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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One dead, two missing after Phuket canoe flips
PHUKET: One man is dead and two are still missing after the canoe they were taking to a yacht anchored near Koh Sireh in Phuket capsized last night. Rescue workers were able to recover Visut Prasert, 58, and Santhaya Kasikun, 9, from the water, shortly after the canoe flipped at about 10pm. Mr Visut was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital…
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Phuket orangutan discovered caged in jungle
PHUKET: Khao Phra Thaeo Non Hunting Zone officers discovered a missing 13-year-old orangutan Saturday evening after she disappeared from the Phuket Zoo ahead of a police raid on Friday. “Milo was found in a healthy condition,” Edwin Weik, the founder and director of Wildlife Friends of Thailand (WFFT), told the Phuket Gazette. “I do not believe that she went missing…
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Brother-in-law of ex-mayor arrested after standoff with CIB
PHUKET: Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers swarmed the home of former Rassada mayor Suratin Lian-udom on Saturday morning during a standoff with suspected drug dealers (story here). CIB officers were informed that those living in the home may be involved in an influential drug network on the island, confirmed CIB Commander Maj Gen Chatchai Eamsang. Officers from the Crime Suppression…
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Rescue workers unable to revive swimmer at Bang Tao
PHUKET: A Chinese national died Saturday afternoon after swimming with his family at Bang Tao Beach. Miu Zhioin, 63, was pulled unconscious from the water after losing his footing and going under the waves, confirmed Capt Kraisorn Boonprasop of the Thalang Police. “Layan rescue workers’ attempts to revive Mr Miu were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Thalang…
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Kusoldharm Foundation worker killed in three-vehicle crash
PHUKET: A Kusoldharm Foundation worker was killed yesterday afternoon after he crashed his bike and was dragged underneath a bus in Phuket Town. Police found Sakpayom ‘Ajarn Jack’ Tarapong, 36, lying in the road near the rear wheel of a bus and a parked vehicle, confirmed Maj Somchai Nooboon of the Phuket City Police. “According to the bus driver, Nukul…
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CSD raids home of former Rassada mayor’s wife
About a hundred officers led by the Crime Suppression Division this morning surrounded the house of former Rassada Mayor Suratin Lian-udom’s wife, as the Central Investigation Bureau continues raids throughout the island. Several suspects were apprehended after declining to be searched and resisting arrest. Mr Suratin was not at home at the time and was not the apparent target of…
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Ultraman World Champion to swim around Phuket
PHUKET: Swedish Ultraman World Champion Jonas Colting will undertake the first ‘Swim Around Phuket’. If successful, he will be the first swimmer to circumnavigate the island. Another aim of the mission is to raise funds for the Yaowawit School, a government-approved boarding school for children from underprivileged families, initially founded to help children who were victims of the 2004 tsunami.…
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![Thailand Beach Volley Festival coming to Karon Beach [video] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAzMzAgMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Thailand Beach Volley Festival coming to Karon Beach [video]
PHUKET: Karon Beach is preparing its sands for the Thailand Beach Volley Festival Phuket powered by PTT on March 23 through March 27. The international amateur beach volley tournament will feature three classes: two X two men, two X two women and four X four mixed. After preliminary pooled games, the men’s two X two event will be divided into…
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US Embassy to hold consular outreach in Phuket
PHUKET: The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok will hold an Outreach Visit at Millennium Resort Patong on February 26. Consular staff will be available from 8am to noon to provide the following services: • Passport renewal applications (US$110.00 or 4,070 baht for adults, and US$105.00 or 3,885 baht for children). • Passport applications for lost or stolen…
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Rawai sea gypsies turn down government offer
PHUKET: The Rawai sea gypsies have turned down the provincial government’s offer to purchase 19 rai of disputed land (story here), insisting that the land deeds must be revoked entirely. Reasons for the most recent refusal in the prolonged land dispute between landowners and the sea gypsies were that the sea gypsies believe the land deeds were unlawfully acquired so…
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Van driver crushed in early morning collision
PHUKET: A van driver was killed when he reportedly slammed into the back of an 18-wheeler truck on Thepkrasattri Road early this morning. It took rescue workers about 40 minutes to remove driver Nate Saengpayap, 35, from the vehicle, confirmed Lt Col Sanit Nookong of the Thalang Police. “Mr Nate was not transporting any passengers in his van at the…
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HeadStart International inaugurates new Phuket campus
PHUKET: HeadStart International School last week held an opening ceremony for its new campus, located at Soi Na Sua near Central Festival Phuket. “Our new campus is situated on 15 rai of beautiful landscape and is very easy to access from major locations in Phuket,” said School Director Jazon Edouard. Some of the facilities at the new campus include large,…
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OrBorTor council head survives drive-by shooting
KRABI: Police are searching for multiple suspects wanted for the attempted murder of the Ao Luek Noi Administration Organization (OrBorTor) council head. Rorseff Kasirak, 55, sustained serious injuries after a group of men pulled up to his home and fired about 10 rounds Wednesday night, confirmed Capt Manat Inprom of the Ao Luek Police. Mr Rorseff was struck in the…
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Upcoming alcohol ban for Makha Bucha Day
PHUKET: A nationwide ban on the sale and purchase of alcohol will be in place for 24 hours on Monday out of respect for Makha Bucha Day. “Letters will be sent to night entertainment business operators to inform them of the ban,” Peerayuth Karajedee, Phuket Provincial Police deputy commander, told the Phuket Gazette this morning. “According to trading laws, entertainment…
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Video Report: Officials hunt boat caught anchoring on corals
PHUKET: Officials are hunting down the company that owns a boat that was caught on video anchoring in fragile corals off Koh Racha Yai. The video shows the anchor biting into a coral bommie with the metal chain laying across a few species of corals. The anchor is connected to a rope tied to the boat, which the cameraman clearly…
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Turkish Ambassador blasts Phuket airport
PHUKET: The Turkish ambassador to Thailand blasted Phuket International Airport during a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday. “Phuket is a beautiful place and many Turkish people want to travel to the island. However, they always complain about three aspects of their trip: the narrow airport terminal, communication issues with airport employees, and immigration,” Ambassador of the Republic of…
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Phuket, Tangier plan twin-city partnership
PHUKET: A twin-cities partnership between Phuket and Tangier is in the works following a meeting between the Phuket governor and the Moroccan ambassador to Thailand. “About 10,000 Moroccans visit Phuket each year,” said His Excellency Ambassador Abdelilah El Housni. “Although this number may not seem large, most of these are luxury travelers who own private jets and stay for an…
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Almost A Decade Ago: WWII relics and superyachts
PHUKET: As the Phuket Gazette plunged in with its first-ever Thailand Yacht Show Special Edition, we narrowed the gap in ‘A Decade Ago’ to 9-years-and-9-months ago… for the sake of marine thematics. Skipping over what is without a doubt a very dry page one at the beginning of the rainy season, let’s dive to the depths of a small story…
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Phuket to double direct flights from St Petersburg
PHUKET: Phuket will double its weekly flights to and from St Petersburg, Russia due to a sharp increase in the number of Russian tourists on the island, a government spokesperson confirmed. “We will add 14 weekly flights between St Petersburg and Phuket to the already existing flights,” said Deputy Government Spokesman Maj Gen Sunsern Kaewkumnerd. During Tuesday’s Thailand-Russia aviation conference…
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Mystery still surrounds Nong DJ’s disappearance
PHUKET: Mystery still surrounds the disappearance of three-year-old Nong DJ, who went missing while playing outside his home in Wichit. He was found six days later, scared, weak and alone in a forest about three kilometers from the spot he had last been seen (Video report here). Nong DJ is still recovering in hospital from his ordeal but there have…
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Lucky Strike! Cigarette vendor wins B6mn in lottery
PHUKET: It was a ‘lucky strike’ this week for a cigarette vendor in Patong when she won a 6-million-baht prize in the national lottery. Puangpetch Boonpetch, 40, yesterday arrived at Patong Police Station with her partner to file a police record about her winning lottery ticket number 356364. She is set to fly to Bangkok to claim the money today.…
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Schools react to alleged Phuket kidnapping
PHUKET: At least two Phuket schools have boosted security following an alleged kidnapping attempt at Plookpanya School Phuket. The scare started after a mother from the school posted a message on her Facebook page alleging that a man exited a van, approached her 14-year-old son and attempted to cover his nose and mouth with a cloth. She explained that her…
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Decorated former German Honorary Consul for Phuket Dirk Naumann passes away
PHUKET: Former German Honorary Consul for Phuket Dirk Naumann passed away on Monday, his family has announced. Mr Naumann was well known and respected in Phuket and in his homeland for his 12 years of dedicated service on the island. He retired from his post in July 2014. Upon his retirement, Mr Naumann was awarded the Order of Merit from…
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Health chief: Phuket on top of dengue danger
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) is on top of the island’s surge in dengue fever cases, despite figures being almost triple those of last year, confirmed officials. From January 1 to February 6 of this year, 70 cases of dengue fever have been reported in the province, compared to 22 reported cases for the same period last…
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Phuket Governor demands investigation into security memo leak
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has demanded an investigation into the leaking of an internal memo that sparked concerns of an island-wide security boost, amid rumors that a group of trouble makers were planning unrest in the province. Governor Chamroen was forced to allay panic among Phuketians after news spread on social media that he had written to local security…
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Speedboat crew member slashed by propeller
PHUKET: A speedboat crew member was rushed to hospital after having his back slashed open by a boat propeller at Koh Lao Lading in Krabi this morning. “According to witnesses, 33-year-old Kreetha Sarawaree was helping to make room for another boat to park at the pier when he lost his balance and fell into the spinning propeller,” explained Maj Suphat…
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Marine park officials launch safety campaign at Koh Hong
PHUKET: Park officials marked dangerous swimming and snorkelling areas inside Than Bok Khorani National Park following two Russian divers being maimed by a speedboat in Phi Phi earlier this month and a number of tourists dying in marine national parks. “The entrance to the lagoon at Koh Hong is very dangerous; there is a lot of boat traffic, as well…
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Afternoon collision in Phuket kills two
PHUKET: Two people were killed and another injured in a three-vehicle collision on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday afternoon. Lampoon Saeton, 56, was pronounced dead on arrival at Thalang Hospital, while Wasuwan Sae-Lu, 62, was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he later died from his injuries, confirmed Capt Kraisorn Boonprasop of the Thalang Police. “The other victim, Charit Saeton, 30, is…
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Phuket underpass checkpoint scoops up dozens of motorists
PHUKET: More than 40 motorists were fined in a span of two hours at a checkpoint at the northbound exit of the Darasamuth Underpass next to Central Festival Phuket yesterday. “This is part of the push by the Phuket governor and the Phuket Provincial Police commander to better enforce traffic laws on the island as a way to reduce the…
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Phuket fishmonger slices Russian tourist’s ear
PHUKET: A fishmonger is on the run after slashing a Russian tourist’s ear in a fight over a 400-baht fish at a fresh market in Patong on Saturday. The pair came to blows when the Russian paid for a fish worth 400 baht with a thousand-baht note and then accused the fishmonger of not handing over his change, explained Lt…
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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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