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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What’s not covered by health insurance in Thailand?
Health insurance in Thailand has important limits that everyone should know. Many policies do not cover pre-existing conditions, motorcycle accidents, extreme sports, or specific treatments. These gaps can lead to unexpected costs during emergencies. Coverage for outpatient care and hospital...
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Phuket teen strangled in rape and robbery attack
PHUKET: Chalong Police investigating the murder of a 17-year-old girl in her home yesterday suspect the attack was carried out by a neighbor who knew she was there alone. The police were notified at about 5:30pm by relatives of the victim, 17-year-old Sunisa “Som” Saiyoy, who was found lying face-down on a bed in the family’s detached home in a…
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Three slow lorises rescued in Phuket bust
PHUKET: Law enforcement officers on Saturday night arrested two men for illegal possession of three slow lorises, which they were using as props to entice Phuket tourists to pay to have photographs taken with them.The officers, led by Sub Lt Jedsada Lugieng of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED), moved in to make the arrest after spotting…
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Democrat Party brainstorms for ASEAN in Phuket
PHUKET: Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and other Democrat Party heavyweights are scheduled to chair a seminar to develop a “Phuket model” for tourism on the island tomorrow.The event, scheduled to begin at 1pm, is intended to boost Phuket’s preparedness for measures of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community, or AEC, which will take effect in…
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Phuket Sports: More hulls means more fun
PHUKET: The Rawai-Nai Harn Multihull Regatta returns to Phuket’s shores next weekend for its fifth straight year. This popular sailor’s regatta is unique in that it’s only for multihull yachts; crews that normally sail on monohull boats get the chance to try multis – often for the first time. The event will take place in Chalong Bay, under the auspices…
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Phuket Live Wire: Scratch that, CAT is back
PHUKET: Three weeks ago, I lamented the imminent passing of CAT’s EV-DO service – the original high speed wireless “AirCard” that ushered in a new, faster way of surfing the web without getting plugged in. At the time, I was told that EV-DO would continue to work through the end of the year. Today, I found out differently. CAT’s going…
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Belanger Deaths: Probe finds more information but no clues
PHUKET: The lack of information publicly released on the deaths of Canadian sisters Audrey and Noemi Belanger on Phi Phi Island last month prompted the sisters’ father, Carl Belanger, to accuse the Thai authorities of covering up the true circumstances of their deaths.The leading investigators in the case have now refuted the allegation. The Phuket Gazette’s Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai and Orawin…
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Drugs seized in Phuket revealed to be “normal” crystal meth
PHUKET: Reports that a “new kind” of methamphetamine was recovered in a Phuket drug bust last week were false, according to arresting officers in Thalang. Thalang Police Inspector Pisit Chunpet on July 7 confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that the suspected “new drug” was “simply” ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) with unusually large crystals.The announcement of the possibility of a new…
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Krabi FC down Phuket FC, 1-0
PHUKET: A single goal by Krabi FC captain Thaweepong Jaranrup was enough to defeat Phuket FC at Surakul stadium in a wet-and-wild Phang Nga Bay derby played on Saturday night. By the time the Andaman Eagles started warming up at 5pm, Surakul’s waterlogged pitch had already been soaking in steady rain throughout much of the day. Despite being perched high…
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Youth in ICU after Phuket Town shooting attack
PHUKET: A man is in critical condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital after being shot twice in the back of the head in downtown Phuket Town over the weekend. Phuket City Police were notified of a shooting in front of the Rattana Mansion apartment block on Chana Jaroen Road at 3pm on Saturday. Duty Officer Sermpan Sirikong identified the victim as…
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Phuket Opinion: Beach warnings drowned out, but there’s hope in the sky
PHUKET: A recent poll conducted by the Phuket Gazette reveals that readers are evenly divided on which of six possible approaches would be most effective to minimize the number of lives lost to drownings during the monsoon season every year. For details of the poll and its results, click here. As noted by many who commented in our readers’ forum,…
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7th Phuket OTOP Fair starts Tuesday
PHUKET: The 7th annual ‘One Tambon One Product’ (OTOP) Fair starts at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket Town on Tuesday. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha said yesterday that the event is just one of many nationwide to improve OTOP product standards and have producers reach more consumers. Total provincial revenue from OTOP sales, including those from SMEs and various souvenir…
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Phuket schoolboy, 15, dies in Thalang motorbike crash
PHUKET: Fifteen-year old Kajonkietsuksa School student Wanchai Saeksan died of severe head trauma when he lost control of his motorbike near the Phuket Heroines’ Monument last night. His body was claimed by relatives at 11am today. From an inspection of the accident scene, police suspect the boy may have fallen asleep while operating the Yamaha Fino, which apparently hit the…
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Phuket Gazette: Remains found of U.S. service members from Vietnam War
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Found: Remains of U.S. soldiers killed in Vietnam War plane crash Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: The remains of six U.S. service members who went missing when their plane disappeared during the Vietnam War 46 years ago have been recovered, the U.S. Department of Defense…
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Graft-busters probe plunder of Phuket forests
PHUKET: A team of National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) officers stopped in Phuket this week as part of a nationwide inspection tour aimed at putting an end to widespread encroachment on state forest reserves. Kajadpai Burutpat, president of an NACC subcommittee investigating forest encroachment nationwide, said after a meeting at Provincial Hall with Phuket Land Office and Forest Department officers that…
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Tonight, tonight: Phuket FC’s derby match with Krabi
PHUKET: A large crowd is expected at Surakul Stadium in Phuket this evening, when a resurgent Phuket side will be gunning for its third consecutive home win against higher-ranked southern rivals Krabi FC. Fans who want a guarantee of keeping dry for the match are advised to arrive at the stadium well ahead of the 6:30pm kickoff, as covered seating…
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Aussie claims beating by Thai youth gang in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket police are investigating the case of an Australian tourist who claims to have been beaten by a gang of twelve Thai youths today. Thalang police were notified at 12:30pm that a foreign tourist was receiving treatment at the Srisoonthorn Public Health Station for a variety of minor lacerations and abrasions to the abdomen, back, right inner forearm and…
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New wealth brings new health problems, ASEAN Secretary-General tells Phuket meeting
PHUKET: Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), yesterday warned that the rise in wealth throughout the ASEAN member states will bring a new wave of health issues to the region. “The formation of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 will make some people richer. With their new lifestyle will come new health issues; non-communicable…
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Phuket Sports: Fighting to save Phuket’s sea turtles
PHUKET: Helping to bring Phuket’s sea turtles back from the brink, today’s WBO Oriental Bantamweight (118lbs) title fight saw Thailand’s boxers maintain their dominance over Filipino fighters in the channel 7 series. The WBO Bantam-weight title belt was flown in by helicopter and carried by armed Thai soldiers, who made a rapid-descent (fast-roping) from their helicopter. Thai boxer Pungluang Sor…
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Phuket Sports: Goal Line Technology
PHUKET: Goal-line technology moved a step closer yesterday when the International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved the use of technology in football matches. IFAB approved the use of two different devices to help assist with goal-line decision making in games. Hawk-Eye, already used in cricket and tennis, is based on optical recognition to determine the exact location of the ball,…
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Phuket Sports: F1 – Moans, malpractice and onto Maggotts
PHUKET: Sebastian Vettel knows how to celebrate victory, but he is bad loser. That is one reason it is fun when he loses. After the race at Valencia, he said the “safety car” which took away his lead was not needed and “in a sense was to break our necks.” But hold on a minute, Vettel (and Romain Grosjean) retired…
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Ferry sinks off Koh Lanta, 80km southeast of Phuket
PHUKET: The project to build a bridge between the two islands Koh Lanta Noi and Koh Lanta Yai took a soggy step backward yesterday morning when a ferry waiting to unload its cargo of construction materials to build the bridge started taking on water in the rough weather currently affecting much of Thailand, including Phuket. No injuries were reported in…
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Man found dead in Phuket Town sala
PHUKET: A man was found dead in a sala [a Thai-style open pavillion] in Phuket Town yesterday afternoon, just 50 meters from where hundreds of people gathered for the first day of the Department of Internal Trade’s ‘Blue Flag Fair. Local residents at 4pm notified Phuket City Police duty officer Sakon Krainara that a man was found dead in the…
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Mysterious disease kills 61 children in Cambodia
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Mysterious disease kills 61 children in Cambodia Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: Health officials in Cambodia are investigating a mysterious disease which has affected more than 60 children over the past three months, killing all but one of them, officials said on Wednesday. There is…
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Phuket Sports: Serena Williams sets new Wimbledon ace record
PHUKET: Serena Williams of the US set a new world record of 24 aces in one match in her 6-3 7-6(8-6) semi-final victory over Victoria Azarenka. Williams is hoping to win her 5th Wimbledon women’s singles title when she plays co-finalist Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, who defeated Angelique Kerber 6-3 6-4. Radwanska, playing in her first grand slam final, will…
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Plan for pregnant migrant workers misguided
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Proposed plan for pregnant migrant workers misguided Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Non-governmental organizations and the academia yesterday spoke up against the Labor Ministry’s plan to deport migrant workers who get pregnant while in Thailand. The ministry initiated this policy as a response to Thailand’s…
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Non-communicable diseases top ASEAN meet
PHUKET: Public Health Ministers and senior officials from the 10 countries in Asean yesterday gathered to discuss ways of tackling chronic noncommunicable diseases, state health-care funds, control of tobacco and alcohol consumption, and the spread of HIV/Aids in urban areas.About 200 participants from regional governments attended the 11th Asean Health Ministers meeting yesterday in Phuket, which continues today.The event includes…
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New faultline discovered
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand’s 15th fault-line discovered in Nakhon Nayok Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: A new fault-line, caused by a previous earthquake, was found in Nakhon Nayok province and could be considered the country’s 15th active fault-line, a seminar of geological professionals and related agencies was told recently. Songpop…
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Heavy rain causes flooding in Patong, Phuket Town
PHUKET: Council workers have installed a battery of pumps along Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in Patong to alleviate flooding, especially in front of Patong Hospital. The heavy rain yesterday and this morning caused flooding in many areas, with water up to 50 centimeters deep in some parts, said Poonsak Naksena, Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) at Patong Municipality. About 200…
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Phuket’s top-cop denies “media blackout’ in effect
PHUKET: After officers in two different police districts yesterday told Phuket Gazette reporters that a “media blackout” was in effect in the province, Phuket’s top cop today denied that such is the case. The misunderstanding may have been the result of excuses made up by uncooperative officers who don’t want to do their jobs, he said. According to police officers…
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Navy to conduct rescue training in Phuket
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy will conduct training drills next week to improve coordination among different emergency response units in Phuket. The announcement came at a press conference by the Navy Third Area Command at their base at Cape Panwa yesterday. The meeting was attended by Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, along with representatives from the Marine Police, local government bodies,…
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