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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  • Bike Week off to a roaring start | Thaiger

    Bike Week off to a roaring start

    PHUKET: About 200 bikers rumbled around Phuket today as part of the 8th annual Phuket Bike Week. Hundreds of big bike enthusiasts from all over the country and from overseas have been arriving over the past few days for the six-day festival in Phuket. Yesterday evening, Rat-U-Thit 200 Phi Rd in Patong was jammed with big bikes for a welcome…

  • Gov leads raid to “save gambling children’ | Thaiger

    Gov leads raid to “save gambling children’

    PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi led a raid on a gambling den in Poonphol Night Plaza on Saturday night after receiving a letter from parents worried about children gambling. Arriving at the address at about 7:30 pm, officers found 20 men, one woman and two boys, aged 14 and 16, in a room watching a soccer match. In the…

  • Health Chief in plea for safe Songkhran | Thaiger

    Health Chief in plea for safe Songkhran

    PHUKET: Dr Wanchai Sattayawutthipong, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, has urged people to be particularly careful on Phuket’s roads during this year’s Songkhran festival. Citing statistics showing the rising numbers of dead and injured during the period in each successive year, Dr Wanchai urged everyone to take care when driving, to use safety belts or helmets, and not…

  • “Women auction parties’ report denied | Thaiger

    “Women auction parties’ report denied

    PHUKET: Col Apirak Hongtong, Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police, yesterday emphatically denied a newspaper report alleging that regular parties are held in Phuket at which Thai women are auctioned off to foreigners. His comments followed the publishing of a front-page article on Thursday in a local Thai newspaper. The paper named Col Apirak as its source for the story. Col…

  • Immigration plans big improvements | Thaiger

    Immigration plans big improvements

    PHUKET: Phuket Immigration has announced plans to radically improve its service to tourists and foreigners living in Phuket. Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, the Superintendent of the Phuket Immigration Office, told the Gazette today that many foreigners who come to Phuket want to extend their stay in the country, but when their Immigration stamps expire, they do not know the correct…

  • Bus service a big hit | Thaiger

    Bus service a big hit

    PHUKET TOWN: After just four days of operation, Phuket’s first public bus service has received generally glowing reviews. Samroeng Chaisorn, Vice Chief Executive of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), told the Gazette today, “We are very pleased; it is going very well. The other day, myself and some of my team hopped on a bus and, to our surprise,…

  • Seven Wonders get green light | Thaiger

    Seven Wonders get green light

    PHUKET TOWN: A seven-week schedule of festivities was announced yesterday as part of a plan to attract more visitors to Phuket Town’s historic downtown area. The “Seven Wonders of Phuket” festival will start on April 21, and will run for the following six Sundays. JSL Co won the right to organize the festival with its concept of promoting a “Green…

  • Don&’t bore your guests – Gov | Thaiger

    Don&’t bore your guests – Gov

    PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi today urged organizers of events in Phuket to be aware of what their guests are likely to enjoy, and not to bore them with endless speeches and other formalities. His remarks came at an all-day seminar held at the Royal Phuket City, focusing on Tourism Destination Preservation and Being A Good Host. Gov Pongpayome…

  • Policeman stabbed while making arrest | Thaiger

    Policeman stabbed while making arrest

    PHUKET TOWN: A police officer was knifed while making an arrest at about 3 am on Sunday at the Sri Sena fishing port. Pol L/Cpl Rakchart Suksrinuan went to question Ruengsak Cholasarn, 33, following a complaint by Pairoj Kongchartthai, 19, that Ruengsak had stabbed him during an argument. K. Pairoj was admitted to Wachira Hospital with minor stab wounds to…

  • Man found shot dead in palm plantation | Thaiger

    Man found shot dead in palm plantation

    THALANG: The battered body of a man was found by villagers in a palm plantation in Thalang on Friday. Pol Maj Pornthep Phutluecha of Thalang Police Station said that the man, estimated to have been 30 to 40 years old, was wearing navy blue trousers and a T-shirt. His arms were raised over his head and handcuffed together. He had…

  • Aliens top gambling in arrest figures | Thaiger

    Aliens top gambling in arrest figures

    PHUKET: Illegal immigrants topped the arrests statistics last month, with 421 people caught in raids from March 1 to 24, according to the latest figures released by police. Gambling dropped from its customary number-one spot, with 273 arrested in 91 raids, up from 176 arrests made in 82 raids during for the same period in February. Arrests for drug-related offences…

  • Prison still brimming with drug offenders | Thaiger

    Prison still brimming with drug offenders

    PHUKET TOWN: Statistics released by Provincial Prison officials last week show that narcotics offenders, or those awaiting trial on drugs-related charges, make up more than half of the prison population. Of the 1,247 inmates, 523 men and 119 women are in for narcotics offenses. Of the remaining prisoners, 217 are being held for theft, 136 for murder or attempted murder,…

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.