Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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Pillar of Phuket community Brad Kenny dies
PHUKET: Brad Kenny, a pillar of the Phuket community, died from undisclosed causes at Mission Hospital today. Mr Kenny, 59, was the past president and current assistant district governor of the Rotary Club of Patong Beach (RCoPB), member of the Grumpy Old Men Society (GOMS), member of the Navy League of the United States and involved with numerous other charity…
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Phuket couple busted with 741 bundles of kratom
PHUKET: Provincial Police apprehended a couple on Wednesday in possession of nearly 143 kilograms of kratom in Kathu. The arrests of Jamjun Kosai, 36, and his wife Urai Siriwong, 28, followed a tip-off from a police source that the pair had been selling drugs to teenagers and laborers out of a rented house in the area, confirmed Pinit Sirichai, Phuket…
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Phuket farmers denounce GMO bill
PHUKET: More than 30 members of the Phuket Farmer Association submitted a letter at Phuket Provincial Hall asking that Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha suspend the Biological Safety Bill until it is properly amended. The bill is set to allow genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to damage the nation’s ecology, with farmers being the ones to suffer the most, Somchai Ratanasuesakul,…
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Phuket tuk-tuk driver returns Brit’s cash-stuffed wallet
PHUKET: The driver of one of the infamous Patong tuk-tuks returned a wallet containing more than 10,000 baht cash to a British tourist in Phuket’s primary party town on Wednesday. Nimit Weladee, 44, discovered the cashed stuffed wallet in the middle of Thaweewong Road. “I picked up the wallet and checked it. There was more than 10,000 baht cash and…
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Partner of killed German seeks justice in Phuket
PHUKET: A woman severely injured in a Phuket traffic accident is demanding justice for her dead German partner, following police failing to conduct a blood alcohol test on a man who allegedly had admitted to drinking prior to the fatal accident on December 3. “I was conscious, but unable to move immediately after the accident. The driver didn’t stop; he…
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Islamic State terrorist warning fails to impact Phuket occupancy
PHUKET: The recently leaked memo warning of Islamic State terrorists being dispatched to Phuket has not affected hotel occupancy numbers, explained the director of the Thai Hotel Association Southern Chapter. “We surveyed occupancy levels at our hotels and saw no impacts that could be attributed to the warning about ten IS members arriving in Thailand,” said Director Kritsada Tansakul. “Overall…
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Favorable winds on day three of King’s Cup
PHUKET: Favorable winds supercharged the trophy hunt on day three of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta. IRC0 headed out for race 6 on an extensive 34 nautical mile course, a total run of around three hours for some in the class. Duncan Hine’s Alive team made the most of Champagne sailing conditions, managing a 2:39.27 elapsed time, with Frank Pong’s…
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Phuket officials take hardline on dangerous taxi drivers
PHUKET: The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) vowed yesterday to take tougher lines against taxi, minivan and tuk-tuk drivers breaking the law. “These drivers usually have more lives in their hands than other motorists in Phuket and they have a responsibility to ensure that their passengers safely reach their destinations. However, they have caused many accidents recently. Such issues can…
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BISP swimmers rake in medals at SEA Age Championships
PHUKET: The final day of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Age Championships saw British International School Phuket (BISP) JSA Swim Academy swimmers Chantal Liew, Nicholle Toh and Wong Fu Kang add two additional gold medals and two silver medals to the team’s haul. Chantal Liew (Singapore) took the individual gold in the Girls 50m Back in a time of 30.69, with…
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Close clashes at the top of the classes on second day of Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
PHUKET: Following the King’s Cup Regatta’s beautiful sunshine and reliable winds on opening day, day two threw up a markedly different challenge demanding a very high work rate from sailors. The light wind did indeed betray yesterday’s fastest runners at times, adding its own twist to the neck-and-neck finishes that are unfolding across almost all of the classes. This has…
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Krabi officials suspect SOS from Spanish vessel hijacked in Somalia
PHUKET: Krabi officials are contacting international agencies about a Spanish fishing vessel last reported in Somali waters in November. The move followed last Saturday’s discovery by Phi Phi National Park officers of an SOS device believed to be from the ship. ‘Elai Alai 74537’ was written on the emergency position-indicating radio (EPIRB) device. “We checked with EPIRB device experts and…
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Handbag thief is doped-up teacher
PHUKET: A Phuket teacher confessed to police that he had committed multiple counts of snatch theft while under the influence of ya bah (methamphetamine). Locals apprehended Sakkarin Potiwatt, 40, after he snatched an 18-year-old woman’s handbag from the basket of her motorbike on Monday evening, causing her and her passenger to crash, explained Capt Nattaya Supanpong of the Thalang Police.…
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Phuket signs MoU with Xiamen
PHUKET: Phuket officially signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s southeast port city Xiamen last week, making the two tourism driven provinces ‘sister cities’. Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, along with Provincial officials, welcomed Hong Biling, deputy secretary of the Xiamen Communist Party, to the island on December 3. “It was a great pleasure to give Ms Hong a warm…
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Phuket prepares for inaugural Bike for Dad event
PHUKET: People throughout the nation will be marking the auspicious occasion of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 88th birthday with a mass cycling event entitled ‘Bike for Dad’ on Friday, December 11. The event is being held in accordance with HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s wish to express his gratitude and loyalty to HM The King on this special occasion, said…
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No sign of Community Chanotes for impoverished Phuket villages
PHUKET: The Community Chanote plan that would guarantee 18 impoverished communities on Phuket the right to live where they have been squatting for generations has stalled out. “As of today, there is no further information about the plan,” said Vice Governor Prajiad Aksornthammakul. “Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do until we get word from Bangkok.” In 2013, then-Phuket Governor…
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Rotary Foundation ranks fifth in top 10 world charity organizations
PHUKET: The Rotary Club of Patong Beach (RCoPB) is proud to announce that The Rotary Foundation has been ranked fifth in the top 10 charity organizations throughout the world. The Rotary was given a score of 96.31 out of 100 by Charity Navigator, an American based service that provides information about charities, such as financial health, accountability and transparency. “This…
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Chalong bodhisattva image to be removed
PHUKET: A bodhisattva image will be removed from a small waterway in the hills of Chalong following an investigation by the Phuket Damrongdhama Center (ombudsman’s office). A Facebook user, named in Thai as ‘Sajadham Tang-sai-klang’, sent a complaint directly to Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada stating that the image of Guan Yin was blocking a natural waterway. The Guan Yin, usually…
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Boat hijackers allegedly hired to “collect unpaid debt’
PHUKET: The leader of a group of armed men who hijacked a Thai fishing vessel south of Phuket told police that they were hired by the boat’s previous owner, who had yet to be paid in full for the vessel. Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency arrested Madyusup Jimaan, 60, and Ta-een Taokloy, 61, on board the Chok Boonmee 5 in Malaysian…
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Big prizes up for grabs at Phuket Red Cross Fair
PHUKET: The Phuket Annual Red Cross Fair will kick off on December 26 and run through January 5 at Saphan Hin, offering a multitude of attractive lucky draw prizes, including a Toyota Vios 1.5G. The popular 11-day fair features hundreds of stalls selling local delicacies, knickknacks, clothing and a huge variety of other items. Fairgoers can also enjoy performances by…
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Task force takes down illegal Phuket casino
PHUKET: A joint task force arrested 40 gamblers during a raid on an underground Phuket casino in Chalong yesterday. “We received a tip-off from neighbors that gambling activities were being hosted in a house on Baan Kok Tanot Soi 3 on a daily basis, with no apparent fear of the law,” said Pakpoom Intharasuwan, Phuket’s Provincial chief administrative officer. More…
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Cherng Talay boss to retire from politics
PHUKET: The controversial, elected head of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) vowed to end his political career with the return of the beaches in his jurisdiction to their natural state. “My four year term as president ended last month. However, I have continued on under the orders of the National Council for Peace and Order. I am now…
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Road-raging minivan driver surrenders in Phuket [video]
PHUKET: The road-raging minivan driver caught on tape threatening a fellow motorist last week handed himself in to police on Thursday. What originally appeared on camera to be a long-knife, was in fact an iron bar, confessed 33-year-old Damrong Pramno (story here). “Mr Damrong was returning from Phang Nga after dropping passengers off when he was struggling to overtake a…
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Phuket honors HM The King
PHUKET: Phuket officials and residents took part in a merit-making ceremony with 88 monks on Thalang Road in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 88th birthday yesterday. Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada led the group in honoring his Majesty The King at 7:09am. “We all respect and honor HM The King. May the merit making today be part of a blessing…
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Chalong Hospital construction starts this month
PHUKET: Ground will be broken for the Chalong Hospital project before the end of the year, confirmed Chalong Mayor Samran Jindaphol. The push to upgrade the public health clinic in Chalong into a fully equipped hospital comes with the hope of reducing the number of people dying en route to emergency wards at major hospitals in Phuket Town. Clinic Director…
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Phuket Governor calls for calm in wake of Islamic State memo leak
PHUKET: Additional security measures were put in at key locations on Phuket today, following the governor’s emergency meeting over a leaked memo stating that two Islamic State (IS) terrorists had been dispatched to Phuket. “There is absolutely no need to panic. Phuket is not anyone’s enemy,” said Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada. “Nonetheless, we have increased security measures at beaches, crowded…
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Judge dismisses B10mn case against Cherng Talay boss
PHUKET: A Phuket judge yesterday dismissed the 10-million-baht dereliction of duty lawsuit filed against Ma-ann Samran, president of Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor). “The case was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Additionally, Mr Ma-ann had followed all legal procedures during the eviction and demolition process,” Public Prosecutor Jessada Banditmongkolkul told the Phuket Gazette. The owners of two establishments,…
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Phuket Marine Chief promoted
PHUKET: Long-time supporter of the Phuket jet-ski industry, Phuket Marine Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut was promoted to acting director of the Marine Office Region 5 on October 1. “I will continue to serve as the Phuket Marine chief,” Mr Phuripat confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “As I am manning both positions, I now take care of six provinces: Phuket, Phang…
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More marine rubbish removed from Karon in honor of HM The King
PHUKET: More than 200 kilograms of rubbish was picked up by Karon Beach divers yesterday during a cleanup in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday. The program put together by the Karon Municipality and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Region 6 saw more than 500 volunteers pick up trash on the beach and release marine animals into…
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A Decade Ago: Jet-ski woes
PHUKET: Without a doubt, the Phuket Gazette sounds like a broken record from time to time, as the publication continues to push important issues into the headlines. One such monotonous tune – also regularly played by ambassadors and honorary consuls – revolves around the seemingly invincible jet-ski business operators on the island. Almost inexplicably, they were the first allowed back…
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Ministry of Farang Affairs: Speaking fluent street Thai
The Ministry of Farang Affairs is a one-stop shop where foreigners in Thailand can learn all they need to know about living here. No, we’re not talking about work permits, visas or taxes. We’re talking about day-to-day life in the Land of Endless Shocks and Riddles, of Blur, Befuddlement and the Bizarre. Stay tuned for weekly insights from Minister Stephff.…
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Phuket is a province in the south of Thailand. Phuket's beaches face the Andaman Sea allowing the west coast beaches fantastic sunsets right throughout the year. If you're looking for news in Phuket, go to thethaiger.com/phuket Or follow our instant news in our Facebook pages.
The good news is that Phuket is famous for its foodie scene with an enormously diverse range of local and international foods - Phuket and southern favorites, street food along with international choices catering for the 12 million visitors to the island each year. Thaiger follows Phuket news and information 24 hours a day with regular updates.
Phuket is only 'just' an island with a 300 metre bridge linking it to Thailand's mainland. We're always reporting in the news that the channel beneath is frequently dredged to maintain Phuket's status as an island. On the other side of Sarasin Bridge is the Province of Phang Nga.
Getting to Phuket is easy as the island has land, air and sea connections. Phuket is also used as a take-off point for local island trips as Thailand's largest island is surrounded by over 30 pristine islands. Koh Phi Phi and the famous Maya Bay are always in the news and would be the best known of the island's just off Phuket's shores.
Phuket is an island and a province. It's the largest island in Thailand – 48 km north to south, 21 km east to west.
It's about 20% smaller, in area, than Singapore but much less densely populated. Whilst the island nation of Singapore boasts a population of nearly 6 million, Phuket has a permanent population of around 400-450,000 (but varies a lot with the influx of tourists and a workforce that is always changing). Most of Phuket remains jungle and tropical rainforest despite an acceleration of development over the past 20 years.
Unlike some of Thailand's other popular islands (that are in the Gulf of Thailand), the news is that Phuket is located in the Andaman Sea.
Phuket is 878 km north of the equator.
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