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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Illegal Chinese tour guide arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: A Chinese tour guide who abandoned a bus full of tourists at the side of the road in Phang Nga on Tuesday (story here) was arrested in Phuket yesterday. Ms Ammy, whose real name police later learned to be Huang Ling, was arrested for illegally working as a tour guide without permission. “After the incident in Phang Nga, we…
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Illegal Chinese tour guide wanted for abandoning Phuket tour group
PHUKET: Police are hunting for an illegal Chinese tour guide who abandoned 24 Chinese tourists at the side of the road in Phang Nga yesterday evening after arguing with them about money. The tourist police received a report of the incident from the Chinese Consul in Phuket at about 7pm. The tourists had called the consulate for help after they…
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Phuket-based Siam Real Estate to go head to head in Full Metal Dojo
PHUKET: Kingdom Co Ltd, drivers of Full Metal Dojo (FMD), a favorite Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion, has announced an innovative new sponsorship deal that pits two rival real estate firms against each other in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). Competing agencies Siam Real Estate from Phuket and BKK BestLife will fight it out on FMD’s Facebook page…
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Russian tourist injured after falling off Phuket’s Promthep Cape
PHUKET: A Russian tourist was injured after he fell from the Laem Promthep promontory into the sea at Rawai yesterday evening. “The accident occurred at about 5:45pm. We found Kashirin Aleksei, 41, trying to swim toward a rock in order to avoid being washed away by the current, which was quite strong at the time,” said Lt Sakarin Sangjaroen of…
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Phuket gov launches clean-up campaign
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong yesterday launched a campaign titled ‘Clean Phuket with our Hands and Hearts’, as promised during his first ‘Governor meets Media’ gathering at Phuket Provincial Hall last month (story here). The week-long campaign, that is to last until Sunday, will be held each month, the governor stated. “As Phuket is an international tourism destination, it is…
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Family man dead as pick-up ploughs into sedan
KRABI: One man was killed while three others were severely injured after a speeding pick-up truck and a Toyota sedan collided, sending both vehicles into a roadside waterway in Krabi yesterday afternoon. The car was carrying three people – driver Suphachai Limtrakil, 69, his wife Anchalee Sriwittayabancha, 42, and their 14-year-old daughter. Mr Suphachai was killed. The truck was driven…
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‘AD’vertorial: Buy one, get two free, plus lunch
PHUKET: There’s no such thing as a free lunch but you can easily buy one [sic] with the savings you get on Free Classifieds (what?) in both the Phuket Gazette and Nation newspapers this month. When you enter a basic text-only ad in the Gazette Online (560 baht), that ad runs also, word for word and free of charge, in…
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Plastic bottle blamed for Phuket Town car flip
PHUKET: In a crash that is being blamed on a plastic bottle, a car in Phuket Town flipped over onto its roof yesterday afternoon after the driver lost control at a traffic stop. “We arrived at the scene, on Komaraphat Roat near the Phuket City Municipality pawnshop, to see a silver Honda City sedan lying upside down on the side…
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Samui tour guide found dead after ‘feeling the heat’
SAMUI: A Pathum Thani native was found dead in a rented room on Samui Island yesterday, from what police believe to have been heatstroke. The room is in a restaurant building on Chaweng Beach. Capt Boonnam Srinarat of Bo Phut Police confirmed the death, at about 5:40pm, of Thongchai Sudjaeng, 44, a tour guide who catered to Chinese tourists. “Mr…
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Motorbike trio arrested for stealing from Chinese tourist, marijuana
PHUKET: Three men were arrested yesterday in Phuket town with assorted currencies amounting to at least 200,000 baht as well as electronics they stole from a Chinese tourist’s hotel room in Patong. The men were also in possession of marijuana. Lt Col Pongpichan Chayanonpiriya of the Patong Police confirmed to Phuket Gazette reporters that Thanakorn Akarabut, 24; Harich Dada, 18;…
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No refund for B6.7mn house in shambles
PHUKET: Dhamrongtham center staff and representatives of the Engineering Institute of Thailand on Thursday inspected a ‘questionable’ housing project in Koh Kaew. The house, backed by a well-known developer, has reportedly been in shambles for about three years. Sintichai Jitkam and Sunisa Jitkham in November last year filed a complaint after purchasing the house in the development for 6.7 million…
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Ton of trash collected in beach clean-up off Phuket
PHUKET: About a ton of trash was collected in a beach clean-up organized by Nonthasak Marine Co Ltd at Hei Island (Coral Island) this morning. More than a 100 people, including students from Prince of Songkla University (Phuket Campus); volunteer divers; local vendors and operators; and employees of Nonthasak Marine, participated in the initiative. The campaign involved both beach trash…
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Phuket to strengthen marine tourism relations with Indonesia
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong welcomed the Indonesian Tourism Minister to discuss strengthening of marine tourism relations between the two countries. The governor met Arief Yahya from The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism at the Phuket Boat Lagoon on Thursday. “Indonesia has just revealed their plans to run a special campaign between Nov 8 and Dec 5 that will assist tourists…
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Phuket officials plan walking street, gated entrance at Surin
PHUKET: A year after the demolition of the last remaining buildings along Surin Beach, and nine months after plans were announced to convert the beach into ‘Rajabhakti Park’, officials are still waiting for approval for the more than 800-million-baht project to be built in its place. The plans, which have been revised several times, were submitted by the Cherng Talay…
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Hair professionals reveal latest trends
PHUKET: Salon owners and hair stylists from all over Thailand gathered together in Phuket for the ‘Essential Looks Spring/Summer 2017 Hair Trends’ conference by Dr Somsak Chalachol, one of the most influential hair professionals in Thailand. The seminar was conducted earlier this week at the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa and sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional. Dr Somsak, Asia Pacific Hair…
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Young Thai killed in collision with Korean expat
PHUKET: A young Thai man was killed last night after smashing into a Korean expat’s pick-up truck in Phuket Town. Maj Nattaya Suwanpong of Phuket City Police received reports of the incident at about 11pm. It had occurred at the Thepkrasattri-Nakhon road junction near Phuket Wittayalai School. “The motorcyclist, Siraphan Sampaorat, 20, was lying in a pool of blood on…
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Meter-long lizard causes scare at Phuket beach
PHUKET: Lifeguards caught a ‘massive’ lizard that scared several locals and tourists at Nai Harn Beach yesterday. Pictures of the lizard taking a stroll on the beach and a triumphant lifeguard appeared on a Facebook page named ‘Phuket Lifeguard Service’ with the caption “Nai Harn has a guest today. We had to take it off the beach.” The lizard was…
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Park officials urge public to stop hornbill trading
PHANG NGA: Ao Phang Nga National Park officials this morning issued a statement urging the public to stop hornbill trading after a post by a Koh Yao Noi preservation group went viral on social media. Last week, an unidentified suspect stole three preserved hornbill birds – an adult female and two chicks. The mother was found dead at the scene…
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Public, media partnerships vital for Phuket, says ISOC chief
PHUKET: Officials from the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in Bangkok visited Phuket yesterday to talk about building better partnerships between the government and local media organizations. The meeting was led by Col Chan Sittichai of ISOC and held at the Phuket Provincial Operations Center. “I am very happy with the work being done by ISOC in Phuket. Mass media…
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Krabi cop and ladyboy embroiled in road rage
KRABI: A police officer and a ladyboy buried the hatchet yesterday after video clips of the two went viral on social media. In the clips, the pair are seen arguing over a minor road accident in Krabi Town, across the bay from Phuket. On Tuesday, Facebook user Napat Sara Malaisanan uploaded two videos with the caption: “You want my friend…
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Foreign tourists wrongfully arrested for fraud in Phuket
PHUKET: Two Chinese tourists were arrested and subsequently released yesterday after officers in Phuket received a warning from officials in Bangkok about their alleged involvement in credit card fraud. “Mr Jun Jie Ju and Ms Jia Xin Chen were arrested at a Cherng Talay hotel at about 3pm,” said Lt Col Tianchai Chompoo of Phuket Immigration Police. The colonel said…
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Krabi locals complain as new factory dumps waste into canal
KRABI: More than 60 Krabi Town locals yesterday urged Krabi Dhamrongtham Center representatives to look into the activities of a factory releasing waste into a nearby canal. At about 11:30am, the locals presented clear pictures of the palm oil factory draining wastewater directly into the water body, which has reportedly caused it to stink over the past year. “The factory…
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Phuket man streams live video of his suicide and murder of his baby daughter
PHUKET: A young father and his 11-month-old baby were found hanging at an abandoned construction site for a hotel in an apparent murder-suicide in Nai Thon last night. Thalang Police were contacted by 21-year-old Jiranuch Trirat earlier in the evening asking for help to find her husband and daughter, who had both disappeared from their house in Baan Mood Dok…
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10-year-old Russian tourist injured in Phuket parasailing accident
PHUKET: A 10-year-old Russian tourist was injured after he fell from a height of 2.5 meters while parasailing at Karon Beach this afternoon. Rescue workers and police received reports of the incident from lifeguards at Karon Beach at about noon. The victim, Timur Gadylshin, received first aid on the spot and was then taken to Patong Hospital where he was…
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Phuket durian to be upgraded as GI product
PHUKET: A campaign to promote durian has been launched in Kamala, roughly nine months after pineapples with a price tag of 1,500 baht hit the markets in Phuket last year (story here). “Following an announcement by the Ministry of Commerce, committee members came to Phuket to ‘inspect’ local durians in Kamala,” said Kamala subdistrict chief Kamnan Yuttasak Yayee. “Each tree…
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PEA responds to high electricity demand with new office on Phi Phi
PHUKET: The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) on Saturday opened a new office on Koh Phi Phi, a month after finishing a 600-million-baht underwater cable project that began in April 2013. Both projects were initiated in response to the high demand for electricity on the island, totaling about seven megawatts per year. The grand opening was chaired by PEA Governor Sermsakul…
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‘Inexperienced’ Chinese tourist drowns in Phuket
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist snorkeling for the first time in his life drowned at Koh Racha Yai yesterday afternoon. The victim, Hangseng Chen, 62, was on a day trip with the ‘Jaiyun Travel Group Co Ltd’. “Suthee Maliwan, the tour guide, told us that at about 11:40am, he made a stop to let the tourists snorkel off the island. He…
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First priority is to beautify Phuket, says Gov Norraphat
PHUKET: Newly-appointed Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong says his first priority is to beautify Phuket. Earlier this week, the governor held his first ‘media meet’ since his arrival on the island on April 10, to lay out his plans for Phuket. On April 4, ex-Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan was transferred out after six months on the job, with Gov Norraphat –…
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DMCR continues coral growing initiatives off Phuket
PHUKET: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) led an initiative to plant 1,600 pieces of live natural coral on an artificial (concrete) reef at Koh Mai Thon and Koh Racha Yai earlier this week. “This is part of an ongoing project to sustain and improve our ecosystems and natural environment,” said Suchat Rattanaruengsri of the DMCR. A total…
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Ex-military among those arrested for criminal association in Krabi
KRABI: Krabi Provincial Police yesterday arrested 16 ex-military and other security personnel with nine rifles, 10 shotguns, bullets and an array of other paraphernalia. The arrest occurred in a palm plantation in Krabi Town that, until last year, was in possession of United Palm Oil Industry Public Company Limited (UPOIC). Chettha Kaew-In, 43, was the main suspect, while the rest…
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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