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    How much does it cost to see a doctor in Thailand?

    Thailand is known for its high-quality yet affordable healthcare system, but how much does it really cost to see a doctor? As an expat, this question might be crucial for budgeting your health needs. The answer depends on whether you...

  • Phuket Immigration to close for holidays | Thaiger

    Phuket Immigration to close for holidays

    PHUKET: The Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town will be closed for five days in April to observe a series of public holidays. The Phuket Immigration Volunteers today issued a notice that the office will be closed on: Friday, April 6 – Chakri Memorial Day Monday, April 9 – Public Holiday to observe the Royal Funeral for Her Royal Highness…

  • Phuket Andaman News: Police raid illegal Phang Nga logging camp | Thaiger

    Phuket Andaman News: Police raid illegal Phang Nga logging camp

    PHUKET: A mass raid on an illegal logging camp on Monday by more than 20 Border Patrol Police officers resulted in 13 felled trees and more than 100 logs being seized.The raid, led by Phang Nga Governor Thumrong Charoenkul, was instigated by a complaint that illegal logging was being conducted at the hillside site, in Khao Krata Thong, in Phang…

  • Speed cameras, booze buses in Phuket for Songkran | Thaiger

    Speed cameras, booze buses in Phuket for Songkran

    PHUKET: Speed cameras are expected to be installed across Phuket in time for the Thai New Year Songkran festival next month, and nightlife venue operators will be asked to provide transportation home for drunken patrons. The news was announced by Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayut Karajedee yesterday. “The budget request for 17 million baht to acquire and install radar…

  • Phuket Gazette: Massive BMW auto recall; Osama bin Laden cited for Bali bombing | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette: Massive BMW auto recall; Osama bin Laden cited for Bali bombing

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community BMW recalls 1.3 million vehicles worldwide Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: German automaker BMW AG yesterday issued a recall for approximately 1.3 million vehicles worldwide due to a problem with the battery cable cover.The vehicle company said it would be recalling all BMW 5 and 6 Series…

  • Phuket Poll: China offers highest tourism growth potential | Thaiger

    Phuket Poll: China offers highest tourism growth potential

    PHUKET: The Chinese market holds the highest growth potential for the Phuket tourism industry, according to the results of the latest Phuket Gazette Readers’ Poll. A total of 358 readers took part in the poll, which ran from March 8 until Saturday morning. Readers were asked, “Which of the following inbound markets holds the highest growth potential for the Phuket…

  • Phuket Gazette: Owen’s return; F1 for Thailand; AFC champions | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette: Owen’s return; F1 for Thailand; AFC champions

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ferguson says returning Owen can help United push for the title Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: A fit-again Michael Owen could play a key role in Manchester United’s push for the Premier League title, according to manager Sir Alex Ferguson.The 32-year-old striker is on the verge of…

  • Phuket Gazette: PM touts Thailand in Korea; 3G saga continues; Thais getting oiled | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette: PM touts Thailand in Korea; 3G saga continues; Thais getting oiled

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand ripe for investment, says PM in Seoul Phuket Gazette / The NationPHUKET: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has assured South Korean businessmen of Thailand’s bright economic prospects, citing the government’s business-friendly policies, flood-management measures and the cut in corporate tax. In a speech in Seoul yesterday…

  • Phuket, Krabi rocked by ‘sudden’ thunderstorms | Thaiger

    Phuket, Krabi rocked by ‘sudden’ thunderstorms

    PHUKET: Following a stretch of hot weather, greater Phuket Town was hit by thunderstorms and torrential rainfall late yesterday afternoon. At about the same time in Muang District Krabi, a fierce squall damaged homes and felled rubber trees in a surrounding plantation in Khao Khraam subdistrict.The squall hit the rubber-tapping community of Khao Khraam Village 5 at about 5pm, causing…

  • Phuket fractional ownership ventures into new waters | Thaiger

    Phuket fractional ownership ventures into new waters

    PHUKET: Among the many luxury yachts to go on display at the 2012 Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) at Royal Phuket Marina. on Thursday will be the event’s first fractional ownership boat for sale. Shared ownership pioneer Absolute Fractionals will showcase the Elan42 luxury motor yacht. A product of one of Europe’s largest and long established shipbuilders, the yacht features…

  • Phuket Live Wire looks at Windows 8: ‘You probably won’t like it’ | Thaiger

    Phuket Live Wire looks at Windows 8: ‘You probably won’t like it’

    PHUKET: I have spent two of the past three Live Wire columns extolling the virtues of Apple products. A few of my friends were shocked. After all, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool PC user. I’ve written many dozens of books about Windows and Office, and thousands of articles. Windows is like an old security blanket to me. Sparring partner, too. And it’s…

  • Phuket Gazette: Pedophiles flourishing on the Web | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette: Pedophiles flourishing on the Web

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Pedophiles invade ordinary websites to sell child porno Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: Pedophiles are operating hundreds of websites which appear to be ordinary web shops but are actually being used to distribute and even sell photos and videos of young children being sexually abused, according to…

  • Noppowon all set, Phuket’s De Cesare outgunned at ITF tournament | Thaiger

    Noppowon all set, Phuket’s De Cesare outgunned at ITF tournament

    PHUKET: Week two of the Phuket Chang ITF Women’s Pro Circuit tennis tournament opened today with six round one single’s matches and five in double’s competition at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC).Phuket’s Helen De Cesare had earned a wild card entry, but found herself drawn against number two seed Kurumi Nara of Japan. The 17-year-old De Cesare couldn’t keep…

  • Phuket model crowned Miss Thailand World 2012 | Thaiger

    Phuket model crowned Miss Thailand World 2012

    PHUKET: Phuket model Vanessa “Na-Chatra” Muangkod was crowned Miss Thailand World 2012 on Saturday night, and picked up three other accolades during the renowned beauty pageant. Miss Muangkod, a former student at Satree Phuket School, was also bestowed the titles Miss Beauty With a Purpose, Miss Top Model and Best in Swimsuit at the gala event, organized by Thai TV…

  • Suzuki Swift on a roll in Phuket | Thaiger

    Suzuki Swift on a roll in Phuket

    PHUKET: The Suzuki car dealership in Phuket Town is reporting brisk sales of the “all new” Suzuki Swift eco-car and expects to sell 200 units by the end of the month from its recently renovated showroom in Phuket Town. The showroom, on Surin Road near the Shell service station, is well-known to scores of Suzuki SJ413 “Caribian” drivers on the…

  • Big-headed driver gets away with it | Thaiger

    Big-headed driver gets away with it

    A MAN in Ang Thong province recently got a pass from the police when he was stopped on his motorcycle for not wearing a helmet – and there were no bribes involved. Sombat Chiangkham, 37, told amused officers his head was too big to fit into a helmet. After taking the top-heavy gentlemen to their station and making him try…

  • Weird World News: Woman pee addict spills story, North Korea loves triplets and vasectomy doctor serves slices | Thaiger

    Weird World News: Woman pee addict spills story, North Korea loves triplets and vasectomy doctor serves slices

    PHUKET: This week’s Weird World News round-up takes aim at people ingesting and breeding in the name of addiction, state approval and for the promise of pizza. Woman addicted to drinking own pee A 53-year-old Colorado woman has been addicted to drinking her own urine for the past four years, it emerged this past week. Photos of the woman –…

  • Phuket Sports: Mydeen knocks first ACG ton | Thaiger

    Phuket Sports: Mydeen knocks first ACG ton

    PHUKET: Recovered from their recent defeat at the hands of the Laguna CC, the Village showed no mercy to Phuket’s youth development cricket team in dishing out a 235 run demolition of the Leopards. This season’s 15th match of the Island Furniture League became batting practice for several of the Village players while the Leopards were hoping to gain valuable…

  • Phuket Sports: She’s “Dear’ to the heart of Indigo Pearl | Thaiger

    Phuket Sports: She’s “Dear’ to the heart of Indigo Pearl

    PHUKET: Tennis played well at any level is an enviable pursuit. Those with the physical skill and coordination required to spot a ball traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour, then choose a shot before returning the two and a half inch diameter projectile over a three foot obstacle and land it accurately within a 27ft by 39ft area,…

  • Phuket Gazette: Ceremony rehearsal | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette: Ceremony rehearsal

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Ceremony rehearsal PHUKET (The Nation): Soliders marched during the second major rehearsal yesterday of the cremation of HRH Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda at Sanam Luang on April 9. The Maha Pichai Ratcharot chariot will carry the royal urn. Princess Bejaratana, the only child of King Rama VI,…

  • Phuket Gazette ‘Green Report’: Regional mangrove restoration project receives green light | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette ‘Green Report’: Regional mangrove restoration project receives green light

    PHUKET: Efforts to restore the lost mangrove forests of Thailand and other parts of Asia will receive a boost this week when international partners gather in Krabi province, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, to discuss the use of project funding received via Germany’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).The meeting, which is being coordinated by the Trang-based Southeast…

  • Phuket Sports: Pulsating play in round six of PSSL | Thaiger

    Phuket Sports: Pulsating play in round six of PSSL

    PHUKET: The Pita Bar Phuketeers and Eden FC got the ball rolling for round six of the Phuket Super Six League (PSSL) last Wednesday evening at Headstart’s Football Island. The Phuketeers grabbed an early 2-0 lead when Yannik Christll tapped in after Fabian Kleiner Scniedelmann’s shot was spilled by the goalkeeper. Christll doubled his team’s advantage with a fine solo…

  • Phuket elections: Phudit wins Rassada; Samran retains Chalong seat | Thaiger

    Phuket elections: Phudit wins Rassada; Samran retains Chalong seat

    PHUKET: Preliminary results of two local elections in Phuket yesterday indicate that Phudit “Ko Noi” Raksarat will take over administration of Rassada Municipality, while Somran Jindapol has been elected Mayor of Chalong Municipality. Before yesterday’s election, Mr Somran was incumbent president of the Chalong Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), which was upgraded to municipal status on October 1 last year. In…

  • Phuket Gazette World News Update: Chile Earthquake | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News Update: Chile Earthquake

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Powerful earthquake strikes central Chile, injuring 3 PHUKET (News Wires): A powerful earthquake struck the central region of Chile early Sunday evening, injuring at least three people and prompting a brief tsunami alert for coastal areas, officials and witnesses said. There were no reports of fatalities.The 6.8-magnitude…

  • Phuket’s Kata Group opens ‘Beyond Resort’ in Khao Lak | Thaiger

    Phuket’s Kata Group opens ‘Beyond Resort’ in Khao Lak

    PHUKET: The Kata Group, one of Phuket’s best-known resort chains, celebrated the latest addition to its portfolio of luxury resorts on Friday.Located in Phuket’s neighboring province of Phang Nga, the new property in Khao Lak, branded as the ‘Beyond Resort Khao Lak’, is the group’s first foray out of Phuket since the opening of its Kandaburi Resort and Spa on…

  • Phuket Gazette Special Report: Thai military unveils plan to stop Rohingya landings | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette Special Report: Thai military unveils plan to stop Rohingya landings

    PHUKET: Region 4 of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has formulated a “Protecting the Andaman” strategy to prevent Rohingya boat people from illegally entering Thailand in Ranong, Phuket and other Andaman Coastal provinces. Maj Gen Manas Khongpanin, director of the ISOC region, revealed that the security plan is to stop the Rohingya from entering Thailand, especially along the coastline…

  • Phuket Gazette World News Roundup: Australia shakes; $15bn in China-Indonesia deals; 5 killed in San Francisco shootings; EU raises heat on Syria | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette World News Roundup: Australia shakes; $15bn in China-Indonesia deals; 5 killed in San Francisco shootings; EU raises heat on Syria

    PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Strong earthquake strikes central Australia, no damage Phuket Gazette / News WiresPHUKET: The central region of Australia was struck by the country’s largest earthquake in nearly 15 years on Friday evening, seismologists said, but there were no reports of damage or casualties.The 6.1-magnitude earthquake at 7:55pm local…

  • Poll: Which Cabinet-approved project will most help Phuket? | Thaiger

    Poll: Which Cabinet-approved project will most help Phuket?

    PHUKET: At this week’s highly-publicized ‘mobile Cabinet’ meeting in Phuket, a number of projects were approved for Phuket and other provinces in the Andaman economic development cluster. In the latest on-line Readers’ Poll, the Gazette asks which of six projects approved for Phuket will do the most to help the resort province? The candidates are: – ‘Monkey cheek’ Reservoirs to…

  • Germany’s Pfizenmaier ousts Noppowan in Phuket ITF final | Thaiger

    Germany’s Pfizenmaier ousts Noppowan in Phuket ITF final

    PHUKET: Dinah Pfizenmaier has won the opening Phuket Chang ITF Women’s Pro Circuit event, defeating Noppowan Lertcheewakarn 6-2, 6-4 in the final at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club this afternoon.With local support weighing on the side of her opponent and number six seed from Thailand, the 20-year-old German showed early signs of nerves, losing the first game through four unforced…

  • Phuket elections: no alcohol sales in Chalong, Rassada | Thaiger

    Phuket elections: no alcohol sales in Chalong, Rassada

    PHUKET: Alcohol sales will be banned in Chalong and Rassada from 6pm today till midnight on tomorrow due to local elections to be held tomorrow in those Phuket subdistricts. Phuket Election Commission Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit told the Phuket Gazette that Chalong has two voting districts with 7,135 and 7,497 eligible voters, respectively. The mayoral candidates are Thanapong Koudom and Somran…

  • Phuket Gazette: Extra, Extra – Read all about it! | Thaiger

    Phuket Gazette: Extra, Extra – Read all about it!

    PHUKET: In this week’s Phuket Gazette, now on newsstands everywhere across the island, and tucked into the Nation newspaper for national distribution, we probe hard into the ongoing land investigations. We’ve also budgeted space for a financial breakdown of what recent Cabinet meetings have bestowed upon Phuket and the other important Andaman provinces. As always, we received our monthly letter…