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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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Phuket yachties in dramatic boat rescue from sea wall
PHUKET: A handful of brave members at Phuket’s Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC) scrambled to save a French expat’s yacht from smashing into the sea wall in front of the clubhouse this morning. The onslaught of strong waves saw the 30-foot yacht break free from its anchor at about 11am, sending the boat pitching dangerously toward the sea wall (map…
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Port closed, yachts beached as storm lashes Phuket
PHUKET: Local authorities this morning ordered Phuket Rassada Port closed as strong wind and waves lashed the coast and driving rain wreaked havoc with motorists across the island.Hundreds of tourists waited dockside as the ban took effect, as Rassada Port, located on the east side of Phuket Town, is a major jump-off point for tourists boarding ferries and tour boats…
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Phuket Customs catch Indian drug mule with B15mn of ya ice
PHUKET: Customs officers arrested a drug mule attempting to smuggle 4.5 kilograms of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) into Phuket from Delhi, India, yesterday.The 37-year-old Indian woman, Aizawl Lalchhuanthangi, was presented at a press conference yesterday at Phuket International Airport.“When Ms Lalchhuanthangi’s suitcase went through the x-ray machine our officers were suspicious, as it showed up all black inside – making…
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Friends fail to identify body of Gao Yang, parents en route to Phuket
PHUKET: The parents of Chinese national and Singaporean student Gao Yang, who slipped from the rocks at Phuket’s Promthep Cape late Wednesday afternoon, are on their way to the island. “We expect them to arrive in Phuket tomorrow or Sunday,” Qin Jian, Vice Consul of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China, told the Phuket Gazette this afternoon. A…
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Phuket Rotary Club continues push for Philippines relief
PHUKET: The Rotary Club of Patong Beach has collected over 226,000 baht through its Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Disaster Relief Fund. However, the club is pushing for more donations in light of the desperate need of those in the affected areas. Half of the funds raised will be sent directly to the Disaster Fund of Rotary District 3860, based in the…
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Chinese tourists on Phuket ladyboy tour safe after bus dies on Patong Hill
PHUKET: An entire busload of 35 Chinese tourists were quickly and safely evacuated from a tour bus after its engine died while climbing the steep road up Patong Hill last night. The tourists were en route from the Aphrodite ladyboy show on the bypass road to the famed Simon Cabaret ladyboy show in Patong when the bus broke down just…
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Body found off Phuket believed to be missing Singaporean student
PHUKET: A Phuket speedboat returning from dropping tourists off at Koh Hei today reported the grisly discovery of a body floating about seven kilometers south of Phuket. Police suspect that the body found is that of missing Chinese national and Singaporean student Gao Yang, who slipped from the rocks at Phuket’s Promthep Cape late Wednesday afternoon (story here). Officers from…
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British tourist alleges attacker in hotel room before balcony fall
PHUKET: Police are waiting for the results of a toxicology report for British tourist Romany Mitchell after she told them her drink in Phuket was spiked. The tests were ordered after the 21-year-old student from Edinburgh reported to police that she was fleeing an assailant in her hotel room before she plunged from the second-floor balcony of the building on…
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![Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest – Let the games begin! [VIDEO] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAzNjIgMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest – Let the games begin! [VIDEO]
PHUKET: It’s here and it’s going to be big! Laguna Phuket Triathlon schedule. Click here for more details. Challenge Laguna Phuket Press Conference in Bangkok. The much-anticipated Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest 2013 will kick off with the legendary Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) on Sunday (November 24) which is celebrating its 20th anniversary and will finish with the Challenge Laguna Phuket a…
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![Runaway Phuket Thai Post truck slams into cars on Patong Hill [Video] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAyOTUgMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Runaway Phuket Thai Post truck slams into cars on Patong Hill [Video]
PHUKET: A Thai Post lorry that failed to make the steep climb up Patong Hill yesterday afternoon, faltered then careened backward down the hill, slamming into cars and pickups as it went. “The truck slid down the hill at about 2:15pm. It ended up stopping at almost the same spot as the student bus that rolled backward down the hill…
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Python snared near Phuket Town park
PHUKET: A Phuket City street sweeper raised the alarm in Phuket Town earlier this week when he spotted a five-meter python hiding in a storm drain near Saphan Hin Park. “Many people were exercising in the area. I was afraid it posed a danger to them,” the street sweeper told the Phuket Gazette. Saphan Hin Park (map here) is renowned…
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Weather dampens spirits, search for missing Singaporean tourist continues
PHUKET: The search resumed today for missing tourist Gao Yang, who slipped from the rocks at Phuket’s Promthep Cape late yesterday afternoon. “We resumed our search this morning,” said Phuket Marine Police Inspector Chatchai Sakdee. “Rawai Municipality officers have joined the mission. They provided one speedboat and one small boat to help conduct the search,” he added. “We have divided…
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British tourist drowns after Phuket weather warning issued
PHUKET: A British tourist drowned at Karon Beach yesterday afternoon, hours after a heavy weather warning was issued for Phuket and other areas along the Andaman coast. Police named the victim as Edward Joseph Brookes, 63, from England. Mr Brookes disappeared in the surf in front of Karon Municipality Stadium (map here) at 2:40pm after enjoying lunch with his wife,…
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Phuket King’s Cup Regatta hosts underline support
PHUKET: Kata Group Resorts Thailand is to be the host sponsor of the 27th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, making this the 15th year that the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2013 Nominee has supported the renowned international yachting spectacle. The regatta will be held from November 29 to December 6, 2013. Kata Beach Resort and Spa, one of six properties owned…
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Singaporean tourist missing after fall from iconic Phuket cape
PHUKET: A search-and-rescue operation was launched late this afternoon after a Singaporean tourist slipped from the rocks at Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape and plunged into the waves below. Officers at the Phuket Tourist Rescue Center were notified of the incident at 5:40pm. “Two Singaporean men slipped on the wet rocks and fell from the famous cape in Rawai this afternoon,”…
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Phuket panty sniffer caught mid-snatch
PHUKET: An off-duty security guard was caught red-handed stealing women’s panties off a clothesline in Phuket Town last night. Residents of Phol Place apartments, behind Surakul Stadium (map here), heard someone walking around the dimly-lit area near their building at about 9:30pm. “They saw a man lurking near the building, and they kept an eye on him. When they spotted…
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Prominent Belgian expat among Phuket Immigration arrests
PHUKET: Prominent Belgian expat Georges Sirre, who has lived in Phuket for nine years, was among three foreigners named by Phuket Immigration today to face deportation for previous offenses. Officers arrested Mr Sirre, 56, at his home in Rawai late yesterday afternoon after receiving a request from the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok, Phuket Immigration Superintendent Sunchai Chokkajaykij told a press…
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Phuket Governor inspects Patong ahead of tuk-tuk clearout
PHUKET: Ahead of the December 31 deadline to clear parking spaces along the Patong beach road for tourists, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusust yesterday inspected the sites where tuk-tuks will no longer be permitted to park after December 31. “The project [story here] can reduce traffic jams in Patong and make the beachfront look more beautiful,” Governor Maitri said. During his…
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Black Eyed Peas rapper highlights Filipino plight with Phuket show
PHUKET: Over 400 people gathered to watch Grammy-award-winning international pop star and rapper from Black Eyed Peas apl.de.ap drop beats at Xana Beach Club to raise funds for the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the central Philippines over a week ago. “I thought we [Filipinos] were tough, until this happened. Like I’ve never seen this magnitude of people…
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Alcohol a factor in fatal head-on collision, police say
PHUKET: Police suspect that alcohol played a critical role in the death of a 27-year-old woman who was in a head-on accident near the Thung Thong Police checkpoint early Saturday morning. Kamontip Seangkuenun was found dead at the scene – the divided road near the entrance to Soi Bangthong (map here) – at about 3:15am. Ms Kamontip slammed head-on into…
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Health concerns boil over French passenger at Phuket airport
PHUKET: A French tourist leaching yellow pus from the back of his neck prompted fears that he might infect other passengers at Phuket International Airport on Friday.Airport authorities removed Michel Dominique Godfroy, 56, from the international departure lounge a little after 11:30pm.“We were called to the airport at 11:45pm,” a Kusoldharm Foundation rescue worker told the Phuket Gazette.The rescue workers…
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German tourist dies in Phuket surf
PHUKET: A German man died at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon after being overwhelmed by the strong surf and two-meter-high waves.Klaus Dieter Hermann, 76, was pulled from the surf at 1:40pm, Capt Nattaya Supanpong of the Patong Police confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.“Lifeguards noticed Mr Hermann was swimming alone when he encountered difficulties in the big waves,” Capt Nattaya explained. “When…
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Phuket Police arrest American fitness instructor for child sex assault
PHUKET: Police arrested an American man wanted for the alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in Houston, Texas, earlier this year. Fitness instructor Forrest Wayne, 41, was taken into custody in Patong one day after the Phuket authorities received a notice from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). “On Saturday night, we received a notification from the FBI…
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Muay Thai legend Buakaw fights in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket fight fans will have an opportunity to watch legendary MuayThai fighter Buakaw Banchamek in action in Patong… tomorrow night (November 18), in a special exhibition match at the Patong Boxing Stadium on Sainamyen Road. Buakaw, a two-time K1 World Max champ with well over 300 fights, is far and away Thailand’s most famous currently-active pugilist. In the Patong…
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Special Report: The ongoing battle for a place to call home
Special Report: A poor community of less than 500 people who mostly make a living from picking through the trash at Saphan Hin have made a plea to the Phuket Governor for help in expediting their claim to live in a protected mangrove forest on the outskirts of Phuket Town. Will the villagers finally get a place to call home?…
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Loy Krathong festivities muted in Phuket
PHUKET: There will be muted celebrations for one of Thailand’s largest holidays, Loy Krathong, the “Festival of Light”, tomorrow in respect of the recent passing of His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Somdet Phra Sangharaja.Traditionally, thousands of people across the nation release krathong, lotus-shaped floats traditionally made of banana leaves, with a small offerings of food, flowers, joss…
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Black Eyed Peas’ rapper throws down beats for Philippines charity event this Sunday
PHUKET: Grammy award-winning rapper and member of the Black Eyed Peas, apl.de.ap, will be performing at the Xana Beach Club tomorrow to raise much-needed cash to support victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the central Philippines last week. Celebrities from around the world have expressed their support for those suffering in the Philippines by raising money through charity events.…
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Taxi man “Brother Pom’ plays down DSI allegations of queue jumping
PHUKET: The leader of the Central Festival Phuket taxi group, who stands accused by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) of queue hopping, told officers not to worry about how he runs the shopping mall’s taxi network. “This is not a big thing to focus on… I would like to let the DSI know that they don’t need to worry…
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Phuket Filipinos rally for typhoon relief
PHUKET: The Filipino community in Phuket will stage a fundraising event this Sunday to collect donations and raise much-needed cash to support victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the central Philippines last week. The event will be held at the Basketball Gymnasium at Saphan Hin (map here), where hundreds of Filipinos working and living in Phuket congregate each week…
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Patong hotel ordered to remove water-runoff pipe from beach
PHUKET: A leading Phuket resort has been ordered to remove a pipe that released runoff rainwater directly onto the sand at Patong Beach. The news came yesterday when officers from the Regional Environmental Office (REO) and Patong Municipality inspected the Impiana Resort, on the Patong beachfront road (map here). “We asked people in the area, and were told that the…
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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.
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.