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 dive instructors put behind bars for working illegally
PHUKET: Seven Phuket dive instructors spent New Year’s Eve in jail on Phi Phi Island after being arrested for working illegally. The dive instructors, six of whom were Chinese nationals, were held overnight on Phi Phi and then transferred to Krabi City Police Station where they were held until their court hearing on January 2. “All seven suspects were certified…
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Tourism resilience: the mark of 2015
PHUKET: The year 2015 marked yet another solar orbit during which the Phuket tourism industry continued to change and grow – despite some unexpected developments that some feared would spell its death knell. Here guest columnist Somchai Huasaikul looks back on the year that was.POLITICS ASIDE The year 2015 was notable because it was the first full calendar year in…
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Myanmar national is latest ‘Seven Days of Danger’ fatality [video]
PHUKET: Another road fatality was added to the tally on day six of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road safety campaign. Video footage of Myanmar national Than Zaw Htwe crashing his motorbike into a road sign on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday shows him losing control of the bike after swerving out of the way of a pick-up truck. Mr Than’s death…
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Former hotel employee confesses to attempted rape of 8-year-old tourist
PHUKET: A Trang man confessed to police that he attempted to rape an 8-year-old Russian tourist on Friday. Karon Police confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that former hotel employee Wuttichai Srithai, 30, admitted to coaxing the girl into a room after seeing her playing on a computer on the ground floor of the hotel. Police declined to name the hotel.…
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Tourist help center locations yet to be decided
PHUKET: Officials are still deciding on the most appropriate locations to establish 24-hour tourist help centers. The project, which was announced in November last year (story here), was set to have authorities pin down locations and submit them for approval by November 25. Santi Pawai, director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office, told the Phuket Gazette that…
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Busted: Topless tourists exposed after joyride video sent to police
PHUKET: Police fined an American and Austrian* tourist for public nudity after a video surfaced of the pair sitting on the window sills of a slow-rolling SUV, exposing their bare breasts to those on the streets of Patong on January 2. “We were made aware of the video at about 2pm yesterday,” said Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong…
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More than 20 Phuket bus drivers arrested for drug use
PHUKET: Officers arrested more than 20 bus drivers for amphetamine use as the drivers made their way through the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint over the last three days. “Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayatongda ordered a joint task force of police, local government officials and provincial officers to tackle drug use by public transportation drivers and other professionals working with tourists,” explained…
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No Phuket road-deaths in day four of campaign
PHUKET: Phuket saw its first day of no road-deaths as the fourth day of the ‘7 Days of Danger’ road-safety campaign came to a close at midnight yesterday. The main causes of the four deaths in the first three days of the campaign were driving under the influence, not wearing a helmet, speeding or some combination of the three factors,…
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Japanese tourist found dead off Phang Nga island
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a Japanese man found unconscious in shallow water after going for a swim off Koh Kai Nok Beach in Phang Nga yesterday. Jun Ich Kadoriku, 61, was on holiday with relatives and friends, who were playing on the sand while he was swimming alone in the water nearby, explained Lt Ronnapoom Permpoon of…
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TAT: more than B4bn generated over holidays
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office expects that when the final numbers are in, more than 4 billion baht will have been generated over the holiday season. “All flights to Phuket have been full, with hotel operators reporting about 80 per cent occupancy,” said Anoma Wongyai, director of the TAT Phuket Office. “Most of the Asian tourists…
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Four dead on Phuket roads by New Year’s Eve
PHUKET: Phuket’s road-death toll remained at four at the end of day three of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road-safety campaign, with the latest fatality occurring in the early hours of yesterday morning. The death of Aeksalayut Inrith, 28, occurred in front of Supercheap Villa 5 on Chaofa West Road yesterday. He was driving under the influence and without a…
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Latvian tourist drowns on New Year’s Eve in Phuket
PHUKET: A Latvian tourist drowned in front of her family after being dragged out to sea by a large wave at Mai Khao Beach yesterday. Family members of Masite Micule, 67, informed lifeguards on duty about what happened as soon as she went missing in the water, confirmed Mai Khao chief lifeguard Panpong Chukaew. “She was swept from the beach…
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Phuket drug dealer busted with 11kg of marijuana
PHUKET: Police arrested a 22-year-old man for possession of about 11 kilograms of marijuana, an illegal firearm and other drug paraphernalia at a location near Bangkok Hospital Phuket yesterday evening. “We received a tip-off that Subinnimit Rakvet, 22, was dealing marijuana in the Talad Yai area, making deliverers on his Kawasaki Ninja motorbike,” said Maj Ritthichai Choomchuy of the Phuket…
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Road fatality numbers grow on day two of road-saftey campaign
PHUKET: More road fatalities have been added to the tally of the already tarnished zero-deaths goal of this year’s ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road-safety campaign. As day two drew to a close, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office statistics revealed that the island saw 10 further road accidents, resulting in 9 injuries and the deaths of…
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A Decade Ago: Marking the one year anniversary of the tsunami
PHUKET: On an island accustomed to horrific, devastating and dumbfoundingly absurd news, the page one lead story that captured the hearts of Phuket Gazette readers a decade ago was one of recovery and love – who says good news can’t sell? With uncharacteristic typographical enthusiasm (underlined and accompanied by an exclamation mark), the headline in the December 31, 2005 –…
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Navy rescue mission saves seven lost at sea
PHUKET: A Royal Thai Navy rescue mission last night saved seven sailors who were left adrift about 150 nautical miles from Phuket after an engine explosion caused their cargo ship to sink. Though Marine Police originally reported that there were eight crew members on board Aung Chat Sar as it transported an undisclosed type of timber originating from the conflict-infected…
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Officials mull over marine waste management and safety
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office will discuss new measures to promote marine cleanliness and safety during a meeting today with boat and pier operators. Officials aim to review existing marine policy measures, as well as develop new ones, and emphasize stricter enforcement of current regulations. Specific issues under consideration include waste management and the installation of CCTV cameras at all…
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Two dead in first 30 hours of ‘Seven Days of Danger’ campaign
PHUKET: As the first full day of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road safety campaign came to a close, the goal of zero road fatalities was already dashed. According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket Office, the island saw 10 road accidents on day one of the campaign, resulting in 11 injuries and the…
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Phuket rescue teams scramble to locate sinking ship
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy launched a helicopter rescue mission after receiving a report that a cargo ship carrying wood from Myanmar to Malaysia was sinking about 100 nautical miles from Phuket’s coast. “We received a report yesterday evening at 5:17pm. However, due to the distance, only the Navy had the resources to conduct the search area,” said Phuket Marine…
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Only flicker of light at Phuket tsunami memorial ceremony
PHUKET: After much fanfare marking the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami last year, the Light Up Phuket memorial on Patong Beach was extraordinarily quiet. In years past, the entire beach was lit up with candles decorating sand sculptures. However, this year, no free candles or flowers were handed out, and only about twenty candles were set out in…
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OrBorTor head to become new Phuket FC president
PHUKET: Cherng Talay Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President Ma-ann Samran announced his new appointment as president of the Phuket Football Club (Phuket FC) today. The announcement follows the resignation of former president Pramookpisitt Achariyachai and other key management members of Phuket FC after the team was relegated to Division 2 (story here). “I had the chance to meet with Mr Pramookpisitt…
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Local jet-ski rental operators deny involvement in Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt’s son breaking leg in Phuket
PHUKET: Jet-ski operators, Marine Police and international hospital staff in Phuket were unable to confirm the US Weekly report that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s 12-year-old son Pax broke his leg while jet-skiing in Phuket. Though no photos were provided, ‘a source’ told US weekly that Pax ‘is on the mend and hobbling around on crutches’. However, People.com reported yesterday…
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70 per cent of Phuket hotel rooms illegal, say experts
PHUKET: More than 70 per cent of hotel and resort rooms in Phuket are illegal, a problem that is severely harming the industry, said experts in a complaint filed to the Phuket Governor this morning. “According to our records, there are about 92,000 hotel rooms on the island. Of those, about 70 per cent are illegal,” said Kritsada Tansakul, director…
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Missing boat captain rescued by fishing vessel
PHUKET: A missing long-tail boat captain was rescued yesterday morning after his boat was struck by large waves and sunk between Koh Ma and Koh Lanta Yai. “Jamrus Boonchoo, 31, was on his way back to Koh Lanta from Phi Phi on Saturday when his boat was struck by waves. He was reported missing by his family, whom he had…
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American killed in Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: An American died in a single motorbike accident on the coastal road connecting Patong and Karon at about 2am yesterday. Jeffrey Earl Patterson, 54, was rushed to Patong Hospital and then transferred to the better equipped Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, explained Lt Veerayut Thansirisukworakul of the Karon Police. “The Honda Click that he had rented…
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Two tourists injured in Phuket jet-ski crash
PHUKET: Two Chinese tourists were rushed to hospital after crashing their rented jet-skis into each other in Patong, confirmed the president of the Phuket Jet-Ski Club. Jet-ski operators rushed out to Zhao Peuie, 25, and Su Han, 26, after witnessing the collision about 400 meters off of Patong Beach. “We pulled them onto our jet-skis and took them to shore.…
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Pakistani expat killed in Kathu crash
PHUKET: A Pakistani expat was killed Thursday evening after he was run over by a 6-wheeled truck in Kathu. Aamir Hussain, 43, crashed his motorbike near the Thung Thong Police Station at about 4pm, confirmed Capt Wattanathorn Bamroongthin of the Thung Thong Police. “Witnesses said that Mr Hussain lost control of his bike and crashed, after which he was immediately…
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Ruamjai Rescue Foundation chief charms cobra
PHUKET: A Wichit resident was given a surprise front-row view of a performance by Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation Chief Saiyan Thamaphan, who charmed a cobra that he was trying to capture yesterday morning. Rescue workers were called to a house near Wichitsongkram School at about 8am by a resident complaining of a cobra in her garden. “I learned a long…
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Tsunami remembrance ceremony takes place at Provincial Hall
PHUKET: Phuket residents and officials honored the victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami yesterday morning at Phuket Provincial Hall, marking the 11th anniversary of the devastating waves that claimed thousands of lives on December 26, 2004. Offerings were made to 26 Buddhist monks, while attendees dressed in white to pay their respects to the victims and their families. “We would…
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Phuket nursing assistants busted for illegal medical checkups
PHUKET: Officers arrested five people for illegally providing employee checkups at the Big C Super Center near Rajabhat University Phuket on Thursday. Phuket Provincial Public Health Officers (PPHO) were conducting random checks in the Muang District when they stumbled across the illegal mobile unit, explained PPHO Chief Bancha Kakong. “We arrested all five of them. Additionally, we seized their equipment,…
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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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