Phuket News
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Land slip near Patong Hill Road, expected rainfall bring warnings from officials
PHUKET: Phuket officials are scrambling to repair land near the Patong Hill road which slid as a result of heavy rains last week. “We have inspected the road already and have determined that the landslide will not affect residents in the area, as no one lives near the site,” said Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad. The area – to…
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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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Governor outlines new transport plans, with Kata-Karon as model
PHUKET: With illegal taxi booths cleared out from west coast beaches, Governor Maitri Inthusut plans to initiate a public transportation system and conduct a major taxi service overhaul, starting in Kata-Karon. “After we have cleared all illegal taxi booths from Karon and arrested all the people who behave like mafia, it’s time to set up a new plan for public…
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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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Phuket taxi operators no-show at own media event, fear assembly ban
PHUKET: Taxi operators were no-shows at the media conference they scheduled for themselves at Loma Park yesterday. The operators had called the meeting in order to publicize how the destruction of their booths by police had affected their livelihoods (story here). About 20 reporters showed up at Loma Park for the 6pm meeting, but no taxi drivers appeared. After about…
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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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“Fake cops’ not fake, but no extortion say Patong Police [video]
PHUKET: Three plainclothes officers thought to be impersonators attempting to extort money from a local business yesterday have been verified as new members of the Phuket Provincial Police, said the Patong Police chief. The owner of La Boucherie in Patong submitted CCTV footage to the Phuket Gazette yesterday that showed three men who claimed to be Patong Police officers entering…
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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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Suspect arrested for Phuket’s “barking dog’ murder
PHUKET: A man wanted for a shooting murder in Chalong last year was arrested yesterday as he tried to slip past the Tah Chat Chai Checkpoint. Chalong Kraithep, 24, and a friend were spotted by officers trying to avoid the checkpoint by passing behind the Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organization building. “Our officers took off in pursuit,” Lt Col Teerawat…
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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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With taxis out, Patong Mayor outlines public transportation plan
PHUKET: Patong will soon have a network of public vehicles that will circulate at regular intervals, charging a reasonable fee for a ride, if the town’s new mayor has her way. In an exclusive interview with the Phuket Gazette today, Mayor Chalermluck Kebsab and an associate outlined the system that they would like to see replace taxi ranks in the…
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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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Jubilant honorary consuls, hotel staff offer thanks for war on taxi mafia
PHUKET: Several of Phuket’s honorary consuls joined hotel staffers yesterday to give heartfelt thanks to the man they said made their dreams come true by disbanding illegal taxi groups at key west coast beach towns. “What General Panya has done is something we thought was impossible,” said French honorary consul Claude de Crissey. Noting that the illegal taxis had operated…
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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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Phuket officials launch campaign to return beaches to the people
PHUKET: Seaside vendors in Phuket could have their shops torn down and face hefty fines of up to 500,000 baht, several years in jail and payments of 10,000 baht per square meter of land if their establishments are found to be encroaching on the sands. Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has set his sights on returning Phuket’s beaches to the…
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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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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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