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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Ao Sane luxury villa being investigated by the DSI
The 12 metre high beach villa project on the cliff at Ao Sane has been proven to be illegal according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The owners were instructed to demolish the upper structure to meet the legal height of 6 metres back in August. In the meantime DSI (Department of Special Investigations) officials have been on…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, September 29
Phuket OrBorJor says it will continue the existing contract until a new contract is negotiated for Phuket’s Lifeguards | Custard Pie led police to the ATM bomber | May Bay to be closed next year | Two men arrested over rape of a woman in Ubon Ratchathani. Plus all the fun of the Cake & Coffee day at Kajonkiat International…
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Ao Sane and Nakkerd Mountain under DSI investigation for encroachment
The DSI deputy director-general, Pol Lt Col Prawut Wongsinil, along with his DSI team, Forestry officers and local authorities, visited two alleged encroached land plots including at Ao Sane Beach (Baan Laem Krating) near Nai Harn beach and Nakkerd Mountain in Karon. The first spot visited was Nakkerd Mountain following complaints about an illegal land deed covering 20 rai of…
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Maya Bay being closed for three months next year
Park officials say they’re going to close Phi Phi island’s famous Maya Bay from June for three months next year. Officials of the Koh Phi Phi National park authority held crisis talks yesterday where they were told that the bay has been ravaged by too much tourism. So it’s going to be shut to allow the beach side of Maya Bay, as well…
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Tourist Police getting ready for high-season
Today (September 28), the tourist police rehearsed aerial transportation of injured people to improve their readiness for the forthcoming high season. The rehearsal took place on the football field of Baan Sapam Mongkol Wittaya School, demonstrating the transportation of injured patients by helicopter. “We got a great cooperation for this rehearsal. The safety of tourists in Phuket is our priority…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, September 28
PM says Yingluck is in Dubai | Polish man suspected of blowing up an ATM ‘planning more attacks’ | Crisis meeting in Pattaya to sort out Taxi/Uber turf wars | UN Aid agencies visiting Rhakine State today
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Don’t hold your breath! Unless it’s for a good cause.
Today in Rawai Phuket, a rather unusual challenge took place with Krix Luther, founder of Clean The Beach Boot Camp, Phuket taking to the water in an attempt to hold his breath underwater. For 10 minutes! The purpose of the challenge was to raise funds, through sponsorship, for the Clean The Beach Boot Camp now in its 4th year. The…
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DSI checking alleged Phang Nga National Park encroachment
The DSI (Department of Special Investigations) are checking two luxury houses located on Pa Kuantohla and Pa Laemsam mountains alongside another 2,000 rai of land that is alleged to have an illegal land deed. After checking the land document at the local land office, DSI have found that the names of landlords are a famous millionaire and his children who…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, September 27
Awaiting the BIG verdict | Another parasail accident at Patong beach | A Polish man arrested over the 300,000 Baht ATM theft | HM the Thai King grants extra days for paying respects at the Grand Palace | Lifeguards determined to boycott next year’s beach lifeguard contract.
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Kite-boarding accident at Patong Beach injures Chilean tourist
A Chilean man in his late 20s was lucky to escape more serious injuries after his kite board canopy finished up in trees after dragging the man along the ground and into several parked motorbikes. The incident happened at 3.30 this afternoon (September 26) at Patong Beach. Kusoldarm volunteers attended the scene and the man has been taken to Patong…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, September 26
Phuket Lifeguards taking a stand against OrBorTor budget | Yingluck’s verdict from Supreme Court handed down tomorrow | Mass grave of 28 Hindus found in Rhakine | TaT reveal August tourist arrivals | Mt. Agung showing signs of erupting.
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78 year old German killed in his Chalong home
Last night (September 25), 52 year old Niran Pratumsin surrendered herself to police confessing that she had killed her husband in the house they lived. At the scene, police found 78 year old Johann Friedrich Speckbacher dead on the floor, next to a dining table with traces of rope still around his neck. There was no other injury found on…
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Fire jellyfish washing up on Koh Phi Phi beaches
A large number of jelly fish have been found washed up on the shores of Koh Phi Phi. The chief of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park warns for swimmers to be aware of the jelly fish around Phi Phi after a lot of them were found washed up on the beaches. “on Ao Ling (Monkey Beach) on…
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Phuket expecting 5 – 7 percent increase in high-season tourists
Phuket Hotels Association President Anthony Lark The Phuket Hotels Association is expecting the number of international direct passenger arrivals at Phuket International Airport for the high season of 2017 to 2018 to increase by between 5 per cent and 7 per cent year year-on-year. This, according to Association President Anthony Lark. The latest figures show that from January to April…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, September 25
Truck crash in Saraburi kills four | Aussie detained at BKK airport for trying to smuggle 26 new iPhones | Weather warning out for southern provinces | Police on the hunt for third suspect in San Buri bombing | Thai Air Asia adds more HKT flights | Phuket’s Car Free Day, report from yesterday.
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Ditch the car. Get on your bike. Phuket Car Free Day.
Phuket Car Free Day 2017 Early this morning (September 24), Phuket hosted the Phuket Car Free Day 2017 chaired by Vice Governor Siwaporn Chuasawat, who joined the ride alongside local authorities, including Phuket Mayor and Phuket Police Station Deputy Chief. The event took place at the 72nd Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park (in front of Limelight Avenue mall), which was the starting and…
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Rang Hill road closure following large cracks appearing
Phuket Municipality has announced that Kosimby Road on Rang Hill, from behind of Khao Rang Hill restaurant all the way to Khao Rang Temple at the bottom, will be closed down soon to fix the road and build up landslide protection systems. This follows a large crack of about 50-80 meters on one side of the road. Police have already…
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UPDATE – Weather damages Ton Sai, some beaches remain closed
Ton Sai Waterfall has been affected from the recent downpours while some beaches along the west coast remain closed. Chief of the Nature and Wildlife Education Centre at the Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area, Pongchat Chuahom, along with his team, visited Tonsai Waterfall which is a part of a popular trekking route and found some damage. However, there’s no report…
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Phuket arrangements for the funeral of HM Rama IX
Phuket is set to arrange the ceremony for His Late Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX’s cremation at the main stage of Sapanhin Park, Phuket Town on October 26, 2017. People who are interested in supporting food and beverage, please contact the Office of Local Government Support, Phuket Provincial Hall on 064 789 9478 or 088 753 1868 before…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, September 22
A police colonel detained and questioned over escape of former PM Yingluck | 200 military officers go shopping in zero-dollar crackdown | 19 arrested over National Buddhism Office scam | Grand Palace closed for October | Be on the look-out for really bad fake 500 Baht notes.
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Phang Nga gang-rape case – Nine suspects deny positive ID from the victim
Following on the investigation of the Phang Nga gang rape case yesterday (September 20), the victim, facing the suspects for the first time since the incident (story HERE), pointed out the same 9 men twice but all of them declined to sign a document accepting the identification. The police brought 9 suspects (out of 11 suspects) of the gang rape…
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Beaches and underpass closed (for different reasons)
Beach closure has been announced due to the bad weather and big waves include 10 beaches around Phuket which are Mai Khao Beach, Nai Yang Beach, Nai Thorn Beach, Bangtao Beach, Surin Beach, Kamala Beach, Patong Beach, Karon Beach, Kata Beach and Nai Harn Beach. Meanwhile, the underpass at Darasamuth School intersection has also been closed down for painting the…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, September 21
Jet Airways bomb-scare in BKK | Ofo launching share-bike around Phuket Town on October 1 | PSU safe sex project packs 25,000 condoms | Orange is the new black… Toyota | Chinese FM backs Myanmar at UN | Krabi’s prosecutor files case over July’s Krabi massacre.
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The military go shopping – Crackdown on alleged ‘rip-off’ shops
More than 200 military officers along with Thai Tourist Police and other departments led by the Acting Deputy Chief of the Thai Tourist Police, Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan, raided 5 shops believed to be involved in zero-dollar tours that practice high prices to rip off tourists with their products and services. Yesterday (September 20), the team started at the snake…
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PSU sending a Safe Sex message – 25,000 condoms at a time
Students from Phuket’s Prince of Songkhla University were busy this afternoon preparing thousands of condom packs. It’s a regular voluntary activity each semester at PSU. Carex in Bangkok provide the condoms, the students pack them into small packs for distribution. Over the years Carex have provided more that 150,000 condoms and lubrication for the project. The activity is on behalf…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, September 20
Flame jellyfish stinging a few swimmers at Nai Harn | Ministry of Labour poised to review Thai-only jobs | Royal Thai Navy on alert for Rohingya boat-people | 40 women from Baan Koh Raed complaining about media ‘image’ | 19 year old and his mother been fined for potty-mouth spray at police.
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UPDATE Jellyfish at Nai Harn
Marine experts and lifeguards are keeping an eye on Phuket’s beaches for any more of the pink/purple jellyfish that stung a number of tourists at Nai Harn yesterday. After getting a report from Nai Harn lifeguards that about 6 tourists were stung by anonymous jellyfish, Rawai Mayor, Aroon Solos, headed down to the beach to discuss with the local lifeguards…
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Mystery jellyfish stinging tourists
Rawai’s Mayor visited Nai Harn beach this afternoon after a number of tourists were stung by jellyfish After getting a report from Nai Harn’s lifeguards that about 6 tourists were stung by anonymous jellyfish, Rawai Mayor, Aroon Solos, headed down to the beach with officials in tow. “There are a lot of them floating along the shore as the waves…
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A Chinese tourist injured after fall from parasail ride on Patong Beach
Parasail landing on Patong Beach (file photo) Late morning today (September 19), 62 year old Zhao Jianying fell from a parasailing ride on Patong Beach’s sandy ground. He injured his left hip. A team of Patong Lifeguard applied first aid before rushing him to Patong Hospital. After the X-ray, doctors revealed that he only ended up with a bruise from…
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Phuket prepares 450,000 funeral wood flowers for HM Rama 9 cremation
Today (September 18), Phuket’s Governor, alongside the Phuket provincial Abbot monk, chaired a local Buddhism ceremony in order to respectfully receive the 450,000 funeral wood flowers that will be sent to Bangkok for the forthcoming cremation of the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. A number of flowers made by locals reached more than the expected 438,000 and people can still participate to…
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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