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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Smooth travel to Belgium and the Netherlands: Visa tips & tricks!
Make Belgium and the Netherlands your next destination with the right visa in hand. Explore the iconic tulip fields, cruise through Amsterdam’s scenic canals, or stroll through the historic streets of Bruges. Don’t forget to enjoy some authentic Belgian chocolate...
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Parliament joins Phuket national park fray
PHUKET: Narit Khamnurak, Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE), this week led a parliamentary inquiry to follow up the investigation into resorts accused of encroaching on national park land on Phuket’s west coast. At Sirinath Marine National Park headquarters, Mr Narit together with nine officers on Friday reviewed the investigation reports…
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Phuket Town basks in the glow of the Moon Festival
PHUKET: Phuket City Municipality together with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office, Old Phuket Cultural Foundation, Phuket Peranakan Association and the Old Phuket Town Community, yesterday held the opening ceremony of Phuket Moon Festival 2012. The Moon Festival, also known in China as the Mid-Autumn Festival, started yesterday at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town will run until…
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Work begins on repairing Patong Hill road landslide site
PHUKET: Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luadwonghat kept his promise made yesterday that as soon as the rains stopped today, his workers were out in force making temporary repairs to the Patong Hill road. The section of road, just west of the Chinese shrine at the top of the hill, first collapsed during heavy rains last October, then again in…
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Lucky escape for Phuket driver as police hunt 18-wheeler
PHUKET: A 19-year-old man escaped serious injury when the Isuzu pickup he was driving slammed into an 18-wheeled truck and trailer on Thepkrasattri Road in the north of Phuket this afternoon. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkwan arrived at the scene, near the Baan Muang Mai market in Thalang, at about 1:30pm to find Mr Ken Patan still pinned inside…
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Weather News: Bangkok gets biggest soaking in 100 years
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rainfall highest in 100 years, BMA claims Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday insisted that rainfall in the capital this month has been the highest in 100 years. “I have clear information,” said Sanya Sheenimit in his capacity as chief…
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Thailand News: Big three apply for 3G; Tantawan rejected
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community As expected, only big three apply for 3G spectrum auction Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: It’s clear now that the big three in the cellular service industry will be the only bidders for the long-awaited 2.1-gigahertz spectrum on October 16. The spectrum will be used for third-generation…
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AirAsia move to axe Phuket-Bali, Ubon flights sparks ire from ‘stranded’ travellers
PHUKET: Low cost carrier AirAsia’s decision to cease operations from Phuket to Bali and to Ubon Ratchthani has sparked a storm of angry comments directed at AirAsia’s call center by passengers feeling that they have been left stranded. Staff at the AirAsia office in Phuket told the Phuket Gazette that they had fielded many queries, mainly asking what travellers can…
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Phuket Sports: Pride, punishment and pain
PHUKET: Singapore was a tragedy for Lewis Hamilton and McLaren. Hamilton would have been the clear winner, until his gearbox disintegrated and catapulted Vettel into first place, Button to second, and most importantly, Alonso into third place. That changed what might have been. A resurgent Vettel is now hunting down Alonso, and Hamilton has dropped to the back of the…
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Work on Phuket’s B600mn underpass to begin after October 9
PHUKET: Construction of the underpass at the Darasamuth Intersection, in front of the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall, will not commence until at least October 9, the director of the Highways Department’s Phuket office confirmed today. The government tender for Italian-Thai Co Ltd, Thailand’s largest construction contractor, to formally take on the project was supposed to be signed today, Phuket…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival to generate B600mn
PHUKET: Director Chanchai Doungjit of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office expects this year’s Vegetarian Festival to generate about 600 million baht in revenue for the local economy. “Many Thais, including those of Chinese origin, will visit the festival and many are likely to travel as family groups as the festival falls within the school holidays,” Director Chanchai…
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Go Eco Phuket record reef cleanup will go on, say organizers
PHUKET: Organizers of the Go Eco Phuket dive reef cleanup project this Sunday, which is on target to set a new world record for the number of people taking part in a single underwater cleanup operation, say the event will go ahead. “There is no chance we are canceling,” Tony Andrews, Thailand’s West Coast PADI Regional Manager and Go Eco…
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June warms up Phuket FC for September showdown with Sri Racha
PHUKET: The Islander’s newly appointed head coach, Anuruck “June” Srikerd got his first chance to see his new side in action during a friendly match against a mixed Southern B-side last night. Played on Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club’s artificial-grass pitch, the friendly proved to be a much needed confidence boost for Phuket, who scored 5 unanswered goals against their…
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It would be a challenging task for Thailand…
“It would be a challenging task for Thailand. It may not be easy for Thailand to host a race. There may be several problems to solve before Thailand hosts a race such as noise pollution,” PHUKET: Suwat Sidthilaw, permanent secretary to the Tourism and Sports Ministry talks about the possibility of Bangkok hosting a night time Formula One race in…
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Phuket Town shop burglar delivered ‘gift-wrapped’ to police
PHUKET: Phuket City Police arrived at a shophouse in response to a burglar alarm raised early yesterday morning, only to find the thief already bound up.“We went to the scene with Kusoldham rescue workers. The entrance to the clothing shop on Soi Surin [near The Metropole Hotel] was locked. We had to break the lock to enter the building.“Inside, there…
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Thai Navy in Phuket does it “Gangnam Style’
PHUKET: Thai Sailors at the Navy Third Area Command, based at Cape Panwa on Phuket’s east coast, have broken their stoic mold and posted a video on YouTube showing that they can have fun too, by dancing in the now-globally infectious Korean “Gangnam Style”. Click here to see the video. “The video was created for the farewell party last night…
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Waves continue to sweep injured turtles onto Phuket
PHUKET: Officers at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) recovered a juvenile Olive Ridley sea turtle suffering from lacerations, and its front left flipper amputated entirely, from Mai Khao Beach yesterday. “We received a report from The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation that the turtle had washed ashore in front of Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa – Marriott at Mai…
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Travel Malaysia Consumer Fair starts tomorrow
PHUKET: Starting tomorrow the Tourism Malaysia Phuket Office for Southern Thailand, will once again be staging the Travel Malaysia Consumer Fair at Central Festival Phuket. This will be the second series of road shows and consumer fairs held in selected areas in Southern Thailand, includ ing Trang, Koh Samui and now Phuket. Selected outbound tour operators in Phuket will be…
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Phuket Sports: Fed Ex Cup; Golf tip of the week
PHUKET: This week on the PGA tour saw the Tour Championship and the finals of the Fed Ex Cup played at the East Lake golf course in Atlanta, Georgia. The course was in immaculate condition and the greens were similar to those at the Lakes golf course at Blue Canyon in Phuket, with subtle breaks, which make it difficult to…
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Roads reopen as floods recede, but residents still on high alert
PHUKET: Police today reopened roads in Phuket’s busiest tourist town of Patong after heavy rain there yesterday delivered floodwaters reaching depths of up to a meter deep, cutting off roads and access throughout the resort town. The worst affected area was Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in front of the Patong Hospital. Thaweewong Road, including near Loma Park on the…
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Health officials call for a ‘safer’ Phuket Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: With 70 people injured and one person dying from complications brought on by smoke inhalation during the Vegetarian Festival last year, the Phuket Health Office is calling for more stringent measures to protect celebrants from harm this year. Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) chief Dr Sak Tanchaikul called the heads of Chinese shrines taking part in the this year’s…
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Phuket Vice Governor to take the big chair on October 1
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa will take on the responsibility of Acting Governor from October 1 following the Thai Cabinet failing to name a successor to Tri Augkardacha, who will retire this Sunday, September 30.The news follows a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday not including the annual reshuffle of provincial governors on its agenda as Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit…
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Patong police defer action in Tiger Disco investigation
PHUKET: Police yesterday declined to commit to pressing any charges against the operators of the Tiger Discotheque over the fire that destroyed the venue and killed four people, including two tourists in Phuket’s main tourism town, Patong. Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul chaired a meeting with Patong Police to review the forensics report into the cause of the fire and…
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Search launched for 17-year-old feared drowned in Phuket
PHUKET: The search continues for a 17-year-old student who disappeared in strong waves at Nai Yang Beach late yesterday afternoon.Royal Thai Navy officers from the Third Naval Area command in Phuket and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers resumed their search for Nithipol Lorlaem at 8am today, after it was deemed unsafe to continue the search around midnight last night.Mr Nithipol’s parents,…
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Update: Jellyfish attack not anywhere near Phuket
PHUKET: Following the confusing report by the Daily Mail of a British mum on holiday suffering severe injuries in a jellyfish attack “somewhere near Phuket”, the Phuket Gazette has since discovered that the woman was first treated at a hospital near Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand, about 600 kilometers away from Phuket. Contrary to our earlier report, Bangkok…
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Go-Eco Phuket dives for biggest reef cleanup in world
PHUKET: Qualifiers keep dropping with Go-Eco Phuket as the environmental group prepares for its official launch on September 30 with the biggest reef cleanup of any kind in the world. “On September 30, the eyes of the world will be attracted to Phuket,” Tony Andrews, Thailand’s West coast PADI Regional Manager and Project AWARE Ambassador, said at a press conference…
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Phuket’s “Pink Panther’ Paiboon denies “last stage’ cancer rumors
PHUKET: Paiboon Upatising, the president of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO), today replied personally by email to the Phuket Gazette to deny rumors that he has last stage cancer.“Don’t listen to all the rumors. I do not have final stage cancer, and thank you to everybody for your concern,” he wrote.Mr Paiboon said that he went to Bangkok Hospital…
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Phuket landowner denies “ghosting’ land titles
PHUKET: Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Secretary-General Col Dusadee Arayawuth encountered an unusual experience during his inspection of four plots in Phuket yesterday. The named landowner, for two plots along the coastal road north of Patong, denied any knowledge of owning the land under investigation and expressed no intention of even wanting to claim ownership of the plots in question.…
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Phuket endangered species experts launch turtle preservation project
PHUKET: Islanders living on Koh Ra and Koh Pratong in Phang Nga have been selected by the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) to participate in a pilot scheme for a community network to preserve the sea turtle population. Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, who heads the PMBC’s Endangered Species Unit, told the Phuket Gazette that the number of turtles laying eggs on…
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Phuket Investor: Excuse me, what is QE3?
PHUKET: Being a regular on the sun soaked shores of Phuket, watching the many boats sail by on a frequent basis, one may start thinking that QE3 is a new luxury cruise liner replacing the old QE2 that was recently decommissioned. Not the case. In the never ending roller-coaster ride that is the world of finance, this is the latest…
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Phuket Business: Let’s go back and review the basics
PHUKET: Every once in a while I think it’s good to go back and review the basics. This is especially important in a world where the rate of change keeps increasing. Ever since the financial crisis began we have heard a lot of saber rattling with regards to offshore financial centers, banking secrecy, tax information exchange agreements and so forth.…
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