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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India crush feeble England to win one-day series
PHUKET: India’s Shikhar Dhawan smashed a six to seal a crushing nine-wicket victory over hapless England in the fourth one-day international in Birmingham on Tuesday. The tourists cruised to a win that gave them an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series after another feeble England batting display in which the hosts were bowled out for a paltry 206 at Edgbaston.…
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Phuket’s Keesin family ‘betrayed’ by police in mafia case
PHUKET: Former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin today said that the police had betrayed him in an attempt to discredit his political career and his years of service to Patong. “I accept that the police are just doing their job, but I have no idea what the mafia charges are about. All those years I was a leader in Patong, I…
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Phuket police officers accused of extortion to be formally charged in two weeks
PHUKET: An official from the Public-sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) has announced that his officers need two more weeks to complete an investigation into three Chalong Police officers for their alleged abuse of power. “We are nearly ready to press formal charges and hand the case to the public prosecutor, but we need about two more weeks to finish our…
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Police raid offices of Phuket Pisona Group kingpins
PHUKET: Police this morning swooped in on the offices of the Pisona Group on Phra Baramee Road in Patong, home of the central holding company belonging to former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin and his son Prab. Officers led by Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, the Region 8 Police deputy commander who has spearheaded the purge of Phuket’s taxi mafia, seized one…
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Dolphinarium company calls meeting with Phuket vice governor
PHUKET: A representative of Phuket Aqua Project Co Ltd, the company that is building the Nemo dolphinarium in Chalong, held a closed-door meeting with Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa this morning. “We have heard that many people do not agree with our project,” the representative, who declined to be named, told the Phuket Gazette after the meeting. “People need to…
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Manchester United confirm Falcao loan deal
PHUKET: Manchester United confirmed they had signed Colombian striker Radamel Falcao on a one-year loan deal from Monaco after the transfer window closed on Monday. “#mufc is delighted to announce Radamel Falcao has joined on a 1-year loan from Monaco with an option to buy,” the Premier League team said on its Twitter feed. Falcao was in Manchester for a…
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Phuket taxi mafia suspects Pisona Group’s Pian Keesin and the “Pisona Seven’ out on bail
PHUKET: Former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, his sons “Prab” and Pattawee, and five other members of the Keesin-owned Pisona Group have been released on bail. Wanted on charges of extortion and criminal activities carried out by a criminal association (story here), Mr Pian and five other suspects from Pisona Group surrendered to officers at the Royal Thai Navy base at…
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Keesin family trio denied bail over Phuket mafia charges
PHUKET: Former Patong mayor Pian Keesin, two of his sons and five others wanted for their alleged role in taxi mafia activity on the island were denied bail by police today. Patong kingpin Preechawut “Prab” Keesin announced on his Facebook account on Thursday that he would turn himself over to the authorities on Monday [today], but did so at the…
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Officials under fire for allegedly issuing illegal Phuket land documents
PHUKET: More than a dozen officials suspected of illegally issuing land titles in Phuket are now under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), confirmed an NACC official on Saturday. “Sirinath National Park officers filed complaints with the Thalang Police. We then received a list of 16 officials that work for various government departments,” explained Prasart Pongsivapai of the NACC’s…
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Casillas wants improvement from ‘horrible’ Real Madrid
PHUKET: Real Madrid captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas has called for a big improvement after the European champions suffered a surprise early-season setback at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday. Real were missing injured top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo for their second La Liga outing of the campaign but quickly went 2-0 ahead at the Anoeta in San Sebastian before…
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Former Patong mayor surrenders to Navy for Phuket taxi mafia charges
PHUKET: Former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin surrendered to officers at the Royal Thai Navy base at Phuket’s Cape Panwa this morning. Mr Pian, and six other members of his operating company Pisona Group, including his son Pattawee Keesin, presented themselves at the base and were taken into custody. Under military escort, all seven suspects were handed over to Phuket City…
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Metered taxi prices jump as roving service starts in Phuket
PHUKET: A hike in metered taxi fares comes as roving metered taxis officially begin foraging Phuket for passengers, after the grand opening of the new island-wide service this morning. “We will now see more metered taxis driving throughout the island. There will eventually be about 1,400 metered taxis on Phuket,” said Phuket International Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham. “These metered taxi…
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Murray looks to continue success against French
PHUKET: No one loves beating up on French players quite like Andy Murray. Until losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Toronto last month, Murray had won 18 straight matches against French players. His career record against the French is 67-13 and between losing to Tsonga in the first round of the Australian Open in 2008 and to Richard Gasquet in the…
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Phuket soap shop fire causes B600k in damages
PHUKET: A fire erupted this morning in a Phuket soap and spa goods shop, causing about 600,000* baht in damages. Two firetrucks from Patong Municipality were called to the scene behind Jungceylon shopping center on Phang-Mueang Sai Kor Road at about 7:10am. “It took firefighters about 30 minutes to control the flames. No one was injured in the blaze,” Lt…
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Asia Games, then the World Cup, says Thailand’s national football coach in Phuket
PHUKET: The head coach of Thailand’s national football team hasn’t taken World Cup aspirations off the table, but right now, it’s time to focus on the Asian Games, he told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “Everybody in Thailand wants to see a Thai team in the World Cup. We are committed to making this happen, but in order to do so,…
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Police suspect suicide in death of Welsh backpacker on Phi Phi
PHUKET: A Welshman who was found dead on August 24 in his Phi Phi hotel room is thought to have committed suicide, Krabi City Police revealed to the Phuket Gazette today. Jack Davies, 21, from Llanelli, Wales, was found hanging from an electrical chord in his hotel bathroom, police said. “After investigating the scene, it appeared that he had used…
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Poll: Phuket majority demands cheaper taxis, outliers say ‘pay more’
PHUKET: Though the majority of tourists, residents and local Thais taking part in the Phuket Gazette‘s most recently closed poll have called for cheaper island taxis, a small number would like to see the price at least double. More than 4,500 readers took part in the online poll, which posed the question: “How much do you think is a fair…
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Nearly 17,000 migrant workers registered in Phuket, deadline pushed back
PHUKET: With nearly 17,000 migrant laborers already added to the system since late July, the deadline for registration has been pushed back from August 21 to October 31, a Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) officer told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. There are an estimated 15,000 more workers to be registered at the one-stop center in the Phuket Provincial Community Hall,…
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Party on, Phuket! No change in booze promotion enforcement, says health office
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) has no plans to ramp up enforcement of existing laws regulating the promotion of alcohol, despite reports stating otherwise, the Phuket Gazette was told today. “The law stands as it is,” said PPHO Non-communicable Diseases division Director Prapa Nakara, who directly heads the enforcement of alcohol-related regulations on the island. “I have no…
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Overworked Ronaldo claims he is close to best
PHUKET: Cristiano Ronaldo admits that he suffered for pushing himself too much at the end of last season but is now close to his best as Real Madrid prepare to face Real Sociedad this weekend. The Portuguese forward, who was named UEFA’s Best Player in Europe on Thursday, suffered knee problems at the end of the last campaign and was…
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Refreshed Murray beats Bachinger in straight sets
PHUKET: Eighth seed Andy Murray, who overcame cramping in his first-round victory, roared past unseeded German Matthias Bachinger in straight sets on Thursday to reach the third round of the US Open. Murray, the 2012 US champion and 2013 Wimbledon winner, looked fresh and strong in cool, breezy conditions as he rolled to a 6-3 6-3 6-4 victory at Arthur…
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Phuket Poll: Should we allow a dolphin park in Phuket?
PHUKET: Pressure is building for authorities in Bangkok to make an ethical choice on whether or not Phuket should have a dolphinarium as a tourist attraction. The issue splashed across headlines around the region after global conservation society Sea Shepherd alleged that at least one of the dolphins acquired for the nearly complete Nemo dophinarium in Chalong was sourced from…
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Livestock officials implore Phuket police to investigate baby elephant owner
PHUKET: Officers from the Phuket Livestock Office have implored police to investigate the case of a baby elephant who is being kept on a short chain in the parking lot outside a house on Chao Fa West Road. The call follows an investigation on August 24 into the legality of a 2-year-old elephant, Tiptawee (story here). Pichitra Tanode, who is…
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Video Report: Phuket dolphin park’s Taiji killing connection
PHUKET: Phuket stands to suffer widespread damage to its global reputation as a tourism destination if it allows the establishment of a dolphinarium in Chalong, said renown dolphin trainer turned animal rights activist Ric O’Barry, well-known for his role in the Academy-award winning documentary The Cove. “Most of the [captured] dolphins today are coming from the cove in Taiji, Japan.…
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Police warn Phuket motorists to be cautious in monsoon weather
PHUKET: Motorist must slow down and take more care on Phuket’s roads due to the recent heavy weather, said Tah Chat Chai Police Superintendent Somchai Sanprasert this morning. Col Somcha’s warning follows a minivan transporting six Japanese tourists flipping in the rain yesterday. One of the passengers received minor injuries. “The minivan driver, 43-year-old In Laiprakorn, was taking the six…
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Police arrest 69 for role in Phuket taxi mafia
PHUKET: Region 8 Police arrested 69 people today for their alleged roles in the Phuket taxi mafia. Police officers, joined by military personnel, swept through Patong in an attempt to serve 83 arrest warrants this morning. However, two high-profile suspects, former Patong mayor Pian Keesin and his son Prab, and 11 others remain at large. Of those taken into custody…
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Phuket sailors top Thailand Platu 25 National Championship
PHUKET: Local sailors Scott Duncanson and Alfie Rowson have won the open division of the 2014 Platu 25 National Championship held off Jomtien, Pattaya. The championships, raced over August 16-17, saw nine teams compete in the identical class of Platu yachts, known elsewhere in the world as Farr 25s, after their designer Bruce Farr. Day one started in light winds…
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Phuket students petition against dolphinarium
PHUKET: Students from the Prince of Songkla University Phuket campus yesterday handed Governor Maitri Inthusut a petition with more than 400 signatures to protest the nearly-complete Nemo dolphinarium in Chalong. “We have heard about the dolphinarium set to open on Soi Palai. We do not think that it is a good idea to keep dolphins in a park,” said Latifa…
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Party town kingpin Pian slapped with mafia charges
PHUKET: Military personnel and Region 8 Police raided the home of former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin this morning as they pursue mafia charges against the Phuket kingpin. “Mr Pian and his son Prab Keesin are both facing charges of extortion and criminal activity carried out by a criminal association,” Region 8 Commander Panya Mamen told the Phuket Gazette today. Region…
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Rockslide danger remains on Phuket’s busy bypass road
PHUKET: Work continues this morning clearing the huge shards of rock that spilled onto Phuket’s bypass road yesterday morning. Police were called to the scene, about 800m north of the Tesco Lotus shopping mall, after receiving reports of a rockslide at about 8am yesterday. Traffic police diverted motorists around the hazard while workers from Rassada Municipality worked on clearing the…
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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