Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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Death of Korean tourist mired in murky Phuket dive company waters
PHUKET: Police have confirmed that they are investigating the death of a Korean tourist who was pulled unconscious from the water while diving near Coral Island, off Phuket’s southeast coast, on Saturday. Kim Sang Min, 47, had been in the water for just a few minutes when the guide saw him floating on the surface shortly before 10am. “The tour…
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No flash flood warning for Phuket – yet
PHUKET: Despite heavy rains throughout Phuket today, the local office of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has confirmed that no warning has been issued for flash floods or landslides on the island. “We haven’t been told to issue local warnings,” Santhad Panbanpeaw, director of the Phuket TMD office, told the Phuket Gazette. “The current wet weather is the same as…
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Phuket bag handler nabbed for swiping tourist’s Mac laptops
PHUKET: Tourist Police on Saturday arrested a bus bag handler in Phuket for stealing two laptops from a Chinese woman last week. Ywei Guo, 24, boarded the Trang-Phuket bus in Krabi Town last Wednesday. Only after arriving in Phuket did Ms Ywei notice that her Macbook Pro and Macbook Air were missing from her bag, which had been loaded into…
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Thai dessert seller found drowned under sidecar in canal
PHUKET: A woman who sold Thai desserts was found drowned, trapped under her sidecar in the Klong Koh Pee canal on the outskirts of Phuket Town, yesterday. Police called to the scene in Soi Sakdidet 9 in Wichit at 9am saw the wheels of a sidecar above the water, said Lt Jarus Laempan of the Wichit Police. After 20 minutes,…
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Java on fire to win Phuket Multihull Solutions Regatta
PHUKET: Mick Coleman and his crew on Java blazed around the course off the east coast of Phuket over the weekend to win the Racing Multihull Class in the Phuket Multihull Solutions Regatta. Java mastered wind blasts of up to 30 knots to score four firsts and two second-place finishes, amassing a total of just six points to lift the…
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Taekwondo star: ‘My coach hit me’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Taekwondo star: ‘My coach hit me’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Taekwondo Association of Thailand will launch an investigation into national coach Chai Young Seok after his charge – Asian Championship bronze medallist Rungrawee Kurasa – alleged he physically assaulted her. The 23-year-old taekwondo…
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Germany’s strength in depth delivers ultimate prize
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Germany’s strength in depth delivers ultimate prize Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Germany’s impressive strength in depth proved the decisive factor in their 1-0 extra-time World Cup final victory over Argentina on Sunday as Lionel Messi failed to deliver the golden touch for the South Americans.…
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DNP chief locked and loaded: targets high-ranking officials over Phuket land snatching
PHUKET: More than 1,000 rai of Phuket land illegally owned by former ministers, deputies and provincial governors will be returned to the public, said Samak Donnapee, director of the Bureau of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). “The 92 plots being taken back are in Sakoo and Cherng Talay,” confirmed Sirinath National Park Chief Kitiphat Tharapiban to the Phuket…
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Speedboat rescues Phuket captain found floating at sea in life jacket
PHUKET: A boat captain bobbing at sea in a life jacket was rescued by a speedboat 20 minutes after his boat sank near Koh Yao Yai yesterday afternoon. Apichart Lawthong, 51, was the only person on board when the boat, which was carrying construction supplies, foundered in rough seas. “I left Phuket at about 11am, headed to Phi Phi,” Mr…
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Marine Police ramp up inspections to promote Phuket boat safety
PHUKET: Marine police are in the midst of a blitz on Phuket tourist boats and crew to promote safety over the four-day holiday weekend. “It’s our responsibility to continually check on the boats and strictly enforce regulations to ensure the safety of passengers, especially during the long holidays, when more people are expected to be in Phuket,” said Lt Col…
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Police suspect kickstand played role in fatal Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: A helmet-less Myanmar national was killed after losing control of his motorbike on a curve while driving with his kickstand down in Phuket yesterday. When police arrived at the scene on Phra Phuket Kaew Road, they found 27-year-old Phyo Maung Maung’s motorbike, with the kickstand down, on the median and Mr Phyo’s body in a lane of oncoming traffic.…
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Military silent on ‘cash for clearance’ at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: Navy officers have fallen silent over their investigation into immigration officials at Phuket International Airport who allegedly solicit cash payments from tourists to clear immigration queues. On Wednesday, one of the top-ranking officers who led a Monday raid of the airport declined to reveal to the Phuket Gazette whether or not his officers were continuing their investigation into the…
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Big snake caught choking the chicken in Phuket
PHUKET: A Phuket resident woke with a start in the middle of the night Tuesday after a python started dining in his chicken coop. “I heard my chickens panicking, so I went to the henhouse to see what was wrong,” Thanarat Manlin told the Phuket Gazette. “I was so shocked when I peeked inside and saw a big python killing…
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Kathu Culture Street Festival kicks off today
PHUKET: The Kathu Culture Street Festival, showcasing the unique blend of cultural heritage of the area, starts today with a parade at 4:00pm. The parade will begin at Kathu Municipality and end at the Kathu Public Health Center, followed by an opening ceremony at 6pm. “The goal of the festival is to encourage locals and tourists to learn more about…
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Unemployed Phuket tour bus staffers plead for help
PHUKET: Local tour operator staff made redundant by companies using their own buses, drivers and guides to provide tours of Phuket appealed yesterday to the Governor’s Office for help in alleviating their plight. Kanlaya Rakvaree, the lead representative of the group, explained that many local jobs had been lost to companies that no longer hire Phuket tour companies to conduct…
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Phuket house burglar’s rampage comes to abrupt end
PHUKET: Police yesterday snared a serial burglar who confessed to having robbed 12 Phuket residences since mid-June. The 22-year-old Phang Nga native, Raewat Kasirak, was identified by police from many CCTV footage clips recovered from throughout the island, explained Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of the Phuket City Police. Mr Raewat, who was arrested in front of the Phuket Vocational College…
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Pressure on Phuket Governor over Surin Beach ‘failure’
PHUKET: Three Cherng Talay residents who last week filed a petition and a police complaint against Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut over the clearing of Surin Beach returned to Cherng Talay Police Station on Wednesday. The complaint alleged that Governor Maitri had failed to perform his duties as the Governor of Phuket by not clearing all structures from Surin Beach (story…
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Argentina and Germany start final preparations
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Argentina and Germany start final preparations Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Argentina and Germany were both back at work on Thursday, secretly hatching their plans for Sunday’s World Cup final at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. While their contrasting styles promise a classic battle between…
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Phuket man found at lake bottom after midday fishing, drinking session
PHUKET: The body of a 65-year-old man was recovered from a lake in Cherng Talay by rescue divers hours after his wife reported him missing. Arwin Norkam went searching for her husband, Don Norkam, at about lunch time this afternoon. At the lake, where he had gone to fish, she found his clothing, shoes, fishing tackle and a bottle of…
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Rio’s Christ to light up Twitter’s World Cup campaign
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World sport selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rio’s iconic Christ statue will be lit up on the eve of Sunday’s World Cup final in the colours of each of the finalists’ flags with Twitter users to determine which is displayed the longest. Starting on Wednesday, Twitter Inc users around the world can participate by…
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Phuket catamaran flips in regatta warm-up
PHUKET: All crew are safe after a Phuket boat flipped in practice this afternoon ahead of the Multihull Solutions Regatta, which starts tomorrow. Twin Sharks, one of the fastest Firefly catamarans in the fleet, flipped in strong winds gusting up to 25 knots on Chalong Bay. The boat owner, John Newnham, and his three crewmen are safely back on shore…
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Phuket to observe two-day alcohol ban starting at midnight
PHUKET: The sale of alcohol will be prohibited in Phuket tomorrow and Saturday as part of a nationwide ban to honor the Buddhist holiday of Asarnha Bucha and the start of Buddhist Lent. “Alcohol sales are prohibited from midnight tonight until midnight Saturday,” Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Sakchai Limcharoen told the Phuket Gazette this morning. The Saturday alcohol ban…
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Phuket beach shops fetched B7mn apiece, B400k a year in rent, say officials
PHUKET: Shops and restaurants torn down by officials at Nai Thon Beach yesterday were bought for as much as 7 million baht apiece and fetched rental fees of up to 400,000 baht a year, officials have revealed. “It is obvious that the people who run these shops are business operators, not local people living day by day,” Sirinath National Park…
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Argentina beat Dutch in shootout to reach final
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Argentina beat Dutch in shootout to reach final Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Argentina’s Sergio Romero saved two penalties in a 4-2 shootout win over the Netherlands to seal their first World Cup final place in 24 years after the first ever goalless semi-final at the…
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Ousted Patong beach vendors promised employment-advice meeting
PHUKET: The more than 1,000 Patong beach vendors dislodged from the sands today have been promised a meeting with Patong Municipality and Army officials to discuss how they may continue earning a living without encroaching on public land. The vendors were served eviction notices yesterday and given a Friday deadline for removing all illegal structures from the beach. More permanent…
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No crackdown on Patong nightlife, assures Phuket’s top-ranking soldier
PHUKET: The top-ranking soldier on the island confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today that the army and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) have no plans to crack down on the Patong nightlife industry. “We haven’t even considered it,” Maj Gen Peerapol Wiriyakul said. “We understand that Patong is a tourist destination, and we would prefer to just…
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Phuket Governor cleans Karon Beach, urges beachgoers to obey red flags
PHUKET: While leading a mass beach cleanup at Karon this morning, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut urged tourists to heed the red flags posted along the waterline. “Beach guards have told me that tourists ignore the red flags,” Governor Maitri said. “This is very dangerous. We would like tourists to enjoy Phuket without putting themselves at risk. Please listen to the…
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Breaking News: Phuket beach vendors push back at military attempt to clear Patong Beach
PHUKET: More than 100 Phuket beach vendors surrounded Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsab and Kathu District Chief Sayan Chanachaiwong as they, with the backing of military personnel, attempted to clear Patong Beach this morning. “This is where we earn a living; we have been here for many years. We are not harming anybody. Why would you stop us from earning a…
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Immigration looks to enforce life ban for overstays within weeks
PHUKET: New penalties that will lead to some foreigners caught overstaying their permits-to-stay being blacklisted from re-entering Thailand for life may be introduced before the end of the month. The news follows reports of a new form, titled “The Acknowledgment of Penalties for Visa Overstay”, being distributed to all immigration checkpoints throughout the country. The new proposed penalties are listed…
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Armed soldiers join inspection of abandoned Phuket resort
PHUKET: The investigation into land encroachment at Phuket’s Sirinath National Park continued today as officials – including about 30 armed Army personnel – inspected an abandoned resort, with national media in tow. The property, Phuket Peninsular Spa & Resort, is on the original list of 10 – which has now grown to 14 – that have long been under investigation…
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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