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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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,…
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Dead whale and dolphin washed up on Koh Lanta
Sub Lieutenant Nitikorn Chankham from the Royal Thai Navy Area 3 revealed yesterday (October 13) that local fishermen found a dead whale washed up on Had Nui Beach, in Koh Lanta, Krabi. Five navy officers were sent to the scene alongside agents from the Rare Sea Animal Division of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre. The officers presumed that the whale…
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PVC warehouse blaze in Phuket Town
At about 11 pm last night (October 13), officers from the Phuket Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office received a report about a fire at a one story warehouse that belongs to the Modern PVC Co. and the K P Modern Group. The facilities are located on Soi Saensuk 1, Phuket Road. The 3 fire trucks took about 30 minutes to…
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Patong shooter surrenders – assisting Police with investigation
34 year old Manas Pongsuppakij, who lives in Patong, surrendered himself to Patong police today (October 13) after getting pressure from the police to report to them as soon as possible. Following a shooting at Hollywood nightclub in Bangla Road, injuring the victim 27 year old Pongwarit Thiptara, to his leg and back, the police were able to track down…
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Baggage handler caught stealing from luggage
Airport baggage handler, 27 year old Abdullah Hayee Mayeh, was arrested with a bluetooth speaker on October 12 after his robbery was recorded on video. CCTV cameras caught him trying to open the luggage of a passenger of Jetstar Airways flight on October 10 at Bay 15 at Phuket International Airport while loading luggage onto the aircraft parked on the…
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It’s not a torpedo. It’s not a bomb. It’s a….
The mysterious object found in the sea of Nai Yang Beach has been revealed as “Oropesa”, a buoy from a naval minesweeper from World War II. The object is not harmful. The team from the Mine Squadron and Explosives Ordinance Division of the Royal Thai Army Area 3, Phang Nga base officers visited the scene this morning (October 12) to…
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Shooting at a Patong nightclub
At 3 am this morning, a shooting took place in a famous nightclub in the middle of Bangla Road, Patong. One Thai man was injured. The incident happened when the nightclub was closing down. 27 year old Pongwarit Thiptara was walking past a man when the two accidentally collided inside the club and the man, who he has never seen…
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Chalong police arrest two with 100 kilograms of Kratom leaves
Two men, 28 year old Thanachai Ngakaew and 18 year old Ratthapong Tingnui, have been arrested with 42 kilograms of Kratom plants and 60 kilograms of fresh Kratom leaves on October 10. The two were arrested at their rented house in Chalong area after police tracked them for a while after they had allegedly traded the drugs to local…
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Injured turtle found at Nai Harn Beach
Yesterday at 4pm, swimmers at Nai Harn Beach found an Olive Ridley sea turtle near the shore. Its front left leg was severely injured from a trawler or motorboat propeller and its right front leg was mildly cut as well. The lifeguards at Nai Harn Beach contacted Rawai Municipality and the Rare Sea Animal Division of Phuket Marine Biological Centre…
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More Phuket – Bangkok flights on offer during Royal Funeral week
Thai Airways and Thai Smile Airways will increase their roundtrip daily flights during the Royal Cremation of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The additional domestic flights will be operated from October 23 to 31 to meet the transport needs of passengers attending the ceremony. Thai Airways will add 11 flights between Bangkok and Phuket and five flights between…
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Vegetable contamination check for the Vegetarian Festival
Phuket’s Governor, together with the Phuket Mayor, visited Banzan fresh market in Patong today (October 11) to check for any contamination of fresh vegetable and fruits before this year’s Vegetarian Festival. “The Vegetarian Festival starts from October 20 – 28 and there will be a lot more people consuming vegetables and fruits during the festival. These products can be contaminated…
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PM Prayut clarifies election date
PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday announced firmly that the election would be held in November next year, following a previous indication that it would be in June 2019. “For this [election] part, it was said that it would be around June 2018 that there will be the announcement of the election date, and then in November, there will be the…
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Phuket’s cremation ceremony rehearsal set for October 22
Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, announced during his press conference “Governor Meets Media” that the cremation ceremony rehearsal for King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Phuket will take place at Sapan Hin Park on October 22. He explained that the ceremony will be set in 3 zones; the closest zone inside is where the wooden flowers and pyre model are placed, the second…
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UPDATE: Beach butt ban
After finding a large amount of cigarettes on Patong Beach following the results of several volunteer beach cleans, the Director General of Marine and Coastal Department announced that from November onward, the department will enforce the law – Section 17 of Marine and Coastal Management Promotion Act – to prohibit smoking on the beach. “After collecting trash from Patong Beach,…
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Koh Phi Phi – Thailand’s most profitable national park
Phi Phi Islands is the most profitable national park in the nation for 2 years in a row. Had Nopparat Thara – Phi Phi Island National Park has officially reached the highest income among the national parks across the country this year with 669 million Baht. The statistic were revealed by the Department of Nature, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP)…
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Hundreds of share-bikes taken home by renters
Despite excellent feedback on the share-bike initiative and more than a thousand users per day, the share-bike project is suffering from renters who think that the bikes are “giveaways from the government”. Many users have taken the bike back home and using it as a personal belonging. Some of them have even brought their pick-ups and motor-tricycle (samlor) to take…
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New set of tsunami detectors being installed in the Indian Ocean
The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has sent a transport boat to pick up the existing Tsunami detectors and to deliver a new set to the middle of the Indian Ocean. The new set of tsunami detector systems have been installed on at the latitude 9 degrees North and longitude 89 degrees East position. The installation is taking place from…
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Blood Donations in Honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej
More than 200 Phuketians joined a blood donation drive in honour of the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama IX. The blood donation booth was set up at the Metropol Hotel in Phuket Town from 9am – 3pm yesterday with an exhibition of the past King working on blood donation projects. The exhibition also provided knowledge about donating and…
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Orca Whale spotted in the seas off Phuket
The Orca aka “Killer Whale” has been spotted in the sea on the west coast of Phuket. The VDO and picture were captured by the Facebook user named “Phairot Kong.” For this impressive discovery, Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine activist, the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Fishery at Kasetsart University and an official advisor to the Department of Marine…
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Phuket International Airport domestic terminal ready for high season
The first phase of the renovated domestic terminal of Phuket International Airport will be ready on November 28, just in time for the tourism high season. During the press conference celebrating the 29th anniversary of the airport, Phuket International Airport General Manager, Petch Chancharoen, revealed that the first phase of the domestic terminal renovations will open its door to welcome…
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Newborn baby boy abandoned in Patong
A newborn baby has been found dumped at a laundry shop in Patong yesterday (October 8). Patong police found a healthy 3.5 kilograms baby boy who still had a fresh umbilical cord attached. The baby was sent to a paediatric specialist at Patong Hospital. The doctor said that he was born approximately 12 hours ago and the medical team is…
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3,200 runners turn up for the annual Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run
There was a huge turnout for the 13th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Mini Marathon 2017, with 3,200 people taking part in the annual event. The opening ceremony was presided by Phuket’s Governor Noraphat Plodthong alongside Vice Governor Snith Sriwihok, Vice Governor Thawornwat Kongkaew, Uthit Limsakul, Deputy Director of The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Oriol Montal, GM…
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Fake immigration officer trying to extort foreigners around Phuket
Phuket Immigration are warning of a fake officer who is trying to extort money from foreigners around the island. After gathering information, Phuket Immigration say that a person has been impersonating an officer from the local Immigration Office and been asking for money from foreigners saying they have problems with their visas. Phuket Immigration Police are now investigating the situation to…
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Illegal lottery operator arrested in Phang Nga
Phang Nga police have arrested 47 year old Pramote Jiaranai, 30 year old Omthip Padtae and 33 year old Achiwan Janthadom for illegal lottery trading yesterday (October 6). At the scene, a house in Taimuang District, Phang Nga, police seized the lottery notes, 55,445 Baht in cash, a notebook computer and a calculator. The three are charged for hosting a…
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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