The Presidents of the National Assembly, Supreme Court, and Senate, as well as Cabinet members, military commanders, senior police officers, civil servants, and representatives of the private sector g...
The Presidents of the National Assembly, Supreme Court, and Senate, as well as Cabinet members, military commanders, senior police officers, civil servants, and representatives of the private sector g...
Luxury resort developers are shifting investment north of Phuket to Phang-Nga's mainland coast, where large undeveloped beachfront allows for spacious, secluded properties that the land-scarce island can no longer accommodate. Two major res
The Sarasin shift: Thailand’s luxury coastline moves north of PhuketLegacyFor decades, the Sarasin Bridge was simply the road out of Phuket, a short concrete span that visitors crossed on the way to the airport and rarely thought about again. That is changing. The bridge is becoming a dividing line in Thailand’s hotel investment map, separating an island that has run out of room from a mainland coast that has plenty of it. Phuket’s problem is a good one to have: too much success, not enough land. Beachfront sites are scarce, prices have climbed accordingly, and much of what remains is being built up as real estate rather than as hotels. Developers chasing the ultra-luxury tier, the kind of resort that needs seclusion, scale and an uninterrupted stretch of sand, are increasingly looking past the island altogether. They are finding it across the bridge. The InterContinental Phang-Nga Bay Resort, a 150-key property due to open in 2028 at Samet Nangshe, and the 150-key Kimpton Natai, opening a year earlier, anchor a coastline running from Natai to Thai Muang that offers what Phuket largely cannot: long, undeveloped oceanfront capable of supporting full-service resorts rather than the boxy, stacked product that scarcity forces elsewhere. A modest 15-key expansion at Khaolak Paradise Resort, further north, rounds out an active pipeline of 315 keys, according to C9 Hotelworks research. The numbers back up the direction of travel to the north of the Sarasin Bridge. According to the Khao Lak and Phang Nga Hotel & Tourism Market Review 2026, published by C9 Hotelworks, Phang Nga’s tourism revenue reached 56.6 billion baht (US$1.7 billion) in 2025, up 2% year-on-year, even as Thailand’s wider southern region, fourteen provinces in all, saw both visitors and revenue decline. International travellers made up 61% of Phang Nga’s arrivals but 76% of its revenue, spending more than double per head than domestic visitors, a gap that explains why developers are betting on this stretch of coast rather than simply on the region’s growth.
Further up the coast, Khao Lak is proving the shift is not only about five-star construction. At the northern end of Khuk Khak Beach sits Memories Beach, a modest, sandy-bottomed break that has quietly become the heart of Thailand’s surf scene. There are no reefs or rocks to worry about, just a shallow shoreline that builds consistent, waist-to-chest waves well suited to beginners, while bigger swells during the monsoon keep intermediate surfers coming back. The attached Pakarang Surf Shop rents boards and runs lessons, and the beach has hosted Rip Curl competition heats alongside its everyday mix of learners and longtime regulars. The season runs roughly from April to November, the monsoon months, which happens to be exactly when the Similan Islands close and the region’s dive boats stay in port. The two seasons dovetail neatly, giving Khao Lak something rare on this coast: a reason for visitors to come year-round rather than only in the dry months. Hotel data reflects the same resilience in a harder-edged way. Average daily rates in Khao Lak rose 26.2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, extending gains that ran as high as 46.4% through 2025, even as occupancy softened from March amid a weaker Middle East travel market. The clearest sign that Khao Lak is maturing rather than simply riding a good season is the 170-hectare Matalay integrated resort community, now taking shape with five international-standard resort sites under one masterplan.
It is the kind of large-scale, single-owner development Phuket can no longer accommodate, and it is arriving alongside easier four-lane access from Phuket International Airport, a combination that turns what was once a long, winding drive north into a straightforward extension of the island’s own catchment. Together, the road and the masterplan mark a structural shift in Khao Lak’s supply, not a one-off cycle of new openings. None of this makes Phuket obsolete. It makes it full. What is emerging north of the Sarasin Bridge is not an overflow market but a distinct one, built around space the island no longer has, a guest profile willing to pay for it, and, in Khao Lak’s case, a wave that keeps the beach busy after the divers have gone home. The story The Sarasin shift: Thailand’s luxury coastline moves north of Phuket as seen on Thaiger News.
An orphan from Kalasin Province who worked his way through Chulalongkorn University on a scholarship has become a travel content creator with millions of followers, documenting his solo journeys across more than 50 countries on a shoestring
Hlun Solo, a travel content creator with a following of 2.6 million on Facebook and 927,000 on YouTube, has lost contact with relatives while traveling in Georgia. The young YouTuber, who backpacks solo around the world, has inspired millions by sharing his journey across more than 50 countries.
Hlun grew up as an orphan in Kalasin Province after his father died in an accident when he was about four years old, leaving him in his grandmother's care. His family lived in poverty, farming rice with no money for education or regular meals. Determined to escape this life, he excelled in school, ranking first in his district high school. Unable to afford university, he worked at a Bangkok factory earning only 300 baht per day while renting a modest room for 2,000 baht monthly.
His persistence paid off when he won a scholarship to Chulalongkorn University. During his four years of study, the scholarship covered all expenses, allowing him to save 400,000 baht from part-time work including flyer distribution, tutoring, and online sales. After graduation, he used these savings to travel solo for over a year, visiting 17 countries initially and eventually more than 50 nations. His travel style is famously budget-conscious—using public transport, staying in cheap accommodations, and eating with locals. He now documents these adventures for his millions of online followers.
PHUKET: Search efforts resumed this morning for a 33-year-old woman who disappeared after jumping from the bridge linking Phuket to the mainland yesterday evening (July 28).
PHUKET: Search efforts resumed this morning for a 33-year-old woman who disappeared after jumping from the bridge linking Phuket to the mainland yesterday evening (July 28).
A 46-year-old man from Nakhon Si Thammarat died after being struck by a van on Bangkruai-Sai Noi Road in Nonthaburi early July 29, with his wife witnessing the collision from a nearby songthiew.
Police from Bang Bua Thong Station in Nonthaburi, along with volunteers from the Por Ror Dor Foundation, responded to a fatal traffic incident on Bangkruai-Sai Noi Road on July 29, 2025, at 5:50 a.m. The body of Mr. Su, 46, a Nakhon Si Thammarat resident, was found approximately 100 meters away in the middle of the road. A black Hyundai van was found at the scene with damage to the front bumper and cracked windshield, along with a bronze-silver Isuzu pickup truck on the opposite side. Dashboard camera footage captured the moment the van struck the man as he was crossing.
According to a 30-year-old coworker, the victim and his wife had just left their home, as they did every day—the husband waited to see his wife onto a songthiew before crossing the road to his job at a steel mill opposite the accident site. After his wife boarded, he began crossing when struck by the van while the songthiew was still at the pickup point, allowing his wife to witness the collision.
The van driver stated he did not see the pedestrian and hit him hard. The pickup truck driver reported seeing what appeared to be a black bag suddenly appear in front of his vehicle and was unable to brake in time, resulting in a second impact. He immediately pulled over and waited for authorities. Police collected dashboard footage as evidence and will conduct further interviews with both drivers. The victim's body was transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for autopsy.
NARATHIWAT: Peace talks between the government and southern insurgent representatives have been postponed indefinitely following the deadly Narathiwat attack that killed five rangers.
NARATHIWAT: Peace talks between the government and southern insurgent representatives have been postponed indefinitely following the deadly Narathiwat attack that killed five rangers.
Thailand's leading entertainment outlets FEED and Khaosod merge for their fifth annual awards ceremony on September 27, honoring professionals across drama, film, music, and content creation. The expanded FEED X KHAOSOD Awards 2026 celebrat
FEED X KHAOSOD AWARDS 2026 enters its fifth year, honoring entertainment professionals both on and off screen, with the ceremony scheduled for September 27. The awards merge two major media outlets—FEED, a leading entertainment and lifestyle platform, and Khaosod, Thailand's most-followed online news source—to celebrate and award professionals across all branches of the entertainment industry including drama, series, music, film, and content creators.
FEED launched the groundbreaking FEED Y Awards in 2022, creating Thailand's first awards ceremony dedicated exclusively to BL (Boys' Love) series, honoring pioneers who have elevated the genre and promoted Thai soft power internationally. This success continued strongly through 2023-2024, with FEED maintaining its commitment to advancing the BL series industry as it grew from a niche trend into a mainstream cultural phenomenon with enthusiastic support from both domestic and international audiences.
In 2025, FEED partnered with Khaosod to elevate the event to FEED X KHAOSOD AWARDS, expanding the scope to cover all entertainment dimensions under the concept "Creative Space For Everyone." Now in 2026, the awards have developed into a respected institution reflecting quality, creativity, and inspiration, offering recognition and encouragement to both front-facing and behind-the-scenes professionals while celebrating diverse and contemporary voices in Thai entertainment and social media.
The 2026 awards feature four categories: Lifetime Achievement, Annual Award, Creator-Influencer of the Year, and Most Popular Award. The ceremony takes place on Sunday, September 27 at ICONSIAM HALL.
BANGKOK: Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called on senior Interior Ministry officials to turn recent corruption scandals into an opportunity to rebuild public confidence yesterday (July 28).
BANGKOK: Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called on senior Interior Ministry officials to turn recent corruption scandals into an opportunity to rebuild public confidence yesterday (July 28).
A senior Thai police officer's resignation bid was blocked after investigators recommended harsh disciplinary proceedings over ethical violations linked to the Police Hospital. Major General Thawee Silp cannot legally resign during the seve
On July 29, the Royal Thai Police reported that a fact-finding committee chaired by Deputy Commissioner General Korjai Klaiklang determined that Police Major General Dr. Thawee Silp Wetchvitarnan had committed ethical violations related to the Police Hospital's 14th floor. The police commissioner subsequently reassigned him to the National Police Operations Centre from October 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 pending a disciplinary investigation. The duty period was extended by three months in March 2025 as Thawee continued to submit additional documents. He submitted a resignation letter on July 2, 2025, effective August 1, 2025.
However, a recent unanimous resolution from the fact-finding committee recommended establishing a severe disciplinary investigation committee after the Medical Council's ethics ruling. On July 27, the police commissioner appointed Police General Itthiphon Achariyapradit as chairman of the severe disciplinary investigation committee. Under the Police Act, officers undergoing severe disciplinary investigation cannot resign. Thawee's resignation, dated August 1, 2025, therefore cannot take effect under law. He is scheduled to retire on September 30, 2025, pending the outcome of the severe disciplinary investigation.
Thai gold prices dropped 150 baht per baht weight on July 29, with ornamental gold trading at 64,800 baht as global markets weakened.
Gold prices continued their downward trend on July 29, 2026, according to the Gold Traders Association of Thailand. Ornamental gold (96.5% purity) sold at 64,800 baht per baht weight, while gold bars were quoted at 63,800 baht for buying and 64,000 baht for selling. Gold spot prices on the global market stood at 4,027.50 US dollars per ounce.
Four foreign nationals were arrested at Phuket International Airport after customs officers discovered over 33kg of cannabis hidden in their luggage as they attempted to depart Thailand.
PHUKET: Four foreign nationals have been arrested at Phuket International Airport after customs officers allegedly found more than 33 kilogrammes of cannabis flowers and processed cannabis concealed in their luggage as they prepared to leave Thailand.