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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5 hidden healthcare costs in Thailand and how to avoid them
Thailand's healthcare system is affordable and supported by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme, offering essential services to most citizens. However, hidden healthcare costs can surprise patients and lead to unexpected expenses. These include specialist fees, insurance gaps, emergency services,...
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Australia-Asia program to combat trafficking in persons
PHUKET: Thailand’s criminal-justice response to human trafficking received a boost from the Australian government yesterday, as an arrangement to commence the Australia-Asia Program to Combat Trafficking In Persons (AAPTIP) in Thailand was signed at a ceremony in Bangkok. This signing marks a milestone in the implementation of AAPTIP – a program through which the Australian government has made a five-year…
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Man to stand trial for attempted rape of Australian tourist
PHUKET: The Office of the Phuket Public Prosecutor has confirmed that it will prosecute a man for the attempted rape of an Australian tourist on Koh Maphrao, east of Phuket, in November. The man, who has yet to be named by police, surrendered to officers after staff at a resort on the island notified police of the incident, and officers…
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Police nab pharmacy stick up artists
PHUKET: A pair of pharmacy stick up artists were cuffed after a six-day spree in Phuket. Hadsadin Art-aonsri, 26, and Jetsada Petkaeo, 24, were arrested by police after attempting to rob one pharmacy once and successfully robbing another twice. The pair were nabbed after robbing JK Health Care for the second time, this time at about 4:30am. “We actually recognized…
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Phuket Town lights up with LED streetlamps
PHUKET: More than 1,000 low-energy LED lights have been installed on the streets of Phuket Town to replace last-century sodium streetlamps, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana announced over the weekend. The LED lamps – numbering 1,176 in total – were installed last week as part of the nationwide “Road to LED” project that aims to cut down on public electricity…
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Nightclub security guard dies in motorbike crash
PHUKET: A security guard at Hollywood Discotheque on Soi Bangla, Patong, died in a motorbike accident this weekend in what police believe was a case of “falling asleep while riding”. Anuchat Phoemphun, 37, died after sustaining severe head injuries when his motorbike slammed into a tree near the Go-Kart track at the bottom of Patong Hill at about 8:20am on…
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Tourist dies during snorkelling tour off Phuket
PHUKET: A 38-year-old Chinese tourist died during a snorkelling tour at Koh Racha, a popular day-trip island about 25km south of Phuket, yesterday. He Hua was with his family and friends when the tragic incident occurred, explained Phuket Tourist Police Chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit. “The other tourists were enjoying their lunch on a beach at Koh Racha when Mr He went…
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Frenchwoman confesses to false snatch report
PHUKET: A French tourist has been charged with filing a false police report of a bag snatch in Phuket that never happened in order to claim her lost camera on travel insurance. Delphine Claudia Nicot, 43, yesterday reported to the Chalong Police that she had her bag stolen by two men on a motorbike while she was walking along the…
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No change in alcohol vending hours, despite new order from PM Prayut
PHUKET: A top-ranking police officer and a leading Phuket health official today both confirmed that there has been no change in the hours that alcohol may be sold, despite a new order signed into effect by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. PM Prayut signed the order on January 6, to be noted in the Government Gazette as coming into effect…
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Beach chair leniency ends in Phuket (video)
PHUKET: Recent leniency concerning beach loungers on Patong Beach has come to an end to prevent further confusion, Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup has told the Phuket Gazette. The mayor was originally allowing beachgoers to bring onto the beach their own smaller, collapsible sun loungers, as well as other chairs, during the three-month beach-management trial run (stories here and here). “There…
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Danish tourist, 70, injured in Krabi bus crash
PHUKET: A 70-year-old Danish tourist was injured this morning when the Phuket tour bus he was travelling in hit a central road barrier north of Krabi Town. Suwit Suthimon, the driver of the Pulsiri Travel bus involved in the accident, told police that he swerved to avoid a motorbike that had entered his lane. The emergency maneuver forced him to…
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Drug suspect hunt begins after police blockade dodged
PHUKET: Police are searching for at least two men who dodged a police blockade and then threw 2,060 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) from their car while fleeing officers in pursuit early this morning. The suspects failed to stop at the first checkpoint, set up at at Baan Bangla in Pa Khlok, about two kilometers from the Heroines’ Monument, at…
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New Cherng Talay top cop promises crackdown on animal touts
PHUKET: The newly instated Cherng Talay Police superintendent, who took up the position last week, has vowed to crack down on animal touts on Phuket’s beaches. The promise to act follows a report from a concerned Phuket Gazette reader who spotted men on Laem Singh Beach offering tourists the opportunity to be photographed with different animals, including a snake, parrot…
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Police warn of car robberies through hacked remote controls
PHUKET: Police are warning motorists throughout Phuket not to leave valuables in their vehicles after a bizarre incident in Surat Thani left about 20 cars immobilized by what police believe was a “hacking” of the remote control signals. Surat Thani Police on Monday were called to the Central Plaza shopping mall in Wat Pradu, where about two dozen people could…
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Phuket Police palm off gender-bender payoff
PHUKET: A man was arrested for attempting to pay Phuket police officers a bribe to free three lady boys busted for stealing a gold necklace from an Australian tourist last night. Piyaphan Wongyai, 24, was taken into custody after officers turned down his 30,000 baht bribe. Admittedly looking for money to pay for cosmetics and to party with, Suriyon Supohnok,…
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Artificial reefs to be deployed off Koh Racha
PHUKET: Dive and tour boats visiting Koh Racha, an island about 25km south of Phuket, are urged to exercise caution there early next month, as work continues to expand artificial reefs in the area. “We will deploy artificial-reef modules at Plub Pla Bay and Teu Bay from February 2-7,” said Paitoon Panchaiyaphum, director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation…
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Thailand, Malaysia to face off at Aussie Rules match in Phuket
PHUKET: It has been 19 years since the first international match of Australian Rules was played in Thailand, between the Thailand Tigers and the Hong Kong Dragons at Bangkok’s Kasetsart University. Since then, the sport has grown significantly in the Kingdom, and it is now coming to Phuket. Saturday, March 7 will see the first-ever Aussie Rules football match played…
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Super Bowl XLIX: Seahawks vs Pats in the “Duel in the Desert’
PHUKET: The defending Super Bowl champs and NFC champs the Seattle Seahawks (12-4 regular season) will square off against the New England Patriots (12-4) in Super Bowl XLIX (Super Bowl 49 for those of you whose knowledge of Roman numerals is rusty) at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. [Monday, Feb 2, 6:30am Phuket time on NBC]. The…
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Suspected Phuket ATM-heist getaway truck found dumped
PHUKET: Police believe they have found the pick-up truck used to flee an attempted ATM robbery in Thalang on January 16. The truck was found yesterday abandoned at the entrance of a rubber-tree plantation on the border of Srisoonthorn and Pa Khlok, Lt Suporn Muangkhai of the Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette. Police began their search for the suspects…
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British backpacker found dead on Koh Tao
PHUKET: A British backpacker has died on Koh Tao, where British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered in September last year. Christina Annesley, 23, from Orpington in south London, was found dead on Wednesday night. Her mother Margaret, 55, announced her death on Facebook, saying: “We have lost our beautiful daughter Chrissie of natural causes. “We are totally…
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Lifeguard warns of dangerous conditions at Surin Beach
PHUKET: Surin Beach lifeguards have warned beachgoers to exercise caution during the next two days, as a storm system in the Indian Ocean combined with king tides is generating unseasonal waves and dangerous shore break conditions. “Conditions will be especially dangerous near high tide for the next two days, between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Swimmers should stay well away from large…
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Asleep-at-the-wheel driver escapes serious injury in Phuket
PHUKET: A man crashed into a tree after having allegedly fallen asleep at the wheel on a dangerous southbound curve on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday evening. Pichayakarn Masuk, 22, was taken by rescue workers to Thalang Hospital for minor cuts and bruises. “We believe Mr Pichayakarn fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of his car, causing him to hit…
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Phuket shaman arrested on pedophile charges
PHUKET: A shaman wanted for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl during a ritual in Patong last year has denied the charges after evading police for months. Police arrested Wasu Kumprayoon, 45, in Phang Nga at about 11pm yesterday on a warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court on November 14. “The girl’s mother explained that Mr Wasu had persuaded her…
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Employment Office denies delays in issuing Phuket work permits
PHUKET: The new chief of the Phuket Employment Office has denied allegations that his office is taking up to two months to process work permits. The Phuket Gazette was tipped-off by a concerned foreigner about an alleged backlog that was causing long delays in the issuance of work permits – a process that usually takes seven working days. However, Pitool…
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Snatch thieves nabbed within 24 hours of gold necklace rip ‘n’ run
PHUKET: Police in Karon Tuesday took only 24 hours to track down and arrested a 21-year-old man and his 13-year-old accomplice for a snatch-and-run that relieved a tourist of his 38,000-baht gold necklace. Danish national Preben Andersen, 66, told police that he first noticed two youths following him from Karon Circle, as he and his wife rode their motorbike to…
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Phuket sailors shine at Langkawi regatta
PHUKET sailors dominated the Multihull class in blustery conditions at the Royal Langkawi International Regatta (click here) this week to claim the top two podium positions in the division. Grenville Fordham and Bob Mott co-skippered Andaman Cabriolet Nina well in winds of up to 25 knots to claim overall honors in the Multihull class. Nina is a regular in the…
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Lighthouse Market fully booked at Boat Lagoon – join the fun
PHUKET: All available space for the inaugural Lighthouse Market at the Boat Lagoon is sold, bringing the island two nights of quality shopping, food and fun from about 60 vendors. The fun gets underway at 3pm on Saturday and continues until the close at 9pm, returning at the same time on Sunday for five more hours of festivities. Live performances,…
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Breaking News: Police seize Phuket tourists’ beach umbrellas, chairs
PHUKET: Confusion reigned at Patong Police Station this morning when a group of tourists arrived to reclaim their beach chairs and umbrellas, which were mistakenly confiscated by officers trying to ensure that vendors were not encroaching outside the recently established special beach zones. About 15 tourists arrived at the station, Lt Col Sutthichai Tianpho of the Patong Police confirmed. “Police…
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Phuket fishing boat raid nets Myanmar illegals in human trafficking raid
PHUKET: A task force of officials from six government agencies today selected just three fishing boats at Rassada Pier to raid in a search for illegal migrant workers. The team found four suspects, who were all charged with entering and working in the country illegally. “They will be deported,” confirmed Phuket Immigration chief Col Sunchai Chokkajaykij. The task force was…
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Security concerns threaten Phuket concert for Myanmar nationals
PHUKET: The very first concert in Phuket dedicated to entertaining Myanmar nationals may yet be canceled for security reasons. Posters and billboards erected around Phuket Town promote the “Myanmar – Thai Cultural Relationship Concert” to be held in a field behind Bus Terminal 1 on Phang Nga Road on January 31. The event is to feature Myanmar celebrities R Zarni,…
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Phang Nga Bay Regatta calls for cruisers to take sail
PHUKET: The iconic Phang Nga Bay Regatta returns for its 18th edition this year, with a move to March and calls for cruisers to take sail on the bay. The annual regatta, informally dubbed “the party regatta” from its reputation in its founding years, has for more than a decade been held, or at least started, in February. This year,…
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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