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...
-
Review panel finds sea-walking unsafe
PHUKET: After a six-month study of the sea-walking industry in Thailand, a review panel of the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) yesterday said that current safety provisions were inadequate. Speaking at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall to garner feedback from sea-walking operators in Phuket, a TISTR officer said that there is an urgent need for Thai…
-
Glue-sniffers come unstuck
PHUKET TOWN: Two teenagers were taken into custody for substance abuse yesterday after local residents reported three boys and a girl sniffing glue in the public park at Phuket Villa 1. When officers arrived at the park, the four teenagers fled in different directions, leaving behind a plastic bag containing rubber adhesive. Officers gave chase and caught two of the…
-
Timeshare staff arrested over work permits
PATONG: Shockwaves ran through the Patong end of Phuket’s timeshare industry yesterday after six men and two women were arrested following complaints from tourists. Seven of the eight face expulsion from the country for working without work permits. The eighth is Thai. Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi said yesterday that the seven foreigners did not have work permits. They were named…
-
Taxi boss fails to get cabs into airport
PHUKET: A metered taxi company has been denied space to operate at Phuket International Airport despite repeated applications and high-level discussions. Today the Phuket Land Transportation Office Committee held a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall with involved parties including Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi; Lt Cdr Boonchart Prompoon, Director of Phuket International Airport (PIA); Weera Kruepanich, representative of Phuket Limousine &…
-
Patong’s status upgraded to town
PATONG: Patong has grown up, from a tambon to a muang, or town, with a bigger budget and changes to the electoral system. Somkiet Kwansuwan, Palad of Patong Municipal Office explained, “It has been proposed for two years that Patong be upgraded from tambon to muang, and this finally come into effect on Saturday (October 5).” Because of the change,…
-
He ain&’t heavy…
PATONG: Patong’s dramatic municipal election developed a fresh twist today when the brother of accused Mayor Surasak Maneesri was nominated for the leading role in his place. But K. Surasak stressed his desire to prove his innocence of allegations of disreputable behavior and replace his brother, Chalermsak, as candidate for mayor before the polls on November 16 and 17. While…
-
Meat company boss faces political charges
PHUKET TOWN: Belgian businessman Hugo Van Der Velde, 62, was today charged with becoming illegally involved in Thai politics after a complaint from the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party that he had been passing out business cards describing him as a consultant to the party. Four other foreigners, another Belgian, an Australian, an Italian and a Briton, are expected to…
-
More die on Phuket’s roads
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket’s road carnage has increased with a total death toll in the first eight months of the year up by 14% on the same period last year. The new figure brought the island’s road toll for the year to 121 dead and 8,714 injured in all accidents. The toll for the same period last year was 106 dead…
-
Buses win funding boost
PHUKET TOWN: Heartened by figures that show as many as 1,200 paying passengers a day using its public bus service, the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has set aside 25 million baht to buy a fleet of smaller buses. Free travel is another option being considered by the OrBorJor under expansion plans for the fledgling Green Bus service. OrBorJor Vice-President…
-
Prisoners join Vegetarian Festival
PHUKET: More than 200 inmates of the Phuket Provincial Prison are taking part in the Vegetarian Festival this year. Although they will not be joining any marches, the 235 prisoners have donned white T-shirts donated by a local motorbike dealership and will be eating only vegetarian food, supplied by the Jui Tui Shrine. Winai Ruengjaruwattana, who is a member of…
-
FantaSea makes it two in a row
KAMALA: Phuket FantaSea recently received, for the second time in a row, the prestigious Best Attraction Award, presented by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The biennial award – regarded as one of the highest honors in the Thai tourism industry – was also won by Phuket FantaSea in 2000. FantaSea received the award, the TAT said, because of its…
-
Former Governor in Patong poll wrangle
PATONG: A former Governor of Phuket has complained about his name and photo being used in the Patong municipal election campaign without his knowledge. Prof Yuwath Wuthimethee, who was governor of Phuket almost 10 years ago, demanded that mayoral candidate Pian Keesin remove his picture from election material being circulated by the Palang Patong Party (Patong Power-PPP). Prof Yuwath, now…
-
Purachai orders Surasak out of office
PATONG: In one of his last acts as Interior Minister, Purachai Piemsomboon signed an order instructing Patong Mayor Surasak Maneesri and one of his two deputies to step down because of allegations of disreputable behavior. The order, signed on Wednesday, K. Purachai’s last day at the Interior Ministry before taking up his new post as Minister of Justice, was delivered…
-
Weekend of carnival for Patong
PATONG: The annual Patong Carnival, the opener for the tourism high season, will be extended to three days this year from November 1. Until now a one-day affair, the carnival is to grow and take in new attractions that will set Patong Municipality back about 2 million baht. Details of the 17th carnival, which will start on November 1, were…
-
Truck overturns at busy intersection
PHUKET TOWN: A large truck with failed brakes crashed and overturned at the busy Tesco-Lotus Supercenter bypass intersection today. Driver Manat Boonma, 30, felt the truck’s brakes go as he approached the intersection down the bypass road about 9:30 am. “I was nearly at the junction and could not stop the truck so I decided to turn left, the road…
-
Seafront plans win support
PHUKET TOWN: The powerful Department of Town and Country Planning has backed a scheme to develop Saphan Hin as a sophisticated waterfront area, the first major step towards making Phuket Town an “international city.” A firm that specializes in constructing bayfront regions is now undertaking a feasibility study but feedback from residents will be sought before any proposal is formally…
-
Phuket adopts harvest festival
PHUKET TOWN: The Sart Festival, a one-day traditional celebration of the harvest, is to have official support in Phuket for the first time this year. Usually low-key and held at the end of September, this year’s event will be on Sunday, October 6, coinciding with the Vegetarian Festival. Today Dr Prasit Koeysiripong, president of the Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) announced…
-
“Garden Village’ plan for Karon
PHUKET TOWN: A new town plan will transform Karon into a “Garden Village”, officials revealed yesterday. Anawath Suwannaded, Chief of the Provincial Town and Country Planning Office, said the Karon project would cover 20 square kilometers. A committee had suggested that Karon should be “an ideal place with green views, where the height of buildings was limited and building colors…
-
Phuket’s power to dive underground
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket’s power supply is to be moved underground to beautify the island by removing eyesore electricity poles and lines. Prasoot Ruengjiratian, Marketing Manager of the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA), told a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall today that burying the lines would make the island a more attractive place for tourists. Patong’s seafront and Phuket Town’s most…
-
Big cash boost for ‘villages&’
PHUKET TOWN: The central government will probably increase its loans to “villages” to three million or five million baht soon, a local government official said today. A million baht has already been distributed to each of 114 “villages” on Phuket, fulfilling an election promise made by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Revealing the details today, Suthep Wuthisak of Phuket Provincial Development…
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.