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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Thai, Italian and Japanese runners star at Laguna Phuket Marathon 2018
PHOTO: Naratip Golf Srisupab/SEALs Sports Images Nine thousand runners from more than 50 countries took to the start line of the 2018 Laguna Phuket Marathon on 9th and 10th June and even before the first start, records had been smashed: Largest field of runners ever (9,000); the largest number of international participants (1,300), the largest ever Marathon participation (2,000),…
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Rare dugong carcass washes up on Phang Nga beach
By Anothai Ngandee The carcass of a large dugong, estimated to have been 15-20 years old at the time of its death, has been swept onto Koh Khor Khao Beach in Phang Nga’s Takua Pa today (Sunday). Phang Nga province last year reported 10 live dugongs in its seas. A fertile zone of the dugong’s favourite food, seagrass, is located…
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Three sea turtles washed up on Phuket beaches
A green turtle and two hawksbill sea turtles have been found on Laypang, Kata and Kamala Beaches yesterday (June 9). Officials at the Phuket Marine Endangered Species Unit were notified by a staff member of a hotel in Cherng Talay that a turtle had been washed up on to Laypang Beach entangled in a fishing net. Hotel staff members were…
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Municipalities clear Phuket’s beaches of monsoon trash
Trash has been found on almost every beach along the west coast with the onset of this year’s monsoon. On Kata and Karon beaches a huge municipal beach clean has taken place over the past two days. More than 200 tonnes of trash were collected on just these two beaches alone. A team of Karon Municipal staff members cleared up…
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Traffic diversions – Laguna Phuket Marathon 2018
PHOTOS: Laguna Phuket Marathon The 2018 Laguna Phuket Marathon is set to take place on June 9 and 10 at Laguna Phuket and will welcome a record number of runners – in excess of 8,000 from more than 50 countries. A number of roads used for the course will therefore be closed at certain times during the race (see below),…
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80 % of hotels, hostels and guesthouses found illegal on Phi Phi Island
It’s been a rough week for the island’s small to medium hostel and guesthouse operators with officials claiming that an astonishing 80% of them are illegal and don’t comply with regulations. This week Krabi official found more than 30 hotels, hostels and guesthouses have been adapting shop-houses and unsuitable buildings into guesthouses and back-packer accommodations. They also claim that guests…
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Phuket celebrates ‘World Ocean Day’
Phuket celebrated World Ocean Day today. A ceremony was held this morning (June 8) at Loma Park in Patong host by Phuket’s Vice Governor Snith Sriwihok, the director of the Phuket Marine and Coastal Management Division of the Phuket Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Watcharin Thinthalang and Patong’s Mayor Chalermluck Kebsub. Mayor Chalermluck says, “this World Ocean Day is an…
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Phang Nga Brand trade fair being held at Jungceylon
A ‘Best of Phang Nga’ fair is being held from June 7 -11 at Jungceylon Phuket with more than 35 stalls. The opening ceremony held at Jungcelon Department Store yesterday (June 7) hosted by Phang Nga’s Vice Governor Chansak Tawin and the Phang Nga Provincial Industry Office Chief Duangtida Janpum. Ms Duangtida says, “More 50 projects are taking part to promote their…
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Officials keeping an eye on illegal World Cup football gambling
Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong says, “The Ministry of Interior has reminded us that the World Cup football will be held from June 14 to July 15. Obviously it’s already a very big event in the media. More children, youth and adults will be coerced to take part in illegal football gambling.” “Offenders under the Gambling Act shall be liable to…
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2 million baht of counterfeit and prohibited imported goods destroyed
About 4,000 counterfeit items, valued at around 2 million baht, including prohibited imported goods were torched at the incinerator in Phuket Town today (June 7). The destruction of the fake goods was held this afternoon and led by Phuket Customs Office Chief Kanjana Suwachino. Ms Kanjana says, “This is the final step in cases involving counterfeit and imported prohibited products that have been…
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Ancient paintings found in Krabi cave
More than 60 ancient paintings, thought to aged around 3-5 thousand years, have been found at the Khao Pru Tee Mae cliff in Chong Lom Mountain, Ao Luek, Krabi. A team of archaeologists from the Fine Arts Department last month found more than 30 paintings of monkeys, humans, elephants and geometric forms along the 300 metres cliff. This week an…
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New ferry services proposed to connect Andaman ports
PHOTO: Pattaya Mail (The Pattaya/Hua Hin ferry that started last year. Similar to the new services being proposed for the Andaman region.) It’s being called the “Andaman Ring” – new proposed routes connecting Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi with a modern fleet of new ferries which authorities say will cut journey times and help cater for the expanding tourism in the…
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Striped dolphin washed up on Kamala beach
A weak striped dolphin has been washed up on Kamala beach this morning. Rescue workers were notified that the dolphin was found on Kamala Beach near a public park early this morning (June 7). Rescue workers immediately informed officials at the Phuket Marine Endangered Species Unit. Kamala rescue worker Kriengsak Boonlang says, “Locals, tourists and rescue workers were helping to…
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Kamala flash flood “worst in 20 years”
The heavy rainfall this week (mostly Tuesday morning between 6-8am) caused severe flash flooding which Kamala locals say is the worst they’ve seen in 20 years. Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong says, “The rainfall on June 5 reached 147 millilitres, we think even more in Kamala. After the inspection, locals in Kamala all say that they have never seen flooding like this…
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Illegal hotels and land encroachment crackdown on Koh Phi Phi
Officials are investigating about 40 rai plot of land where 34 villas and a big swimming pool are being built on Koh Phi Phi Don. Officials have also been taking action regarding the implantation of the Immigration Act whilst checking hotels and hostels on the island. Today (June 6) a team of officials led by Krabi’s Vice Governor Apinan Pueakpong…
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Laotian woman arrested with drugs
Police have arrested a Laotian woman with methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine. Yesterday (June 5) a team from the Thalang Police arrested the 38 year old woman Pu Saenudom at a house in Paklok. Police seized 263 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 11 methamphetamine pills. Pu failed to present her passport to police. Pu was taken to the Thalang Police Station…
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Phuket Governor visits Kamala locals after torrential rains
Heavy rains across Phuket yesterday (June 5) caused peak hour road flooding, congestion, landslides and mayhem. Read more about yesterday morning’s downpour HERE. Officials led by Phuket’s Governor Norraphat Plodthong inspected flooded areas in Kamala. The Governor’s now declared some of these back streets in Kamala as a disaster area. Many houses were flooded with 30 cm to 50 cm of…
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Police hunting for thief who snatched a restaurant TV
Thalang Police were notified of a thief who snatched a television from ‘Jae Jeab’ restaurant on Thepkrasattri Road, 300 metres from the Heroines Monument last night (June 5). Police arrived at the scene to find 49 year old Usa ‘Jae Jeab’ Silapa, the restaurant owner. Police checked CCTV footage of the restaurant (on another TV obviously). A man age between…
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Two suspects arrested with 250,000 methamphetamine pills
Police have arrested 40 year old Manasae ‘Sae’ Toebu and 40 year old Hama ‘Ma’ Lasae, both from Yala. Police seized 250,000 methamphetamine pills as part of the raid. Police made the announcement today at a media conference at the Provincial Region 8 headquarters based in Mai Khao. The pair have been taken to Sai Khao Police Station in Krabi where…
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Governor warns of dengue fever this rainy season – Phuket
Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong is warning residents and tourists about the high potential for Dengue Fever this wet season. He says, “Phuket has the highest infection rate in the country. Two people have died from dengue fever this year – a 13 and 23 year old who were in Rassada and Mai Khao, respectively.” “The highest infection rate is found…
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Phuket’s Ao Kung residents oppose marina project
Locals from the Ao Kung community, in the far north of the Phuket, along with environmentalists, are expressing serious concern about the building of a new marina. The 120 million baht marina project will have the capacity to accommodate up to 72 yachts. Locals say the proposed marina is very close to the Ao Kung bay and will threaten coral…
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Phuket film festival honours the late King Rama 9
Phuket is honouring the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej by presenting nine Thai movies made during his reign for an exhibition being held at SFX Cinema Central Festival Phuket from June 4-6. It’s part of a national film exhibition, selecting films produced during King Rama 9’s reign and showing them around the country. Yesterday (June 4) the opening ceremony was held…
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Phuket taxi driver disappears after Thalang road accident
A taxi has had a collision with a power pole in Thalang this morning but when police arrived there was no one in the car. Thalang Police were notified of an accident this morning (June 4) at 6.30am on Don Jom Tao Road in Thalang. Thalang Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find a white Toyota Fortuner…
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The evolution of an island – Phuket’s rise and rise
PHOTO: Banyan Tree Phuket “Thailand’s great push forward on mega-transportation projects is seeing strong dividends being paid in its tourism industry. One key example is Phuket, where passenger arrivals grew by nearly 19% in the first four month of the year at the newly upgraded and expanded international airport.” By Bill Barnett Why Phuket? One only has to look at…
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Phuket rescue foundation donates food to the poor – Te Krajard merit-making ceremony
Some of Phuket’s poorest people received food as part of the annual Te Krajard merit-making ceremony. The event marks the birthday of the Chinese god, Poy Jun Sia Hook, and was held at the Kusoldharm Foundation headquarters in Phuket town last Friday (June 1). The distribution was led by Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong, the Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Teraphol Thipjaroen and…
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‘Phuket City of Gastronomy’ festival underway
The Phuket City of Gastronomy event is back for the fourth year and being held this week in Phuket Town. Read more about Phuket’s street-foodie fest HERE. The event was officially opened last Friday (June 1) at the 72nd Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Road in Phuket Town by Phuket’s Governor Norraphat Plodthong and the Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) Deputy…
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Phuket light rail and Patong tunnel project update
The Phuket light-rail-project is now in the process of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) update while the Patong tunnel project is hunting for investors. A meeting’s been held between the Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong and Wilairat Sirisoponsil, the deputy director of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP). Ms Wilairat says, “the Phuket light rail project is to…
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Perspective: West coast hoteliers give some insight into low season hotel traffic – Phuket
Speaking to a number of west-coast hoteliers on the island The Thaiger heard a few ‘truths’ about Phuket’s surging tourism industry, from the front line and not from the Associations which are forever pitching extravagant occupancy rates, spinning the numbers. The TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) can sometimes be accused of painting a ‘too rosy’ picture of what’s happening in…
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Maya Bay’s four month ‘tourist break’ begins
Park Rangers at the Nopparat Tara-Mu Ko Phi Phi marine national park have placed buoys outlining a no-access zone as part of a bid to rehabilitate the park’s world-renowned Maya Bay. The decision to close Maya to pave the way for a rest period, and preparation for new access to the area, was made by the National Parks, Wildlife, and…
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Local teachers work with Soi Dog to pass on lessons in animal welfare
On May 24 – 25, Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation conducted animal welfare workshops entitled ‘Humans Love Animals, Animals Love Environment’, gathering local school teachers from 12 schools across the island. Realising the importance of the younger generation and the power of education, the Foundation’s education team passed on their animal welfare knowledge through these educators who shared the experience and…
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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