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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Warriors tame Tigers: Phuket hosts first Aussie Rules match
PHUKET: Australian football arrived in Phuket last Saturday, as the Thailand Tigers took on the Malaysian Warriors at the Alan Cooke Ground. The game was well attended by Phuket residents and families, as well as other supporters, many of whom were new to the game. The day also involved an Auskick clinic for junior players, which was a hit among…
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German, French tourists go to court over jet-ski accident case
PHUKET: A German tourist who was hit by a Frenchman riding a jet-ski in Phuket last month is now in court with the Frenchman settling the matter. Erich Heim, 55, was knocked unconscious by Chadd Attard, 20, while swimming at Paradise Beach on February 28 (story here). Mr Heim was taken to hospital that day, and discharged on March 5.…
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Tuk-tuk drivers sentenced for massive Patong blockade
PHUKET: Thirteen tuk-tuk drivers who were charged for their involvement in a massive blockade of Patong in March last year were fined and sentenced to one year’s probation yesterday morning. The 13 drivers were part of a group of 68 drivers who were arrested and charged for blockading major roads in the party town in protest of the arrests of…
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Whale spotted off Krabi coast
PHUKET: A whale spotted near Koh Haa, off the coast of Krabi, on Monday has both excited and alarmed divers and local officials. Both groups have cited an improving marine environment as a possible reason for the sighting, but have also warned against any actions that could hamper the Andaman Sea’s recovery in the region. The marine mammal, thought to…
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Water-meter thief nabbed in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: Police arrested a man on Tuesday after finding him in possession of 18 water meters stolen from residential homes in the Cherng Talay area. Youngyut Matchawet, 25, was arrested at his house in Cherng Talay, after police tracked him down through CCTV footage. “We began receiving complaints from local residents on Saturday about their water meters disappearing,” said Lt…
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American hit-and-run fugitive arrested in Koh Lanta
PHUKET: An American hit-and-run fugitive was arrested on Koh Lanta on Tuesday. Police arrested Kelly Lynn Miller, 36, in the parking lot of the Poonsap Resort, after officers received a report from the United States Embassy in Bangkok that she was illegally staying in Thailand. “We have been looking for Ms Miller since we received the report about two weeks…
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Phuket police volunteers return to Bangla beat
PHUKET: Police volunteers are back on the beat in Phuket’s primary party town, following a six-day strike starting on March 5 (story here). Region 8 Police volunteers met yesterday with Patong Police Superintendent Chaiwat Auikam and his two deputy superintendents to table a number of growing concerns that led to the strike. “The meeting went very well today. We will…
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Laguna secures cricket victory over the Village
PHUKET: As Songkran approaches, the temperature rises in the Phuket Cricket Group’s (PCG) senior league. On March 8, Laguna beat the Village at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG). Laguna, who were coming off the back of a good win against Thalang in their previous match, were looking to consolidate their position in the race for the minor premiership. Meanwhile, the…
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Charter-flight buses to resume parking near Phuket airport terminal
PHUKET: Buses will resume parking near the main Phuket International Airport terminal within two months, an Airports of Thailand (AoT) official confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. The announcement follows a change in policy earlier this month that forced incoming charter-flight passengers to hike to their buses, which now have to be parked far away from the terminal due to…
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Gov vows to maintain Phuket beach rules, despite protests
PHUKET: Governor Nisit Jansomwong vowed today to keep the Phuket beach-management system in place, despite beach vendors overstepping the provincial government and filing a complaint in Bangkok. About 150 beach vendors arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangkok on March 3 and submitted a letter of complaint to be given to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, alleging that the…
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Australian expat kills Phuket nightclub bouncer
PHUKET: An Australian expat confessed to killing a nightclub bouncer near the entrance of Phuket’s primary party street – Soi Bangla – early this morning, Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette. Long-term Phuket expat Mark Hamilton Pendlebury, 59, fatally stabbed 25-year-old Sanya Khueawaengmon after an argument on the street, explained Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong Police. “Nightclub staffers…
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Phuket Police volunteers strike in Patong
PHUKET: Volunteer police officers working the beat in Phuket’s main party town have gone on strike until the Patong Police are able to address a series of issues. “We will have a meeting tomorrow at 10am to explain our frustrations, and also to discuss how the volunteers can continue working with police in assisting foreigners and tourists in need,” Wal…
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British expat found dead in Phuket home
PHUKET: A 58-year-old British national was found dead at his home in Phuket yesterday. Police and rescue workers arrived on the scene in Srisoonthorn at about 3:30pm to find the body of Dennis Arthur New. “We believe Mr New had been dead for about 10 hours before we arrived. There was no sign of a struggle,” Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop of…
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Man arrested in possession of meth worth nearly B1mn
PHUKET: Police arrested a man in possession of nearly 1 million baht worth of ya bah (methamphetamine) pills in a sting operation in Phuket Town on Friday. Phuket Provincial Police arrested Somboon Lewplodpai, 33, at about 3:30pm, after receiving a tip-off about him dealing drugs in the area. “An undercover officer set up an appointment with Mr Somboon to meet…
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Phuket officials firm on beach wedding ban
PHUKET: A resort in Cherng Talay received a warning this morning for holding a wedding ceremony on Pansea Beach on Friday. “I have only issued a warning, as this is the hotel’s first offence. If the hotel holds any more banned events, it will be fined up to 2,000 baht, under the Public Health Act,” Ma-ann Samran, president of the…
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Fire ravages two homes in Phuket Town
PHUKET: Two men escaped injury after their houses caught fire in Phuket Town early this morning. Firefighters were called to the scene, inside the Sapan Ruam 1 Community, at about 6:30am and spent an hour battling the flames. The owners of the homes, Sombut Dechapan, 49, and Prakob Suwan, 62, were both asleep when the fire broke out, but managed…
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Arrested ATM skimmers thought to be part of larger network
PHUKET: Police are investigating whether or not two Frenchmen who were arrested in Krabi for skimming ATMs in Krabi and Phang Nga are part of a network that includes five French nationals who were arrested for skimming in Phuket on February 28 (story here). Julien Patrick Alandis, 22, and Adrien Char Baptiste Hemour, 21, were arrested yesterday by Krabi City…
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Man arrested for smuggling more than 300 species of rare fish
PHUKET: A man was arrested by police yesterday in possession of more than 300 live, rare species of fish that were being smuggled in plastic bags. Kan Amtrakul, 63, was arrested at about 5pm on Wiset Road near the Chalong Circle, heading from Rawai to Chalong in a Toyota pick-up truck. “Mr Kan was pulled over by police and found…
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Bang Tao beach vendors fined for encroachment
PHUKET: Nine beach vendors who had crept back onto Bang Tao Beach with sunloungers and makeshift stalls were fined 2,000 baht and had all of their items seized yesterday. “We went to inspect the beach and found that nine vendors had violated the new beach rules by setting up sunloungers, stalls, tables and other structures on the sand,” Ma-ann Samran,…
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Police hunt alleged leader of Russian ATM skimming gang
PHUKET: Police are hunting a Russian national allegedly behind an ATM-skimming operation in Phuket, following the arrest of three suspected skimmers yesterday. Russian nationals Stanislav Komarob, 34; Vitalii Korobkov, 39; and Panteley Akbash, 36, who also holds a Moldovan passport under the name Panteli Acbas, were arrested at a shop in Kata in possession of 33 counterfeit ATM cards, a…
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Video Report: PGTV wins “Best Local TV – News’ at Phuket Reporters Club Awards
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette‘s own PGTV won the “Best Local TV – News” award last night at the first ever Phuket Reporters Awards ceremony, held at the Royal Phuket City Hotel. PGTV won for a segment on the ‘Phuket Today’ show called ‘The Rubber Tapper’s Lament’, in which Karl Vandenhole investigates the plight of Krabi rubber cropper Sangwien. PGTV won…
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Phuket’s first Aussie Rules match kicks off tomorrow
PHUKET: Australian Rules football is due to make its long-awaited appearance on Phuket tomorrow, as the Thailand Tigers take on the Malaysian Warriors at the Alan Cooke Ground. The action will begin at 11:30am, with a junior Auskick clinic to introduce children between 5 and 14 years old to the game – all are welcome to attend, regardless of experience.…
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Dry-season fire warning issued for Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket firefighters issued a fire warning yesterday, following a field blaze south of the Heroines’ Monument on Thepkrasattri Road. “This time of year, during the drought season, the grass fields get very dry and become fire hazards. People must be very aware of this and not throw away anything that could start a fire, such as cigarette butts,” Amnach…
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Patong’s bowling puts them on top against ICC
PHUKET: Island Cricket Club (ICC) hosted Patong Cricket Club (PCC) at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) in Thalang last Sunday, kicking off the first game of March. ICC won the toss and sent Patong into bat, in playing conditions that were unexpectedly warm and dry – unusual for this time of year in Phuket. Patong openers Imtiyaz Mustaq and Waseem…
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Opinion: Jessie Vard Fighting for fairy-tale ending
PHUKET: Reaction on social media to pleas for justice from Jessie Vard through a series of recent Facebook videos that went viral, should serve as an interesting case in observing the extent to which social media can impact the Thai criminal justice system. It goes without saying that there are two sides to every story and that what is known…
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“Missing’ Austrian tourist in Phi Phi surfaces in Bangkok
PHUKET: An Austrian tourist reported missing on Phi Phi island has surfaced safe and sound in Bangkok. Mario Schatz, 23, was reported missing to Krabi Tourist Police yesterday. “He came to Ton Sai with three friends on Wednesday. His friends told us that at about 2pm he went to do some laundry and never came back,” a Krabi Tourist Police…
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Felling of century-old banyan tree outrages local conservation group
PHUKET: The felling of a more than 100-year-old banyan tree has outraged a local Phuket conservation group, with members vowing to find the culprits behind the act. Members of the Big Tree Club – a group of local engineers and architects who fight against the felling of old trees in Phuket – contacted the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) and…
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Heroines’ Memorial Festival kicks off tomorrow
PHUKET: This year’s Heroines’ Memorial Festival, which kicks off on Saturday, is sure to impress all in attendance with its cultural and historical activities to honor Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn. “The purpose of this event is to honor the heroism of Lady Thepkrasattri and Lady Srisoonthorn, who sacrificed their blood and lives for generations to come,” Governor Nisit Jansomwong…
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Phi Phi police hunt gibbon tout after Instagram post
PHUKET: Phi Phi Island Police are investigating the exploitation of animals on the island following former Miss Universe Natalie Glebova posting a photograph of her posing with a gibbon in Ton Sai on Instagram on Monday. The photograph posted on the popular photo-sharing site showed Mr Glebova smiling and holding the baby gibbon, which had been dressed up in a…
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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