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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Chinese holidaymaker drowns at Patong Beach
PHUKET: A 31-year-old Chinese man on holiday in Phuket with his wife drowned at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon. The deceased, Gang Liu, 31, was pulled from the surf at 4:30pm and rushed to Patong Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45pm. Patong Police chief Lt Col Weerapong Rakhito said yesterday that after questioning Mr Liu’s wife, it was clear…
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Girl, 11, ripped from father’s arms in deadly surf
PHUKET: An 11-year old Korean girl was ripped from the arms of her father and swept out to sea by strong waves during a day trip to Koh Racha on Monday. Tour boat staff later found her unconscious body floating in the water some distance from the beach at Ao Patok on Racha Island, where she had been swimming with…
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Raging Russian tourist hurls bricks at cars in Karon
PHUKET: A Russian woman was arrested and charged this morning after flying into a rage and throwing bricks at vehicles outside a hotel in Karon around 4am. Ms Bravova, 45, (full name withheld), cracked the windscreen of a Honda Jazz and damaged the back of a minivan during her tirade, reportedly shouting about something she had lost in front of…
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Russian bikers in brawl with Phuket taxi drivers
PHUKET: A Russian tourist was charged with assault after a fight broke out between him and a group of Karon taxi drivers Sunday afternoon. The incident went viral on social media after it was captured on video by an onlooker. The four injured taxi drivers, who insisted that the tourist started the fight, filed a complaint with the Karon Police.…
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Another drug bust nets B2mn worth of drugs
PHUKET: A Ranong man was arrested in Phuket last night with more than 11,000 amphetamine (ya bah) pills estimated to have a street value of two million baht. Region 8 Police led by Lt Col Prawit Engchuan of Ao Nang Police arrested Somchok Thanomjit, 36, when he showed up to receive the package at a private transportation company in Rassada.…
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Phuket police charge six with category 1 drug offenses
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police today announced the arrests of four men and two women for narcotics offences, in the latest illegal drug crackdown in the province. Yuttana Sulsabai, 48, was caught at his house in Tah Chat Chai in possession of 35 amphetamine (ya bah) pills last Tuesday. Police charged him with possession and intent to sell the illicit drugs.…
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Young Russian found dead in jeep wreckage
PHUKET: A 20 year old Russian diving instructor was found dead yesterday after the NGV-powered jeep he was driving crashed and burst into flames on Khao Khad Road in Wichit. Locals ran to help after the vehicle slid off the wet road and crashed into a rocky embankment at about 3pm but were beaten back by the flames. Rescue workers…
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Laguna Phuket Triathlon to go ahead as planned
PHUKET: Organizers of the Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2016 today confirmed that the annual international race is to go ahead as planned on Sunday, November 20. The Laguna Phuket Triathlon Race Office tentatively announced on Thursday that the race would be cancelled due to the country being in a period of mourning. However, Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan and the Phuket Provincial…
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Aussie extends visa to walk for King
SURAT THANI: Australian tourist David Hammill hopes to reach Bangkok on foot before his visa runs out, after setting off on Thursday from Surat Thani armed with a 28-day visa extension so he can make the 650km journey as a tribute to the His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Walking with a portrait of HM the King in hand, the 46-year-old…
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Ladyboy stabs friend to death in Patong
PHUKET: A ladyboy was arrested today for the murder of his friend in a Patong apartment, after the two had a falling out about money earlier in the morning. Capt Yingyong Chuoykij of Patong Police arrived at the scene about 3:30am. “The apartment door was locked and no one answered the door, so we had to break it down,” he…
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Mai Khao pedestrian killed in collision
PHUKET: A Mai Khao pedestrian was killed after being hit by a car on Thepkrasattri Road in Thalang this morning. “The body of 53-year-old Malee Chailek lay on the road in front of the Baan Mak Prok 7-Eleven. A slightly damaged Toyota sedan was also parked nearby,” said Lt Col Watcharin Jiratthikanwiwat of the Tah Chat Chai Police. Witnesses told…
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Foreign Consuls grieve for HM the King
PHUKET: Fourteen Consuls gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall on Monday to express their condolences for the passing of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej last week. The Consuls, including French, Austrian, Brazilian, English, Chilean, Chinese, Czech, Finnish, German, Irish, Dutch, Russian, Swiss and Danish, were dressed in black to express their sorrow for the passing of His Majesty. The gathering was hosted…
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Two Russians killed in horrific midnight crash
PHUKET: Two Russians died today after the car they were travelling in crashed into an electric pole on the bypass road just after midnight. “The victims were trapped inside the car, which was seriously damaged and stuck to the pole. Rescue workers had to cut the car to pry it loose and release the victims, both of whom were already…
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Resort employees file complaint after notice to “stop working’
PHUKET: A group of 63 employees of the Aspasia Phuket resort in Karon registered a complaint with the Dhamrongdhama Center at Phuket Provincial Hall on Wednesday, after the hotel’s management company ‘The Breakers Resort & Development Co Ltd’ issued a verbal notice to them to stop working on Tuesday. Representatives of the management company said that the resort was unable…
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Ten baht minimum wage increase to be proposed for Phuket
PHUKET: A proposal to raise the minimum wage in Phuket by 10 baht a day is to be presented to the Cabinet by the Central Wage Committee of the Ministry of Labor. During a committee meeting held yesterday, an overall increase of 5-10 baht was proposed for 69 of the country’s 76 provinces, whereas the remaining provinces, including Nakhon Sri…
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Suspect in Phuket Mother’s Day bombing identified
PHUKET: An eye witness this morning confirmed the identity of a suspect implicated in the Mother’s Day bombings in Phuket on August 12 (story here). The suspect, named by police as Muhammad Muhi, was arrested in the deep south by the military in September and has been held in an undisclosed military facility since then. He was flown by helicopter…
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Mosque donation box thief still at large
PHUKET: Police are searching for a thief who broke into a mosque’s donation box in Koh Kaew and stole about 10,000 baht on Tuesday night. Capt Udom Petcharat of Phuket City Police arrived at the scene after he received the complaint at about 8:30am yesterday. “People were gathered around a broken donation box – a tyre iron lay nearby,” said…
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Free black dyeing service offered to mourners
PHUKET: The Phuket Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education (NFE) is providing a free clothes-dyeing service to turn colored garments black so they can be used as mourning attire following the passing of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Using tubs of dye heated over charcoal burners, NFE staff began offering the free service yesterday from 9am to 3pm daily, for 30…
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Phuket Buddhists hold prayer vigils for 100-day mourning period
PHUKET: Hundreds of Phuketians stepped out early this morning to take part in a merit-making ceremony with 89 Buddhist monks at Phuket Provincial Hall, to mark the 7th day of mourning since the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on October 13. Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan led provincial officials and the public in making alms offerings to the…
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Libyan tourist shoots firearms instructor at shooting range
PHUKET: A local firearms instructor was shot by his student during a training session at the Kathu Shooting Range located on Patong Hill at noon on Wednesday. The 34-year-old Chaisit Chusawad received a bullet wound on his right leg, caused by a 9mm handgun. “The shooter, named Emad Jamal Khalifa Hamed hailing from Tripoli, Libya, came in with his wife…
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89 monks to make merit for departed king
PHUKET: An early morning Buddhist merit-making ceremony led by 89 monks in honor of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been scheduled to take place at Phuket Provincial Hall tomorrow morning. “The ceremony is scheduled to start at 6:30am. All are invited to join. There will be an alms collection for the monks for which people can contribute fresh and…
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Patong mayor, locals pray for King
PHUKET: The Baan Morn community of Patong, along with the mayor and several monks, prayed to bless His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and mourn his passing in a ceremony held Monday evening. Patong Police Superintendent Chaiwat Auikam also joined the mourners. “Our King visited Pisit Koranee Road in Patong several times in the past; his first visit was on March…
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Man hits wife, gets stabbed
PHUKET: Kathu Police found the body of a man stabbed to death in a sand lot on Saturday afternoon. Nares Komkam, 42, was a truck driver at Phuket Sirintorn Co Ltd who had reportedly argued with his wife that morning. “We found the body on the ground, wearing a black shirt and jeans,” said Kathu Police Capt Nipon Bumroongtin. “He…
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Man covers country on foot to honor late King
KRABI: A man from Phitsanulok Province passed through Krabi yesterday after setting out from his home province on foot six months ago, determined to walk the length and breadth of the country, passing through all 76 provinces, in honor of His Majesty King Bhumibol. Chuthipong Saetan, 24, began his walk from the province in northern Central Thailand with the aim…
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Phuket Muslims mourn the loss of His Majesty
PHUKET: The Sheikhul Islam Office of Thailand released guidelines on Friday detailing how the Buddhist nation’s Muslims should pay their respects following the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The office’s letter comes as the nation of 67 million mourns the passing of the world’s longest reigning monarch (story here). “Since we are Muslims, we cannot dress in black…
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Aussie, 32, dies of heart attack in Phuket
PHUKET: An Australian man died at Patong Hospital about 9am today, shortly after he was admitted there unconscious following a heart attack. The 32-year old man was checked in at a resort in Patong since October 13, and scheduled to check out on October 23. He was staying there with a 37-year-old Canadian woman. “According to woman, the man told…
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100kg of Krathom seized in Koh Samui
KOH SAMUI: A man was arrested with 100 kilograms of Krathom in Koh Samui on Sunday. “At about 9am we were manning the checkpoint at the Seatran Ferry pier as usual,” said Samui police chief Paitoon Krajajang, “when we found a modified pick-up truck that had an oversized spare tyre and was riding low to the ground. It was suspicious,…
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Phuket foundation passes out free ribbons
PHUKET: The Kusoldharm Foundation is providing free black ribbons to the public, in honor of the passing of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej on October 13. Volunteers with the non-profit organization told the Phuket Gazette today that they’ve made over 1,000 ribbons for mourners, which they are handing out to passers by near the Heroine’s Monument on Thepkrassatri Road. “We wish…
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Two more investigated for alleged royal defamation
PHUKET: A man in Mai Khao and a woman on Koh Samui were arrested yesterday after allegedly posting negative comments about royalty on social media. The arrests were catalyzed by mob demonstrations against the alleged commenters. Yesterday morning, a man identified on his Facebook profile as Payak Rai Haeng Nakhon Kor-En allegedly posted negative comments regarding Thailand’s late Monarch. Tah…
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Tourist guidelines issued for mourning period
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has released new guidelines for tourists coming to visit the Kingdom after the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. A period of national mourning was announced last week, following the death of the world’s longest reigning monarch. The TAT, while still encouraging travel to the country, is cautioning tourists that this mourning…
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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