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.
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Chinese netizens rip into Phuket authorities’ handling of boat disaster
With the Tham Luang cave story evolving into health updates of the team members, some international media are now focussing on Thailand’s worst maritime disaster (since the 2004 tsunami) last Thursday. CNN have published an article sharing Chinese media and netizens ripping into Thai officials, including the deputy PM, Prawit Wongsuwan. Users on the Twitter-like service Weibo, citing witnesses who…
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Buddhist ceremony commemorates deceased passengers
A Buddhist ceremony has been held to commemorate the passengers who died in last Thursday’s tour-boat tragedy to the south-west of Phuket, while the search resumed for one person who remained missing. The ceremony took place at the Ao Chalong pier early yesterday morning (Wednesday) to boost the morale of grieving relatives who were present, along with locals and Chinese…
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Phuket boat disaster toll: 42 survivors, 46 found dead, 1 remains missing
The Phuket PR Office has revealed the latest death toll for passengers who drowned following the sinking of ‘Phoenix’ south-west of Phuket last Thursday evening. Three bodies were recovered in the Monday and Tuesday recovery missions. The current total for people travelling on the boat is 89 tourists plus 14 boat crew and tour guides for the fateful trip. The…
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Boat and ‘life jackets’ not fit-for-purpose
The Tourist Police Bureau have revealed that the ‘Phoenix’ was not ‘fit for purpose’ for operations in the seas off Phuket whilst the buoyancy aids that were provided for passengers didn’t reach the minimum standards required for safety vests. In the latest zero-dollar tour investigation, linked to the two boats and last Thursday’s boat sinkings, tourist police seized 21 non-standard…
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Phuket boat disaster: Investigation underway. One boat captain now in custody.
The Chinese boat manager of the ‘Serenata’ is now facing charges in addition to the captain of the ‘Phoenix, which also sunk, who is now in custody. A Russian jet-ski driver has also been charged. This is all in the wake of last Thursday’s ‘freak’ storm which hit the Andaman coast. Region 8 Police commander Lt General Sorasak Yenprem says, “the boat…
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Phuket Hotels Association teams up with US Embassy to help eliminate single-use plastic
The Phuket Hotels Association has joined forces with the U.S. Embassy Science Fellowship (ESF) Program to tackle the critical issue of waste management in Phuket, with the aim of eliminating single-use plastics at the island’s hotels. Founded in 2001, the ESF Program promotes bilateral cooperation in the fields of science and technology. Since it was launched, nearly 300 scientists have…
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The Chinese husband of the owner of ‘Phoenix’ speaks to Chinese media
Zhang Wenhao, the husband of the owner of ‘Phoenix’ – T.C. Blue Company – has revealed to Chinese media that his wife manages the company. He says he is one of the employees. All employees in the company, except captains and boat crews, are all Chinese. The ‘Phoenix’ is owned by 26 year old Woraluck Rueakchaiyakan, who has a Chinese…
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PM visits Chinese families and the injured at hospitals
Thai PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha visited Vachira Phuket Hospital to meet some of the Chinese families who have lost their families members in the Phuket boat disaster. General Prayut arrived at Vachira Phuket Hospital at 2.30pm yesterday (July 9). The PM was talking to crying Chinese tourists who lost their family members and gave hugs readily whilst offering a sympathetic ear to…
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PM visits Phuket to insist on better boat safety
Thai PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered that every missing passenger, from the sunken ‘Phoenix’ boat, must be found. He has also directed officials to take care of all Chinese survivors and their families as their guests. “Measures to prevent a similar disaster must be implemented immediately. Every boat must follow official warnings.” The Prime Minister didn’t mince words when he spoke…
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Strong winds bring down trees and power poles, two cars damaged
Two power cables have been brought down in Koh Sirey today (July 9) after heavy rains around the island. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is warning that from July 9-15, heavy rain will affect Ranong, Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang and Satun. “Small boats should stay ashore as strong winds and waves are expected, up to four metres high.” Persistent…
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Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa announces their new GM
Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa have today announced the appointment of Markus Kosch as the new GM. Markus most recently served as General Manager of Conrad Guangzhou in China. Commenting on his appointment, Markus said, “I am excited to have the opportunity to be at the helm of one of the largest resorts in Phuket.” A 22 year veteran in the…
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Boat captains facing charges after Phuket boat disasters
The captains of the two boats ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Seraneta’, that sank off Phuket on Thursday early evening (July 5), have been charged. Read more HERE. 41 people are now confirmed dead, 15 still missing with hopes fading that any more survivors will be found. One body of a Chinese man has washed up on the shores of a Phang Nga beach…
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Chinese join search for 14 missing. PM visits Phuket today.
PHOTO: A centre has been established at Phuket International Airport to ensure smooth flow of information and help for tourist victims and their relatives. by Salinee Parp Thai and Chinese authorities are continuing the search for the remaining 14 Chinese tourists still on the missing list after the “Phoenix” diving yacht sank into 47 metres of rough seas on the…
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Phuket: 42 found dead, 14 still missing – 13 were children
As we emerge into a wet and soggy Monday morning in Phuket, after three full days of frantic searching in the waters south west of the island, 13 bodies, of 41 which have already been recovered, were children who have drowned in the tragedy – 8 boys and 5 girls. Searching has been expanding to Phang Nga Bay and the waters…
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Two fishermen missing after Phuket storm
Two local fishermen from Rawai have been missing since heading out fishing on Thursday (July 5). The Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command (NAC3) officers were notified yesterday morning (July 7) of the missing men. The two fishermen who remain missing are Prawit Salee and Saksri Naoprai. They headed off to the east of Koh Racha Yai at 2pm on…
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15 people remain missing from the Phoenix boat sinking
PHOTO: Thai PBS It is now well into the third day of searching for the remaining 15 missing people following Thursday evening’s capsize and sinking of the boats ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Serenata’. Passengers on the Serenata were all recovered but 105 people off the Phoenix – passengers, crew, tour guides and captain – were either trapped inside or ended up in…
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41 dead. Hopes fade for remaining 15 missing.
Rescuers are aiming to have a go at raising the wreck of ‘Phoenix’ today. Divers, mostly volunteers, have been confronted with a scene of horror as they defended 47 metres off the coast of Koh Hei into the wreckage of ‘Phoenix’. They reported seeing mothers still holding they babies, bodies suspended in the lower lounge are of the sunken boat.…
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Five more bodies recovered – 18 remain missing
Phuket’s Governor has updated the media of the current toll from the sinking of boats off Koh Hei on Thursday afternoon. The official death toll issued by the Phuket PR Office is 38 people with 18 people still missing. The identification process is underway on the bodies that have been retrieved from the waters off Koh Hei, south-west of Phuket.…
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Chalong boats must stay at port
The Phuket Marine Office has announced that, today (July 7), all boats are not permitted to leave from the Chalong Pier, except boats that are involved with the search teams which are under instruction from the search operation centre. The search for missing people started again this morning at 5am after being stopped late last evening. The focus of today’s…
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Search continues today for survivors. 23 remain missing.
With the body count numbers still in flux, as the recovery mission continues, the Phuket PR Office says the official death toll is 33 tourists that have died with dozens still missing. Strong winds and high waves sunk the dive yacht Phoenix, packed with mainly Chinese visitors, late on Thursday afternoon when a weather front came in from the Andaman…
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Deputy PM foreshadows legal action against captain and owner of ‘Phoenix’
PHOTO: ‘Phoenix’ from Siraphop Srakaew Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan is threatening legal action against the captain and the owner of the ‘Phoenix’, the ill-fated tourist boat that sank yesterday evening off the south-west coast of Phuket. General Prawit says the captain and owner of the Phoenix boat will be held responsible for the accident. ‘Phoenix’ sank with 105 people on…
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Phuket: UPDATE. What we know 2.15pm
Friday, 2.15pm • 21 dead bodies have now been recovered from near Koh Maiton and just off the coast of Koh Keaw (east Phuket) • Up to 35 remain missing (figure is continually being revised) • A Chinese female tourist has been pulled out of the Andaman Sea, alive. She has been taken to Vachira Hospital in Phuket Town in…
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Phuket: Seventeen more bodies recovered. 39 remain missing
Navy sailors have located 17 more bodies from the sea off Phuket, raising the number of confirmed deaths in boat accidents to 18, while 39 Chinese tourists remain missing. Officials aboard HTMS Long Lom recovered 12 bodies at 10.50am near the location where the tour boat Phoenix sank after being slammed by huge waves on its way back to Phuket…
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Phuket: UPDATE. What we know.
What we currently know at 11am, Friday morning, Thai time… • 7 dead bodies have been recovered near Koh Maiton • Up to 50 remain missing (figure is continually being revised) • One body of a Chinese tourist was recovered last last night • Navy SEAL divers are searching the sunken ‘Phoenix’ boat for bodies • Two boats sank in…
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4-5 metres waves hit my boat, says Captain
The Captain of the dive boat ‘Phoenix’ claims that four to five metres waves hit the boat causing it to sink. Smoking Boontham, captain of the dive boat ‘Phoenix’, was carrying 105 passenger – 93 tourists, 12 boat crew and tour guides – says, “Yesterday (July 5) we left Chalong Pier at 9am heading to Koh Racha. After that we…
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Phuket boats banned from leaving port
Some Phuket boats have been banned to leaving port today (July 6). Tourist Police have warned tour operators not to leave from Phuket’s piers. The Phuket Marine Office Chief, Surat Sirisaiyat, says, “The Phuket Marine Office has been informed from the Meteorological Department that heavy rains and strong winds will hit the southern part of Thailand on the Andaman Sea. Waves are…
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14 flights delayed, 6 diverted, black-outs at airport as storms hit Phuket
File photo/Air Asia plane arrives at Phuket International Airport. Many flights were unable to land safely at Phuket International Airport on time and had to be diverted. There were power outages around the airport lasting from six minutes to many hours yesterday (July 5). Fourteen flights were delayed as planes were not able to land due to the wind squalls…
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Many still missing, one dead. Search resumes this morning off Phuket.
Chinese tourists are still missing following a capsize off Phuket late yesterday afternoon (Thursday). Divers are currently scouring the sunken vessel, the Phoenix, for missing people. The tour boat was one of two reported to have capsized yesterday late afternoon. Phuket’s Governor Plodthong is keeping the media up to date with regular briefings. A sudden wind equal hit the Andaman…
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10 million baht to develop Phuket OTOP villages
Phuket is developing its OTOP Villages with a 10 million baht budget to support local tourism. OTOP stands for ‘One Tambon (meaning sub-district) One Product’. It is a local entrepreneurship stimulus program which aims to support the unique locally made and marketed products of each Thai tambon all over Thailand. OTOP drew its inspiration from Japan’s successful One Village One…
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Phuket Brand trade fair to be held at Jungceylon
A Phuket Brand fair will be held on July 6 -10 at Jungceylon Phuket with more than 50 stalls. Phuket Vice Governor Prakob Wongmaneerung and Chief of Phuket Trading Office, Decha Petchwong, announced the details at a media conference yesterday. Khun Decha says, “We are paying attention to both unique as well as standard brands to build confidence in tourists…
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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