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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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Thai-Malaysia border remains open for visa runs
PHUKET: Amid a flurry of concern about the Thai-Cambodian border being closed to ‘visa runs’ (story here), a high ranking Immigration officer has confirmed that there are no changes to procedures at the popular Phuket visa-run checkpoint in Sadao. “We have yet to receive any special orders to change how we process people needing visa exemptions on arrival or those…
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Weather: Small Phuket boats prohibited from accessing Phi Phi, Racha
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has issued a warning for all boats headed to Phi Phi archipelago and Racha Island that are less than 10-meters long to stay ashore, effective tomorrow. “We expect to see waves between two and four meters in the Andaman Sea, boats less than 10-meters are prohibited from leaving shore,” said Phuket Marine Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut.…
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Blacklisted Kiwis busted for 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill
PHUKET: Police scooped up a New Zealander and his son upon arrival at Phuket International Airport last night for a 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill from the Blue Marine Resort and Spa in Patong. The Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for Brian Russell Finn, 54, and his son Luke Russell Finn, 24, for allegedly ‘dining and dashing’ on a…
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Missing Phuket fishing crew all safely rescued
PHUKET: Phuket rescue teams saved two missing fishermen today who were on board a boat that sunk while hunting for lost fishing gear near Koh Mai Thon yesterday. All four men have now been safely brought back to Phuket. However, the boat is gone, confirmed Marine Police Division Chief Maj Gen Kritapol Yeesakorn. “I didn’t think we would make it.…
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ICT considers developing ‘smart’ Phuket
PHUKET: The Information and Communication Technology Ministry (ICT) is eyeing Phuket and Chiang Mai as ‘smart cities’ that focus on tech start-ups as part of a move to turn Thailand into the digital hub of Asean. ICT Minister Uttama Savanayana said that under the policy the ministry planned to roll out pilot projects to drive the country forward, with the…
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Video Report: Asian Weightlifting Championships wrap up
PHUKET: Between September 6 and 11, 162 athletes from 29 countries flexed their muscles as they battled against gravity at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex for the 26th Senior Women’s and 45th Senior Men’s Asian Weightlifting Championships . The event’s opening ceremony was chaired by National Olympic Committee of Thailand President Yuthasak Sasiprapha. Fifteen athletes from Thailand, seven females…
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Charter rejection boosts economy
PHUKET: The rejection of the draft charter by the National Reform Council with a vote of 135-105 last week, along with measures to spur the economy worth a combined 136 billion baht, should overall have a positive affect on consumption, investment, and tourism, while also boosting internal economic activity, said Dr Anusorn Tamajai, dean of Rangsit University’s Faculty of Economics.…
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Fishing boat sinks, two missing
PHUKET: Phuket Marine Police are searching for two men who are still missing after their fishing boat sank off Phuket. “We received a report from speedboat captain Sulaiman Srisamut, who rescued a Myanmar national he found floating at sea near Koh Dok Mai,” said Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana. “The first report was that three others were missing. However,…
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Japan’s Mount Aso volcano erupts, no injuries reported
PHUKET: Mount Aso, a volcano on Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu, erupted on Monday, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said, blasting a plume of black smoke 2 km (1.2 miles) high, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The 1,592-meter Mount Aso is one of the most active peaks in Japan but is also a popular hiking spot.…
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Malaysia arrests three suspects in connection with Bangkok blast
PHUKET: Malaysia has arrested three suspects in connection with the investigation into a bombblast in central Bangkok last month that killed 20 people, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said on Monday. Two Malaysians and a Pakistani national were arrested and were assisting with the investigation, Khalid told reporters. “We believe the suspects can help in the investigation our arrest was…
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Nai Harn soi dogs under control, says mayor
PHUKET: The Nai Harn Beach dog situation is under control without officials having to take any drastic measures, Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos told the Phuket Gazette. “We will not be banning pets at worker camps. However, we have dispatched municipality officers to ask that the residents take proper care of them and sterilize the dogs,” Mr Aroon said. “We’ve also…
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Phuket marina wishes boat-fire victims speedy recovery
PHUKET: Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) issued a statement wishing the speedy recovery of the two men seriously injured after a speedboat engine exploded near the marina’s fuel dock yesterday morning. “Royal Phuket Marina staff acted quickly and professionally,” the statement said, noting that safety precautions were followed. “[RPM staff used] on-site fire safety equipment, doused the blaze, assisted the speedboat…
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A Decade Ago: Phuket shelter remains in dog house
PHUKET: The Mid Road Dog Shelter – which really hasn’t gotten out of the dog house a decade later – was on the chopping block with the headline ‘D-Day looming for dog pound’ in the September 10-16, 2005 issue of the Phuket Gazette. Just two months earlier, tough days for the dogs had made headlines with dwindling food supplies at…
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First Person: Saving Thailand’s sharks
Brendon Sing, from South Africa, has been actively involved with shark research and conservation for more than 15 years. He has taken more than 5,000 dives, many with a range of shark species across the world. Now, as one of the Directors of Shark Guardian, a United Kingdom-based charity for shark and marine conservation projects worldwide, he has been giving…
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Making life easier with HeadsUp
PHUKET: A young Phuket man is giving the world a ‘HeadsUp’ with a new application he helped to create, which is aimed at simplifying everyday life. Robert Conner, who is a former British International School of Phuket student, helped develop an app called ‘Hey! HeadsUp’ with his college friends Abhijay Bhatnagar and Arjun Bhatnagar. The app allows you to schedule…
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Freshly fueled boat bursts into flames at marina, two seriously injured
PHUKET: Five men were injured when a resort’s transfer boat burst into flames while refueling at the Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) at 9am yesterday. “Two of the victims were seriously burned, with one having burns to more than 50 per cent of his body and the other with burns to about 40-50 per cent of his body. The other three…
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Maroon 5 takes to Thanyapura’s tennis courts
PHUKET: Superstars from the American pop rock band Maroon 5 took to the tennis courts of Thanyapura last week for a bit of downtime between concerts. James Valentine, the band’s lead guitarist, took advantage of the world-class Phuket facility for some practice and a few friendly matches with the Spin and Slice Team. “It was such a surprise to see…
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German expat found dead in home
PHUKET: A German woman died yesterday after what police believe was an accidental fall from a ladder while changing a light bulb. Thalang Police were alerted at about 12:15pm. Upon arrival, officers found the body of Irmgard Helga Hein, 71, on the floor of her Dream Village home. “Ms Hein had a plaster cast on her left arm and nearby…
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Police unravel multi-million baht drug network run from prison
PHUKET: Krabi Police arrested four men last night who are part of a criminal network allegedly headed by an inmate in Bang Kwang Prison in Nonthaburi, just outside of Bangkok. Among the four was more than 28 million baht’s worth of ya ba pills (methamphetamine). “Ya ba delivery agent Boworn Phetkuha, 28, was caught en-route to dropping off drugs for…
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Phuket temple raider caught red-handed
PHUKET: Monks prevented a thief, who had previously broken into Srisoonthorn Temple, from escaping when the man returned to the scene of the crime last night to commit another theft. “When we arrived at the scene, we found the monks standing around their residence to prevent 24-year-old Thawatchai Sirimonkon from eluding justice again,” said Lt Col Kritsana Jannit of the…
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Japan resumes search for 16 missing as flood evacuees wait to return home
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Japan resumes search for 16 missing as flood evacuees wait to return home Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Search teams using boats and helicopters resumed looking on Saturday for at least 16 peoplestill missing after torrential rain and flooding across Japan this week, while thousands waited…
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Phuket nightlife venues to push ministry for 4am close
PHUKET: Patong nightlife operators will send a letter to the Ministry of Interior asking for opening times in the party town to be extended to 4am, revealed Weerawit Kurasombat, head of the Patong Entertainment Business Association. The announcement comes after a meeting yesterday that reiterated the rules and regulations of the current ‘nightlife zone management plan’ for Patong. “We talked…
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National Police Chief tempers rumors about bomb suspects’ whereabouts
PHUKET: National Police Chief Gen Somyos Pumpanmuang today asked that the public cease publishing unfounded speculations about where the Bangkok bomb suspects might possibly be hiding. “There are a lot of rumors spreading about where the suspects might be. We have increased security at all borders and exit points in the country, including Phuket. However, there is nothing to be…
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Business Buzz: Facebook hits billion in one day
PHUKET: If there was ever any doubt about the popularity and growing success of Facebook, on August 24 they answered their critics in the best possible way. It was the first time that a reported one billion users logged into their Facebook account on the same day. To put it into perspective, that was not a billion users in a…
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Rescue helicopter to join Region 8 Headquarters in Phuket
PHUKET: A Royal Thai Police rescue helicopter will be stationed on Phuket to help boost tourists’ confidence in their safety while visiting Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, it was announced at the grand opening of the Region 8 Headquarters this morning. “With the Region 8 Headquarters now based in Phuket, residents and tourists can be confident in their safety, as…
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DNA from Koh Tao murder weapon not a match, expert says
BANGKOK: DNA found on the weapon allegedly used to kill two Britons on Koh Tao last year did not match those of the defendants currently on trial, a forensics expert testified in court this morning. Pornthip Rojanasunand, head of the Ministry of Justice’s forensics institute, told the Samui Provincial Court that the DNA found on the garden hoe used against…
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Finance: Yuan’s potential impact on stocks
PHUKET: China has fired a barrage in the ongoing global currency wars with its first devaluation in two decades in hopes of propping up its export-driven economy and reducing its politically dangerous loss of manufacturing jobs. Despite the dramatic headlines, what’s looking like a mere two per cent devaluation is unlikely to trigger a bear market in the global stock…
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Thailand’s first Thai, female marina manager takes reins at RPM
PHUKET: Royal Phuket Marina confirmed the appointment of Thailand’s first Thai, female marina manager, Woranart Wongvanich. Ms Woranart has worked in Thailand’s marine industry for more than 20 years, more than 10 of those at Royal Phuket Marina, where she has worked her way through the ranks to her current management position. “Joining Royal Phuket Marina at the beginning, I…
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Phuket light rail modifications announced
PHUKET: A number of adjustments to the greatly-anticipated Phuket light rail project, including the scheming in of a flyover station at the airport, was announced by officials from the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) during site inspections this morning. The changes include modifications of the light rail route from Phuket International Airport to Phuket Town due…
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Local buses move to safeguard business
PHUKET: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Chinese tour businesses and local bus companies is underway in order to decrease the number of outsourced buses used on Phuket, confirmed Santi Pawai, the Phuket office director for the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Local bus companies pushed for the MoU due to the alleged negative impact the outsourced buses have had…
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