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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Wondering if you can drink the tap water in Thailand? From brushing your teeth to filling up a bottle, it’s helpful to understand a few basics. Tap water safety in Thailand varies by location, and while some people use it...
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Fisherman washed off rocks near Kata found floating near Cape Promthep
The body of a man who was washed off rocks by a wave while fishing at Kata Viewpoint yesterday (July 16) has been found floating near Cape Promthep today (July 17) Rawai’s Mayor Aroon Solos was notified by locals that a body was found floating near Promthep Cape in Rawai. Officers from Rawai Municipality headed to the area on a…
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Phuket boat accident “marginally affects tourism” – Tourism Minister
PHOTO: Tourism and Sports Minister, Weerasak Kowsurat walking with British cave diver Charles Harper last week Quoting the National News Bureau of Thailand… “The Tourism and Sports Minister, Weerasak Kowsurat, admitted that the tour boat that capsized off the coast of Phuket province on July 5, resulting in the deaths of 47 Chinese tourists, has caused some people to cancel their…
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Three injured in Phuket wedding party fight
Three men have sustained injures after a fight at a wedding party in Koh Sirey early this morning (July 17). The Phuket City Police were notified of the incident at 2am at Baan Laem Tukkae in Koh Sirey. Local residences told police, when they arrived, that the two people injured had already been taken to the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation…
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Court refused bail for ‘Phoenix’ owner and chief engineer
The ‘Phoenix’ boat captain, chief engineer and boat owner are now in custody at the Phuket Provincial Prison. The Thai ‘owner’ of ‘Phoenix’ remains in custody after she surrendered following the issuing of an arrest warrant over the weekend. Read more HERE. The Chalong Police have already pressed charges of a reckless act causing death, serious injuries, mental and bodily harm…
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Body of missing fisherman found, following July 5 Phuket storm
The body of a Rawai fisherman was found yesterday (July 16) near Koh Racha. Two local fishermen from Rawai have been missing since heading out fishing on Thursday (July 5), the same day of the boat disaster when two tour boats sank and 47 Chinese tourists drowned, including 16 children. The Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command (NAC3) officers were…
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Phuket man arrested with 20,000 methamphetamine pills
A man has been arrested with methamphetamine pills, crystal methamphetamine, a gun and ammunition. A team of the Border Patrol Police last week arrested 22 year old Tanaset ‘Fluk’ Kraimaneelert at a housing estate in Rassada. Police seized 1.06 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 20,000 methamphetamine pills, a gun and 21 bullets. Tanaset was taken to the Phuket City Police Station and…
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Every Phuket tour boat is being checked
Deputy Commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, Maj Gen Surachet Hakparn, with the help of the Marine Department, are checking about 400 tour boats in Phuket. Any boat found not fully compliant to leave port with all its safety equipment in working order, will remain at port. Maj Gen Surachet says, “All about 300 to 400 tour boats in Phuket are…
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Thai owner of ‘Phoenix’ now in custody
The Thai ‘owner’ of ‘Phoenix’ remains in custody after she surrendered following the issuing of an arrest warrant. Arrest warrants for the ‘Phoenix’ owner, 26 year old Woraluck Rueakchaiyakan from Phuket and boat chief engineer, 56 year old Onjan Kanhayotee from Phetchabun, were issued last Friday (July 13). They face charges of a “reckless act causing death, serious injuries, mental…
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Pavilions Hotels & Resorts announce two important acquisitions
The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts has made two important appointments as it continues to expand its portfolio and strengthen its management team. Scot Toon takes on a new role as the company’s Managing Director, Asia while Tim Sargeant becomes the Director of Marketing for The Pavilions Phuket. Both are highly skilled and experienced hospitality professionals who join The Pavilions Hotels…
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Phuket’s hotel bookings starting to wane in wake of boating disaster
(4 minute read) The Nation is reporting that Thai tourism authorities are expressing concern following an increase in cancellations of hotel room bookings by Chinese tourists following the tragic July 5 boat accident. So far, 7,300 Phuket hotel room bookings for July and August have been cancelled by Chinese tourists in just 16 hotels that have reported figures so far,…
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Multihull Solutions Regatta wraps up with ‘Fugazi’ claiming top honours
The 10th annual Multihull Solutions Regatta wrapped up today with another good day of sailing. Principal Race Officer Simon James ran two races today, a three-lap windward-leeward and then a triangle course for all classes except Cruising, which did a loop around nearby Koh Lon. Dan Fidock’s trimaran Fugazi claimed the Racing Multihull division winning six of the eight races…
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Thrills and spills – Day Two of Multihull Solutions Regatta
Nineteen knots of wind in Ao Chalong greeted competitors as they sailed out to compete in day two of the Multihull Solutions Regatta. Armchair pundits were hedging their bets as to which boats would be damaged by heavy winds. Some thought the Corsair Pulses, who have been a touch fragile in heavy weather, might be in trouble, but the Pulses…
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Injured Phuket monkey captured after swimming around Ao Po marina
A monkey which was found injured in Ao Po, on the north-east coast of Phuket, is now recovering and getting veterinary attention. It was found at the Ao Po Grand Marina. The Wildlife Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand was notified last week about the monkey which some of the staff at the Ao Po marina believed had swam back from Koh…
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Tenth Multihull Solutions Regatta gets underway
Day one in the 10th Multihull Solutions Regatta saw fifteen boats divided into four classes compete off the shores of host organizer Phuket Yacht Club in Chalong Bay in the ‘Boat Lagoon’ Race Day. Before the regatta started, Multihull Solutions’ Andrew de Bruin said, “We are back for the 5th year as title sponsors to the Phuket Yacht…
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Authorities battle to contain the fallout of ‘Phoenix’ disaster
“…hotel bookings in Phuket by Chinese tourists in the next two months had shrunk by up to 70 percent.” Chinese tourists are cancelling Phuket hotel bookings, unnerving Thai authorities and tourism-related business who are scrambling to raise the image of the island’s battered safety reputation. The cancellations are coming mostly from the tour company businesses based in China whilst the FIT…
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Comment: Will the Blame Game result in a Chinese Phuket tourism boycott?
by Bill Barnett As the death toll climbs past a reported 40 from the recent sinking of a tourist boat in Phang Nga Bay, social media in Mainland China is creating a hailstorm of negative criticism about Phuket. While there is a general perception in Thailand that the tourism market dodged a bullet, with the Chiang Rai cave story dominating…
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Firearms, ammunition and incendiary devices seized in Phuket
A team of soldiers and police yesterday (July 12) arrested two suspects and seized a cache of firearms, ammunition and incendiary devices. Officers first raided a house in Rassada around 6pm. Officers arrested 52 year old Phuket man, Sanakorn. Police seized various kinds of firearms, ammunition and incendiary devices in his home. The arrest, and subsequent information from Sanakorn, led officers…
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64 million baht approved for boat tragedy compensation
The Tourist Assistance Fund has approved about 64 million baht compensation for boats victims. One million baht is being paid as compensation for the deceased. Including the boat company’s insurance, 2.1 million baht will be paid out to the families or estates for each of the deaths following last week’s boat tragedy. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism…
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15% of Phuket’s advanced bookings cancelled
About 15% of advance bookings have been cancelled in the past week in the wake of the boat capsize 8 days ago. Chinese tourists are voting with their bookings citing a loss of confidence in Phuket marine safety, and safety generally. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Pongpanu Svetarundra says, “Chinese tourists are Thailand’s most important…
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Kamala man streams live video of his suicide
A man shot himself, killing him instantly, while on a Facebook live video stream inside a bedroom in Kamala earlier today (Thursday). Kamala Police were notified that the man had shot himself at a house in Soi Bang Wan in Kamala. Police and rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the body of a man who was later identified…
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Divers recovering the last body from ‘Phoenix’
A body, a passenger on ‘Phoenix’ when the boat sank last Thursday and found stuck and unable to be removed by divers, is hopefully going to be recovered today. The task to recover the last body inside the boat started early this morning. On a separate search, one male body was found yesterday (July 11) near Phi Phi Island in…
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Mercedes Benz driver lucky to escape burning car
A Mercedes Benz driver has escaped serious injury after the vehicle he was travelling in caught fire in Mai Khao last night (July 12). Tha Chatchai Police were notified of the boring car on Thepkrasattri Road, northbound, at 11.40pm. Firefighters, along with two fire trucks and the Tha Chatchai Police, arrived at the scene to find a Mercedes Benz ablaze.…
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40 tourists, 3 boat crew safely back from Koh Racha
Phuket Marine Officers were called yesterday to bring 40 tourists back to the Phuket Deep Sea Port following another day of strong winds and high seas. At 10am yesterday (July 11) officers from the Phuket Marine Office headed to Ao Tue at Koh Racha Yai to bring 40 tourist and five boat crew back to the Phuket Deep Sea Port…
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‘Phoenix’ to be salvaged as important evidence
The ‘Phoenix’ is to be salvaged in order to help find the one remaining missing passenger as well as another body which has been stuck in the boat, unable to be recovered by divers. The boat is to be salvaged from its current location 45 metres underwater, south-west of Phuket island. The marine Department Region 3 Chief Puripat Teerakulapisut says,…
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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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Boat tragedy suspected to be involved with zero-dollar tour company
An initial Tourist Police Bureau investigation is pointing to incriminating evidence that suggests that the ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Serenata’ were involved with the zero-dollar tour ‘Tranlee’ network. Tourist Police Deputy Commander Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn told a Phuket media briefing yesterday that the crackdown on 11 suspected zero-dollar tour companies in Phuket last year, is believed to have links to the…
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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…
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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