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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, February 27
Flooding in BKK | More than 100 new political parties poised to register | Two Aunties waiting to be charged over Great Driveway Affair | Activists asking for transparency over Premchai case | Update on Russian ‘love-making’ classes in Pattaya | Tourists chastised over climbing photos in Ayutthaya | Makha Buscha this Thursday – Public holiday.
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Big crowds and long waits at Phuket airport after runway closure
PHOTO reprinted with permission from Pimmie Pimpathu The closure of runway 09 resulted in a big back-up of ‘not happy’ passengers waiting for their delayed flights. The runway fix started early morning yesterday (February 26) and finished at 6.30am this morning as planned. However, there are a large number of remaining passengers as the relative authorities reshuffle arrival and departure times…
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Search continues for missing Chinese tourist off Phang Nga coast
Officials are continuing their search off Phang Nga Sea for a Chinese tourist who was swept away by a big wave and went missing on Friday evening. Officials from the Phang Nga disaster prevention and mitigation office, sailors from the Navy’s Phang Nga base, marine police and Kusoltham Phuket Foundation rescuers resumed the search for 27 year old Yang Juan…
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More than 100 new political parties poised to launch next month
PHOTO: Suthep Thaugsuban by Attayuth Bootsripoom More than 100 new political parties are expected to launch next month after registration opens on Friday. It will be the first time since the military coup in May 2014 that political activities will be officially allowed. A junta order signed by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha last December allows new political parties to…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, February 26
59% of those polled don’t want a political party with Prayut as leader | Repairs to Phuket Airport runway | More carnage on Patong Hill | Poorly planned ATM snatch it Krabi | January’s numbers for new cars and tourism | Toon hands over the cash – 1.3 billion baht | Police raid Russian sex classes in Pattaya.
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Phuket Airport Runway 09 closed for repairs
Runway 09 at the Phuket International Airport was closed today, February 26, and will be closed again tomorrow from 2 am – 7am for fixing cracks in the runway surface. There are small cracks in an are covering 9 square metres while there is another 84 square metres area between the runway and the taxiway that requires repair attention. PIA…
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Patong Prawn Fraud. Price-gouging in Patong restaurant.
Phuket’s Tourist Police have arrested the owners of an overpriced restaurant named ‘6 Restaurants’, located in Patong, after receiving reports from more than 19 Chinese tourists. Apart from the reports, photos from the restaurant also went viral in Chinese social media about the over-priced prawn dish of 300 baht per 100 grams (3,000 baht per kilogram!) The report mentioned that…
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Brake failure causes a bus to crash into 6 cars on Patong Hill
At about 2 pm yesterday (February 25), a bus suffered alleged brake failure, crashing into 6 cars in front of the temple down Patong Hill, resulting in one injury. The bus damaged 6 cars including 2 vans, a Toyota car, 2 Nissans and a Mazda pick-up truck. All the cars were driving in front of the bus driven by 40…
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ATM theft gone wrong in Krabi
Two thieves tried to steal an ATM by dragging it with a pickup truck last night (February 25) in Krabi. An ATM at an SCB bank was found damaged and removed about 1 metre away from its housing next to the bank. After checking the CCTV camera, police saw that two people tied up the ATM machine with a sling,…
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Waste-to-energy plant protests in Krabi
The Baan Nai Chong preservation group are protesting a new waste-to-energy plant over the future health impact on their community. The power plant is planned to be built at the local landfill of Krabi Municipality, which is nearby their community. The signs have been installed since yesterday (February 23) under the leadership of group president, Warrant Officer 1st Class Panya Hiran.…
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COMMENT: We’re a LONG way from May 2014
EDITORIAL We should put the current protests in Bangkok into perspective. Firstly, they’re very localised, both in geographics and demographics. The protesters, apart from a few hard core ’professional protesters’ who seem to appear at any march or placard-waving event, are mostly students. More, mostly students from Thammasat University. That shouldn’t dilute the importance of their message but the protests…
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We’re going to see more of the three-fingered salute
Thai PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha said he will call a meeting of relevant parties to discuss and decide an appropriate and acceptable date for the next general election. The public in recent weeks has witnessed a series of delays in the passing and enforcing of laws and other legal manoeuvres that have raised doubts over the timing of the next…
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Two Chinese tourists drowned. Another missing in Phang Nga.
Two Chinese tourists have drowned and another is missing after swimming at a beach in Phang Nga’s Thai Muang district last night. Two other Chinese tourists were injured in the incident in high surf in front of the Dusit Hotspring Beach and Spa Hotel around 6pm. Police were alerted to the incident at 8pm. The two drowned tourists have been…
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Spate of attacks in the deep south ahead of visit to discuss southern security
There’s been a spate of violence in the south last night with houses, shops, checkpoints and security bases coming under attack in all three of the deep south provinces – Songkhla, Pattani and Narathiwat. In all, there were more than 10 incidents – car tyres burning, shootings and houses and shop being set on fire. With no injuries reported security…
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Cobra Gold skews military focus away from China
By Wasamon Audjarint Against the background of China’s increasing power and assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, the United States is seeking to intensify Cobra Gold, the largest regional joint military exercise, that is annually hosted by Thailand. “I believe that Cobra Gold should look for ways to increase the complexity and scope of the exercise every year because we work closely…
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Local administrative organisations to take over lifeguard contracts
Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, says that the local administration organisations will take control of the lifeguard hiring budget instead of the Provincial Administrative Organisation (OrBorJor) to avoid the problems with the annual lifeguard contract and beach safety. “Especially this year, there has been a lot of people drowning at our beaches during the time we didn’t have an effective lifeguard…
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Crocodile – 1. Performer – 0.
File Photo The Phuket Ruamjai Foundation were called to a Chalong crocodile show around 12.30 pm today (Friday) after a crocodile bite a 44 year old man, Jampa Kaewsai, during the show in Chalong. The man was wounded on his face and ears. Jampa was moving his head out of the mouth of the crocodile when the show was about…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, February 23
Greenpeace demands something is done about BKK air quality | Premchai doesn’t turn up to yesterday’s interview with police | A lift falls at Maxx Hotel in capital | Woman lied about Taxi driver attack | Driveway dispute forces closure of nearby markets | Pick-up hits elephant | Chinese tourist falls off Kamala villa rooftop.
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Krabi Social Insurance Office provides support for King Poseidon captain
The Chief of Krabi Social Insurance Office, Pornthep Sripaiboon, together with officials from the Krabi Labour Office, visited Kiengsak Boonsri, the captain of King Poseidon speedboat, which exploded in front of the Viking cave off Koh Phi Phi Ley two months ago. He has been in hospital ever since. Video of boat fire HERE. The team granted 7,002 Baht in…
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Chinese tourist falls from Kamala roof top
A 31 year old Chinese man, Gao Zhiyum, has died after falling from the 16 metre high rooftop of a villa in Kamala. The Chinese man was staying at the villa with 6 other people including his wife and friends. On Wednesday night (February 21) at about 11 pm, all 6 were drinking together on the rooftop until 1.40 am.…
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Thailand’s corruption fight improves world ranking
Efforts to curb corruption in Thailand are paying dividends, with the Kingdom’s ranking in the latest global Corruption Perception Index rising to 96 from 101 last year. The index, prepared by Transparency International, ranks 180 countries and territories by perceived levels of public-sector corruption. Nine key sources are used to compile the index, including the International Country Risk Guide, Economist…
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8 million baht budget approved for Government Stray Dog Shelter
An 8 million baht budget has been approved for a ‘dog condo’ and landscaping at the Phuket Government Stray Dog Shelter in Suan Pa Bang Kanun, Thalang. Phuket Lifestock Office Chief, Surajit Witchuwan, spoke about the improvements to the government dog shelter, a shelter located on 4 rai with about 500 dogs that has been opened since 2003 and was…
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Samkong landslide killed one worker, injures another
Yesterday’s (Wednesday) landslide occurred at the construction site of a clinic near Vachira Hospital where there is a 3-4 metre retaining wall. A team of police, rescue teams and a Vachira Hospital medical team tried to save a Myanmar worker, 22 year old Nay Sol Lin, by digging the soil around him and providing saline water. It took about 20…
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7 Krabi King cobras reported in one day – 5 captured and released
The Ao Luek Rescue Team in Krabi received a report last night (February 20) at 8.30 pm from 23 year old Nutchanart Bangyabyeo, saying that she found a 4 metre king cobra under the dish washing sink. The team put a snake catcher under the sink and the cobra showed up after 5 minutes. The team tried to capture it…
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Bangkok’s Great Driveway Drama – surrounding markets ordered closed
The Bangkok governor has ordered the immediate temporary closure of five markets operating in Seri Villa housing project in Prawet district, in a bid to find an acceptable solution to the decade-long dispute between residents and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) over the presence of the markets. https://www.facebook.com/phuketgazette/videos/1620839177993904/ Governor Asawin Kwanmuang said on Wednesday that he would set up a…
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TAT seeks help to stop damage by Chinese tourists
Frequent cases of Chinese tourists damaging coral reefs and other fragile sea natural resources have prompted the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to seek help from its Chinese counterpart. Phanu Woramitr, director of the TAT office for Hat Yai, Songkhla and Satoon said on Tuesday that TAT has sent a letter to the Chinese tourism agency asking it to warn…
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Road closures for Old Phuket Town
Phuket municipality has announced road closures during the 19th Old Town festival and Chinese New Year celebrations. On February 21 to 23, from 3:00pm to midnight, the following roads are be closed: Thalang Road Soi Romanee Krabi Road, from the intersection of Thalang Road and Yaowarat Road until the Thai Hua Museum Soi Pradit Takuapa Road, from the intersection with Rassada…
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Worker dies, another injured, in Samkong worksite landslide
https://www.facebook.com/phuketgazette/videos/1620819127995909/ Emergency responders are working to extract a worker from a construction site in Samkong near Vachira Hospital this morning following a landslide. One worker died in the work-site landslide.
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Rare animal – a moonrat – found in Krabi
A small creature that looks like a mouse, with a nose and mouth shaped like a pig, has been found in Krabi. It is believed to be a moonrat. Krabi Defense Volunteer Officer, 53 year old Pornchai Sudrak, who found the animal, explains that he was jogging near his house in the evening and heard his dog barking so he…
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Four killed on a dangerous corner in Krabi
A pickup truck reportedly lost control on a curve, crossed the traffic island in the middle of the road and crashed into another pickup truck on the opposite lane, killing four people in Krabi province. The accident occurred last night on Phetchakasem Road, Nuaklong – Klongthom route. At the scene, Nuaklong police found a gray pickup truck with Phang Nga…
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