Phuket News
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Myanmar workers protest foreman assault
PHUKET: More than 100 Myanmar laborers from Care Con Co Ltd gathered to protest the assault of a coworker at the company’s construction site in Thalang on Saturday. Police spent 30 minutes talking to protesters before taking the suspect and victim to the police station for questioning. “Foreman Atipong Saenboon, 28, confessed to threatening Sai Min Lin, 22, with a…
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Phuket Governor pushes green plan on Koh Racha
PHUKET: Phuket officials moved to ensure the environmental sustainability and the growth of the tourism industry on Racha Island with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with local hotels and restaurants on Saturday. Governor Nisit Jansomwong signed the MoU on proper trash and wastewater disposal during his visit to the island, while also underscoring that all segments, including…
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Phuket native headed to Miss Universe Thailand 2015 final
PHUKET: Phuket native Chavika Watsang, 19, is asking island residents to vote for her as ‘Miss Popular 2015’ as she awaits the final round of the Miss Universe Thailand competition. Ms Chavika attended Plukpanya School before graduating and going to Srinagarindra the Princess Mother School in Phuket, her father, Chairat Watsang, told the Phuket Gazette today. “Now she is in…
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Alleged robbery victim found dead next day
PHUKET: The alleged victim of a robbery on Friday evening was found dead, hanging from the door to the rooftop terrace of her apartment building yesterday morning. Jantana Seangdee, 37, filed a report with Phuket City Police that two thieves robbed her of her brother’s 400,000 baht in cash after kicking her off her motorbike and stealing her bag (story…
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Small boats ordered to stay ashore, day trips cancelled
PHUKET: Day-trip tourists are to remain ashore today after Phuket officials ordered that all boats less than nine meters remain on the island until further notice. “The order became effective today. We’ll see what the weather does and make adjustments accordingly. I’m expecting to have to order boats smaller than 12 meters to keep ashore soon,” Phuket Marine Office Chief…
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Breaking News: Another two killed on Patong Hill
PHUKET: A cement truck descending the infamous Patong Hill killed two women on a motorbike before crashing into the guardrail. Police and rescue workers are at the scene, and have yet to release the names and ages of those killed in the accident. Just two days ago, a 26-year-old woman succumbed to injuries sustained after a six-wheeled truck struck her…
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Iranian tourist drowns at Patong Beach
PHUKET: An Iranian tourist drowned at Patong Beach Saturday night after getting dragged out to sea by a strong current. Hasan Fhakhr, 30, was pulled out of the water near the Patong Police box at about 6:30pm by lifeguards. They immediately administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for about 15 minutes, until an ambulance arrived to transfer him to Patong Hospital. Mr…
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Spike in Phuket seafood prices blamed on monsoon weather
PHUKET: An island official is attributing local fishermen’s unwillingness to go offshore and a resulting spike in seafood prices to monsoon-season sea conditions, rather than a reaction to recent, strict regulation changes to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing practices. “This is not purely a protest. I have spoken to a lot of fishermen, and they have told me…
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Two thieves dash off with 400,000 baht
PHUKET: Two daring thieves got away with more than 400,000 baht in cash after kicking over a woman’s motorbike and grabbing her bag yesterday evening. Lt Wechasak Chuladoong of the Phuket City Police rushed to the scene after police were alerted of the hit-and-run attack on Jantana Seangdee, 37*, along Pracha Uthit Road in Koh Kaew at about 8pm. “The…
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Patong Hill crash victim dies
PHUKET: One of the victims in an accident on Patong Hill yesterday has succumbed to her injuries, police confirmed to the Phuket Gazette this morning. Laksamiduean Sawadiraksa, 26, who was driving a motorbike in front of a six-wheeled truck when it lost control on the hill, sustained serious head injuries in the collision, and was pronounced dead after being rushed…
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Phuket Governor requests Navy, police protection for sea gypsies
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Jansomwong has requested that naval officers and Chalong Police carry out random checks at the Rawai sea gypsy village to boost security and ensure locals that they will be safe during ongoing land dispute cases. The security boost follows news reports from June 22 that 200 sea gypsies had begged Phuket authorities for protection after a group…
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Alleged IUU captured in Phuket fined B51k
PHUKET: A fine of 51,000 baht was levied against the alleged illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) vessels that successfully fled the New Zealand and Australian navies with its cargo of Atlantic toothfish before being seized in Phuket earlier this year (story here). “Last month, the Customs Department in Bangkok fined the captain and South Service Co Ltd, which managed the cargo,…
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Police arrest Phuket murder suspect, one still at large
PHUKET: Police have arrested one of two suspects for the murder of the SuperCheap Soi Paniang branch manager yesterday. Nattapon Nukoon, 26, was stabbed to death in front of his house in Soi Paniang 3 half past midnight yesterday, said Phuket City Police Superintendent Col Kraithong Chanthongbai. “There was a knife stuck inside his right ear with his right arm…
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Breaking News: Two seriously injured in Patong Hill crash
PHUKET: Two women on a motorbike have been rushed to Patong Hospital with serious injuries after a six-wheeled truck lost control on Patong Hill, rolled backward and crashed into them. Police and rescue workers rushed to the scene, at the bottom of the hill near Wat Suwan Khiriwong Temple, at about 12:30pm to find the two women on the ground…
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Phuket gets heavy rain, rough seas for weekend
PHUKET: The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket office has warned of heavy rain and rough seas this weekend. “We received an official weather report from the Thai Meteorological Department [TMD] forecasting an increase in heavy rainfall,” said Santhawat Riwleung, chief of the DDPM Phuket office. “The report also said that there will be strong southwest monsoon conditions…
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Two Myanmar workers killed in truck crash
PHUKET: Two Myanmar construction workers were killed and seven others were seriously injured when the truck they were riding in crashed on Kamala Hill last night. The truck, which was carrying 40 workers from World Co Ltd, was travelling from Tri Trang Beach to a workers’ camp near the top of Kamala Hill at about 10:30pm when the driver lost…
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Video Report: Truck caught dumping near Nai Harn Beach
PHUKET: Island officials are looking for the owner of a truck who was caught dumping rubbish near Nai Harn Beach on June 6. The hunt began after PGTV sent a video clip to Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos that showed men in a pick-up truck unloading construction site refuse into what has quickly developed into an illegal dumping ground just 100…
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Governor launches search for fake officers in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong vowed yesterday to look into a complaint filed about alleged fraudsters entering homes under the guise of anti-human-trafficking officers. Amnuayporn Samneang, village headman of Srisoonthorn Moo 6, filed a formal complaint to Governor Nisit yesterday evening. “Mr Amnuayporn told us that two ‘anti-trafficking officers’ arrived at his home on June 29 and refused to present…
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Phuket police confirm tinted helmets illegal
PHUKET: Recent heated discussion on social media has prompted Phuket police to confirm that it is in fact illegal for motorists to wear helmets with tinted visors in Thailand. The news follows Maj Gen Apisit Muangkasem, national Traffic Police commander, recently speaking to many Thai media outlets about which types of helmets are prohibited. The commander’s statements sparked an argument…
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Olympians take “Road to Rio’ at Thanyapura
PHUKET: Twenty-five future Olympians began their ‘Road to Rio 2016’ at Thanyapura Phuket – the first Official Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) Training Center in Southeast Asia. Thanyapura announced its official partnership with the aquatics international body FINA this week at a press conference attended by Tourism and Sports of Thailand Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul and Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong. Thanyapura…
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Pirated goods vendors flee Kata-Karon shops
PHUKET: A number of shops managed to close before a police raid on pirated goods hit Kata and Karon yesterday. However, police were able to seize about 1,400 items and arrest one suspect. “We received a complaint that there were a lot of fake name-brand goods being sold in the area, so we decided to investigate,” Lt Col Pratheep Choosri…
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Ao Nang erects multi-million-baht fish statue
PHUKET: A 5-million-baht bronze sculpture of a sailfish was erected at Ao Nang Beach on June 29. “We have been planning to build a sculpture in Ao Nang for about a decade, but could never find the funds in our budget to do so,” Ao Nang Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President Pankum Kittithonkul told the Phuket Gazette. “We searched for…
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Car flips inside Phuket underpass
PHUKET: A car flipped inside of the Darasamuth underpass near Central Festival last night, causing all lanes to be temporarily closed off to traffic. Based on the damage, police believe that an individual driving a Toyota Yaris struck the back corner of a Toyota Avanza, causing it to flip, explained Maj Narong Muangduang of the Wichit Police. Both drivers received…
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Phuket fishing boats vow to remain ashore amid strict regulations
PHUKET: Commercial Phuket fishing boats have vowed to remain ashore rather than be netted by officials and charged for Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing practices. “We requested that the government relax the strict measures being enforced on us. However, they refused,” Somyos Wongbunyakul, president of the Phuket Fishing Association, told the Phuket Gazette. “The new regulations began on July…
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Two arrested for stealing 15,000 baht worth of liquor
PHUKET: Two men were arrested in Rassada last night for stealing more than 15,000 baht worth of liquor over the weekend. Puthipong Anuchon, 22, and Thawatchai Wongpiphan, 19, were caught after police used CCTV footage to locate the residence of the bike seen at the robbery. Thatirat Pongpan, 47, owner of Big One mini-mart near Karon beach, informed police on…
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Killer speedboat driver gets two years for two deaths
PHUKET: A speedboat driver who crashed into a fishing trawler, killing two Korean tourists last year, has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. “Surat Matosot was charged for reckless driving causing death and damage to property. He has been sentenced to two years in prison, with no option for the sentence to be suspended,” Maj Sopon Khongthong of the Krabi…
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SKAL denounces Phuket dolphinarium
PHUKET: SKAL International Phuket & Southern Thailand’s executive committee, along with SKAL members, lashed out at the island’s unopened dolphinarium as news broke that the facility had leaped through yet another bureaucratic ring (story here). “SKAL International Phuket & Southern Thailand wish to publicly condemn this project and protests ‘vividly’ against the opening of a dolphinarium in Phuket,” a statement…
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Phuket dolphinarium grinds forward [video]
PHUKET: The still unopened Phuket dolphinarium has cleared another set of hurdles in its attempts to launch the project to the public following issuance by the Department of Fisheries of the necessary public zoo operations licence earlier this month. “The building has been improved and now meets our standards,” an officer from the Department of Fisheries, who asked not to…
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Police arrest bag-snatch suspect, accomplice at large
PHUKET: Police have arrested one of two suspects for a bag-snatch theft carried out on an American national in Rawai on Saturday. Supakon Yoosuk, 19, was apprehended at his home in Rawai just hours after the crime, once police were able to identify him from CCTV footage off Soi Samakee, where the robbery took place. “We received a call at…
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German tourist found hanging from tree on Phi Phi
PHUKET: The body of a German tourist was found hanging from a tree on Phi Phi Island yesterday. Katharina Rebacz, 26, was found on the secluded Ao Por Beach, on the southeastern tip of Phi Phi Don, at about 5pm by local fishermen, who then notified police. “Ms Rebacz had been dead for about one hour before she was found,”…
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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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