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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Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Phuket’s perfect plane-spotting selfie
Mai Khao Beach, any day day of the year. People are assembling, not to swim, but to take photos of planes taking off from the Phuket International Airport. Every 5-10 minutes planes will come and go making Mai Khao Beach one of Asia’s top plane spotting locations. For now, you can still capture your special moment with a plane, taking…
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Water shut-off along parts of Phuket’s west coast
The Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority says the mains water supply will be shut off around Patong, Karon and Kata from today until next Friday (June 28). Areas mostly affected will be homes and residences in elevated areas. Works are being carried out on the water-treatment plant in Karon. The water supply to the affected areas will be shut off from 9am to…
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Blacklisted Chinese and Bangladeshi arrested in Phuket
A blacklisted Chinese and Bangladeshi man have been arrested in Phuket. The Chinese man, Xie Daijiang, whose former name was Xie Dajiang, was arrested for using fake documents 6 years ago. He has been blacklisted to re-enter Thailand for 100 years. He had merely changed his name by adding the letter ‘i’ before submitting for his new passport. After that…
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Two Nigerians arrested in Phuket over romance scam
Two Nigerian men have been arrested in Patong over an alleged romance scam. Police have arrested 25 year old Nigerian man Okoro Ifeanyi Daniel. He is facing charges of possession or use of an electronic bank card of another person wrongfully in a manner likely to cause detriment to other persons (fraud), and being an alien who has stayed in…
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Four Chinese passengers injured in Phang Nga as wheel comes off tour bus – VIDEO
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Four Chinese tourists have sustained minor injuries after a tour bus accident in Kok Kloi, Phang Nga, just north of Phuket, yesterday afternoon. Newshawk Phuket reported that emergency responders headed to the scene of the accident at 4pm . They arrived to find the tour bus in the centre-road ditch. A bus wheel was found near where the…
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Eight arrested with drugs and firearms in Phuket
Eight suspects have been arrested, along with the seizure of 700 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 12,000 methamphetamine pills, guns and ammunition, in Phuket. Police have arrested suspects – 29 year old Natakorn Tanlim, 21 year old Katareeya Kenkaew, and 27 year old Lapatsarada Kaewkong. Police seized the drugs, a handgun and 27 bullets. 30 year old Aritchai Suangsiri and 24…
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Three injured in motorbike accident in Phuket Town
PHOTOS: Phuket Volunteer Rescue Three people sustained injuries in a motorbike accident last night at Nimit Circle in Phuket Town, on the east of Phuket. The roundabout has eight lanes of traffic feeding into the same circle of traffic. Emergency responders were notified of the accident at ‘Seahorse Circle’ at 9:05pm last night. Phuket Volunteer rescue workers arrived to find…
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Hot wheels head for Thailand’s south – ‘Fast and Furious 9’ cars arrive
Cars for the filming of the 9th iteration of the Fast & Furious film franchise have arrived in Krabi (lots of pics below). An auto parts supply firm in Krabi, with some inside knowledge of the production schedule for the new film, has posted photos of some of the vehicles that will likely be part of the filming when it…
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Pedestrian seriously injured after being hit by car in Kathu – VIDEO
PHOTOS: อาสา ของ ประชาชน VIDEO: Kathu Police/ Newshawk Phuket A pedestrian has sustained serious injuries after being hit by a sedan while crossing a road in Kathu, Phuket. Volunteers rescue workers report that they were notified of the incident at 7.19pm last night at the Kathu Intersection (near the Caltex petrol station). They have arrived at the scene to find an…
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Motorbike driver dies after colliding with taxi in Thalang, Phuket
A motorbike driver has died after colliding with a taxi carrying Indian tourists in Thalang. Thalang Police report that they were notified of the collision at 9.35pm last night on Thepkrasattri Road in Thalang, Phuket. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the damaged motorbike and taxi on the road. The motorbike driver, 45 year old man Somjit…
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Motorbike driver crushed by cement truck in Thalang, Phuket
A cement truck driver has been charged with reckless driving causing death after a motorbike driver died at the scene after being run over by the cement truck in Thalang yesterday afternoon. The Thalang Police were notified of the incident at 5.10pm on Srisoonthorn Road in Thalang, central Phuket. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a cement truck in…
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Investigation launched into tiger chained at Phuket Zoo – VIDEO
PHOTOS: DNP VIDEO – I Am A Tiger Advocate Officials are conducting a full investigation after a video clip of a tiger chained at Phuket Zoo on social media claimed that the tiger had been drugged for photos with the public. Phuket officials today have inspected the Phuket Zoo after several social media complaints that the tiger was chained and…
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Burasari opens second Phuket hotel on Coconut Island
PHOTO: Original Vision Island Escape by Burasari, the second Phuket hotel from the Thai-based group, will have a soft opening this September. Located on Koh Maphrao (also known as Coconut Island), the initial product will be 15 villas. By December this year, the full inventory of 180 rooms and 40 villas will be operational. With Island Escape, Burasari Group will operate eight…
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US Navy veteran locked up in Thai prison, family pleas for help
by Lauren Talarico A US Navy veteran from Texas remains locked up in a Thai prison for something his family says he didn’t do. Derrick Keller was arrested on August 20, 2018. But his family says the allegations against him are not true and they desperately want him home. Derrick Keller’s family doesn’t know what to do next after their…
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‘Fast and Furious 9’ to be partly filmed in southern Thailand, including Phuket
The latest sequel of the ‘Fast and Furious’ movie franchise will partly be filmed in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani next month. Yesterday Piya Petonji, the film’s production manager, met with Krabi Governor M.L. Kitibadee Prawit at the Krabi City Hall before the cast arrives and filming begins. The filming will be from July 1-27 in locations around…
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change.org petition calls on Phuket locals to take action on construction dump
Locals have launched a petition on Change.org to draw attention to a construction dump operating in central Phuket, in the suburb of Cherng Talay, which adjoins the coastal towns of Bang Tao, Layan and Surin. We print the article verbatim, spelling and all. The article is titled “Close burning dump near Laguna Phuket” and has been penned in English and Russian…
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13 gamblers arrested in Patong gambling den raid
Police have arrested 13 gamblers at an illegal gambling den in Patong. Police received a tip-off that there was an illegal gambling den on Nanai Road in Patong. Police checked out the situation and then raided the gambling den on Nanai Road yesterday. Police arrested 13 gamblers, well at least the ones they were able to capture. Some of the…
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Visa run to Penang – a personal experience in Thailand (2019)
This story was one person’s experience of the visa process in Penang. It should not be regarded as ‘typical’ or even used as a guide. But we provide Jim’s journey as warning to do your homework before embarking on getting or renewing your visa. Be aware that this seemingly simple trip to the former ‘Pearl of the Orient’ in Malaysia…
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Phuket Town – the UNESCO City of Gastronomy reveals some secrets
VIDEO: Thai PBS A UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Phuket Town is a real foodie town. Among their amazing arrays of local delicacies is a variety of tea snacks, many of which are the integral part of their daily life. The delicate and cute and delicious Pang Pia is among the oldest recipes. Phuket Town has gone through several transformations. Once…
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German motorbike driver dies on Patong Hill, Phuket
A German motorbike driver has died at the scene after colliding with a pickup truck travelling down Patong Hill in Phuket. The Kathu police were notified of the accident on Monday night on Phra Baramee Road, on the Kathu side of the notoriously dangerous Patong hill road. Police and emergency responders arrived to find the damaged motorbike. Nearby they found…
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Injured dolphin rescued off Phang Nga
An injured dolphin is being cared for after being rescued along Tai Mueang beach in Phang Nga, southern Thailand. National park and marine officials were notified from locals that the dolphin was found on the Tai Mueang beach. Scratches were found on the bottlenose dolphin. The dolphin measured 10 centimetres wide and 180 centimetres long. The dolphin was unable to…
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Australian dies after falling from hotel balcony in Patong
An allegedly drunk Australian man has died after falling from a hotel in Patong yesterday. Patong Police were notified of the incident at the C&N Hotel on Rat-U-thit 200 Pi Road in central Patong. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the injured man, identified by police as 33 year old Daniel Jon Partridge, an Australian national. He was…
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‘Phoenix’ fails to attract any bidders at auction. Sits rotting in Phuket boatyard.
Last month’s auction to sell Phoenix, the tour boat that capsized causing the drowning of 47 Chinese tourists on July 5 last year, has failed to secure a buyer. Meanwhile the cursed vessel sits gathering dust and accumulating storage fees of 100,000 baht per month at the Rassada boat yard in Phuket. The boat went up for auction last month…
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Four metre python caught in Koh Kaew, Phuket
PHOTOS: Kusoldarm Foundation A four metre python has been caught in Koh Kaew over the weekend. Kusoldharm rescue workers were notified of the reptile trying to hide in a roof space at a house in Soi Koh Kaew 1. Rescue workers arrived at the home to find the python above the kitchen in the ceiling. Four rescue workers took about one…
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Final design for Phuket Light Rail wrapped up next week
A final design of light rail (tram) project in Phuket should be concluded by next week as a dispute over how the rail structure will be laid is close to being settled. Deputy Transport Minister Pailin Chuchottaworn says recent talks have been focussing on the design of tram track construction along some of the densely populated areas from the airport…
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Phuket warned of flash flood and land slides – VIDEO
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Phuket Traffic Report / Newshawk Phuket A warning was issued yesterday for Phuketians to be aware of flash floods and potential landslides after long hours of rain yesterday, especially in the central areas of the island, including Thalang. The announcement was issued yesterday by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket Office to the Phuket Governor and the…
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Is Airbnb taking over the Thai hotel industry?
Airbnb is posing a less significant threat to hotels in Thailand than expected, but its influence in the longer term should not be underestimated, according to real estate company JLL Offering new alternatives to travellers, Airbnb is certainly taking some of the wind out of the sails of the traditional hotel accommodation model. However, findings from Jone Lang Lasalle (JLL) shows…
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Laguna Phuket Marathon road closures and info
Laguna Phuket Marathon will take place this coming weekend on Saturday and Sunday, June 8 & 9 at Laguna Phuket in Cherng Talay. The forecast for the weekend is for some more rain so we urge people to be extra careful around the area with the runners also using the roads in and around the Laguna area. ROAD CLOSURES The…
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19 year old dies after big bike accident in Kathu, Phuket
PHOTOS: เทศกิจ 201(กะทู้) อุทิศ 5811 / อาสาของประชาชน A 19 year old was pronounced dead at Vachira Phuket Hospital after being seriously injured in a sports bike (Honda CB 650cc) accident in Kathu. Rescue workers report that they were notified of the accident at 1.45pm yesterday on the Phra Phuket Kaew Road near Bang Jak petrol station. Emergency responders arrived at the…
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Government runs fishing-law workshop in Phuket
The Fisheries Department has joined the Royal Thai Police to organise a workshop in Phuket Town yesterday to provide training on fisheries laws to around 200 representatives of piers and fishing associations in Ranong, Phang Nga, Krabi, Phuket, Trang and Satun. The Nation reports that the workshop was to create understanding among pier owners, fishing associations and officials about checking…
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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