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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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Orca Whale spotted in the seas off Phuket
The Orca aka “Killer Whale” has been spotted in the sea on the west coast of Phuket. The VDO and picture were captured by the Facebook user named “Phairot Kong.” For this impressive discovery, Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine activist, the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Fishery at Kasetsart University and an official advisor to the Department of Marine…
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Phuket International Airport domestic terminal ready for high season
The first phase of the renovated domestic terminal of Phuket International Airport will be ready on November 28, just in time for the tourism high season. During the press conference celebrating the 29th anniversary of the airport, Phuket International Airport General Manager, Petch Chancharoen, revealed that the first phase of the domestic terminal renovations will open its door to welcome…
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Newborn baby boy abandoned in Patong
A newborn baby has been found dumped at a laundry shop in Patong yesterday (October 8). Patong police found a healthy 3.5 kilograms baby boy who still had a fresh umbilical cord attached. The baby was sent to a paediatric specialist at Patong Hospital. The doctor said that he was born approximately 12 hours ago and the medical team is…
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3,200 runners turn up for the annual Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run
There was a huge turnout for the 13th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Mini Marathon 2017, with 3,200 people taking part in the annual event. The opening ceremony was presided by Phuket’s Governor Noraphat Plodthong alongside Vice Governor Snith Sriwihok, Vice Governor Thawornwat Kongkaew, Uthit Limsakul, Deputy Director of The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Oriol Montal, GM…
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Taking the bang out of this year’s Vegetarian Festival
This year’s Vegetarian Festival will still be taking place between October 20 – 28. But organisers have been asked to ‘tone it down’ (how do you tone down the Vegetarian Festival?!) and restrict parades until the last day only in respect of the funeral for the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok. Whilst the festival is meant to be about…
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International Aviation body removes red flag for Thailand
PHOTO: Nikkei Asian Review Thailand’s aviation sector is set to grow at a higher rate after the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) removed its red flag over safety issues, signifying the agency’s satisfaction with measures taken over the past three years to address concerns. Chula Sukmanop, director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) Office, said ICAO officials had…
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Fake immigration officer trying to extort foreigners around Phuket
Phuket Immigration are warning of a fake officer who is trying to extort money from foreigners around the island. After gathering information, Phuket Immigration say that a person has been impersonating an officer from the local Immigration Office and been asking for money from foreigners saying they have problems with their visas. Phuket Immigration Police are now investigating the situation to…
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Yingluck pondering asylum in UK, France or Germany
Latest from The Nation Fugitive former PM Yingluck Shinawatra is considering applying for political asylum in the United Kingdom, Germany or France, a source from her legal team said yesterday. The preference is UK, where she is now residing on a tourist visa, the source said, but declined to elaborate which passport she is using. The source said the UK…
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Another week to verify exactly what the ‘object’ is at Nai Yang
The suspected torpedo remains in the sea of Naiyang Beach. It will take a week to verify its type but the object is safe, according to a specialist in the area of wartime ordinance. Yesterday afternoon (October 6), a team from the Royal Thai Navy Area 3, Phang Nga base, visited the spot again when it was low tide. The…
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More legal challenges for Thaksin
Ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra faces mounting legal problems following the new Attorney-General Khemchai Chutiwong’s announcement yesterday that he would reactivate many of the cases that had been suspended against the fugitive. The new law on criminal procedures for political office holders, which came into force on September 28, authorised the Office of Attorney-General to proceed with cases in…
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When can I get my hands on a new iPhone in Thailand?
We revelled in the hype, we read all the leaks, we watched the launch. So when can we actually get our hands on a new iPhone in Thailand? Apple has now confirmed the release dates for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in the Land of Smiles. Roll the drums…. November 3rd. So how much will the new iPhones…
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6 share-bikes found dumped in Bangyai canal
6 Ofo bicycles from the share-bike project launched in Phuket Town in September, have been found dumped in a canal. Some of them have also been stolen by the renters in the first few days as well. The sharing bike project had been launched on September 20 and announced free rides for a month from October 1. Apart from the…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, October 6
Election delayed until 2019 | Laypang won’t be released to the wild | Kasikorn Bank has revised it’s predictions for Thai economy | Big drug haul in Phuket Town | Janitor gets special surprise from students.
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“Elections delayed until 2019” – Thai PM
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has told the Thai community during his visit to the United States that the election should take place in 2019, many months later than the junta-appointed legislators had predicted. Prayut spoke after he told US President Donald Trump on Monday that the election date would be announced next year without any further postponement. He said…
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Phuket father and son set off on a special journey for a special King
A local disabled person is heading north to Bangkok to attend King Bhumibhol’s Cremation – by road in his wheelchair. The representative of Phuket disabled people is 49 year old Sompong Juiplub and his 15 year old ‘abled’ son, Thanawut Juiplub, who will be assisting during the journey. The pair are scheduled to leave from Phuket on route to Bangkok…
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Teachers and parents protesting at a Krabi school
A protest gathering of 300 students, parents and teachers of Baan Klong Jone School in Krabi took place yesterday (October 5) with the aim to expel the school director, Pairot Khaosang, who allegedly has been failing his administration during the past 4 years. The protest was led by the president of the school board, Alongkorn Yaprang, calling for the replacement…
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Laypang won’t be released back to the wild
The DNA results for Laypang, Phuket’s celebrity crocodile, has been revealed it is a mix between saltwater and freshwater crocodile which was possibly born through a human breeder, not naturally. Phuket’s Governor says that the Fisheries Department will be responsible for the next step in the Laypang saga. The authorities are now checking for possible locations where the crocodile comes…
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Economic forecasts being revised upwards
Kasikorn Research Centre has revised upwards its forecast for the nation’s GDP growth this year to 3.7 per cent from the previous projection of 3.4 per cent. Exports and a strong recovery in the tourism sector are the main drivers of the increased growth, said the centre’s managing director, Charl Kengchon on Thursday at a press conference on “Thai Economic…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, October 5
It’s a bomb, an old bomb | Joint statement from White House mentions new Thai elections | Civil aviation ‘report card’ verdict soon | Swarms of pink fire jellyfish at Koh Gai | Tesco Lotus closing 1,900 stores on October 26.
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Record turnout expected on final day to pay respects before Royal Urn
Tens of thousands of mourners are forming long queues today (Thursday) to pay their last respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall of the Grand Palace in Bangkok on the final day for public viewing of the Royal Urn. The Royal Household Bureau on Thursday reported that 12,628,642 mourners had viewed…
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“Unacceptable… for such a large commercial aircraft to be missing”
It’s been three and a half years since Malaysian Airlines flight 370 vanished. Investigators say it is “inconceivable” that we still have no idea what happened to the plane, the passengers or the crew. Despite speculation, conspiracy theories, extensive searches, data analysis, books and pressure from the families of the missing passengers, almost nothing is still know all these years…
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Deadline looms for international aviation report card
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is expected to deliver its verdict soon on whether it will lift its “red flag” on Thailand’s aviation safety status, deputy Army spokesperson Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said on Wednesday. The ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission visited Thailand from September 20-27, to inspect and evaluate the country’s new aviation safety regulatory system. Sirichan said the mission…
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More than 10,000 fire jellyfish found near Gai Island, Krabi
During a survey by officers of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park today (October 4), the team found a massive group of pink fire jellyfish floating on the water surface. “We found a lot of fire jellyfish near Gai Island and we have warned all tour boats to be careful of them and avoid diving in the area…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, October 4
Suspicious ‘torpedo’ shaped object at Nai Yang Beach | Roadworks on Kaw Sim Bee Road | Final two days to pay respects at Grand Palace | Retiring teachers being offered short-term contracts | Rohingya suspicious of Myanmar Government offers | PM Prayut and US President Trump talk trade and elections.
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Rohingya’s refugees suspicious of Myanmar’s assurances to allow them back
The plight of Myanmar’s Rohingya continues to be parlous despite aid agencies and the UN getting more access to the region and the flood of refugees flowing over the border into Bangladesh. But Rohingya Muslims, now in Bangladesh, remain sceptical about their chances of ever going back to Myanmar, even though the government there is offering assurances it will accept…
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How long does it take to repair a road?
Specifically, how long does it take to repair Kaw Sim Bee Road (the road up Rang Hill from Phuket Town, on the south side)? Two weeks ago we reported the cracks in the road, some up to 50 metres long. Road authorities have closed the road for ‘landslide protection’ which we’re going to read as reinforcing the cliff at the…
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Heavy rain periods in Phuket until Friday
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is warning people in most parts of Thailand about “outbreaks of abundant rain and possible flash floods” from today until Friday. Isolated torrential downpours and gusty winds will especially affect the North, the Northeast and the Central regions, including Bangkok and its vicinity, the East and the South (that’s just about the whole of Thailand!).…
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Phuket struggles to find new lifeguards
There are still no lifeguards applying for the job, according to the OrBorJor. Following a meeting at the provincial hall today (October 3) OrBorJor Phuket representative, Satien Kaewpraprab, says that no one has applied for the lifeguard positions after an announcement of hiring for individual contracts. He explained that the main reasons are that some of them do not have…
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Phuket gets ready for the Late King’s local cremation ceremonies
During the meeting at Provincial Hall today (October 3), Phuket authorities have updated the progress for the Late King’s cremation ceremony in Phuket. The Phuket Provincial Offices of Public Works and Town & Country Planning officer, Tawee Homhuan, said that the royal funeral pyrotechnic model on the main stage of Sapan Hin Park is about 90% completed and 99% is…
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12 million people have visited Grand Palace to pay last respects
With two days remaining for citizens to pay their last respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the number of people who have viewed the Royal Urn has topped 12 million. The Royal Household Bureau on Tuesday reported that 12,443,890 mourners had visited the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the past…
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