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.
-
Sponsored
Where is the best place in Thailand for digital nomads?
Thailand is a popular place for digital nomads because it is affordable, culturally rich, and convenient for remote work. With friendly locals, great weather, and delicious food, it offers a high quality of life. Cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and...
-
Beached Brit needs to float his boat
PATONG: Strenuous efforts by about 50 volunteers at high tide this morning failed to push the stranded 38-foot sailboat Sultan off Patong Beach. The boat’s cash-strapped British owner will now seek financial assistance from his embassy in an effort to re-float the vessel, which has drawn considerable attention from tourists visiting the beach.Sultan washed up on the south end of…
-
Phuket shrines to make Chinese-style Jatukham amulets
PHUKET CITY: Three Chinese shrines on the island are joining forces to make Chinese-style versions of the popular Jatukham Ramathep amulet in order to raise money to build a 60-million-baht VIP wing at Vachira Phuket Hospital. A press conference was held at Pud Jor Shrine on June 18 to describe the amulet-making process and inform the public how to reserve…
-
Brownnose bloodsucker
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A man was admitted to Bua Yai Hospital on June 7 with complaints of abdominal pains, which he said were caused by a leech that crawled up inside his anus while he was trying to catch fish for his wife’s dinner. Nong Chingpho, 43, told doctors that he had intermittent stomach pains for about a month, ever since…
-
Cat burglar crash
PHUKET: Being a keen breeder of songbirds, 34-year-old Chalong resident Warathep Udomsap would have been used to being woken up by the dawn chorus coming from the bird cages he kept at the back of his house. At dawn on May 28, however, he was awoken by some much less appealing noises: a loud crash followed by anguished wailing. As…
-
Thirsty thieves
KANCHANABURI: A man noted for his integrity, Acting Royal Thai Police Commissioner General Seripisut Temiyavej has spent the best part of his life fighting the twin scourges of crime and corruption. In an ironic twist of fate, however, Thailand’s top cop recently found himself the victim of a horrific crime when thieves broke into his riverside holiday home in Kanchanaburi…
-
Yacht beached after heavy storm
PATONG: The 38-foot sailboat Sultan washed up on the south end of Patong Beach about 1 am last night during a strong storm, waking owner Michael Wilson, who was asleep on the vessel when it hit the shore.Mr Wilson, from the UK, had sailed 17 days alone through stormy weather from Sri Lanka before reaching Phuket yesterday. Upon inspecting his…
-
Health office warns of rainy-season dangers
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) yesterday issued a warning for people to be wary of five types of aliments that are more prevalent during the rainy season, which is now fully upon us.PPHO officer Arunee Suphanam warned people to take better care to avoid contracting diarrhea, infections in open wounds, colds and pneumonia, mosquito-borne diseases and conjunctivitis, also…
-
Shrimp gets ahead with “blue flag’ promotion
PHUKET: In order to help the island’s suffering shrimp farmers, the Phuket Provincial Internal Trade Office (PITO) yesterday set up a “Blue Flag Shrimp Festival” to sell the tasty crustaceans directly to consumers for just 99 baht per kilogram until the end of September. PITO Chief Somphot Sangkhapong told the Gazette that some 1,500 kilograms of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus…
-
American wins Laguna Marathon with course record
CHERNG TALAY: Amid sporadic downpours and Phuket’s wet season drizzle, American Brent Christian Roeger this morning won the second Laguna Phuket International Marathon with a time of 2 hours 45 minutes 44 seconds, setting a new course record. Phuket resident and Hash House Harrier “Fast” Eddy Ou, originally from the US, was second across the finish line, completing the 42-kilometer…
-
Korea pushes for more Thai tourists
PHUKET CITY: The Bangkok office of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Korean Air and Sun Moon Tours & Travel joined forces to promote Thai tourism to Korea with an industry event at The Metropole Hotel on Thursday.Kang Sung-Ghil, Director of the KTO’s Bangkok Office said, “Phuket is one of our main markets for MICE [meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions], especially…
-
Heavy rains forecast for the weekend
PHUKET: The Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) issued a regional weather warning for Southwestern Thailand at 10 am today as the southwest monsoon weather takes hold over the Andaman Sea. The office warned of heavy rains in Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Trang today and tomorrow, with a risk of flash floods. All ships are advised to proceed with caution…
-
Laguna Marathon road closures
CHERNG TALAY: The Phuket International Marathon, starting at 5 am tomorrow, will result in road closures in and around the Laguna resort complex from early morning until noon. More than 4,000 participants, including 1,500 runners, are expected to take part in the second annual event, which will be broadcast live on TV to some 50 countries around the world.The announced…
-
Oceanographers study effects of 2004 tsunami quake
AO MAKHAM: A multinational group of oceanographers has completed a survey of the fault zone that caused the 2004 tsunami and early results show that the quake also caused a massive landslide.The R/V Roger Revelle, a 75-meter research vessel from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, berthed at the Deep Sea Port at Cape Panwa yesterday after completing a…
-
Tesco-Lotus junction claims another victim
RASSADA: The Tesco-Lotus junction, officially dubbed the “Samkong Intersection”, claimed another victim early Tuesday morning, when a man riding a motorbike through the junction and a Toyota Hilux Vigo collided at high speed. The motorbike rider died at the scene. His passenger suffered serious injuries. Pol Lt Akekarat Plaiduang, duty inspector at Phuket Police Station, identified the deceased as Manas…
-
Gangster linked to Phuket murder shot in South
NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: A man described by police as a notorious gangster was in critical condition on Tuesday night after a drive-by shooting at his house that left one dead and five injured.Police say the man may be wanted in connection with a murder carried out in Phuket.Lt Col Chaiyan Bundit, Inspector for Investigation at Pakphanang Police Station, told the Gazette that a pickup…
-
Kajonkietsuksa School steps up security
WICHIT: In response to several calls by parents concerned about stepped-up security at Kajonkietsuksa School on Chao Fa West Rd, the Gazette is happy to report that the new measures are purely precautionary – and not in response to any imminent threat to security at the school.Nunthiya Lohitchan, a teacher at the school, explained that parents arriving to pick up…
-
Mother, daughter charged over acid attack
KAMALA: A mother and daughter have been charged with throwing acid on a young woman on June 8. Police believe the attack was inspired by jealousy, after the pair learned the woman was having an affair with the mother’s husband.Investigation Inspector Pol Lt Col Monsak Srisuwan told the Gazette that one of the young woman’s neighbors called Kamala Police about…
-
City fresh market vendors to relocate
PHUKET CITY: Vendors at the fresh market on Ranong Rd, in the heart of Phuket City, will relocate to a temporary market set up for them on Wirat Hongyok Rd from June 17.The temporary market, opposite Suan Luang Park, has been set up by Phuket City Municipality to minimize inconvenience for shoppers while the municipality builds new market buildings at…
-
Gamblers top police crime figures
PHUKET: Gambling remains Phuket’s top illegal pastime with 306 arrests made from May 1 to May 30, according to statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police.There were 108 people arrested in drug-related cases, of which 49 involved ya bah (methamphetamine): three for importing, five for selling, 26 for possession with intent to sell, 13 for possession and two for use. A…
-
Bang Tao fishermen gunned down
CHERNG TALAY: Two teenage fishermen from Bang Tao were gunned down while riding their motorbikes from Heroines’ Monument to Cherng Talay early Sunday morning.Both died from their injuries.Deputy Investigation Inspector Pol Capt Sanit Nu-Kong of Thalang Police told the Gazette, that police received a report that the men had been shot about 1:25 am.Officers arrived at the scene near Baan…
-
Japanese tourist raped
PATONG (Kom Chad Luek): Police yesterday charged a parasail boat employee at Patong Beach for the rape of a Japanese tourist.The rape was reported to Pol Capt Padungpong Dooksookkaew at Kathu Police Station at 1 am yesterday.The victim, a 24-year-old woman from Japan, told police that she was staying at a hotel on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd. While sunbathing at…
-
Karaoke hostess murdered
PHUKET CITY: A karaoke bar hostess was found murdered in her apartment off Montri Rd early yesterday morning. Police are searching for the victim’s live-in boyfriend, who is the prime suspect in the case.Phuket City Police Duty Inspector Pol Lt Col Sien Kaewthong identified the victim as 28-year-old Kanchana Aonpleng, from Pathum Thani province.About 12:45 am yesterday, police received a…
-
Mala Seafood murder suspect surrenders
CHALONG: After two months on the run and wanted for the shooting murder of Karon restaurateur Mala Peng-iam, Suban Pon-iamsaen handed himself in to Chalong Police Station on Tuesday. A reward of 100,000 baht had been offered for information leading to his capture.About 7 pm March 27, Mala, owner of Mala Seafood restaurant, was shot three times in the face…
-
PPEA to move head office
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) will move its main office in Phuket from its current location on Thepkrasattri Rd to downtown Phuket City.The new office will be located west of the Honda dealer on the north side of Phang Nga Rd, near where the old “Chatuchak” weekend market was located.The new office will open for business Monday…
-
Plans for Chalong Marina expansion unveiled
CHALONG: Three different plans for Phase II of the Chalong Marina Project, which aims to provide berths for more than 200 vessels to Chalong Bay, were announced at a public hearing about the project at Muang Phuket School today. Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima, who led the meeting, was joined by Marine Department Director Werawan Sirigarmpen and a team of consultants…
-
Dead red frog crabs “probably poisoned’
MAI KHAO: Hundreds of red frog crabs, or phu jakkajan, and other species of crabs and sea urchins were found washed ashore on Sai Kaew Beach on Sunday evening. Many of the sea animals were dead, possibly poisoned by fishermen, said Somkiet Khokiettiwong of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC). “We’re not sure how many red frog crabs and other…
-
Ian Rush-es through Phuket
WICHIT: Former English Premier League star striker Ian Rush was among a group of famous footballers who conducted a short football clinic in the parking lot of the Tesco-Lotus supercenter this morning.Rush, a Welshman, is best remembered as Liverpool’s leading scorer with 346 goals for the club between 1980 and 1996.Some 60 lucky youths from three local schools attended the…
-
Local administrations to fund CCTV expansion
PHUKET: Following the installation 48 closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance cameras covering parts of Phuket City, Patong and Kata-Karon, local administrations across the island are preparing to fund 180 more cameras to improve security in their jurisdictions.Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima yesterday chaired a meeting on ways to fund installation of CCTV cameras at “risk” areas across the island by year’s end. Attending…
-
Public hearing for B300m Chalong Marina project
CHALONG: A public hearing about plans for Phase II of the Chalong Marina Project, which aims to add moorings for more than 200 vessels to Chalong Bay, will be held tomorrow at Muang Phuket School, just south of Chalong Circle, at 1:30 pm.The meeting will gather public feedback about the design and environmental impact of the expanded project.Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj…
-
Police push for 180 more CCTV cameras
PHUKET: After hailing as a success the installation of 48 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras around the island, Phuket Provincial Police Superintendent of General Staff Pol Col Peerayut Karajedee on Friday announced that police are now looking to install 180 more public surveillance cameras.At the monthly Governor Meets the Press meeting, Col Peerayut said that the 48 cameras installed in Phuket…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.