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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Red Cross Vigo auction on March 18
PHUKET CITY: The Toyota Vigo that was top prize in the 2009 Phuket Red Cross Fair raffle is to be auctioned on March 18. The 650,000-baht pick-up remained unclaimed at the midnight deadline on Saturday February 28, prompting the auction. Bidding will take place at the Phuket Red Cross Office on Narisorn Rd. Prospective buyers should arrive at the office…
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Thai AirAsia to add direct Hong Kong flights in June
PHUKET / BANGKOK: Thai AirAsia is planning to start direct flights between Phuket and Hong Kong in June and will push Phuket as a second hub in Thailand. An executive of the budget airline said daily flights between the two cities would use new A320s, scheduled for delivery in June. Phuket will be given more links with major destinations in…
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Drowning victim’s body recovered off Rawai
RAWAI, PHUKET: A fishing trip ended in tragedy on Sunday, when a small fiberglass boat with three men aboard sank in a storm off Koh Bon in Rawai. Kathu resident Attakorn Chaiboon, 40, drowned in the accident, which happened at around 8.30 pm. His body was finally recovered from the sea at 3.10 pm on Tuesday. Two survivors, 33-year-old Sittichai…
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Body of sunken dive vessel victim identified
PHUKET CITY: The identity of the female tourist whose body was recovered by a Royal Thai Navy vessel this morning has been confirmed as that of Austrian national Gabrielle Jetzinger, a source at the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) has revealed. Ms Jetzinger was among seven passengers still listed as missing after the dive…
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Body of Caucasian woman recovered at sea
AO MAKHAM, PHUKET: The body of a Caucasian woman was this morning found floating near the site of the sinking of the Choke Somboon 19, which capsized about 12 nautical miles off Phuket on Sunday night. For the original story, click here. The identity of the woman has not yet been confirmed. Her body, recovered by a Royal Thai Navy…
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Strong evidence against alleged British pedophile: Kathu Police
PATONG, PHUKET: A British man arrested for allegedly molesting four young boys was returned to Kathu Police Station for a press conference last night, but the conference was delayed pending the arrest of a second suspect on similar charges. A team of Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officers, with the assistance of Kathu Police, arrested 41-year-old UK national Dax J.…
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Seven still missing after freak storm sinks boat near Phuket
PHUKET: Following the sinking of a boat last night that was carrying tourists returning to Phuket from a diving trip near the Similan islands, six foreign tourists and one Thai member of the boat’s crew are still missing. Police have issued the following list of seven people who were on the boat but remain unaccounted for: German national Ms Jetzinger…
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British expat denies child molestation charges
PATONG, PHUKET: A British man is being held for alleged sexual assault on four young schoolboys between the ages of nine and 14. Department of Special Investigations (DSI) officer Pol Maj Jatuporn Arunleaktawin identified the suspect as British national Dax J. Young, a 41-year-old Caucasian arrested by DSI officers and Kathu Police over the weekend in his rented home in…
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Jyoti scuba dives his way to win the Singha Thailand Open
LAGUNA PHUKET: After starting the day as joint leader in the final day of the Singha Thailand Open golf tournament in Phuket, Indian national Jyoti Randhawa won the four-day event to take home the King’s Cup and nearly US$80,000. Jyoti led at the 40th Singha Thailand Open at the start of today’s play with fellow Indian SSP Chowrasia and Welshman…
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Another murder as meatball dispute turns fatal
RASSADA, PHUKET: A dispute between rival meatball (look chin) vendors ended in murder last night when one man slashed the other’s throat and left him lying dead in a pool of his own blood. The murderer turned himself in to police soon after, claiming that he had acted in self defense. Phuket City Police Duty Inspector Peeraphan Meemak was informed…
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Six arrested in Degioanni murder case
PATONG, PHUKET: The suspected mastermind behind the murder of Canadian real estate developer Francis Alex Degioanni is in police custody. Police say Singaporean national Go Li Fun, 32, confessed she had Mr Degioanni killed after he refused to pay several million baht in personal loans. Better known as “Diana”, the Singaporean is alleged to have paid four men from Petchaburi…
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Warrant issued in Farang restaurant murder case
PHUKET CITY: Police have issued an arrest warrant for the man suspected of murdering the owner of Phuket’s popular Farang restaurant chain. Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit revealed the name of the wanted man as Prapan Inkong, 27. He declined to release the man’s address or other information for fear of jeopardizing the investigation. Police believe that Prapan was…
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Drug crackdown in Patong pubs
PATONG, PHUKET: Kathu Police last night dispatched three groups of officers to conduct random drug checks of staff and patrons at nightclubs in Phuket. One group of officers checked bars along Soi Bangla, another group checked bars along the beach road, and a third group went to Phang Muang and Sirirat Roads at the south end of Patong. Kathu Police Inspector…
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Senate panel proposes ‘Special Economic Zone’ status for Phuket
BANGKOK / PHUKET: A special Senate committee proposed this afternoon that the government turn Phuket into a Special Economic Zone [SEZ] for tourism to facilitate tourism developments on the island province. Songkram Chuenban, the chairman of the ad hoc panel, said the committee made a trip to the province and found that it had a lot of problems that could…
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Five arrested for Degioanni murder
KATHU, PHUKET: Kathu Police have arrested five men in connection with the murder in Phuket of Canadian real estate developer Francis Alex Degioanni. One man was arrested yesterday and a further four today, following the issuance of arrest warrants. Police were unwilling to release the suspects’ names at the time of filing this report. It is understood that the mastermind…
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63s lead the way on day one of Singha Thailand Open
LAGUNA, PHUKET: Indian Digvijay Singh and Australian Mitchell Brown set the first round of the Singha Thailand Open alight after the pair posted superb seven-under-par 63s, to lead the field by one stroke. Singh who started with an eagle on the first, produced a flawless round which culminated with a another eagle at the last hole after his approach from…
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Tee time! Singha Thailand Open underway
LAGUNA PHUKET: The 2009 Singha Thailand Open golf tournament starts today, with the stars of the Asian Tour well prepared after several practice days on the fairways and greens of the modified Laguna Phuket championship course. Among those with high hopes to win the event is Thai superstar Thongchai Jaidee, fresh from his victory at last week’s Indonesian Open. The…
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Fire on Soi Kebsup
PATONG, PHUKET: A fire broke out at the Kebsup Shopping Plaza along the beach road in Patong last night, causing over a million baht in damage – but no injuries. The blaze broke out at around midnight at one of the many stalls selling tourist-oriented items at the mouth of the soi, well known for its tailor shops, bars and…
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Phuket roads among Thailand’s most dangerous
PHUKET CITY: Phuket is among Thailand’s top five provinces in terms of the number of road injuries and deaths each year, according Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Chalit Tinthanee. Figures from state hospitals in Phuket show that in 2008 there were 13,840 injuries and 136 deaths resulting from road accidents. Actual figures are significantly higher, as admissions to Phuket’s three…
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School milk below standard quality, but safe
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Public Health Office has released test results indicating that milk provided to government school students under the free “school milk” scheme is below standard in terms of nutrition, but safe to drink. Office chief Dr Pongsawas Ratanasang said samples of milk from three government schools in Phuket were last week sent for analysis to the Ministry…
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Arrest warrant issued for Farang Restaurant killing
PHUKET CITY: Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man suspected of carrying out the murder of the owner of the popular Farang restaurant chain. Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit gave the name of the wanted man as Prapan Inkong, 27. He declined to release the man’s address or other information for fear of jeopardizing the investigation. Police…
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Top cop expects arrests in three murder cases ‘soon’
PHUKET CITY: The Royal Thai Police Region 8 Commander has ordered Phuket Provincial Police and three local police stations to expedite their investigations into three high-profile murders that have taken place on the island in just the past ten days – two involving foreigners. After meeting with the heads of the Kathu, Phuket City and Tung Tong Police Districts where…
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TDA cleanup day at Khok Kloy on Wednesday
PHUKET CITY: The Thai Dive Association (TDA) and Phang Nga Provincial Office will on Wednesday (March 4) hold a beach and sea cleanup at Khok Kloy Beach, just over the Sarasin Bridge in Phang Nga. The event is sponsored by Eden Divers and Aqua Divers Phuket, who will provide the necessary equipment such as trash bags, scissors and gloves. All participants…
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Businessman gunned down on Sakdidet Rd
WICHIT, PHUKET: Phuket city police are investigating the murder of a local businessman shot to death in his car last night. The murder was reported to Phuket City Police at about 10:15 pm. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong rushed to the scene with Phuket City Police, forensics officers and rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation. At the scene, near…
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Police probe finds TTVI’s Col Pornprasert guilty of misappropriation
PHUKET CITY: The Royal Thai Police (RTP) force has concluded its one-year investigation into alleged malfeasance by the senior officer responsible for finances at the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification (TTVI) center. The panel has found Col Pornprasert Karnjanarin guilty of misappropriating funds and will now move to have him dismissed from the force. Charges of malfeasance were filed against Col…
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Laguna Phuket promo: 100,000 room nights free!
CHERNG TALAY, PHUKET: Laguna Phuket is giving away 100,000 complimentary room nights at its six resort hotels for guests who book online in March. The “100,000 Smiles in Laguna Phuket” promotion is being run in co-operation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), which will help to market the initiative. TAT Governor Phornsiri Manoharn and Laguna Phuket Managing Director Michael…
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Toyota Vigo winner out there somewhere
PHUKET CITY: For those who bought raffle tickets at the 2009 Phuket Red Cross Fair, it might be worth taking another look at the number – you may have won a Toyota Vigo. The 650,000-baht vehicle was the top prize in the annual raffle at the fair, but it remains unclaimed seven weeks after the January 9 draw. The deadline for claiming…
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Karon, Wichit to get independent police districts
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Provincial Police plan to establish two new independent police districts on the island to take pressure off Chalong Police, whose jurisdiction currently covers all of Chalong, as well as Rawai and Karon. Pol Col Peerayut Kara-jedee, Superintendent of General Staff of the Phuket Provincial Police, said the two new districts would be for Karon and Wichit. Rawai…
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Grandmother killed in tour bus smash
MAI KHAO, PHUKET : A 69-year-old grandmother was killed instantly this morning when a tour bus veered off the center of the road and hit her at high speed. The victim, Mali Burakhan, was pushing her bicycle along Thepkrassatri Rd back to her home in Mai Khao Village 3 at the time of the tragedy. The bus, a double-decked air…
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English businessman clubbed to death
KATHU, PHUKET: Police investigating the murder of an Englishman yesterday suspect the killing may have been motivated by a real estate dispute.At 10:30 am yesterday, Tung Tong Police were notified by security guards of a murder at the Royal Place project on Phra Phuketkaew Rd, at the Tesco-Lotus junction.The victim was later identified as Ian Kenneth Stuart, 61.Police, including Phuket…
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