Phuket News
Discover the latest news and updates from Thailand’s most famous and beautiful island, The Thaiger’s hometown, having previously operated as the Phuket Gazette.
Our team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Phuket, covering everything from local politics and business to lifestyle and tourism. Learn about the island’s stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving expat community, as well as keeping updated on events, and attractions.
The Thaiger is your ultimate guide to staying connected with Phuket’s ever-evolving landscape. To keep up with the most reliable news source on the island, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
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Wanted Russian arrested after hiding in Phuket for four years
PHOTOS: Immigration Bureau A Russian man, wanted over illegal financial business dealings after hiding in Phuket for four years, has been arrested. The Immigration Bureau says that the suspect, 36 year old Alexey Dolzhenkov, a Russian national, was arrested last week. Immigration officers allege he was a broker who operated illegal financial businesses in the Russian language, from Phuket. They claim he…
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Russian woman dies after falling from fourth floor in Patong
PHOTOS: Patong Police A Russian woman has died after falling from the fourth floor at a hotel in Patong earlier today. Patong Police were notified of the incident at the hotel on Ratchapatanusorn Road at 2.15am. The foreign woman was identified by police as 27 year old Elena Kusovnikova, a Russian national. Her body was on the ground in front…
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Motorbike driver dies after collision with minivan in Thalang – VIDEO
A motorbike driver died soon after colliding with a minivan at a U-turn in Thalang yesterday. The Tha Chatchai Police were notified of the incident at 1.08pm yesterday on Thepkrasattri Road in Mai Khao. Police and emergency responders arrived to find the silver minivan waiting for police. Nearby they found a man, later identified as 55 year old Kreangsak Sanaewit,…
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Three fined for fishing illegally in the Mu Koh Similan National Park
PHOTO: DNP Three men have been fined after they were found catching fish in Mu Koh Similan National Park area in Phang Nga yesterday. Private fishing is illegal inside the marine national park area. The head of the Mu Koh Similan National Park Ruamsin Manajongjaroen says that yesterday three men were fined after being discovered catching fish in the national…
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44 baby leatherback sea turtles headed to sea in Phang Nga – VIDEO
PHOTO: DMCR A third group of baby leatherback sea turtles have now hatched on Kuekkak Beach and headed out to sea for their new life off the Takua Pa district in Phang Nga. A first batch of 48 baby leatherback sea turtles survived and headed straight for the Andaman Sea once they got their bearings on Kuek Kak Beach in…
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Five metre king cobra caught in Kathu
PHOTOS: Pannakorn Pongpao/Kathu Rescue Foundation/Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation A five metre king cobra has been caught at a worker’s house in Kathu. Kusoldharm Rescue workers were notified of the king cobra discovered by a worker next to his house in the Kathu – Nakoh road in Kathu last night. Nokoh Road runs behind the Loch Palm Golf Course, between Kathu and…
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The Patong Bay Hill Resort – where your holiday begins!
Nestled into the hills above Phuket’s popular Patong Beach, the modern Patong Bay Hill Resort is a luxurious resort which overlooks the ocean and the eclectic neighborhood below. Welcome to Patong Bay Hill Resort Set in a beautifully landscaped garden, Patong Bay Hill Resort is set amongst the natural, tropical environment of Patong’s Hasib-pee Hill. The resort offers majestic panoramic…
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Drunk pickup driver kills one, injures two others in Chalong
A drunk pickup truck driver has collided with cars and motorbikes at a traffic light in Chalong. One person has died, two others are injured and six vehicles are damaged. Chalong Police were notified of the incident at an intersection on Chao Fa East Road near Wat Tai (Ladthiwanaram Temple) at 1.50pm yesterday. Chalong Police and emergency responders arrived to…
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Wanted Russians walk into Pattaya immigration office
Two Russians wanted on an arrest warrant originating in Phuket have been found and arrested hiding in Pattaya. Immigration police had no trouble in locating 48 year old Artur Stotskii and 34 year old Iaroslav Scherobatyk. The pair made it very easy by showing up for visa extensions at the Chonburi Immigration Office on February 18. The January 16 arrest…
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Foreign motorbike racer arrested in Patong
PHOTOS: Patong Police Patong Police yesterday arrested another foreign motorbike racer driving erratically around Patong’s roads. Police report that they arrested the man who was driving his motorbike at high speed and doing ‘wheelies’ (front wheel raised off the ground) yesterday. “He doesn’t care for other people’s safety and was annoying other road users. He was been taken to Patong…
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Brush fire near the Khao Rang view point – VIDEO
VIDEO: Newshawk Phuket A bush fire spread quickly around Khao Rang, overlooking Phuket Town, near the main view point yesterday. Fire fighters were notified of the incident by a restaurant operator on Khao Rang at 3.30pm. Emergency responders arrived at the Khao Rang summit with two fire engines. The brush fire was already well underway on the south-western slopes underneath…
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Flights delayed and cancelled at Phuket Airport – Closure of Pakistan airspace
Flights have been affected at the Phuket International Airport, a knock-on affect from the closing of airspace over Pakistan. Latest in the tensions between India and Pakistan HERE. Thai Airways resumes flights. Read about that HERE. The Phuket International Airport has announced flights that have been affected at the Phuket International Airport. Delayed flights… AEROFLOT airlines flight SU278/279 from Moscow…
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Python rescued from water drain cover in Wichit
PHOTOS: Phurita Cho / Kusoldarm Foundation A two metre python has been rescued after getting stuck in a water drain cover in Wichit yesterday. Kusoldarm rescue workers heard from locals that the python was stuck in the water drain cover near the Wichit Police Station. A specialist snake catcher from Kusoldarm Foundation, Poonsab Saeueng, along with other rescue workers arrived at…
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Grass fire destroys motorbikes in Rawai
A localised grass fire has spread destroying four motorbikes parked in front of a rental house in Rawai. No injuries were reported. Chalong Police were notified of the fire in Soi Suksan 2 on Wiset road in Rawai yesterday afternoon. Seven fire engines arrived at the scene where the fire was ablaze. Strong easterly winds made the fire spread quickly.…
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Firearms and drugs seized in southern provinces crackdown
A huge stash of iIllegal firearms and drugs have been seized this month in an upper southern province crackdown. There was a press conference held at the Police Region 8 headquarters in Mai Khao today to show and tell. Region 8 Police Deputy Commander Maj Gen Wanchai Eaksorapit says, “There has been a major crackdown this month in Surat Thani,…
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Construction of luxury condo development in Kata continues despite local protests
The Owner of the luxury condominium in Kata has confirmed that that the land is legal and the construction will continue, despite protests from locals and business competitors. Business operators and community in Kata Noi marched in protest about the construction of the luxury condo development. Read more about the protest HERE. Manasanan Nararattanawee, managing director of Kata Beach Company, the…
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Chinese tourist rescued after choking on water in Koh Similans
PHOTOS: DNP A female Chinese tourist was rescued after choking on water at Koh Payu, in the middle of the Similan National Park island group, yesterday. The head of Similan Natioanl Park Ruamsin Manajongjaroen says that national park officers were notified about a Chinese tourist, 63 year old Gou Shifeng, who had got into difficulty whilst swimming at Koh Payu…
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Body of missing Burmese man found in reservoir in Chalong
The body of a Burmese man, who had been missing since Sunday night, has been found. Two Burmese men were swimming in a lagoon in Chalong late on Sunday afternoon. Searching was stopped at midnight on Sunday and resumed yesterday. Read more about the missing man HERE. Searching continued yesterday from noon. At 6.45pm the body of the Burmese man was found…
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Counterfeit items valued over 1 million baht destroyed
8,904 counterfeit items, with a potential street value over one million baht, including prohibited imported goods, have been torched at the incinerator in Phuket Town today. The destruction of the fake goods was held this afternoon and led by Phuket Customs Office Chief Kanjana Suwachino. The goods seized were from 94 recent cases of seizures – in total 8,904 items valued around 1,015,272…
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Eleven passengers recovered from dive boat after it hit rocks off Koh Similan group
PHOTOS: Phang Nga DDPM Four foreigners and seven Thai boat crew have been saved after a diving boat collided with rocks off the Similans yesterday morning. Similan National Park officials were informed that the diving boat, named ‘Panthip 2’, had collided with rocks off Lek Beach near Koh Miang in the Similan island group at 2.45am yesterday. National Park official…
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Locals and business operators protest luxury condo in Kata Noi
Business operators and locals in Kata Noi have marched to protest a luxury condo construction. Kata Noi locals were led by executive president of the Kata Thani Collection hotels group, Sombat Adiset. The protest aimed to halt the construction which has already begun. Khun Sombat says, “This started two years ago and locals have been fighting to stop the construction…
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Staging and structures demolished on beach in Cherng Talay
Structures on a beach in Cherng Talay (map below) have been demolished where a hotel was preparing for a large wedding party over the weekend. Ma-ann Samran, Cheif of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) was notified from locals that wedding party was been prepared on Pan Thri Beach, between Surin Beach and Bang Tao beaches. Officials visited the…
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Burmese man missing in dam in Chalong
Two Burmese men were swimming in a lagoon in Chalong last night. As of this this morning, one of them remains missing. Kusoldharm rescue workers were notified of the incident at the Klong Katha reservoir behind Wat Luang Pu Supa (Silsuparam Temple) at 4pm last night. At the scene they spoke to a 23 year old Burmese man named ‘Joe’,…
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Shy baby turtles get a helping hand in Phang Nga
PHOTOS: The Nation Thirty-five new hatchling leatherback turtles, reluctant to leave their nests on Phang Nga’s Ta Sai Beach, have been given a helping hand to find their way to the sea. Marine and Coastal Resources Department officials yesterday noticed that there were signs in the sand that the baby turtles had hatched, but became concerned this morning after none…
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Phuket tourist decides hotel awning more comfortable than his room
PHOTOS: Rawai Rescue workers / Phuket Tourist Police The Phuket Tourist Police have been notified that a tourist had jumped from a building in Rawai and ended up on a steel awning covering the bottom floor today. But that wasn’t, in fact, what had happened. The local Tourist Police say the owner of the building told staff at the Tourist…
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Patong motorbike racer arrested and fined – VIDEO
PHOTO: Patong Police Patong Police yesterday arrested a motorbike racer after identifying him and his motorbike from video clips that were popular in social media this week. Patong Police are investigating alleged foreign motorbike racing gangs in Patong after video clips went viral in local social media. Read more about the racing around Patong’s streets HERE. Patong Police report that they…
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500 free helmets handed out to motorbike drivers in Patong
Patong Development Foundation together with Patong Police and Patong Municipality have given 500 helmets to motorbike drivers in Patong today under the campaign ‘Wear your helmet’. Handing out the 500 helmets to motorbike user in Patong was led by Patong Police Chief Col Anothai Jindamanee, Patong Municipality Chalermluck Kebsup and President of Patong Development Foundation Preechawut ‘Prap’ Keesin. Col Anothai…
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Dog rescued from 10 metre well in Phuket
A dog has been rescued after falling into a 10 metre deep well behind a temple in Thalang. Rescue workers were called about the incident at 4pm yesterday that happened behind Tharua Temple in Thalang. They found a 10 metre deep well and a dog who’s stuck at the bottom of the well. Rescue workers abseiled into the well and…
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Police investigate motorbike hoons in Patong
PHOTOS: Patong Police Patong Police are investigating alleged foreign motorbike racing gangs in Patong after a viral video clip in local social media. The Patong Police report that the clip of tourists who have been driving their motorbikes at high speed around the streets of Patong has been very popular and provided them with a lot of information about the…
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Elderly motorbike driver dies in Thalang crash
A 74 year old motorbike driver has died after colliding with a high speed taxi in Thalang this morning. The Thalang Police headed to the accident near an intersection of Thepkrasattri – Nai Yang Road in Thalang at 7.40am. When they arrived they found a damaged taxi. Nearby they located the damaged motorbike. 74 year old Somchai Uttasaha, the motorbike…
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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