Phuket News
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Officials clear vendors from four Phuket beaches
PHUKET: Officials yesterday gave vendors at four popular tourist beaches in Cherng Talay just seven days to vacate their plots or face forced eviction and legal action. Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada and Cherng Talay Mayor Ma-ann Samran, supported by about 50 officers, informed the beach vendors of the deadline in the morning. “More than 100 businesses are operating along…
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Gun-toting Aussie re-arrested with drugs while on bail
PHUKET: Mark Robert Coutelas, 53, was arrested again for drug possession last night, while the Australian was out on bail waiting for his trial to be heard on previous drug and illegal handgun charges. Patong Police arrested Mr Coutelas on May 27 after finding him in possession of 530mg of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine), a handgun and ammunition (story here).…
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All World Cup matches to air live on free TV
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Free World Cup telecast The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: In a bid to live up to its motto of “Bringing happiness back to Thai people”, the junta yesterday managed to pull off a deal for the live telecast of all World Cup 2014 matches on…
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Video Report: Coping with the Phuket taxi crackdown
PHUKET: Island taxi drivers talk about the effects of the police crackdown on their businesses, as well as their fears and hopes for the future. PGTV reports on the current Region 8 police crackdown on Phuket’s so-called taxi mafia and details some of the history of passenger abuse, unfair trading practices, intimidation and acts of violence against tourists and residents…
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Thongchai seeks major breakthrough at US Open
PHUKET: Asian Tour legend Thongchai Jaidee steps into his fourth US Open appearance this week eager to finally stamp his mark on the Major stage. The decorated Thai star, the only man to win three Asian Tour Order of Merit crowns, arrives at Pinehurst No 2 with his confidence sky-high after securing a play-off victory at the Nordea Masters over…
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No mention of crisis as Blatter opens FIFA Congress
PHUKET: FIFA president Sepp Blatter made no reference to the various crises surrounding world soccer’s governing body when he opened the annual FIFA Congress on Tuesday with a short welcoming speech to delegates from 209 countries. The 78-year-old Swiss made no mention of the allegations and investigation into corruption surrounding the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups or…
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Airport Express Bus sets sights on Kata-Karon; seeks security from violent taxi attacks
PHUKET: The owner of Phuket’s Airport Express Bus is ready to extend his route into Kata-Karon as soon as the safety of his staff and customers can be guaranteed. “I’ve always wanted to run my buses into Kata-Karon,” Prakob Panyawai told the Phuket Gazette today. “Though I have just started talking to the Phuket Land Transport Office, police and officials…
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Breaking News: Armed robbers make off with almost a million baht
PHUKET: Employees of a company transferring over 900,000 baht in cash from a gas station in Phuket to a bank were robbed at gunpoint at about 11:30 this morning. The two employees had taken the large sum of cash from the Shell gas station on Phra-Phuket-Keaw Road to the Tesco Lotus in Samkong. They had parked their vehicle at the…
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Cause of Phuket wall collapse that killed three still unknown
PHUKET: Police still have not determined the cause of a wall collapse at a construction site yesterday that killed three Myanmar nationals. The accident occurred at the Crystal Wild Resort, a property under construction on the Ao Yon-Khao Khad Road, at about 4:30pm, said Lt Jarus Lempan of the Wichit Police. “The wall at the entrance to the hotel, which…
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What it takes to stay safe while snorkelling in Phuket waters
Special Report The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says that about 80 per cent of visitors to Phuket plunge into the Andaman Sea with snorkelling gear to explore Thailand’s treasures below the surface. At least eight of those tourists have died while snorkelling within the last 16 months. The Phuket Gazette‘s Chutharat Plerin and Saran Mitrarat dive into the issue.PHUKET:…
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No late openings in Patong for World Cup
PHUKET: The key representative for Patong’s nightlife industry today confirmed that bars in Patong have not requested extended trading hours so that tourists could enjoy World Cup matches live on television. “We haven’t considered asking for extended trading hours as we don’t think the extra hours are worth it,” said Weerawit Krueasombut, President of the Patong Entertainment Business Association. “We…
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Breaking news: Three workers dead, one injured in Phuket landslide
PHUKET: Three female workers were killed and one injured in a landslide near Khao Khat Viewpoint in Wichit just before 5pm today. The injured worker was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where she is currently being treated. More information about the incident will be revealed as police investigate the cause of the landslide. — Kritsada Mueanhawong
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Patong taxi drivers plan gathering to ‘express their views’
PHUKET: Patong taxi operators and beach vendors will stage a media conference this evening to express their opinion about the police-led destruction of taxi booths in the beach town last Friday (story here). “We just want everyone to hear our views and to understand what effect the destruction of our booths has had on us,” said one of the organizers,…
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Weather expert issues small boat warning, but denies rumors of nationwide storm
PHUKET: After an alarming report released this morning warned residents of a huge storm set to blow through two-thirds of the nation, the director of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) Phuket office urged Phuket residents to stay calm and confirmed that the island would not be affected. “I heard about the warning of an approaching southwestern monsoon expected to bring…
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MMA fight night proves successful
PHUKET: The choice of Seduction Beach Club and Disco, one of Bangla’s most popular clubs, as the venue for Phuket’s inaugural Full Metal Dojo MMA event proves that the organizers had a lot of confidence in their success. And rightly so. At first impression, it seemed that only a few Thais were among the crowd of 500 or so MMA…
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Phuket child, 3, dies after fatal shock
PHUKET: A three-year-old boy died in Thalang yesterday after apparently inserting a key into an electrical power strip. The death has prompted police to remind parents and caregivers not to leave young children unattended. Anwaree Yotharak, 3, lived with his grandmother, Romla Yotharak, 75. As Ms Romla showered and prayed yesterday afternoon, she left Anwaree to play by himself in…
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Road works force closure of Patong-airport shortcut
PHUKET: A popular shortcut between Phuket International Airport and Patong has been closed for repairs, but is expected to open again in two weeks. Soi Han Farang, which passes the British International School Phuket and connects Thepkrassatri Road with Nanachart Road, is being repaved, explained Apichart Deekongsiang, the engineering officer of Koh Kaew Municipality. “We have to close the road…
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TrueVisions to broadcast all World Cup 2014 matches
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community TrueVisions to broadcast all World Cup 2014 matches The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: RS Inter announced late yesterday that it has authorised TrueVisions to broadcast all 64 matches of World Cup 2014 tournament. As recently as Friday, RS International Broadcasting and Sport Management were in…
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Druggy driver caught stealing from media-trip tourists
PHUKET: A druggy tour bus driver confessed to regularly stealing from Chinese tourists after being arrested in Phuket by police yesterday. Kanoksak Promdang, 21, was caught after stealing five bags from members of a Chinese media group from Beijing. “Mr Kanoksak picked of the group of about 30 people from their hotel and took them to Rassada Pier, where they…
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Phuket police hunt ‘fake cops’ after possible extortion attempt
PHUKET: Police are hunting three men who are believed to have been impersonating police in an attempt to extort a French manager at a restaurant in Phuket today. CCTV footage shows the three men, who claimed to be Patong Police officers, entering La Boucherie in Patong at about 12:30am. “They came in and asked for our manager, who is French,…
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Investigation into police flaws in handling Aussie assassination attempt ongoing
PHUKET: The investigation into the failure of Patong Police to collect enough evidence to press attempted murder charges against two Australians who opened fire in a confessed assassination attempt will take longer than expected, said the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). The PACC is withholding the names of the two officers being investigated until the case is closed. “About five…
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Phuket Prison remains “white’, overcrowded
PHUKET: A pre-dawn search of Phuket Prison today failed to uncover any drugs or contraband hidden by prisoners, again branding the overcrowded facility a “White Prison”. More than 200 officers led by Phuket Prison Chief Rapin Nichanon started the mass search at 5am. All of the 2,870 inmates, male and female, were searched. The search included personal lockers, sleeping quarters,…
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New species of gecko in Phuket not so new
PHUKET: A new species of gecko was found in Phuket – two years ago, a specialist at the Khao Phra Thaew Wildlife Sanctuary in Thalang confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “The lizard was found in Khao Phra Thaew in 2012,” said Awat Nitikul, chief of the Environmental Conservation Unit based at the reserve. However, the species didn’t make headlines until…
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After being freed in Phuket, Knudsen slashes pregnant girlfriend’s throat
PHUKET: Danish national Dennis Mark Knudsen, the intended target of a street shooting in Patong last year, has been arrested in Denmark for fatally slashing his 33-year-old pregnant girlfriend’s throat with a steak knife. Knudsen had previously been in custody in Thailand and released at least three times by Thai authorities. Knudsen was arrested on Saturday after police were alerted…
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Nadal on cloud nine after soaring new heights
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nadal on cloud nine after soaring new heights Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: One man’s despair was another man’s ecstasy as the most inopportune of double faults propelled a world-beating Rafa Nadal into a nine-times French Open champion on Sunday. Waiting to launch into a second…
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Man confesses to human trafficking for Phuket fishing fleet
PHUKET: Police arrested a Myanmar national at Phuket’s fishing port yesterday for scamming four compatriots into working on a fishing trawler for six months without pay. The suspect, identified as Ao Mo, 49, later confessed to human trafficking and helping illegal migrants avoid arrest, said Lt General Panya Mamen, commander of the Royal Thai Police Region 8 division. After Ao…
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Police bust drug den in Phuket housing estate
PHUKET: Phuket Police arrested three drug dealers yesterday at their Koh Kaew drug house in possession of more than 2,000 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) and 3.40 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). Police moved in to make the arrests after a tip-off from an informant led them to a house in Chaofa Garden Home housing estate in Koh Kaew,…
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Curfew lifted on Phi Phi, Krabi and Phang Nga
PHUKET: The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has lifted the curfew on the tourist-popular Phi Phi Island and the rest of Krabi in its latest step to assist Thailand’s tourism industry. The NCPO issued the order yesterday, which also repealed the curfew in Phang Nga as well as in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi province and Hua Hin district…
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Kalim residents beg police to have mercy on taxi stands
PHUKET: More than 100 local villagers today begged officials to stop demolishing illegal taxi stands in Kalim.“We have been here for 18 years and got permission from former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin,” emotional tuk-tuk driver Adisorn Maneesri told the Phuket Gazette.“We understand why they are doing this, because of all the problems with taxis, but please understand that we are…
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Patong’s last illegal taxi stands torn down, raids move to Kalim
PHUKET: After tearing down 12 illegal taxi stands throughout Patong yesterday, officers moved to Kalim, at the northern end of Patong Beach, to tear down four illegal stands there. The raids in Kalim, carried out by more than 100 officers from Phuket Police and Royal Thai Police Region 8 division, began at 10am as part of the Royal Thai Army’s…
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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