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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Sponsored THAIFEX - Anuga Asia 2024 exhibits unforgettable food innovation
THAIFEX - Anuga Asia 2024 has officially wrapped up for another year after delivering an unforgettable showcase of food innovation and culinary experiences. With 3,133 exhibitions hosted at the event, entrepreneurs and culinary creatives from over 50 countries were present...
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AKSARA Collection appoints new Director of Hotels and Resorts
The Pattaravornee Family of Phuket are very proud to announce that Mr. Matthew C Hindmarch, who joined the company as General Manager for Kata Sea Breeze Resort and part of the development team of The SIS Kata Phuket four years ago, has been promoted to position of Director of Hotels and Resorts. In this role, Khun Matthew who has been…
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More than 50 Patong operators releasing untreated wastewater
Patong Municipality is preparing to dredge the Pakbang Canal at the southern end of Patong Beach this week before more heavy rain. Operators who are releasing untreated wastewater into drains are being asked to urgently to solve the problem before legal action will be taken and enforced. Patong’s Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup says, “We are solving the problem of black and…
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COMMENT: The fall of the Emerald Development Group
Today is Mai Sawit Ketroj’s birthday. He’ll be spending it behind bars after being questioned by police about alleged fraud involving the Emerald Development Group. In a packed media conference yesterday Tourist Police Deputy Commander Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan outlined the unravelling of the prominent Phuket property development company. “The suspect admitted that he has a lack of financial resources…
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Phuket Town Gold shop thief arrested within five hours
Quick work by Phuket Town police in yesterday’s gold shop robbery case. The Phuket Town Police have arrested 35 year old Sermsin Thepwong from Khon Kaen at 6:30pm last night (Wednesday). Police seized many gold items and a gun during the arrest. He was arrested at a house on Anuphas Phuketkan Road in Phuket Town. Read yesterday’s story HERE. After…
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Four month old foetus found in Chalong canal
Chalong Police were notified about the body of a foetus found in a canal in Soi Kuwattana, Chalong at about midday today (May 2). Chalong Police, along with the Forensic Police and rescue workers, went to the scene to investigate. At the scene they found the foetus of an undetermined gender. The body was covered with a white cloth and…
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Police hunting for gold shop thief
A thief has broken into the ‘Tanet Hok Gold Shop’ on Hatchananiwet Road in Phuket Town by breaking through the ceiling. The Phuket City Police were notified at 8.40am today (May 2). Police were investigating the scene this morning. They found that the shop had been ransacked and the ceiling damaged. Some gold items and a gun were stolen. The items…
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Planned projects for Karon wastewater treatment
Karon Municipality is planning to construct a sediment trap system or wasteland to prevent black and wastewater flowing into the sea. Today (May 2), officials were inspecting the area. No more black water was found. The Bangla Canal which is about 800 metres long has water flowing into it from the Karon community. Tourists were enjoying the beach as normal.…
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Residents complain about pet crematorium in Paklok
Paklok residents have complained that they are facing problems from smoke from a private pet cremation business. The operator has responded to the complaints at the Damrongdhama Centre saying that they have a legal construction license to conduct the cremation services. Residents are opposing the business after the first three months of operation. The new pet cremation business was established…
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WARNING: Shocking accident between motorcyclist and pick-up
WARNING: Graphic photos Gruesome pictures of an accident in Phuket show the aftermath of a collision between a female motorcyclist and the rear of a pick-up truck. The woman was impaled on the back bumper suffering severe injuries to her left leg and losing a lot of blood. Rescue organisations used cutting equipment to get her free then she was…
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Officials raising the yellow flags on Krabi beaches
Officials raised yellows flags at two popular beaches warning tourists against swimming following strong winds and high waves that kicked up from Sunday evening. Champen Phomphakdee, chief of two national parks – Mu Koh Hong National Park and Than Bokkhoranee National Park – said officials put up yellow flags on the beach in front of Koh Hong beach to warn…
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The Good Shepherd Phuket Learning Centre requires urgent funding
The fate of the Good Shepherd Learning Centre Phuket is a matter of concern. The Centre has an urgent need to obtain sustainable funds to continue operations as its initial period of regular, committed funding will cease in May 2018. At The Good Shepherd Learning Centre they provide basic education i.e. science, mathematics and language skills in Thai, Burmese and…
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Phuket’s Nepalese community commemorate the Buddha’s birthday
Buddha’s Birthday celebrations vary from place to place according to the different schools of the faith that have developed over the years, but regardless, the birthday of Lord Buddha remains one of the largest Buddhist festivals wherever and whenever it’s celebrated. In Nepal, Myanmar and India the Buddha’s birthday is being celebrated today. In Thailand, South Korea and Hong Kong,…
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A man killed by a boar in Kathu
A 48 year old man Somsak Pengsata was attacked by a boar after kicking it. After the attack, he bled to death. According to witnesses who are fellow workers there in Kathu area, there were 4 boars, each of them has a pair of 2 inch long tusks living in the same sty. The workers were sitting in front of…
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Two mysterious objects found in Mai Khao
Thachatchai Police received a report about an items that looked like ancient cannons at an old house in the Mai Khao area. The house, which belongs to a local man Dam Jitchamnan, was being demolished for renovation and the objects were found among the debris as workers were clearing it away. The police found that the rusty items were about…
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Bike crashes into a van killing one
A 35 year old man from Chiang Mai, Warat Liewrungrot, has crashed his motorcycle into a van, killing him instantly. He was driving without a helmet. The accident happened in front of Soi Suksan 1 in Rawai heading towards the Chalong Circle. Witnesses told Chalong Police that Warat was riding his motorcycle at high speed from Rawai Pier towards Chalong…
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27 Cobras found in a Krabi rubber plantation
The owner of a rubber plantation in Lumtub District in Krabi, 45 year old Prapai Yaithong, revealed today (April 28) that he found a den* of cobra on his land. While a worker was using a tractor to level the land surface and to remove a pile of wood in the rubber plantation, the worker saw that the blades from…
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Environment Minister presented with 5 demands to protect the Andaman coast
The Natural Resources and Environment Minister General Surasak Karnjanarat has appointed volunteer marine rangers for six coastal Andaman provinces today (Friday). The provinces are: Trang, Phang Nga, Krabi, Phuket, Satun, and Ranong. He officially handed marine ranger badges to the volunteers as he met with the Network for Participation-based Management of Marine Resources, which comprises communities from the Andaman provinces.…
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Phi Phi National Park to punish illegal beach vendors
The Phi Phi National Park Office is set to punish businesses that put their signs and kayaks on the beaches. Following complaints about signs and kayaks on the Loh Dalum Beach of Koh Phi Phi, the Chief of Had Nopparat Thara Mu Ko Phi Phi, Worapot Lomlim, said that the National Park officers will strictly enforce the law. “However, there…
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“Cars not parked in normal parking spaces”, Phuket Airport
Phuket International Airport have commented on last weekend’s incident where two cars were scratched with a key or sharp object at the same spot in Phuket airport’s 5th floor parking. One of the owners also had a note warning that it was a VIP parking and that the spot wasn’t a normal parking area, left on his screen. The CCTV…
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Kayak and tour ad signs on Koh Phi Phi being moved off the beaches
The Krabi Tourism Association President, Wattana Rerngsamut, has commented following complaints from tourists in Krabi about the large amount of tour companies’ advertising signs and kayaks on the beaches of Koh Phi Phi. “Some beaches in Krabi have become like a crowded market. People who are making their own businesses there do not see the importance of management for all,…
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10 million Baht crackdown on drugs. Meanwhile the drugs get cheaper.
Police Region 8 held a press conference in Krabi, following weeks of big drug busts, to reveal another recent drug crackdown which has netted 85,170 amphetamine pills worth around 10 million Baht on the streets. A couple arrested in the most recent case includes 24 year old Thepnarin Naksawad and 21 year old Kamonthip Kongmee, who were living in Plai…
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Governor visits Pakbang Canal after wastewater released into Patong bay
Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, visited Pakbang Canal and set a meeting with Patong Mayor, Chalermluck Kebsup, about the wastewater solution for the canal after rubbish and waste had been left without dredging for 2 years. The water released into Patong beach after this week’s rains, from the canal, is foul and stinks. The Governor said after the survey at the…
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Truck crashes into a van and car – 8 in Chalong hospital
A 6-wheel truck transporting fabric was cut in front by a car and caused it to lose control. It flipped and hit a van that was transporting tourists, which resulted in 4 critical injuries and 4 others being taken to hospital with less severe injuries. The accident occurred on the main road to Chalong Circle. Chalong Police, Chalong Mayor and…
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Phuket luxury villa sales surging
Phuket appears to be on an upward swing in the property market following a few years languishing with slower sales. According to a recent report from CBRE Thailand, around 155 resort villas were sold in Phuket during 2017. CBRE, which opened an office on the island back in 2004, says the results last year represent a growth of 21 percent…
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Soi Dog opening on Saturdays
Following the success of our recent trial, Soi Dog Foundation has extended visitor times at one of Phuket’s most popular attractions, ‘’The Gill Dalley Sanctuary” in Mai Khao to Saturday mornings providing the opportunity to visitors, who are unable to go during the week, to meet and mingle with the small dogs, cats and kittens. From April 28 onward, visitors…
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77 baby turtles hatched at Ko Similan
77 Baby green sea turtles hatched at Mo Ko Similan National Park yesterday and about half have been released to the sea already after 55 days of hatching. The hatching rate is 71.29%, which is 77 eggs out of 108 eggs. This was the same eggs found on Miang Island on March 1. By the time the national park officers…
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ANZAC Day Dawn Service in Phuket
At 5.45am, Australians and New Zealanders, Phuket community representatives, crew members from the HMAS Anzac, local schools, friends and family members gathered at the Phuket Yacht Club in Chalong to commemorate the 102nd ANZAC day. Anzac Day is held on April 25 every year and commemorated by Australians and New Zealanders to remember those “who served and died in all wars,…
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Patong man arrested with methamphetamine
Border patrol police and narcotics control police arrested a local man, 36 year old Suriya Kijkla, with 88.94 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 4 methamphetamine pills along with a Thai Pradit pistol. He was arrested near Patong after they arrested another man, Arun Soison, with some methamphetamine. Arun told the police that he bought the drug from Suriya, who lives…
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Preparing to close down Maya Bay
The General Director of the Department of National Parks (DNP) visited Maya Bay yesterday, which is expected to close down for 4 months from the start of June. Thanya Neti Thammakul, along with his team, visited Koh Phi Phi Ley and Maya Bay yesterday (April 23) to follow up the readiness before closing down the island’s iconic tourist attraction for…
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Phuket Town clothes shop blaze – 2 million baht in damages
A clothes shop ‘Hollywood Studio Store’ located in the ground floor of the Paradise Multiplex, Ocean Shopping Mall in Phuket Town, was on fire last night (April 23) and destroyed about 2 million baht worth of valuables. The team of Phuket authorities including Phuket’s Mayor, Somjai Suwansuppana, rushed to the scene with fire trucks The fire was inside of 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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