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.
-
Sponsored
How much travel insurance should cost you in Thailand (By trip length)
When planning a trip to Thailand, travel insurance is a smart investment that can save you from unexpected costs. Whether it’s medical expenses, lost luggage, or trip cancellations, the right coverage can provide peace of mind and financial protection against...
-
Phuket tourism market eyed for semi-submarine pilot
PHUKET: Looking to build on its recent successful launch in Malaysia, one Korean marketeer is now eying the Phuket and Phang Nga marine leisure markets for its simple yet innovative semi-submarine vessel.“The Penguin” was one of several interesting marine products that stood out at this year’s Phuket International Boat Show (see page 44 for more details about the event); To…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: High stakes in Paris race to be first Madame Mayor
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community High stakes in Paris race to be first Madame Mayor Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Wanted: Chief executive to run city of two million, seat of government, top global tourist destination and fashion capital. Relevant experience appreciated. Men need not apply.Paris elects a new mayor this spring who…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Malta agrees to curtail plans to sell EU citizenship
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Malta agrees to curtail plans to sell EU citizenship Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Anyone wishing to buy an EU passport from Malta must first live in the island nation for a year, the European Commission and Malta agreed on Wednesday, curtailing its contentious plan to sell EU…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: U.S. readies financial sanctions against Ukraine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. readies financial sanctions against Ukraine Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Obama administration is preparing financial sanctions that could be imposed on Ukrainian officials and protest leaders if violence escalates in the political crisis gripping Ukraine, congressional aides said on Wednesday.Congressional aides, who asked not to be…
-
Phuket Chinese New Year: fruit up 30%, no change in meat, vegetables
PHUKET: Produce shoppers did not seem deterred by the 30% annual increase on fruit prices ahead of the Chinese New Year celebrations, a visit today to one of the Phuket’s main fresh markets revealed. Meanwhile, no significant annual change was observed in the price of most vegetables and two staple meats – chicken and pork. Earlier today, the Gazette visited…
-
Phuket Hero: Two years at the top
PHUKET: A team of young dancers from the Ban Bangneaw Municipal School in Phuket Town won the national finals of the “To Be Number One” Teen Dancersize Competition held in the events arena at The Mall Bangkapi in Bangkok on January 26 and 27. Competing in the Junior Division for students aged 6 to 9, the HERO team wowed the…
-
Phuket Old Town Festival to begin next week
PHUKET: The annual three-day Phuket Old Town Festival will kick off on February 7 with a parade to celebrate the unique culture of Phuket’s residents. Events will be held along Thalang Road, Soi Rommanee and Krabi Road – the heart of the Phuket Old Town area, explained Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana. “The main purpose of this festival is to…
-
Phuket Police vow to protect voters, despite manpower shortage
PHUKET: Despite a shortage of officers, the Phuket Provincial Police have vowed to protect voters from any violence on election day with a special task force. The group of 41 officers will be made up of five fast-response inspectors, 18 undercover officers and 18 officers on standby. “Officers manning the polling stations have been instructed not to interfere with peaceful…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Poll set for Sunday amid fears of further violence; Man shot, gunman caught; Reds to rally nationwide
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Poll set for Sunday amid fears of further violence The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The decision to go ahead with the February 2 election would only mount pressure on the caretaker government because it would provide “ammunition” to the protesters, a leader of the People’s Democratic for…
-
Mission to replace detached tsunami warning buoy departs from Phuket
PHUKET: A 10-day mission departed from Phuket late yesterday to replace a tsunami warning buoy in the Indian Ocean. The original buoy was severed from its anchorage months ago (story here). National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) Chief Somsak Khaosuwan chaired the mission launch, which is to be carried out by experts on board the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center research…
-
B12mn canal extension project to begin in March
PHUKET: A 12-million-baht project to dredge the Koh Kaew Canal and deepen the existing approach channel from Phang Nga Bay will begin in March.The six-month project was approved at a public hearing led by Governor Maitri Inthusut at the Royal Phuket Marina last Thursday.“Our officers found that the canal is not deep enough for big boats or yachts and could…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Police rescue hundreds of Rohingya in raid on suspected traffickers’ camp
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thai police rescue hundreds of Rohingya in raid on suspected traffickers’ camp Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Thai police have rescued hundreds of Rohingya Muslims from a remote camp in a raid prompted by a Reuters investigation into human trafficking, police officials said on Monday.Police detained 531 men,…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Sri Lanka says international war crimes probe would bring chaos
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Sri Lanka says international war crimes probe would bring ‘chaos’ Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: An international inquiry into war crimes in Sri Lanka would bring “chaos,” and the government’s national reconciliation process must be given several more years to work, a top aide to Sri Lanka’s president…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: World Bank warns Myanmar on corruption as it unveils $2bn in aid
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community World Bank warns Myanmar on corruption as it unveils $2 billion in aid Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The World Bank on Monday warned Myanmar against corruption as it unveiled a $2 billion aid package designed to provide better health care and improve supplies of electricity.Despite the country’s…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Protesters mourn Suthin, murder witness steps up; Election date looms; Rice corruption plagues Yingluck
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Govt may let EC decide election date The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The caretaker government is likely to pass the hot potato of rescheduling the February 2 elections over to the Election Commission (EC) when caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra meets election commissioners today.A source in the…
-
US embassy consular outreach clinic in Phuket
PHUKET: The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok will hold an Outreach Visit at Le Meridien Hotel in Karon on January 29. Consular staff will be available from 8am to midday to provide the following services: • Passport renewal applications (US$110 or 3,410 baht for adult passports, US$105 or 3,255 baht for a minor’s passport). • Notarial Services…
-
Phuket lucky license plate auction pulls up short of the mark
PHUKET: The Phuket Lucky License Plate Auction fell short of a 30-million-baht goal this year (story here) with bidders handing over just 23mn baht for road-safety campaigns and traffic-victim rehabilitation programs. The two-day auction organized by the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) was held at the Phuket Merlin Hotel (map here) on Saturday and Sunday. More than 300 license plates…
-
Phuket Town to enjoy Chinese acrobats, but no fireworks for Year of the Horse
PHUKET: A troupe of 50 acrobats from China will headline the entertainment in Phuket Town to usher in Chinese New Year this Friday. The Henan Acrobatic Troupe will perform nine chapters of their “Chinese fairy tale” repertoire, explained Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) President Paiboon Upatising. “They will also perform other splendid shows, but there will not be a fireworks…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Chalerm gives protesters 72 hours to quit
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Chalerm tells protesters to leave govt offices in 72 hours or face arrest The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, the director of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), today issued an ultimatum to protesters to halt their siege of government offices…
-
Lone voter casts ballot in Phuket poll shutdown
PHUKET: Phuket protesters arriving late to shut down the polling station in Thalang yesterday resulted in one lone voter casting a ballot in the advance voting for the February 2 national election. “We cannot reveal who that person was, but he arrived and voted before the protesters turned up at about 9:30am,” said polling station chief Chaiya Khamsaad. Once the…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Syrian government to allow women, children to exit war zone
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Syria talks bring offer of exit from siege of Homs Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: The Syrian government offered to let women and children leave the besieged city of Homs on Sunday as negotiators from the warring sides discussed humanitarian gestures on a second day of face-to-face talks…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: At least 21 people dead after Indian tourist boat capsizes
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community At least 21 people dead after Indian tourist boat capsizes Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: At least 21 people died after a boat carrying Indian tourists capsized off India’s Andaman Islands, officials said on Sunday.“A boat with some 40 odd people sank earlier today,” Anand Prakash, Chief Secretary…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Police name gunman in Maryland mall shooting; motive still unclear
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Police name gunman in Maryland mall shooting; motive still unclear Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: A gunman who shot and killed two people at a Maryland mall was a 19-year-old who lived with his mother in a nearby Washington suburb and arrived at the shopping centre in a…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Tunisia approves new constitution, appoints government
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Tunisia approves new constitution, appoints government Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Tunisia’s national assembly approved the country’s new constitution on Sunday in one of the final steps to full democracy three years after protests erupted into an uprising that toppled autocrat Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.Just before the constitution’s…
-
Phuket Gazette World News: Quebec premier vows ‘never again’ after 32 die in senior residence fire
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Quebec premier vows ‘never again’ after 32 die in senior residence fire Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Quebec Premier Pauline Marois on Sunday said a fatal fire in a seniors’ residence was “unacceptable” but stopped short of saying her government would make sprinklers mandatory in homes for the…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Anger, violence rock voting in capital; Poll blockades across South; Northern snow just frost
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anger and violence rock voting in capital The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Advance voting for the national election was disrupted yesterday by violence, with the murder of an anti-government protest leader and a dozen people injured. This includes voters who wanted to cast ballots.Police have said they…
-
Phuket landlord, son, slain in lease dispute
PHUKET: A Phuket landlord and her son were gunned down in front of their family home in Thung Thong yesterday afternoon amid a heated a dispute over continuing a lease for a local curry shop that sold sugarcane juice. Police arrived at the scene (map here) at about 4:30pm to find Boonlet Thanom-anantakun, 42, standing next to the house with…
-
Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Anti-Thaksin protest leader slain in public shooting
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anti-Thaksin protest leader slain in public shooting The Nation / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Suthin Taratin, one of leaders of People’s Army to Overthrow the Thaksin Regime, was killed by a gunshot to the head as he was leading a blockade at an advance polling station in Bangkok’s Bang…
-
Phuket election alcohol ban starts tonight
PHUKET: Phuket will face an alcohol ban starting at 6pm tonight ahead of the advance voting tomorrow for the February 2 national election.“According to the Election Act, all alcohol sales in Phuket are banned from 6pm tonight through to midnight tomorrow because of the advance voting for the MP elections,” Phuket Election Commission (PEC) Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit confirmed to the…
-
Phuket Local Food Festival serves up a treat
PHUKET: The sixth annual Phuket Local Food Festival started at Saphan Hin last night, with Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut serving up healthy portions of local delicacies. “This is a great fair that all tourists should know about because it shows how beautifully unique Phuket is,” Governor Maitri said. “In addition to our beautiful beaches, we have a special culture and…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.