Phuket News
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Phuket police seize heroin at Phuket checkpoint
PHUKET: Phuket police making a routine stop at a checkpoint in Thalang early yesterday morning seized 33 grams of heroin after searching a car that was not fitted with any license plates. Crime Suppression officers led by Inspector Prasarn Thoworn were on duty at a checkpoint in Baan Yamu, Paklok, when a white Kia sedan arrived at 1:30am. Noticing the…
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Life of Liberty, after the crash
PHUKET: On an island where almost any crash that isn’t fatal is missed in the news, countless personal struggles and victories of the victims of Phuket road accidents are overlooked. Liberty Jefferson had been an English-language teacher at Kanjonkietsuksa School for three and half years, before her was leg shattered in a motorbike crash. Heading north on Thepkrasattri Road from…
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Phuket Sports: Ironman Lieto “Fully Booked!” on double Laguna Phuket Mission
PHUKET: The reputed fastest cyclist in triathlon, Chris Lieto, is heading back to Phuket to compete in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) and Ironman 70.3 this year. The American hopes to make up for the disappointment of his Phuket debut last year, when he crashed out on a rain-soaked 70.3 bike course. Renowned as the fastest American Ironman and one…
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Phuket Poll: Do record-breaking events really achieve their goals?
PHUKET: Following the Go Eco Phuket record-breaking Dive Against Debris reef cleanup operation, in which more than 500 participants in 14 boats collected an amazing 15 tons of debris, the Phuket Gazette asks its readers if they believe that such events have a deep impact on the issue at hand? To have your say in our latest poll, click here.…
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Phuket Sports: Pacquiao expected to sign contract to fight Thailand’s Buakaw
PHUKET: Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) is expected to sign a contract tomorrow agreeing to take on Thailand’s most famous fighter, Sombat Banchamek, commonly known as Buakaw, in a special fight planned for December 21. Narong Hengtrakul, one of Thailand’s most renowned international matchmakers for both conventional boxing and Muay Thai fights, will meet Pacquiao in Manila tomorrow to…
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Case closed on Belanger sisters’ deaths
PHUKET: Krabi Police have closed the case on the deaths of Canadian sisters Audrey and Noemi Belanger with no more investigations to be conducted. Audrey, 20, and Noemi, 25, from Quebec, were found dead in their hotel room on Phi Phi Island on June 15. Both had suffered a violent physical reaction to suspected poisoning. Autopsies conducted by forensic police…
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Weather warning for Phuket ahead of cyclone landfall in Vietnam
PHUKET: The Thai Meteorological Department today issued a “torrential rain” warning for much of Thailand as tropical cyclone Gaemi in the South China Sea is expected make landfall over central Vietnam this weekend. “This will affect Thailand during October 4-8,” said the warning, issued by TMD Acting Director-General Somchai Baimoung. The outfall from Cyclone Gaemi is expected to combine with…
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“I thought we had the power to go far….”
“I thought we had the power to go far in this tournament but, with a young side, you get good performances and you get some average ones.” PHUKET: England captain Stuart Broad is understandably disappointed after his team were knocked out of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. The defending champions lost to Sri Lanka by 19-runs to miss out…
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Live Wire: Is Phuket smart enough for the iPhone 5?
PHUKET: Last week I talked about the iPhone 5, how it compares to the Samsung Galaxy S III, and the problems that people from Toledo to Tashkent are going to have deciding which one to buy. Here in Phuket, we have one HUGE question that doesn’t concern much of the rest of the world – and it’ll be a key…
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Fossil shell cemetery discovered in Krabi
PHUKET: A villager clearing land to plant oil palm trees in Krabi last month unearthed what he believes is fossil graveyard.Since the original discovery, Chob Pankaew has had regular visits from the residents of Nong Phak Bung village in Klong Thom district, all coming to see the fossils.“Two weeks ago, I was clearing the land ready to plant oil palm…
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Korean tourist snorkeling death ruled as “drowning’
PHUKET: Hospital staff in Phuket have confirmed that “drowning” has been listed as the official cause of death of the 29-year-old Korean tourist found dead while snorkeling at Phi Phi Island on Saturday. An International Department officer at Vachira Phuket Hospital confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that the Jungkook Kim, initially named by Tourist Police as “Jury Kuk Kim“, was…
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New Phuket governor announced
PHUKET: The Thai Cabinet has officially named former Phayao Governor Maitree Intusut as the new Governor of Phuket.The Cabinet agreed to the proposed list of governor appointments and transfers for 19 provinces at a meeting today, two days after former Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha retired on Sunday.Sommai Prijasilpa, Phuket’ senior vice-governor, has been filling in as Acting Governor in the…
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New Phuket police chief targets tourist safety, drugs
PHUKET: Phuket’s new Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Chote Chawanwiwat, has vowed to make drugs and tourist safety his top priorities. Gen Chote was installed as Phuket’s top cop yesterday after arriving from Narathiwat in Thailand’s troubled Deep South, where he served as provincial police commander. His first order to the police chiefs of every police station on the island…
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Phuket National Park blitz investigators named, beach restaurants now in firing line
PHUKET: The 366 officials who will investigate all privately-owned plots of land along the boundary of Phuket’s Sirinath Marine National Park have been named and will commence before the end of the month. The news was announced by Sirinath National Park chief Cheewapap Cheewatham at a meeting at Provincial Hall today. “We expected to report by the middle of this…
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Phuket FC captain “safe’ after car flips, slams into ditch
PHUKET: Phuket FC alternating captain and starting striker Watcharapong “Pae” Jun-ngam was involved in a serious accident following last night’s football match against Sri Racha. Lucky to be alive, he is reported to be safe with no serious injuries. “Pae has got some minor scratches, but he is safe. He was examined by hospital doctors and he has not suffered…
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Phuket Sports: Sunshine heralds the first 2012 dinghy series event
PHUKET: The Phuket Dinghy Series, launched in 2010 by the organizers of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, returned over the weekend ending yesterday. The series comprises three weekend events at different Phuket locations in the lead-up to the King’s Cup. Santi Kanchanbandhu, a member of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee, explains what the Phuket Dinghy Series is: “We…
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Crab army marches on Phuket streets
PHUKET: Phuket Town residents received a shock yesterday as they witnessed an invading army of crabs marching through the streets in the direction of the nearby mangrove forest and sea. Fortunately, the rare phenomenon was not an alien invasion by the crab-men from outer space. The totally natural event, which occurred at about 7pm, involved thousands of mangrove crabs making…
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Phuket Poll uncovers “isle of infidelity’
PHUKET: More than half the respondents in a Phuket Gazette survey have admitted they have cheated on their partners, with more than 40% saying they are willing to do it again. The Gazette launched the month-long survey after the results of the annual international sex survey by condom-manufacturing firm Durex revealed Thai couples to be among the most promiscuous on…
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Phuket Sports: Marlins reel in the Islanders
PHUKET: The Islanders fell back into into the five-team relegation zone following a 1-0 loss last night to 3rd place Sri Racha Suzuki FC. Despite a wide margin in league points, the competition, played in front of 3,100 fans, was evenly matched with the Sri Racha “Blue Marlins” enjoying only slightly more possession than Phuket. Indeed, it was looking as…
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“I have no doubt in my mind….”
“I have no doubt in my mind that he was with me today all day,” Sergio Garcia said of Ballesteros.PHUKET: Europe claimed the Ryder Cup after staging an amazing fightback on the last day.The American Team went into the tournament yesterday leading 10-6 and only requiring four points from a possible 12 on offer to win the cup. Europe won…
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New Phuket Police chief honors the Heroines
PHUKET: Phuket’s incoming Phuket Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Chote Chawanwiwat, stopped off at the Heroines Monument last night to pay homage to the island’s guardian spirits.Gen Chote arrives in Phuket after serving as the Commander of the Narathiwat Provincial Police in Thailand’s troubled Deep South.He will be installed as Phuket’s top-ranking police officer tomorrow, replacing Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangkul,…
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Gov Tri names infrastructure, environment Phuket’s greatest challenges
PHUKET: Speaking at a farewell function at Provincial Hall yesterday, outgoing Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha told the Phuket Gazette that the greatest challenges facing Phuket were preserving the island’s natural environment and meeting growing infrastructure needs.“Phuket is considered a world-famous tourist destination. The important thing that will continue to attract tourists is the island’s beautiful scenery and environment.“The development of…
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Car cut in half on impact with Phuket power pole
PHUKET: Police are investigating what prompted a 57-year-old driver to accelerate to such a speed in the early hours of this morning that when his car flew off the road it was cut in half by a roadside power pole.Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkwan was notified of the high-speed accident at at 2:45am.Due to severity of the initial reports,…
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Korean tourist to Phuket found dead snorkeling off Phi Phi Island
PHUKET: A 29-year-old Korean tourist on holiday in Phuket has died while snorkeling off Phi Phi Island during a day trip to the popular beach resort. The man, named by Tourist Police as Jury Kuk Kim, was on a Korean package tour and staying at a hotel in Patong. The tour group, comprising about 40 tourists from South Korea, arrived…
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Parliament joins Phuket national park fray
PHUKET: Narit Khamnurak, Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE), this week led a parliamentary inquiry to follow up the investigation into resorts accused of encroaching on national park land on Phuket’s west coast. At Sirinath Marine National Park headquarters, Mr Narit together with nine officers on Friday reviewed the investigation reports…
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Phuket Town basks in the glow of the Moon Festival
PHUKET: Phuket City Municipality together with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office, Old Phuket Cultural Foundation, Phuket Peranakan Association and the Old Phuket Town Community, yesterday held the opening ceremony of Phuket Moon Festival 2012. The Moon Festival, also known in China as the Mid-Autumn Festival, started yesterday at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town will run until…
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Work begins on repairing Patong Hill road landslide site
PHUKET: Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luadwonghat kept his promise made yesterday that as soon as the rains stopped today, his workers were out in force making temporary repairs to the Patong Hill road. The section of road, just west of the Chinese shrine at the top of the hill, first collapsed during heavy rains last October, then again in…
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Lucky escape for Phuket driver as police hunt 18-wheeler
PHUKET: A 19-year-old man escaped serious injury when the Isuzu pickup he was driving slammed into an 18-wheeled truck and trailer on Thepkrasattri Road in the north of Phuket this afternoon. Thalang Police duty officer Patiwat Yodkwan arrived at the scene, near the Baan Muang Mai market in Thalang, at about 1:30pm to find Mr Ken Patan still pinned inside…
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AirAsia move to axe Phuket-Bali, Ubon flights sparks ire from ‘stranded’ travellers
PHUKET: Low cost carrier AirAsia’s decision to cease operations from Phuket to Bali and to Ubon Ratchthani has sparked a storm of angry comments directed at AirAsia’s call center by passengers feeling that they have been left stranded. Staff at the AirAsia office in Phuket told the Phuket Gazette that they had fielded many queries, mainly asking what travellers can…
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Phuket Sports: Pride, punishment and pain
PHUKET: Singapore was a tragedy for Lewis Hamilton and McLaren. Hamilton would have been the clear winner, until his gearbox disintegrated and catapulted Vettel into first place, Button to second, and most importantly, Alonso into third place. That changed what might have been. A resurgent Vettel is now hunting down Alonso, and Hamilton has dropped to the back of the…
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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