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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One dead, one injured as Phuket locals head home from work
PHUKET: A 26-year-old man died early yesterday morning while he was heading home from work in Phuket Town after his motorcycle rammed into the back of an 18-wheel truck travelling slowly in the left lane. Truck driver Wichet Boonsong, 43, from Phattalung, was delivering a load of sheet metal from Songkhla when he heard something crash into the back of…
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Video Report: Phuket Police wait for Region 8 to begin search for bodies
PHUKET: Phuket police are waiting for Region 8 Forensic officers to arrive before starting to sift through the demolished SuperCheap structure for signs of those who may have died in the enormous blaze that started last night and continued well into today.“When the team arrives, officials can start their investigation and the search for bodies,” Phuket Provincial Police Commander Ong-art…
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Man borrows girlfriend’s motorbike for Phuket purse-snatching
PHUKET: A man borrowed his girlfriend’s motorbike on Tuesday, snatched two purses and rode home, only to be arrested a few hours later. Watchara Sornsud, 25, first grabbed the bag of Russian tourist Anastasia Zabello as she was walking in Soi Bang Yai behind Big C on Tuesday morning, said Wichit Police Superintendent Chaowalit Petchsripia. Ms Zabello noted that he…
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Patong’s flood problem largely solved by 2014, Phuket Governor says
PHUKET: Patong’s flood problems will be 85 to 90 per cent solved by the middle of next year, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut predicted this week. In addition to the 19 million baht gate that will be added to the canal at the south end of Patong, (story here), 9.7 million baht in funds have been requested to dredge the Pak…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Last-minute deal buys US debt crisis delay
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. Senate passes deal to end debt crisis Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The U.S. Senate approved a deal on Wednesday to end a political crisis that partially shut down the federal government and brought the world’s biggest economy to the edge of a debt default that could…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: 5 Thais killed in Lao Airlines crash; Ministers defend rice-pledging loss; DSI presses for charges in police station fiasco
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community 5 Thais among 49 killed in Lao Airlines crash The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Five Thais were among 49 passengers and crew killed when a twin-engine Lao Airlines plane plunged into the Mekong River yesterday as it attempted to land at an international airport in…
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BREAKING NEWS: Main SuperCheap in Phuket Town demolished in blaze
PHUKET: The main SuperCheap shopping warehouse in Phuket burst into flames tonight, turning into an unstoppable inferno and sending a cloud of black smoke over a kilometer into the air. Every fire truck in Phuket was called to the scene, as well as trucks from nearby provinces. Fire fighters have yet to get the blaze under control and are now…
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Phuket beach encroachment: Keesin family will play by rules
PHUKET: Leading Patong figure Preechavude ‘Prab’ Keesin responded yesterday to the inspection that singled out his family’s resort by expressing his willingness to take down any structures found to be encroaching on the beach. Mr Prab, whose father is Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, told the press fears of erosion had led to sea walls being built on the beach in…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Finn berry-picking fiasco probed; PM vague on special Chinese deal; Protestors get the itch to stay; MBK big plans include Phuket
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community DSI to probe berry-picking fiasco The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will take over a case in which workers from the Northeast were duped by a promise of berry-picking jobs in Sweden and Finland – then left unpaid and unaided abroad.Some workers…
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Phuket Gazette World News: US fiscal talks stumble; Putin political rival facing jail time; al Qaeda suspect pleads innocent
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. fiscal talks stumble as lawmakers race against time Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Stop-start negotiations to end the U.S. fiscal impasse left congressional leaders and President Barack Obama desperately searching yesterday for a way to reopen the government and raise the country’s debt limit ahead of a…
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Phuket corruption scandal taken to PM Yingluck
PHUKET: Patong business owners – tired of inaction by Phuket authorities in tackling corrupt officials collecting an estimated 50 million baht a month – have filed a complaint directly with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. “I handed the complaint personally to Suranand Vejjajiva, the Secretary General to the Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra,” Phuket businessman and adviser to the Thailand…
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Phuket meth mule nabbed at island bridge
PHUKET: Police last night arrested a drug runner at the Tah Chat Chai Checkpoint who confessed to smuggling drugs from Surat Thani and selling them in Phuket Town.Acting on a tip-off, police stopped and searched a Honda Jazz being driven by Sitthichai Chusang, 39, at about 8:30pm while he was trying to leave the island.Officers found only 300mg of ya…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Govt considers extending Internal Security Act enforcement; Kids addicted to computer games; Dealer donates ya bah to ease suffering
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Students who opposed retreat to Lumpini Park draw further support The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A splinter group of the People’s Army against the Thaksin Regime has drawn so much growing support from the public that the government is now considering whether to extend the…
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Phuket Gazette World News: US deal today – maybe; Russian police round up 1600 migrants; Major quake hits Philippines, no tsunami threat
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. senators hint at possible fiscal deal today Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A month of combat in the U.S. Congress over government spending showed signs of giving way to a Senate deal to reopen shuttered federal agencies and prevent an economically damaging default on federal…
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Dozens charged over illegal fireworks at Phuket Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: Phuket City Police arrested 21 people for setting off dangerous fireworks during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, which drew to a close at midnight on Sunday. A further seven people were arrested for selling firecrackers without a permit. Phuket City Police chief Sermpan Sirikong said celebrants were warned before the annual festival that police would be taking a dim view…
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Phuket roadworks driving motorists to alternatives
PHUKET: The local authorities responsible for main roads across Phuket will spend hundreds of millions of baht in road upgrades to make commuting in Phuket safer and faster. The news was delivered by the chiefs of the Department of Rural Roads Phuket Office and the Phuket Highways Office at a meeting with Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut at Provincial Hall this…
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Five in hospital in Phuket Vegetarian Festival Shrine food scare
PHUKET: Five people, including a 14-year-old girl, were rushed to hospital after eating a curry dished out to over 100 participants at a Phuket Vegetarian Festival Shrine yesterday.The five affected are believed to have suffered extreme reactions to alocasia included in a curry served at the Tah Reua Shrine in Thalang, doctors told the Phuket Gazette.Alocasia is in the Araceae…
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Construction worker drowns on northern Phuket Beach
PHUKET: Phuket’s surf claimed another life over the weekend when a construction worker from Sisaket province drowned at Nai Yang Beach.Pech Pengjam, 40, had been relaxing on the beach and drinking with friends when he decided to take a swim, his friends told police yesterday.“He went into the water still wearing his jeans, then disappeared from sight,” said Lt Thanom…
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Phuket Sports: BISP and Cruzeiro unite
PHUKET: British International School Phuket (BISP) will be announcing the launch of its new football academy at the forthcoming international seven-a-side football tournament (November 8-9, 2013), which is held annually on the school campus. The aim is to develop a center of footballing excellence in Asia under the coaching auspices of the premier Brazilian football club, Cruzeiro EC. An essential…
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Racha islander: Health center necessary to save tourists’ lives
PHUKET: Racha Yai islanders on Saturday urged Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut to build a health center on the popular day-trip isle as one way to solve the problem of tourist drownings there. The Chinese embassy has already promised money to support the construction of the center, they said. “To save tourists’ lives, we need a health center on the island.…
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Russian tourist found dead in Phuket hotel room
PHUKET: Police are investigating the cause of death of a Russian tourist whose body was discovered in his Karon hotel room on Saturday.The tourist, Yury Kiryukhin, 36, was to check out on Saturday and fly home.Staff at the Baan Karonburi Resort discovered Mr Kiryukhin’s body on the bed in his room at 8:30am, said Karon Police case investigator Capt Channarong…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Moscow riots; Eiffel Tower evacuated; Colombian talks stall; 89 dead in Hindu temple stampede
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rioting erupts in Moscow after killing blamed on migrant Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Demonstrators, some chanting racist slogans, vandalised a shopping centre and scuffled with police in a Moscow neighbourhood on Sunday after the killing of a young man that residents blamed on a migrant from the…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Govt House sealed off; Flood victims get counselling; Red Shirts remember 1973
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Govt House sealed off after threat of protest The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Police yesterday began closing 14 roads around Government House to traffic for fear that anti-government protesters may move their rally to the area.The move came as an anti-government group threatened to hold a large…
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Man slain in Phuket kindergarten shooting
PHUKET: A business partner at a popular local kindergarten in central Phuket was shot dead this morning after an argument escalated over noise and dust caused by an electric sander drifting into a neighbor’s house. Pairote Sompet, 48, who lives in a house next to the school, presented himself to police before officers had the chance to arrest him for…
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Phuket elephant smugglers head to court, arrest of officials sought
PHUKET: Two of the men involved in the elephant-smuggling operation blown open in Phuket in August will be presented in court this Thursday. Meanwhile, officers leading the investigation will move to have arrest warrants issued for public officials involved in the trafficking ring. “Surat Termsak and Prasong Bootchaiyaphum are scheduled to appear in Bangkok North Municipal Court on October 17,”…
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Phuket aircon technician survives three-storey fall
PHUKET: A man luckily survived a fall from a multi-storey bookstore in the heart of Phuket Town yesterday evening, after landing on the company pickup truck he drove to the store. Lt Phoom Semmaworanon of the Phuket City Police arrived at the scene, a shop called The Book Shop on Yaowarat Road, with Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers at 6:20pm. “Mr…
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Phuket Airport taxis face overhaul, upgrade
PHUKET: An open meeting at the Airports of Thailand (AoT) Phuket office yesterday morning has resulted in a slew of new measures to be introduced to improve the quality of service of taxis serving Phuket International Airport. The news follows weeks of controversy over current arrangements. “What has been agreed on is that each taxi operating to and from the…
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Phuket Sports: Talking tennis with a pro
PHUKET: Darran Ferre was recently appointed as a tennis pro by the Regent Phuket Cape Panwa where he will be launching an academy aimed at coaching young players to a high level. We spoke to Darren about his passion for tennis and his new role at the Regent.Who is your favourite player and why?Darran Ferre: Players inspire me for different…
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ABBA tickets to go on sale today
PHUKET: Tickets for Phuket’s entertainment event of the year, the November 8 ABBA FOREVER concert at Laguna Phuket, will go on sale at 11am today. With more than 220 of them already snapped up in website pre-bookings this week, sales are expected to be brisk and buyers are advised to purchase from authorized agents only. The tickets are priced at…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Dozens dead in new migrant boat sinking off Sicily; US inches toward debt deal; Kenya mall attack suspect charged
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dozens killed in new migrant shipwreck south of Sicily Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Dozens of people died on Friday when a boat carrying around 250 migrants capsized between Sicily and Tunisia, in the second such shipwreck this month, the Italian coastguard said. The Italian news…
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