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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Sponsored Infinito helps hotels in Thailand with revenue management
Maximising revenue and profit–isn’t that the ultimate goal for every business in the hospitality industry? If you run a hotel, you might have heard that revenue management is an effective way to boost your top-line revenue. It involves using data...
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Chinese tourist died after parasailing
A 47 year old Chinese, Gu Weidong, has died after taking a parasailing ride at Naka Yai Island from a heart attack. Yesterday (Saturday), the man took a parasailing ride for 3 minutes then stayed on the boat for another 10 minutes when he fell unconscious. He was taken to Thalang Hospital but died on the way. Following an autopsy…
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A French man found dead in Patong hotel room
A 73 year old French man, Claude Cadeau, was found dead in a Patong Hotel yesterday (Saturday). Police estimate that he’d died there at least 3 or 4 days before he was found. He was found at room number 49/91 on the 8th floor of a condominium in Patong. Police contacted his girlfriend, 43 year old Udom Suebchat, who had…
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More blacktip reef sharks spotted at Hong Island
The Chief of Koh Hong National Park of Than Bok Khorani National Park, Jampen Pompakdi, has revealed that more than 10 blacktip reef sharks have been spotted hunting for small shellfish by a number of tourists at Koh Hong. The sharks were about 2 metre long and the biggest is believed to weight about 100 kilograms. They were gray and…
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Phuket was fatality-free after first three days of Songkran reporting period
Day Three official numbers are in and Phuket remains, as of Friday night, fatality free. The “Seven Dangerous Days” reporting period runs from last Wednesday through to this Tuesday night. But there were 15 accidents reported in Phuket and 16 people injured as a result of traffic incidents – 8 accidents in Muang District with 9 people injured, 4 accidents…
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Day Two – Phuket reports no fatalities
Day Two (April 12) of the “Seven Dangerous Days” in Phuket ended without any fatalities keeping the island without any fatalities for the Songkran reporting period. The Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation is making daily announcements declaring the statistics for the last 24 hours. But there were five accidents on the island’s roads including three in the Muang District…
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Underwear thief arrested in Cherngtalay
Today some are throwing water. Others have been stealing underwear. The underwear thief, 38 year old Weera Jampada, was arrested yesterday (April 12) after stealing many locals underwear’s in the Bang Tao area. He was arrested at an apartment in Soi Bangtao 12 following a report about at least 15 robberies in March. Police tracked him down after reviewing CCTV…
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Songkran checkpoints launched in Phuket
The Road and Marine Accident Protection and Reduction Centre for the 2018 Songkran Festival was launched by Phuket’s Governor Norapat Plodthong. The centre brings together 33 government departments, non-profit organisations and volunteers such as local administration organizations, marine police, tourist police, individual enterprises, foundations and volunteers. “Even though the number of accidents has reduced during New Year season over the…
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Drug gang arrested in Krabi
This afternoon (April 12), Ao Luek Police met the media and presented them with the results of a local drug crackdown worth 500,000 Baht. The two drug dealers, 31 year old Pongthep ‘Pong’ Kongkaew and 29 year old Wasan ‘Tum’ Hemtanon, had been arrested with 3,110 amphetamine pills and 6.9 grams of methamphetamine. Ao Luek Police Station Superintendent, Pol Col…
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Big crime crackdown before Songkran
Police Region 8 held a press conference yesterday (April 11) revealing a number of drugs and gun crackdowns during the lead up to this year’s Songkran. The targeted crimes including illegal ownership of guns, drugs, gambling, prostitution and the following up on the outstanding arrest warrant list. The Police region 8 revealed that among the police in provinces in region…
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“Stargazer” wants you… to WIN 35,000 baht
Time to get out your maracas, juggling balls, microphones and dancing shoes to make sure you’re entered in this year’s Stargazer talent content to be held on April 21 at Kata’s CCs Hideaway resort. Entries will close this Saturday so get in quick! You could win 35,000 baht for first prize, 20,000 for second and 10,000 for third. There’s also…
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Phuket’s Tom Howard RIP
One of the great characters of the Phuket boating community, Tom Howard, sadly passed away on Monday, April 9 just after midday, following a short illness. Tom’s partner Pang (Suppawan Buth-sen) and his brother John were at his bedside in Had Yai hospital when he slipped away peacefully. Tom had been a full time resident in Phuket since 2002, following his…
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Black water flowing freely onto Kamala beach
PHOTOS: The Phuket Sun “This is taken from the bridge by the Tsunami monument. It’s the main klong that flows through town. It starts out from the Kamala waterfall as crystal clear and by the time it makes it through town to the sea, it looks like this…black from sewage. “ The editor of online blog The Phuket Sun has…
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Speedboats ablaze at Khao Lak pier
Two speedboats caught fire at the Tub Lamu Pier in Tai Muang District, Khao Lak, Phang Nga, injuring 4 people. Lamkaen Sub-District’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Unit received a report about the fire early today (April 11). The fire trucks were sent from the unit to the pier to extinguish the fire on the 2 boats along with the Khao…
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Van crashes with ice truck in Krabi
A van has crashed into the back of a 6 wheel ice truck in Krabi critically injuring the van driver yesterday (April 10). The van driver, Nattapong Ketmuang, was stuck in the damaged vehicle after the crash on Krabi-Khaothong route before the rescue team rescued him out by using the ‘jaws of life’. He had a broken right leg and…
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Phuket’s Governor urges care over Songkran
Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, is urging special attention to road safety during the peak period of Songkran from today, April 11 – April 17 during his regular morning meeting. He is ordering the departments involved to install lights at road curves and known risky spots. Also, he is emphasising to officials working at checkpoints to enforce the law strictly and…
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Husband stabbed with pair of scissors in Kathu
A 42 year old man, Somporn Iadchang, was stabbed by his wife during a fight last night. He was stabbed on his neck and shoulder. The incident occurred in Kathu late last evening (April 9). Police found the husband lying on the floor after being stabbed several times in a house located in Soi Nakrob. He was sent to Vachira…
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Mobile phone shop robbery in Rassada
70 Mobile phones and 7,000 Baht in cash were robbed from a mobile phone shop named No.1 in Rassada. The robber also took away the CCTV camera in the shop and covered the one outside the shop. However, the robber dropped a knitted hat at the scene. This morning (April 10), Muang Phuket Police received a report about the robbery.…
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Phuket International Airport prepares for Songkran
Phuket International Airport held a ceremony yesterday to announce its readiness for security and necessary services during the Songkran Festival which starts officially on Friday but already sees increased traffic at the airport. The event took place in the parking lot near exit number 6 of the international terminal. Phuket’s Vice Governor, Thavorn Kongkaew, hosted the ceremony yesterday (April 9).…
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Dog owners shot by neighbour over loud dog barking in Wichit
A family of three has been shot late last night (April 9) resulting in injuries after their neighbour got angry over their dog barking loudly. At about 11.30 pm last night, Wichit Police received a report about the shooting at Tinnawut Village, off Chao Fah West Road. Police and rescue teams found a lot of blood at the scene from…
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Patong hotel operators counter-sue military and former employee
The Patong Paragon Hotel operator, Wisit Iew-Wirotrit, together with his lawyer, Ananchai Chaiyadet and his lawyer team, visited Patong’s Police Station to issue litigation against the army officers and his former employee, both for criminal and civil charges, asking for 100 million Baht compensation. The charges include unlawful detention and perjury. The lawyer said prior to the police report that……
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Thai soap opera inspires traditional dress for ID cards
The Thai soap opera ‘Buppae Sanniwas’ (Love Destiny) is the hot ticket at the moment inspiring Thais to get back to their historical roots and ‘Thainess’, even for official documents. Some Thai ladies have even gone so far as to dress in traditional outfits to take pictures for their ID cards in Phuket. At Phuket Municipality Office a local woman,…
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What’s open and what’s closed during Songkran?
The Songkran Silly Season’ is almost upon us and along with the break comes official public holidays. This year’s Songkran runs, officially, from April 13 – 16 (this Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday). But many will be taking this Thursday off as well as the following Tuesday to make the Thai New Year long weekend even longer. You should expect…
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Vale Chef Ronnie
Filipino celebrity chef Ronnie Macuja, who opened ultra chic VSet Restaurant and Bar at Chalong Pier showcasing his modern Mediterranean/Asian cuisine, as well as Higher Restaurant at Seduction nightclub in Patong, and more recently at Café Del Mar, died suddenly in the early hours of Friday morning. Ronnie’s chef career started at the Manila Hilton. They offered him a two…
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The Great Expedition – finding the Ancient Road To Kamala
The Great Expedition continues to find the famed Ancient Route To Kamala from the sleepy Kathu valley. In our second attempt to get over the hill from tracks off Soi Namtok (leading to the Kathu Waterfall) our intrepid adventurers failed again to find the Great Hidden Track. Last time we headed up the road where tourists are taken for the…
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Russian woman slashes her throat in Patong convenience store
The videos of a 41 year old Russian woman trying to cut her own throat inside a 7-11 in Patong have gone viral. The videos were captured on the store’s CCTV as well as staff mobile phones. The videos show a woman wearing a yellow-black shirt and black trousers cutting her throat in front of a fridge at a store…
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The economic impact of closing down Maya Bay for four months
So what impact will closing down Maya Bay for four months have? Will it be cataclysmic for Phi Phi and Krabi tourism? Will tourist operators survive? Pullawat Pitigraisorn from SCB’s Economic Intelligence Centre has done the sums and estimates that tourist earnings for Krabi Province will only suffer a 6 percent drop as tourists will continue to come to the…
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Phuket OrBorJor introduces 34 beach lifeguards for 5 beaches in Thalang
Phuket’s Governor Plodthong, together with an armada of local authorities and media, hosted an opening ceremony for the operation of Thalang Beach Lifeguards on April 5. “There are a lot of tourists that drown or get harmed from accidents in the sea every year because they either don’t understand the red flags, can’t or don’t read the warning signs, the…
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Drug crackdown in Krabi’s palm oil plantation
A man and a woman in Krabi have been arrested in an palm oil plantation with more than 2,000 amphetamine pills, 83 grams of methamphetamine, 500 millilitre of Kratom leave water and a gun alongside their assets valued at about 1 million Baht. The 29 year old man, Athorn Luknoi, was arrested with 208 amphtamine pills, 0.72 grams of methamphetamine…
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One dead, one injured in Kalim motorcycle/van crash
A crash between a van and a motorcycle in Kalim has resulted in one casualty and another critically injured. The accident occurred in front of Soi Phra Baramee 7 on Phra Baramee Road, Kalim yesterday. Police found the yellow plate van driver, Suthep Yoosuk, and a French man, Dault Julien Sebastian, who rode the motorcycle, and Lamprai Pako who sat…
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Chinese tourist drowns in Patong
A 56 year old Chinese man, Teng Yiding, has drowned in the waters off Patong Beach. Patong police received a report about the drowning yesterday (April 4) and rushed to the scene. He drowned near a hotel on Taweewong Road in Patong. His son, Yang Yongpeng, told the police that they are a family of 5 that arrived in Phuket…
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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