News
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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Phuket land grab probe: Peninsula not out of the woods yet
PHUKET: Sirinath National Park Chief Kitiphat Taraphiban has confirmed that his office will not withdraw the police complaint against those suspected of illegally issuing land documents to the operators of the long-defunct Phuket Peninsular Spa & Resort. The investigation specifically centers on two people named on the land documents presented as evidence of ownership of the land, he told the…
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Phuket beach vendors given 15 days to clear Tri Trang and Paradise Beach
PHUKET: Businesses encroaching on the sands at Phuket’s Tri Trang Beach and Paradise Beach on Thursday were given 15 days to tear down their illegal structures – or pay Navy officers to do it for them. “We will check in every day. If it is not done by the deadline [August 7], I will have my officers take the structures…
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No answers for outraged Phuket beach vendors
PHUKET: Dozens of Phuket beach vendors went toe-to-toe with Patong’s mayor yesterday demanding that she protect them and their livelihoods. “I thought the beach vendors would have ideas on how we can support them, but they mostly just complained about me not taking care of them and not protecting them,” said newly-elected Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsab. “I understand that they…
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Hamilton fastest in hot Hungarian practice
PHUKET: Lewis Hamilton started his Hungarian Grand Prix weekend as he meant to continue, with the fastest lap in Friday’s first free practice and championship-leading Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg behind him. The winner of the last two Hungarian Grands Prix lapped the Hungaroring circuit outside Budapest with a best time of one minute 25.814 seconds. Rosberg was second fastest,…
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Thailand ‘Travel Shield’ insurance may be purchased by tourists starting today
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) on yesterday to create low-cost insurance schemes for foreign tourists that start at just 650 baht per person. Thawatchai Aranyik, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and OIC secretary-general Prawet Ong-atsitthikun signed the MOU for the project, which…
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Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket appoints new director of sales and marketing
PHUKET: The Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket has announced the appointment of Sanjeev Tandon as its new Director of Sales and Marketing. An Indian national, Mr Tandon holds a master’s degree in Management Studies with a specialization in marketing from the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research at Mumbai University, India. He also comes to the role with extensive experience…
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Olive ridley sea turtle found dead on Phuket beach
PHUKET: Local residents collecting shells on Mai Khao Beach discovered the remains of a female olive ridley turtle washed ashore yesterday. “We believe the turtle died a few days before the local villager found its remains,” said Jittipong Pimarnprom of the Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor). Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers took the remains of the turtle, about 53cm long…
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Phuket Opinion: Going with the flow
PHUKET: When riding my motorbike home yesterday, I found myself lost in thought. With my mind wandering off I’m not sure where (dinner? the weekend?) I missed my turn. Seconds later, without even a moment of hesitation, I turned the bike around, drove 100 meters back, against the traffic, took the missed turn and headed straight for home. The realization…
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Phuket Opinion: Service matters
PHUKET: The tuk-tuk gently and purposefully bumped into my motorbike while I was parked in a taxi-only parking zone outside of Patong’s Jungceylon. It had been there for only a few minutes while I ran into the shopping center to grab a bag from a friend, but apparently long enough to have truly offended the driver. With a thuggish arrogance,…
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Phuket progress backslides with Dolphinarium
PHUKET: The fact that a dolphinarium is set to become one of Phuket’s newest tourist attractions (story here) comes as terrible news for the island’s reputation abroad, running counter to all of the positive changes we have witnessed in recent months. Our position on the ethics of keeping sentient creatures like dolphins and other marine mammals in captivity for amusement…
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What university techies can give back to Phuket
Pun Thongchumnum has been the Dean of the Faculty of Technology and Environment of Prince of Songkla University (PSU) Phuket campus since 2012. He has a PhD from PSU Pattani campus and was Associate Dean for Research and Development of IT at PSU from 2006-2012. Here, he talks about the role of the university and the contribution that technology can…
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Big snake rattles Phuket henhouse, and its owner
PHUKET: A local resident received a fright yesterday when she went to investigate what was causing a commotion in her chicken coop near her house in Srisoonthorn, Thalang, in central Phuket, yesterday afternoon. “I heard my ducks and my chickens panicking, so I went to the henhouse to see what was scaring them,” said Wanna Bilabdullar. That’s when she saw…
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At least 15 killed by shelling of Gaza school
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least 15 killed by shelling of Gaza school; toll exceeds 760 Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Gazan authorities said Israeli forces shelled a shelter at a U.N.-run school on Thursday, killing at least 15 people as the Palestinian death toll in the conflict climbed over…
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Phuket beach vendor fined for burying coolers in sand
PHUKET: A vendor has been fined 2,000 baht for burying her coolers in the sand in an attempt to carry on selling ice-cold drinks to tourists on Patong Beach. Officers discovered three large ice boxes buried in the sand across the road from Burger King while patrolling the beachfront road on Monday. “We asked people in the area who the…
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PLTO chief demands harsh penalties for illegal Phuket taxis
PHUKET: The highest penalty will be sought for all illegal taxi drivers caught operating on the island after August 1 vowed Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) Chief Terayout Prasertphol today. “Police have just been fining and then releasing drivers. However, from August 1 onward, if police apprehend any illegal taxi driver, they must send the case directly to court and…
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Germany Ambassador to Thailand bids farewell to Phuket consul
PHUKET: German Ambassador to Thailand Rolf Schulze bid farewell to Phuket legacy Dirk Naumann on July 18 as Mr Naumann concluded 12 dedicated years on the island as German Honorary Consul. Amb Schulze commended Mr Naumann for his years of service, especially his work after the tsunami. “Without your creativity, engagement, help and human feeling it would not have been…
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Phuket taxi call center on hold, ranks wait for green light
PHUKET: The launch of the Patong taxi call center has been deferred indefinitely as officials scramble to prepare staff, taxi drivers and necessary equipment. The service was slated to kick off this month (story here), following the tear-down of illegal taxi stands throughout Patong and the rest of the island (story here). “We have mapped out the proposed locations of…
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Sale of B60mn prime Phuket land plot spooked by suspect land title
PHUKET: A family of farmers trying to sell nine rai of land with an estimated value of 60 million baht have come under scrutiny for trying to upgrade a SorKor 1 deed for the site to full Chanote status. Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak led officers to inspect the site yesterday after receiving an anonymous complaint asking for the Governor’s…
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Thanyapura gives back to the community
PHUKET: “Now more than ever, companies need to demonstrate transparency. They must show they are attuned to environmental issues. They should reduce carbon emissions, promote zero waste and host CSR activities to engage the public,” said the President of International Business Affairs of The Nation Multimedia Group Pana Janviroj in the foreword of the latest issue of CSR Thailand magazine.…
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Tourists on ‘walk-in’ visa entries to get 30-day extensions
PHUKET: The chief of the Phuket Immigration Office, Col Sunchai Chokkajaykij, has confirmed that his office has received an official order to begin issuing extensions of up to 30 days to foreigners who enter the country on visa-exemption status. The order, signed by Immigration Bureau Acting Commissioner Sakda Chuenpakdee, is to come into effect from August 29, said Col Sunchai.…
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Dutch pot lord arrested in Pattaya
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dutchman, Thai wife nabbed for trafficking pot The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A Dutchman and his Thai wife were arrested yesterday in Pattaya for allegedly conspiring to sell marijuana via a network in the Netherlands that reportedly earned Bt600 million to Bt800 million per year.…
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Newcastle lead the Premier League jet-setters
PHUKET: By the time Newcastle United kick off their Premier League campaign at home to champions Manchester City in little less than a month’s time the squad would have clocked up an astonishing 24,687 pre-season air miles. Globe-trotting West Ham United will not be far behind while five other clubs would have covered distances in excess of 12,000 miles as…
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Gaza bloodshed deepens as airlines shun Israel
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gaza bloodshed deepens as airlines shun Israel Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Gaza fighting raged on Wednesday, displacing thousands more Palestinians in the battered territory as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said efforts to secure a truce between Israel and Hamas had made some progress.…
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Dutch mourn as first MH17 bodies arrive in Netherlands
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dutch mourn as first MH17 bodies arrive in Netherlands Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The bodies of the first victims from a Malaysian airliner shot down over Ukraine last week arrived on Wednesday at a military base in the Netherlands – a nation in shock and…
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Phuket SEA Coworking Space hosts iSeahorse workshop tonight
PHUKET: The SEA Coworking Space in Phuket Town will be saddling up to host a free iSeahorse workshop this evening at 6:30. The event is a training workshop for scuba divers, snorkellers and beach goers who have an interest in learning how to survey and identify seahorses in coastal locations, explains Lindsay Aylesworth, lead researcher in Thailand for Project Seahorse…
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ITF Pro Circuit winners rejoice
PHUKET: WITH the Chang SAT International Tennis Federation (ITF) Pro Circuit doubles event at Phuket’s Thanyapura half way through, the first winners are celebrating their results. Ya-Fan Wang of China played from the qualifying round to win the Women’s Singles event. In the final round Wang survived five match points to come back to defeat Yi-Fan Xu 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.…
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Phuket lifeguards issue no-jeans warning after near-drowning
PHUKET: Lifeguards at Phuket’s Nai Harn Beach have called for swimmers to not wear jeans in the surf after a tourist wearing them nearly drowned there late yesterday afternoon. Lifeguards pulled Kammapol Suyapiew, 40, unconscious from the heavy surf after he went swimming with friends in an area marked by red flags. “We tried to warn them when we saw…
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Thalang open their account with a win over Laguna
With both teams chasing their first points of the Outrigger Twenty20 season, last year’s premiers Laguna were pitted against Thalang, recent winners of the 35 over league. The coin fell Thalang’s way and Captain Craig Murphy elected to bat. Manish Sadarangani did what Laguna couldn’t do in the recent grand final when he picked up Andrew McMillan’s wicket in the…
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NCPO eases controls on media, urges self-regulation
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NCPO eases controls on media, urges self-regulation The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has amended some points in its announcement – No 97 – on media control after being told that the order banning critical reports was harsh.…
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His Majesty endorses provisional constitution
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community NCPO chief gets full control of security The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: His Majesty The King has endorsed a provisional charter that puts the chief of National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) in charge of national security, allowing him to suppress any action both…
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