Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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Phuket braces for more heavy rain
PHUKET: June has started out as a very rainy month in Phuket, with sustained rainfall and thunderstorms covering the island. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) website reports rainfall reached a high of 100.2mm over the 24-hour period of June 1 with winds topping 64 kilometers per hour (kmh) at Phuket International Airport. Phuket’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation this…
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Portrait FC sitting pretty atop Phuket’s AFL
PHUKET: Round six of the 2011 Five-a-side Adult Futsal League season seven took place last evening at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) in Thalang, Phuket. A mid-table battle between Jitjongrut FC and Thalang Tigers was first on the card. Both teams created plenty of chances, but were met with stubborn defense and goalkeeping. The match finished in a 1-1…
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No more Glory for Robbie Fowler
PHUKET SPORTS: Former Liverpool FC star Robbie Fowler is in Bangkok this weekend playing in the Tesco Lotus Masters football sevens tournament, which includes teams from Asia, Europe and a selection from Phuket. Known as “God” to the Liverpool faithful, Fowler joins other ex-professionals such as Lee Sharpe and Ian Rush at Patana International School in Bangkok for the annual…
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Phuket F1 fans await Bahrain bid today
PHUKET: Formula One fans in Phuket eagerly await a decision on whether the Bahrain Grand Prix, originally scheduled for March 13, will be re-scheduled to November 20 later this year. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone may move the season’s last race in Brazil back to October 2 which could result in the Indian GP being cancelled. Bahrain was due to host…
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Phuket expats urged to ask visiting friends to insure themselves
PHUKET: The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has called on British expats on the island to remind their visitors to take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy before heading to Phuket. The request comes as new research reveals that young people are more likely to buy a present for their host than take out a travel insurance policy. The…
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‘Streets of Phuket’ maps added to Gazette web news
PHUKET: By popular demand, Phuket Gazette online readers can now view accurate pop-up maps embedded in news stories with the single click of a mouse, thanks to a new partnership with IMAGE Asia and their best-selling Streets Of Phuket atlas. For example, see our news about the recently opened Phuket Provincial Administration Organization Hospital on Srisena Road. Click on the…
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Phuket sailing legends line up for Raceweek
PHUKET SPORTS: The Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, winner of the Asia Boating Award for “Best Asian Regatta of the Year 2011”, returns with four days of international-standard yacht racing, from July 20 to 24. Now in its eighth year, the event attracts a host of yachts with a range of competitive standards across several classes. Critical to being voted best…
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Phuket Democrats get police protection
PHUKET: Phuket Democrat Party candidate Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr has been provided two police officers as personal bodyguards in the run-up to the July 3 election. Also to receive police protection is Wirasak Suksomboon, president of the Democrat Party office for Phuket 1 constituency. “I, Mrs Anchalee and the president [of the Democrat office] for Phuket 2 constituency, have requested security…
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Opening of new Phuket bridge postponed
PHUKET: The unofficial opening Phuket’s new bridge, the Srisoontorn Bridge, originally scheduled for this week, has been postponed, officials say. Arun Sa-nae, director of the Provincial Highways Office in Phuket, said some last-minute changes in the work plan meant that the new span would probably open to off-island traffic around mid-June. The final work by project contractor Italian-Thai Development involved…
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Phuket night clubber escapes disaster
PHUKET: A Thai man whose surname translates to “likely to escape disaster” was walking home from a Phuket karaoke bar last night when he was assaulted and left for dead by the side of the the road in Thalang. When Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived at the scene just after midnight, they found 33-year-old Wiwat Khongrodpai lying on the road…
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Fifa’s one horse race
PHUKET SPORTS – Quote of the day: “We will put Fifa’s ship back on the right course in clear, transparent waters.” Sepp Blatter, again re-elected as president of FIFA, hopes to prevent his “family’s” vessel from being dashed on the reef of corruption. — Neil Quail
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Phuket steps up fight against illegal timeshare touts
PHUKET: A multi-agency task force will be set up to investigate timeshare companies operating in Phuket, especially Patong. Tasked with investigating the companies, their workers and any officials involved in allowing the timeshare companies to operate, the “committee” is expected to launch an investigation by October, just before the annual tourism high season begins, Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak announced. The…
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Crackdown ordered on religious tattoos in Phuket
PHUKET: The Culture Ministry has attacked the growing trend for tourists in Phuket and other parts of Thailand to have religious images tattooed on their bodies. It has ordered provincial governors across the country, including Phuket, to crack down on such tattoos, igniting a debate on the human rights implications of forbidding the practice. Culture Minister Niphit Intharasombat told reporters…
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Cricket and tax
PHUKET SPORTS – Quote of the day: “The ACG (Alan Cooke Ground) will in a small way do for cricket what the reduction in boat tax did for marine tourism.” Alan Cooke MBE in a small way underestimates the value of his legacy to Phuket cricket and sport. — Neil Quail
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Phuket developers shine at int’l property awards
PHUKET: Phuket based developers have won top honors in the Asia Pacific Region division of the International Residential Property Awards. Since the inaugural awards in 1995, the competition has established itself as one of the premiere programs recognizing excellence in the field of residential property development. The 2011 Asia Pacific Awards set a new participation record with 21 countries taking…
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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