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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Cyclone prompts local weather warning
PHUKET: The Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) issued a regional weather warning for Southern West Thailand at 4 pm today after tracking a Tropical Cyclone “01B” in the Bay of Bengal. The cyclone has winds of up 75kmh and has been causing unusually rainy conditions along the Andaman Coast over the past few days. At 1 pm today the depression…
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Job fair offers more than 1,000 positions
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) will hold its annual job fair at Phuket Merlin Hotel on Thursday and Friday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. PPEO Chief Nataya Anudit said that the PPEO has more than 1,000 vacancies waiting to be filled, ranging from rubber tappers to higher-level hotel employees. “We have about 115 businesses looking for…
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Peruvian drug “mules’ busted at airport
PHUKET: Two Peruvians were arrested at Phuket International Airport on Tuesday while attempting to smuggle 1.6 kilograms of internally concealed cocaine into the country. Police said that the drugs had a street value of about 4 million baht. Phuket Airport Immigration Office Superintendent Pol Col Surasak Atthapanyawanich told the Gazette that the arrests followed a tip off from Phuket-based Narcotics Suppression…
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Gazette appoints new Managing Director
PHUKET: Oranee ‘Ann’ Pienprasertkul has been elected Managing Director of the Phuket Gazette Co Ltd, with responsibility for all operating divisions and products of the company.Now in her eighth year with the Gazette, K. Oranee joined as an advertising sales person. She became marketing manager in 2002 and was appointed General Manager in 2005.The Bangkok native is a graduate of…
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File work permit renewals early, says new PPEO Chief
PHUKET: The new Chief of the Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) has called for holders of work permits to apply for renewals at least three working days before their current permit expires.Nataya Anudit, who took over as PPEO chief two weeks ago, told the Gazette that the reminder aims to reduce the number of foreigners whose work permits needlessly expire…
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Gambling tops crimes stats again
PHUKET: Gambling remains the most commonly caught crime on the island with 239 arrests made from April 1 to April 30, according to statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police.Prostitution climbed into number two position, with 92 arrests.There were 71 people arrested in drug-related cases, of which 33 were for ya bah (methamphetamine)-related charges – three for selling, 20 for possession…
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Diver airlifted from Similans after “fish’ attack
PHUKET: Russian tourist Rustem Teregulov, 39, was airlifted by Royal Thai Navy helicopter from the Similan Islands to Phuket yesterday after he was bitten by a fish – or possibly a moray eel – while diving in the world-renowned national park. Mr Teregulov today told the Gazette that he was diving off one of the smaller islands about 1:30 pm…
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Police bust Phuket ya bah connection
PHUKET: Police have arrested three men and three women, and confiscated 5,830 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills imported from Laos, in two separate but related raids.On Tuesday evening, police arrested Dej “Reem” Suebsod, 42, from Phuket, after he sold a bag containing about 30 ya bah pills to an undercover officer during a sting operation in front of Moo Baan Iravadee…
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53 repossessed vehicles up for auction
PHUKET CITY: Kiatnakin Bank will publicly auction 53 repossessed vehicles on May 19 at the Yee Teng Complex on Bangkok Rd.Kiatnakin Bank Chief of Operations Thanyaporn Suwanyayee told the Gazette that this is the second time that the Phuket branch has held such an auction. The first was in December last year.The vehicles will be available for inspection at the…
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Thieving teens
PHUKET CITY: A gang of young thieves was collared by Phuket’s finest recently as they carried away vehicle parts from a city parking lot. While wayward teenagers pilfering spare parts from parking lots hardly constitutes news these days, in this case the choice of venue chosen by the young hoods was noteworthy: the vehicle impound lot of the Phuket City…
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Patong Hospital to become more autonomous
PATONG: Patong Hospital on October 2 will become a public organization, though wholly owned by the Ministry of Public Health, so that local community leaders can join the hospital’s board of administrators.A public seminar was held yesterday to inform staff and the public to the changes the hospital will face.Contrary to reports in the local media, the hospital will not…
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Small retailers call for more government support
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Chamber of Commerce (PCC) has called for the central government to do more to help small retailers cope with the on-going expansion of superstores and convenience store chains on the island – including having the stores pay more in local taxes. PCC President Eam Thavornwongwongse on Friday led a small delegation of PCC representatives at a…
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Swiss man found dead in hotel room
KARON: A housekeeper in Karon discovered the body of a 64-year-old Swiss man, the victim of apparent heart failure, last Thursday.The man, identified by police as Beat Fritz Meier, was staying at the Marina Cottage bungalow resort.In her report to the police, a resort housekeeper said she found him naked under a sheet.Lt Col Chana Sutthimas, Inspector at Chalong Police…
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Boy drowns at Bang Wad
KATHU: A 12-year-old boy drowned in a canal near Bang Wad Dam after swimming there with five friends yesterday afternoon.Pol Sub Lt Pathaphi Srichai of Tung Tong Police Station told the Gazette, “Yesterday afternoon Songwut Chanmee and five friends went to swim in the klong, which is five meters deep.”Sub Lt Pathaphi explained that after swimming, Songwut’s friends went home,…
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2 die in Kusoldham high-speed smash
RASSADA: Two people died and five were injured when a Kusoldharm Volunteer Rescue Foundation truck rushing four accident victims to hospital collided with a Toyota sedan at high speed. The accident occured at the Tesco-Lotus intersection on Sunday morning.Phuket City Police Inspector for Investigations, Lt Col Adul Nirapai, identified the two dead as Kusoldharm volunteer Apirak Suemuang, 24, and Namfon Niewnaen,19.Namfon was one…
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Teen killed by friend in “mistake’ shooting
PHUKET CITY: Police have charged a 20-year-old man for the murder of his friend after he allegedly shot his friend in the back – accidentally – while the pair were riding through Saphan Hin on a motorbike early Thursday morning.Phuket City Police Inspector for Investigation Lt Col Somkid Boonrat told the Gazette that the shooting took place near a stoplight near the Provincial…
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Phuket OrBorTor to go to the polls
PHUKET: The four-year terms of 11 Tambon Administration Organizations (OrBorTor) in Phuket will end on August 29. Elections for new OrBorTor councilors and Presidents must be held within 45 days of dissolution.The 11 tambon are Wichit, Rawai, Chalong, Rassada, Koh Kaew; Kamala, Mai Khao, Srisoonthorn, Cherng Talay, Sakoo and Thepkrasattri.The Phuket Election Commission (PEC) has announced that the elections are…
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Local venues make Conde Nast “hot list’
PHUKET: Three local hotels and two spas have been listed on Conde Nast Traveler’s 2007 “Hot List”. The list is compiled by the prestigious international travel magazine to give “an inside look at the latest scene stealing hotels, restaurants, bars and spas”.The spa hot list, rated by undercover reporters, listed Lemongrass House in Cherng Talay as “laid back and funky”,…
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PIMEX 2007 relocates to Royal Phuket Marina
PHUKET: For the first time in its five-year history, the Phuket International Boat Show this year will be held at the Royal Phuket Marina, December 6 to 9. Gulu Lalvani, developer of Royal Phuket Marina, said he was delighted with the news and welcomed PIMEX as part of his dream to cement the position of Phuket as the first destination…
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Khun Woody salutes Patong’s finest
PATONG: Police early yesterday morning arrested a burglar minutes after computer guru and Gazette columnist Woody Leonhard had chased the robber out of his home with a butcher’s knife.K. Woody told the Gazette, “The burglar first tried to come into my townhouse through the sliding glass door in the top floor bedroom. Apparently he saw my 82-year-old father sleeping, so…
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Suniran re-elected Mayor of Cherng Talay
CHERNG TALAY: Suniran Rachtapruek was re-elected mayor of Cherng Talay in the April 28 election, beating one challenger to retain the role. Voters also chose 12 new administrative members, six from each electorate. Of the 2,546 registered voters in Cherng Talay, 1,983 went to the poll, a 78% turnout. Mayor Suniran was re-elected with 1,300 votes, while the challenger, Manit…
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Fifth time unlucky for furniture thief
CHALONG: A man was placed under citizens arrest by the owner of a furniture shop after he was caught stealing three large wooden clocks at 3:45 am on April 25. It was the fifth time within a month that the man had broken into Watthana Wood Furniture on Chao Fa East Rd.Lt Col Chokchai Sutthimek, an Inspector at Chalong Police…
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Phuket brings home boating awards
BANGKOK: Phuket has been named Asia’s Maritime Capital at the prestigious Christofle Asia Boating Awards at the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok by popular vote among the 20 judges, who rewarded Phuket for its “first-class boating facilities, which include modern marinas, state-of-the-art boatyards and prime chartering”.The annual King’s Cup sailing regatta won Yachting Event of the Year while Phuket-based Asia Marine…
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From nuptials to nightmare
NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: A wedding celebration turned to hasty funeral preparations when a respected guest accidentally shot himself in the head while trying to fire a shot into the air to welcome the groom’s procession to the bride’s home. Pol Lt Col Worote Sukger, Deputy Superintendent for Investigations of the Pakpanang District Police, received a report of the incident at…
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Kathu Chief moves to close Safari Pub permanently
PATONG: Kathu District Chief Khantee Silapa will ask Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit to order the permanent closure of Safari Pub as the venue has been caught repeatedly trading after hours, most recently early Friday morning.Chief Khantee told the Gazette, “I have ordered the police to watch the Safari Pub closely and to not allow it to reopen. This will be…
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Public Prosecutor defers Valentino land charges
BANGKOK (Kom Chad Luek, The Nation): Prosecutors in the land encroachment case against Malaysian Tan Teik Hai, better known as “Valentino”, and his associates have delayed bringing the trial to court as they are still waiting for the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) to submit more evidence.The first Public Prosecutor’s hearing of the case was held yesterday morning at the…
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Phuket Immigration clarifies 90-day rule change
PHUKET CITY: Following a spate of complaints from confused foreigners entering Thailand on “visa exemptions”, Pol Capt Krissarat Nuesen of the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office has made a statement to clarify the 90-day rule and how it was changed, effective April 1.Visa exemptions, commonly referred to as “visas on arrival”, allow tourists from certain countries who arrive at the border…
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Officials call for post-tremor calm
PHUKET: The Phuket Office for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (ODPM) has asked people in beach areas to remain calm after tremors were felt in Patong and Kamala this afternoon.The call for calm followed reports of an earthquake in Indonesia, at 3:02 pm, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale ODPM officer Damri Sungsap told the Gazette, “The earthquake was centered at the north…
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Crocodiles spotted at city tin mine lagoon
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office (PPFO) is warning the public to stay away from an abandoned tin mine on the south side of town, following reports by local residents that two or three crocodiles were spotted there yesterday morning.Provincial officials are trying to track down and catch the dangerous reptiles, but thus far to no avail.Aroon Kerdsom, Chief…
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Drunk falls down well, drowns
CHALONG: Police are treating the death of a Chalong man whose body was recovered from a well in the Soi Palai area Monday afternoon as an accident.Pol Lt Col Sanguan Muangtham of the Chalong Police told the Gazette that the victim was probably drunk, fell down the well and drowned.“This is not a big case, just a guy getting drunk…
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