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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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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“Heartbroken’ Polish expat found dead
PHUKET: A Polish expat was found dead in his Cherng Talay rental home yesterday, about one week after the Thai woman he was seeing left him, said police. Leszek Jerzy Warzynski, 57, was found hanging by his neck near a fishpond behind the house. Police believe Mr Warzynski had died two days before his body was discovered. “There were empty…
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Paragliding temporarily banned in Rawai
PHUKET: Paragliding at Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape has been temporarily banned, confirmed Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos. The ban follows earlier complaints of paragliders blocking public land and telling visitors to get out of their way during takeoffs (story here). “We held a meeting last week about the issue,” Mr Aroon told the Phuket Gazette. “Paragliding is temporarily banned until further…
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Chinese tourist drowns on snorkelling trip
PHUKET: Tour guides and doctors were unable to revive a Chinese tourist who was found in an unresponsive state while snorkelling at Koh Racha Yai yesterday. Zhang Jie, 29, was snorkelling at Patok Bay with about 20 other tourists when he was found motionless in the water, confirmed Lt Wuttiwat Liangboonjinda of the Chalong Police. “He was found face down…
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British expat found dead by friends
PHUKET: A British expat was found dead in his Thalang home by concerned friends this morning. Friends of Daniel Burke Whittington, 51, went to check on him after he failed to show up at work at Laguna Holiday Club where was a sales and marketing assistant manager. Police believe that Mr Whittington died three days before his body was discovered.…
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Expert to fix Phi Phi national park
PHUKET: A special adviser will set up his office within Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park to review the national treasure’s policies and developments, as the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) continues to investigate hundreds of millions of baht disappearing during the collection of national park fees over the last three years.…
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Business Buzz: Facebook goes beyond “likes’ to “Reactions’
PHUKET: After many people asking for it, and rumors abounding as to how it will work, it is finally here: Facebook has announced a trial in Ireland and Spain for a new series of emoji called ‘Reactions”. Users now have the choice to rate posts with ‘like’, ‘love’, ‘haha’, ‘yay’, ‘wow’, ‘sad’ or ‘angry’, quite similar to the emoji responses…
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Finance: Symmetrical triangle of gold
PHUKET: Gold is such a different asset class that it can really be very confusing thinking about it. As I write, gold is forming a classic technical trading pattern known as a symmetrical triangle, which makes it an interesting time to talk about it. These consolidation patterns usually result in a big move one way or the other, but let…
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Opinion: History of mob rule repeats itself
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police must conduct a full and transparent investigation into the sad chain of events that led up to the riot at Thalang Police Station – all instigators must face justice. Issues of democratic development aside, one of the silver linings of living under de facto martial law for almost a year-and-a-half has been the dramatic reduction…
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Phuket Red Cross commends riot police restraint
PHUKET: In an effort to show their support for the Thalang Police Station after last weekend’s riots, the Phuket Red Cross donated 30 packs of personal hygiene products to officers. Vassana Tipayapongtada, President of the Phuket Red Cross and wife of Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, presented the gifts to show the Red Cross’s appreciation for the police officers’ restraint during…
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Myanmar national brutally beats friend to death
PHUKET: Police arrested a Myanmar national in Phuket Town yesterday for brutally beating a man to death with a metal bar in Chalong. After being apprehended, Lek, 39, confessed to police that he had become angry with fellow Myanmar national Keng, 35, and beat him to death. Earlier that day, officers were called out to a home office on Chao…
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Thirsty spirit photographed in daylight
PHUKET: The strawberry drinks set out by locals to score winning lottery ticket numbers from an unlucky section of road, which was once home to a very lucky tree, are being drunk by either a ‘daytime’ spirit or just a bum, depending on who you speak to. The offerings, normally nam daeng (‘strawberry drink’), are usually left by people seeking…
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Opinion: Funding national parks will lead to long-term results
Assistant Professor Thon Thamrongnawasawat, 49, is a member of the National Reform Council and a professor at Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Fisheries. He has a doctorate in Marine Science from James Cook University, Australia and is currently a writer, ichthyologist and an environmental activist. Here he talks about finding a balance between tourism and preserving the environment at national parks…
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Three men arrested with baby gibbons on Phi Phi
PHUKET: Three gibbon touts were arrested in front of the Andaman Resort on Phi Phi Don as they attempted to cajole tourists into using the protected species as a prop for photographs last weekend. “The police did a great job. They have finally improved their efforts on cracking down on these animal touts,” said Suwat Suksiri, chief of the Thung…
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Phuket Riot: Police deny planting drugs
PHUKET: Provincial Police Commander Patchara Boonyasit this morning denied that officers planted drugs on the bodies of the two men killed in a police chase on Saturday. Patomwat Panarak, 22, and Teerapong Srisamut, 17, allegedly refused to be searched at a checkpoint and fled the scene. They were brought to a stop after their motorbike and a police vehicle collided.…
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Police delay seeking arrest warrants for Phuket rioters
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police have identified nine people as instigators in the violent attack on Thalang Police Station last week. “We are very clear on who these individuals are and where they live. However, we will be collecting more evidence before asking the court to issue arrest warrants,” Provincial Police Commander Patchara Boonyasit said this morning. “We will seek the…
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Phuket bouncers’ conduct to be reviewed after brutal beating
PHUKET: President of the Patong Entertainment Business Association Weerawit Kurasombat has called on representatives from nightlife venues in Patong to gather tomorrow to review policies concerning the conduct of bouncers. “I plan to implement strict rules about the use of violence by security,” Mr Weerawit said. “If any bouncer at any club is violent with a tourist, the club will…
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Bangkok Airways’ Phuket-Hat Yai route launched
PHUKET: Bangkok Airways officially launched its daily direct flights between Phuket and Hat Yai on Sunday. Bangkok Airways will serve daily flights between Phuket and Hat Yai, on a 70-seat ATR72-500/600, with flights from Phuket to Hat Yai departing at 7:25am and arriving in Hat Yai at 8:30am and Hat Yai to Phuket departing at 9:10am and arriving in Phuket…
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Go Teng poles raised, Phuket Vegetarian Festival underway
PHUKET: Vegetarian Festival participants raised Go Teng poles at every Chinese shrine in Phuket at sunset yesterday to allow the Jade Emperor, one of the Nine Emperor Gods, to descend from the heavens – marking the start of the 2015 festivities. Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada was one of hundreds of white-clad observers who attended the pole raising at the Jui…
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Injured police say no force used against protesters
PHUKET: Some police officers injured during the Phuket riot testified yesterday that they did not respond violently when protesters attacked them. About 20 policemen were injured when protesters threw rocks, bricks and wooden objects at them, Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Akanit Danpitaksat explained. Mueang Police Superintendent Sompong Boonyarat, Kamala Police Deputy Superintendent Boriboon Yusuksomboon and Lt Col Akanit all gave…
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Opinion: Government, police, families have much to answer for after riot
PHUKET: Violence of any kind, regardless of who is involved, should be condemned in the strongest terms. But in the case of the 12-hour riot on Phuket over the weekend, it’s hard not to have at least some sympathy for those who instigated it. The mayhem was the direct result of the killing of two alleged drug dealers who were…
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Violent Phuket rioters to be hunted down
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada today swore to bring to justice the rioters who attacked Thalang Police Station on Saturday night. “I am sorry for the deaths of the two men; they were Phuket people. However, anyone who breaks the law must face justice. The people who set fire to the cars will not escape,” Governor Chamroen said. The investigation…
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Flash floods hit Chalong
PHUKET: Heavy rains drenched Chalong, causing flash floods, while other parts of the island have remained sunny today. Lt Chollada Chokdeesrijun of the Chalong Police warned motorists to beware of flooding in the area after nearly an hour of heavy rain fall. “Small vehicles have started to be able to pass the area, as the water level is getting lower,”…
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Laguna Tri-Fest draws Chinese numbers
PHUKET: Rising Chinese numbers at the Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest bodes well for years ahead, as the classic Phuket event looks to generate more than 90 million baht this year. “In the past two years, we’ve seen more than 50 per cent growth [in the number] of athletes from China, both at the Laguna Phuket International Marathon in June and…
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Island View: Indication of the inconsiderate
PHUKET: A few weeks back, driving from the Heroines Monument to Phuket Town, I was nearly run off the road half a dozen times by drivers who – other than not paying attention to their wing mirrors – failed to indicate while changing lanes. By the time I made it home, I was pretty much a nervous wreck. And, since…
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Phuket real estate shrugs off Bangkok slowdown
PHUKET: In terms of property, Phuket seems to be worlds away from Bangkok, where the market has experienced a slowdown, mostly because the island is more affected by events outside of Thailand than inside the Kingdom, Robert Collins, managing director of Savills (Thailand), said earlier this week. Because the Bangkok market has dipped, three real-estate associations recently urged the government…
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Phuket mob attack on police yields results
PHUKET: Tension between police and local residents in Phuket province that escalated into a riot at a local police station on Saturday evening appeared to ease after an inquiry panel was formed to look into the death of two young men during a police pursuit. Police representatives met with families and relatives of Pathomwat Panarak, 22 and a 17-year-old teen,…
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Business Buzz: Test to see if social media will work for your business
PHUKET: One of the most common objections people have about using social media is that, while they understand it works for other people, they think their business is different and it will not work for them. So I have put together a quick test to see if social media would benefit you: Do you have a website?Do you need more…
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Investment strategies for large sums of cash
PHUKET: Consider the following investing dilemma: You have recently received a large sum of money (from a pension payout, inheritance, the sale of property or a business) and you want to put this money to work for you. However, interest rates and returns on what are considered to be the safest investments (for example US and European bank deposits and…
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Police arrest minivan driver for drug running
PHUKET: Police last night arrested a van driver at the Tah Chat Chai Checkpoint after officers discovered 3,921 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and four grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) in the vehicle he was driving. The driver, Sutthichai Kongsamut, 34, told police that he was running methamphetamine for a drug lord operating out of a prison in Nakhon Sri…
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Phuket-Satun bus fire claims second life
PHUKET: One of the four victims admitted to Phang Nga Hospital ICU from a Phuket-Satun bus fire died from smoke inhalation on Thursday. Sunisa Chookaew, 25, was the second person to die from injuries sustained in the fire. Daeng Thaharat, 76, was pronounced dead at the scene. Three others remain in comas at the hospital. On Wednesday, a total of…
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