage-taking at a Paris concert hall Friday evening, with many more feared dead after a series…
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Finance: Untangling international pensions
PHUKET: I have never had so many questions and so many misunderstandings of the current options with regard to pensions for international expats as have arisen over the last year. It doesn’t help that governments are changing their rules faster than ever. Today I will give a brief overview of the current situation for UK expats. First I will address…
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Phuket King’s Cup Regatta to set sail
PHUKET: One of the standout international sporting events in the Asia region, the 29th annual Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Under Royal Patronage, prepares to set sail once again, swelling Phuket visitor numbers and making a large contribution to overall tourism performance. The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2015 will be held at Kata Beach Resort and Spa from December 5 to…
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Police slap Facebook ranter with Computer Crimes Act
KRABI: Police hit a Krabi woman with the Computer Crimes Act after she posted a Facebook video of herself verbally attacking the quality of police officers. Sukanya Laiban, 23, recorded the video clip after Sen Sgt Maj Pratum Srichana of the Krabi City Police forced her to move her car from a no parking zone. “In the video, she claims…
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Squatters flee plantation fearing forceful removal by government
KRABI: About 200 squatters fled a Krabi oil palm plantation in fear that excessive force would be used to remove them today. A letter signed by Krabi Governor Pinij Boonlert explained that previous negotiations that failed to move the protesters off the land had led to violent attacks by the squatters. He did not address claims of excessive force being…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Secret masochists
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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Bangkok bomb suspects set to be indicted
BANGKOK: The Military Court’s prosecutors are expected to indict the two suspects accused of involvement in the two bomb explosions in Bangkok in August, the lawyer for one of the suspects said yesterday. Kanchai Choochart, representing Bilal Muhammed, 24, said he would outline the defense plan once his client had been indicted. He was speaking at the Military Court after…
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Phuket teen dies in crash with parked truck
PHUKET: One teenager died and another was seriously injured when their motorbike crashed into a parked pick-up truck in Thalang early this morning. Natchanon Boonjan, 17, died at the scene while his 17-year-old passenger, Preechaporn Sae Eung, was rushed to Thalang Hospital with severe head injuries. “We received the report at about 3:30am,” confirmed Lt Col Sanit Nukong of the…
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