Pattaya News
Pattaya news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s coastal entertainment hub. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Pattaya news source.
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Party it up like you’re in Ibiza
PHUKET: Did you know that the Balearic island of Ibiza and the Andaman island of Phuket are within a few square miles of being the same size? There are other connections too: quite a large chunk of Ibiza has UNESCO World Heritage status, while Phuket cuisine recently picked up the UNESCO seal of approval. Additionally, a significant and growing chunk…
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Business: Thailand’s airports to get overhauls
PHUKET: As authorities anticipate 34 million foreign-tourist arrivals and 150 million domestic air travellers in 2017, major airports including Phuket International, Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang International, U-tapao Rayong-Pattaya International, Krabi International and Chiang Rai Mae Fah Luang International are undergoing renovations or expansion. Meanwhile, there have been calls for some small airports upcountry, such as in Roi-et, Nakhon Ratchasima and Hua…
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On Deck: Yachting forum needs better exposure
PHUKET: We’ve had one regatta, two superyacht rendezvous and a yacht show in the last month in Phuket. Squeezed in between all of that was the little-discussed Thailand Yachting Forum (TYF). Held a day before the Thailand Yacht Show, the second TYF was this year hosted by Phuket Boat Lagoon. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing, kicked it…
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Property Watch: Not everything can be ‘unique’
PHUKET: No other word suffers as much abuse in the Phuket property market as the word ‘unique’, to the extent that the misuse itself is almost unique. The word is important for property investors, because the ‘Unique Selling Point’ is a factor that ought to be addressed at an early stage of investment. However, items that are not unique could…
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On Deck: Pattaya jumps aboard marine tourism trend
PHUKET: Yachting in the Gulf of Thailand is nothing new but it is fair to say that the Andaman Sea region has grown much more quickly and has a much larger marine leisure industry than the Gulf of Thailand. Think Phuket and Pattaya; some would say they are chalk and cheese on so many levels. While Phuket’s abundance of nearby…
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Phuket Gazette bags ‘Best Newspaper in South Thailand’ award
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette is honored to have been named ‘Best Newspaper in South Thailand’ at the prestigious Thailand Professionals Business & Lifestyle Awards in Bangkok on Saturday night. In presenting the award, the organizers noted that readership was the key criterion in arriving at their decision to favor the Gazette. “With national distribution throughout Thailand, the newspaper is the…
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By The Book: Renting a villa in Phuket
PHUKET: Renting a villa or apartment long term is very popular in Thailand, especially in resort areas such as Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Koh Samui. Many would-be buyers are deciding to hold off and rent for a year or more while they get to know the area and learn the ways of Thailand without so much risk. Renting long…
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On Deck: Sailing ignored as a mainstream sport
PHUKET: Bangkok was host to Asia’s Sports Industry Awards & Conference (SPIA Asia) at the beginning of this month. A two-day conference with presentations from leaders in the regional sports industry – IMG, Lagardere, GroupM, Media Pro, Total Sports Asia, TATA Consulting, and many more – discussing the best practices and latest developments within the sports industry, was followed by…
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Blind community offered boosted standards and legal venue registrations
PHUKET: The Thailand Association of the Blind (TAB) organized an informational discussion at the Bhukitta Hotel & Spa on Wednesday to boost the standard of blind massage parlors and tweak their registration process. The event was led by Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat, alongside deputy director of the TAB Surat Puengsiriwathana, and Petrat Techatracha, head of The Blinds Vocational Promotion…
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Phuket sports organizations make it to SPIA Asia finals
PHUKET: A handful of Phuket events and sports businesses have made the final shortlists of the 2016 Asian Sports Industry Awards (SPIA Asia) and will be competing against the best in Thailand and Asia for a prestigious SPIA award this year. A total of 72 Thai entries made the final shortlist for SPIA Asia 2016 in a variety of categories,…
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On Deck: A look inside the Royal Pavilion
PHUKET: I recently attended the National Science and Technology Fair in Bangkok at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. The attraction for me was a Royal Pavilion that included boats made by His Majesty the King of Thailand. Many will know that His Majesty has built a number of boats in his time. Twenty-five to be precise, all dinghies. His first was…
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Foreign suspects celebrated for rape, theft, debt default and smuggling
PHUKET: Seven foreign suspects were rounded up on charges of rape, tax fraud, smuggling and defaulting on debts last week in Phuket, Pattaya, Songkhla and Bangkok. The seven were then celebrated in a parade in front of the media at the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok yesterday. Three of the suspects were Chinese nationals: Wang Jianlan, 31; Zhang Jingjing, 30; and…
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Phuket Transport Office vows to continue crackdown
PHUKET: Five hundred seventy-three drivers were arrested during a three-day crackdown in Phuket, July 3-5, according to officials from the Department of Land Transport (DLT). Royal Thai Army personnel and Phuket law enforcement officers set up checkpoints across the island, in what DLT officials called an “attempt to boost Thailand’s image”. DLT director-general Sanit Promwong said on July 5 that…
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On Deck: Large trimarans to the fore
PHUKET: Multihull sailing isn’t something new to Phuket. In fact, some would argue multihulls are the ideal boats for Phuket’s waters. With their shallow draft they can more easily access some areas as compared to their monohull cousins. While everyone has different tastes in terms of size, brand and two hulls or three, what is relatively new to the local…
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Phuket officials, hospitality reps talk safety
PHUKET: Phuket officials met with tourism and hospitality operators yesterday to discuss safety measures and contingency plans in case of emergencies. Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat, as well as officials from the Thai Hotels Association and Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office (MOTS), met with representatives from private and public sector hospitality businesses at a conference held at the…
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Phuket international school eyed for takeover
PHUKET: The British International School Phuket (BISP) is in talks with global education provider Nord Anglia, which is making a bid to take over the school’s operations. In a letter addressed to parents last week, BIS CEO Apiwat Ourairat stated that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the school and Nord Anglia over the potential lease of…
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Thailand Optimist National Championships to launch in Pattaya
PATTAYA: The next generation of Olympic sailors from Thailand and around Asia are heading to Ocean Marina Yacht Club this weekend to compete in the Thailand Optimist National Championships. Now in its 41st year, the Thailand Optimist National Championships is the country’s second oldest sailing trophy and the pinnacle of competitive youth sailing in Thailand. The Thailand Optimist National Championships…
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Battling the HIV/AIDS stigma
PHUKET: Eighteen year old ‘Nok’ is a normal, healthy-looking school girl struggling to cope with a dark past brought about by the shame and stigma of being diagnosed HIV positive. She found out she had contracted the disease when she became pregnant at 15 years old. “I was scared and confused. I asked my parents for help and they made…
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TAT sees only small growth in Songkran visitors
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates that only 2.1 per cent more foreign tourists are coming to Thailand to celebrate Songkran this week compared to last year. “It seems that overall tourism during Songkran this year will likely not be as bustling. This could be due to the economic decline, which is a major cause for many people…
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Tough new laws to help clear Phuket beaches of animal touts
PHUKET: The stakes will be raised for those engaged in the illegal, exotic-animal trade once the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment signs a new law draft, which is expected to take place after the Songkran break. “For more than 20 years we have witnessed the illegal killing and exploitation of endangered and protected wild animals for tourism. Every day,…
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Phuket to get two of eight new marinas planned for the south
PHUKET: Two new marinas are to be built in Phuket as part of the government’s plan to stimulate economic growth by turning Thailand into a marine leisure hub in the ASEAN region. The marina development plan, announced by Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, includes construction of eight new marinas – four in the Andaman Sea and four in the Gulf of…
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Opinion: Patong needs to break with tuk-tuk transport
PHUKET: The introduction of traffic barriers to stop pedestrians crossing Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong serves as yet another reminder that the traffic problem in the tourist town could be vastly improved by the introduction of a simple, reasonably-priced public transport system. Patong Police and Patong Municipality, the forces behind the barrier project, believe that not having pedestrians venture…
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Opinion: Visa Overstay – Nefarious Intentions or Just Bad Planning?
PHUKET: The recent push to publicize the need for foreign tourists not to overstay their visas is long overdue, but we hope the Immigration Bureau will use its sweeping powers in fair and compassionate ways that consider extenuating circumstances – especially those involving victims of accidents or crime. The crackdown, which actually comprises little more than stricter enforcement of existing…
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Confirmed: Minors to dodge overstay blacklisting
PHUKET: Children will not be blacklisted for overstaying their visas, officials confirmed today. Thailand’s implementation of a regulation to blacklist overstayers will not affect those under the age of 18, explained Immigration Commissioner Nathathorn Prousoontorn. The news follows much uncertainty in Phuket after the regulations were announced earlier this month. “The new penalties came into effect on March 20. They…
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Petition launched to stop wild animal exploitation in Thailand’s tourist spots
PHUKET: Phuket-based animal welfare organization the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) has launched an online petition to get the Prime Minister’s backing to put a stop to wild animals being used in the tourist trade in the region and other tourist destinations in Thailand. The campaign, ‘Stop the Killing and Exploitation of Wild Animals for Tourism’, was launched yesterday. “We…
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Tighter traffic law enforcement in Phuket for Songkran
PHUKET: Phuket is among seven tourist destinations in the country undergoing a crackdown on traffic law violations ahead of the Songkran holiday in April. Since March 1, the Royal Thai Police and its relevant divisions – Tourist Police, Traffic Police, Strategy Division, and Foreign Affairs Division – in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Department of…
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Phuket food top of the tags on Instagram
PHUKET: Though the sultans of Instagram selfies reign in London, it’s Phuket food that gets the most publicity on the social media giant, according to research by airport transfer company Hoppa. “In the modern era, the holiday experience doesn’t just live in the moment and in the memory, it isn’t even resigned only to traditional photo albums… Because now, the…
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Justice Ministry promises probe Phuket vendors’ grievances
PHUKET: About 300 Karon residents and business operators crowded into a meeting room at Phuket Provincial Hall Friday morning to air their grievances about beach regulations. Karon Beach vendors told Dussadee Arayawuthi, deputy permanent secretary of the Justice Ministry, that they were badly affected by the beach regulating policies implemented within the past two years. “Look at Pattaya, where beach…
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Across the Land: The persistent growing pains of Phuket
PHUKET: Last month, MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2015 announced that Thailand is the most popular regional travel destination for 2015, with three of its cities making the top ten list. Bangkok was the most popular, followed by Phuket in fifth place and Pattaya in eighth. The survey was based on 167 destinations from 22 countries across Asia Pacific and…
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Chinese police break silence on missing Hong Kong bookseller
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Chinese police break silence on missing Hong Kong bookseller Phuket Gazette / Reuters PHUKET: Chinese police have made their first statement on the fate of one of five missing Hong Kong booksellers, believed by many to have been abducted by mainland agents, acknowledging widespread concerns but…
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