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.
-
Sponsored 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
-
Tourists’ protests drive call for beach chair compromise
PHUKET: Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup is calling for a compromise following several incidents on Patong Beach this week during which tourists became outraged after police asked them to remove their sun loungers from the sands in compliance with the new “no chair” policy. Several videos and pictures have been circulating on social media sites capturing groups of tourists becoming upset…
-
Man stabbed in teen gang attack meters from Patong Police Station
PHUKET: A man is in critical condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital after a gang of teenagers dragged him out of his pick-up truck and stabbed him in the chest within meters of the Patong Police Station early yesterday morning. Yet, police did not learn of the attack until staffers at Patong Hospital called them at about 3:30am. The staffers reported…
-
Ranong girl missing in Phuket
PHUKET: A mother is desperately searching for her 15-year-old daughter after she disappeared from her home in Ranong and hopped on a bus to Phuket with a friend yesterday afternoon. Saowaluk “Nong Mai” Thappan and her friend, named only as “Nong Prae”, went missing at about 3pm yesterday, Nong Mai’s mother, Deunphen Tongtirum, told the Phuket Gazette today. “After she…
-
Japanese man found dead off Kalim Beach
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a Japanese national after his body was found off Kalim Beach on Saturday. Patong Police and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived to the scene, opposite Phra Baramee Soi 9 in Kalim, at about 1:30pm to find the man’s clothes and passport lying on rocks near the shore. The body of 48-year-old Hiroshi Yoshiki,…
-
Russian tourists injured in Phuket head-on van crash
PHUKET: Two Russian tourists were injured in a head-on collision that caused long tailbacks on the coastal road north of Patong late Saturday night. Tuii Bulatovskii and Lrina Alexeemko, both 29, suffered minor injuries when a black Chevrolet driven by Pramot Suthipithak, 36, crossed the center line and slammed head-on into the van they were in at about 11pm. The…
-
Bar staffer charged for baseball bat attack on Phuket expat
PHUKET: An employee at a bar in Rawai who brutally attacked a British expat with a baseball bat has been charged with assault, police have confirmed. Sarawuth Kongphat, 37, an assistant at the Green Leaf Bar, beat customer Christopher Stark with the bat and fractured his skull, after Mr Stark discovered he did not have enough cash to pay for…
-
Lost in translation: Phuket police hand out fliers proclaiming “No Summer Dream On Beach’
PHUKET: Police are rushing to fix fliers that were handed out to tourists at Patong Beach yesterday that mistakenly read in English “No Summer Dream On Beach, Start 12 Feb 2015”. “It was a translation error. The A4 flier was supposed to say something that would mean ‘no beach loungers’, as it did in Thai below the English translation,” Deputy…
-
Ladyboy busted dealing meth in Phuket Town
PHUKET: A ladyboy drug dealer in possession of 58.48 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and 145,000 baht in cash was netted in a sting operation this morning in Phuket Town. Police were informed by undercover officers that Thiwa Saengreung, 38, had been selling ya ice to teenagers in the area, said Lt Col Chaiyadej Kaiyarit, an inspector for the…
-
Bicycles banned on Phi Phi Island
PHUKET: Bicycle were banned on Phi Phi Island’s public walkways today following complaints from tourists about crowded streets and reckless cyclists. “The bicycle problem started about three years ago. Since then, the number of bikes on the island has increased significantly,” said Prasert Wongma, deputy chief executive officer of Ao Nang Administration Organization (OrBorTor). “No vehicles are allowed on the…
-
Online 90-day immigration check-in yet to be launched in Phuket
PHUKET: Foreigners living in Thailand will be able to report to immigration for their 90-day check-in via the immigration website no sooner than April, an immigration officer confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. The news follows an experimental launch of the online reporting system in Bangkok last month. “The online 90-day reporting service is being tested now. For the time…
-
Baby boy found abandoned in Tesco Lotus parking lot
PHUKET: A baby was found abandoned inside a shopping cart in the parking lot of a Phuket Tesco Lotus last night. The 1-month-old boy, weighing about 2.5kg, was given to staff at the Samkong intersection Tesco Lotus by two women. “They told us that they found him outside in a shopping cart, and then left without providing any further information,”…
-
Mark your calendars: Wat Chalong Fair kicks off on Monday
PHUKET: It’s that time of year again. Phuket’s biggest annual temple fair, held at Wat Chalong, will kick off on Monday to offer one week of local fare and entertainment. “There will be plenty of food vendors, sideshow rides, games and stalls set up at the fair. Everyone is more than welcome to come enjoy,” said Chaiwat Chatchawet, a Wat…
-
Pre-Valentine’s Day drug campaign sweeps up five suspects
PHUKET: In an attempt to preserve clean love for Valentine’s Day, Phuket police made a series of drug busts today as part of their “Valentine’s Day Cleanup Campaign”. The raid started with the Phuket City Police arresting 27-year-old Jaturong Sethkhong, in possession of about two kilograms of kratom leaves. He was charged with possession of a Category 5 drug with…
-
Finnish golf pro Puhakka takes a swing on Phuket
PHUKET: The island’s Loch Palm and Laguna Phuket golf courses were tested out last week by Finnish pro golfer Peter Puhakka. Puhakka spent the last three-and-a-half months playing courses in Pattaya and Bangkok, taking part in the Bangkok Open Championships (finished 30th with a 151, seven over par) and the Singha All Thailand Tour (finished 50th), before falling short of…
-
Dutch national coach uses Phuket to target Olympic gold
PHUKET: The Dutch national swimming team recently returned to Phuket for the third time to stay and train at the Thanyapura sports center. Among them was Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 50m and 100m freestyle Olympic champion, looking to improve her stroke and secure Olympic victory at the 2016 Games in Rio. Yet, challenges lay ahead for the young Olympian, just 24 this…
-
Phuket CCTV mass upgrade reaches final hurdle
PHUKET: Budget allocation for the proposed 238 million baht upgrade of CCTV cameras in Phuket has reached its final hurdle and now awaits approval by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong announced this week. Governor Nisit said he was “delighted” by the news. “This is one of my top priorities – to enhance security in Phuket,”…
-
German tourist drowns in Krabi rip current
PHUKET: A German tourist drowned in Krabi yesterday afternoon while swimming with his son. Martin Hofstetter, 57, and his family checked into a bungalow resort on Koh Siboya, south of Krabi Town, on Wednesday, explained Lt Col Kittichet Kittiratanasombat of the Klong Khanan Police. “They took a sea trip to Koh Lola and went swimming there yesterday afternoon,” Col Kittichet…
-
Phuket’s annual Valentine’s Day mass wedding is on (video)
PHUKET: All couples looking to tie the knot on Valentine’s Day tomorrow are invited to register their nuptials at the Muang District Office, where they can join a mass wedding ceremony and win lucky draw prizes and receive memorable wedding gifts that will be given away. “Among the gifts to be given away are stays in honeymoon suites at hotels…
-
Video Report: Phuket kids shine at PSS international soccer tourney
PHUKET: More than 250 players from throughout Southeast Asia joined the Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) 5th International Youth Tournament at Thanyapura’s Stadium Pitch last weekend. Players in Under-8, Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 age groups competed during 12 hours of football involving 28 teams over the two days. “This tournament brings together youth footballers from across Southeast Asia to share their…
-
Video: One killed, three injured in Phuket multiple-vehicle crash
PHUKET: Police are blaming a new set of traffic lights for a high-speed crash that killed one motorcyclist and injured three others on Thepkrasattri Road this morning. Police arrived at the scene, at the old airport junction north of Blue Canyon Country Club, at about 11:45am to find a 10-wheeled truck and a van overturned on the shoulder of the…
-
All About Eva: Court probe opens door to new era for Phuket beachfront property projects
THAILAND stands on the brink of a great leap forward in boosting investor confidence in beachfront properties and resorts, if court officials uphold existing building regulations on construction of buildings along the Phuket shoreline. Here, the Phuket Gazette investigates what is at stake in enforcing the building code. SPECIAL REPORT PHUKET: The environmental court inspection of an upscale real estate…
-
Cricket: Thalang big guns fire in Village win
PHUKET: The Thalang Cricket Team (TCT) big guns fired up last Sunday in a win over the Village Cricket Team at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) in Thalang. Fresh off an upset victory against top-of-the-league Patong, the Village were looking to climb higher up the ladder with a win against a TCT side that had yet to find form with…
-
Classic car rally takes the road to Mandalay
PHUKET: An ambitious endurance classic car rally from Singapore to Myanmar saw about a dozen of the more than 70 magnificent vehicles taking part in the ‘Road to Mandalay’ race complete time trials in Phuket on Sunday. This was enough to inspire the Phuket Gazette to send a TV crew of six on Monday to Khao Lak where the full…
-
Activist children manage unprecedented blow to Taiji dolphin slaughter (video)
PHUKET: A letter presented by a group of children from Phuket’s Gecko School was accepted by the Taiji Major’s Office, which in the past has publicly supported the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins. “We will pass down the history of our ancestors to the next generation. Preserve it. We have a strong sense of pride about this,” Mayor Kazutaka…
-
New beach rules now standard throughout Phuket, says Governor
PHUKET: The trial rule of restricting vendors to only 10 per cent of the beach is to be rolled out at all beaches in Phuket, Governor Nisit Jansomwong has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “Local administrations will remain responsible for regulating and enforcing the new rules [story here], which include no sun loungers at any beaches,” he added. “The local…
-
Tourist crashes jet-ski into yacht, dies
PHUKET: A tourist died in hospital after crashing a jet-ski into a yacht anchored at Nui Bay, off Phi Phi Island, yesterday. Wu Xixiong, 46, was taken to Phi Phi Hospital with a broken neck, jaw, arm and leg. Due to the extent of his injuries, he was transferred to Bangkok Hospital Phuket, confirmed Surasak Mongkolchaiyasit of the Krabi Marine…
-
Phuket fertility center to give birth to boost in medical tourism
PHUKET: IVF Phuket by the Safe Fertility Center is expected to boost tourist numbers, Vice Governor Suthee Thongyam said at the grand opening of the center’s new building on Sunday. “The prices at this qualified clinic are much cheaper than similar treatments outside of Thailand. Therefore, I am expecting the clinic to bring more tourists to the the island for…
-
Phuket waste incinerator granted B530mn for repairs
PHUKET: A budget of 530 million baht to repair the defunct waste incinerator at the Phuket City Waste Management facility at Saphan Hin has been approved, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong announced this week. “Though Phuket has two incinerators, one has been offline for almost two years, leading us toward an inevitable crises by 2020, if nothing is done,” said Kasem…
-
Tuk-tuk driver punches Australian in face over fare
PHUKET: A tuk-tuk driver has confessed to punching an Australian national in the face after an argument about the price of a ride yesterday evening. “Mr Sipeng, 20, told us that he was punched by the tuk-tuk driver after he got into an altercation with him about the price of the ride from Sugar Palm Residence Condominium, where he lives,…
-
Phuket public hospital denies any responsibility in expat nightmare ordeal
ALLEGATIONS of neglect and mistreatment at Vachira Phuket Hospital levelled by a long-term Phuket expat who has since died, pose grave questions about the state of public healthcare at the island’s main government hospital – many questions about which remain unanswered. Here, the Phuket Gazette investigates what counts for healthcare in Phuket. SPECIAL REPORT PHUKET: Top staff at Vachira Phuket…
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.
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.