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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British man dies on Phuket snorkeling trip
PHUKET: A British man died on a chartered yacht anchored near Koh Racha yesterday afternoon. Lt Chanat Hongsithchaiyakul of Chalong Police received a distress call from the yacht asking for rescue teams at about 1:30pm. “We found the victim, Graham Weds, unconscious on the floor. He had a wound on his head and was not breathing,” said Lt Chanat. Rescue…
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Video: Angry teens terrorize family after a ‘beep’
PHUKET: A video featuring teen bikers terrorizing a family of three in Kamala went viral yesterday afternoon. The Facebook clip shows two teen-aged kids on a motorbike driving dangerously close to a Honda Jazz, ordering its driver to stop. The one riding pillion was silent, while the other looked visibly angry, kept on pointing at the car and then kicked…
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Phuket 96-year-old found hanged at home
PHUKET: An elderly local was found hanging by a nylon rope in his house in Thalang last night. The victim, 96-year-old Pracha Kruepanich, had been discharged from Vachira Phuket Hospital six days ago and was believed to have been stressed by health issues. “We found Mr Pracha’s body hanging by a rope tied to a metal hook at the back…
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British expat burglar arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: An elusive British serial burglar, who has been on the run from police for at least two years, was arrested yesterday in connection with another series of burglaries in Phuket. Charlie Machin, 54, was apprehended at his rental house in Soi Na Koh, Cherng Talay, with 67 items stolen from at least three homes. He was previously wanted for…
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Phi Phi national park chief resigns
PHUKET: The Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park chief asked to be transferred to a different department yesterday. He cited “failing health and work stress” as the reasons behind his decision, in a letter addressed to the director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). “I have been having health problems and…
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BBC journalist faces jail in Phuket defamation case
PHUKET: A British journalist with the BBC faces up to five years in a Phuket prison after a lawyer brought a criminal defamation case against him over a fraud investigation. The prosecution was sparked by a September 2015 report by Jonathan Head, the BBC’s Southeast Asia correspondent, looking at how two foreign retirees were scammed out of their properties in…
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Phuket Gov announces “successful crackdown’ on unlicenced hotels
PHUKET: More than a thousand unlicensed hotels have applied to be registered as hotels after a two-month ultimatum was issued at the end of November last year, the Phuket Governor confirmed yesterday. Starting from November 29, unlicensed hotels in Phuket were given until the end of January to become legally registered or to “face consequences” (story here). At the time,…
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Unidentified man dies in Phuket bike crash
PHUKET: Police are trying to identify a motorbike crash victim who was found dead in Rassada last night. They believe he died from injuries caused by crashing into an electric pole. “The accident occurred at Soi Mali Kaew, where there are several sharp curves in the road. We found the body of a man with blood on his head and…
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Detour signs placed after Phuket bridge collapse
PHUKET: A bridge on the road that circles around the Nai Harn lake near Phuket’s popular Nai Harn Beach collapsed earlier this week. It is now undergoing repairs and officials have advised drivers to pay heed to the diversion signs that they have placed at the site. The signs are in both English and Thai. The reconstruction project is expected…
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Fish-feeding Russian tourist jailed in Phuket
PHUKET: A Russian tourist spent two nights in jail for feeding fish at Koh Racha before paying 100,000 baht bail to be released from a holding cell at Phuket Provincial Court yesterday. Her passport has been held by the court and she is not permitted to leave the country until after her case is tried there. Her initial hearing is…
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German jumps off Phuket highrise and crashes through cafe roof
PHUKET: A German tourist survived a jump off a 9th floor hotel roof in Phuket yesterday and smashed through the roof of a cafe below. “We found Bernhard Schartl, 53, lying on the ground of a local noodle house on Soi Sansabai in Patong at about 5:30pm. There was a large hole in the ceiling right above him, which he…
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Speeding British biker kills Phuket local
PHUKET: A Thai man was killed after a British national on a big bike crashed into him in Thalang last night. Chawalit Sritha, 69, was riding a Honda Wave and collided with 32-year-old Adam Howard’s Yamaha big bike. “Mr Chawalit was critically injured and taken to Thalang Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Mr Howard was treated for minor…
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Snarled wires cause electric fire in Phuket
PHUKET: A transformer exploded after a jumble of electric wires sparked last night in Kata, causing thick, black clouds of smoke and hours of blackout in the area. The incident occurred near the heavily trafficked Kata Beach Resort junction. Crowds of tourists and locals gathered at the scene, watching the sparks and flames in shock. Residents nearby used fire extinguishers…
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Portuguese expat injured as wall collapses in Phuket
PHUKET: A Portuguese expat was injured after a wall collapsed in his house in Rawai last night. Rescue workers received a report of the incident at about 7:30pm and arrived at the scene to find the 3.5-meter-high wall broken into pieces on the floor. “We also found Abel Eduado, 56, sitting nearby with a bloody four-inch wound on his right…
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Phuket tourists injured as taxi driver falls asleep at the wheel
PHUKET: A taxi driver was injured after he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a concrete pillar in Thalang early this morning. Two Chinese tourists sitting in the taxi sustained minor injuries due to the impact with the pillar of a pedestrian crossing bridge in the area. “The collision occurred on the northbound Thepkrasattri Road near Muang Thalang…
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Russian arrested, may face prison term for feeding fish
KOH RACHA: A Russian tourist was arrested, with bail set at 100,000 baht, for feeding fish in Koh Racha yesterday afternoon. “The incident occurred at Plab Pla beach on Koh Racha Yai. During a regular patrol, officers found Olga Smirnova, 53, feeding bread to the fish,” said Suchat Rattanaruengsri, Region 6 head of the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Division.…
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Police hunting for gunmen in Krabi van driver’s murder
KRABI: Police are hunting for at least two gunmen who killed a van driver in Krabi yesterday. “The victim’s van was found in a palm plantation on Petch Kasem road in Ao Luek Tai sub-district. On the driver’s seat, we found Chalee Petchpuang, 48, covered in blood, with bullet wounds to his neck and forehead,” said Capt Manas Inthornprom of…
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Photos of foot waving foreigner criticized in Phuket
PHUKET: A foreigner who stuck his foot out the window of a passenger van has received a lot of criticism on social media after pictures of the incident were posted online. The pictures were taken two weeks ago by a Facebook user, who wishes to remain anonymous, driving behind the van on Thepkrasattri Road near the Bang Koo junction in…
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French, Italian tourists rescued from Phuket speedboat crash
PHUKET: Forty four Italian and French tourists were rescued yesterday after a speedboat crashed into an underwater concrete pole about a hundred meters away from shore. The boat, named Ao Ja Sira, left the Gypsy Pier behind the Westin Siray Bay resort in Rassada at about 10am. The crash occurred less than five minutes into the journey. A passing tourist…
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Phuket police confiscate krathom stash from secret underground room
PHUKET: A Myanmar man was arrested with nearly 100 kilograms of krathom hidden in a secret underground room at his house yesterday evening. The suspect, named Too Naing, 37, was living at a Burmese camp in Moo 1, Kamala. Police seized 75kg of krathom, 10 packs of fresh krathom leaves and some unprocessed stale leaves, nine bottles of cough syrup,…
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NEPC approves Krabi coal-fired power plant
KRABI: The National Energy Policy Committee (NEPC) has resolved to continue the construction of the Krabi coal-fired power plant, Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha announced today. The decision was made by the committee during a meeting at Government House this morning, amid an uproar about the value of the plant and Thailand’s future energy policy. Gen Prayuth said the project…
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B16m traffic cams unveiled as Phuket named in top 5 deadliest provinces
PHUKET: Five new high-tech ‘red light cameras’ were launched this morning in response to Phuket’s recognition as one of Thailand’s five most dangerous provinces for road travel. “These cameras can help catch those who are speeding, not wearing helmets or running red lights. A computer then automatically prints a penalty notice, which will be sent to the driver’s residence,” said…
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Another boat capsizes in Phuket
PHUKET: A cargo boat capsized and sank in rough rough water and strong currents off Koh Gai (Chicken Island) this afternoon. The boat, named Chok Suthida 2, left Jian Wanich pier in Phuket at 8:40am to deliver supplies and daily usage items to hotels on Phi Phi. A Thai captain and Burmese crew member were the only ones on board.…
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Phuket restaurant charged for improper waste management
PHUKET: Complaints from Koh Kai locals led to a restaurant being charged for releasing untreated waste water into the sea yesterday. “We officially filed charges against Sansern Sringam, 55, manager of Nontasak Marine Co Ltd, which owns the restaurant,” said Suchat Rattanaruengsri, head of the regional office of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation (DMCR). “We received reports…
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Anti-corruption boss says Phuket ‘most corrupt’ in Thailand
PHUKET: A Facebook post by the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand prompted an emergency meeting of the island’s top bosses yesterday to ‘investigate’ allegations of corruption laid against officials from major sectors of the government. Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamorthan, while insisting that he himslef had not accepted bribes, did launch an initiative called “White Phuket'”for the public to provide him with…
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Breaking: Anti-Corruption agency, Phuket Gov lock horns over corruption
PHUKET: The Phuket Governor has denied accepting bribes and urgently ordered officers to investigate corruption allegations made by the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand in a Facebook post yesterday. “I have never accepted tea money, or ordered any of my officers to do so, from any business – legal or illegal,” said Gov Chokchai Dejamornthan. The governor set up a committee…
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Monitor lizards celebrate Valentines Day
KOH LANTA: Monitor lizards celebrated Valentines Day today by professing their love openly in Koh Lanta. The two reptiles, who asked to remain nameless, were found hugging each other in a pond in front of the Pimalai Resort & Spa. Locals and tourists gathered around the pond to take a peek, as it was surely a sight to see. The…
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Soi Dog founder Gill Dalley to be cremated in Phuket
PHUKET: The body of Gill Dalley, long-time Phuket expat and co-founder of the Soi Dog Foundation, will remain at her family home in Laguna until Saturday. Friends and family are welcome to pay their respects today, Thursday and Friday between 7pm-9:30pm. On Saturday morning, the house will be open again from 10am for a short prayer ceremony, before Ms Dalley’s…
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Staff involvement suspected in Samui bank break-in
SAMUI: Police are hunting for masked robbers who broke into a Krungsri Bank branch located only about 100 meters from a police station in Samui on Friday night. Lt Col Vachara Somsri of Samui Police received the report soon after the incident took place. “We believe that at least two suspects were involved in the affair. They didn’t manage to…
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Phuket mourns death of Soi Dog co-founder
PHUKET: The untimely death of Gill Dalley, who was a prominent member of the Phuket community and co-founder of the Soi Dog Foundation, was announced early this morning by foundation representatives. Ms Dalley was 58 years old and battled cancer for a short period of time. She was the inaugural winner of the ‘Canine Hero of the year’ award at…
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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