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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Patong bars protest, say they’ll not open tonight
PATONG: About 1,000 bar owners and staff gathered at the football field on the beach road this afternoon to protest the Ministry of Interior’s refusal to exempt Patong from the 2 am legal closing time for entertainment venues in Thailand. Chairat Sukkaban, owner of the Safari Disco & Fun Pub, who led a petition drive two weeks ago, told the…
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American dies at police station
PHUKET TOWN: An American man died after falling off a chair early yesterday morning while in custody at the Phuket Town Police Station. Police named the 56-year-old man as William Bryan Brooks. Pol Maj Adul Nirapai of Phuket Town Police Station told the Gazette that he had received a call late Monday night from staff at the Bai Fern restaurant…
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New QSI director denies closure rumors
KATHU: The new director of the QSI International School of Phuket, Dr Paul Finkbeiner, has emphatically denied rumors that the school is about to shut. “We are definitely not closing down. If that were true, then I wouldn’t be here,” he said, adding, “I plan on staying here for two years. But if things go well, they may have to…
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Ministry rejects bar owners’ 2 am plea
PHUKET: Provincial Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi said today that he has received an emphatic “No” from the Ministry of the Interior in response to a petition by Patong bar owners to allow them to stay open later than 2 am. Gov Pongpayome told the Gazette that the Ministry, in a letter to him, pointed out that there are many other tourist…
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Man found murdered near fishing port
PHUKET TOWN: A man believed to have been a Burmese fisherman was last Saturday found murdered at Baan Laem Tukkae, near the fishing port. Pol Lt Kanuang Pitakkulthorn of Phuket Town Police Station told the Gazette that the man, as yet unidentified, had died from blows the face and head with a blunt instrument. The victim is estimated to have…
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Laser speed trap on airport road
PHUKET: Motorists traveling north towards the airport are advised to take their feet off the gas until the end of this week at least, or risk paying a fine for speeding. Every day until Saturday, police officers will be been perched atop the footbridge near the Muang Thalang School, armed with a pair of laser speed guns, while, 300 meters…
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OrBorJor reviews Rassada Port bids
PHUKET TOWN: Companies bidding for a 30-year lease management on the Rassada Port made presentations to the Phuket Provincial Organization Administration (OrBorJor) on Friday. The companies that delivered presentations were Sri Fuengfah Co Ltd, Port and Marine Enterprise Co Ltd, and Seatran Travel Co Ltd. A fourth bidder, Thepkrasattri Petroleum Co Ltd, pulled out. The OrBorJor’s decision as to who…
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Duty-free scheme discussed
PHUKET TOWN: A special meeting was convened yesterday to brainstorm ideas on how Phuket might be developed into a duty-free city. Provincial Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi called the meeting – which brought together members of the Provincial Administration Organization and the Thai business community – in the wake of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s proposal that tourism in Phuket and Chiang Mai…
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German man dies of overdose
PATONG: A 49-year-old German man died yesterday of heart failure after swallowing a lethal mixture of vodka and sleeping pills. Pol Maj Pisit Cheanpetch of Kathu Police Station told the Gazette that Patong resident Klaus Werner Blume was found dead in his room at Nanai Happy House, Soi Nanai. The victim’s partner, Noppawan Hemwanta, 24, told police that she returned…
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Malaysia puts harsh brakes on Thai drivers
KHUAN DON, THAILAND: In a move sure to bring frowns and grimaces to the Land of Smiles, Thailand’s neighbor to the south has introduced measures making it an almost hopeless enterprise for Thais to enter Malaysia by automobile. At the Khuan Don border (near Satun) this afternoon, Malaysian authorities in spiffy blue uniforms were handing out “Rules” flyers to scores…
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Thai Airways board members lose perks
BANGKOK (AFP): Thai Airways International board members, long accustomed to free flights and expensive perks, are to lose their privileges as part of an effort to streamline the national carrier, an airline official said this afternoon. Chairman Chai-Anan Samuddavanija, appointed with a new board of directors amid controversy this week, has vowed to cancel the perks offered since Thai Airways…
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Japanese woman drowns off Mai Thon
MAI TON: The body of Japanese tourist Na-Ao Yukimura, 35, was found on Tuesday on a beach on Mai Thon Island. Pol Capt Cha-aom Khowsrisuwan of the Phuket Town Police Station said, “Some villagers found Ms Yukimura’s body lying face-down on the beach. She was wearing a green bikini, and a snorkeling mask was around her neck. She had been…
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Free dive master training for Thais
PHUKET: The Dive Operators’ Club of Thailand (DOCT), Phuket Chapter, is seeking Thai applicants to train as dive masters in response to the shortage of Thai dive masters on the island. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. They must have a working knowledge of English, a high-school education, be physically fit and able to swim, and have their…
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Police seize 2 tonnes of smuggled meat
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Marine Police yesterday evening raided a warehouse in Moo Bann Iravadee on the bypass road after receiving a report that it contained smuggled cigarettes. But instead of illegal smokes, they found about two tonnes of illegally imported meat, worth about 200,000 baht. Pol Lt Col Bunjerd Piriyavong of the Phuket Marine Police told the Gazette that…
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Mayor meets Governor over 2 am law
PHUKET TOWN: Thirty entertainment venue owners, led by Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, yesterday met with Provincial Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi at his home to inquire about the results of last week’s petition asking for Patong to be given an exemption from the 2 am limit on opening hours. The petition, signed by some 300 business owners in Patong, was handed to…
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Top police officers removed from Phuket
PHUKET TOWN: Pol Col Chalit Tintanee, the superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, and Pol Lt Col Wutthichai Kamput, deputy superintendent (Crime Suppression Division) of Thalang Police Station, have been transferred to Surat Thani. A well placed source within the police department told the Gazette that both Col Chalit and Lt Col Wutthichai received a phone call this morning ordering…
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Thai Airways board appointments spark protest
BANGKOK (AFP): Hundreds of aviation industry employees rallied today outside the headquarters of Thai Airways to protest the company’s new board of directors, which they say is rife with cronyism. Wearing symbolic black dress, workers from Thai Airways and Aeronautical Radio of Thailand surrounded a limousine carrying Deputy Transportation and Communication Minister Pracha Maleenond, who will chair a meeting of…
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Thailand to woo investors
BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand plans to expand the role of state investment promotion agencies in an effort to boost its damaged economy with fresh domestic and foreign investment, reports said today. During a two-day economic workshop chaired by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, officials pledged to transform Thailand into a “knowledge-based” economy through new investment spurred by tax incentives and special privileges.…
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Young Thais hooked on football betting
BANGKOK (AFP): Hundreds of thousands of Thailand’s young football fans are addicted to gambling on foreign matches, the government said in a report released today. Some 300,000 football-crazed students wager 50 million baht (1.1 million dollars) every day, according to ruling Thai Rak Thai party politician Poom Sarapon. A recent survey shows that most of the kingdom’s football gamblers are…
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Gov denies being too strict
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday denied being too strict on work permits and new company registrations. He insisted that he was simply enforcing the law. “I haven’t been too strict or done anything extraordinary,” he told the Gazette. “All I’ve done is ensure that procedures are followed according to Thai law. “The problem before was that no one checked…
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Vagabonds stroll home over Marines
KOH KAEW: The Phuket Vagabonds Rugby Club (formerly the Phuket Gazettes) started their preparations for next month’s International Tens Tournament with a convincing 30-20 win on Monday over the US Marines from the visiting USS Boxer. The Vagabonds took the initiative early in the game, played at Dulwich International College, piling up a 15-point lead before the Americans finally forced…
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Provincial government gets on IT track
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi has announced a government drive to ensure that every provincial government department on the island will have its own web site by the end of the year, and that all departments will start using email to share information. His announcement came at a meeting of departmental heads at the Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, held…
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TAT rejects “Phuket too costly’ claim
PHUKET: Anuphap Teerarat, director of the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), today rejected criticism from a German movie producer that Phuket has priced itself out of the market as far as film-makers are concerned. The producer, Wolfgang Rademann, was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying that he had opted to shoot his made-for-TV movie, which…
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B30 medical scheme: Public urged to update records
PHUKET: The Provincial Public Health Office (PHO) is to start a public information drive, urging people to update their house registration documents (tabien baan) immediately. “This is important because the budget Phuket will get for the 30-baht scheme will depend on how many people are registered as living in the province,” said Dr Boonrieng Chuchaisaengrat, Chief of the PHO. He…
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300 sign opening hours petition to Governor
PHUKET: Some 300 business owners in Patong today petitioned Provincial Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi to allow an extension of opening hours from 2 am to 5 am. The petition argued that the enforcement of the 2 am law would not achieve the government’s aim of reducing crime and drug abuse. The petition was handed to the Governor by Chairat Sukkaban, owner…
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Worst-ever road death, injury statistics
PHUKET: Sixteen people died in traffic accidents between January 20 and February 20, according to statistics from the Wachira, Thalang and Patong government hospitals. All the victims were on motorcycles, Ampaipan Pawawattananusorn of the Phuket Provincial Health Office reported. In the same period, 906 were hurt in crashes involving motorbikes, while 35 people were injured in car accidents. The year’s…
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Another blow for foreign investors
BANGKOK (AFP): Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today urged developing Asian nations to abandon economic policies modeled after the United States and Japan, and to try to build local businesses rather than attract foreign investors. At the opening of the 57th session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Thaksin said that economic reforms…
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Braggart raped by five women
SRISAKET (AFP): Five Thai women have agreed to pay compensation to a man they allegedly gang-raped on Songkhran Day, police said today. Police said the women, aged between 20 and 40, admitted to plying the 47-year-old man from this northeastern Srisaket province with alcohol, tying him up and stripping him naked before taking turns having sex with him. “All the…
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Foreigners executed on drug charges in Thailand
BANGKOK (AFP): A Taiwanese man, a Hong Kong man, and two Thais convicted on drug trafficking charges were executed by firing squad this evening. A fifth man, also a Thai, was similarly executed for murder, officials said. “The Thai government wants to reassure the world that it takes the drug problem seriously,” Yongyuth Tiyapairat, a government spokesman announced, saying that…
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Patong “may be exempt from 2 am rule’
PATONG: The Ministry of Interior is looking at the enforcement of the 2 am closing law and may decide to make an exception for Patong, allowing bars and other entertainment venues in the town to stay open later. The announcement of the possible reprieve was made today by the Governor of Phuket, Pongpayome Vasaputi. He stressed that the clampdown on…
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