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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Koh Tao suspects to be indicted by end of month
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Koh Tao suspects to be indicted by end of month The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thawatchai Siangjaew, deputy director general of Regional Public Prosecution 8, announced yesterday that prosecutors should be able to indict two Myanmar men charged with the murder of two Britons on…
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‘Cannibal’ tries to eat woman in British murder case
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community ‘Cannibal’ tries to eat woman in British murder case Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: British police confronted a man trying to eat the eyeball and face of a woman and used a stun gun on the cannibal who later died, local media quoted witnesses as saying.…
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Prosecutors, anti-graft agency still at odds over Yingluck case
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Prosecutors, anti-graft agency still at odds over Yingluck case The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The anti-graft agency and public prosecutors failed for a third time yesterday to reach agreement on whether a criminal case should be filed against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra in relation…
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Phuket officials play down rumors of foreign-teacher crackdown
PHUKET: Immigration and education officials doused rumors today that have been swirling around the Phuket foreign-teacher circles about a possible crackdown on teaching requirements and work permits. Chalam Attatham, director of the Phuket Primary Educational Service Area Office, confirmed that there would be no such crackdown on foreign teachers, and that all policies and requirements remain the same. “I have…
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Phuket worker seriously injured by electric shock, fall from building
PHUKET: One man is in critical condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital after he and a co-worker suffered severe electric shock and fell two stories from a building they working on in Patong this morning. Both men, whose identities have yet yet to be confirmed but are believed to be Myanmar nationals, were rushed to Patong Hospital after the accident. “We…
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Phuket underpass will not open in time for Beach Games
PHUKET: The Phuket Highways Office director has admitted that the underpass at the Darasamuth Intersection will not be complete in time to welcome the expected massive influx of tourists for the Asian Beach Games next week. He did, however, vow that the underpass, located beside the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall on the bypass road, would be complete by the…
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Danish fugitive expat arrested in Phuket for B45mn tax-evasion case
PHUKET: A Danish expat has been arrested in Phuket on an international arrest warrant for tax evasion involving more than 8 million Danish kroner (about 45mn baht). Phuket Immigration Police received an order from the Thailand Immigration Bureau headquarters in Bangkok on October 28 to track down and arrest Peter Jensen, 48, as he was wanted by Interpol on an…
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Phuket jet-skis to stay despite week of lethal danger, confirms Marine chief
PHUKET: Jet-ski operators will continue renting out their machines to tourists on the island’s beaches despite mishaps, injuries and the death of a Russian tourist killed in a jet-ski accident this week. Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut announced the news on Tuesday, when he explained to Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong that jet-ski operators could stay as long as they…
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50 Bangkok police chiefs face probe
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 50 Bangkok police chiefs face probe The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The chiefs of 50 metropolitan police stations and a large number of senior officers face disciplinary investigation following allegations that they unlawfully benefited from advertisers who put up many signboards at Bangkok intersections without…
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Govt may lift martial law in certain provinces
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Govt may lift martial law in certain provinces The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday that the government would consider lifting martial law in some provinces to boost the country’s economic recovery and bring back tourists. Financial authorities have predicted…
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US commission urges Obama to meet persecuted Rohingya in Myanmar
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community US commission urges Obama to meet persecuted Rohingya in Myanmar Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A U.S. government agency called on President Barack Obama on Thursday to meet with Rohingya Muslims and other minorities when he visits Myanmar this month and to press the government to…
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Jet-skis in Phuket must go – for good
PHUKET: The Gazette joins its online readers in expressing outrage at the recent announcement by the Marine Office that jet-ski rental operators will be allowed to remain on island beaches (story here). The dumbfounding news comes despite a woman being run over by a jet-ski trailer on Kata Beach (story here), children nearly being hit by a jet-ski at Surin…
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Seedlings project offers opportunities to underprivileged Phuket youth
PHUKET: The Banyan Tree’s Seedlings program has finally sprouted in Phuket, with 15 underprivileged local youths receiving skills training to take into the workplace. The Banyan Tree launched the group-wide corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative in 2007 as a way to “support enhanced long-term prosperity within communities”. “Creating a giving culture is more than just giving money, it’s about giving…
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Preventing a dolphin disaster in Phuket
PHUKET: My name is Lou. I am 10 years old and I am passionate about dolphins. I have been working on a “passion project” about dolphins with Vicki from the Dolphin Project and Gecko Community Phuket. Do you know what is happening in Taiji, Japan at this moment? Dolphins are being captured in a small bay called “The Cove”. The…
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Stay safe for Loy Krathong, say Phuket police
PHUKET: Region 8 Police have issued a warning that they will be out in force to maintain law and order, amid safety concerns for tonight’s Loy Krathong celebrations in Phuket. “Please make sure you lock up your house properly and do not take many valuable items with you in case criminals are looking to take advantage of festival-goers,” said Region…
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Video Report: Thai Tourism and Sports Minister names Phuket as the next sports tourism hot spot
Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, 54, is the Tourism and Sports Minister of Thailand. She was appointed by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha in August. She studied in the United States, graduating from Rhode Island School of Design. Before becoming minister, Ms Kobkarn was a chairperson at Toshiba Thailand. Here, she expresses excitement for the upcoming 4th Asian Beach Games and hopes that the…
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SAT expects Thais to take first at Asian Beach Games
PHUKET: The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) has revealed that it expects Thai athletes to claim 44 of 51 gold medals at the 4th Asian Beach Games, which begin in Phuket on Novmeber 14. The Sports Reporters-Photographers Association of Thailand recently held a “Meet the Press” conference to review Thai athletes’ preparation and assess their chances at bringing home gold…
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Phuket Immigration chief dodges long queue queries
PHUKET: The Phuket Immigration chief has avoided answering questions regarding complaints from foreigners about slow service and long queues spilling out of the office in Phuket Town, with some foreigners having to return over several days in order for their applications to be processed. One foreigner reported to the Phuket Gazette that he arrived at the office in Phuket Town…
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Phuket dominates international Petanque Challenge
PHUKET emerged as the clear winners of the Phuket-Dubai-France Petanque Challenge held at Saphan Hin last weekend, winning 52 of its games. Six pairs from each team played 12 opponents – six from each side – for a total of 108 matches throughout the two-day tournament. France came second, winning 32 games, and Dubai came third, with 24 victories. The…
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Youth dinghy sailors head for King’s Cup showdown
PHUKET: A fleet of 25 Optimist and seven Laser dinghies set sail off Cape Panwa last weekend as the Phuket Dinghy Series 2014 got underway, ahead of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta to be held in December. Racing began in front of the Sailing Club of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command Base at 11am, with breezes of eight…
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Don’t buy shares of Alibaba… yet
PHUKET: Over the past several weeks, my phone has been ringing off the hook from clients wanting to get in on the Alibaba IPO. I told each of them the same thing: “wait”. There was a lot of hype leading up to the IPO, and it’s the same situation as when Facebook went public. Being patient and waiting are two…
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With a fascinating past, the future looks great for Phuket’s own coffee brand
PHUKET: It has been 56 years since Cheng Long opened his Hock Hoe Lee coffee store in Phuket Town – and according to Ruengrit “Oh” Petchvorakul, husband to Cheng Long’s granddaughter and today co-owner of the Hock Hoe Lee brand, the beginnings weren’t that difficult. “All you had to do was to sell good coffee. There wasn’t much competition and…
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Phuket public venues attracting the wrong visitors
PHUKET: As a Phuket local who was born and raised here, and who has seen many things change over the years, I’ve started to wonder about the reasoning behind a few new places that have popped up – and why so much money was spent on them. I am particularly curious about two recent developments: 72nd Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park…
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Taxing changes in Phuket will see payoffs
Peerawut “Chris” Kunchorn has been part of the team at the Vijitt Resort in Rawai since 2009, and is currently manager of the resort. He attended Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University in Bangkok, and also studied at the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute. Here, he shares his views on what needs to be done to advance Phuket’s tourism sector, as well…
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Police coy over new probe into Koh Tao murders
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police coy over new probe into Koh Tao murders The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Local police in Surat Thani province have refused to comment on reports that the Myanmar Embassy and the Justice Ministry are pushing for a fresh investigation into the murders of two…
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British banker charged with Hong Kong murders
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community British banker charged with Hong Kong murders Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community British banker charged with Hong Kong murdersReuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET:A British banker charged with killing two women in Hong Kong…
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Pre-emptive strike: Phuket Police net drugs, guns ahead of Loy Krathong
PHUKET: A recent crackdown on drugs and guns in Phuket has resulted in mounting concern over muggings during the Loy Krathong Festival this week. “There will be a great number of tourists and locals participating in the festivities, and we know that criminals look to take advantage of people during events like this,” Arayaphan Pukbuakao, a deputy commander of Phuket…
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![Bangkok officials check controversial Phuket dolphinarium [video] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/1_2014115172749609_eOrWcEkKumRrtYAlRQGDpjTHAGqeDnShtgXgpycR_jpeg.jpeg)
Bangkok officials check controversial Phuket dolphinarium [video]
PHUKET: Department of Fisheries officials from Bangkok examined the hotly contested Nemo Dolphinarium today. “Five officers came to inspect the facility and question the owners,” Suchart Youngsup, acting chief of the Phuket Fisheries Office told the Phuket Gazette. “Everything is being taken care of by Bangkok officials. We are just supporting them as necessary.” With renowned dolphin-rights activist Ric O’Barry…
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Mosque gate crashers: Phuket Police chase down armed drug runners
PHUKET: Police arrested four armed men after the suspects crashed into the front gates of a mosque in central Phuket while attempting to dodge a police checkpoint this morning. Police began their pursuit of the Isuzu pickup truck, bearing Trang license plates, after witnessing it turning around in order to avoid a checkpoint in Thalang at about 9am. “While we…
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Marine Office demands Phuket tourists wear life jackets at sea
PHUKET: Marine officials are demanding all Phuket boat passengers wear life jackets as efforts are ramped up to improve tourists’ safety ahead of the incoming high season. “Tour boats in Phuket take thousands of tourists out to sea every day. We have to do everything in our power to ensure that their passengers are safe,” said Phuket Marine Office Chief…
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