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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Weather has little impact on local business
PHUKET: Amorn Chantanavivate, Director of the South Western Regional Meteorological Center, reports that the cold and windy weather Phuket has experienced over the past few days will continue until January. He warns all boats to be careful and urges small craft to remain in port until the weather improves. Local marine operators expect the weather to have little impact on…
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Search underway for Algerian hotel thief
CHALONG: Phuket police are searching for an Algerian suspected of stealing money and other valuables from the rooms of tourists in small hotels and guest houses in Cherng Talay and Karon Beach. According to Pol Col Sathi Malakanont, superintendent of the Chalong Police Station, the man checks into an establishment, breaks into rooms, and then departs without checking out. The…
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84 Burmese arrested in Chalong
CHALONG: Police yesterday arrested 84 Burmese who were working illegally in the Chalong area. According to Pol Capt Thanate Poungmanee of Chalong Police Station, 54 of the 84 arrested were male. After the sweep, the Burmese were transferred to the Immigration Office in Phuket Town where their arrests were recorded. They were then immediately sent to the Thai-Burma border in…
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Lumberyard burns on Kwang Rd
PHUKET TOWN: Chaijaras Kah Mai, a lumberyard on Kwang Rd, suffered damage estimated at 2 million baht when a fire swept through the premises at 1 am this morning. No deaths or injuries were reported. Strong winds and the highly combustible lumber forced firefighters to battle the blaze for almost two hours before putting it out. Pol Capt Surat Muangsri…
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No Westerners to be freed under amnesty
PHUKET TOWN: Contrary to earlier expectations, no Westerners are to be released from Phuket Provincial Prison under the terms of the amnesty declared to mark the 72nd birthday of HM The King. A total of 159 people will be released tomorrow at 9 am. Of these, 16 are foreigners, 14 of them Burmese. The remaining two are Korean Jin Yong…
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Diarrhea outbreak comes to an end
THALANG: The recent outbreak of severe diarrhea in the Thalang area is over, Dr Boonriang Chuchaisangrat, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, has confirmed. All those affected have now gone home from hospital, and no new cases have been reported. The first case of severe diarrhea was reported on October 27 and was diagnosed as a strain known as…
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Police hunt for novice monk in tourist murder
BANGKOK, Dec 21 (AFP) – Thai police said Tuesday they were hunting for a 14-year-old novice monk allegedly involved in the brutal murder and suspected rape of an Australian tourist in the southern beach resort of Krabi. Police Major Khejorn Siriwan said warrants had been issued for the novice and a 19-year-old man over the murder of Cheree Cobcroft, 24,…
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Australian woman murdered in Krabi
KRABI: Cheree Joy Cobcroft, 24, an Australian tourist, was brutally murdered in Krabi on Friday. Her body was found naked, hanging by a belt from a tree in the woods behind the Kaew Krowararam temple in Krabi Town. Her clothing and personal belongings were scattered on the ground below her. Police estimate the murder occurred between 6:00 am and 1:30…
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Chuan easily defeats no-confidence motion
BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand’s government survived a no-confidence vote in parliament today after a bitter five-day debate in which it faced allegations of corruption and economic mismanagement. The majority of the six-party coalition led by the Democrat Party of Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai held rock-steady in the vote in the lower House of Representatives. A total of 229 members supported the…
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French-Swiss pair win Black Cat pétanque
CHERNG TALAY: Frenchman Frederic Vignial and partner Eric Uldry of Switzerland shot 13-9 against Frenchman Franck de Lestapis and Australian Craig Ryan to win the Fifth Black Cat Pétanque Tournament at the Black Cat restaurant yesterday. The consolation round was won by a margin of 13 to 6 by yet another Frenchman, Marcel Lerat, and his Thai partner Somnuk Chunrat.…
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Fantasea still showing a loss – CEO
KAMALA: Pin Kewpaisal, President and CEO of Phuket Fantasea, admitted last night that the cultural theme park is still losing money but said that he remains optimistic about the future, and that he believes Fantasea is on the right track. Khun Pin didn’t reveal actual loses, but said Fantasea has to pay about 50 million baht a month just to…
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Maikhao tambon boss commits suicide
MAIKHAO: The president of the Maikhao Tambon Administrative Council (OrBorTor) was found dead at his home at 164 Moo 3, Tambon Maikhao, Amphur Talang, early yesterday morning, having apparently committed suicide. Pol Capt Adul Nirapai of Phuket Town Police Station said the dead man, Boonchoo Rakrungsimansuk, 55, is believed to have died after swallowing about a liter of pesticide. Though…
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Blue Canyon wins international award
PHUKET: The Blue Canyon Country Club was named Asian & Pacific Golf Resort of the Year 2000 in the recent Hertz International Golf Travel Awards ceremony, held in Portugal. It was also nominated in two other categories: Asian & Pacific Golf Course of the Year 2000, and Worldwide Golf Resort of the Year 2000. In last year’s Hertz awards, it…
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Type A Negative blood urgently needed
PHUKET TOWN: Bangkok Phuket Hospital has issued an urgent appeal for Type A Negative blood for an Austrian tourist who is bleeding internally. Alfred Edlinsel, 41, was rushed to the hospital yesterday with a ‘terrible’ stomach pain that subsequently deteriorated into gastric and intestinal bleeding. Mr Edlinsel’s medical record shows that he has had a stomach condition for years. The…
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Seminar to promote Phuket to foreign investors
PHUKET: The Phuket Chamber of Commerce will conduct a seminar to encourage foreign investment in Phuket at a Board of Investment Fair that will be held in Bangkok from February 3-17. Charn Wongsatayanont, President of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, says, “The seminar will provide Phuket with an opportunity to point out the island’s strengths and potential as a place…
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Town to get bus service soon, maybe (Part II)
PHUKET TOWN: Attempts to get Phuket Town’s first real bus service up and running – originally scheduled to start last May – are still on, and are still inching toward reality. Samkhan Saengfai, managing director of PB Holdings, which has a seven-year operating license from the Phuket Provincial Transport Office, told the Gazette that the service has been delayed because…
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Two dead, one injured in Patong shooting
PATONG: Two men were shot dead yesterday evening in a bar in the Royal Paradise complex on Rat-U-Tit Rd. A 16-year-old boy was severely injured by a stray bullet as he walked along the street outside. Pol Col Kokiat Wongworachart, Superintendent of Kathu Police Station, told the Gazette that Somkiat Nakwong, 25, and Somnuek Fahwan went to the bar together…
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Phuket’s power system said to be “Y2K-ready”
PHUKET TOWN: The island’s Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) is now ready for whatever the Millennium may throw at it, says PEA vice president Kumnueng Tadsri Khun Kumnueng says the entire computer system has been upgraded to comply with standards set by the General Accounting Office. All elements of it have been tested and are Y2K-ready. But just in case the…
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Five Westerners may be released from local prison
PHUKET: As many as five Westerners are expected to be on the list of people to be released from Phuket Provincial Prison in the next couple of days, in accordance with the nationwide amnesty declared to mark HM the King’s 72nd birthday. Exact numbers have yet to be ascertained, but Preeda Nijsiri, commander of Phuket Provincial Prison, said that the…
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Four arrested with ya bah
PHUKET: Police have arrested four people for ya bah violations in separate incidents at Kata Beach and Phuket Town. On Friday, plainclothes police arrested one man and two women at the public housing estate in Tambon Rassada, Phuket Town for possessing 778 tablets of ya bah with intent to sell. According to Pol Lt Col Manus Aemjareonchaikul, an inspector in…
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Karaoka victorious in King’s Cup Regatta
KATA: The King’s Cup Regatta ended today with Ray Ordoveza’s Karaoka winning the Racing Class division. Second place honors went to Pla Loma, while Australia Challenge finished third. The Regatta, which had been without controversy, didn’t end that way. At the start of yesterday’s Performance Cruising division race, Monsoon Blue was sunk when struck in the stern by Stormvogel. In…
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Nine arrested for gasoline smuggling
PHUKET: Marine Police on Wednesday seized two vessels and 116,000 liters of smuggled gasoline. Nine crew members of the two vessels were arrested. Pol Col Misakawan Buara, Superintendent of Phuket Marine Police said that his men had seized the Chockkrating 222, a modified fishing boat, with 110,000 liters of fuel on board, along with the Suapisarn 10 which had on…
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Rises in Immigration fees put on hold
PHUKET: The Phuket Immigration Office, like all other Immigration offices in Thailand, has rescinded steep rises in visa and other fees which were introduced recently. The rises, which quadrupled the existing fees, were contained in a new immigration law brought into force on November 12. However, a subsequent notice from Immigration headquarters in Bangkok on November 29 ordered the new…
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Karaoka and Hi Fidelity neck-and-neck
KATA: With one day’s sailing still to go in the King’s Cup regatta, a clear winner has yet to emerge in the premier division, the Racing Class, with Neil Pride’s Hi Fidelity and Ray Ordoveza’s Karaoka continuing to slug it out for top honors. The regatta went into its fourth day without major problems, other than the continued strong winds…
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“Too sexy’ policewomen get a dressing-down
BANGKOK (AFP): Policewomen in Thailand were today ordered to cover up, after a top police chief complained that too many officers were wearing miniskirts and body-hugging uniforms. “A number of policewomen wore too tight uniforms with short skirts, colorful makeup and have dyed hair,” said a government statement. Pol Lt Gen Somchai Milindangkura said a special team had been established…
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Fickle winds for second day of King’s Cup
KATA: The King’s Cup fleet arrived in Phuket yesterday after two days’ racing, the first between Krabi and Phi-Phi and the second from Phi-Phi to Phuket. The day started well, with promising 10-knot winds. But these died away during the afternoon. In the evening, with all the boats moored off Kata beach and the crews onshore sampling a variety of…
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Tough contest brewing for municipal seats
PHUKET TOWN: December 25 will see hot competition between 54 candidates from three political parties – the Young People’s Party, the People’s Party and the Creative Party – and four independent candidates for the 18 seats on the Phuket Town Municipal Council. The Municipality, which is expecting about half of Phuket Town’s 42,417 registered voters to make their mark, has…
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Five die in flash floods in southern Thailand
BANGKOK (AFP): Five people are dead and hundreds have been evacuated from their homes after a tropical depression sparked flash floods in southern Thailand. Two boys, aged seven and nine, were swept away by floodwaters in Yala province. Three other people drowned in nearby Pattani, Songkla and Chumporn provinces after a tropical storm hit the west coast of the Gulf…
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Swiss snorkeler drowns off Racha Noi
PHUKET: A Swiss man drowned on Friday while snorkeling with family and friends off Racha Noi Island. The man, Carlo Wellinger, 45, was on holiday in Phuket, staying at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Beach in Bang Tao. Police said it appeared that Mr Wellinger fainted while swimming. Before he could be pulled from the water, a wave dragged him under.…
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Memory loss holds Gazettes to a draw
SAPHAN HIN: The Phuket Gazettes and the Bangkok British Club (BBC) battled to a 5-5 draw on Saturday in their annual 15-a-side match. Victory would have gone to the Gazettes, were it not for a mental lapse by Thiti Tandavanitk. Toward the end of the third quarter, he made it past the BBC tryline but forgot to touch down, much…
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