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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Fears of corpse confirmed, but not human
PHUKET: Police called this morning to investigate a possible corpse wrapped in a bag in Phuket Town found the bodies of two dogs instead. Residents called authorities after noticing a rotting odor coming from the bag, found outside an abandoned house near the Revenue Department office on Narisorn Road. Rescue workers who were first on the scene hesitated to investigate.…
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Chinese Consulate lands on Phuket shores
PHUKET: The Chinese Consulate is searching for a Phuket locale from which they can serve the ever-increasing number of Chinese tourists visiting the island – a number that is expected to hit two million this year. Wang Huijian, vice consul of the Chinese Consulate in Haad Yai, will head up the new Phuket Consulate. Ms Wang met with Governor Maitri…
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Phi Phi cargo boats engulfed in flames
PHUKET: Police are investigating the cause of a fire which gutted two Phi Phi cargo boats anchored off Krabi early yesterday morning. Fire fighters responded to reports that Unity 2 and Unity 3 were ablaze near the Ko Huang Fishing Pier in Saithai Sub-district at about 5am. “The boats were too far from shore for firefighters to try to save…
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Phuket chief wages war to bring common sense to employment laws
Special Report Poor definitions in work permits have left loopholes that allow criminal foreigners to skirt the law and corrupt officials to take advantage of law-abiding foreigners. To this, Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) chief Yaowapa Pibulpol is waging a war to bring common sense to the enforcement of employment regulations. The Phuket Gazette’s Saran Mitrarat reports. PHUKET: The events…
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Phuket runway maintenance affects Chinese flights
PHUKET: Sichuan Airlines will relocate its Phuket operations to Krabi from May 15 through August 12 while runway maintenance is carried out during overnight hours at Phuket International Airport. The affected flights will be the Chengdu to Phuket and Chongqing to Phuket services. Sichuan Airlines offers two flights per week from both Chengdu and Chongqing direct to Phuket. Shanghai Airlines…
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Phuket park chief resigns over encroachment pressure
PHUKET: Park Chief Cheewapap Cheewatham has surrendered his fight to save Sirinath National Park from land encroachment and resigned from his position amid allegations of a 30-million-baht bribe to sign over protected land. After almost two years of service, Mr Cheewapap could no longer handle the pressure of the job and the powerful businessmen he pursued on land encroachment charges,…
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Police face corruption probe for letting Aussie gunmen free
PHUKET: The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) will investigate the Patong Police officers who failed to provide enough evidence to charge two Australians with attempted murder after the pair opened fire on a busy street in Patong last year. The Australians, tattoo parlor owners John Cohen, 32, and Adam Shea, 26, injured two German tourists while trying to gun down…
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Russian escapes serious injury in drunken motorbike crash
PHUKET: A Russian woman escaped serious injury yesterday morning when she crashed a motorbike into a power pole while not wearing a helmet and under the influence of alcohol. Rescue workers were called to the scene, on Thepkrasattri Road, at about 9am. “Rescue workers administered first aid at the scene before transporting the woman to Wachira Phuket Hospital,” said Lt…
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Video Report: Phuket police extortion charges true, PACC says
PHUKET: The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has proposed that two Chalong Police officers be charged for the extortion of members of the dive community following the conclusion of their investigation in Phuket (story here). “We have collected enough evidence to prove that the allegations of extortion filed by 41 members of the Phuket dive industry are true,” said PACC…
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Phuket police recover 100,000 baht of sea fan jewelry
PHUKET: A man smuggling sea fan jewelry into Phuket was arrested at Phuket’s main bus station yesterday afternoon. Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended Sarayut Maneerat, 39, at about 1pm, when he got off a bus from Krabi. Officers found 111 pieces of jewelry made from sea fans, a protected marine animal, in his backpack. The items included 102 bracelets,…
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Visa crackdown risks stranding Phuket expats in Myanmar
PHUKET: Officials at Ranong Immigration today confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that they are turning away any foreigners attempting to enter Thailand after using three consecutive “walk-in” visas. The news follows reports of immigration officers allegedly stopping Phuket expats on visa runs to Ranong from exiting the country. Ranong, nearly 400km north of Phuket, has for decades been a prime…
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Wanted Phuket woman arrested for stealing 52 cars
PHUKET: A woman wanted for car theft since 2012, with outstanding arrest warrants in every district of Phuket, was arrested yesterday in Cherng Talay after being recognized by police. “Sukanya Chanthanarak, 40, had five arrest warrants in Cherng Talay alone. Her face was familiar to area police,” said Lt Col Sommai Onkham of the Cherng Talay Police. Ms Sukanya rented…
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Surf’s up in Khao Lak
PHUKET: After crossing the bridge off the island, the sense of immediacy, impatience and the hustle and bustle of Phuket fades quickly. The pace of life slows to what is expected of a tropical island. Dozens of people experienced this as they made their way to Khao Lak for the first annual Khao Lak Surf Competition last weekend. They drove…
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Krabi Kayaking competition underway
PHUKET: The Krabi-Enlive Sea Kayak Thailand Championship and the 3rd Sea Kayak Asian Cup are under way. The two events were organized to enable canoeing and water enthusiasts to showcase their skills, to raise awareness of ecotourism, and to help cultivate a culture of sustainable tourism in Krabi, said TAT Governor Thawatchai Arunyik. “These fun events are being held to…
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Governor orders probe into alleged Phuket beach land swindle
PHUKET: The Phuket Governor has ordered a direct investigation into how a man claiming to be a real estate agent allegedly conned villagers near Layan Beach into signing a document that empowered him to mortgage their land for 20 million baht. The incident came to light on Thursday when the villagers, led by Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President…
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Italian man found hanged in Patong
PHUKET: The body of an Italian man was found hanged from a rooftop steel bar at the Happy Apartment building in Baan Nanai Patong yesterday. Roberto Becchetti, 46, was last seen in the building carrying a coil of nylon rope about two hours before his body was discovered in a narrow gap between the apartment building and the building next…
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Taiwanese tourist drowns at Koh Yao Yai, off Phuket
PHUKET: A Taiwanese tourist drowned at Koh Yao Yai yesterday after waves pulled him out to sea. Chung-Hsin Lu, 64, was swimming with a friend at about 2pm when the pair started struggling in deep water. Bystanders were able to rescue Mr Lu’s friend, but Mr Lu disappeared below the surface and could not be found, says a Kusoldharm rescue…
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Let there be light: Phuket mangrove forest villagers may get PEA electricity, clean water
PHUKET: Officials have been tasked with determining if the law can be bent in order to provide an illegally established mangrove forest community with much-needed electricity. The move follows a March 20 protest during which 200 villagers from the Klong Mudong community rallied outside the Chalong Municipality and asked Mayor Samran Jindapol to provide their homes with a steady supply…
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Five in ATM skimming network arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: Five foreigners believed to be part of a skimming network stretching across Thailand were arrested in possession of multiple credit cards under different names and 700,000 baht in cash yesterday. Three were caught in the process of skimming an ATM in Karon. The other two were apprehended as they were allegedly attempting to evade officers. The men were named…
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Police rescue driver from mob after two killed at Phuket’s ‘hundred bodies curve’
PHUKET: Police yesterday quickly whisked away the driver of a six-wheeled truck that killed two people and injured four others at Phuket’s notorious “100 bodies curve” on Chao Fa West Road, to spare him from the wrath of an angry mob. Uthai Pilaput told police that he was heading northbound at about midday when he lost control on the wet…
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Win a free flight with the Gazette Reader Survey 2014
PHUKET: In the 20 years since our launch on May 4, 1994, the Phuket Gazette has evolved from a 12-page monthly, hand delivered by its founder to Phuket’s then tiny expat community, into the 80-page weekly that it is today as part of the island’s leading multimedia news organization. We’ve been here for our readers through natural disasters, coups, booming…
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Video Report: Phuket farmers gearing up for National Goat Fair
PHUKET: Local farmers are gearing up for the 11th annual National Goat Fair, which will be held in Cherng Talay from May 23-25. The fair will provide an opportunity for farmers to exchange knowledge, learn from experts and showcase their products. “The main goal of the event is to urge goat farmers to continue developing better breeding techniques to maximize…
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Former Phuket art teacher, turned alcoholic, found dead at public park
PHUKET: A former art teacher at Phuket Rajabhat University was found dead near the new indoor sports stadium in Saphan Hin yesterday. The body of Prasit Songkramma, 57, was found at about 2pm by Ngaojai Kusuya, a 50-year-old cleaner at the stadium. “At this stage we believed he died from heatstroke and, from what we have learned, he was an…
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Phuket drug dealer identified by hair loss, arrested
PHUKET: Police arrested a drug dealer in Rawai on Monday with more than 1,500 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) and 57 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). A tip-off from undercover police that a balding man about 170cm tall was selling drugs in Rawai led officers to a house on Wiset Road at about 7pm. “The man who answered the…
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Royal Phuket Yacht Club to close in wake of takeover
PHUKET: The Royal Phuket Yacht Club, the iconic resort that has drawn tourists to Nai Harn Beach for 28 years, will close its doors on May 31 for a major refit following a takeover by foreign investors. The news was confirmed today by staff at the resort who have received formal notice that employment of all staff will be terminated.…
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Superyacht hits bottom off Phuket
PHUKET: Sailors navigating around the south of Phuket are urged to exercise caution after reports surfaced of a 55-meter superyacht hitting an uncharted submerged object in the waters between Rawai Beach and Koh Bon. “[Members of] the local marine community are reminding boaters of the danger, following a number of incidents which have caused near sinkings,” reported Phuket yachtsman Bob…
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Meth-head monks defrocked after Phuket raid
PHUKET: Five monks from Northern Thailand were defrocked in Phuket and volunteered to go to a drug-rehabilitation camp after testing positive for ya bah (methamphetamine) during a Thalang Police raid yesterday. Police were notified of the behavior of the group of monks by residents in Moo 5 of Thepkrasattri Sub-district. “Residents suspected that the men were fake monks because they…
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Chalong cooks up Phuket favorites at annual food fair
PHUKET: The annual “Chalong Food and Entertainment Festival” kicked off last night opposite Wat Ladthiwanaram (Wat Tai) on Chao Fa East Road. The fair’s opening night boasted a cooking show, dance competition and concerts. “I would like to personally invite everyone to attend the fair,” said Chalong Mayor Samran Jindaphol. After a show from the Elderly Club and a grand…
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Phuket pawnshop bolstered with B130mn as students head back to school
PHUKET: The state-run Phuket City Municipality pawnshop has been granted a budget of 130 million baht to exchange for goods as poor parents scratch to find the funds to send their children back to school. The budget last year was just 50mn baht, explained Suriya Ngasamun, an assistant at the Phuket City Municipality Pawnshop on Komarapat Road in Phuket Town.…
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Threatened residents rise against temple donation scammers in Phuket
PHUKET: Thalang Police have warned Phuket residents against scammers asking for donations for temple development projects. The statement follows an incident in which Srisoonthorn residents who asked to see donation collection permits were threatened by the collectors. “Collectors often come to the Srisoonthorn market in the mornings to ask for money, claiming donations will go toward a temple development in…
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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