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 A World Kindness Day: Spread kindness, prevent illness - Get your 10% discount
With World Kindness Day just two days away on November 13, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how empathy and care can make a real impact, not just in our relationships but in our health, too. This day is...
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Four houses destroyed, one badly damaged, in Phuket Town fire
A fire consumed four Phuket houses and partially damaged another on Monday morning, police said. The Muang Phuket police station was alerted of the fire in Tambon Talad Mai at 6.45am. The crew from four fire engines took about an hour to put out the blaze, which burned down four connected houses and damaged a fifth. Police said no one…
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Going Green: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon achieves Gold Green Globe status
Guests enjoying the resort’s electric tuk-tuk Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket has become a certified Green Globe Gold member in 2017 having recently received the coveted eco-sustainable certification for the sixth consecutive year, achieving some of the best rankings in Southeast Asia. “We are very proud of our achievements in sustainable operations at the resort and of our…
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Pick-up and van crash in Krabi kills the driver and injures 10
Yesterday (February 4), Klong Thom Police (Krabi) received a report about a pick-up truck crashing into van, resulting in 1 casualty and 10 injuries. The accident occurred at Namkhao-Koh Lanta Road, where police and rescue teams found the Chevrolet pick-up badly damaged from its front all the way to the driver seat. About 20 metres away, a van with Trang…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, February 5
Thammasat and Chulalongkhorn University students mock Thai politics | 24 year old Ukranian stabbed by boat crew | Strong winds ravage Songkhla coastal communities | Unidentified body found floating in BKK along | US Labour department puts Thai fishing industry on notice | Thepa and Krabi power plants put on hold.
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Anonymous attack in Patong
A 27 year old man, Natchasak Satitrong from Surat Thani province, was attacked while sleeping in a sala near the Loma Park football stadium in Patong early yesterday morning (Sunday). At 4 am Kusoldham Foundation received a report about a man being attacked by a sharp item. They found Natchasak with knife wounds on his scalp, his left fingers, right…
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Boat crew arrested after slashing tourist
Phuket Tourist Police and Thalang Police arrested a boat crew, 24 year old Thanakorn Sechana from Sakon Nakhon province, after he slashed a Ukrainian passenger with a knife yesterday (February 3). The passenger, 24 year old Vitalii Kuzmichov, was traveling back from Phi Phi Island with a Best Travel Club tour boat and got slashed near his left elbow by…
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‘Big drug dealer’ arrested in Rawai
Phuket police have held a press conference to reveal a drug network which included the arrest of one man and seizure of 1.39 kilograms of methamphetamine, worth 5 million Baht. Police allege the drugs belong to a ‘big drug dealer’, 26 year old Nakarin Chaweewongprateep. The police initially arrested 49 year old Suth Saekang in Rawai with 307 amphetamine pills…
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‘No can find’ – police investigate an alleged sex show in Soi Bangla
Pol Col Akanit Danpitaksat has revealed recent checks in Soi Bangla after receiving a report about a sex show at an entertainment venue. However, police couldn’t find any evidence of a sex show despite checking the venues for a few nights. He explained that the Anti-human trafficking Police went to check the place and it was open normally with tourists…
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Singaporean crashes into the Heroines Monument
A 55 year old Singaporean man, Ang Koh Lin, crashed his Toyota Fortuner into the metal fence adjacent to the Heroines Monument last night (February 1) and was critically injured. Emergency responders provided first aid at the scene and sent him immediately to hospital. From the investigation, police believe that he was driving from Paklok heading west towards the monument…
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Baby crocodile found in Chalong tin mine lake
A local fisherman has found a baby crocodile at an old mine in Soi Nakok, Chalong. Fisheries Officers have been visiting the area and speaking to the man this morning. The question on everyone’s lips…’Where’s the mother?!” More information coming soon.
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Chinese couple photo shoot no-no at temple crematorium
Pictures of Chinese couple taking their pre wedding photos at the crematorium at Chalong temple have gone viral among Thais social media users. People are criticising the couple and their entourage about the inappropriateness of this photo location, showing a proposal with a man kneeing down in front of a woman in red bride dress right in front of the…
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Laguna Phuket Marathon to welcome 8,000+ runners for 2018
South East Asia’s leading destination marathon, the award-winning Laguna Phuket Marathon, will take place at the Laguna Phuket resort complex on Bang Tao Beach on June 9 & 10, 2018. Organised by leading event organiser Go Adventure Asia, Laguna Phuket Marathon has been certified by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) for a 13th consecutive year and remains…
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THAIGER TODAY January 31
Frenchman and Thai accomplice re-enact murder | Viet Jet back-pedal over PR stunt | Thai PM admits falling popularity | British expat needs triple by-pass – no health insurance | Krabi province investigates marine ambulance | AMLO clamps down on Bitcoin.
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Van crashes near Khao Lak
A van transporting Chinese tourists crashed on the way from Phuket International Airport to Khao Lak this morning (January 31), resulting in 13 injuries, 9 of them considered serious. The van was driving in foggy weather while a motorcycle cut ahead of it causing van driver to swerve. The 52 year old driver, Suchart Aduman, who received minor injuries, explained…
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A 152 year chance to see a rare triple treat – Lunar Eclipse
Stargazers and astro-photographers will gather at locations along Phuket’s east coast between 6pm and 12pm to catch sight of the very rare triple display of a blue moon, a super moon and a total lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse, a blue moon and a supermoon will occur simultaneously, in a coincidence that last happened almost 152 years ago in 1866.…
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Krabi authorities consider purchase of marine ambulance
A meeting to discuss marine safety was held at Nong Talay Sub District Administration OrBorTor yesterday (January 30), where the idea was floated to purchase a medical boat (marine ambulance) by the President of Krabi Tourism Association, Wattana Rerngsamut, to increase safety and emergency transportation in case of accidents at sea. The meeting was chaired by the President of Nong…
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Russian man dies after walk along Krabi beach
A 61 year old Russian tourist, Shikokenko Alexander, fainted while walking along the beach at Hong Island in Krabi, was being taken to hospital but died on the way (January 28). At 1pm, the Chief of Bokkoranee National Park received a report that the Russian man was walking with his wife along the beach when he collapsed onto the sand.…
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Krabi power plant public hearing went smoothly. Protesters boycot event.
More than 2,500 people attended the public hearing about Krabi’s proposed new coal power plant yesterday (January 28) with 1,150 police and army officers guarding the meeting and watching out for any potential protest activity. The 1,150 officers were guarding the area of the public hearing stage at Klong Kanan Sub District Administration Organisation office (OrBorTor), both in uniforms and…
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4 metre long python found in goat farm
Last night (January 28), the owner of Kiang Tawan goat farm in Krabi, 56 year old Kiang Yaithong, along with his friends, tried to capture a 4 metre and 15 kilogram python that sneaked inside his farm and ate a cat and a few chickens. They tied it up and dragged it out from the goat cage then left it…
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Huge python found in 70 year old’s house
A big python, actually a HUGE python, was found in front of a 70 year old Somneug Pattanawong’s Phuket home today. He heard his dog barking loudly so opened the door to check what the fuss was all about. The python, which is at least 50 kilograms and 6 metres long (that’s about 20 feet) was basking in the sunshine…
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Waste water flowing freely onto Krabi’s beaches
Krabi Vice Governor, Pol Capt Apinan Puakpong, with a team of military officers, Krabi Office of Natural Resources and Environment and Krabi Provincial Public Health Office, inspected hotels, resorts and restaurants along Tub Kaeg Beach and found that there are five 5-star hotels as well as one restaurant that have their waste water pipe releasing directly into the sea. The…
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Coal plant protesters hold seminar in Krabi
The Network Protecting Andaman from Coal arranged a seminar to pass on knowledge about the effects from the coal power plant this week. The seminar was headed under the topic ‘Krabi, Andaman – World Tourism Attraction or Charcoal Pollution Source’. The seminar was attended by approximately 500 people, including locals and business owners. “We always disagreed about the Krabi thermal…
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FIFA World Cup lands in Phuket
The FIFA World Cup has already arrived in Phuket for an exhibition. The exhibition is arranged under the auspices of the ‘FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour 2018 by Coca-Cola’ which takes place today (January 27) at Central Festival Phuket. Phuket fans will be meeting with the legend of FIFA Christian Karembeu, former player of French National Team in the World…
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Dugong found dead on a beach in Rassada
Kusoldham Phuket Foundation and Muang Phuket Police received a report from locals at noon today (January 26) about the dead body of a dugong washed up ashore on Somkiet Beach in Baan Laem Nga, Rassada sub-district. The 1.2-meter-long dugong started to smell already and there were traces of cuts from sharp items on the head, skin and stomach with its…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, January 26
Latest announcements about Smart Visa | Re-enactment of Israeli mob hit in Samui | 3 road deaths on Patak Road, Karon in 24 hours | Police raid illegal hostels in Koh Pha Ngan | Monster drug haul in BKK | Bans on catching and eating seahorses AND official bans on smoking on some Thai beaches starts next week.
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House on fire in Phuket Town
Late afternoon yesterday (January 25), Muang Phuket police received a call about a fire at a house in Soi Prayoon, Yaowarat Road. Three fire trucks were called to the scene, a two-story building located 100 metres away from the main road. Firefighters managed to douse the fire in about half an hour. According to the house owner, there was only…
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Motorcyclist dies whilst over-taking on the left in Karon
After an early double fatality on Patak Road, Karon, where two people on motorbikes collided (one Filipino, one from Myanmar), a rescue team member, 27 year old Sahasanai Nakan, crashed after overtaking a bus resulting in his death yesterday (January 24). The cyclist was riding on Patak Road in Karon without a helmet and overtook a bus, but fell and…
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Filipino and Burmese killed in Karon crash
A Fillipino man, 35 year old Arthur Mina, and a Burmese woman have died following a crash earlier this morning (January 25) on Patak Road, Karon. Police say that his motorcycle collided with another motorcycle driven by a woman (whose name hasn’t been announced by police). The accident occurred on a curve. The two drivers were allegedly driving at high…
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3,466 new guns distributed to police in Phuket
The Police Region 8 Commander, Pol Lt Gen Sorasak Yenprem, hosted a ceremony to distribute a total of 3,466 guns today (January 23) following the approval from the cabinet for a budget of 990 million Baht to purchase 55,150 new 9 mm semi-automatic guns, magazines, bullets, sockets and belts, as well as handcuffs. “The weapons are distributed to the operational…
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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