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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Dead body of a deputy mayor’s brother found in Saphan Hin
The dead body of 53 year old Sanit Kumban was found floating in the sea of Saphan Hin, approximately 300 – 500 metres away from the shore today (October 27). The team of water police and Kusoldham Phuket brought him back to land and found a brown leather bag and a clothes bag with the body. The man was wearing…
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Sacked: The police officer who allegedly drove Yingluck to the border
Yep. That’s the car he drove. Pol Colonel Chairit Anurit of the Metropolitan Police, who allegedly drove former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to Sa Kaew province during her flight on August 23, will be dismissed from duty. This follows a police fact-finding committee’s ruling that the officer committed a grave disciplinary offence. The police colonel had also committed a lesser…
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Fire Walk at Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town
One of the most astonishing rituals of the annual Vegetarian Festival is ‘Goi Hoi’, or fire walk. The event was arranged last night at the Jui Tui Tao Bo Keng Shrine in Phuket Town. About a hundred Masong gathered to participate in the event. At the ritual ground about 2,000 locals in white costume attending the vegetarian festival, as well…
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Phang Nga trips to Similan Islands cancelled on October 26
Wow Andaman Pier in Phang Nga which is the pier tourists, especially Chinese and Europeans, use to go to Similan Islands, announced today (October 25) they will be closed tomorrow, the Royal Cremation Day, to allow their staff to join the ceremony as attendees and volunteers. “We would like to announce to all tourists that Wow Andaman, will close for…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 24
Dugongs being hunted | Mourners ‘camping out’ for good location | Local Phuket preparations | Three media outlets have passes revoked | Man still on the run for shooting four in Phuket Town yesterday.
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HM King Bhumibol’s art exhibition at Saphan Hin
Phuket Art Club is presenting an art exhibition showcasing the works of HM the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Tin Mine Monument of Saphan Hin park in order to pay respect and express grief for the late King. Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, chaired the opening ceremony of the exhibition yesterday (October 23). There are 11 artworks featuring 26 artists…
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Park chief says they have proof that dugongs are being hunted
Rangers in a no-hunting area have filed a complaint regarding illegal hunting with police after a dugong’s skin and body-parts were found hanging in a mangrove tree on Koh Libong in the Trang province. But local villagers say the find is a “set-up” by the officers. The National Parks chief last week claimed that dugongs were being hunted and killed…
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Corpse found in a Koh Siray mangroves
At approximately 10am this morning (October 23), Pol. Maj. Akkaradet Pongprom, from Phuket Police Station, received a report that a corpse was found floating in a mangrove before the monkey viewpoint, on the way towards Koh Siray, east of Phuket Town. At the scene, the police found the body of a man who did not have any documentation or items…
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Four injured after a shooting in Phuket Town
Four people have been shot – one remains in critical condition – in a house near Saphan Hin in Phuket Town. It all started from a conflict between a local man, 23 year old Kacha Keukkong, and a group of four locals, who all ended up injured after visiting him at his house near Saphan Hin and were shot before…
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Ammonia leaks from ice-factory in Rawai
An ammonia gas leak has been discovered from an ice and drinking water plant located behind the Rawai Temple. About 300 residents living within 500 metres were asked to evacuate. Rawai Mayor, Arun Solos, got a report about the leak last night at about 9pm. Controlling the leak took longer than expected and a strong smell was present around the…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 23
Junior world Badminton Champ | Van plows into ByPass Road pole | Rama 9s Grand-Daughter leads final rehearsal for this week’s Royal Funeral | Surprise visitor on Pattaya Beach | Jellyfish invasion long Gulf beach | Vets ‘apologies’ for not being able to save young elephant.
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Tour company van crashes into electric pole
A van from a tour company hit an electric pole on the Bypass Road, opposite McDonalds on the way to towards the Samkong Underpass intersection. The driver, who was only named “Pu” or “Fu” sustained injuries to his left leg and some scratches. He was stuck in the van before an ambulance from Siriroj Hospital was able to rescue him…
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Free share-bike extended to the end of the year
The operators of the Ofo and Obike share-bike scheme have agreed to extend the free service from the end of this month to the end of the year to provide more time for Phuketians and tourists to get used to the share-bike system. The extension was announced during a press conference yesterday (October 20) to explain about the public share-bike…
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Shooting at a Thalang rubber plantation
40 year old Danudech Maliwan from Phang Nga, a worker at a rubber plantation in Thalang, has been shot on his left arm by an anonymous shooter driving a white car. Police found a .357 bullet left at the scene. The rubber plantation is located at the entrance of the Tonsai Waterfall in the Thepkasattri sub district. Danudech told the…
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2017 Phuket Vegetarian Festival Calendar
October 20 Official start of the Vegetarian Festival Every day from October 23 – 28 There’s a ritual paying respects to Chinese guardian angels (Ko Gun) at Bangniew Shrine and from October 22, the ceremonies can be seen at Jui Tui Tao Bo Keng Shrine and Ta Rua Shrine as well. October 23 A ritual to pay respect to ancestors…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, October 20
Vegetarian Festival launched in Phuket | On-again, off-again, maybe on-again with Facebook meeting | Training in full swing for new lifesavers | Forecast looking good in BKK for October 26 | ‘Tara’ the elephant saved from canal.
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DSI claim ‘powerful people’ interfering in Krabi land-deed corruption case
Krabi Forest – File Photo The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has said local powerful people are behind a delay in revoking an illegal land deed involving forest lands in Krabi. Saengrawee Bongkotmas filed a complaint with DSI on Thursday calling on the body to investigate delays in revoking an illegal land-deed registration for a forested area. She said that…
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UPDATE: Got a drone in Thailand? Here’s what you need to know.
The days of you flying your drone carefree in the skies above Thailand are over. Last week, the Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) announced that all drones in Thailand need to be registered. The NBTC said the move came after only 350 drones out of an estimated 50,000 had previously been registered in Thailand. Owners have until January…
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Minesweeper relic taken to Phang Nga
The minesweeper found just offshore at Nai Yang Beach two weeks ago is said to be safe and has been taken to Phang Nga. The EOD team checked the suspected minesweeper device for explosive powder and found that the inside of it is empty and safe. After identifying the mystery object – which was found submerged at low tide 30…
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Phuket’s OrBorJor arranging training courses for lifeguards while tourists drown on beaches
Following two drownings and up to ten ‘near misses’ on Phuket’s beaches over the past week, the first class of 30 volunteer lifeguards joined the training course organised by the OrBorJor at the Cherngtalay sports centre yesterday (October 18). Phuket’s Vice Governor, Saint Srivihok, paid a visit to the training session. During the training, there was also an officer from…
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Guns, loan contracts seized in Phang Nga raid
A large amount of weapons and some loan contracts were seized during a raid by police, army and administrative officials on a snooker club in Phang Nga’s Muang district today (October 18). Provincial police chief Pol Maj General Boonthawee Toraksa led the team to search the club in Tambon Tham Nam Phud, which belonged to 35 year old Piyawat Khanpakdee.…
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Three vehicles in a crash in Thalang kills one, injures another
At the scene, a car, motorcycle and truck had collided. The motorcyclist died in the collision. Police presume that the cause of accident that killed the motorcyclist, 32 year old Thongmai Chairat, and injured his passenger, Natthawut Chaikham, was that they were trying to pass through the traffic jam by riding in the middle of two lanes when they hit…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, October 18
From Bangla Road… What’s happening with dead fish washing up on Hua Bin beach? | Mark Zuckerberg heading to BKK | Bangkok needs long-term drainage strategy | Huge half tonne haul of drugs.
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New management contract for Hollywood nightclub
The Hollywood nightclub management contract has been revoked after a shooting in the club last week while new management has been put in place. Preechawut “Prab” Keesin, owner of the venue and the head of the Pisona Group of companies, revealed that he has cancelled the management contract of the Hollywood nightclub for ‘damaging the reputation of the business’ as…
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Young dolphin washes up on Kamala Beach
Officers from the Rare Sea Animal Division of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) have revealed today (October 17) that the dead dolphin found on Kamala Beach washed up ashore yesterday was a young Fraser’s Dolphin, which is rare in the Andaman Sea. The body is 2 metres long and weighs approximately 70 kilograms. The body was still fresh when…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 16
A drowning and near-misses at Phuket beaches | Royal rehearsals in Bangkok | Crocodiles escape in Petchabun floods | Myanmar Army about to release a report about alleged atrocities.
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Three locals arrested for drugs and gun’s in Chalong.
Yesterday afternoon (October 15), Chalong police arrested Panya Chidchiew and Kwanjai Kaewbamrung in Soi Chalermprakiet 6 with 351 amphetamine pills and 6 grams of meth amphetamine. Police found that they are connected to another bigger drug dealer who lives in Soi Koktanod in the same area and, after an investigation, police arrested Nopporn Rawanghet on the same day with a…
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Chinese tourist drowns near Koh Racha whilst snorkelling
Yesterday afternoon (October 15), 26 years old He Sixiang drowned during a snorkelling tour near Racha Noi Island. The man and his girlfriend went for a trip with a group of 24 people and when the snorkelling time was up the tour guide found that one passenger was missing. After searching for the missing diver, they found him face down…
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Russian tourist drowns at Karon red-flagged beach
A 42 year old Russian tourist, Parshukov Ole, drowned at Karon Beach this afternoon (October 15). The area of the beach the man was drowning was designated with red flags, deemed unsafe for swimming with big waves and rip currents. Patong Hospital say that the man was sent to hospital after he was swept by strong waves near Karon Circle.…
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Russian tourists in trouble swimming off Karon Beach
Karon Municipality Tourist Centre saved six foreigners off red-flagged Karon Beach this afternoon (October 14). There were initially two Russian tourists drowning 50 metres ashore. The team from the Royal Thai Navy Area 3 and officers of the Phuket Marine Security Centre used jet-skis and speedboats to fetch the duo and return them to shore safely. A little while later,…
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.