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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Police kingpins Pongpat, Kowit get 10 more years for money laundering
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police kingpins Pongpat, Kowit get 10 more years for money laundering The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Former crime-buster Pol Lt Gen Pongpat Chayaphan and a close police aide were yesterday given 10-year jail terms for money laundering. Five other members of the racket he ran…
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NHRC criticizes use of troops for oil well drilling rig
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NHRC criticizes use of troops for oil well drilling rig The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) subcommittee will lodge complaints today |over the deployment of security officials for an oil firm in Khon Kaen province. “We will write to both…
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Australia ratchets up pressure on Indonesia over Bali Nine executions
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Australia ratchets up pressure on Indonesia over Bali Nine executions Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Indonesia owes it to Australia not to execute two Australian drug offenders on death row, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday, ratcheting up a diplomatic war of words that is…
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No Beach Butts: Phuket bans smoking, eating on sands
PHUKET: Smoking and eating are now banned on Phuket beaches following a press conference today to clarify the new “no beach chair” rule (story here). Governor Nisit Jansomwong called the conference following tourists’ protests of police officers asking them to remove their beach chairs from the sands (story here). “Despite smoking and eating being banned, people will still be able…
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French tourists survive Phuket airport van crash
PHUKET: Three French tourists escaped serious injury when the passenger van they were in blew out a front tyre and tumbled onto the median guard rail en route to Phuket International Airport this afternoon. Yassin Bouhou, 31, suffered a broken left leg and compatriot Franky Legueulle, 33, broke his left arm in the accident, confirmed Lt Col Watcharin Jirattikarnwiwat of…
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Locals file complaint against construction of LPG gas station
PHUKET: Chalong Mayor Samran Jindaphol led a group of 20 local residents to Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to formally request that Governor Nisit Jansomwong halt the construction of a new LPG gas station. Construction started on the station, on Chao Fa East Road south of Soi Ta-iad, but was soon put on hold after residents filed a complaint with the…
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Missing girl found safe in Phuket
PHUKET: Saowaluk ‘Nong Mai’ Thappan, the 15-year-old girl reported missing from Ranong two days ago, was reunited with her mother at the Chalong Police Station last night. Deunphen Tongtirum made a public plea to find her daughter after she went missing from their family home on Sunday (story here). Also reported missing was Nong Mai’s friend, named only as “Nong…
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Greece defies creditors, seeking credit but no bailout
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Greece defies creditors, seeking credit but no bailout Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Talks between Greece and euro zone finance ministers over the country’s debt crisis broke down on Monday when Athens rejected a proposal to request a six-month extension of its international bailout package as…
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Travel agency suspected of breaching FBA with nominee
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Travel agency suspected of breaching FBA with nominee The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A Bangkok travel firm is suspected of breaching the Foreign Business Act by having a Thai nominee to hold a majority share in the company, according to the Business Development Department. Pongpun…
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Police spokeswoman targets ‘untrue’ Facebook comments
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police spokeswoman targets ‘untrue’ Facebook comments The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Deputy national police spokeswoman Pol Lt Col Anchulee Theerawongpaisal yesterday filed a complaint with the Police Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) over messages about her on social media as well as a newspaper that…
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Migrant children as young as 11 found working in Tak factories
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Migrant children as young as 11 found working in Tak factories The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: At least three textile and electronics factories in the western province of Tak were found to be using immigrant child laborers aged under 15, according to Labor Ministry official…
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Thaksin ‘ready’ for talk, but not Prayut
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thaksin ‘ready’ for talk, but not Prayut The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday rejected a call for him to have talks with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as part of the efforts to achieve national reconciliation. Mr Thaksin, however, has…
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Soldiers deployed as security for oil-drilling firm
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Soldiers deployed as security for oil-drilling firm The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Soldiers and police joined a group of men wearing hoods and volunteers to clear the way for drilling equipment to be taken on an oil well in the Northeast yesterday morning, to the…
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Tourists’ protests drive call for beach chair compromise
PHUKET: Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup is calling for a compromise following several incidents on Patong Beach this week during which tourists became outraged after police asked them to remove their sun loungers from the sands in compliance with the new “no chair” policy. Several videos and pictures have been circulating on social media sites capturing groups of tourists becoming upset…
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Man stabbed in teen gang attack meters from Patong Police Station
PHUKET: A man is in critical condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital after a gang of teenagers dragged him out of his pick-up truck and stabbed him in the chest within meters of the Patong Police Station early yesterday morning. Yet, police did not learn of the attack until staffers at Patong Hospital called them at about 3:30am. The staffers reported…
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Ranong girl missing in Phuket
PHUKET: A mother is desperately searching for her 15-year-old daughter after she disappeared from her home in Ranong and hopped on a bus to Phuket with a friend yesterday afternoon. Saowaluk “Nong Mai” Thappan and her friend, named only as “Nong Prae”, went missing at about 3pm yesterday, Nong Mai’s mother, Deunphen Tongtirum, told the Phuket Gazette today. “After she…
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Tour boat captain finds body off Phuket
PHUKET: Police are attempting to identify the body of a man found floating off Coral Island, off Phuket’s southwest coast, yesterday. The gruesome discovery was made by a tour boat captain passing through the area at about midday, said Lt Col Anan Anutarawasarat of the Chalong Police. There were no tourists on board, he pointed out. “We believe the man…
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Russian tourists injured in Phuket head-on van crash
PHUKET: Two Russian tourists were injured in a head-on collision that caused long tailbacks on the coastal road north of Patong late Saturday night. Tuii Bulatovskii and Lrina Alexeemko, both 29, suffered minor injuries when a black Chevrolet driven by Pramot Suthipithak, 36, crossed the center line and slammed head-on into the van they were in at about 11pm. The…
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Bar staffer charged for baseball bat attack on Phuket expat
PHUKET: An employee at a bar in Rawai who brutally attacked a British expat with a baseball bat has been charged with assault, police have confirmed. Sarawuth Kongphat, 37, an assistant at the Green Leaf Bar, beat customer Christopher Stark with the bat and fractured his skull, after Mr Stark discovered he did not have enough cash to pay for…
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Copenhagen in shock over shootings, 22-year-old suspect dead
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Copenhagen in shock over shootings, 22-year-old suspect dead Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Police shot dead a 22-year-old Danish-born gunman on Sunday after he killed two people at a Copenhagen synagogue and an event promoting free speech in actions possibly inspired by an attack on the…
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Socialite dad of driver in notorious road-rage bus stop ram busted with meth
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Socialite dad of driver in notorious road-rage killing busted with meth The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Businessman and socialite Kan-anek Pachimsawat has been arrested for allegedly using the drug “ice” (crystal methamphetamine) and possessing it with intent to sell. He was released on Friday on…
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AMLO to seize B4bn in assets from former co-op chief
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community AMLO to seize B4bn in assets from former co-op chief The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: THE former chairman of the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative allegedly embezzled nearly 12 billion baht from its coffers and will have a large number of assets worth almost 4bn baht…
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Woman becomes first Thai driver arrested for refusing breath test
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Driver arrested for refusing breath test The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A female driver has become the first motorist in the country to be punished for refusing a breathalyser test, said the police, who added that they were forced to tow away her car with…
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Samui bar owner, guard confess to slaying Turkish tourist
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Samui bar owner, guard confess to slaying Turkish tourist The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A security guard and the manager of a bar on Koh Samui confessed on Friday to conspiring to shoot dead a Turkish tourist, police said yesterday. Kabin Srisa-ard, 27, the guard,…
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Ladyboy busted dealing meth in Phuket Town
PHUKET: A ladyboy drug dealer in possession of 58.48 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and 145,000 baht in cash was netted in a sting operation this morning in Phuket Town. Police were informed by undercover officers that Thiwa Saengreung, 38, had been selling ya ice to teenagers in the area, said Lt Col Chaiyadej Kaiyarit, an inspector for the…
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Gov inspects Phuket migrant worker camp, gives it 80-per-cent rating
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Jansomwong led an inspection and health advice session at a workers’ camp in Chalong yesterday, as a first step in improving conditions at the more than 200 camps in Phuket. The inspection follows a meeting last month in which the governor announced his goal to improve health and safety standards at the island’s worker camps (story here).…
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Bicycles banned on Phi Phi Island
PHUKET: Bicycle were banned on Phi Phi Island’s public walkways today following complaints from tourists about crowded streets and reckless cyclists. “The bicycle problem started about three years ago. Since then, the number of bikes on the island has increased significantly,” said Prasert Wongma, deputy chief executive officer of Ao Nang Administration Organization (OrBorTor). “No vehicles are allowed on the…
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Online 90-day immigration check-in yet to be launched in Phuket
PHUKET: Foreigners living in Thailand will be able to report to immigration for their 90-day check-in via the immigration website no sooner than April, an immigration officer confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. The news follows an experimental launch of the online reporting system in Bangkok last month. “The online 90-day reporting service is being tested now. For the time…
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Mark your calendars: Wat Chalong Fair kicks off on Monday
PHUKET: It’s that time of year again. Phuket’s biggest annual temple fair, held at Wat Chalong, will kick off on Monday to offer one week of local fare and entertainment. “There will be plenty of food vendors, sideshow rides, games and stalls set up at the fair. Everyone is more than welcome to come enjoy,” said Chaiwat Chatchawet, a Wat…
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Video Report: Romantic Thailand fast-tracks couples through Phuket immigration
PHUKET: Couples are being fast-tracked through airport immigration for the month of love as part of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Romantic Thailand campaign. The campaign, running from February 1 to 28, has already welcomed more than 400 couples to Phuket, said Anoma Wongyai, director of TAT Phuket. “All couples entering the arrivals hall are invited to register with…
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