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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Plastic bag possibly killed dolphin, says Phuket expert
PHUKET: A striped dolphin found washed up on Nai Yang Beach on Tuesday most likely died from the consumption of a plastic bag, explained marine experts today. “It was about 15 years old, 2.45 meters long and approximately 90 kilograms. It had a wound near its eye,” said Patcharaporn Gaewmong, a Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) veterinarian. “The results from…
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Opinion: Social media opens floodgates for gun trade
PHUKET: The wide-scale presence of homemade guns is nothing new in Phuket, but the increased ease with which potential buyers can source firearms through the social media should be a source of great concern for law enforcement agencies – as well as society at large. The revelation that these gun purchases are now often conducted through social media platforms, such…
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Deputy PM launches Thailand Yacht Show
PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister General Thanasak Patimaprakorn officially launched the much-anticipated Thailand Yacht Show yesterday. The marine festivities will run for seven days from February 8 to 14 at Ao Po Grand Marina, the event organizers, Singapore Yacht Events Pte Ltd (SYE), announced earlier this month (story here). Activities will range from recreational sailing, paddle boarding and water sports to…
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Phuket on flood, landslide alert
PHUKET: The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office has issued an official landslide and flash flood warning for Phuket following the recent heavy rains due to Tropical Storm Vamco (story here). “We issued a warning to all local governments on the island yesterday. We asked them to beware of current weather conditions that could possibly lead to flash flooding…
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Kiwis off the hook after paying ‘dine and dash’ tab
PHUKET: Police yesterday released two New Zealanders who were arrested upon arrival at Phuket International Airport on Monday after the pair settled their 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill with Blue Marine Resort and Spa in Patong (story here). “The settlement was made yesterday evening,” Capt Yingyong Chuoykij of the Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette. Brian Russell Finn, 54, and his…
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Thai-Malaysia border remains open for visa runs
PHUKET: Amid a flurry of concern about the Thai-Cambodian border being closed to ‘visa runs’ (story here), a high ranking Immigration officer has confirmed that there are no changes to procedures at the popular Phuket visa-run checkpoint in Sadao. “We have yet to receive any special orders to change how we process people needing visa exemptions on arrival or those…
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Weather: Small Phuket boats prohibited from accessing Phi Phi, Racha
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has issued a warning for all boats headed to Phi Phi archipelago and Racha Island that are less than 10-meters long to stay ashore, effective tomorrow. “We expect to see waves between two and four meters in the Andaman Sea, boats less than 10-meters are prohibited from leaving shore,” said Phuket Marine Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut.…
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Blacklisted Kiwis busted for 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill
PHUKET: Police scooped up a New Zealander and his son upon arrival at Phuket International Airport last night for a 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill from the Blue Marine Resort and Spa in Patong. The Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for Brian Russell Finn, 54, and his son Luke Russell Finn, 24, for allegedly ‘dining and dashing’ on a…
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Phuket on alert for Enterovirus 71
PHUKET: Phuket is one of several provinces on alert for Enterovirus 71, which has killed three children in Thailand so far this year, confirmed the Department of Disease Control (DDC). Enterovirus 71 can cause outbreaks of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in children. Additionally, it has the potential to cause severe neurological diseases. Other provinces flagged as at risk…
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ICT considers developing ‘smart’ Phuket
PHUKET: The Information and Communication Technology Ministry (ICT) is eyeing Phuket and Chiang Mai as ‘smart cities’ that focus on tech start-ups as part of a move to turn Thailand into the digital hub of Asean. ICT Minister Uttama Savanayana said that under the policy the ministry planned to roll out pilot projects to drive the country forward, with the…
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Video Report: Asian Weightlifting Championships wrap up
PHUKET: Between September 6 and 11, 162 athletes from 29 countries flexed their muscles as they battled against gravity at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex for the 26th Senior Women’s and 45th Senior Men’s Asian Weightlifting Championships . The event’s opening ceremony was chaired by National Olympic Committee of Thailand President Yuthasak Sasiprapha. Fifteen athletes from Thailand, seven females…
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Charter rejection boosts economy
PHUKET: The rejection of the draft charter by the National Reform Council with a vote of 135-105 last week, along with measures to spur the economy worth a combined 136 billion baht, should overall have a positive affect on consumption, investment, and tourism, while also boosting internal economic activity, said Dr Anusorn Tamajai, dean of Rangsit University’s Faculty of Economics.…
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Private sector may join light rail project
PHUKET: The private sector might be asked to join forces with the government to push through the more than 23-billion-baht light rail project slated for Phuket. “When it comes time to propose the budget to the government, we will see if it is willing to take on the whole cost or if it will invest only a portion, giving the…
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Japan’s Mount Aso volcano erupts, no injuries reported
PHUKET: Mount Aso, a volcano on Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu, erupted on Monday, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said, blasting a plume of black smoke 2 km (1.2 miles) high, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The 1,592-meter Mount Aso is one of the most active peaks in Japan but is also a popular hiking spot.…
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Malaysia arrests three suspects in connection with Bangkok blast
PHUKET: Malaysia has arrested three suspects in connection with the investigation into a bombblast in central Bangkok last month that killed 20 people, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said on Monday. Two Malaysians and a Pakistani national were arrested and were assisting with the investigation, Khalid told reporters. “We believe the suspects can help in the investigation our arrest was…
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Nai Harn soi dogs under control, says mayor
PHUKET: The Nai Harn Beach dog situation is under control without officials having to take any drastic measures, Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos told the Phuket Gazette. “We will not be banning pets at worker camps. However, we have dispatched municipality officers to ask that the residents take proper care of them and sterilize the dogs,” Mr Aroon said. “We’ve also…
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Weather warning issued for Phuket
PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has issued a heavy rain warning from today to September 19 due to Tropical Storm Vamco, which is bound for Vietnam. “It is not a serious warning,” said Santhawat Riwleung, chief of the DDPM Phuket. “There will be rain everyday, some of which will be very heavy.…
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A Decade Ago: Phuket shelter remains in dog house
PHUKET: The Mid Road Dog Shelter – which really hasn’t gotten out of the dog house a decade later – was on the chopping block with the headline ‘D-Day looming for dog pound’ in the September 10-16, 2005 issue of the Phuket Gazette. Just two months earlier, tough days for the dogs had made headlines with dwindling food supplies at…
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First Person: Saving Thailand’s sharks
Brendon Sing, from South Africa, has been actively involved with shark research and conservation for more than 15 years. He has taken more than 5,000 dives, many with a range of shark species across the world. Now, as one of the Directors of Shark Guardian, a United Kingdom-based charity for shark and marine conservation projects worldwide, he has been giving…
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Making life easier with HeadsUp
PHUKET: A young Phuket man is giving the world a ‘HeadsUp’ with a new application he helped to create, which is aimed at simplifying everyday life. Robert Conner, who is a former British International School of Phuket student, helped develop an app called ‘Hey! HeadsUp’ with his college friends Abhijay Bhatnagar and Arjun Bhatnagar. The app allows you to schedule…
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Island View: Who said shark attack?
PHUKET: There is a great responsibility in the media to understand the impact and long-term effects of the language used in stories from ‘Negro’ to ‘shark attack’. The term Negro started to fall out of favor in the United States by 1966 and was completely taboo by the mid-1980s. Given the politically correct nature that balanced, main-stream media take, it…
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Maroon 5 takes to Thanyapura’s tennis courts
PHUKET: Superstars from the American pop rock band Maroon 5 took to the tennis courts of Thanyapura last week for a bit of downtime between concerts. James Valentine, the band’s lead guitarist, took advantage of the world-class Phuket facility for some practice and a few friendly matches with the Spin and Slice Team. “It was such a surprise to see…
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German expat found dead in home
PHUKET: A German woman died yesterday after what police believe was an accidental fall from a ladder while changing a light bulb. Thalang Police were alerted at about 12:15pm. Upon arrival, officers found the body of Irmgard Helga Hein, 71, on the floor of her Dream Village home. “Ms Hein had a plaster cast on her left arm and nearby…
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Police unravel multi-million baht drug network run from prison
PHUKET: Krabi Police arrested four men last night who are part of a criminal network allegedly headed by an inmate in Bang Kwang Prison in Nonthaburi, just outside of Bangkok. Among the four was more than 28 million baht’s worth of ya ba pills (methamphetamine). “Ya ba delivery agent Boworn Phetkuha, 28, was caught en-route to dropping off drugs for…
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Road-raging truckers crash in Phuket
PHUKET: Two road-raging truck drivers were in an intentional crash on Thepkasattri Road, the north-south artery of the island, causing long tailbacks for about an hour this morning. “Suriya Kuiyoksui, a 35-year-old driver of an 18-wheeled-truck, flung open his door to ensure a minor crash with the driver of a six-wheeled crane truck. The men immediately exited their vehicles and…
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Japan resumes search for 16 missing as flood evacuees wait to return home
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Japan resumes search for 16 missing as flood evacuees wait to return home Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Search teams using boats and helicopters resumed looking on Saturday for at least 16 peoplestill missing after torrential rain and flooding across Japan this week, while thousands waited…
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Phuket nightlife venues to push ministry for 4am close
PHUKET: Patong nightlife operators will send a letter to the Ministry of Interior asking for opening times in the party town to be extended to 4am, revealed Weerawit Kurasombat, head of the Patong Entertainment Business Association. The announcement comes after a meeting yesterday that reiterated the rules and regulations of the current ‘nightlife zone management plan’ for Patong. “We talked…
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National Police Chief tempers rumors about bomb suspects’ whereabouts
PHUKET: National Police Chief Gen Somyos Pumpanmuang today asked that the public cease publishing unfounded speculations about where the Bangkok bomb suspects might possibly be hiding. “There are a lot of rumors spreading about where the suspects might be. We have increased security at all borders and exit points in the country, including Phuket. However, there is nothing to be…
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Power to the guards
PHUKET: Following an effort to stomp out life-threatening recklessness on Phuket’s beaches, lifeguards and Karon Police have joined forces to help prevent beachgoers from entering dangerous waters. With the new initiative, lifeguards will now inform police officers of any unruly or disobedient swimmers or visitors. “If lifeguards can’t stop tourists from swimming, we are ready for them. We can be…
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Rescue helicopter to join Region 8 Headquarters in Phuket
PHUKET: A Royal Thai Police rescue helicopter will be stationed on Phuket to help boost tourists’ confidence in their safety while visiting Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, it was announced at the grand opening of the Region 8 Headquarters this morning. “With the Region 8 Headquarters now based in Phuket, residents and tourists can be confident in their safety, as…
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