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.
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Phuket Business: HotelTravel – here to stay
PHUKET: After 13 years building his company from the ground up, Phuket expat Blair Speers set a local business benchmark last month when he sold HotelTravel.com (HT) to the Indian based travel and e-commerce group that operates MakeMyTrip.com. Shortly after the US$25 million (760mn baht) acquisition was finalized, executives from the MakeMyTrip Ltd Group (MMT) met with employees at the…
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Phuket residents urged to support Christmas blood drive
PHUKET: As the Christmas and New Year festive season draws closer, Phuket’s residents are being asked to donate blood to ensure an adequate supply is available for hospitals to deal with emergencies. The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) mobile donation clinic will be out and about during December to collect blood donations from the public. “We need all blood types,…
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Phuket Business: Chapel bells boost dress sales
PHUKET: The business of love continues on an upward trend, with Phuket’s Modern Wedding Studio reporting a spike in monthly sales volume by as much as 75% over the last three years. “Business shot through the roof after we were featured on a game show called ‘SME Tee Tak‘ a few years ago.” Mr Narin explained that the nationally televised…
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Krabi police seize 9 cars, M16 as meth ring crumbles
PHUKET: Police believe they have broken a major local drug network with the arrests of 13 suspects and the seizure of more than 6 million baht in drugs in Krabi province, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket.During the raids, police also seized more than 5mn baht in assets, including nine cars and five firearms, Krabi Provincial Police Commander Nantadech Yoinuan…
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World News: Syrian jets bomb opposition forces near Damascus
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Syrian forces pound Damascus suburbs Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Syrian forces pounded rebel-held suburbs around Damascus with fighter jets and rockets yesterday, opposition activists said, killing and wounding dozens in an offensive to push rebels away from the airport and stop them closing in on the capital.The…
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International Cricket: Ponting given honor guard for final innings
PHUKET: Ricky Ponting’s test career came to a close with an anticlimactic innings of eight runs to leave Australia, chasing an improbable 632 for victory, struggling at 110 for three at lunch on the fourth day of the third test against South Africa today. The loss of David Warner for 29 and Shane Watson for 25 brought the former Australia…
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Aldhouse denies Phuket murder charge
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse, charged with the murder of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket in 2010, has confessed to police to stabbing Mr Longfellow, but has denied any intention to kill him. Mr Aldhouse was extradited from the United Kingdom on Friday to stand trial in Phuket. He arrived at Phuket Airport on Saturday and was taken…
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Flames engulf Phuket dive shop
PHUKET: A newly constructed scuba diving shop and bar near the Kamala beachfront went up in flames early Sunday morning, causing an estimated one million baht in damage. It took the Kamala Fire Department about 20 minutes to dowse the flames that had engulfed Sunset Scuba and Snorkeling Center, but by that point the entire building had been gutted, Kamala…
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Alleged killer of Hungarian businessman named by Phuket police
PHUKET: Police obtained an arrest warrant today for the alleged executioner of Hungarian businessman Peter Reisz, whose body was found with wrists tied in an isolated rubber plantation on Patong Hill in Kathu. The arrest warrant was issued for Moshe David, 38, a businessman based in Koh Samui, Thung Thong Police Superintendent Kraithong Chanthongbai said. “At this stage, police have…
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McCormack wins Ironman 70.3 Laguna Phuket
PHUKET: Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack made up for his poor showing at last weekend’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) by winning this morning’s Laguna IronMan 70.3 in a time of four hours and four minutes. He fended off the challenge of LPT winner Reudi Wild to mark his debut with a win. In the women’s event, Melissa Hauschildt won her second title,…
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Aldhouse back in Phuket
PHUKET: Accused murderer Lee Aldhouse arrived back in Phuket tonight at 8:11pm, on Flight 221 from Bangkok.Dressed in a black t-shirt and carrying his personal belongings in a large, clear plastic sack, the shaven-headed Aldhouse looked defiant and focused.He was accompanied by a large contingent of police officers, including members of the Tourist Police and Special Operations Unit. Aldhouse was…
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Go Eco Phuket brings students, community together for Kata cleanup
PHUKET: Go Eco Phuket, known on the island for staging the world’s biggest reef cleanup earlier this year, are gathering again with fellow community members, Kata Municipality workers, Hilton staff and an estimated 500 students from local schools for a Kata-Karon Beach and reef cleanup. Participants in the event will target both the beaches and the associated reefs that are…
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Phuket Opinion: Motoring Misery
PHUKET: As work on the 600-million-baht underpass at the Central Festival Phuket intersection gets underway, mounting concern among commuters now turns to seeking ways to cope with what promises to be a whole new level of motoring misery.Government agencies, including traffic police, have freely admitted that work on the project, scheduled for completion in mid-October 2014, is expected to cause…
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No Immigration fees, fines E-payment option in Phuket
PHUKET: The system of E-payments for Immigration fees and fines will not be launched in Phuket for the time being, Phuket Immigration chief Napat Nusen told the Phuket Gazette yesterday.The new system, which allows visitors to pay with a credit or debit card at the Immigration office, will only be launched in the Bangkok area, a Bangkok Immigration Bureau officer…
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Father appeals to Phuket public to help locate missing son
PHUKET: A distressed father is appealing to the Phuket public for help in finding his 43-year-old son who failed to make connection flights home to the US on Wednesday.Wayne Bean expected his son to arrive back in Los Angeles on November 28.However, after checking with the airlines it became obvious that his son, Brett Bean, had not made his 8:25am…
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Unidentified foreigner found tied up, dead in Patong Hill rubber plantation
PHUKET: The body of an unidentified foreigner was found in a rubber plantation on Patong Hill tied up and wrapped in a black plastic bag yesterday afternoon. “The body was that of a Caucasian man. A plastic bag covered the top half of his body and he was found face down on the ground. His face had obviously been struck…
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World News: Death sentence for man who held slaves; Strange twist
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Death sentence for Chinese man who held slaves in underground Phuket Gazette / News Wires PHUKET: A Chinese man was sentenced to death yesterday for abducting six young women and holding them as sex slaves in a secret underground dungeon for up to two years. Three…
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Phuket Sports: Tiger would like more major success
PHUKET: Twelve months after ending a two-year victory drought at the tournament he hosts, Tiger Woods is excited about his prospects for 2013 as he prepares to defend his World Challenge title this week. His one-shot triumph over fellow American Zach Johnson at last year’s World Challenge set the tone for a successful 2012 PGA tour campaign highlighted by three…
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Phuket Sports: F1 -The 2012 season’s “Buttoned’ up
PHUKET: Interlagos was a stunning event with weather changes that kept us guessing to the end. It was thrills and spills all the way, to end one of the great F1 seasons in splendid form. Sebastian Vettel had a chance to lose the Drivers’ Championship, and it seemed he had done so at the beginning of the race. Fernando Alonso…
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Second suspect arrested in Danish abduction, robbery
PHUKET: Phuket Police arrested on Wednesday a second suspect associated with the abduction and robbery of a Danish woman in the designated Patong Safety Zone on November 26.Diana Muller, 37, reported that on November 26 at about 9:30pm she had been abducted, threatened at knife point and robbed by two men, Patong police said.She told police that the pair had…
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Phuket truck powerless on Patong Hill
PHUKET: A 10-wheeled truck carrying more than 50 concrete power poles pitched while trying to climb Patong Hill this morning, causing a traffic tailback stretching about 1.5 kilometers.The mishap occurred at about 11:30am, while the truck tried to climb the steep incline on the western side of the hill in its bid to deliver the power poles to a construction…
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The Curious Case of the Invisible Crown Prince Paras Shah
PHUKET: Journalists trying to catch a glimpse of Nepal’s infamous former crown prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev, who was due to report to Phuket Provincial Court yesterday, were in for a long and ultimately fruitless wait.By midday, reporters who had been waiting since 9:30am, had still not clapped eyes on the former crown prince entering the court to report…
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World News: U.N. recognises sovereign state of Palestine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Palestinians win de facto U.N. recognition of sovereign state Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The 193-nation U.N. General Assembly yesterday overwhelmingly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the world body to issue its long…
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Phuket Sports: Honors even with Anaz champs
PHUKET: This past weekend the Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) had the opportunity to play two games against another touring team from Singapore, the ANZA Champs. The PCG were victorious on Saturday in the 30-over game, while the more social T20 game on Sunday was won by the ANZA team. After winning the toss, the visitors strode out to face the…
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Thailand News: World Justice report ranks Kingdom 80th in serving civil justice
World Justice report ranks Thailand 80th in serving civil justice Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The World Justice Project (WJP) ranked Thailand 80th among 97 countries in delivering effective civil justice in its international Rule of Law Index 2012 report issued on Wednesday. However, despite the low ranking in dispensing civil justice, the report also recognized Thailand’s strong performance in the control…
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Thailand News: Biggest drug bust in Thailand’s recent history
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Pattaya Police arrest Iranians in three hundred million baht drug raid Pattaya Radio 103FM / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The biggest drug raid in Thailand’s recent history took place in Pattaya City yesterday, in a three hundred million baht sting operation. This is without doubt the largest drug sting…
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Phuket Airport bus forced off the road by repairs
PHUKET: Concerns about whether or not the Airport Bus, which shuttles passengers to and from Phuket Town and Phuket International Airport, had shut down its services this week were answered today with the simplest of answers: one of the buses is off the road for repairs. “We normally have two buses serving the route between Phuket Airport and Phuket Town,”…
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Osotspa clan member alleges B293mn land swindle off Phuket
PHUKET: Saowanee Osathanugrah, a member of the famous Thai “Osotspa” family, has filed a complaint against her husband for allegedly trying to swindle her out of land on Koh Yao Yai, an island off Phuket, valued at 293 million baht. Osotspa Co Ltd, known worldwide for its M-150 and Shark energy drinks, last year reported a total operating income of…
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Phuket Sports: PIST hooks all as Sunshine Village cleans up
PHUKET: THE eighth Phuket International Sportfishing Tournament, held last weekend, produced a thrilling end to three great days, particularly for two teams. The Danish ‘Clean Team’ trailed by a minnow, which was required to catch ‘Team Captain Hook’ as the boats headed out under gray skies for the final day of competition. Ian Tubby, captain of Thai Two On, implemented…
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Phuket’s postponed “Andaman World Experience’ raises concerns
PHUKET: Uncertainty clouds the announcement of a firm date for the Andaman World Experience, postponed from November 9, as officials scramble to identify dates when Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be available to attend. Chanchai Doungjit, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, told the Phuket Gazette that the festival would go ahead and that the schedule would…
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