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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First 16 drivers sentenced in Phuket taxi mafia purge
PHUKET: A judge has handed down sentences to 16 drivers operating in Cherng Talay for their involvement in the Phuket taxi mafia, the Phuket Gazette was told today. The drivers each received a suspended one-year sentence and a 6,000-baht fine. “These drivers from Cherng Talay, who pleaded guilty, will be on a two-year probation to prevent them from intimidating or…
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Blood loss forces Phuket Vegetarian Festival spirit medium to hospital
PHUKET: An entranced Phuket Vegetarian Festival spirit medium, also known as a ma song, was rushed to hospital due to excessive blood loss today. Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers were called to Saphan Hin, the final destination of the first festival street procession (story here), to deliver first aid to the ailing ma song. When they arrived, the ma song, who…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival takes to the streets
PHUKET: Tourists and island motorists were treated to the first street procession of this year’s Phuket Vegetarian Festival when devotees from the Choor Su Gong Naka Shrine south of Phuket Town marched to Saphan Hin this morning. Scores of tourists and residents lined the streets, with many joining the procession along the way and motorists queuing up behind them waiting…
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Phuket beach wedding ban raises mixed feelings
PHUKET: Weddings have been banned from being performed on at least four of Phuket’s west coast beaches, confirmed one official, but many beach town mayors are hesitant to prohibit seaside nuptials. “No wedding ceremonies are allowed on Surin, Bang Tao, Laypang and Layan beaches,” Ma-ann Samran, president of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.…
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Buoyant West Ham seek to extend Man United gloom
PHUKET: In-form West Ham United are just about the last team Manchester United would want to face on Saturday as Louis van Gaal’s side seek an immediate response to their Premier League collapse at Leicester City. West Ham, who have lost on their last six league visits to Old Trafford, thumped Liverpool 3-1 on Saturday the day before United twice…
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Orient Thai Airlines mechanics in high-speed Phuket crash
PHUKET: An Orient Thai Airlines mechanic will be charged with reckless driving after he and his colleague crashed into a Phuket used car lot at high speed early this morning. The two mechanics were driving an Orient Thai company pick-up from Phuket International Airport to Phuket Town at about 2am when the vehicle careened off the road. “Witnesses said that…
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Patong Police fail to find any illegal tour operators in Phuket crackdown
PHUKET: More than 30 officers led by Patong Police scoured the resort town yesterday afternoon, but failed to find any culprits as part of an ongoing island-wide sweep for illegal tour operators and guides. The officers split into five teams and began inspecting businesses from 2pm as part of the crackdown announced at a meeting on September 5 (story here).…
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ICC claim Outrigger T20 title after epic final
PHUKET: The final of the Outrigger T20 took place on a gloriously sunny day at the Alan Cooke Ground between the Bondi Bar Bashers and the ICC. BBB’s had only lost one game all season, however, that was against ICC and they were very keen to avenge the loss and claim the title at the same time. ICC had been…
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Burning candle sets Phuket air-conditioning shop on fire
PHUKET: A burning candle set an air-conditioning sales and repair shop ablaze this morning in Rassada, north of Phuket Town, causing about 300,000 baht in damages. Neighbors alerted shop owner Panya Chunchom, 34, of the fire after they saw smoke coming from the building’s third-floor window. “We lit some candles as an act of worship and put them in front…
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Facebook tip-off leads to Laguna Phuket beach fence teardown
PHUKET: Laguna Phuket today was ordered to pull down a fence at Bang Tao Beach until it could be established whether or not the operators of the resort complex own the land. Ma-ann Samran, president of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), issued the order after inspecting the site while accompanied by armed soldiers. “Photos of the fence were…
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B15.9mn budget approved to tackle some of Phuket’s water woes
PHUKET: A 15.9-million-baht budget has been approved to manage and develop Phuket’s water-resources in order to increase storage capacity and improve a canal that has become a health hazard. “We have approved a 4mn-baht project to dredge about a kilometer of Bang Yai Canal in Phuket Town to improve the water flow and drainage,” Natural Resources and Environment Minister General…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival to begin tonight
PHUKET: As the sun sets on Phuket tonight, all Chinese shrines taking part in the annual Vegetarian Festival will raise their go-teng poles so that the Jade Emperor, among the Nine Emperor Gods, can descend from the heavens, heralding the beginning of this year’s event. Devotees began pasting gold-leaf papers to the poles last night ahead of the festival’s precursor…
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Gala Leon becomes Spain’s first female Davis Cup captain
PHUKET: The Spanish Tennis Federation have named former WTA player Gala Leon as the country’s new Davis Cup captain following Carlos Moya’s decision to step down last week. Moya quit after five-times winners Spain were relegated from the World Group following defeat against Brazil in a playoff. The RFET federation said in a statement on Monday that 40-year-old Leon, who…
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Phuket Town to suffer more water shutoffs
PHUKET: The mains water supply will be shut off throughout most of Phuket Town for two nights, starting tonight, so that Phuket City Municipality workers can install larger pipes to serve the growing town. Water supply will be shut off at 8pm and restored at 5am on Wednesday. The second shutoff will see water supply cut from 8pm Wednesday through…
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Reinforced by Thai military, Phuket park chief decides to stay
PHUKET: Emboldened by more military personnel to provide around-the-clock protection, Kitiphat Tharapiban has decided to stay on as chief of Phuket’s Sirinath National Park. Mr Kitiphat was convinced to stay during newly appointed Natural Resources and Environment Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan’s visit to Phuket on Saturday. Gen Dapong’s visit – and the promise of more military security personnel – came…
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Patong bar employee drowns in dangerous Phuket surf
PHUKET: A teenage bar employee drowned at Patong Beach early this morning after ignoring red “no swim” flags and swimming in the dangerous Phuket surf in his jeans. Suksan Jaiyen, 19, and three friends were having drinks on the beach after closing the bar around 2am, explained Lt Thawatchai Srimai of the Patong Police. “We assume that Mr Suksan was…
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Phuket Police probe foreigner over woman found hanged
PHUKET: Police are questioning a foreign man for the possible murder of a woman who was found hanged at her home in Phuket late last night. Police declined to identify the foreigner as the investigation is ongoing. Officers were called to the scene, in Soi Bang Tao 4, Cherng Talay, just before midnight to find Kroramol Chittangkul, 51, from Bangkok,…
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Patong’s one-way system to change by year’s end
PHUKET: Plans to change the direction of Patong’s one-way traffic system in Phuket look set to go ahead by the end of this year, Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup has confirmed. “A public hearing was held on Friday to determine whether or not to change Patong’s traffic flow. I believe this could happen by the end of this year,” Mayor Chalermluck…
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European soccer roundup: Lampard haunts Chelsea, Real and Barca on goal spree
PHUKET: Frank Lampard scored against his old club Chelsea to earn champions Manchester City a 1-1 draw but Jose Mourinho’s men stayed on top of the Premier League. Manchester United dropped further down the table after losing 5-3 against newcomers Leicester City. Barcelona and Real Madrid scored 13 goals between them during a memorable La Liga weekend, when Cristiano Ronaldo…
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Land officers target network of corrupt Phuket officials
PHUKET: The Royal Forest Department (RFD) this week ramped up its campaign to break open a network of corrupt officials who allegedly issued illegal land titles over the past three decades, covering at least 8 billion baht of protected land in Phuket. Working in collusion since 1987, the officials continued to issue SorKor 1 land-use documents for plots in Sirinath…
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Chinese man joins Swedes in epic journey for Phuket post-tsunami orphanage
PHUKET: A Chinese man has joined the group of Swedes pedaling toward Phuket from Europe to raise money for a post-tsunami orphanage on the island (story here). Kunn Lee, who was originally supposed to be cycling southern China and Tibet, changed his plans after meeting Calle Wollgard and the team – he is now bound for the Barhem Muang Mai…
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Phuket knife-wielding robber makes off with cash, 7-Eleven stamps
PHUKET: Police are searching for a robber and his accomplice after a man threatened staff with a knife and robbed a 7-Eleven in Rassada, north of Phuket Town, at about 4:30am today. Police arrived at the scene, in front of the Rock Garden housing estate on Pracha-U-Thit Road, soon after the robbery. “Wareerat Sae-Chiaw, 21, and Mali Pimon, 25, who…
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Australian tourist ignores warning sign, injured in fall
PHUKET: An Australian tourist was injured after ignoring a warning sign and falling down a small cliff at the Susan Hoi Shell Cemetery, also known as the “Fossil Beach”, near Ao Nang in Krabi yesterday. According to police, David Grant, 40, was visiting the famous natural attraction with a friend when he decided to climb down the cliff to the…
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Phuket Police vow to continue hunt for Russian murder-kidnap suspects
PUKET: Police have exhausted their leads in the hunt for two Russian men wanted in connection with the murder and kidnapping of a fellow Russian in Phuket earlier this year. Ukrainian Oleksandr Boychuk, 44, and Russian Aleksandr Novichkov, 58, are wanted for the kidnapping of Alexey Slabinskiy, 39, and his girlfriend Iana Strizheus in March (story here). Miss Strizheus was…
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Budget approved for billion-baht prison in Phuket
PHUKET: A 1.1-billion baht budget was approved to build the island’s new prison, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut revealed today in an exclusive interview with the Phuket Gazette. “The budget has already been approved by the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO] and transferred to the Department of Corrections. We will go ahead with the project as soon as possible,”…
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Soccer Schools Tournament to kick off at Thanyapura
PHUKET: Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) is bringing the National Youth Tournament back to the island, with over 320 players competing in four age divisions. This year’s tournament, to be held on September 27 and 28 at Thanyapura, will see clubs flying in from various parts of Thailand, including Bangkok, Pattaya and Koh Samui, as well as local Phuket teams. To…
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PACC delays charges over alleged dive extortion – again
PHUKET: The conclusion of an investigation of three Chalong Police officers for their alleged abuse of power has been set back again, confirmed the Public-sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC). “We still need more time to finish compiling our case,” said Lt Col Wannop Somjintanakul, the PACC officer leading the investigation. He declined to provide a specific date. Col Wannop told…
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Two die, two injured, travelling four-up on Phuket motorbike
PHUKET: Two ethnic Mon men died and another two were seriously injured in Phuket after the motorcycle they were riding slammed into a tree last night. “According to witnesses the four men, all riding on the same motorbike, were travelling at high speed when they hit a tree on Thepkrasattri Road near Baan Tah Reua Shrine at about 11:40pm,” explained…
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Death threats, powerful people force Phuket national park chief to resign
PHUKET: Death threats and influential people unhappy with the reclaiming of public land have forced Sirinat National Park Chief Kitiphat Tharapiban to step down after only three months. “There are many reasons that I have to resign. We had many conflicts with powerful people, even though I was doing the right thing,” Mr Kitiphat said. In August, military bodyguards were…
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Three men ambush British motorist in northern Phuket
PHUKET: Three men ambushed a British national and his wife as they slowed their motorbike at a speed bump in northern Phuket last night. “My wife and I were attacked and knocked off our motorcycle at 9:00… on the road that connects Sri Soonthorn Road with the Alan Cook Cricket Ground,” Iain Richardson told the Phuket Gazette. “Three teenagers were…
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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