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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The 5 most common travel emergencies in Thailand and how to be prepared
Thailand is a popular destination known for its dynamic culture, stunning beaches, and bustling cities however, travellers can face unexpected travel emergencies that include medical issues, road accidents, petty theft, and natural disasters. To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip,...
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Phuket tourists injured as waves swamp Phi Phi tour boat
PHUKET: Six tourists were injured when a tour boat heading to the Phi Phi Islands (view here) was struck by large waves as it crossed Phang Nga Bay this morning. The boat, which departed from Chalong at about 10am, was carrying 40 tourists from Australia, Indonesia and China, an officer at the Tourist Rescue Center at Chalong Pier (map here)…
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Phuket Property: Thai hotels benefit from local software
PHUKET: About 1,000 member hotels of the Thai Hotel Association (THA) are benefiting from a locally developed room reservation technology that is changing the way hotels in Thailand do business online, keeping them ahead of the game in the global hospitality industry. The new ‘Software as a Service’ for independent hotels is the result of a recently formed exclusive partnership…
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Overcrowding at Rohingya shelter raises slew of concerns
PHUKET: Overcrowding at the Phang Nga Shelter for Children and Family, which was housing more than 100 Rohingya refugees, has forced the shelter’s director to have more than 50 of them transferred to a welfare center in Surat Thani. A bus with 13 Rohingya women, 19 boys and 20 girls is now en route to the Baan Srisurat shelter (website…
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Murder fugitive ‘Kamnan Poh’ arrested
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Fugitive Kamnan Poh arrested Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: Somchai Khunplome, alias ‘Kamnan Poh’, father of Thailand’s culture minister, was arrested today in Bangkok after years on the run.His son, Sonthaya, looked tense and grim while talking on the phone about his father’s arrest.Somchai was picked up…
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World News: Crack down on nightclubs after deadly fire
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Brazilian cities crack down on nightclubs after deadly fire Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Cities across Brazil are beginning to crack down on nightclubs to ensure they comply with fire regulations following a weekend blaze that killed 231 people at a club in the southern university town of…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Football movements, bans and possible prison
Beckham trains with Arsenal to maintain fitness Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Former England football captain David Beckham is training with Arsenal in a bid to maintain his fitness, manager Arsene Wenger said. The 37-year-old midfielder is a free agent after leaving LA Galaxy at the end of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season in December. “He has asked to…
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Racha Rohingya “helped on’ by Thai Navy
PHUKET: The group of Rohingya refugees discovered off Koh Racha Noi today – numbering 205 in total – were given food and water before being “helped on” in their southbound journey. On hearing the news of the refugees’ arrival, Rawai Municipality quickly dispatched a speedboat with basic provisions. The boat departed Chalong Pier about midday, and on arriving at Koh…
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Krabi police raid turns up war weapons, meth
PHUKET: Police raids at a shrimp farm and the nearby home of a subdistrict chief (Kamnan) in Krabi province, across the bay from Phuket, has turned up an Uzi, a Thompson machine gun, six shotguns, several handguns and two grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). Region 8 Police yesterday presented Kamnan Anan Sanhad, the 55-year-old subdistrict chief of Klong Khanan,…
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Live Wire: A tale of internet worry and woe
PHUKET: TWO weeks ago in Live Wire, I produced a list of all the available internet packages in Phuket – at least, all of the packages I know about (click here). Last week, I explained that most people in Phuket will want to get a “3G” (I still hate that term, because it’s meaningless!) package for their phone(s). Most probably…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Former champions Rangers bemoan SPL plans
Top Scottish clubs back plans to restructure league Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs backed plans yesterday to restructure the cash-strapped game in Scotland despite vocal opposition from former champions Rangers.“The clubs were united in their view about the need for change,” said SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster.“I firmly believe that any change can only come from…
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Phuket Business: Luxury auto dealer aligns brand with international football lovers
PHUKET: Football players from Phuket FC recently visited the TSL Auto Corporation (TSL) premium imported car showroom to thank the company for officially sponsoring the team in the upcoming Thai Yamaha One (Division 1) 2013 season. Phuket FC’s head coach Panipol Kerdyam made a personal appearance, alongside players Nontaphan Jiensathawong, Nenebi Tre Sylyee Tre, Luiz Eduardo Purcio, Girogi Tsimakuridze, Kritsada…
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Phuket Business: Virtually exposed
PHUKET: Although the concept of 360-degree virtual tours has been around for almost as long as the world-wide-web itself, such technology has only recently begun to yield its true potential. Thanks to the advent of developments in global positioning systems (GPS), camera technology and improved user interfaces, businesses the world over are poised to reap a plethora of benefits. Speaking…
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Phuket Poll: Thais, expats call for parking spaces to be mandatory
PHUKET: In our latest Phuket Gazette online reader poll, nearly 80% of readers voted that all new buildings in Phuket must provide at least some parking spaces as a requirement for being given a building permit. Of the 590 people who voted in the poll, launched on December 25 (story here), more than half (58.3%) voted “Yes. Parking in Phuket…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Queen Beatrix to abdicate Dutch throne
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dutch Queen Beatrix to abdicate throne after 33 years Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Dutch Queen Beatrix announced that she will abdicate on Queen’s Day in April after more than three decades as head of state, allowing her eldest son Willem-Alexander to become the kingdom’s…
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World News: Monkey back in space; Arms intercepted; Italian plane probably downed by missile
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Iran launches monkey into space, showing missile progress Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Iran said yesterday it had launched a live monkey into space, seeking to show off missile systems that have alarmed the West because the technology could potentially be used to deliver a nuclear…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: All about the numbers
Woods triumphs by four shots at Torrey Pines Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Tiger Woods withstood a late bogey, double-bogey, par, bogey wobble in strengthening winds to end a week of dominant golf by clinching his 75th PGA Tour title by four shots at the Farmers Insurance Open yesterday. Six strokes in front overnight at 17 under with 11 holes…
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Phuket Business: New car owners due B1.2bn
PHUKET: More than 14,300 new car owners in Phuket took advantage of the government’s first-car rebate scheme, with the combined value of due rebates amounting to more than 1.2 billion baht. According to figures from the Phuket Excise Department (PED), a total of 14,327 eligible applications were filed in the province from September 16, 2011 to December 31, 2012. These…
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Thailand Futsal: Chonburi Sharks devour Phuket Pearl
PHUKET: Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL) runaway table toppers Chonburi TOS RBAC FC, brushed aside Phuket United in their match on Saturday evening, with Chonburi winning at home 5-1. Played at the Chon Kanyanukoon School in the heart of Chonburi city, the match was both side’s 16th of a 30-fixture season. Going into the game, the Chonburi ‘Sharks’ were ranked…
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Scottish tourist drowns at Phuket beach
PHUKET: A Scottish tourist on holiday in Phuket drowned early yesterday morning at the secluded beach at Ao Sane (map here), on Phuket’s southwest coast. Police named the victim as Neil Gray, 36. Mr Gray was swimming at the scenic beach at about 8 am when his friends noticed him signalling that he was in distress, Capt Chienchai Duangsuwan of…
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Italian arrested after naked Phuket joy ride
PHUKET: Police arrested an Italian man who stole a BMW that was left running in front of a laundry shop near Phuket Technical College yesterday. Responding to a report from Surawit Siangdee, 36, that his black BMW had been stolen at 3:30pm, Phuket City Police notified police stations island-wide. Thalang traffic police spotted the car, with mag wheels and lowered…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: FA Cup Shocks
Liverpool stunned by Oldham to cap FA Cup shocks Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Third-tier Oldham Athletic rekindled memories of happier days by slaying seven-times winners Liverpool 3-2 at home yesterday, capping a weekend of FA Cup fourth-round shocks that gave the Premier League a bloody nose. The hard-up League One side, who put three backroom staff on gardening leave…
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Phuket villagers demand pistol whipping police officer be transferred
PHUKET: About 200 angry Phuket villagers Thursday night demanded that the Kamala police officer who allegedly pistol whipped a teenager in an angry mob be immediately transferred. The boy was allegedly struck across the face by the officer as he joined other teenagers in beating an alleged bag snatcher, who had just been put under “citizen arrests”. At about 9pm,…
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More Rohingya refugees found adrift off Thailand’s coast
PHUKET: Another group of desperate Rohingya refugees found shelter along the Khura Buri coast north of Phuket yesterday after 25 days at sea, making them the third group to land along Thailand’s Andaman coast this month. The 96 refugees shared the same harrowing story as the 179 who came ashore on January 23: days at sea surviving on scant rations…
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Phuket Opinion: Stateless visitors need more than hospitality
PHUKET: The plight of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar’s Rakhine State during the current sailing season clearly shows the need for Asean and other international bodies to come together to help solve, or at least alleviate, the root causes of the problem inside Myanmar as soon as possible. This will of course be no easy task. Few international humanitarian issues on…
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Phuket job fair opens
PHUKET: The annual Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) job fair began today at the Central Festival East shopping complex on the bypass road, with 3,538 jobs available for job-seekers. Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa declared the event open at 11am, and was accompanied by Phuket Democrat MP Raywat Areerob, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Arayapan Pukbuakao and PPEO chief Yawapa…
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Phuket charity drive cooks up a family-fun entertainment extravaganza
PHUKET: Tomorrow, Saturday January 26, the Royal Phuket Marina will be the place to be in Phuket for fabulous food, fun and games for the kids and superb live music. The first-of-its-kind Phuket Family & Gourmet Festival, a charity event, is being staged by Jagota Foods to raise valuable funds for the Andaman region’s less fortunate kids. From 10:30am to…
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Triathlon: Laguna to take on new Challenge
PHUKET: The Challenge Family recently announced a partnership with Asia’s longest running triathlon, Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT), and in doing so, revealed its commitment to developing a series of half and full distance events throughout the region. LPT has been attracting the the sport’s legends and age groupers alike to the stunning tropical island for two decades. In 2013 it…
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New Zealand expat sailor drowns in Phuket boating mishap
PHUKET: Popular Phuket sailor Richard Spraggs, from New Zealand, drowned in an early morning boating accident today. Mr Spraggs, 59, was re-anchoring his boat La Zingara at about 5am after an overnight storm had pushed another boat too close to his, Capt Chianchai Duangsuwan of the Chalong Police reported. Mr Spraggs was trying to push the boats apart when he…
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Phuket Police search for drive-by target “Dannie’ Knudsen
PHUKET: Patong Police are searching for Danish national Dennis Mark Knudsen, 24, the intended target in the drive-by shooting in Patong on Tuesday night that saw two German tourists accidentally wounded (story here). The news follows Australians John Cohen, 32, and Adam Shea, 26, opening fire in Soi Sansabai, near the tourist-popular Soi Bangla. Their intended target was a man…
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Phang Nga immigration overloaded, Rohingya relocated to centers across Southern Thailand
PHUKET: The 179 Rohingya refugees who arrived in Khura Buri District, north of Phuket, on January 23 have taken the Phang Nga Immigration facilities past breaking point, forcing authorities to relocate hundreds of Rohingya already being held at the Phang Nga detention center to immigration centers elsewhere in Southern Thailand. “Yesterday, we brought 179 Rohingya from Khura Buri police station…
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