News
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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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Special Report: If there’s something strange and it don’t look good”¦ who ya gonna call?
Special Report Early last Saturday morning, a female tourist spent 45 minutes trying to contact the police. Repeated calls to the Tourist Police hotline 1155 went unanswered until a man picked up and told her he could not speak English and advised her to call the Thalang Police, who put her on hold. The Phuket Gazette’s Chutharat Plerin investigates emergency…
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Australian superyacht industry seeks closer ties with Phuket
PHUKET: Representatives of peak industry body Superyacht Australia, along with several Australian-based marine companies recently toured Phuket as part of a program aimed at fostering business relations in the marine industry. The tour was hosted by the Australian Trade Commission and funded through the Australian Government’s Asian Century Business Engagement Plan grant program. During the visit, the group toured all…
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Tourist Police face harsh words in Phuket
PHUKET: Tourist Police in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani have received a public tongue-lashing over a lack of patrols in tourist areas.“I never see Tourist Police out on patrol when I visit – they are only working in their small police boxes,” said Gen Wuthi Liptapallop, a top-flight Adviser to the Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Adul Saengsingkaew.“How are…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Italy rescues more than 1,100 migrants in rafts south of Sicily
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Italy rescues more than 1,100 migrants in rafts south of Sicily Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Italian navy has rescued more than 1,100 migrants from nine large rafts in the waters south of Sicily, the latest arrivals from North Africa.Patrol helicopters identified the overcrowded rafts on Wednesday…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: EC tackles poll problems; CMPO seeks 39 arrest warrants; Grenades fired at rally site
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Farmers raise pressure The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Furious rice farmers yesterday piled pressure on the government by taking their protest to the capital, amid claims that they were part of a plot to bring down the government.Thousands of farmers from the Northeast, the Central and the…
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Phuket baby arrives with sad message for expectant parents
PHUKET: A baby born in Phuket with her intestines protruding from her abdomen underscores the need for regular prenatal care and serves as a reminder of the limits of modern medicine, said Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Jessada Chungpaibulpatana. “About 1 in 1,000 babies are born with gastroschisis. About 30 per cent of those cases cannot be detected on an ultrasound,”…
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German victim in Phuket ultralight crash believed drowned
PHUKET: Phuket Police believe the German man whose ultralight crashed on Wednesday (story here) drowned after his flying boat plunged into the sea. Chalong Police Investigator Patiwat Yodkwan named the crash victim as 64-year-old Georg Erwin Bach. “When police and rescue workers arrived at the scene, Mr Bach had already been brought ashore by staff at a nearby resort,” Maj…
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Southern blockades didn’t affect Phuket goods: DIT Chief
PHUKET: The island’s market for consumer goods and fresh produce has not been affected by the political turmoil in and around Bangkok, the head of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) Phuket office has assured. “I’m not aware of any shortages on the island, so there should be no reason why goods in Phuket would be any more expensive than…
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Phuket Gazette World News: EU lawmakers push to bolster rights of stranded air travellers
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community EU lawmakers push to bolster rights of stranded air travellers Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The European Parliament has called for stricter rules to make it easier for stranded air passengers to claim compensation from their airlines.The lawmakers’ vote on Wednesday takes Europe closer to tightening rules on…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Bahrain toughens penalties for insulting king
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Bahrain toughens penalties for insulting king Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The king of Bahrain has approved a law imposing a jail sentence of up to seven years and a fine of up to 10,000 dinars (16,276.64 pounds) for anyone who publicly insults him.King Hamad’s measure highlights the…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Scathing U.N. report demands Vatican act against child sex abuse
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Scathing U.N. report demands Vatican act against child sex abuse Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The United Nations demanded on Wednesday that the Vatican “immediately remove” all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers and turn them over to civil authorities, in an unprecedented and scathing report.The…
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Governor picks up trash, pushes for cleaner Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut picked up trash on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday morning as part of a lead-up to Civil Defense Volunteer Day on February 10. A group of about 200 people, including Vice Governor Chamroen Tippayapongtada and Phuket Provincial Employment Office Chief Yaowapa Pibulpol, as well as government officers and volunteers fanned out on both sides of the road…
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Phuket’s X-Terminal successfully inaugurated
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport’s X-Terminal saw its first successful charter flight depart for China yesterday. “The check-in system for the flight went well. Passengers checked in at the X-Terminal, then took the shuttle to the main terminal to clear Immigration and Customs,” Director of Phuket International Airport Pratuang Sornkham told the Phuket Gazette. Jet Asia Airways provided the flight, JF840,…
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Phuket Gazette World News: U.S. warns airports over toothpaste bombs
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. warns airports over possible bomb ingredients in toothpaste tubes Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The United States issued a warning on Wednesday to airports and to some airlines flying to Russia for the Olympics to watch for toothpaste tubes that could hold ingredients to make a bomb…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Farmers maintain blockades; Student tablet scheme fails; Thai in mysterious South African death
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Defiant farmers maintain blockades, draw up petition The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: While one group of rice farmers today brings tractors and trucks to rally outside the Commerce Ministry in Nonthaburi – to pressure for long overdue payments from the rice-pledging scheme – another group from the…
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Illegal wildlife vendors netted at Phuket’s Wat Chalong Fair
PHUKET: Wildlife preservation officers and Marine Police last night arrested three people and seized more than 300 items of jewelry made from coral and the shells of the endangered Hawksbill turtle. Tanet Munnoy, chief of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Phuket office, led the raid at the temple grounds after his office received a tip-off from people…
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Phuket honeymooner partially paralyzed as speedboat tackles rough waters
PHUKET: A Swedish honeymooner in Phuket was partially paralyzed from a fall as her speedboat to Phi Phi Island tackled choppy waters last month.“I still have pain in my back. I can move my legs a little bit, but I cannot move my feet at all,” Karin Josefsson said. “My husband also hurt his back, but not severely.”Mrs Josefsson and…
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Police seek arrest warrant over brutal slaying of Phuket teen
PHUKET: Wichit Police will seek an arrest warrant this week for the prime suspect in the brutal murder of Phuket teenager Pawarisorn Sae-Ung. The charred body of Mr Pawarisorn, 16, was found dumped beside Muang Chaofa Road (map here) on December 6. He had been stabbed multiple times, his throat had been slashed and his body set alight (story here).…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Georgia says Russian pressure will not divert it from EU goal
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Georgia says Russian pressure will not divert it from EU goal Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Georgia is determined to sign a trade and cooperation agreement with the European Union by August and will not be pushed off course by Russian pressure as Ukraine was, Georgian Prime Minister…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Iran nuclear deal ‘not perfect’ but buys time – U.S. official
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Iran nuclear deal ‘not perfect’ but buys time – U.S. official Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: An initial agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program was “not perfect” but bought time to try to secure a comprehensive deal, U.S. officials said on Tuesday in response to sharp criticism from…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Rice farmers to block all major roads; Yingluck richer by the millions; Democrats move for court coup
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Farmers to block all main roads across country tomorrow The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Rice farmers plan to scale up their protests against the government by closing all main roads in the country tomorrow.With their days-long blockade of roads in Ratchaburi having little impact, rice farmers in…
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Getting down and dirty at the Rawai motocross track
PHUKET: Driving a car or riding a motorcycle around Phuket, one will quickly come to grips with the “rules of the road”. It can often make you wonder if you made a wrong turn and ended up on a racetrack. However, if you do indeed feel the need for speed there is a place where you can let loose and…
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Malaysia Airlines inaugurates Kuala Lumpur-Krabi flights
PHUKET: Malaysia Airlines flight MH770 made its inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Krabi yesterday, initiating a four-times-a-week service between the two destinations. The new B737-800 flights will operate on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, departing from Kuala Lumpur at 2:55pm (local time in Malaysia) and departing from Krabi at 5:20pm (local time). “Last year more than 90,000 tourists from…
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Phuket protesters ignore Chalerm’s order to open government offices
PHUKET: Phuket protesters stand united in defying an order from Bangkok to re-open all government offices on February 6.Chalerm Yoobamrung, caretaker Labor Minister and director of the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order, issued the order yesterday.“I don’t care what Chalerm said, we are not under his control,” said Phuket protest leader Amnuay Kumban this morning.“We will maintain our blockade…
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Phuket Gazette World News: France’s Hollande retreats on family policy after protests
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community France’s Hollande retreats on family policy after protests Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: France’s Socialist government dropped plans on Monday to update family law this year after huge weekend protests by conservatives against gay-friendly reforms they say harm traditional families.The government tried on Monday to reassure the protesters,…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Highway blockade holds fast as economy braces for B240bn hit
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Desperate farmers seek help from King to get rice-scheme payments The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Farmers will appeal to His Majesty the King on Thursday over their plight resulting from overdue payments owing from the rice-pledging scheme. A farmer leader, Prakasit Jaemjumrat, said the group…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Election prelims show no change – Pheu Thai stays; Shots both ways at Lak Si; Yingluck legal battle begins
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Pheu Thai stands to win about 300 seats: source The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Pheu Thai Party is expected to win at least 300 MP seats even though each candidate has won fewer votes than in the past, a party source, who asked to be named, said.The…
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Phuket media blackout on Hungarian execution case
PHUKET: Moshe David was in court today for the execution of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz, whose body was found with hands bound in a rubber plantation on Phuket in 2012 (story here). The judge ordered a media blackout on reporting evidence presented at the case, which started at 2pm at Phuket Provincial Court. The judge asked for the blackout to…
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Phuket songtaew driver returns ticket home to forgetful Finnish tourist
PHUKET: A Phuket public bus driver saved the day for a Finnish tourist who left behind an important bag in a songtaew this morning.Kamala bus driver Kiattisak Hoksad found tourist Sami Oskari Lyytinen’s bag – containing a passport, a plane ticket to Finland and some cash – in the back of his songtaew at about 11:30am today. He immediately reported…
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Rice farmer protest closes Phuket highway to Bangkok
PHUKET: The main highway linking Bangkok to Phuket and the rest of Southern Thailand has been closed by rice farmers protesting the government’s failure to pay for rice produced and delivered under the controversial rice-pledging scheme. The blockade is in effect on Petchkasem Road in Ratchaburi, about 100km west of Bangkok. State news agency MCOT reported that the farmers staging…
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