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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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Sponsored Moving with family? Here’s how to cut health costs in Thailand
Relocating to Thailand with your family brings exciting new opportunities, but it also comes with the challenge of managing healthcare costs in a new system. Thailand has both public and private healthcare options, each offering different prices and quality of...
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Phuket’s TSLC sporting tips: How to become a faster cyclist
PHUKET: In a continuing series of sporting tips provided by Phuket’s Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club, resident experts Brian Finniss tells you to stand up straight, though first Jürgen Zäck gets you out of your comfort zone. A lot of cyclists and triathletes do spend quite some time in the saddle and wonder why they do not deliver on race…
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Phuket’s ACYC Club Sailing Race 6
PHUKET: All are welcome to join Phuket’s ACYC (Ao Chalong Yacht Club) Sunday sailing races. Breakfast is available at the club from 8am onwards. Anybody wishing to sail but who doesn’t have a boat are advised to turn up before 10:30am and we will do our best to get you on a vessel. Eligibility and entry: The series is open…
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Phuket’s Tri-Fest just round the corner
PHUKET: The 20th Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) will take place on Sunday, November 24, marking the beginning of Laguna Phuket’s week-long Tri-Fest. This year’s LPT will celebrate its 20th anniversary while welcoming the inaugural Challenge Laguna Phuket (CLP) on Sunday, December 1 to its iconic multi-sports week-long event – Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest 2013. During the proceeding seven days, Laguna…
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TSLC continues their attention to detail – Phuket sports
PHUKET: In a continuing series of sporting tips provided by Phuket’s Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club, resident experts Tennis Head Coach Roger Cochrane talks layering, but firstly Aquatics Head Coach Randy Simon gives some attention to detail. Attention to detail… when I was in the military, it was something I learned a LOT about. But it was a necessity. When…
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Phuket Gazette World News: Germany, France demand No Spy accord with US; UN warns Myanmar over anti-Muslim violence; China H7N9 bird flu fears rise
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Germany, France demand no-spy agreement with U.S. Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded on Thursday that the United States strike a “no-spying” agreement with Berlin and Paris by the end of the year, saying alleged espionage against two of Washington’s closest EU…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Supreme Patriach passes away; Furby fury reduced to suspended sentence; Mahouts in jumbo fight
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Supreme Patriach passes away The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Somdet Phra Sangharaja passed away Thursday after enduring ailments and undergoing hospital treatment in recent months.He turned 100 on October 3 and is considered the longest living Supreme Patriarch in…
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Phuket Governor requests lifeguards for Racha Yai to stop the drownings
PHUKET: In response to the growing number of tourists drowning at Racha Yai Island, Governor Maitri Inthusut has called for a lifeguard station at the popular day-trip location. “There are no lifeguards on the island now. Among the many things we need to do in Phuket to support tourism, having a lifeguard station there is an important one,” he told…
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Another armed drug suspect arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: Police on Wednesday raided a house in a residential area in Thalang, where they seized 2,446 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) and about 408g of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). Acting on a tip-off from plainclothes officers, Thalang Police Deputy Superintendent Pisit Chunpet served a warrant to search the house, in Baan Don, for drugs. “We arrived at 3pm and…
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Phuket hotel singer dies in visa run crash
PHUKET: Police have confirmed that the Philippines woman who died in the visa run van accident in Trang province early Monday morning worked in Phuket as a singer in a hotel restaurant.The woman, who police have yet to name, was sitting in the back row of seats in the van at the time of the accident.“There was heavy rain that…
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Phuket hotel staffer arrested on murder charges
PHUKET: A hotel employee at Banthai Beach Resort & Spa in Patong was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly taking part in a gang attack that led to a death in Phitsanulok five years ago.Danai Thonglaima, 35, is alleged to have joined in a roadside attack in May 2008, after which he fled to Phuket and lived a secret life.Officers from…
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Villagers battle for access to Phuket public land
PHUKET: Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak visited Pa Khlok yesterday afternoon to investigate claims made by residents that a path on public land had been blocked off, denying them access to a pier where they keep their fishing boats. About 50 residents had travelled to Phuket Provincial Hall the day before to lodge a complaint with Governor Maitri Inthusut (story here).…
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Phuket visa run crash leaves one dead
PHUKET: A Philippine national has died and an unknown number of Phuket expats were injured in a visa run van crash in Trang early Monday morning.A representative at Phen Phet Visa Run confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today that the accident occurred in Trang province, about 300km south of Phuket, at about 2am on Monday.The van was carrying tourists and…
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Phuket Governor denies sweeping mafia problems “under the carpet’
PHUKET: The Phuket Governor has strongly denied allegations of ignoring rampant corruption and “mafia” operations in Phuket. “Phuket has never swept problems under the carpet,” Governor Maitri sternly told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. The public statement followed a consortium of leading Phuket travel figures on Monday insinuating that some of Phuket’s top officials were not willing to help “take out…
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Phuket marks Chulalongkorn Day
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut this morning led an assembly of officials in a ceremony to honor Chulalongkorn Day, known in Thai as Wan Piya Maharat.The ceremony held at the “Chulalongkorn the Great” monument at Phuket Provincial Hall began at 9am. Officers adorned the statue with flowers and speeches were made honoring the great achievements of HM King Chulalongkorn.Known by…
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Phuket handyman caught robbing safe in Russian woman’s room
PHUKET: Police Monday night arrested a hotel staffer in Karon who used a master key and a stolen room safe key to rob a Russian tourist of the equivalent of nearly 20,000 baht in banknotes.The thief also deleted CCTV records at the Karon Phunaka Resort and Spa in the hope of covering his tracks.Tatiana Gorshkova discovered 10,000 baht cash, US$100…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Isarn floods worst in 50 years; Pattaya on fire; Santika Pub owner aquitted
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Flooding in East worst in 50 years: Plodprasop The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Flooding in Phimai district in Nakhon Ratchasima, one of the hardest hit areas, is expected to peak over the next few days.“At this point, I am most worried about Phimai,” Water and Flood Management…
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Phuket Governor orders probe into alleged land grab
PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut today ordered a task force to investigate claims by local residents in Pa Khlok, on Phuket’s central east coast, that public land had been encroached on.The villagers, numbering about 50 and led by Baan Bangla village headman Samarn Bumroongna, arrived at Provincial Hall at 10am in protest.Chief among their complaints was that someone who claimed to…
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Phuket travel consortium casts doubt on local support for mafia crackdown
PHUKET: A consortium of four major travel organizations yesterday publicly voiced their doubt that top local officials fully support the ongoing multi-agency crackdown to clean up rampant corruption and “mafia” operations in Phuket.Top figures representing the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, the Phuket Spa Association (SPA) and the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) called a…
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Drug web unravels as police make arrests from Phuket Town to Thalang
PHUKET: In a cascading string of confessions, police arrested five drug dealers on Saturday, collecting along the way over a kilogram of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and almost 4,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills. The first arrests that started the domino effect were at Suan Luang Park (Rama IX Park) (map here) when police noticed a man and a woman acting…
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Phuket Town drinkers take down armed robber
PHUKET: Two men sitting in front of their house drinking in the early hours this morning made a citizen’s arrest, taking down a man who had just robbed a Phuket Town convenience store at knifepoint. Phuket City Police were notified of the arrest at 3:40am. “By the time we arrived, Ronnarit Klinchuen, 21, and his friend Ponlawat Kaensub, 22, had…
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Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Floods close factories; Laos crash bodies to return home; Chalerm in relapse; Jakkrit mourned
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Industrial estate battles floodwater The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate in Chon Buri is facing a severe battle keeping out floodwaters, which have forced 15 factories in its compound to suspend operations.Another 78 factories outside the protection of estates, mainly in the Northeast,…
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Failed motorbike ram attempt wins policeman B10k reward for bravery
PHUKET: A patrol policeman who broke his collar bone while ramming bag-snatchers with his motorbike in an attempt to stop their getaway was rewarded with 10,000 baht yesterday morning for his bravery. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Ong-art Phiwruangnont issued the bonus on hearing how Sgt Songwut Noosuk of the Phuket City Police attempted to apprehend the perpetrators on Saturday afternoon.…
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Mortician joins the dead over business conflict, say Krabi police
PHUKET: Police suspect that the motive for the shooting murder of a mortician in Krabi, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, was a business conflict.Ajin Chormai, 55, found the body of her husband Niyom Chormai, 60, in a palm oil plantation on Sunday morning. He had eight gunshot wounds to his chest.Mr Niyom left the house at 8:30am to round…
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Judge sets sentence date for American Marine-killer in Phuket
PHUKET: A judge today set the sentencing date of Lee Aldhouse for the murder of American Marine Dashawn Longfellow (story here). “The judge set the sentencing date for November 28,” Phuket Provincial Prosecutor Tawan Suknirundorn told the Phuket Gazette. At the hearing today, Aldhouse signed a copy of Mr Longfellow’s passport, writing that he, Lee Aldhouse, had stabbed “this man”.…
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Balloon vendor dead on arrival at Phuket bus terminal
PHUKET: A festival balloon vendor was found dead on arrival at Phuket Bus Terminal 2 in the early morning hours today.Prasan Piyawong, 66, was discovered dead on the top deck of a tour bus by a friend who was travelling with him.Police and rescue works sped to the scene after being notified of the incident at about 4:30am today.“Mr Prasan’s…
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Krabi ready to take the plunge
PHUKET: Is throwing yourself off an 8-storey-high cliff a good idea? Sure it is! Especially to the brave contenders of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. If you wish to see these daredevils, the season finale will take place in Krabi, a few hours drive from Phuket, on Saturday, October 26. Ten of the world’s best cliff divers launch…
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Rayong all but secure promotion at Phuket’s expense
PHUKET: Despite drawing first blood in a difficult away fixture on Saturday evening, Phuket FC went on to lose 3-2 to Thailand’s Yamaha League One (YL1) powerhouse, PTT Rayong. The match, both side’s 32nd of 34 scheduled fixtures in the YL1 2013 season, was played in front of 3,669 spectators at PTT Stadium on the lower part of Thailand’s Eastern…
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UK embassy shakeup to free Phuket consul for frontline work
PHUKET: Sweeping changes in how standard documents are issued at the British Embassy in Bangkok will free Phuket Honorary Consul Martin Carpenter to focus on providing assistance to British tourists and expats in need. The changes are part of a reform in procedures at British embassies around the world, explained an embassy statement issued to the Phuket Gazette. Consequently, from…
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Krabi carp monster set to break world record
PHUKET: A British angler on holiday in Thailand is set to break a world record after landing a 60.9kg (134.4lb) Siamese carp in Krabi, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, earlier this month.Keith Williams, of Carshalton in Surrey, England, landed the monster carp on October 10 while on holiday with friends at the Gillhams Fishing Resort to celebrate his 56th…
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Phuket Property Watch: Lost in Chiang Mai
PHUKET: I’ve always had an aversion to things that go bump in the night, but as our Thai Smile jet ramps up to 33,000 feet, an extended period of turbulence has left my forehead battered, but not bruised. Yes, the flight attendants shock orange uniforms put me into a Halloween mood, yet they move about the cabin like apparitions –…
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