Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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35 tourists jump off burning dive boat in Krabi
35 passengers escaped unscathed after a diving boat called ‘Chontara’ they were travelling in caught fire near an island in Krabi province late last night/Sunday morning. No injuries were reported. The diving boat with 35 passengers was on its way back from a diving trip from Lanta Island to Phi Phi Island just after midnight. Fortunately, a nearby boat was…
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3 Women arrested after picking up drugs parcel in Phang Nga
Police Region 8 have arrested three women who picked up a drugs parcel at the Takuapa bus terminal in Phang Nga, which contained drugs with a street value up to 4 million Baht. The investigative team received a report that there would be drugs smuggled via a Bangkok – Takuapa bus. The bus staff delivered the parcel to the bus…
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Alleged Phuket gunmen arrested
The two gunmen who allegedly shot a local man in Rassada have been arrested but they still deny all charges. The hitmen, including 26 year old Warin ‘M’ Khemma and 26 year old Damrongrit ‘Boat’ Srijaturat, from Udon Thani, are believed to have shot local men Sinchai Kaewlipon and Jakkapan Saluay-Iam. After an investigation police claim that Sinchai owed the…
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Double fatality in Krabi bus crash
PHOTOS: มูลนิธิกระบี่พิทักษ์ประชา (Krabi Rescue) In what’s been a horror week on Thailand’s roads, two people have been killed and another six injured after a tour bus crashed into a pickup at an intersection in Krabi last night around 10pm (March 23). The double-decker bus was heading to Krabi Airport to pick up tourists. The accident happened in the Ao Luek…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, March 23
Another bus crash of students in Ayutthaya | Ladyboys behaving badly in Pattaya | Phuket to become foam-packaging free| Top 25 toast destinations in Asia | Land Transport office wants to crack down on double decker buses | Thailand’s tourist numbers on the rise and rise.
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More drug crackdowns in Krabi
Krabi Police held a press conference yesterday (March 22) to announce that two alleged drug mafia gang leaders had been arrested in Krabi with almost 20,000 amphetamine pills and 2 million Baht worth of assets. The two drug dealers, including 43 year old Wirote ‘Bang Lai’ Khaokham and 25 year old Nantanat ‘Fa’ Ratchaniyom, who are Krabi residents, were arrested…
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Governor rolls up his sleeves in a clean-up day at Phuket’s stray dog shelter
Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, led a big group of officials and volunteers along with staff from Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation to cleanup, paint and donate their time at Phuket’s Stray Dog Shelter yesterday (March 20). The Governor rolled up his sleeves and worked along with the other volunteers to give the shelter a well-needed publicly-funded home for Phuket’s strays. The…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, March 22
16 dead following bus crash in Nakhon Ratchasima | Prawit may be invited in for a ‘chat’, NACC | Pattaya attackers charged by police | No water splashing on main roads for Songkran this year | Another tour bus crash in Phang Nga and a fatal accident on notorious Patong Hill | Austrian drowns in Pattaya | Young British traveller…
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Water truck careers off Patong Hill, killing one
There’s been another fatal accident on Patong Hill this morning (March 22). So far there’s been one fatality reported with another critically injured. A fully-loaded water truck has slipped over the side after crashing through the roadside barriers and fallen down the roadside cliff on the Kathu side. Long traffic delays in and out of Patong as a result, particularly…
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Anonymous corpse retrieved floating near Rawai
A dead body, which is believed to be of a western man, has been discovered floating near Koh Kaewpissadan, on the west coast of Rawai yesterday (March 21). Police from Chalong station, Marine Police, Forensic Police and a medical team from Vachira Hospital as well as Phuket Ruamjai rescue team went out to collect the body with a boat belonging…
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Police ban water splashing on main roads for Songkran
The Royal Thai Police are looking to impose a total ban on water splashing activities on main and secondary roads throughout Thailand during from April 11-17, the Songkran holiday break. They are citing road safety as the reason for the drastic plans. In phuket, in the past, Chao Fah east and west, Viset Road in Rawai and parts of Thepkasattri…
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Phuket gives away more than 12,000 shirts to public drivers
Phuket Vice Governor, Sanit Srivihok, chaired a give-away ceremony this morning (March 21), aiming to encourage public transport drivers to dress more professionally. The 12,810 shirts are divided into categories of public transport by color, including a white shirt for taxi, Tuk Tuks with the number plate that begins with 30, bus and van drivers with the plates that begin…
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Krabi finds 6 rabies-infected dogs
Krabi Provincial Public Health Office have announced a warning to local residents after finding 6 dogs with rabies infection yesterday (March 20). Officials are reminding all people that if they are bitten, scratched or licked by stray dog or cat, to seek medical attention and get a rabies PEP vaccine. The Chief of Krabi Provincial Public Health Office, Dr. Apichai…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, March 21
Soi Dog Foundation comments about Rabies ‘scare’ | HM The King visits exhibition of gifts celebrating 200 years of bilateral relations with the US | Phang Nha gunman rounded up by locals | PM calls for political parties to ‘tow the line’ with setting election date | Investigation continues into fatal Phang Nga tour bus crash | Premchai’s wife charged…
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Takuapa hitman bailed up by locals
A 50 year old hitman, Banjong Chaisawad, was caught by local people in Takuapa District, Phang Nga, after shooting two men who were working on a fishing raft at the time. Ban Namkem Police received a report yesterday (March 19) about two men being shot, including 39 year old Sudkhet Samranrat, who was shot in his lower ribs, near his…
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Truck crashes into motorcycle and kills 63 year old
A 10-wheel truck has crashed into a motorcycle and killed a 63 year old woman, Nunoi Kraisat, instantly. After an investigation, Muang Phuket Police found that the motorcyclist was riding with her niece at the back heading to the Piboon Sawaddee School for a graduation ceremony. She stopped to wait to turn right while the truck followed and hit the…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, March 20
MH370 has NOT been found | Bar owner in Pattaya bashed unconscious | 10 million baht worth of marijuana seized in Chumpon | Officials concerned over damage on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao | Nok Air being asked to ‘please explain’ over poor on-time record | 103 ‘practice bombs’ found near Vachira Hospital Bangkok.
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Marine rescue workshop underway in Phuket
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Phuket Office, held a marine rescue workshop at the Dara Hotel in Kathu this morning (March 19) chaired by Deputy Secretary General of the ministry, Santi Pawai. The workshop was aiming to teach attendees about methods to deal with divers and customers in case of emergency, both underwater and on the surface, in the…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, March 19
Wrist band ID for tourists and facial recognition tech. for 7-11s | DNA results are in for the Premchai case | PM encourages Thais to wear traditional costumes when in public | Chiang Mai air pollution ‘sixth worst in the world’ | Fire in BKK factory | Scaffolding collapse on BKK worksite.
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Car thieves arrested in Soi Namtok in Kathu
Police received a report from Weeraporn Khamyindee that her Toyota Vios had been stolen inside Soi Namtok, Kathu, on March 17. After checking local CCTV cameras, police found that two thieves, 36 year old Prakarn ‘Aek’ Sangsawang from Prachinburi and 27 year old Seksan ‘Ton’ Ountan from Phuket. The two were arrested on March 18 at a hotel on Kra…
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More wi-fi hotspots and ‘tourist tags’ – Phuket Smart City
Phuket will increase the number of hotspots for free Wi-Fi Internet connection to 1,000 around the island as part of its ambition to turn the island into a “smart city”, according to Thailand’s digital economy minister. The province may also develop an electronic wristband system for foreign tourists so their identity and location would be known in case of untoward…
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Phuket public transport service centre kicks off
The central pillar of Phuket public transportation was launched yesterday (March 16) at the Phuket Bus Terminal 2 on Thepkassatri Road, aiming to become a one-stop-shop where people can call for car taxis and motorbike taxis. The automatic system to call for taxi services is expected to help solve problems relating to taxi fees and service standards as well as…
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Russian tour bus crashes in Krabi
A tour bus transporting 36 Russian tourists crashed this morning (March 16) after trying to avoid a motorcycle, which cut in front of it abruptly, according to the driver. After avoiding the motorbike, the bus crashed into a tree on the side of the road in Krabi. Police found that it has fallen into a 1 metre drain and its…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, March 16
Six confirmed human deaths from Rabies | ‘X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’ crackdown | Prawit gets another extension to explain himself | Burmese man drowns off Maithon Island | Thais are discussing ‘final solution’ to stray dog problem | Storms flatten homes in north-east.
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Another drug courier arrested at Phuket Gateway
A 41 year old from Nakhon Si Thammarat, Yuthana Ponsud, has been arrested yesterday (March 14) at the Phuket Gateway at Thachatchai Checkpoint while carrying 1,957 amphetamine pills with a street value of 350,000 baht, to Phuket. The police at the gateway found him during a routine search of a Trang to Phuket bus. He seemed suspicious so police asked…
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Boat sinks off Maithon Island. Burmese man drowns.
A fishing boat sank after its anchor was stuck in a reef near Maithon Island three days ago (March 13), a Burmese fisherman downed in the incident. Phuket Marine Police received a report that a fishing boat ‘Chok Ubon’ sank at the north side of Maithon Island before another fishing boat came to their rescue and found a 38 year…
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Over 100 nationwide arrests of ‘dark skinned’ illegals
The Tourist Police headed by “Big Joke” Surachet Hakpal have made their strongest statement yet about their intention to clear out illegals and over-stayers. Many of their targets are referred to as “dark skinned”. The Tourist Police Bureau have produced a five minute video outlining their prior actions and future courses of action. https://www.facebook.com/1155TPB/videos/561865057514267/ The video features Surachet – the…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, March 15
Dog and cat registration may become compulsory | Premchai shows up to acknowledge charges | ONE…BIG…SNAKE | BKK Japanese restaurants reject fish from Fukushima | Mercedes invests in local electric car plant | Thanathorn’s new ‘Future’ party launched this morning.
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Phuket drugs dealer arrested
A 42 year old local woman, Wattanee ‘Nong’ Hansamut, has been arrested with 5,043 amphetamine pills and 666.40 grams of methamphetamine, which are worth about 2 million Baht on the street. Wichit Police received a report on March 11 that Wattanee, who lives in the Phuket Villa Suanluang house project, was taking and selling drugs to small retailers in Phuket.…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, March 14
Rabies situation ‘under control’ | Motorbike driver lucky to walk away from accident | No toilets at tsunami museum | BKK motor tollways free over Songkran | Prosecution case ready over Toyota Thai Football League match-fixing | FBI attempts to interview ‘sex-therapist’ couple who ‘know things’ | Indian man and Thai accomplice arrested over visa scam.
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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