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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THAI to add 20 flights for Songkran
BANGKOK (The Nation): Thai Airways International (THAI) has announced it will add 20 special flights on domestic routes to Chiang Mai and Phuket from Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports, numbering 5,200 seats, in order to serve passengers traveling during the Songkran holiday.THAI President Apinan Sumanaseni said THAI would add 11 domestic flights between Suvarnabhumi and both Chiang Mai and Phuket,…
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Cabinet approves Business Act amendments
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Cabinet has approved the revised amendments to the Foreign Business Act, but it remains uncertain whether the bill will pass the National Legislative Assembly.The NLA will debate the amendments on April 18. Some 50 of its members have railed against the changes, saying they jeopardize foreign investment.Commerce Minister Krirk-Krai Jirapaet has said he is ready to…
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Songkran blessings
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit poured lustral water over the hands of some 100 top provincial officials during a Songkran ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on Narisorn Rd on Tuesday morning.Phuket Vice-Governors Worapoj Rattasima, Tri Augkaradacha and Smith Palawatvichai all took part in the traditional ceremony, along with Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampetch and many other…
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Tata Young in Phuket
PATONG: More than 1,000 people from the Tata Young Fan Club traveled to Phuket to enjoy Tata Young’s live concert last night, held to mark the grand opening of Jungceylon. Tata, a 26-year-old Thai-American, became a superstar in Thailand at the age of 15 and launched a successful international career with the release of her first English-language album I Believe…
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Violent crime rises by 130%
PHUKET: Crime statistics for March 1 to March 31 released by Phuket Provincial Police show that reports of violent crime in Phuket rose by 130% compared with the same period last year.Three murders and nine attempted murders were reported, with two and eight arrests made respectively. There were 27 reports of assault with 16 arrests made and eight reports of…
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Dead baby found floating off Saphan Hin
PHUKET CITY: A dead baby boy was found floating near the mouth of Bang Yai canal in Sapan Hin on Thursday.The grisly find was reported to police at 8:30 am by a tourist.Lt Col Somkid Boonyarat, an Investigating Inspector at Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that the body was that of a baby boy of Thai appearance.Doctors estimate…
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Kamala OrBorTor installs temporary President
KAMALA: Karoon Seeden has been installed as Acting President of Kamala Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) after a vote by the council’s 11 other members.K. Karoon was installed after a vote of seven to four in his favor. Three councilors voted for Prajak Yayee, and one councilor abstained.He replaces Jaral Sararak, who was removed from office by Kathu District Chief Khantee…
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Gang rivalry blamed for violent death
WICHIT: Police suspect gang rivalry as the motive behind the killing of a young Thalang man whose body was found riddled with bullets early on Saturday. Pol Lt Col Sompong Boonrat, a Deputy Inspector at the Phuket City Police Station, identified the victim as Pongsakorn “Kho” Naksuk, 24.Pongsakorn was shot several times in the upper arms, head and back with a…
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Daily tsunami warning tests deferred
PHUKET: Testing of the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) tsunami warning system, scheduled for this morning, was canceled by the agency out of fear that it could create a public panic in areas where the public had not been adequately informed.Dr Smith Dharmasaroja, who heads the Nonthaburi-based NDWC, told the Gazette this morning that a comprehensive system test will take…
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Eight teenagers nabbed for muggings
PHUKET: Phuket City Police on Wednesday rounded up eight teenagers suspected of at least two gunpoint muggings.Police reported that the boys – all aged 16 or 17 – confessed to two attacks, one at Saphan Hin on Tuesday and one at Khao Rang viewpoint on March 29. In both cases, the boys used knives and a homemade short shotgun to…
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Tsunami warning tower daily tests start tomorrow
PHUKET: The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has announced that about 9 am each day – starting tomorrow – it will audibly test its 79 tsunami warning towers along the Andaman Coast.NDWC staff hydrologist Jumleang Chutab told the Gazette that the siren towers have been regularly tested since their construction, but only on a “silent” basis.Under the new testing the…
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Dugong dies in illegal trap
PA KHLOK: A 126-kilogram male dugong was found dead in an illegal fish trap in Pa Khlok Bay on Monday.The discovery was reported to the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Office (MCRC) by Juroon Rachaphol, a local conservation activist, at 7:30 pm.A 20-strong team of MCRC officers and volunteers were led to the site. They found the animal stuck…
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Water mains fiasco stalls Chalong roadworks
PHUKET: Work on widening Chao Fa West Rd has been further delayed due to a dispute over moving water pipes and the expiration of the contract with the company assigned to carry out the work.The Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) is still unable to give a completion date for the project, which began in 2005.PPHO Chief Supphasak Nunsang told the…
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Free rabies vaccinations
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Livestock Office (PPLO) is offering free rabies vaccinations for cats and dogs at Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) offices until April 30.PPLO Veterinarian Veeraphap Termkeitpisan told the Gazette, “We have already vaccinated about 5,000 dogs and cats in the Phuket City, Rawai, Wichit and Chalong this year.”“The last human death from rabies in Phuket was in 1984,” K.…
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Songkran road toll targets set
PHUKET: Phuket officials have declared that they want no more than three deaths, 34 accidents and 53 injuries during the Songkran holiday period from April 11 to 17.Last year’s Songkran holidays, from April 7 to 16, and saw six deaths and 99 accidents, with 96 accident victims requiring hospital care.A meeting to discuss the targets for this year’s Songkran was…
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Marine Department allows late jet-ski registrations
PHUKET: The Marine Department is continuing to accept registration applications for new jet-skis replacing old or broken ones despite the one-month grace period expiring on Saturday. Surin Theerakulpisut, Chief of Phuket Marine Office, which oversees the use and registration of jet-skis on and around Phuket, told the Gazette that the owners of unregistered jet-skis being used in Phuket waters will…
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OrBorJor extends school MoUs
PHUKET: The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreements between the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) and seven Phuket schools have been extended for three years, effectively allowing the OrBorJor to continue providing support for the schools through to 2009.The seven schools are Baan Maireab, Kathu Wittaya, Cherng Talay Wittayakom, Muang Phuket, Baan Talad Neua, Thalang Pranangsang and Baan Nabon.OrBorJor President Anchalee…
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Drastic new measures to save Patong
PATONG: Following the overwhelming success of the one-way traffic system that went into effect in Patong in January, local officials will extend the concept to include pedestrian traffic by making Soi Bangla one-way for people traveling on foot.When the new system is brought into effect, currently scheduled for April 15, pedestrian traffic will only be permitted in an easterly direction, i.e.…
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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