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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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Storm-sunk ship salvaged for dive site
PHUKET: A large section of the Cambodian-flagged cargo vessel that sank near Coral Island has been moved to Koh Racha Yai in the government’s effort to support the scuba diving industry in Phuket and Krabi. The piece of Sinaran Andaman was placed on sand at a depth of about 30 meters, far from where it could impact coral reefs in…
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Police squelch social media rape rumor
PHUKET: The Provincial Police refuted rumors that they have failed to do their job by investigating an alleged rape in the murder of Rachet Eidjarern at a meeting yesterday. After his death on Monday, rumors spread quickly on social media that Mr Rachet, 35, was beaten to death after trying to save a female from being raped at Rawai Pier…
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Thailand visa fees hiked in Malaysia
PHUKET: The Royal Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur, as well as consulates in Penang and Kota Bharu, raised visa fees starting on September 1. The move follows the weakening exchange rate of the Malaysian ringgit (MYR). According to the Royal Thai Embassy letter signed in July, fees for all types of visas have been increased as follows: Transit visa, single…
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Arrivals increase as room rates slide
PHUKET: While it’s encouraging that passenger arrivals at the island’s airport jumped by 11% during the first half (H1) of this year, compared to the same period last year, the flip side shows that hotels in all tiers tumbled with average room rates plunging from US$175 in H1 2014 to US$154, Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks said in…
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Brazilian Tour Operators Association meets Phuket
PHUKET: Members of the Brazilian Tour Operators Association (Braztoa), as well as members of the Brazilian media, visited Phuket this past weekend as part of a ‘Discover Thainess’ familiarization trip organized by the TAT’s LA office. The Brazilian tour operators had already discovered Bangkok and were on their way to discovering Chiang Mai, but took some time out to discover…
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BISP student wins Malaysia’s first Commonwealth gold
PHUKET: Year 12 British International School Phuket (BISP) student Wong FuKang became the first Malaysian to ever win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games, currently being held in the Pacific nation of Samoa. On September 8, as he raced to beat some tough competition from England and South Africa in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, Wong led from start…
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Charter rejection, stimulus package to boost economy
PHUKET: The rejection of the draft charter by the National Reform Council with a vote of 135-105 last Sunday, along with measures to spur the economy worth a combined 136 billion baht, should overall have a positive effect on consumption, investment, and tourism, while also boosting internal economic activity, says Dr Anusorn Tamajai, dean of Rangsit University’s Faculty of Economics.…
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Phuket Governor transferred, beach chairs left adrift
PHUKET: The Ministry of Interior has transferred Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong to Nonthaburi, effective next month. As is standard, the transfer comes at the beginning of a new fiscal year for the government. “I will make no further changes to the current situation with regards to beach management,” Governor Nisit told the Phuket Gazette today. The lack of a firm,…
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Student shot at Phuket school
PHUKET: A 12-year-old boy is safe after getting shot in the leg at school yesterday evening. ‘Daeng’, a P6 student at Baan Manik School, and his friends were about to go home for the day when he felt something hit his leg. “I felt pain and looked down and saw that I was bleeding. My friends called the teachers over…
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Thalang Police hunt temple thief
PHUKET: Police are hunting a man who was caught on CCTV stealing more than 10,000 baht worth of property from Srisoonthorn Temple on Saturday. Thalang Police were notified of the incident at about 2:30pm after the temple’s Supervisor of Cultural Tourism, Somchai Saethan, discovered that his office had been broken into while he was attending morning meditation. “The suspect used…
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Phuket underpass construction site gobbles up taxi
PHUKET: A Phuket International Airport taxi driver took his car for a swim after ignoring warning signs and plunging his vehicle into a large hole at the Samkong Underpass construction site on Saturday night. “Cars are only allowed to make left-hand turns onto the bypass road as they approach from Kathu. Despite the lights, signs and traffic control personnel, the…
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High schoolers use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana – U.S. study
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community High schoolers use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana – U.S. study Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Nearly one in five high school students who said they used electronic cigarettes to vaporize nicotine also used them to vaporize pot, according to a survey of nearly 4,000 Connecticut teens.…
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Greece asks EU for humanitarian aid to cope with migration crisis
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Greece asks EU for humanitarian aid to cope with migration crisis Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Greece asked the European Union on Monday for humanitarian aid to help it cope with what itcalled “a volatile situation” following the large flow of migrants and refugees from the…
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Prosecutor might not charge mayor for billion-baht beach scandal, taxi mafia
PHUKET: Prosecutors have yet to decided if evidence provided by police against the mayor of Karon is strong enough for them to press charges for his alleged involvement in a billion-baht-beach scheme and the ‘taxi mafia’. Karon Mayor Thawee Thongcham, who has ruled the popular beach area of Kata-Karon for more than a decade, was arrested on June 4, 2014…
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Unemployed, debt-ridden Austrian expat found dead
PHUKET: An Austrian expat, allegedly suffering from gambling issues and a drinking problem, took his own life yesterday morning after failing to have enough money to extend his visa in Thailand, a voice message left by the man explained. Walter Edhofer, 53, was found by neighbors at about 7am in a parking lot in Kathu, confirmed Lt Sawanya Eiadtrong of…
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On Deck: United front for greater good
PHUKET: Thailand’s marine industry has received intermittent support from the Royal Thai Government over the years – sporadic and rarely strategic. In 2004, when the astronomical taxes on importing boats to Thailand was reduced from more than 200% of the value of the boat to 0%, this happened on the back of a concerted effort by the marine industry to…
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A Decade Ago: Buses zoom around, as do katoeys
PHUKET: When was public transport not an issue on the island? It seems to sneak into headlines week in and week out with the occasional big splash when authorities attempt to launch a new initiative. This week, it’s the 50-baht Phuket Town to Patong van service – which deserves the butts and bahts of those going from the island’s cultural…
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First Person: Weeding out touts
Suwat Suksiri, 43, has been Chief of the Thung Talay Non Hunting Zone since 2010. He is originally from Chumphon Province and earned his bachelor’s degree in Forestry from Sukhothai Thammathirat University. He has been working in the forestry field since 1993. Here he talks about why animal touting is a serious problem for foreigners and not locals, and how…
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Airport extension to finish on time
PHUKET: The Phuket Airport Authority has confirmed that the 5.7-billion-baht expansion of the international terminal will be completed by its February 14, 2016 deadline, as promised. “The latest update from the contractor states that the building is almost 80 per cent finished and that construction is flowing steadily as the rainy season clears up,” said Amnuay Sarachart, executive vice president…
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Phuket drug fugitive nabbed in Songkhla
PHUKET: A fugitive wanted for possession of more than 5 million baht’s worth of drugs and related assets was arrested in Songkhla on Thursday. Anuwat ‘Obie’ Thongtan, 31, escaped from his Phuket home last month just before police arrived (story here). “On August 5, the Phuket Provincial Police went to search Mr Anuwat’s house at Si Suchat Grand View 5…
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Asian Weightlifting Championships start tomorrow
PHUKET: Due to the devastating earthquake in Nepal, the 26th Senior Women’s and 45th Senior Men’s Asian Weightlifting Championships are now taking place in Phuket starting tomorrow. Between September 6 and 11, almost 400 athletes from 38 countries will be flexing their muscles as they battle against gravity at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex. The event’s opening ceremony, chaired…
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Phuket Yacht Show dates confirmed
PHUKET: Dates for the first edition of the Phuket Yacht Show, now known as the Thailand Yacht Show, have finally been confirmed by organizers Singapore Yacht Events Pte Ltd (SYE) following a partnership agreement signed recently with the Marine Department of Thailand’s Ministry of Transport. The event is destined to become the focal point of the luxury charter yacht business…
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Vegetarian Festival dates announced
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Jansomwong has announced the dates for this year’s Vegetarian Festival with the new addition of a parade in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The nine-day festival is slated to take place from October 13 to 21. “The parade to honor HM the King will take place on Wednesday, October 14 at Chai Field. There will also…
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Phuket shark bite confirmed
PHUKET: The animal that bit a pregnant Australian at Karon Beach on Tuesday is a shark, confirmed shark expert David Martin, who has more than 25 years of experience filming sharks for BBC, the National Geographic and a number of other publications. “In this kind of case, it is very important to look at all the facts before making any…
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New food fair comes to Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket will play host for the first ever ‘Amazing Tastes of Thailand’ food fair from September 19 to 20, confirmed Anoma Wongyai, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket. Selected food from across the nation, as well as popular Phuket dishes, will be available for visitors to enjoy on Thalang Road in Phuket Town. “There will also…
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Bargains galore at Boat Arcade Garage Sale this weekend
PHUKET: Bargain hunters can rummage through a treasure trove of used and second-hand items at the first East Meets West Weekend Garage Sale to be held at the new Boat Arcade community mall this weekend from 10:00am to 4:00pm. About 100 stalls will be popping up to offer everything from household items and furniture to boat parts, books, toys and,…
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Business Buzz: Five tips for content creation for your business
PHUKET: The first priority in marketing through social media is to decide what you want to achieve. Is it for people to find out about a new service; to get them to visit your Facebook page; to educate them on something unknown; to be funny; or to shock with facts; or just to create brand awareness? Also think about where…
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Opinion: Monkey business
PHUKET: The recent arrest of a number of touts for the illegal possession of gibbons on Phi Phi Don Island reveals, yet again, the continuation of the pathetic practice of using exotic animals as props to make money from uneducated tourists in Thailand. On a somewhat brighter note, the fact that the arrest followed images being sent to the Gazette…
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Khao Sok diving ban maybe lifted
PHUKET: In a knee-jerk reaction, national park officers enforced a ban on all diving in the Chio Lan Reservoir, the center piece to the extraordinary Khao Sok National Park, following the death of two experienced cave divers in a diving accident on technical rebreathers last year (story here). However, the ban might not last, Khao Sok National Park Chief Chaichana…
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Phuket flyover plans grounded by locals
PHUKET: Locals rejected two government approved 100-million-baht flyover plans that were designed to reduce traffic congestion on Thepkasattri Road. The flyovers were planned for the u-turn at the first set of traffic lights just north of Thalang Town and the Baan Koh Kaew Tha Ruea u-turn in front of Baan Jee Teng (story here). About 180 people joined the public…
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