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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Phuket Sports: Ironman Lieto “Fully Booked!” on double Laguna Phuket Mission
PHUKET: The reputed fastest cyclist in triathlon, Chris Lieto, is heading back to Phuket to compete in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) and Ironman 70.3 this year. The American hopes to make up for the disappointment of his Phuket debut last year, when he crashed out on a rain-soaked 70.3 bike course. Renowned as the fastest American Ironman and one…
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World News: WWII plane crash victims finally found
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. identifies remains of 7 Marines missing from WWII plane crash Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: The remains of seven U.S. service members who went missing when their military aircraft crashed on an island in Vanuatu during World War II have been identified and returned to their…
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World News: Hong Kong ferry disaster – 38 now confirmed dead
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 38 dead, 101 injured after boats collide near Hong Kong Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A tug boat and a ferry collided off the coast of Lamma Island in Hong Kong on Monday evening, killing 38 people and injuring more than 100 others, local authorities said yesterday.…
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Phuket Poll: Do record-breaking events really achieve their goals?
PHUKET: Following the Go Eco Phuket record-breaking Dive Against Debris reef cleanup operation, in which more than 500 participants in 14 boats collected an amazing 15 tons of debris, the Phuket Gazette asks its readers if they believe that such events have a deep impact on the issue at hand? To have your say in our latest poll, click here.…
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Phuket Sports: Pacquiao expected to sign contract to fight Thailand’s Buakaw
PHUKET: Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) is expected to sign a contract tomorrow agreeing to take on Thailand’s most famous fighter, Sombat Banchamek, commonly known as Buakaw, in a special fight planned for December 21. Narong Hengtrakul, one of Thailand’s most renowned international matchmakers for both conventional boxing and Muay Thai fights, will meet Pacquiao in Manila tomorrow to…
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Case closed on Belanger sisters’ deaths
PHUKET: Krabi Police have closed the case on the deaths of Canadian sisters Audrey and Noemi Belanger with no more investigations to be conducted. Audrey, 20, and Noemi, 25, from Quebec, were found dead in their hotel room on Phi Phi Island on June 15. Both had suffered a violent physical reaction to suspected poisoning. Autopsies conducted by forensic police…
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Phuket Business: HMRC approves Gibraltar
PHUKET: Another surprising development in a year which has seen the UK pension transfer market repeatedly shaken up and placed on its head, Gibraltar announced last recently that it received confirmation from (Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) HMRC that it may resume accepting QROPS (Qualifying Recognized Overseas Pension Schemes) transfers. The move is extremely surprising because HMRC is not known…
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Weather warning for Phuket ahead of cyclone landfall in Vietnam
PHUKET: The Thai Meteorological Department today issued a “torrential rain” warning for much of Thailand as tropical cyclone Gaemi in the South China Sea is expected make landfall over central Vietnam this weekend. “This will affect Thailand during October 4-8,” said the warning, issued by TMD Acting Director-General Somchai Baimoung. The outfall from Cyclone Gaemi is expected to combine with…
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Mayor Pian blasts Phuket land probes as “hypocritical’
PHUKET: Following the inaugural meeting of the newly elected Patong Town Council yesterday, Patong Mayor Pian Keesin blasted the effectiveness of the current spate of ongoing and ever-increasing Phuket land investigations.“I want to see real law enforcement on this issue. Land in Phuket needs to be preserved and its development planned with a long-term view,” Mayor Pian, who was born…
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Live Wire: Is Phuket smart enough for the iPhone 5?
PHUKET: Last week I talked about the iPhone 5, how it compares to the Samsung Galaxy S III, and the problems that people from Toledo to Tashkent are going to have deciding which one to buy. Here in Phuket, we have one HUGE question that doesn’t concern much of the rest of the world – and it’ll be a key…
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Phuket Business: Signs of the island’s time
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Government recently published its economic summary report for the first six months of the year (F6M12). The in-depth report highlights year-on-year (y-o-y) figures and trends in trade, consumerism, and in the island’s tourism, property, investment and agricultural sectors. Here, the Phuket Gazette outlines some of these.TourismThe total number of tourist arrivals in F6M12 remained steady with…
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Fossil shell cemetery discovered in Krabi
PHUKET: A villager clearing land to plant oil palm trees in Krabi last month unearthed what he believes is fossil graveyard.Since the original discovery, Chob Pankaew has had regular visits from the residents of Nong Phak Bung village in Klong Thom district, all coming to see the fossils.“Two weeks ago, I was clearing the land ready to plant oil palm…
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New Phuket governor announced
PHUKET: The Thai Cabinet has officially named former Phayao Governor Maitree Intusut as the new Governor of Phuket.The Cabinet agreed to the proposed list of governor appointments and transfers for 19 provinces at a meeting today, two days after former Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha retired on Sunday.Sommai Prijasilpa, Phuket’ senior vice-governor, has been filling in as Acting Governor in the…
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Breaking News: Tiger Disco charged over inferno deaths
PHUKET: The operators of Tiger Discotheque have been charged with negligence causing death and physical and mental injury to others, as well as with trading after hours, Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. The blaze that broke out at the nightclub, just before 4am on August 17, while hundreds of patrons were still inside the…
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New Phuket police chief targets tourist safety, drugs
PHUKET: Phuket’s new Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Chote Chawanwiwat, has vowed to make drugs and tourist safety his top priorities. Gen Chote was installed as Phuket’s top cop yesterday after arriving from Narathiwat in Thailand’s troubled Deep South, where he served as provincial police commander. His first order to the police chiefs of every police station on the island…
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Phuket National Park blitz investigators named, beach restaurants now in firing line
PHUKET: The 366 officials who will investigate all privately-owned plots of land along the boundary of Phuket’s Sirinath Marine National Park have been named and will commence before the end of the month. The news was announced by Sirinath National Park chief Cheewapap Cheewatham at a meeting at Provincial Hall today. “We expected to report by the middle of this…
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Phuket Sports: Sunshine heralds the first 2012 dinghy series event
PHUKET: The Phuket Dinghy Series, launched in 2010 by the organizers of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, returned over the weekend ending yesterday. The series comprises three weekend events at different Phuket locations in the lead-up to the King’s Cup. Santi Kanchanbandhu, a member of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee, explains what the Phuket Dinghy Series is: “We…
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Phuket Sports: Racing to find adventure in Krabi
PHUKET: The popular sport of Adventure Racing is expected to bring 120 teams from around the world to compete in “The Sheraton Krabi Trophy” on November 3. The race is part of the the Amazing Thailand Adventure Race Series and will start and finish on the magnificent Klong Muang Beach where the Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort is located. Race Director…
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Weird World News: Where dreams come true
PHUKET: Daydreaming has been the noble art of little boys and girls around the world from time immemorial, and in honor of those dreams the Phuket Gazette‘s Weird World News roundup lands headlines of a helicopter delivery of about half a million baht for candy to the creation of the biggest Ferris wheel in the world, and for those who…
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Weird World News: Little boy dreams of SWAT teams delivering cash, Ferris wheels and getting paid trillions to marry a “beauty’
PHUKET: Day dreaming has been the noble art of the little boys and girls from time immemorial, and in honor of those dreams, the Phuket Gazette‘s Weird World News roundup this week lands headlines that fulfill them, from a helicopter delivery of about half a million baht for candy to the creation of the biggest Ferris wheel in the world,…
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Phuket Poll uncovers “isle of infidelity’
PHUKET: More than half the respondents in a Phuket Gazette survey have admitted they have cheated on their partners, with more than 40% saying they are willing to do it again. The Gazette launched the month-long survey after the results of the annual international sex survey by condom-manufacturing firm Durex revealed Thai couples to be among the most promiscuous on…
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Phuket Sports: Marlins reel in the Islanders
PHUKET: The Islanders fell back into into the five-team relegation zone following a 1-0 loss last night to 3rd place Sri Racha Suzuki FC. Despite a wide margin in league points, the competition, played in front of 3,100 fans, was evenly matched with the Sri Racha “Blue Marlins” enjoying only slightly more possession than Phuket. Indeed, it was looking as…
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“I have no doubt in my mind….”
“I have no doubt in my mind that he was with me today all day,” Sergio Garcia said of Ballesteros.PHUKET: Europe claimed the Ryder Cup after staging an amazing fightback on the last day.The American Team went into the tournament yesterday leading 10-6 and only requiring four points from a possible 12 on offer to win the cup. Europe won…
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Phuket Opinion: Being negative can positively save lives
Pornthip Rattajak, 35, is now the acting director at the Phuket Regional Blood Center. She graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Medical Technology from Mahidol University. She first started her work in the field as medical laboratory technician at the National Blood Center of the Thai Red Cross Society in Bangkok before joining the Phuket Regional Blood Center…
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New Phuket Police chief honors the Heroines
PHUKET: Phuket’s incoming Phuket Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Chote Chawanwiwat, stopped off at the Heroines Monument last night to pay homage to the island’s guardian spirits.Gen Chote arrives in Phuket after serving as the Commander of the Narathiwat Provincial Police in Thailand’s troubled Deep South.He will be installed as Phuket’s top-ranking police officer tomorrow, replacing Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangkul,…
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Gov Tri names infrastructure, environment Phuket’s greatest challenges
PHUKET: Speaking at a farewell function at Provincial Hall yesterday, outgoing Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha told the Phuket Gazette that the greatest challenges facing Phuket were preserving the island’s natural environment and meeting growing infrastructure needs.“Phuket is considered a world-famous tourist destination. The important thing that will continue to attract tourists is the island’s beautiful scenery and environment.“The development of…
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Car cut in half on impact with Phuket power pole
PHUKET: Police are investigating what prompted a 57-year-old driver to accelerate to such a speed in the early hours of this morning that when his car flew off the road it was cut in half by a roadside power pole.Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkwan was notified of the high-speed accident at at 2:45am.Due to severity of the initial reports,…
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Sacked worker kills self and 5 colleagues in revenge attack
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityGunman kills 5 at Minnesota workplace before shooting selfPhuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A gunman opened fire in the state of Minnesota killing four people before fatally shooting himself, local authorities said on Friday.The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at around 4:30 pm local time at Accent Signage…
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Phuket making waves as jet-skis get legal
PHUKET: The issue of jet-ski insurance, a topic that never seems to be off the back-burner, resurfaced earlier this month at the Honorary Consuls’ regular four-monthly meeting. British Honorary Consul Martin Carpenter asked the Marine Department chief if he could provide clear information warning tourists of the potential quagmire they face should they get into problems while renting a jet-ski.…
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Phuket Opinion: Setting standards for everything
PHUKET: The mantra of government officials regurgitating their need to preserve “Phuket’s tourism image” and to “restore tourist confidence” in what is promoted as a world-class international tourism destination, took an interesting twist last week. (See page 7 story, current issue of the Phuket Gazette. Digital subscribers click here to download the full newspaper.) One would think that local officials…
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