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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The holiday season is here, bringing warmth, joy, and a chance to reflect on the year gone by. As an expat in Thailand, this Christmas is a great time to invest in something that truly matters: health. Whether for you...
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Three arrested with drugs and guns around Sakoo
Phuket police have arrested three suspects and seized drugs, gun and bullets in Sakoo this week. Sakoo Police arrested 25 year old Chayan Srinuan and 37 year old Adiraek Manseb in Sakoo. Police seized 988 of methamphetamine pills and 24.35 grams of crystal methamphetamine along with weapons and 7 bullets. The pair have been charged with illegal possession of Category…
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Police hunting for two men who robbed shop in Chalong
Police are still hunting for two suspects who last night robbed a shop in Chalong and sped away with 3,000 baht cash and a gold necklace. The Chalong Police were notified of the incident at 7.15pm last night, that two suspects had robbed the shop in Soi Songkhun in Chalong. CCTV footage showed the two suspects on a motorbike stopping…
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Police continue hunt for three suspects after breaking a checkpoint
Phuket police are continuing to hunt for three suspects who were involved in breaking through a checkpoint and an ensuing chase from Rassada to Chalong on Monday. The unidentified suspects broke through the routine checkpoint in Rassada and then abandoned their car in a soi Chalong on October 22. Read more HERE. The Phuket Provincial Deputy Commander Col Sermpan Sirikong…
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Phuket smartens up to bring tourists back
Marimi Kishimoto, Nikkei staff writer Reeling from a deadly boat accident this summer, Thailand’s Phuket Island is using “smart” technologies to tackle issues like safety and traffic in an effort to get back on track amid the Southeast Asian tourism boom. The international tourist destination has seen tourist traffic drop off after two boats capsized in July, killing dozens. It…
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Power outage to hit parts of Patong tomorrow
The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) says they’re going to have scheduled blackouts in Patong tomorrow (Wednesday). Residents of Patong are being advised that there will be scheduled power outages during the day from 9am to 5pm as the PEA continues its work on high power voltage systems in the area. Areas to be effected are near the intersection on…
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Soi Dog Foundation responds to rabies and dog registration stories
PHOTO: Bangkok Thailand Soi Dog Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation has sent The Thaiger a response to an article published on October 16. The story was sourced from our Bangkok partners ‘The Nation’ and, according to Soi Dog, contains some glaring inaccuracies. You can read the original article HERE. We reprint the response from the Soi Dog Foundation below… “The Department…
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Fire destroys plastic water pipes in Rassada
PHOTOS & VIDEO: Kritsada Mueanhawong & Newshawk Phuket Last evening (Monday) a fire swept through a storage area for huge pipes in Rassada which were to be used for the Phuket City Municipality flood problem-solving project. No injuries was reported as the blaze engulfed the storage area. At about 6.30pm, at the rear of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (OrBorJor)…
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Phuket Administrative Court officially opens
The Phuket Administrative Court has been officially opened which provide service for the Krabi, Phang Nga, Ranong and Phuket provinces. The Administrative Courts adjudicate on cases relating to people and private business versus state-run departments, enterprises and political entities. The official launch ceremony was held this morning at the new Phuket Administrative Court in Mai Khao and led by Piya…
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Two injured after car overturns and hits a bridge
Two people have sustained injuries after their car overturned, colliding with a bridge and mains water pipe in Chalong early this morning. The Chalong Police were notified about the accident at 2am today. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a damaged Honda Jazz car overturned at the bridge on Chao Fa East Road in Chalong. The driver and passenger…
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Swimmers stung by Bluebottles on Patong Beach
PHOTOS: Lucky / Patong Lifeguard / Newshawk Phuket Today, tourists have been stung by jellyfish at Patong beach. Lifeguards provided quick first aid. The tourists described the stings as painful but that the treatment provided relief very quickly. First aid providers said the stings were not dangerous in this case. Attending lifeguards advised that the ‘jellyfish’ were likely the Portuguese…
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Heavy rain in spots around the country until Monday
Residents in the Central, East and the South, including Bangkok and suburbs, are being warned to brace themselves for heavy rains from tomorrow until Monday. In a first warning issued at 11am this morning, the TMD (Thai Meteorological Department) said that heavy rains would hitting the forecast areas due to a low-pressure cell over the lower South China Sea. They…
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Suspect arrested in Phuket over 11 year old murder case
Phuket police yesterday arrested a suspect in Phuket who was allegedly involved in a police killing in Phattalung 11 years ago. On May 10, 2007, 37 year old Maj Wuttichai Jantakan, who was stationed at Tung Tam Sao Police in Hatyai, Songkhla, was murdered in Pattalung. Slash wounds were found on his neck and a bullet wound was found on…
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Environmental Impact Report for the Ao Kung marina project withdrawn
The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA) of the proposed Ao Kung Marina project has been withdrawn after most locals rejected the idea of the project. The issue of potential damage to coral reefs was raised after local residents near Koh Hei, in the Ao Kung area of Paklok, was brought up with the Phuket Governor during the earlier phases of…
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Koh Payu macaques have fruit and fish feast
PHOTOS: Pongchart Chouehorm A team of officers from the Natural and Wildlife Education Centre headed out to Koh Payu where monkeys were released to their new home three months ago. The visit was to check on their welfare and give them some fruit and fish treats. The monkeys had already been sterilised and released onto Koh Payu off the coast of…
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More cocaine being discovered in Patong
More cocaine has been discovered in Patong while more heroin has been seized in a major crackdown on ‘hard’ drugs. Police and authorities say they are concerned about the rise in drug seizures and the amounts flowing around Phuket’s seaside party town. Phuket Vice Governor Supot Rodrueang Na Nong Khai says, “Nowadays drugs price have decreased, especially the cost of…
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Woman stages an accident and lies to police about gold theft
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket A woman has confessed to lying to police about two thieves that snatched her gold necklace and bracelet on Sakdidet Road in Wichit. On Tuesday, ‘Newshawk Phuket’ reported that two thieves snatched the gold necklace and bracelet weighing around 30g of gold, worth 40,000 baht, on Sakdidet Road in Wichit. Patrol police arrived at the scene to…
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Maya Bay recovering says marine biologist
Marine biologist Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat says Maya Bay is starting to recover after many Blacktip reef sharks were found swimming around yesterday. Dr Thon has commented on a video showing the Blacktip reef sharks found swimming near the shores of Maya Bay yesterday, “I have seen them about 2-3 times in the past week that I have been there. This…
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Invacio going global: AI company based in Phuket taking their message to the UN
Invacio, an artificial intelligence company based in Phuket, is attending a development event in Geneva, Switzerland. Invacio Research Analytics a group subsidiary of Invacio founded by William J D West and led by Linleeya West (Thai – Swiss Educated) will be attending this auspicious event, organised at the UN headquarters in Geneva. Linleeya West sees this as a great opportunity…
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Fake goods seized and two arrested at Patong market
Soon we’ll all have to buy the ‘real’ branded items as the fakes are getting more difficult to find. The authorities and vendors continue to play a cat and mouse game in the ‘intellectual property’ crackdown. Officers yesterday raided another market in Patong and seized more than 4,000 counterfeit goods valued more than a million baht. A team of officers…
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Leatherback turtles face extinction
by Pratch Rujivanarom It may be too late to save leatherback turtles from extinction in Thailand’s seas, as a legal deadlock prevents a conservation status upgrade to protect this critically endangered turtle species and three other rare marine animals. Wildlife conservationists are warning that the slow pace of stepping up the conservation of the leatherback turtle, whale shark, Bryde’s whale…
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Phuket Immigration wind up ‘Operation X-ray Outlaw Foreigner’ crackdown
Phuket Immigration officers say they’re committed to the national crackdown called Operation X-ray Out Law Foreigner, especially on overstayers. As a show of force yesterday, more than 252 officers from the Phuket Immigration Office, the Royal Thai Army, the Royal Thai Navy, the Phuket Provincial Police, Highway Police, Tourist Police and Marine Police assembled at the Phuket City Police Station.…
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Mai Khao’s ‘West Sands’ CEO being quizzed by police following last week’s death on Thepkasattri Road
PHOTO: Facebook.com – Paul John Mercer The British CEO of a luxury hotel along Mai Khao Beach in Phuket, is going to be quizzed by police in Phuket after running over and killing a roadside scavenger in his luxury Mercedes last week. Original report about the Wednesday morning incident HERE. The British expat is being investigated by Thai police after his Mercedes-Benz…
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Man kills himself outside his home in Thalang
A Thai man has shot himself at a house in Thalang today. When Police and rescue workers arrived at the Suppamas housing estate in Paklok about noon, they discovered the body of 66 year old Somnueak Chanapan, a former staff member of the Khao Phra Thaew Non Hunting Area, on a chair in front of the house. Bullet wounds were found on…
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Tour operators boycott visits to Similan and Surin islands to protest new restrictions
The tour operators have had enough of the winding back of tour boat operations and are now resorting to boycotting and ‘disrupting’ the tours in order to get their protests heard. About 50 tour operators in Phuket and Phang nga say they’re suspending boat trips to Similan-Surin islands in the Andaman sea (off the coast of Phang-Nga) today and tomorrow…
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Similans re-open with tight new restrictions
by Pratch Rujivanarom The number of visitors to the Similan Islands will be capped at 3,850 people per day as part of new tourism management reforms to preserve the pristine natural beauty of the islands and promote sustainable eco-tourism. When Mu Koh Similan National Park reopens today, tourists will discover some changes on the islands; they will find more tranquil beaches…
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Man’s body found at Bang Pae Waterfalls
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Newshawk Phuket reported at 3.22pm today that emergency responders had been called to the Bang Pae Waterfall in Paklok to search for a 25 year old man from Pattani. He had gone swimming in the ponds at the base of the waterfalls, as many do, but vanished prompting the man’s friends to alert officials. At 5.07pm this afternoon…
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Day 4 – Phuket Vegetarian Festival processions ramp up the ‘crazy’
PHOTO: At least he’s taking sun shade wherever he goes – Kritsada Mueanhawong It just gets crazier as the days go by. With the shackles off this year (last year the festivities were subdued due to the impending grand Funeral for HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej), the Vegetarian Festival is back up to full speed. The impression we get is that the…
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Two escape serious injury when a truck overturned in Kamala
PHOTOS: Kamala Police Two people have escaped serious injury after the truck they were travelling in over-turned in Kamala this afternoon. Kamala Police were notified of the accident around 2 pm. Police arrived to find the six wheeler truck over-turned on the side of the road. The truck driver was named by police as 37 year old Somchai Chueaput from Nakhon…
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Phuket Vegetarian processions continue – Day Three
The Phuket vegetarian street processions continue to amaze, thrill and scare spectators. Thais, expats and foreign tourists are enjoyed watching and participating in some of the processions on day three. The festival will run until October 17 this year. Read more about the launch of this year’s vegetarian festival HERE. Today was the third day of street processions around Phuket Town.…
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Man shoots himself in Rassada, Phuket
The younger brother of a famous Phuket business man has shot and killed himself in Rassada. Phuket City Police were called to the scene at Soi Srisuchart View on Chalerm Phrakiet Rama 9 (Bypass) Road at 4.30pm yesterday. Police and medical staff arrived to find a parked Toyota pickup truck. In the back of the pickup truck they found the…
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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