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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World News: Three dead in Swiss shooting
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityPHUKET (Reuters): Three people were killed and two wounded late on Wednesday when a gunman opened fire in the Swiss village of Daillon, Swiss police said this morning.The suspect threatened police when they tried to arrest him, and officers shot and wounded him before taking him into custody,…
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Human Rights Watch urges Thailand: “Don’t deport Rohingya boat people’
PHUKET: International human rights agency Human Rights Watch today called for the Thai government to immediately halt its plan to deport ethnic Rohingya back to Burma. Thai authorities should allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN refugee agency, unhindered access to these and other boat migrants from Burma’s Arakan State to determine whether they are seeking…
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Phuket Media Watch: UN lifts Syria death toll to ‘truly shocking’ 60,000
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityPHUKET (Reuters): More than 60,000 people have died in Syria’s uprising and civil war, the United Nations said on Wednesday, dramatically raising the death toll in a struggle that shows no sign of ending.In the latest violence, dozens were killed in a rebellious Damascus suburb when a government…
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Phuket Rohingya repatriated to Myanmar
PHUKET: In a stunning development this morning, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut announced that the 71 Rohingya rescued from an open boat adrift off Phuket yesterday are en route to be repatriated to Myanmar. The move to repatriate the refugees, including women and children, came at the request of the refugees themselves, Gov Maitri said. Speaking at the monthly “Governor Meets…
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Storm leaves 70 Rohingya adrift off Phuket
PHUKET: A boat carrying about 70 Rohingya fleeing persecution in their homeland in Myanmar were taken into custody by the Thai authorities off Phuket today.Local fisherman first sighted the boat off Bon Island, off Rawai Beach at the southern end of Phuket, and reported it to Rawai Municipality.“I was told by fishermen this morning that there was a suspicious-looking boat…
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Former NBT broadcaster Phuket’s first road death for the new year
PHUKET: A former broadcaster for the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) has become the eighth person to die on Phuket’s roads since the Seven Days of Danger national new year road-safety campaign began last Thursday. Eak Eakwewchakul, 26, died when his Toyota sedan overshot a curve and hit a power pole near the Phuket Go-Kart track in Kathu on…
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Phuket ushers in the New Year 2013
PHUKET: About 1,000 people gathered at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town this morning to join a mass blessing ceremony to usher in the new year 2013. Phuket residents, officials and tourists offered alms to 145 monks as part of the festivities this morning. Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa at 7am officiated the blessing ceremony, joined by Vice Governors Somkiet…
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Phuket 2012: Safety shaken, not stirred
PHUKET: The need for a quicker exit from Phuket’s nightlife capital of Patong was highlighted by the chaos on the road in the early hours of April 11, after a 7.3-magnitude, submarine earthquake, that struck off Sumatra, caused the National Disaster Warning Center to issue a tsunami “alert” (not a warning) that had coastal residents heading for the hills. A…
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Sydictive skips a beat in Phuket beach party launch
PHUKET: The crowd of 50,000 people predicted by the Sydictive party organizers has yet to appear on Patong Beach, despite the event having started last night. The much-ballyhooed party got off to a seven-hour late start yesterday due to incomplete preparations. It reopened today at 3pm to a small group of people. Despite some complaints on the Sydictive Element’s Facebook…
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Phuket 2012: Crimes take center stage
SPECIAL REPORT PHUKET: There were many high-profile crimes on Phuket in 2012. Perhaps none horrified the audience of the world as much as killing of Australian tourist Michelle Smith, 60. Mrs Smith, a travel agent, died from stab wounds after two men tried to steal her handbag and she fought back.Her assailants, Surasak Suwannachote and Surin Tadthong, were apprehended, tried…
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Phuket Opinion: Trash the past for the New Year
PHUKET: A new 960-million-baht incinerator went into operation in the middle of last year, yet Phuket still faces a solid waste crisis – one that requires a better solution than simply building a third incinerator at Saphan Hin. (See also tomorrow morning’s Web review of ‘Phuket 2012: Feeling the pinch from growing pains’.) When the new plant went into operation,…
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Phuket 2012: Feeling the pinch from growing pains
The government continues to pour money into Phuket’s infrastructure, as nothing seems to hamper the rapid growth of the island as a tourist destination. Billions of baht have been spent, but when will the results be felt? Stephen Fein reports.SPECIAL REPORT PHUKET: While Phuket Airport remains the single largest bottleneck for foreign arrivals, the island also continues to suffer from…
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ENGLISH FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Man City draw on recent memory for New Year title fight
PHUKET (Reuters): Champions Manchester City go into 2013 facing a daunting seven-point deficit on Premier League leaders Manchester United and a testing encounter against stubborn Stoke City on Tuesday.Roberto Mancini’s side ended the year which delivered their first Premier League title with a gritty 4-3 triumph over Norwich City, proving their high-profile players also have the mettle for a fight.It’s…
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Letter from the Phuket Governor: Working together for a brighter new year
Maitri Inthusut arrived on the island to take up the position of Governor of Phuket on October 8. With a master’s degree in political science from Thammasat University, he joined the National Security Council, rising to the position of NSC Secretary-General, before taking up the position of Chief Secretary for Secretariat of the Cabinet. He has also served as Governor…
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Phuket hospitality running on a full tank
As Phuket looks back a year full many negative news reports, the Phuket Gazette is happy to publish this reader’s first-person account of what makes living in Phuket great. PHUKET: Phuket is the Thailand I know and love. Having flown straight to the island and stayed, I have only heard rumors of “mainland” hospitality and the kindness Thai people are…
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Heavy showers set to dampen Phuket new year
PHUKET: The heavy thunderstorm showers that have drenched Phuket over the past few days are forecast to continue until at least Wednesday, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). The TMD today issued a forecast for heavy showers for New Year’s Eve and Day, with a 60% chance of precipitation across the island. Those celebrating the new year in the…
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Two dead in Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: Police are attempting to identify a foreign man and a woman killed in a motorcycle accident in Cherng Talay, on central Phuket’s west coast, last night.The pair were riding a motorcycle along the Cherng Talay-Baan Don Road when they were struck by a pickup truck in front of Soi Pasak 3 at about 9:15pm, Lt Col Rassada of the…
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Sydictive Phuket beach bash kicks off today – amid confusion and stringent rules
PHUKET: The Sydictive Element Phuket beach party has jumped its last bureaucratic hurdle, and with the setup for the mega-event now said to be 90 per cent complete, it’s finally “a go” for Patong Beach. However, the party organizers were handed a 15-point list of rules the party must adhere to or face the possibility of being shut down. “We…
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Aldhouse pleads “not guilty’ to Phuket murder charge
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse entered a plea of not guilty this week for the murder of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket in 2010.Aldhouse was presented to the Phuket Provincial Court on Wednesday and formally charged with murder. The maximum penalty under the charge is death.“He has been charged with premeditated murder under Section 288 of the Thai…
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Day two of Seven Days of Danger witnesses another road-death
PHUKET: Phuket’s road-death toll increased by one as the second day of the “Seven Days of Danger” came to a close at midnight on Friday, according to the official Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket branch (DDPM-Phuket) statistics. The death toll increased after a family riding a motorbike southbound on Thepkrasattri Road near the Thalang Tesco Lotus was hit…
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Colorful Countdown Phuket kicks off today
PHUKET: The New Year celebrations on the island starts at 6pm today as the annual “Colorful Countdown Phuket” for 2013 kicks off. The event, put on by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization, will be held at Chai Field (map here), opposite Provincial Hall in Phuket Town. The event will host a variety of top Thai artists, including Thai-country rock singer…
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Corruption in Phuket: Is there now hope for a cure?
PHUKET: Loosely in formed in 2010, the Anti-Corruption Network this year has become a key organisation that has shed unprecedented light on corruption in Thailand. This group, comprising entities from the public and private sectors, is pushing hard in its campaign against corruption at the corporate and national levels, with the ultimate goal of ensuring fairness to all Thais and…
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Phuket human traffickers jailed for deaths of 54 illegal Burmese
PHUKET: Four Thais found guilty of human trafficking were sentenced to between three and 10 years’ imprisonment yesterday for their intricate involvement in the 2008 “death truck” that left 54 Burmese dead from suffocation inside a seafood container bound for Phuket. Of the 121 Burmese found in the sealed container heading from Ranong, 17 men, 36 women and one 8-year-old…
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Phuket United cancel Brazilian player’s contract
PHUKET: Phuket United have canceled the contract of Brazilian player Rogerio Moreira and sent him back to Brazil. Mr Suphol Senapeng, Phuket United’s head coach, told the Phuket Gazette: “Rogerio was unhappy because we refused to pay for an air ticket for his wife to come to Thailand from Brazil. He didn’t want his wife to pay for the ticket…
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Phuket tour bus driver charged for 18-vehicle pileup
PHUKET: The driver of the tour bus that caused an 18-vehicle pileup in Patong last night was today charged with reckless driving causing damage to property and health. Prawet Wongthai, 51, was driving towards Patong from Kata Beach when he realized the bus brakes had failed. Unable to stop, he caused a collision involving 17 vehicles before coming to a…
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Two dead in Phuket on first day of new year road-safety blitz
PHUKET: Two people have died on Phuket’s roads within the first 24 hours of the annual Seven Days of Danger new year road-safety campaign, according to the official Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket branch (DDPM-Phuket) statistics issued today. Yuthapong Taempetch, 37, died after the motorbike he was riding and a pickup truck collided on Kwang Road (see map)…
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World News: Americans still want their guns, with some restrictions
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community After Newtown, Americans want their guns, with some restrictions Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Nearly seven in 10 Americans support the idea of placing strong or moderate limits gun ownership following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed yesterday.But laws that permit citizens…
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Former Phuket FC player Camara Ahmed dies
PHUKET: Former Phuket FC player Camara Ahmed passed away last week at his home in the Ivory Coast. Camara suffered a cardiac arrest on October 30, 2010, during a 1-0 playoff win over Chainat FC. The popular footballer was moved from a hospital in Phuket back to his native Ivory Coast a few months ago. Phuket FC’s manager, Mr Jakkapop…
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Thailand News: A look back at some of the memorable moments for Thai athletes in 2012
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Triumphs, tears and TV rights The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: This year was a mixed bag for Thai athletes on the international front. The Nation looks back at some of the memorable moments and missed opportunities and wishes Thailand’s sportsmen and women a brighter future on the…
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Four injured after lorry jumps lanes, smashes Phuket sedan and hits motorbike
PHUKET: A lorry jumped lanes and struck a sedan and then a motorbike before coming to rest in the far lane of Lim San Curve in Kathu, at about 2:30pm today. Four were injured, but no one was killed. The black Honda Dream motorbike was still caught beneath the six-wheeled lorry, when duty officer Watthanathorn Bumrungthin of the Thung Thong…
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