Phuket News
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A Decade Ago: Water woes, camel toes
PHUKET: Water woes – how many times has the Gazette used that headline in the last ten years? Well, it soaked through page one again as Phuket’s sole public reservoir in 2005 was ‘down to [its] last few drops’. Not too long ago, when those of us currently on the island were knee deep in flood waters, we found out…
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New 3D smartphone app aims to help tourists – but not in Phuket
PHUKET: Thailand’s Tourist Police launched a new smartphone application last week in hopes of improving service and convenience for tourists – but not for those on the tourist island of Phuket. The augmented reality application, ‘Thailand Tourist Trips and Tips AR Book’, enables tourists to use their smartphones to learn about the basics of Thai culture; to get tips on…
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Chinese tourists saved from sinking boat
PHUKET: More than a dozen Chinese tourists and a speedboat crew were safely rescued after their boat sank near Koh Kai this weekend. The 16 tourists were on their way to Phi Phi from Phuket when their speedboat, Papangkorn, struck an unknown object causing the boat to take on water, Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana told the Phuket Gazette.…
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Phuket air pollution warning lifted
PHUKET: Officials have lifted an air quality health warning for the island after the haze caused by Indonesian wildfires decreased yesterday. “Air pollution levels dropped to an average of 94 micrograms per cubic meter for the last 24-hour period,” Pornsri Suthanarak, director of the Regional Environmental Office, told the Phuket Gazette. On Saturday, air pollution on the island maintained levels…
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The killing cove: ‘Cove monitoring’ in Taiji
PHUKET: On September 11 this year at about 9.35am, Japan time, a young Risso’s dolphin under severe shock and distress tried to escape the hunters by swimming under the enclosing net, only to find itself nearer to the shore instead of out at sea. Swimming straight to where Ric O’Barry stood documenting this horrifying turn of events, the Risso’s pushed…
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Illegal Phuket gun dealing conducted in closed Facebook groups
PHUKET: Closed groups on social media platforms are facilitating a boom in illegal factory built and homemade firearms, confirmed the head of the Phuket City Police this week. “A decade ago, people would need the know-how or a special connection to get their hands on a firearm. But now, with Google and YouTube, as well as social media, such as…
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Haze prompts officials to issue health warning
PHUKET: Phuket officials issued a health warning today, after air pollution on the island maintained levels above the public safety standard for the last 24 hours. “Phuket’s air pollution level has continuously been above 120 micrograms per cubic meter for a 24-hour period,” Pornsri Suthanarak, director of the Regional Environmental Office, told the Phuket Gazette. According to their research, Phuket…
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No health warning issued for Phuket haze
PHUKET: The Regional Environmental Office has yet to issue a health warning for the thick Indonesian haze that settled over Phuket today. However, the current air conditions on the island have raised concern among experts despite it being deemed safe. “We are monitoring it very carefully,” Pornsri Suthanarak, the director of the Regional Environmental Office told the Phuket Gazette. “We…
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Big budget to fix Patong’s floods
PHUKET: A 420-million-baht budget has been approved by the Public Works Department to help alleviate flooding in Patong. “Four flood-protection methods will be put into place from 2016 through 2018,” Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsub told the Phuket Gazette. The department is now working with municipality officials on surveying, planning and designing the new systems that include a retaining wall, man-made…
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Movie museum to break ground in November
PHUKET: The island’s first-ever “movie museum” is expected to break ground in November, according to local officials. “The Department of Tourism will be leading the project,” Santi Pawai, director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket office, told the Phuket Gazette today. “The contract has been signed and the work is expected to start in November and be completed…
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Police: New governor likely to act on Surin Beach encroachment
PHUKET: Police expect Chamroen Tipayapongtada, who will be the governor of Phuket as of October 1, to strongly back their efforts to evict a number of Surin Beach clubs and businesses that are allegedly encroached on public land. “I don’t think it will take long once the new governor takes charge. He was previously a vice governor for the province…
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Patong requests expansion of entertainment zone
PHUKET: Nightlife venue operators have requested an expansion of the Patong entertainment zone in a letter to the Ministry of Interior that also requested a change for the closing time of their bars and clubs. The letter, which was supported by the Kathu District Office, Patong Entertainment Business Association and a number of private nightlife venue owners, was sent after…
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Video Report: Shores awash with injured sea turtles
PHUKET: Four olive ridley sea turtles were found injured on Kamala and Bang Tao Beaches within a 48 hour period this week. All four turtles were in very weak condition, confirmed Patcharaporn Gaewmong, a Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) veterinarian. “Three of the turtles had severed flippers,” Ms Patcharaporn said. Experts believe that the turtles were caught in fishing nets…
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Phuket lifeguards recover missing teen’s body
PHUKET: Lifeguards have recovered the body of a missing teen off Kata Beach yesterday evening. Boonchiaw Thongdonmuang, 18, was fishing with friends on a rock outcrop known as ‘Laem Fa‘ when he was struck by a large wave and taken out to sea Wednesday afternoon (story here). “His body was brought to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where relatives identified him,” confirmed…
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F1 racers heat train on Phuket
PHUKET: Adding to Phuket’s appeal as a first-rate sports destination is the recent arrival of two Formula 1 drivers, Jenson Button and Marcus Ericsson, to acclimatize to the heat at a local training camp prior to the Singapore Grand Prix. Aside from heat training at the Thanyapura sports facility, the pair are also doing some triathlon training with fellow triathletes…
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Teen goes missing in Kata waves
PHUKET: Rough weather continues to hamper search efforts for an 18-year-old man who went missing from Kata Beach yesterday afternoon, the Phuket Marine Police have admitted. Boonchiaw Thongdonmuang, 18, was fishing with friends on a rock outcrop known as ‘Laew Fa’ when he was struck by a large wave and taken out to sea. “We started our search yesterday, but…
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Plastic bag possibly killed dolphin, says Phuket expert
PHUKET: A striped dolphin found washed up on Nai Yang Beach on Tuesday most likely died from the consumption of a plastic bag, explained marine experts today. “It was about 15 years old, 2.45 meters long and approximately 90 kilograms. It had a wound near its eye,” said Patcharaporn Gaewmong, a Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) veterinarian. “The results from…
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Deputy PM launches Thailand Yacht Show
PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister General Thanasak Patimaprakorn officially launched the much-anticipated Thailand Yacht Show yesterday. The marine festivities will run for seven days from February 8 to 14 at Ao Po Grand Marina, the event organizers, Singapore Yacht Events Pte Ltd (SYE), announced earlier this month (story here). Activities will range from recreational sailing, paddle boarding and water sports to…
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Phuket on flood, landslide alert
PHUKET: The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office has issued an official landslide and flash flood warning for Phuket following the recent heavy rains due to Tropical Storm Vamco (story here). “We issued a warning to all local governments on the island yesterday. We asked them to beware of current weather conditions that could possibly lead to flash flooding…
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Two killed in head-on motorbike crash
PHUKET: A head-on motorbike collision early this morning killed two men and put two others in hospital as one of the drivers attempted to navigate around roadworks in Rassada, Phuket City Police confirmed. Rescue workers rushed the two Indonesian survivors, named only as Lain, 23, and Dusoe, 24, to Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Hospital. “When we arrived at the…
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Thai-Malaysia border remains open for visa runs
PHUKET: Amid a flurry of concern about the Thai-Cambodian border being closed to ‘visa runs’ (story here), a high ranking Immigration officer has confirmed that there are no changes to procedures at the popular Phuket visa-run checkpoint in Sadao. “We have yet to receive any special orders to change how we process people needing visa exemptions on arrival or those…
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Weather: Small Phuket boats prohibited from accessing Phi Phi, Racha
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has issued a warning for all boats headed to Phi Phi archipelago and Racha Island that are less than 10-meters long to stay ashore, effective tomorrow. “We expect to see waves between two and four meters in the Andaman Sea, boats less than 10-meters are prohibited from leaving shore,” said Phuket Marine Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut.…
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Blacklisted Kiwis busted for 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill
PHUKET: Police scooped up a New Zealander and his son upon arrival at Phuket International Airport last night for a 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill from the Blue Marine Resort and Spa in Patong. The Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for Brian Russell Finn, 54, and his son Luke Russell Finn, 24, for allegedly ‘dining and dashing’ on a…
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Missing Phuket fishing crew all safely rescued
PHUKET: Phuket rescue teams saved two missing fishermen today who were on board a boat that sunk while hunting for lost fishing gear near Koh Mai Thon yesterday. All four men have now been safely brought back to Phuket. However, the boat is gone, confirmed Marine Police Division Chief Maj Gen Kritapol Yeesakorn. “I didn’t think we would make it.…
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ICT considers developing ‘smart’ Phuket
PHUKET: The Information and Communication Technology Ministry (ICT) is eyeing Phuket and Chiang Mai as ‘smart cities’ that focus on tech start-ups as part of a move to turn Thailand into the digital hub of Asean. ICT Minister Uttama Savanayana said that under the policy the ministry planned to roll out pilot projects to drive the country forward, with the…
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Video Report: Asian Weightlifting Championships wrap up
PHUKET: Between September 6 and 11, 162 athletes from 29 countries flexed their muscles as they battled against gravity at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex for the 26th Senior Women’s and 45th Senior Men’s Asian Weightlifting Championships . The event’s opening ceremony was chaired by National Olympic Committee of Thailand President Yuthasak Sasiprapha. Fifteen athletes from Thailand, seven females…
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Fishing boat sinks, two missing
PHUKET: Phuket Marine Police are searching for two men who are still missing after their fishing boat sank off Phuket. “We received a report from speedboat captain Sulaiman Srisamut, who rescued a Myanmar national he found floating at sea near Koh Dok Mai,” said Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana. “The first report was that three others were missing. However,…
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Private sector may join light rail project
PHUKET: The private sector might be asked to join forces with the government to push through the more than 23-billion-baht light rail project slated for Phuket. “When it comes time to propose the budget to the government, we will see if it is willing to take on the whole cost or if it will invest only a portion, giving the…
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Phuket marina wishes boat-fire victims speedy recovery
PHUKET: Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) issued a statement wishing the speedy recovery of the two men seriously injured after a speedboat engine exploded near the marina’s fuel dock yesterday morning. “Royal Phuket Marina staff acted quickly and professionally,” the statement said, noting that safety precautions were followed. “[RPM staff used] on-site fire safety equipment, doused the blaze, assisted the speedboat…
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Weather warning issued for Phuket
PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has issued a heavy rain warning from today to September 19 due to Tropical Storm Vamco, which is bound for Vietnam. “It is not a serious warning,” said Santhawat Riwleung, chief of the DDPM Phuket. “There will be rain everyday, some of which will be very heavy.…
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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