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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 Moving with family? Here’s how to cut health costs in Thailand
Relocating to Thailand with your family brings exciting new opportunities, but it also comes with the challenge of managing healthcare costs in a new system. Thailand has both public and private healthcare options, each offering different prices and quality of...
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Phuket bus crash victims all safe
Pic 1: Patong Hill Bus crashCUT400 PHUKET: Wichean Tungjit, the 25-year-old Phuket tuk-tuk driver involved in this morning’s bus crash on Patong Hill, was diagnosed by doctors as having a mild concussion, but not a fractured skull, as was originally feared. Mr Wichean was among the 10 people rushed to Patong Hospital after the accident, which happened at about 6:50am.…
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Phuket Gazette: Elephant butchered in Krabi
PHUKET: Livestock officials in Krabi are investigating the death of a male elephant found partially decapitated on a remote hilltop rubber plantation in Khao Khraam District yesterday afternoon, the Phuket Gazette has learned. The discovery of the carcass was reported to the Gazette by Khao Khram tambon chief Karim Laklaeng at about 2pm yesterday. [Reader discretion advised. Some readers may…
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PM Yingluck orders budget airlines to move to “Bangkok LCC’
PHUKET (The Nation): In a move that will affect all tourists flying from Bangkok to Phuket on low-cost airlines, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered all low-cost carriers (LCCs) to move operations to Don Mueang Airport. The move is aimed at improving air and runway traffic at Suvarnabhumi Airport, but the plan is unlikely to ease the current turmoil frustrating…
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Phuket MICE tourists in Patong bus crash
PHUKET: Another bus full of passengers in Phuket, this time for a seminar, crashed into a house at the bottom of Patong Hill this morning. Nine of the passengers were taken to Patong Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Lt Thanakrit Kiawyai of Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette that the accident happened at about 6:50am. “The bus had about…
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Phuket beach vendors demand investigation of land title deeds
PHUKET: More than 100 vendors from Laem Singh Beach gathered outside Phuket Provincial Hall today to demand that the government investigate Chanote title deeds for the beachfront land at the scenic cape. The call to investigate the land titles follows the claimant landowner ordering a fence to be built along the property boundaries – the final result of which will…
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Phuket drug duo arrest lands Bt1mn haul
PHUKET: Phuket Police arrested a husband and wife who they say were found in possession of drugs with an estimated street value of more than one million baht. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha announced the arrests at Phuket City Hall today, adding that a total of seven people were arrested in two separate police operations during the past week. At the…
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Health Minister pushes for unified emergency healthcare by April 1
PHUKET (The Nation): Private hospitals are willing to join a government plan to provide unlimited emergency medical treatment to all patients covered by healthcare schemes, starting on April 1, Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri has announced. Mr Witthaya said that he had been discussing the plan with executives of hospitals, including private ones, across the country since March 8. All…
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Phuket business: Tourism campaign lures swingers; Tourism and hotel college enrolls for May
PHUKET: With the Thai summer just around the bend, club swingers are among the latest tourist group that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set its sights on. In a bid to increase golf tourists to the country by 10%, TAT this year has partnered with MasterCard to launch the “72 Hours Amazing Thailand Golf Paradise” campaign. All in,…
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Phuket Business: Krabi shaping up as an oil hub
PHUKET: Agricultural development initiatives look to position Krabi province as a new regional and world hub for the production, supply and retail of palm oil.When the Asean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) comes into full effect by 2015, traders and merchants from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos will enjoy tariff-free trading of most Asean-produced goods and commodities,…
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Phuket business: Tax filing deadline approaches
PHUKET: For anybody who generated income in Thailand last year – regardless of where or how they were paid – the personal income tax filing deadline is March 31. In this two-part series, the Phuket Gazette will outline the need-to-know basics for filing personal income tax in Thailand. First, we will cover taxable income, deductions and tax certificates. In the…
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Phuket Gazette: African news round-up
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UN to meet with central African governments to fight Lord’s Resistance Army PHUKET (News Wires): The United Nations (UN) yesterday said it will meet in Uganda with government officials from central Africa next week to establish a comprehensive regional strategy to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army…
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Myanmar rushes headlong into brave new world
SPECIAL REPORTPHUKET: The Japanese salary-man’s blue suit brushed past the backpacker’s Bob Marley t-shirt as they passed in the guest house hallway.“No rooms. Fully booked,” said the desk clerk.The Japanese man was on his way to shore up a lease on a garment factory and the Irish backpacker was here in Myanmar to see the wonders of Inle Lake and…
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Phuket free of bird flu, but taking no chances
PHUKET: Phuket has not had a recorded single case of H5N1 bird flu in five years, but public health workers are still training to recognize and fight the dreaded virus in the case of any future outbreaks. More than 100 public health workers and volunteers yesterday attended a “Bird Flu Prevention 2012” training seminar at Vachira Phuket Hospital. The stated…
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WFFT charges top DNP officials with defamation
PHUKET: A Dutch-born wildlife activist has filed defamation charges against top-ranking Thai officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) for claiming his shelter in Petchaburi was involved in the torture and trade of protected wildlife species. The charges are the latest salvo in the battle between the DNP and the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT),…
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US Consular Outreach in Phuket
PHUKET: The American Citizen Services section of the United States Embassy in Bangkok will be at the Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort in Karon on Thursday morning as part of its “consular outreach” service. Consular staff will be available to provide following services from 8am until noon: • Passport renewal applications • Notarial services • Embassy registration and/or address change…
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Phuket Gazette: New horned dinosaurs found in Canada
– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Scientists discover two new horned dinosaurs in North America PHUKET (News Wires): Scientists at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in Ohio have discovered two new plant-eating horned dinosaurs which lived between 75 to 83 million years ago, it was announced yesterday. The fossils were found in Canada. The…
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Phuket Live Wire: Why True and CAT go out to lunch every three hours
PHUKET: This week I’m going back to answering questions. This first one surprised me, but I’ve had confirmation now from all over Thailand. It goes like this: “Woody, I have a new TrueMove-H “3G” account. The wireless service is directly connected into my PC, with a USB stick. I watch financial markets, so I’m online for extended periods of time.…
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Phuket Airport “black taxis’ given ultimatum
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham and Wantha Phummararossukontha, Assistant Director of Phuket Provincial Transport Office (PPTO), have warned illegal taxi drivers to obtain the correct license plate or face stiff fines. Mr Wantha said action was being taken as many passengers had complained of overcharging by “black plate” taxi drivers, and the concerns he had received from legitimate…
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Official corruption: PACC names Phuket “model province’
PHUKET: The ongoing probe into official corruption by government officials in allowing land title deeds to be issued on state land should shore up investor confidence, the Phuket governor says. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha told the state-run MCOT news agency that the probe by the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) began in secrecy six or seven months ago in Phuket,…
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Phuket Police net bumper haul in serial thieves’ arrest
PHUKET: Police are urging residents in Chalong whose houses have been robbed recently to come forward and claim items recovered after the arrest of two suspects landed more than 100 stolen goods. The news comes after Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul presided over a press conference at Chalong Police Station yesterday, held to present Thawatchai Tipyotin, 42, and Jenjira…
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Phuket Gazette: Foreigners own 100 million rai
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Foreigners own 100 million rai PHUKET (The Nation): Some 100 million rai of Thailand is owned by foreigners, mostly through their Thai spouses or nominees, Auditor-General Sriracha Charoenpanit revealed yesterday. He said if this situation was “unresolved”, it could lead to later generations of Thais having…
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Andaman Motor Show drives Phuket car sales
PHUKET: The 14th Andaman Motor Show currently under way at HomeWorks, opposite Central Festival Phuket on the bypass road, is enjoying one of its best years in car sales. The six-day event, this year under the theme “Summer on the Beach”, ends on Wednesday. “We don’t have final figures for the overall number of car loan applications yet, but I…
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Phuket lifeguards vow to “not let tourists down’
PHUKET: A re-run of last year’s beach safety scare has emerged following the Phuket Lifeguard Club warning that their contract will terminate on April 2, and that they have not received any official notification of what is to happen next. Phuket Lifeguard Club President Prathaiyut “Nut” Chuayuan today told the Phuket Gazette that he had received no information as to…
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Phuket Gazette: Afghanistan & Pakistan news round-up
– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community U.S. soldier goes on shooting spree, kills 16 Afghan civilians PHUKET (News Wires): A U.S. service member was arrested early yesterday morning after going on a shooting spree in southern Afghanistan, killing sixteen civilians in their homes and injuring several others, officials said. The attack happened at around 3:45am…
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Krabi Mayor pushes for international school
PHUKET: A move to secure 30 million baht in funding to build an international school in Krabi has been presented as one of the projects to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval during the ministers’ meeting in Phuket on March 19-20.The Krabi Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports proposed the idea, currently labelled the “Andaman International School” project, to…
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Students holidaying in Phuket survive Phang Nga crash
PHUKET: Five medical students on holiday in Phuket escaped with minor injuries when the car they were traveling in struck a tree in Phang Nga yesterday.Lt Eakkapop Phuthong of Takua Thung Police received a report at 5:30pm that a vehicle had overshot a curve on Takua Thung Road at Baan Kuan, Kok Kloy.“Sidan Hayeesamadae, a 25-year-old male, was driving four…
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Phuket sports: Practice makes perfect… almost
PHUKET: One of the shortest courses ever set was organized for the second race of the Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC) Irish Times Race Series. From the Ao Makham safe water mark and back, with two short loops around the Ban Nit safe water mark – the total course length was only nine nautical miles. On Saturday, David Liddell from…
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Phuket sports: Nanai Boys moving up
PHUKET: Eden FC broke their Phuket Super Six League duck with a win in the evening’s first match against Aladdin at Headstart International School’s Football Island last Wednesday. In an even game, Aladdin took an early lead with goal, but Eden FC pressed back and were soon two goals ahead from strikes by Joseph Arimathea and Zac Remboldt. Aladdin clawed…
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Phuket sports: Thanachart Bank driven all the way by Honda FC
PHUKET: Only one Premier Division match graced last week’s Adult Futsal League’s Thursday schedule at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC). Honda came agonizingly close to producing a shock result against second placed Thanachart Bank, but clinical finishing in the latter part of the match ensured a spirited Honda performance was unrewarded. Honda v Thanachart Bank: 2-4. The Division One…
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Phuket sport: PowerPlay golf hits Phuket
PHUKET: The worldwide sport phenomenon of PowerPlay Golf has arrived in Thailand. A dynamic nine-hole format, with some twists, has been introduced to the golf-loving nation by exclusive rights and license holder Asian Golf Events Co Ltd. PowerPlay Golf was first played in the UK in 2007 and by 2011 it had expanded to 30 countries and over 600 courses,…
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