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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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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Aussie attempts epic endurance sport feat in Phuket [video]
PHUKET: An Australian living and training on Phuket will make an epic endurance sport attempt tomorrow as he embarks on a three-day, non-stop triple circumnavigation of Phuket by prone paddleboarding, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and running. Damien Rider, 40, already made headlines in Phuket when he completed a local SUP adventure, circling the island to raise awareness for his self-funded organization:…
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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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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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Angelina Jolie’s visit to Phuket temple sparks Hindu enthusiasm
PHUKET: Oscar winning actress Angelina Jolie has received a wave of support from members of the Hindu community, after they learned of her visit to a Hindu temple in Phuket a few days ago. According to reports, Ms Jolie visited the temple with her husband Brad Pitt and their six children during a family vacation on the island. Rajan Zed,…
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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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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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Annual safety checks on tourist boats begin
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office has begun making their annual inspections of boats and ferries carrying tourists out of Rassada Pier to ensure their safety during the New Year holiday. More than 13,000 locals and tourists are expected to depart from the island’s piers during this holiday’s long weekend. “Passengers’ safety remains our top priority. Boats must not carry more…
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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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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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No change in tuk-tuk safety regulations
PHUKET: There will be no immediate changes in safety regulations following a British woman’s fall to her death from the back of a tuk-tuk on December 20. “There will be no changes to our rules,” said Jaturong Kaewkasi, the chief policy adviser for the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO). “Tuk-tuks in Phuket are regulated by the Department of Land Transport.…
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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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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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Governor tables Hat Yai-Phuket railway project
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada tabled a project on Thursday that would see the construction of a railway between Hat Yai and Phuket. The move to promote tourism for the ASEAN community with the project was prompted by the opening of railway tracks for Hat Yai-Padang Besar, Malaysia, on December 21. “We now have the opportunity to give travellers the…
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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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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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Police wrongly identify drug dealer’s body
PHUKET: Police confirmed yesterday that the body of a drug dealer found in Chalong Bay Friday morning (story here) was wrongly identified. “Due to a misunderstanding, Singha Tongyuan, 37, was erroneously confirmed to be Somkit Pakdeesuvann, 31,” said Maj Thada Sodarak of the Chalong Police. “Mr Singha’s parents were able to positively identify the body yesterday.” Officers are now investigating…
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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 drug dealer’s body found in Chalong Bay
PHUKET: The body of a drug dealer was found floating in Chalong Bay at about 10am this morning. Somkit Pakdeesuvann, 31, had ditched a pile of drugs and evaded arrest by leaping off the pier into the water yesterday evening. “Mr Somkit had spotted officers and taken off down Chalong Pier toward the Yacht Control Center,” explained Maj Thada Sodarak…
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Man slays blind brother at father’s funeral
KRABI: A blind masseuse was gunned down by his brother at their father’s funeral in Krabi yesterday afternoon. “Thawee Kongrueng, 54, was attending to relatives after the cremation of his father at Wat Khao Kram, when his brother Seree Kongrueng, 47, walked up to him, pulled a gun and shot him dead,” explained Lt Wittaya Nukhong of the Krabi City…
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Phuket sets sights on zero deaths for ‘Seven Days of Danger’
PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan confirmed Phuket’s zero road deaths goal for the New Year’s ‘Seven Days of Danger’ campaign. The increased efforts to prevent dangerous driving on the island’s notorious roads is part of a nationwide campaign running from December 29 to January 4. “We will be boosting road safety measures during this period of time by…
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A Decade Ago: One year after the tsunami
PHUKET: Ten years ago, with the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification (TTVI) unit wrapping up its final case, Phuket – along with the rest of the world – stopped to reflect on the devastation caused by, and the recovery from, the Boxing Day tsunami. The Phuket Gazette marked the one-year anniversary with a special supplement entitled ‘One Year On’. Inside, then…
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Mom Tri Villa Royale to host Pro Musica Ensemble
PHUKET: As part of the Baan Kata Arts Festival, Mom Tri’s Villa Royale will be hosting a performance by the Pro Musica Ensemble on January 18. The trio of musicians will perform pieces by renowned composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Bach, featuring solos, duets and group performances. Comprising violin, viola and flute, the Pro Musica Ensemble is made up…
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Foreign Affairs Operation Center opens in Phuket
PHUKET: A Foreign Affairs Operation Center was opened at the Region 8 Police Station in Phuket on Tuesday morning, in preparation of the Asean Economic Community starting (AEC) next month. The center will mostly focus on coordinating with other AEC law enforcement agencies to tackle transnational crime, provide tourist services and assist alien workers. “Apart from the positive impacts the…
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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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