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    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?...

  • Patong hotel ordered to remove water-runoff pipe from beach

    Patong hotel ordered to remove water-runoff pipe from beach

    PHUKET: A leading Phuket resort has been ordered to remove a pipe that released runoff rainwater directly onto the sand at Patong Beach. The news came yesterday when officers from the Regional Environmental Office (REO) and Patong Municipality inspected the Impiana Resort, on the Patong beachfront road (map here). “We asked people in the area, and were told that the…

  • Norwegian tourist drowns at Karon Beach

    Norwegian tourist drowns at Karon Beach

    PHUKET: A Norwegian tourist drowned after being caught in heavy surf at Karon Beach, on Phuket’s west coast, yesterday. Kata-Karon chief lifeguard Uten Singsom reported his staff seeing the man, named by police as Chris Roger Hangsao, 55, having difficulty coping with the large waves. “There were big waves, up to about two meters high,” Mr Uten told the Phuket…

  • Phuket hotel maid dies in service lift accident

    Phuket hotel maid dies in service lift accident

    PHUKET: A hotel maid died at a Phuket resort yesterday afternoon when her neck was broken by a service lift being activated while she was leaning inside, trying to retrieve a clothes iron.Karon Police arrived at the Phuket Peach Blossom Resort in Karon to find the body of Jaruwan Prasit, 21, inside the lift shaft, lying on top of the…

  • Phuket Business: FoodPanda to change eating habits

    Phuket Business: FoodPanda to change eating habits

    PHUKET: You didn’t buy this luxury villa to be forced to leave it every time you feel hungry. So if you’re tired of fast food and pizza – the most common delivery foods – there is a new solution for you. Online food delivery company, Foodpanda has just entered Phuket and plans to change islanders’ dining habits. The Phuket Gazette…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Typhoon aid underway; Yingluck to face censure; BOT in good shape; Schools in South strike

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Typhoon aid underway; Yingluck to face censure; BOT in good shape; Schools in South strike

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Doctors, medicines heading to Philippines The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Public Health Ministry is expected to send 60 tonnes of medical supplies on an Air Force plane to the Philippines on Monday (Nov 18), with the government announcing yesterday it would initially provide Bt6 million to…

  • Phuket joins Philippines typhoon relief effort

    Phuket joins Philippines typhoon relief effort

    PHUKET: The Phuket chapter of the Red Cross Society has joined the relief effort to provide assistance to victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the central Philippines last Friday. “Right now we can only accept donations of money, which we will send to our head office in Bangkok,” Phuket Red Cross staffer Sarawut Rukkhaw told the Phuket Gazette. “We…

  • Phuket residential areas hit by water shutoffs

    Phuket residential areas hit by water shutoffs

    PHUKET: Water supply was suspended in parts of Phuket today for the Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) to carry out maintenance work.“We stopped the water supply along the Tha Rua-Muang Mai Road in Pa Khlok. Residences in that area were affected,” PWA officer Sasivimol Sangprakong said.The water was shut off to fix a burst main in front of the Thalang…

  • Man slain by single gunshot in Rawai

    Man slain by single gunshot in Rawai

    PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a 28-year-old man who was slain by a single gunshot to the head near Rawai Beach early this morning.Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Jumroon Plaidoung was notified of the murder at about 3:30am.“When we arrived at the scene, an unregistered rental house about 150 meters from the beach, we found the body of Khin…

  • Korean boy, 4, rescued from Phuket drain

    Korean boy, 4, rescued from Phuket drain

    PHUKET: A local resident rescued a 4-year-old Korean boy who plunged into a drain two-meters deep along the bypass road yesterday evening.“The cover for the drain was broken, and grass was obscuring the hole. It was hard to see because there was no light,” said a Kusoldharm rescue worker at the scene.Boonkua Saelim, 42, rushed to help the boy after…

  • Phuket Sport: Singapore wins international cricket sixes competition

    Phuket Sport: Singapore wins international cricket sixes competition

    PHUKET: The Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) hosted the inaugural Sunseeker Thailand International Cricket Sixes event at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) over November 8-10. The competition saw Phuket’s local cricketer’s line up against international teams from Australia and Singapore in an action-packed, fun-filled three days.The first two days comprised of round robin matches which were followed by a great night…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Israel warns of war from Iran nuclear deal; Aquino under pressure over typhoon aid; Congo ready to formalize rebel defeat

    Phuket Gazette World News: Israel warns of war from Iran nuclear deal; Aquino under pressure over typhoon aid; Congo ready to formalize rebel defeat

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Israel warns of war from Iran deal, sees big sanctions cut Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Wednesday that a “bad deal” with Iran on its nuclear programme could lead to war and his aides challenged U.S. assertions to have offered Tehran…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Life on Cambodian border returns to normal; ATM skim gang in Songkhla; Luxury cars seized

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Life on Cambodian border returns to normal; ATM skim gang in Songkhla; Luxury cars seized

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Life on the border returns to normal The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: All 47 schools in the border province of Si Sa Ket reopened yesterday as there was no backlash from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on Preah Vihear Temple.The schools, all in Si Sa…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Warships to help Philippines; 24,000 more houses in Jerusalem; Fukushima: now for the tough part

    Phuket Gazette World News: Warships to help Philippines; 24,000 more houses in Jerusalem; Fukushima: now for the tough part

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S., Britain sends warships to help Philippine relief efforts Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A U.S. aircraft carrier set sail for the Philippines on Tuesday to accelerate relief efforts after a typhoon killed an estimated 10,000 people in one coastal city alone, with fears the toll could rise…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Restraint urged on Preah Vihear ruling; 10 hurt as train derails; Fundraiser for typhoon victims; Realty growth continues despite woes

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Restraint urged on Preah Vihear ruling; 10 hurt as train derails; Fundraiser for typhoon victims; Realty growth continues despite woes

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Govt urges restraint on Preah Vihear ruling The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The government and military have held back on making definitive comments on the Preah Vihear case, waiting to see what transpires from a meeting with their Cambodian counterparts.As villagers living along the border cheered and…

  • Major blackout to hit southern Phuket

    Major blackout to hit southern Phuket

    PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has announced a major blackout scheduled to affect residents and businesses in Chalong tomorrow. PPEA staff will be carrying out maintenance work on high-voltage power lines. “We will replace power cables in many areas this month to prevent unscheduled blackouts and fluctuations in power supply,” PPEA Operations Chief Yongyuth Podbutr told the Phuket…

  • Phuket ATM robbers were “amateurs’, says expert

    Phuket ATM robbers were “amateurs’, says expert

    PHUKET: A welding expert today branded the thieves who last week used a blowtorch to steal 1.6 million baht from an ATM at Phuket’s Boat Lagoon as “amateurs”. Stuck for clues in tracking down the bandits, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Serm Kwannimit today brought welding expert Wisut Pumsiri to inspect the scene of the crime (story here). “I believe…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Thaksin believes protest will fizzle out; Industry gives warning; Mother-in-law admits contract killing [VIDEO]; Govt, Cambodia to work together | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Thaksin believes protest will fizzle out; Industry gives warning; Mother-in-law admits contract killing [VIDEO]; Govt, Cambodia to work together

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thaksin opposes House dissolution and Yingluck’s resignation The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Despite the mounting pressure against his sister’s embattled government, ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday instructed the ruling Pheu Thai Party to cling on to power in the hope the opposition-led rally against the amnesty bill…

  • Driver blamed for Phuket tour bus crash

    Driver blamed for Phuket tour bus crash

    PHUKET: Police have given a Phuket tour bus driver seven days to present himself to face charges for the Patong Hill accident that saw 49* university students rushed to hospital Saturday afternoon. The 32-year-old driver, Manit Sawadee, is to be charged with reckless driving causing serious injury. The bus Mr Manit was driving plunged backward and slammed into a roadside…

  • Safety helmet found at Phuket motorbike fatality scene

    Safety helmet found at Phuket motorbike fatality scene

    PHUKET: A man carrying a full-face helmet was found dead on the airport bypass road after falling from his motorbike early yesterday morning. Police were called to the scene, about one kilometer from Thepkrasattri Road (map here), at 2:30am. “The victim was identified as Thanapon Pawatpongphan, 44,” said Capt Santi Prakobkan of the Tah Chat Chai Police. “It seems as…

  • Phuket kratom cooks caught in the act

    Phuket kratom cooks caught in the act

    PHUKET: Police in Kamala, on Phuket’s west coast, nabbed two men cooking up a batch of the illegal drug cocktail “4×100” at a workers’ camp on Friday.“Plain clothes police informed us that two men, Aekkaluk Phanchalard, 29, and Suthep Abdulsamak, 42, were making 4×100 at the camp,” explained Lt Suchart Chompooseang of the Kamala Police.Uniformed officers quickly assembled a squad…

  • WTF – “What The Future Holds” Event Summary

    WTF – “What The Future Holds” Event Summary

    PHUKET: Professor Steve Keen is often quoted as saying that the only people who believe they can see the future are fortune tellers, economists and God, and that, while he’s sceptical about fortune tellers, he knows for a fact that economists are deluding themselves, often with appalling consequences. Managing clients’ hard-earned assets shouldn’t be based on an individual assumption of…

  • BIS Phuket earn four trophies at its football tourney

    BIS Phuket earn four trophies at its football tourney

    PHUKET: British International School Phuket (BISP) was proud to once again host its annual football tournament, with the hosts taking home four of the total 30 trophies. This year there were teams representing 26 international schools from not only Thailand, but China, South Korea, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. Out of 10 classes, BISP won top honors in the…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Typhoon death toll feared 10,000; Syria rebels open door to peace; Kristallnacht remembered

    Phuket Gazette World News: Typhoon death toll feared 10,000; Syria rebels open door to peace; Kristallnacht remembered

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Philippines typhoon kills estimated 10,000, destruction hampers rescue efforts Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Rescue workers struggled to reach ravaged towns and villages in the central Philippines on Monday as they tried to deliver aid to survivors of a powerful typhoon that killed an estimated 10,000 people and…

  • Phuket Gazette Thailand News: D-Day – Rallies in Bangkok hit critical mass; ICJ ruling on Preah Vihear temple today; Woman confesses to Jakkrit slaying

    Phuket Gazette Thailand News: D-Day – Rallies in Bangkok hit critical mass; ICJ ruling on Preah Vihear temple today; Woman confesses to Jakkrit slaying

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anti-amnesty groups step up rallies in bid to topple PM The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Today is D-Day for Yingluck Shinawatra’s government, which is under pressure from all-out resistance to the amnesty bill from various groups. Several anti-amnesty movements will today join forces to hold street marches…

  • New Tourist Police Commander joins Phuket boat safety blitz

    New Tourist Police Commander joins Phuket boat safety blitz

    PHUKET: The new commander of the Tourist Police, Maj Gen Apichai Theamart, yesterday led a team of officers on a safety inspection of boats operating at Rassada Pier, on the east side of Phuket Town. The inspection, aimed at ensuring Phuket tourists’ safety, follows a heavily overloaded ferry from Pattaya capsizing off Koh Lan, injuring many passengers and causing the…

  • Phuket tourist van drivers win reprieve against arrests

    Phuket tourist van drivers win reprieve against arrests

    PHUKET: Local van drivers who shuttle tourists at hotels and resorts to and from the various piers around Phuket have won a reprieve from arrests during the ongoing crackdown on illegal drivers.The news follows a collection of 60 drivers successfully appealing to Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada at Provincial Hall yesterday.“All of us have already applied to the Phuket Land…

  • Russian tourist dies after Phuket massage

    Russian tourist dies after Phuket massage

    PHUKET: A Russian tourist died after suffering a heart attack in the middle of receiving a massage in Bang Tao (view here), on Phuket’s west coast, yesterday. Sergey Taruraev, 37, was pronounced dead by medical staff at about 5:30pm, soon after his arrival at Thalang Hospital. An ambulance was dispatched by the hospital after being notified at 4:30pm, by staff…

  • Phuket Gazette World News: Typhoon flattens Philippines; Mexico frees kidnap victims; US embroiled in Iran nuclear, Palestine dilemma

    Phuket Gazette World News: Typhoon flattens Philippines; Mexico frees kidnap victims; US embroiled in Iran nuclear, Palestine dilemma

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Typhoon Haiyan hammers Philippines Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Typhoon Haiyan, possibly the strongest storm ever to hit land, was barrelling out of the Philippines on Saturday after it flattened houses, triggered landslides and floods and knocked out power and communications across a number of islands.In the central…

  • Phuket traffic cop perks up to catch coffee fiend

    Phuket traffic cop perks up to catch coffee fiend

    PHUKET: A passerby in Phuket Town helped an off-duty police officer chase down a man who allegedly stole a bag of instant coffee from a 7-Eleven convenience store early yesterday morning.Kampanart Rattanamuay, 34, was found by police with five bags of coffee, a DVD and a pair of gloves.“By the time we arrived, Mr Kampanart had already been captured and…

  • Phuket Opinion: Why I’m keeping my dumbphone

    Phuket Opinion: Why I’m keeping my dumbphone

    PHUKET: Life today is inundated with myriad marvelous advances in technology, not least in the realm of personal telecommunications. I can’t go anywhere without encountering the latest news, entertainment, music or point of view being delivered by a screen a short distance away, a friend within range of such a screen, or by someone’s smart phone. Even on this idyllic…