Phuket News
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Tuk-tuk driver denies tourist rape
PATONG (Gazette, Kom Chad Luek): A tuk-tuk driver arrested yesterday afternoon has denied raping a 20-year-old female Australian tourist in the early hours of Thursday morning.Pol Col Teeraphol Thipjareon, Superintendent of Kathu District Police Station, today told the Gazette, “The suspect has admitted that he took the woman back to her hotel on the night in question but he denies…
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PIWC calls for Gala Ball sponsors
PHUKET: Cindy Ratcliffe, President of the Phuket International Women’s Club (PIWC), has called for businesses and island residents to sponsor, donate prizes and attend the PIWC’s annual fund-raising Gala Ball, this year to be held at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Beach Resort & Spa on November 18.“We intend to make this event a glittering evening of revelry and fun. To…
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Poor people get solar power
PHUKET CITY: Solar power generation systems have been installed in the homes of 351 poor families in Phuket as part of a nationwide project to bring power to areas not yet connected to the main grid.Announcing this at a meeting at the Thavorn Grand Plaza hotel on September 4, Prawat Siripatrodom of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEC), said that a…
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Veg festival to go yellow
PHUKET CITY: Organizers of this year’s Vegetarian Festival have asked for those taking part to wear yellow shirts on the second day of the festival, October 23, to commemorate HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Diamond Jubilee.Participants traditionally wear white throughout the festival as a sign of purity.The announcement came during a meeting of the event’s organizing committee at Phuket Town Inn.Phuket…
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Italian tourist dead in blaze puzzle
CHALONG: Mystery surrounds the death of Italian tourist Marco Oniga, 44, whose charred remains were found on the bed of his apartment in Chalong on the afternoon of September 1. At about 4:30 pm, Mr Oniga’s naked body was discovered by one of the apartment building’s maids. As she was making her daily rounds, the maid smelled smoke coming from…
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Robber too quick for police
WICHIT: A man armed with a pistol robbed a gold shop in broad daylight on Saturday, making off with 705 grams of gold valued at about 470,000 baht.Pol Lt Somsak Thongklieng, Deputy Inspector with the Royal Thai Police, (Forensic Science Area 44 Office), based at Muang District Police Station, told the Gazette that shopowner Thippawan Limthongnopakhun, 31, and her employee…
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PGTV News Monday 4th August 2006
PGTV’s Phuket News today features stories about the flooding and landslides caused by recent rain, the Phuket boatshow in Bangkok, and an update on both Airport and crime statistics. In addition to these and other news stories focused on Phuket, today’s show features a interview with local author Jim Newport. PGTV, produced by the Phuket Gazette, is aired daily on the Phuket…
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Academic coalition calls on Thaksin to quit
BANGKOK (The Nation): More than 40 academic groups yesterday called for the prime minister’s resignation and warned that existing discord could lead to civil war.“Thaksin Shinawatra must halt all political activities immediately and allow an investigation into alleged abuses of power,” said Anan Laolertworakul, a leader of a network of 43 academic groups.Anan urged civil servants to ignore “unjustified instructions”…
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Surge in petty crimes sees 30 police officers transferred
PHUKET: As the island seems to be suffering from a major surge in petty crimes, some 30 police officers have been approved for transfer out of the province in the upcoming annual round of promotions and transfers, on October 1. The main reason put forward by the officers for the transfers: “overworked”.At his monthly meeting with chief officers on Wednesday,…
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Tax revenue up more than a quarter
PHUKET: The Phuket Area Revenue Office (PARO) expects to have raised 5 billion baht in taxes by the end of this fiscal year on September 31, an increase of a billion baht from last year. PARO Chief Pensri Passakul said at Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura’s monthly meeting with Provincial Office Chiefs on August 30, that between October 1 last year and…
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The usual suspects
PHUKET: Crime statistics for August, released by the Phuket Provincial Police, show that the usual two crimes – gambling and drugs – yet again topped the list of offenses committed in the month.A total of 181 people were arrested on gambling charges during the August 1-25 reporting period. Eleven of these were held for their involvement in the underground lottery.Of…
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JD pools to sue for 100 million baht
PHUKET: JD Pools today announced that it plans to sue both Desjoyaux Pools (Thailand) and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) following the DSI raid of the JD Pools Phuket warehouse on August 18.At a press conference this morning, Thanusak Phungdet, Managing Director of JD Pools Group, said that JD Pools will claim for damages arising from a distortion of…
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PGTV News Thursday 31 August 2006
PGTV’s Phuket News today features stories about the Ao Phuket project, a new slaughterhouse for Phuket, Norwegian fish farming methods adapted to snake-head fish and an update on the flooding and landslides caused by recent rain. In addition to these and other news stories focused on Phuket, today’s show features a documentary about Volunteers in Phuket. PGTV, produced by the Phuket Gazette, is…
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Eerie hush over stolen tsunami money
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura has warned that government officers must shoulder the burden of responsibility of their positions and accept the “sharp thorns” of a government career.He was referring to the lingering police investigation into whether Apichart Nooprod was involved in the theft of 2.05 million baht in tsunami funds on February 15 last year.K. Apichart, Chief of…
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PGTV News Wednesday 30th August 2006
PGTV’s Phuket News today features a story about the recently amended dive regulations, a look at scholarships to China, information about a tax hike at Thai airports and we discover a Phuket street that aims to to have the cleanest and tastiest food. In addition to these and other news stories focused on Phuket, today’s show features a documentary about Thai kickboxing.…
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Confusion over Chinese role in mega project
PHUKET CITY: Some two weeks after it was reported that Thai Longstay Management Corp Ltd (TLM), a private company 30% owned by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), signed a 40-million-baht “primary contract” with a Chinese state-owned enterprise to help develop part of a long-stay project at Saphan Hin, Phuket Vice-Governor Niran Kanlayanamitr, head of the provincial committee for the…
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Lucky Complex to become science center
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has failed to secure funding for the proposed redevelopment of the Lucky Complex at Saphan Hin and will instead use the vacant six-story building for office space and a “Science Learning Center”, OrBorJor President Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr announced at a media party at the Phuket Merlin Hotel on August 15.“The investors, the Royal…
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OrBorJor signs up 7th school
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has added a seventh school to its portfolio in its drive to promote educational excellence in Phuket.At a ceremony at The Metropole hotel on August 23, OrBorJor President Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Baan Nabon School, whereby the OrBorJor will help the school to build on its record…
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PGTV News Tuesday 29th August 2006
PGTV’s Phuket News today features news about the recent amended dive regulations, a look at an association that is dealing with mental health and we find out about how and why wine awards are given. In addition to these and other news stories focused on Phuket, today’s show features a documentary about the Art scene in Phuket. PGTV, produced by the Phuket Gazette,…
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Dive regulations published
PHUKET CITY: The Phuket provincial authorities have today released details of the new dive industry regulations that came into effect on Friday, when they were signed by Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura. The new regulations, which underwent a legal review before being signed by the Governor, consist of three parts. The first is the announcement ordering dive operators to comply with the…
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Dive regulations signed
PHUKET CITY: The new regulations governing Phuket’s dive industry have now been signed by Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura and will come into effect on September 1. Aekachai Soonthorn, secretary to Provincial Chief Administrative Officer Nivit Aroonrat, told the Gazette that the new regulations were signed by the Governor at 4.30 yesterday afternoon.A draft of the regulations has been under review…
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US consular services in Phuket
KARON: Officials from the Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok will visit Phuket on September 15 to provide consular services to US citizens.The following services will be available from 8 am til noon in the Similan Room of the Phuket Hilton Arcadia Resort & Spa:– Passport renewal applications (US$67 or 2,680 baht for adult passports);– Insertion of additional…
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Police continue hunt for abductor
CHALONG: Police are still searching for the second man allegedly involved in the abduction of Jitra Soonsud, 35, who was found handcuffed and drugged in a house in the Phuket Country Home estate, on Chao Fa East Rd, on May 29.“We know who he is and we have had a warrant issued for his arrest, but I don’t want to…
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Park fee hikes deferred
PHUKET: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will postpone its scheduled doubling of entry fees at all national parks, scheduled to take effect from September 15, by more than a year, Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) Deputy Chairman Sarayuth Mallam told the Gazette today.Speaking by telephone from Bangkok, K. Sarayuth explained that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat has…
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Beer bottles bombard cop shop
PHUKET CITY: A gang of teenagers, possibly angry with the police for setting up roadblocks to crack down on motorcycle gangs, launched an attack on Phuket City Police Station in the early hours of yesterday morning, lobbing beer bottles at the building.Pol Lt Theeradet Jiraksa told the Gazette, “While I was on duty, a teenager stopped his motorcycle on the…
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PGTV News Wednesday 23 August 2006
PGTV’s Phuket News today features an update on the desalination plant in Kata, an announcement that there are not enough “smart” ID cards available and a visit to a school for underprivileged kids. In addition to these and other news stories focused on Phuket, today’s show features a documentary about the recent visit to Phuket by the Singapore Porsche Club. PGTV, produced by…
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Underwater park ready for divers
PHUKET: Sculptures worth 4 million baht have been placed on the seabed at a depth of 15 meters close to Koh Racha Yai, and are being promoted as a special “must see” site for divers in the coming high season.Phuket Diving Park, as the site is now known, features sculptures including Thai demons (yak), traditional decorative arches, a sala, two…
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Inhalant abuse rife among teens
PHUKET: Phuket’s Juvenile and Child Protection Office has released statistics showing that 270 youths under the age of 18 were charged with criminal offenses during the first six months of 2006. The office noted that the figure indicates an increase in youth crime, with a total of 488 such crimes reported in 2005.Of the 270 cases, 243 involved boys, compared…
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Excise tax B6 million over target
PHUKET CITY: Revenue collected from excise tax in Phuket so far this fiscal year, from October 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006, is about 145 million baht, some 6 million baht above projections, the Phuket Excise Office has reported.Phuket Excise Office chief Supatra Horsrisamphan said the figures included fees collected for permission to sell alcohol, tobacco and playing cards as…
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PGTV News Tuesday 22nd August 2006
PGTV’s Phuket News today features a story about foreigners wishing to become Thai, an update on the missing UK student in Phang Nga and we a look at collecting taxes from the island’s hotels. In addition to these and other news stories focused on Phuket, today’s show features a new interview with Phuket based writer Jim Newport. PGTV, produced by…
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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