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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Phuket university aims to produce young tourism ambassadors
PHUKET: The Prince of Songkla University (PSU) Phuket Campus held a Young Tourist Ambassador 2016 (Young TAMB) camp to support quality tourism in the Andaman region from May 26 to 31. “We recruited 58 students from various schools in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang and Ranong,” said Asst Prof Dr Rattana Wetprasit, director of the community college of PSU-Phuket Campus.…
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Four jailed, heavily fined for land theft
PHUKET: Four Thais have been convicted for forging land title documents, claiming ownership over more than 400 rai of Sirinath National Park, government officials announced on Wednesday. The felons face up to 14 years in prison and more than nine million baht each in fines, announced the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) Director-General Thanya Netithammakun. He…
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MOTS director ready for new beginning
PHUKET: Santi Pawai, the director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office (MOTS), is being transferred to the position of director at the Institute of Personnel Development for Physical Education and Sports in the Department of Physical Education. “The order will come into effect on June 8 but until then, it’s business as usual,” Mr Santi told the…
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Third time unlucky for store stick-up man
PHUKET: Police caught a convenience store robber yesterday after his third armed hold up in Phuket. “The robber, named by police as Veerachai Singniew, 26, was arrested in Pa Khlok yesterday afternoon after he robbed a Family Mart in Baan Lipon, holding up staff with a 28cm-long kitchen knife. Police tracked the man down to his home in Pa Khlok…
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Red Cross blood donation drive schedule for June
PHUKET: Mobile blood donation clinics will be popping up all over the island this month, the Phuket Red Cross announced today. The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) is hoping to supplement its limited supplies of O, A, and AB blood types. “We need to maintain a daily minimum of 200 units of these blood types, in addition to 20 units…
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DMCR task force charges 22 shrimp farmers
PHUKET: A Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) task force has charged 22 shrimp farmers in Phuket for encroaching on mangrove forests. Officers from the 120-man inter-agency task force, dubbed ‘White Shark’, conducted raids throughout forests on the island’s east coast from May 29-31. DMCR Deputy Director-General Sakda Wichiansin said that White Shark inspected 34 plots of land, covering…
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Eight Chinese busted for working illegally
PHUKET: Eight Chinese photographers were arrested for working illegally in Phuket on Tuesday. “The suspects were preparing to take photographs of couples for a wedding ceremony being held at Chalong temple at about 11:30am,” said Phuket Provincial Labor Office Chief Suttipong Saisakares. “Our officers asked for their work permits, but they were unable to provide any. So, we explained to…
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Vandals damage clown fish sculpture in Krabi
KRABI: A clown fish sculpture was damaged by unknown vandals yesterday, leading to a disappointed Facebook post by Krabi City Mayor Keeratisak Phukaoluan. “Whoever did this is heartless,” said Mr Keeratisak in his post. “The sculpture was built using public taxes in order to accentuate the beauty of the province for tourists. It is damaged at the tail and was…
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Security guard breaks into home, assaults owner
PHUKET: Police yesterday arrested a security guard who confessed to breaking into a Pa Khlok tourist villa where he was employed. “Amman Tokanee, 24, was apprehended in Narathiwat Province, where he had escaped for fear of being arrested after the incident in Phuket last Friday,” said Thalang police superintendent Sompong Thip-apakul. Mr Amman broke into Cape Yamu Villa, but fled…
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Rescuers free taxi driver pinned to steering wheel
PHUKET: An airport taxi driver pinned against the steering wheel of his vehicle had to be pried out after the car crashed into a power pole this morning. The driver, Chakri Jaruwateekul, is in serious condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital. He was unconscious after rescue workers cut him out of the Honda Civic. “It took about 30 minutes to get…
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Gas station attendants criminally responsible for customers who don’t hang up
PHUKET: Gas station attendants will be held legally responsible for ensuring that drivers turn off their engines and put away their cell phones at the pump, officials from the Department of Energy Business (DOEB) confirmed Sunday. DOEB issued a new law to this effect, according to which, if gas station attendants are caught disobeying regulations, they will be fined a…
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Mayor Somjai takes to the streets following heavy rains
PHUKET: Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana took to the streets to hear out locals’ complaints after a deluge of rain during the past week caused flooding and chaos on the island. Mayor Somjai knocked on doors on Amphor Road and discussed solutions with residents who live by the canal, about flooding in the area. She also visited the Phuket Post…
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Darasamuth underpass to close Tuesday night
PHUKET: The Darasamuth Underpass is to close temporarily from 11pm Tuesday night until about 5am Wednesday, confirmed Samak Luedwonghad, director of the Phuket Highways Office. “We have to close all three lanes to improve and maintain the electric system and ensure the efficiency of tunnel lights,” said Mr Samak. “Motorists are advised to use alternative routes during that time.” Mr…
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Car crash is rude awakening for sleeping family
KRABI: A sleeping family received a rude awakening when an out-of-control car crashed through their bedroom wall. Krabi City Police Lt Col Chatchai Nakpaksri said the crash, reported by Krabi Town locals earlier this morning, collapsed a wall of the family’s bedroom and crushed the front door of the home. “Pratin Tamkaew told us that early this morning, while she…
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Briton’s body found four days after Samui speed boat sank in storm
PHUKET: The search for a British national, who disappeared after a speedboat sinking near Koh Samui on Thursday afternoon, is over, after officials reportedly recovered the man’s body yesterday. Samui District chief Paiboon Omak accompanied divers, who found the body of 46-year-old Jason Robert Parnell. “Due to heavy winds and quick, murky currents, foreign specialists joined us to help recover…
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Ten charged in White Shark inspection so far
PHUKET: Ten land owners are being charged after a Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) team investigated 24 plots of land for alleged mangrove encroachment on Phuket. The investigations are part of a nationwide operation to reclaim ‘national treasures’ across 24 provinces. The team will inspect a total 34 plots of land covering about 2,200 rai on the island…
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White Sharks hunting for encroachers in Phuket mangroves
PHUKET: A new taskforce set up by the National Parks Department, known as ‘White Shark’, launched an investigation into alleged encroachment of more than 2,200 rai of mangrove forest in Phuket. The taskforce mustered 200 officials to check several plots in Phuket. Officials estimate encroachment of the mangrove forest has cost the state 250 million baht. Officials were split into…
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Land Department revokes B4bn titles for disputed Freedom Beach land
PHUKET: The long-debated four-billion-baht land titles, covering 65 rai of land off Freedom Beach, were officially revoked by the Land Department on May 12, as the two Chanotes were proved to overlap the Khao Narkkerd Preservation Forest. The Land Department signed off on the order on May 12, and the Royal Forest Department (RFD) officially received the letter on May…
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Tourists abandoned in stormy sea after illegal longtail sinks off Krabi
KRABI: A boat captain abandoned four tourists in rough seas, leaving them clinging to rocks, after his overloaded longtail boat capsized near Wang Sai Seafood restaurant, en route to Ao Nang from Railay Friday afternoon. The boat was overloaded with nearly twice the vessel’s maximum capacity of eight people. Canadians, Polish and Spanish men and women were among the passengers…
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Environmentalist praises tourist’s arrest
PHUKET: A marine expert and environmentalist is calling for help in keeping tourists from taking coral and other marine life out of the country. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a member of the National Reform Council (NRC) and a marine expert and activist, expressed his concerns on social media after receiving a large number of reports by airport staff that tourists were taking…
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Last of the Rohingya escapees captured
PHUKET: The last of 21 Rohingya escapees, who broke out from a Phang Nga Immigration Detention Center early Monday morning, were finally arrested last night, officials confirmed. “We received reports from locals in Baan Thai Thoi that the Rohingya men were spotted inside a mangrove forest and shrimp farm,” said Songyot Nakrit, Tum Bor Put village headman. “The men had…
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Article 17 enforced: DMCR to arrest tourists, guides for disturbing marine life
PHUKET: Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) officials are adopting tougher rules in an attempt to rescue three islands off Phuket’s coast from man-made environmental damage. A committee assembled by members of the DMCR’s Region 6 has agreed to expand the powers of DMCR officers and to level harsher punishments for tourists and boat operators who disturb wildlife. The…
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Traffic disruption at Bang Ku Underpass intersection today
PHUKET: Work to move electricity poles in Koh Keaw today is causing tailbacks on Thepkrasattri Road. Phuket City Traffic Police Lt Col Teerawat Leamsuwan informed the Phuket Gazette that the roadside work means traffic in the left southbound lane to the Bang Ku Underpass intersection is reduced to a single lane. “The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) is moving the…
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Heavy winds send bus teetering off pier [video]
PHUKET: In a scene straight from “The Italian Job”, a shuttle bus was blown half-way off of Chalong Pier and left hanging in delicate balance, as Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) workers attempted to haul it back onto the roadway. Officials said the heavy winds this morning were responsible for blowing the bus nearly off the pier from its parking…
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Amateurs tee off at first Open
PHUKET: The Phuket Country Club will host the Phuket Golf Association’s first Amateur Open this Saturday. The event is open to both Thai and tourist amateurs and will feature cash and prizes, said Phuket Golf Association Chief Terayout Prasertphol. “The competition will follow the rules of the United States Golf Association (USGA), The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St…
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Power cable mysteriously bursts into flames in Patong
PHUKET: A power cable mysteriously burst into flames in Patong this morning. Stunned passersby watched as bright yellow flames erupted from the power cable outside the Sea View House on Nanai Road just before midday. Residents feared the flames would spread to nearby buildings and called the fire brigade. Six fire fighters took about five minutes to extinguish the flames,…
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Baron builders block sea gypsies with boulders
PHUKET: Sea gypsies in Rawai threw stones and insults at builders from Baron World Trade Co yesterday after the construction company made a wall of boulders to block access to the site and began digging on the disputed land. About 100 sea gypsies gathered to stop construction workers while police and army officers looked on. The sea gypsies claimed the…
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Fierce storms cause more than B300,000 worth of damage
PHUKET: Fierce storms this week caused more than 300,000 baht worth of damage to at least nine houses in Phuket, toppling trees and causing landslides in several areas. The heavy downpour this morning toppled several trees and damaged two houses in Ao Po and seven other houses were damaged in Thalang on Tuesday. “There was a landslide in the Ao…
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Police officer faces murder charges for death of Rohingya detainee
PHANG NGA: Police are preparing to file charges of murder with intent against a police officer who shot a Rohingya man after a group of 21 Rohingya men escaped from Phang Nga Immigration Detention Center early Monday morning. (story here). “According to witnesses, Muhammad Kornee, 18, threw a big rock at one of the officers and the officer used his…
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Motorists stranded as deluge causes bridge collapse in Krabi
KRABI: Torrential rain has swelled rivers in Krabi, causing a road bridge to collapse, leaving motorists and pedestrians stranded in Marui District. “The main bridge across Khlong Pak Lao is closed for repairs so the Marui-Ao Luek road was being used as an alternative route in the meantime, but now that road is impassable too,” the Krabi Department of Rural…
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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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