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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DDPM queues up flash flood, landslide warning
PHUKET: The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket office will issue an official flash flood and landslide warning for Phuket residents today in preparation of worsening weather conditions this week. “According to the Thai Meteorological Department [TMD], we can expect increasingly heavy rains tomorrow, which will run through the weekend,” said Santhawat Riwleung, chief of the DDPM Phuket Office. “We…
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Thanyapura sings silver at SEA Games Singapore
PHUKET: Thanyapura’s top swimmers triumphed at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, winning a bounty of silver medals and breaking three Thai National Records. Peerapat Lertsathapornsuk, Patarawadee Kittiya, Kornkanjana Sapianchai and Tanakrit Kittiya competed in ten races at the 28th SEA Games in Singapore earlier this month. Patarawadee and Kornkanjana returned home to Phuket with two silver medals each, after helping…
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Superyacht chartering licence meeting delayed
PHUKET: Phuket will hold another public hearing this Friday to standardize criteria for foreign-flagged superyacht chartering licences before the proposal is submitted to the Ministry of Transport. The meeting is set for 1:30pm and aims to move forward legislation to help ensure Thailand becomes the maritime hub for the region. The meeting will be at the Phuket-based Department of Disaster…
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Phuket tour guide silent on catching clown fish
PHUKET: A Thai tour guide caught catching a clown fish so that tourists could hold it at Koh Khai Nai has refused to comment on his behavior after his tour guide licence was temporarily suspended. The clown fish, which has become incredibly popular with some tourist markets following the Pixar animation Finding Nemo, was in a plastic bread bag being…
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Phuket study to determine sun lounger fate
PHUKET: A twist of fate may be in the cards for Phuket’s abandoned sun loungers, with island officials aiming to decide by the end of July whether or not to allow them all back on the sands. Governor Nisit Jansomwong revealed to the Phuket Gazette last week that a beach management research team at Prince of Songkhla University (PSU) Phuket…
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Officials seize 100 rai of illegally possessed park land
PHUKET: About 100 rai of illegally possessed land in Sirinath National Park were seized by a team of park officials and Navy personnel on Friday. Seizure notices were posted on the five plots in Sakoo and Cherng Talay, which were being used for rubber plantations, after the owners were unable to present ownership documents for the land. “The owners are…
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Krabi waterspout excites tourists, fishermen
PHUKET: A waterspout put on a show for tourists and fishermen off Koh Pu in Krabi yesterday morning. “My friends and I were going fishing at Sri Boya Island when the waterspout emerged about 1 kilometer away from us,” said 50-year-old Samart Maikeaw, who was out on a fishing trip with friends. The spout caused sudden heavy rain, but no…
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Construction worker killed in Patong landslide
PHUKET: A landslide at a construction site in Phuket killed one worker and injured five others this morning. Myanmar national Set Lai, 20, was crushed by the dirt and rebar. The other five workers were rushed to Patong Hospital, four have since been discharged, confirmed Lt Col Weerapong Rakhito of the Patong Police. The fifth worker is still in hospital…
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Navy continues Rohingya “helping on’ mission
PHUKET: The mission of ‘helping on’ Rohingya and Bengali migrants by providing medical services and translators, as well as food and water supplies will continue until further notice, confirmed the Royal Thai Navy. The mission was launched with a tentative two-week deadline last month (story here). “Our vessels, HTMS Saiburi and the HTMS Angthong, and aircraft are continuing to search…
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Stash of ID cards found in Kata
PHUKET: The Navy requested that the Karon Police investigate whether or not a bag of legal Thai National ID cards, dirver’s licences and ATM cards found in Kata yesterday had any links to criminal networks. The bag of cards was discovered by a local resident, who then informed the Navy of the find, confirmed Taksin Puklim of the Royal Thai…
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Jet-skis make waves at luxury resort off Phuket
PHUKET: The Naka Island, A Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, based on the small island off the east coast of Phuket, is battling against local jet-ski operators. “The jet-skies are dangerous. They are always coming too close to customers swimming at the beach,” said The Naka Island representative Sureeporn Roongreung. “They have yet to hurt anyone swimming or diving, and…
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Phuket on alert for MERS virus
PHUKET: Phuket Health officials have ramped up efforts this week in order to identify passengers who are possibly carrying the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (Mers-CoV) to the island from South Korea or the Middle East, where the virus is spreading. “We received an order from the Ministry of Public Health in Bangkok to be on alert for the virus,” Phuket…
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Phuket Governor praises English-language media
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong praised the island’s foreign media yesterday during a public forum to raise awareness of the negative effects corruption has on society (story here). “I am glad that we have the media, especially the English-language media. They have a reporting style that is different from Thai media,” said Governor Nisit at the Royal Phuket City Hotel.…
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BISP strikes gold at SEA Games
PHUKET: It was an absolutely incredible night for British International School Phuket (BISP) in the pool on Sunday at the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. In one evening, the school’s student athletes – representing Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand – brought home one gold, one silver and one bronze medal, in intense competition against the finest swimmers in Southeast Asia. Year…
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OAG to tackle corruption in Phuket
PHUKET: The Office of the Auditor General’s (OAG) two-day public forum designed to raise the public’s awareness of the negative effects of corruption and what issues are faced in combating it started yesterday at the Royal Phuket City Hotel. “This is about raising people’s awareness of the need for anti-corruption efforts. People need to see why corruption is bad and…
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Superyacht licence registration coming soon
PHUKET: Registration for foreign-flagged superyacht chartering licences is expected to begin next month, Marine Department Director-General Chula Sukmanop revealed to the Phuket Gazette. “Officials have been discussing how to standardize criteria for the licences. We are pushing hard on what needs to be done, in terms of laws, to allow foreign-flagged superyacht charters in Thailand,” said Mr Chula. A public…
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Protesters demand high-voltage power line update
PHUKET: More than 100 locals from Thalang villages gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday looking for an update on a high-voltage power line project that is slated to run through their community. Protesters filed a complaint on May 20 over the potentially negative effects a high-voltage power line project could have on their lives (story here). The complaint was first…
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Hundreds protest alleged police brutality in Phuket, officer transferred
PHUKET: More than 100 Patong nightlife employees protested on Phuket’s famed party street, Soi Bangla, last night after a Hollywood Discotheque security guard was allegedly beaten by a Patong Police officer in the early hours of yesterday morning. The rally formed outside Hollywood Discotheque at about 8:30pm, drawing much attention from tourists and passersby, with protesters demanding justice from police…
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Phuket’s poor gather to receive food donations during annual alms festival
PHUKET: More than 1,500 of Phuket’s poorest people went to the Kusoldharm Foundation headquarters in Phuket Town on June 4 to receive donations of food as part of the annual Te Krajard merit-making ceremony. “This year, we also handed out 250 kilograms of rice to a total of 34 schools and 5kg packs of rice and foodstuffs to poor locals,”…
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Police launch new no-parking zones in Phuket Town
PHUKET: Island officials have established six new ‘no-parking’ zones and extended the hours in which it is prohibited to park on some of Phuket Town’s busiest streets in order to combat traffic congestion in the area. The move was prompted by the ever-increasing number of cars on Phuket and the subsequent worsening of traffic congestion, especially on narrow Phuket Town…
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Pics of Phi Phi tourists allegedly huffing gas go viral
PHUKET: Pictures of tourists on Phi Phi Island ostensibly huffing ‘laughing gas’ out of balloons have gone viral on social media, prompting a police investigation and a health warning from Krabi officials. One of the photos shows three women lying on the ground, one with an empty balloon in her mouth and another who appears to be inhaling the gas…
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New shuttle gets nod from Phuket airport director
PHUKET: A new shuttle service from Phuket International Airport to three final destinations on the island has garnered the approval of Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan. “I personally think it is a good idea to have a shuttle bus running from the airport to destinations throughout the island, such as Saphan Hin in Phuket Town, Karon and Rawai,” Ms Monrudee told…
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International sailors flock to Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek
PHUKET: The island of Phuket is preparing for an influx of visitors in July, as more than 500 sailors and spectators from around the world flock to be part of the prestigious Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek 2015. Now in its 12th year, with this year’s event taking place from July 15-19, Phuket Raceweek’s reputation continues to grow as an…
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Police drop case against Aussie expat charged for Phuket killing
PHUKET: Police have dropped the case against Australian expat and Phuket community member Mark Pendlebury for the fatal stabbing of a nightclub employee across the street from the island’s famed party strip, Soi Bangla, in March. The decision was made by police after CCTV footage surfaced backing claims that Mr Pendlebury had acted in self defence when confronted by 25-year-old…
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Phuket’s annual Goat Fair returns [video]
PHUKET: Local farmers are gearing up for the 18th annual Phuket Goat Fair, which will be held June 11 through 13 behind Tesco Lotus in Cherng Talay. The fair will provide an opportunity for farmers to exchange knowledge, learn from experts and showcase their animals and products. “The main goal of the event is to urge goat farmers to continue…
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Human trafficking “caretaker’ turns himself in
PHUKET: A human-trafficking ‘caretaker’ handed himself in to police north of Phuket on June 2. Alee Banjob, 35, from Ranong, was wanted for his connection to a human-trafficking network operating in his home province, explained Kanokpol Pimthong, Deputy Director of Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) in Phang Nga Province. Mr Alee’s surrender follows the October 14 arrest of Songphol ‘Boss…
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Phuket Town streets to change direction for light-rail project
PHUKET: Plans for Phuket’s light-rail project are going full steam ahead, with changes to the train’s route and adjustments to traffic directions in Phuket Town being the focus of the latest meeting for the 23.5-billion-baht venture. The proposal for the project to run through town was made in May of last year (story here). “We are now drawing up more…
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PRBC launches World Blood Donor Day event
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) has invited all qualified island residents to make blood donations in recognition of World Blood Donor Day this month. World Blood Donor Day, on June 14, falls on the birthday of Dr Karl Landsteiner, who is known for his discovery of the main blood groups and their classifications, PRBC Chief Pornthip Rattajak told…
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Outrageously high water bill prompts official warning
PHUKET: Leaky water pipes landed a Rassada resident with a more than 16,000-baht water bill to pay, prompting Phuket authorities to issue a home maintenance advisory to all island dwellers. Pornsak Saengsri was stunned to receive a 16,829-baht water bill for the month of May after having become accustomed to paying a maximum of 200 baht to keep the water…
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Body of foreigner found in Rawai yet to be identified
PHUKET: Police have yet to identify a male foreigner whose body was discovered near Baan Krating Phuket Resort in Rawai two weeks ago (story here). The body was found near an empty bottle of alcohol, and had a wound on one leg resembling an animal bite. “We have done our best so far. We have used social media to share…
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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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