Search Results for: Koh Samui

  • Thai LifeKeep It Green: Opening the floodgates to a watery embrace

    Keep It Green: Opening the floodgates to a watery embrace

    PHUKET: Southern Thailand has recently been in the watery embrace of floods that are unprecedented in their severity. A few statistics to clarify the situation: the inundation has affected 13 provinces in Southern Thailand, with Songkhla being the worst hit – 14 out of 16 districts have been declared disaster areas. There have been more than 40 recorded fatalities, while…

  • PropertyAcross the Land: What the new airport means for Phang Nga

    Across the Land: What the new airport means for Phang Nga

    PHUKET: It’s been three months since the new Phuket International Airport terminal was officially opened, but the moans and groans about the efficiency of the airport remain, with passengers complaining of long delays at immigration counters – whether inbound or outbound. Even the domestic terminal has seen long queues waiting for luggage, and a chaos of cars, taxis and limousines…

  • Thailand NewsAmerican tourist reunited with stolen possessions

    American tourist reunited with stolen possessions

    KOH SAMUI: A Thai couple was arrested on Sunday for the theft of an American tourist’s bag from a hotel room in Koh Samui the previous day. Christopher Rusciano, a pilot for American low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, was staying at Ark Bar Beach Resort, where the incident occurred. “On Saturday night, Mr Rusciano left his room to meet his friend,…

  • Thai LifeBlazing Saddles: All for the love of cycling

    Blazing Saddles: All for the love of cycling

    PHUKET: Born in the mountains of Switzerland and with the strength and resilience of a wiry mountain goat, it may have been Martin Brot’s destiny to become a champion cyclist. However, his journey to Thailand and his subsequent launch and management of Siam Bike Tours, now based at Canal Village in Phuket, is the stuff of adventurous legend. Martin was…

  • Pattaya NewsBy The Book: Renting a villa in Phuket

    By The Book: Renting a villa in Phuket

    PHUKET: Renting a villa or apartment long term is very popular in Thailand, especially in resort areas such as Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Koh Samui. Many would-be buyers are deciding to hold off and rent for a year or more while they get to know the area and learn the ways of Thailand without so much risk. Renting long…

  • Phuket NewsMother of slain German gets help from Thai tourism industry

    Mother of slain German gets help from Thai tourism industry

    KOH SAMUI: More than two years after the murder of Düsseldorf man Volker Schwartges, his alleged killers are finally set to appear in court, after official letters of complaint from Germany have put pressure on Thailand’s government. The 46-year-old Mr Schwartges was attacked by at least four young Samui locals at about 6am on August 20, 2014. Mr Schwartges was…

  • Phuket NewsTwo more investigated for alleged royal defamation

    Two more investigated for alleged royal defamation

    PHUKET: A man in Mai Khao and a woman on Koh Samui were arrested yesterday after allegedly posting negative comments about royalty on social media. The arrests were catalyzed by mob demonstrations against the alleged commenters. Yesterday morning, a man identified on his Facebook profile as Payak Rai Haeng Nakhon Kor-En allegedly posted negative comments regarding Thailand’s late Monarch. Tah…

  • PropertyThailand’s largest property portal

    Thailand’s largest property portal

    property.thethaiger.com is Thailand’s largest property portal, in six languages, covering the Kingdom’s hot property areas, mainly in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin. The real estate market in Thailand, with all its bumps along the way, has proven itself to be robust with genuine growth over the past 20 years, especially in the main property markets…

  • Phuket NewsFour electrocuted in hotel water treatment pond

    Four electrocuted in hotel water treatment pond

    SAMUI: One man was killed and three others were hospitalized on Saturday night after they were electrocuted while working in a wastewater retention pond at a hotel on Koh Samui. The men were using a pump to drain water from the pond at a hotel in Baan Cherng Mon, Bo Phut, when the pump became submerged in the water, electrocuting…

  • Thailand NewsMigrant parents refuse to cremate daughter

    Migrant parents refuse to cremate daughter

    KOH SAMUI: The father of a four-year-old girl killed by a pickup truck in a temple has stated he will refrain from cremating her body until his family receives compensation. In Thailand, it is customary to cremate the body of the deceased after their funeral rites are administered. The Burmese parents, Zo Ao, 49, and Cho Ma Rui, 43, held…

  • Thai LifeReady, steady, get Footloos

    Ready, steady, get Footloos

    PHUKET: The multi-billion-baht Phuket tourism industry caters to adventurers and wellness seekers from across the globe, with a seemingly endless stream of tour companies offering a multitude of services. Now imagine if you could get all these services in a few clicks on a single platform. That, in short, is the idea behind Footloos, an online marketplace dedicated to an…

  • Thailand NewsHuge haul of illegal fireworks seized in raid

    Huge haul of illegal fireworks seized in raid

    SAMUI: Police seized an illegal stockpile of fireworks estimated to be worth two million baht from a shophouse in Koh Samui this week. Police raided the property on Taweerat Road in the Bo Phut district at 5pm, after a tip off from local officials. Bo Phut Police Lt Denduang Tongsisuk said the owner, named only as Mr Off, had locked…

  • Pattaya NewsTAT sees only small growth in Songkran visitors

    TAT sees only small growth in Songkran visitors

    PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates that only 2.1 per cent more foreign tourists are coming to Thailand to celebrate Songkran this week compared to last year. “It seems that overall tourism during Songkran this year will likely not be as bustling. This could be due to the economic decline, which is a major cause for many people…

  • Thai LifeKeep it green: Water usage and disposal during Songkran

    Keep it green: Water usage and disposal during Songkran

    PHUKET: “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” would do nicely as a motto for Songkran. When my son and his partner paid a surprise visit from London a few years ago, they unwittingly chose to arrive on the day of the water festival. The motorbike trip from Phuket City to Rawai, a mere 16 kilometers, took three hours.…

  • Pattaya NewsPhuket to get two of eight new marinas planned for the south

    Phuket to get two of eight new marinas planned for the south

    PHUKET: Two new marinas are to be built in Phuket as part of the government’s plan to stimulate economic growth by turning Thailand into a marine leisure hub in the ASEAN region. The marina development plan, announced by Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, includes construction of eight new marinas – four in the Andaman Sea and four in the Gulf of…

  • Pattaya NewsTighter traffic law enforcement in Phuket for Songkran

    Tighter traffic law enforcement in Phuket for Songkran

    PHUKET: Phuket is among seven tourist destinations in the country undergoing a crackdown on traffic law violations ahead of the Songkran holiday in April. Since March 1, the Royal Thai Police and its relevant divisions – Tourist Police, Traffic Police, Strategy Division, and Foreign Affairs Division – in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Department of…

  • Business NewsQuattro Design showroom to reach AEC market

    Quattro Design showroom to reach AEC market

    PHUKET: The dynamic duo behind Quattro Design, one of Thailand’s top importers and designers of exclusive furniture, have high hopes for the New Year as they open a showroom at Phuket’s Boat Avenue in Cherngtalay early next month. “Now is the time for us to open the showroom in Phuket, as the Asian Economic Community takes effect next year, which…

  • Thailand NewsCourt sentences Myanmar men to death for murder of British backpackers | Thaiger

    Court sentences Myanmar men to death for murder of British backpackers

    KOH SAMUI: A Thai court sentenced two migrant workers from Myanmar to death today after finding them guilty of the 2014 murders of two British tourists on a holiday island. The verdict follows an investigation and trial that was mired in controversy, including allegations of policeincompetence, mishandling of evidence and torture of the suspects. Backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller…

  • Phuket NewsA Decade Ago: Jet-ski woes

    A Decade Ago: Jet-ski woes

    PHUKET: Without a doubt, the Phuket Gazette sounds like a broken record from time to time, as the publication continues to push important issues into the headlines. One such monotonous tune – also regularly played by ambassadors and honorary consuls – revolves around the seemingly invincible jet-ski business operators on the island. Almost inexplicably, they were the first allowed back…

  • Cannabis NewsA Decade Ago: Chasing the white dragon

    A Decade Ago: Chasing the white dragon

    PHUKET: Headlines about methamphetamine, kratom, marijuana and even a little cocaine find their way into the Phuket Gazette fairly regularly. But, heroin… that’s a beast that rarely surfaces on this paradise island. There was of course 22-year-old John Cawley, who was busted for running ‘birdie powder’ from Phuket to Koh Samui in 2013, but smack in general is either very…

  • Pattaya NewsPolice seize 70kg kratom in two busts

    Police seize 70kg kratom in two busts

    For an in-depth look at kratom culture in Phuket and Thailand, pick up a copy of the Phuket Gazette hard-copy newspaper, available in Phuket, Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Koh Samui on Saturday. PHUKET: Three suspects were arrested in two separate operations in Phuket Town and Thalang this week for allegedly having a total of 70 kilograms of kratom leaves…

  • Pattaya NewsPhuket Gazette re-designs to go national

    Phuket Gazette re-designs to go national

    PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette hard-copy newspaper that hits the streets today is truly national in circulation and boasts a re-design to the ‘compact’ format that’s set to be the wave of the future. By joining the compacts of such esteemed publications as the The Wall Street Journal, The Telegraph, the Times of London, the Daily Mail, Bild and scores of…

  • Thailand News20 injured in Deep South bomb attacks

    20 injured in Deep South bomb attacks

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Two more injured in further small blasts in Yala town Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Bomb attacks continued to erupt in Yala’s Muang district yesterday, raising the number of injured over the past two days to 20. Despite that, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister…

  • Phuket NewsBomb squad diffuses cosmetics bag panic in Phuket Town

    Bomb squad diffuses cosmetics bag panic in Phuket Town

    PHUKET: Fears that an abandoned bag might contain a bomb sent an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit rushing to Patiphat Road near Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town last night. “Phuket City Police called us after they were notified by locals who found an abandoned bag that looked like it might contain a bomb, so we went immediately to the…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket top cop labels bomb threat via Line a “rumor’

    Phuket top cop labels bomb threat via Line a “rumor’

    PHUKET: The island’s top cop has brushed aside a Phuket car bomb threat circulating on social media sites as only an unsubstantiated rumor. Nonetheless, the governor has asked that police boost security measures throughout the island. The increased security measures follows a message being passed through the Line application and social media sites that urges readers to be weary of…

  • PropertyProperty: Working a wider Angle

    Property: Working a wider Angle

    PHUKET: One picture is worth a thousand words. Make it a panoramic picture or a virtual tour, and it becomes even more valuable, especially in the competitive world of property sales. Geoff Whitlie of Panoramas Thailand has proved this formula successful in Koh Samui – now he is expanding to Phuket. Before the internet, the real estate business involved a…

  • Pattaya NewsMaking safe property investments in Phuket

    Making safe property investments in Phuket

    PHUKET: At a time of year when many property sales are taking place in hotspot investment destinations, such as Phuket, it seems now is an appropriate time to recap the types of legitimate investment for foreigners interested in property in Thailand, and to note that there are some very straightforward methods of avoiding complicated and cumbersome transactions. Aside from land…

  • Pattaya NewsPolice raid bags nigh B3mn in counterfeit goods

    Police raid bags nigh B3mn in counterfeit goods

    PHUKET: Fake brand-name products valued at nearly 3 million baht were seized on Tuesday in police raids on shops in Patong. The early evening raid, led by officers of Economic Crime Division 4 (ECD 4), resulted in the seizure of more than 2,200 counterfeit items masquerading as luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton, Channel, Prada, Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein and Billabong,…

  • Phuket NewsDtac brings 4G to Phuket

    Dtac brings 4G to Phuket

    PHUKET: Total Access Communication Public Company Limited, commonly known as dtac, on Thursday announced the roll out of 4G services in Phuket. Phuket is the first southern province to receive 4G service, after dtac launched in Bangkok. “In 2014, internet usage in Phuket [grew] by 150% compared to the previous year. The top five favorite applications used in the area…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket light rail is a game changer, says property expert [video] | Thaiger

    Phuket light rail is a game changer, says property expert [video]

    PHUKET: The long-awaited project to build a “light rail” mass-transit system to ferry tourists and residents the length of the island passed its third and final public hearing on Tuesday, when it was revealed that construction is slated to begin in 2021. The 23.5-billion-baht project has been heralded as an enormous development for the island’s tourism and property industries, with…