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.
-
Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
-
Surasak barred from election
PATONG: The Phuket Provincial Court this morning upheld an order by former Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon instructing Patong Mayor Surasak Maneesri to quit his post as mayor because of conduct likely to bring the Patong Municipality into disrepute. It therefore barred K. Surasak from running in the Patong Mayoral election, due to take place on November 16 and 17. K.…
-
Dane wins Tour of Thailand
BANGKOK: Peterson Solen from Denmark won the Tour of Thailand 2002 in Bangkok yesterday and his team, Giant Asian Racing, took the first four places. Solen was followed home by fellow team riders Iratov Damir from Uzbekistan and Sergey Derevyanov of Kazakstan. Another Uzbeki rider, Kahramon Mominov, crossed the line second on the day, but placed fourth overall in the…
-
Phuket Prison to be closed
PHUKET TOWN: Manit Suthaporn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, has announced that the 100-year-old Phuket Provincial Prison will be closed, with inmates being relocated either to Bangkok or to a new jail in Thalang, on which construction has just begun. Speaking after an inspection of Phuket’s antiquated and overcrowded prison yesterday, K. Manit said, “It’s very crowded, especially…
-
Phuket must diversify – Governor
PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday reiterated his view that Phuket must develop industries apart from tourism. “Tourism is vulnerable. It’s like a crystal. We should create real-sector businesses, or businesses related to the service sector,” he said. Speaking at a meeting of the International Business Association of Phuket (IBAP) on the theme of “Phuket Tomorrow”, he said that such…
-
Phuket tourism “better after Christmas’
PHUKET: The Bali bombing has affected Phuket tourism but the situation will improve after Christmas, a leading figure in the industry said today. Opas Netraumpai, Vice President of the Thailand Incentive Convention Association (TICA) and Managing Director of Club Andaman Beach Resort, said there were three stages to reactions. The first, about a week after the bombing, left Phuket hotels…
-
Officials move to bolster tourism
PHUKET: A large group led by Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi will go to Europe next week to promote tourism to Phuket. Their visit to the annual World Travel Market (WTM) in London, comes amid concern about tourism prospects in the wake of the Bali bombing, and following travel advisories from a number of governments, including Britain’s, warning travelers to be…
-
Dead fish spark hunger strike
PHUKET TOWN: Komin Buanoon today went into the second day of a hunger strike to protest over pollution that he says has killed the stock in his fish farm and those of nine other villagers. The villagers, from around Wat Saen Suk, in the southeast corner of Phuket Town, protested at the Phuket Provincial Hall over pollution which, they say,…
-
Smile, please
PATONG: The Club Andaman Beach Resort has organized a “Siam Smile Contest” on November 22 to celebrate Thai culture. Wandee Chang-Ngam, Assistant PR Director of Club Andaman Beach Resort, said today that the winners will be the people with the most impressive “wais” and smiles. The contest, which will be in the morning, will be in two parts, the first…
-
Miss Andaman to win B1m
PHUKET: Kittiya Chaiyo, 17, from Cherng Talay is Phuket’s last hope in the Miss Andaman 2002 beauty contest, with competitors chasing a million-baht prize and the chance to spend a year promoting the Andaman region throughout Thailand. Sakda Sutthisathit, chairman of the pageant’s organizing committee, explained that the contest is a joint effort by the Chambers of Commerce of Ranong,…
-
Lightning blamed for Customs boat blaze
AO MAKHAM: Lightning may have caused a fire aboard a 50-foot Customs inspection boat moored at the Deep Sea Port at about 10 pm on Sunday. Chanai Nakzsup, the Transportation Administrator at the Phuket Harbor Master’s Office, said, “I saw the top of the boat was on fire, and everybody was helping to put it out.” He added that it…
-
Patong is safe, says Deputy PM
PATONG: Deputy Prime Minister Vishanu Krua-ngam officially launched the tourism high season last night and assured a throng of carnival-goers that Patong is a safe place. As Patong enjoyed the party, K. Vishanu said of his evening in the popular holiday town, “I didn’t see anything unusual that would cause worry either among tourists or organizers.” This year’s one-day season-opening…
-
Smoking ban to be thoroughly enforced
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) confirmed yesterday that a sweeping new national law that bars smoking in most public places will be strictly enforced in Phuket from November 8. PPHO health expert Somboon Aiyarak told a conference at the Provincial Hall that, with few exceptions, smoking will be banned in most public places, including cinemas, schools, hospitals,…
-
Loft antiques shop raided
PHUKET TOWN: The Loft, an antiques shop on Thalang Rd, was raided this morning by police officers and specialists from the Ministry of Culture. The raid came after allegations that the owners had no license to sell antiques, and that they had been selling antique Buddha images, which is illegal with or without a license. Official interest in the shop…
-
Floating body a murder mystery
PHUKET: Police have few clues in the murder of a man whose body was found floating in the sea near Koh Maiton on Wednesday. The body – probably that of a fisherman – bore at least nine stab wounds on the back and stomach, and had been in the water about six days. It was clad only in a yellow…
-
Illegal immigration arrests rise
PHUKET TOWN: The number of arrests for illegal immigration has risen, police statistics for October 1-25 reveal. In August, 195 people were arrested for illegal immigration, but the latest reported number was 239. There were 107 gambling raids, with 172 people arrested. The statistics show 79 narcotics cases with 81 people arrested, including 35 for offenses involving ya bah (methamphetamine).…
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.