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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Canadian crash victim safe after blood donations
PHUKET: A Canadian man badly injured in a motorcycle accident on Friday is now in stable condition thanks to donations of A-negative blood, medical staff at Vachira Phuket Hospital confirmed this morning. Connelly Bavid Lee, 35, required the blood so doctors could carry out a second round of surgery following emergency treatment after Mr Lee was seriously injured in a…
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Diving: Safety regulations in the dive industry
PHUKET: As promised, let’s dig into two of the biggest questions professionals in the industry are faced with in Phuket: “can we bend the rules to take photos on a Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) course” and “what counts as a ‘confined water environment’ for DSD”. Even at the PADI seminar on March 8 (story here), which included some of the…
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A Decade Ago: Crowne Plaza, work permits and Chinese tourists
PHUKET: If you weren’t in Phuket ten years ago, you might not even know what the Crown Plaza was. Nonetheless, it stole page one of the Phuket Gazette in the May 6-11, 2006 issue when it was bought by Kingdom Hotel Investment, which was headed by Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud – the 8th…
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Phuket police make B5mn drug haul
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police announced the seizure of street drugs valued at more than five million baht following the arrests of five drug pushers, May 4-5. Police seized more than 2.5 kilograms of crystal meth (ya ice) and 6,400 methamphetamine pills (ya bah) with a total value of about 5 million baht. “Narachai Chuatchuea, 33, was arrested at his rental…
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Alex Face unfazed by the controversy surrounding his painting
PHUKET: Alex Face, the artist who painted the controversial mural depicting a three-eyed child on a wall of one of the city’s most historic buildings, the Peranakan Nitat (Baba) Museum in Phuket Town, is set to remove the artwork today. The Thai artist, whose given name is Patcharapol Tangruen, has been commissioned to paint buildings all over the world, but…
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Phang Nga hailstorm, high winds worst in almost 40 years
KRABI – PHANG NGA: High winds, rain and hailstones caused extensive damage to property in Krabi and Phang Nga on Thursday, marking the onset of the monsoon season. One official said it was the worst storm in almost 40 years. “At least two houses were completely destroyed and 20 others were extensively damaged in Krabi, as well as crops, including…
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Climbing bans blamed for killing tourism at Thailand climbing meccas
PHUKET: Local tourism business operators this week blamed the rock climbing bans in Koh Yao Noi, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Poda for the savage drop in hotel and resort occupancy rates at Thailand’s climbing meccas – Tonsai and Railay Beach. “Bungalow resort owners on Tonsai Beach saw occupancy rates drop by 50 per cent year on year in March,…
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Two injured in Phuket parasailing accident
PHUKET: A Chinese girl and a Thai man were injured in a parasailing accident at Kata Beach yesterday afternoon when the pair became caught up in a tree and then fell to the ground. The 9-year-old girl was flying tandem with Prasert Boonkert, 30, an employee of Sea Sport Speed Boat, at around 1pm when the pair became entangled in…
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Join the festivities at the last Lighthouse Market of the season
The last Lighthouse Market of the season is being held at the Boat Lagoon in Koh Kaew today and tomorrow from 6pm. The spacious water-edge promenade will be decorated with imagery from countries around the world – including the Champs-Elysees in Paris, the windmills of Holland, then to Egypt, Japan and back to Thailand. The market features a panoramic view…
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Drugs litter fiery crash
PHUKET: Two people were injured when the driver of a car lost control and hit a power pole on the byapass road near the Premium Outlet mall, resulting in the car catching fire early this morning. The driver, Amran Dueramae, 27, suffered a serious head injury, while his passenger, Sulaimarn Da-O, 25, sustained minor injuries. Police found several packs of…
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Yaowarat Road to close for three days
PHUKET: Yaowarat Road is scheduled to be closed May 8-10 due to ongoing construction work for the third phase of a project to bury power cables underground in Old Phuket Town. Phuket City Municipality confirmed that the road will be closed from Suriyadej Circle to the Dibuk-Yaowarat intersection. The project, which is a combined effort by Phuket City Municipality, Phuket…
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Tourist dies while snorkelling in Phang Nga
PHUKET: An Indian tourist suffered a fatal heart attack while snorkeling in Phang Nga Bay yesterday. Officials originally believed that the man, Prakash Narayan Raote, 63, had drowned and that a doctor failed to resuscitate him. Mr Raote and his family were snorkeling with a Pachtree Company tour group when the incident occurred. The Mumbai man was examined by the…
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B2.4mn Provincial Hall roundabout opens today
PHUKET: The grand opening of the Narisorn roundabout near Phuket Provincial Hall was held at midday today, with Phuket Vice Governor Kajornkiet Rakpanitmanee, Phuket City Deputy Mayor Thavorn Jirapattanasophon and other officials in attendance. Construction of the 2.4-million-baht roundabout was funded last year by the UK-based non-profit Safer Roads Foundation at the island’s deadly Narisorn-Surin intersection. Last year, a total…
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Job-training program graduates prisoners
PHUKET: Certificates were awarded to prisoners who completed a sticker-cutting course yesterday, officials confirmed. The ceremony marked the end of a cooperation course by Phuket Provincial Prison, Southern Media Co Ltd and the Thai Advertising Business Development Association, under the ‘Building Sustainable Future’ project. The course aimed to help prisoners acquire knowledge and employable skills that might be useful after…
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UNESCO announces May public education conference in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket City Municipality is to host the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Education Conference from May 9-11 at the Phuket Graceland Resort in Patong. Representatives from a number of distinguished international organizations will be providing education-related advice and assistance to the public. “The conference is under the banner ‘New Paradigm of Community Learning Center through Online Lifelong Education’,” said Phuket City Deputy…
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Suspect at large after one killed in Krabi shootout
KRABI: A shootout in the early morning hours today left one man dead in Krabi, allegedly slain by his close friend. Somyot Kuantai, 20, reportedly fired 10 rounds into the home of the victim while he and his family cowered inside. Police are collecting evidence to issue an arrest warrant for the shooter, who reportedly attacked the family after arguing…
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Depressed Krabi man dumped by wife threatens to jump from pylon
KRABI: A domestic dispute led a Krabi man to attempt leaping off a high-voltage electric pylon yesterday, confirmed officials from the Naneu Administration Organization (OrBorTor) in Ao Leuk. Prasit Duangjan, a 66-year-old resident of Ao Leuk District, climbed about 30 meters up the pylon, dodging live power lines, and threatened to jump for nearly two hours. Rescue teams from Ao…
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Driver in stoning incident files attempted murder charges
PHUKET: A driver whose car was pelted with stones, causing it to veer off the road and crash into a power pole on Tuesday, filed attempted murder charges against the motorcyclist responsible for it. The accused motorcyclist, Anucha Yeemuda, 21, was initially charged with assault and causing damage to property after he turned himself in to the police (story here).…
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Thailand commemorates Coronation Day
PHUKET: Thailand commemorates Coronation Day (Wun Chatramongkhon) today, which marks the ascension to the throne of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej on May 5, 1950. The auspicious date is a public holiday and this year’s commemorations mark the 66th anniversary of His Majesty’s reign. Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada today gathered officers at Satree Phuket School to pay their respects to HM…
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Austrian paraglider warned over Nai Harn flights
PHUKET: An Austrian expat allegedly running an illegal paragliding business received an official warning from the municipality and narrowly escaped charges on Tuesday. “We were informed by a concerned resident that Kurt Pirker was operating an illegal paragliding business at the windmill in Nai Harn,” said Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos. “We sent out municipality officers to warn him, but he…
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Stone thower charged after road rage injures family of three
PHUKET: A Phuket man who pelted a car with stones, making the driver lose control and crash, has been charged for assault and causing damage to property after the family of three in the car was hospitalized. Police received a call at 1:10pm yesterday that a car had lost control and hit a power pole in the Laem Hin area,…
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Social media sleuth snares smokey bus
PHUKET: A pollution-emitting tour bus was banned from service after a Facebook user posted a video showing clouds of thick, black smoke emanating from it, confirmed officials on Sunday. Facebook user Joke Moodie, who posted the video, immediately alerted authorities to take action and shut the bus down. Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) Chief Policy Adviser Jaturong Kaewkasi said that…
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Manhunt for murderer after rotting body found in forest
PHUKET: Police have launched a murder investigation after the decomposing body of a Myanmar national was found this morning, wrapped in a mattress and dumped in a mangrove forest in Rassada. The body, identified by locals as a 52-year-old fisherman named Tai Jor, was found at 7:30am. “The body was found rolled up in a mattress that had been bound…
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Phuket now home to largest marine service center in Thailand
PHUKET: The largest Yamaha marine service center in Thailand opened for business in Phuket on April 30. Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul attended the grand opening of the 70-million-baht Yamaha Marine Service Center covering three rai in Koh Kaew. Watchara Marine Co Managing Director Tanate Satienpan said the opening of the facility marks an ambitious expansion into the marine…
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Krabi woman gives birth on boat
KRABI: Two Krabi police officers helped deliver a baby at sea on Sunday morning, when the mother could not make it to a hospital on time. Capt Prayong Pongsawang of the Khao Phanom Police and Lt Rawi Praekpan of the Krabi Provincial Forensic Police are being called heroes on social media for safely delivering the baby. The Krabi woman, who…
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Krabi officials frustrated by local beliefs
KRABI: Locals believe a serpent is the cause of a sinkhole at the Khao Phanom Temple, but officials disagree. Officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) Region 4 in Surat Thani arrived to inspect the sinkhole last week. Their findings concluded that the hole outside the temple – roughly five meters wide and four meters deep –…
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Australian in fatal fall photographing fireworks from Patong balcony
PHUKET: An Australian man fell to his death from the 19th floor of a high-rise hotel in Patong as he attempted to take photos of fireworks. Major Pattapee Srichai of the Patong Police was alerted at about 11:37pm on Thursday that Jamie William Brown, 30, had fallen from the balcony of his room at a high-rise hotel on Rat-U-Thit 200…
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V/Gov cracks down on ‘slovenly’ tour guides
PHUKET: What began as new regulations aimed at curbing cheating and poorly dressed taxi drivers has now turned into an additional island-wide action to imporve tour guides’ dress codes, officials announced last week. “From now on, all tour companies must provide staff uniforms for their employees with company logos and names,” said Santi Pawai, director of the Ministry of Tourism…
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Glimpse into the mind of Phuket’s Row2Rio adventurer
PHUKET: Australian head coach at Phuket’s Unit 27, Luke Richmond, sat down in an exclusive interview with the Phuket Gazette after completing a world-record setting rowboat journey from Portugal to Brazil. Divided into three legs, Row2Rio honors the Olympics as the Olympic stadium moved from London to Rio de Janeiro. The test of endurance began with a cycling trek setting…
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Phuket lifeguards warn of deadly rip-currents
PHUKET: Seasonal changes have brought strong rip currents to the shores of Phuket. With them comes a sharp rise in the number of rescues this month, prompting lifeguards to issue stern warnings to would-be swimmers. “Swimmers who ignore warning flags are risking their lives and those of the lifeguards,” said the president of the Phuket Lifeguard Club (PLC), Prathaiyut Chuayuan.…
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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