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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  • Phuket Governor visits Kamala locals after torrential rains

    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…

  • Police hunting for thief who snatched a restaurant TV

    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…

  • Two suspects arrested with 250,000 methamphetamine pills

    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…

  • Governor warns of dengue fever this rainy season – Phuket

    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…

  • Phuket’s Ao Kung residents oppose marina project

    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…

  • Phuket film festival honours the late King Rama 9

    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…

  • Phuket taxi driver disappears after Thalang road accident

    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…

  • The evolution of an island – Phuket’s rise and rise

    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…

  • Phuket rescue foundation donates food to the poor – Te Krajard merit-making ceremony

    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…

  • ‘Phuket City of Gastronomy’ festival underway

    ‘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…

  • Phuket light rail and Patong tunnel project update

    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…

  • Perspective: West coast hoteliers give some insight into low season hotel traffic – Phuket

    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…

  • Maya Bay’s four month ‘tourist break’ begins

    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…

  • Local teachers work with Soi Dog to pass on lessons in animal welfare

    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…

  • Road accident prevention project aimed at schools – Phuket

    Road accident prevention project aimed at schools – Phuket

    A promotion has been launched at Phuket Wittayalai School in Phuket Town this morning, hosted Phuket’s Governor, with a target to decrease road accidents. Governor Norraphat says, “The number of accidents and injuries during this year’s Songkran Festival decreased, but the number of deaths from road accidents was the same as last year. Students were the highest demographic in this year’s Songkran…

  • Phuket airport’s domestic terminal launches today

    Phuket airport’s domestic terminal launches today

    The Phuket International Airport General Manager Petch Chancharoen took Phuket’s media on a tour of the full service domestic terminal today (June 1). There are now 66 check-in counters, carry-on luggage checkpoints with 8 x-ray machines, revamped Boarding Gates 4-10 and 7 sky bridges. Five toilet areas (for male, female and disabled) are now provided as part of the renovation. The third…

  • Two escape injures in Patong house fire. Woken up by cat hero.

    Two escape injures in Patong house fire. Woken up by cat hero.

    Patong police have been notified of a fire in a Soi near the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong early today (May 31) at 05.20am. Firefighters and fire engines arrived to find a two storey old timber and concrete house ablaze. It took about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire. Fabric, a laptop and some stationary…

  • Some monkeys will be moved, most will be sterilised – Phuket

    Some monkeys will be moved, most will be sterilised – Phuket

    A meeting was held today (May 31) at the Governor’s residence, hosted by Governor Plodthong. The meeting was to collate information from all the recent public hearings into Phuket’s monkey problems and relocation plans. All the public meetings agreed that the island’s monkeys, in the public ‘hot’ zones, needed to be sterilised in a systematic program. Tha Chin community in…

  • Temporary market being set up to assist vendors this weekend

    Temporary market being set up to assist vendors this weekend

    Forensic police have been investigating the ‘Trunk’ market fire last Sunday night (just off Phang Nga Road, Phuket Town), while an executive of the Jatujak Phuket Company, Wannakorn Pattarapakorn, was visiting shop-holders to discuss options. Read more about the fire HERE. An executive of the Jatujak Phuket Company, Wannakorn Pattarapakorn says, “Some vendors still have products that they were able to salvage…

  • Patong lifeguards call for safe equipment storage

    Patong lifeguards call for safe equipment storage

    Yesterday (May 30) one of Patong’s lifeguard posted pictures on his personal facebook. The photos showed a damaged lifesaving equipment storage box. The head of Patong lifeguards, Somprasong Sangchart, says, “Someone has destroyed the storage box near Loma Park on Tuesday (May 29) but everything is still inside the box. I discovered this yesterday morning.” “This is not the first…

  • Bus driver dies trying to fix air-brakes in Koh Kaew

    Bus driver dies trying to fix air-brakes in Koh Kaew

    Police and Kusoldarm rescue workers arrived at a car park inside a Shell gas station in Koh Kaew to find a parked Bangkok-Phuket bus. At the left back wheel they found the body of a man who was later identified as 25 year old Nattakit Bamrungrai from Kamphaeng Phet. The man was found half-sitting next to the wheel. His head was…

  • Similan Islands – no more sleep overs from October

    Similan Islands – no more sleep overs from October

    by Pratch Rujivanarom With Maya Bay at Koh Phi Phi Ley poised to close for four months from tomorrow, an announcement yesterday that overnight stays will no longer be allowed in the Mu Ko Similan Marine National Park off Phang Nga province starting from this October. While the number of visitors to its pristine islands will also be limited as…

  • Phuket report shows arrivals up 19% in Q1

    Phuket report shows arrivals up 19% in Q1

    By Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Thailand’s great push forward on mega-transportation projects is seeing strong dividends in the local 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. Why Phuket? One only has to look at the upward trajectory…

  • Rang Hill locals want to keep the monkeys as a tourist attraction

    Rang Hill locals want to keep the monkeys as a tourist attraction

    A public hearing was held on Monday (May 28) at Khao Rang Samakkee Temple (Wat Khao Rang) with local residents of Rang Hill in Phuket Town. The meeting was led by Director of the Natural and Wildlife Education Centre at Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area in Thalang Pongchart Chouehorm. The plan to develop new and remote monkey colonies has emerged…

  • Boracay. Maya Bay. Phuket?

    Boracay. Maya Bay. Phuket?

    Bangkok, July 30, 2018 Today the Thai Government has announced a six month closure of the island of Phuket. The shutdown will commence on May 1, 2019 and reopen on October 31, 2019. PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha spoke to a meeting of Thailand’s peak tourism and business groups saying the drastic closure is necessary to ‘get Phuket’s house in order’…

  • Be a part of the Paws Squad. Join Soi Dog’s Saturday opening.

    Be a part of the Paws Squad. Join Soi Dog’s Saturday opening.

    This Saturday morning, Soi Dog Foundation will open as usual but is adding some freebies and fun activities for everyone this week. At the Gill Dalley’s Sanctuary, we have recently extended the opening hours to half a day on Saturday from 9 am – midday. This Saturday, the first five visitors will receive a cool Soi Dog ‘freebies’ set, including…

  • Phuket student seriously injured in crash with tour bus

    Phuket student seriously injured in crash with tour bus

    Chalong Police were notified about an accident at Soi Yod Sanae in Chalong this morning (May 29). Chalong Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find a tour bus on the side of the road. At the front right wheel of the bus they found a male student who was later identified as 14 year old Tornrakorn Sommart…

  • Phuket celebrates Visakha Bucha Day

    Phuket celebrates Visakha Bucha Day

    A Buddhism ceremony was held this morning (May 29) at Wichit Sangkaram Temple (Wat Kwuan) in Phuket Town led by Phuket’s Governor Norraphat Plodthong and Phuket Provincial Police commander Maj Gen Teerapol Thipjaroen. The Phuket Office of Buddhism conducted the ceremony to encourage people, especially students, to learn more about one of the most important international Buddhism holidays. Today’s activities included offering food to monks,…

  • Man rescued after jumping off Thepkrasattri Bridge in Phuket

    Man rescued after jumping off Thepkrasattri Bridge in Phuket

    Tha Chatchai Police were notified of a suspected suicide incident in Mai Khao this afternoon (May 27). Police arrived at the far north of the island to find 47 year old Sutat Jitpromsri had already been brought from water by a passing fishing boat. A mobile phone charging cable was found loose around his wrists. He was rushed to Thalang…

  • Man arrested for raping his neighbour

    Man arrested for raping his neighbour

    A re-enactment of an alleged rape was held at a worker’s house in Soi Baan Klang, Chalong last Friday (May 25) led by Chalong Police Chief Col Pakayot Tanongsak. The suspect in the re-enacment was 26 year old Jakkapan ‘Pom’ Chanyut. Col Pakayot says that last Wednesday night (May 23) a 51 year old woman name ‘Chuan’ reported to Chalong…

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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