Phuket News
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Tiger Disco inferno trial to begin April 2015
PHUKET: The long-awaited manslaughter trial over the deaths of four people in Patong’s Tiger Disco inferno, in August 2012, will begin with its first witness testimony in April 2015, confirmed the case public prosecutor. Tiger Group CEO Piya Isaramalai and Sara Entertainment Co Ltd each face one charge of causing death through negligence under Section 291 of the Thai Criminal…
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Dodging the dengue fever bullet
Special Report Phuket consistently has among the highest number of dengue sufferers in the country, and the disease has killed one 24-year-old woman in Patong and hospitalized hundreds of others on the island already this year. Yet hope is on the horizon. French company Sanofi Pasteur has a vaccine in the works that may be ready for deployment by late…
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Man wanted for Phuket slasher attack surrenders to police
PHUKET: The man wanted for beating his female partner and hacking the back of her neck with a machete in central Phuket two weeks ago has surrendered to police. The suspect, Thikamporn Teerathiopartsawad, 24, now faces a charge of attempted murder. Mr Thikamporn’s girlfriend, Amporn Parawech, 23, dragged herself into a neighborhood store near her rented house in Thalang late…
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Driver escapes serious injury in Phuket pick-up truck flip
PHUKET: A man escaped serious injury yesterday when the pick-up truck he was driving flipped over on Thepkrasattri Road. Worawit Jawaort, 32, was crawling out of the vehicle when police arrived at the scene, a few hundred meters from the Baan Hongyok School in northern Thalang, at 9am. “Mr Worawit didn’t appear to have any serious injuries, just a few…
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Optimism rules Phuket beach after clear out, cleanup
PHUKET: Kamala was added to the list of Phuket beaches cleaned up and cleared of all illegal establishments today as local officials and residents disposed of the last pieces of rubbish left behind by businesses. “All beach vendors removed their buildings last week. Today, we went to clean the area because the shop owners left a lot of garbage behind,”…
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Phuket shortcuts proposed to bypass the bypass
PHUKET: A new shortcut from the Heroines’ Monument to Kathu has been proposed to alleviate congestion at Koh Kaew, Ban Khu and Tesco Lotus intersections. The road would start about 300 meters west of the Heroines’ Monument on Srisoonthorn Road and run south 1.3 kilometers to join Route 3004, which connects to Soi Han Farang and passes the British International…
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Phuket hospital praised for earthquake emergency-response drill
PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut hailed the annual emergency evacuation drill at Vachira Phuket Hospital yesterday an “impressive” success. The afternoon drill featured an earthquake simulation in which participants pretended that the building was shaking and items were falling off the shelves. They also carried out a fire drill and recreated the scenario of staff losing track of patients in the…
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Phuket’s Bang Jo Prison declared ‘white’
PHUKET: An early morning raid of Bang Jo Prison turned up no drugs or contraband today. More than 90 officers, led by Phuket Prison Chief Rapin Nichanon, began the search at 5:30am. Each of the 68 inmates was searched, as were their lockers, sleeping quarters, the infirmary and other areas where officers believed contraband could be hidden. “The facility was…
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Sidewalks near Heroines’ Monument cleared of vendors for pedestrian safety
PHUKET: Shops obstructing the sidewalk along Srisoonthorn Road east of the Heroines’ Monument in Phuket have been cleared out in an effort to improve safety for pedestrians. Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut and Srisoonthorn Mayor Worawut Songyos inspected the area yesterday after having ordered vendors on both sides of the road to remove their structures on Tuesday. “We are enforcing an…
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Phuket boy, 14, drowns in heavy surf at Karon Beach
PHUKET: A boy who was to turn 15 years old in five days drowned at Karon Beach this morning. Kunakorn Saetiaw was seen swimming with friends at about 6am. His body washed ashore about 30 minutes later. “The boys went into the surf even though there were red flags along the beach marking the area as dangerous for swimming,” Kata-Karon…
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Army bolsters order to evict all businesses from Karon Beach by Saturday
PHUKET: Armed soldiers were present yesterday as eviction notices ordering all businesses to vacate Karon Beach by Saturday were delivered. Karon Mayor Tawee Thongcham walked the length of the beach to issue the notices to each vendor operating on the sand. He was joined by Maj Gen Paween Pongisirin of Region 8 Police, soldiers from the 41st Military Circle and…
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Dimitrov crushes champion Murray at Wimbledon
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Dimitrov crushes champion Murray at Wimbledon Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Grigor Dimitrov broke British hearts by ending Andy Murray’s reign as Wimbledon champion with a sublime and serene 6-1 7-6(4) 6-2 victory in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. The third seed had confidently marched into the…
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Phuket woman stabs boyfriend, takes him to hospital
PHUKET: Police charged a Phuket woman with assault for stabbing her boyfriend last night. However, they are allowing her to stay in the hospital to care for him. Emergency room staff at Patong Hospital notified police at about 8pm that a man had been admitted with stab wounds. When officers arrived, Adinan Na Phattalung, 54, was being treated for a…
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Let the sailors do the talking – Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek 2014
PHUKET: They say word of mouth is the best type of advertising. Organizers of the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek have always known this and since the regatta’s inception, they have always put the sailors first. “When Phuket Raceweek was launched in 2004, sailors’ needs were central to the planning and organization,” said Byron Jones, Managing Director of organizers Media…
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10,000 pages of evidence turned over to Phuket prosecutor for taxi-mafia cases
PHUKET: Police yesterday delivered boxes of investigative documents to the Phuket Provincial Public Prosecutor for the cases of more than 100 taxi mafia members. “The evidentiary report we submitted was over 10,000 pages long,” said Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongisirin, who is spearheading the Phuket taxi mafia takedown. “It represents a total of 12 cases and 112 arrests.” Additionally, police…
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Breaking News: Army raids municipality offices for Phuket mafia taxi connections
PHUKET: About 50 officers raided the Kata-Karon Municipality offices today to search for evidence of the popular tourist town’s mayor and handpicked deputy mayors’ involvement in the Phuket taxi mafia. Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongisirin led the task force of Army, Navy and police officers at about 11:30. Kata-Karon Deputy Mayors Ithiporn Sangkeaw and Sompong Dabpetch surrendered themselves at Phuket…
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Father offers B100,000 reward for kidnapped British girls
PHUKET: Police on Phuket continue to scour the island as the father of two young girls abducted by their mother in Pattaya last month offers a 100,000-baht reward for information leading to their safe return. Robert Day, the British father, has publicized his search for the girls on Thai TV and in newspapers throughout the nation in the hope of…
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Argentina, Belgium through after extra-time drama
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Argentina, Belgium through after extra-time drama Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Argentina scored in the 118th minute to beat Switzerland and Belgium clung on to defeat the United States in another heart-stopping period of extra time to reach the World Cup quarter-finals amid more extraordinary drama…
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Human traffickers removed from Phuket’s migrant-labor supply chain
PHUKET: Human-trafficking brokers operating on the island are to be cut out of the migrant-labor supply chain under a new system being put in place at the Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO). “If any business in Phuket needs more Cambodian laborers, for example, they can apply at the PPEO and we will contact offices in Sa Kaeo, Surin, Trat and…
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Gunpowder found in car of Phuket cop suspected of drive-by killing
PHUKET: Police have ordered a forensic investigation after finding gunpowder in the car of a police officer suspected of playing a role in a fatal Phuket drive-by shooting in May. The officer, who police have declined to name, denied any involvement in the incident the morning after the killing (story here). The gunpowder; the suspect’s private firearm, a 9mm handgun;…
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Weather warning: Tourists cautioned about small boat tours from Phuket today
PHUKET: A small boat warning has been issued until tomorrow due to expected big waves caused by the annual southwest monsoons. “My biggest concern is for small boat operators, especially tour boats carrying a lot of tourists. Wave heights are expected to reach three meters today. Boat operators must be very cautious and check the forecast regularly,” said San Jantharawong,…
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Not satisfied with Patong massage, man robs masseuse
PHUKET: A Pattani man enjoyed a three-hour massage in a Patong hotel room last night, then robbed his masseuse and fled, but was quickly caught by police. Police were alerted by staff at the Patong Sub Inn at about 7:30pm that a woman had been tied up and had called for help, said Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Khunnadet Nanongkhai. The…
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All World Cup matches to be aired: NBTC
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community All World Cup matches to be aired: NBTC The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday reassured bleary-eyed football fans that all remaining World Cup matches would be telecast on Army-run Channel 5, state-run NBT and Thai PBS after two…
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Germany and France end African hopes, Suarez sorry
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Germany and France end African hopes, Suarez sorry Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Germany and France snuffed out African hopes and reached the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday with hard-won victories over Algeria and Nigeria, while Uruguay striker Luis Suarez broke his silence to apologise for…
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Phuket first: Vegetarian Festival twice in one year
PHUKET: For the first time in its history, the world famous Phuket Vegetarian Festival will occur twice in one year. This year will see twice the number of 9th lunar months in the Chinese lunar calendar and twice the number of visits from the gods. However, maybe not twice the amount of celebrating. “According to the Chinese lunar calendar there…
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Beached whale found dead off island south of Phuket
PHUKET: An autopsy on a Cuvier’s beaked whale that was found dead on a beach south of Phuket yesterday morning revealed that the mammal had died of a disease that afflicted its lungs and kidneys. A marine officer on a routine survey of the Koh Li Bong coastline in Trang Province found the whale’s body on the beach at about…
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Police decline to investigate drive-by shooting until victims file complaint
PHUKET: Police will not investigate any further into a drive-by shooting that injured four people in Thalang early yesterday morning until the victims file a police complaint. The shooting, a single shotgun blast, took place at about 1am in front of a house near the Tah Reua Shrine on Thepkrasattri Road in Koh Kaew. “The victims told us that they…
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Swede arrested for Phuket property fraud, buyers out B22mn
PHUKET: Police arrested Russian-born Swedish national Vladimir Antochvili, 29, in Bangkok over the weekend on charges of defrauding Phuket property buyers in deals totalling more than 20 million baht. Officers arrested Mr Antochvili at an apartment in Soi Ramkhamhaeng, in the Hua Mak area of Bang Kapi, at about 12:45pm, Maj Tienchai Chomphu of Phuket Immigration told the Phuket Gazette.…
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Phuket Police tracing human trafficking network back to Cambodia
PHUKET: The Army has ordered Phuket police to trace the human trafficking network that led a group of Cambodians into debt-trapped servitude in a Phuket Town clothing store (story here). The owner of the shop, Pasita Sangsakul, from Bangkok, defended her purchase of the staffers when she was questioned by Phuket City Police at Phuket Provincial Hall. “I purchased the…
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Phuket tourist lad lost on Bangla quickly reunited with family
PHUKET: An Australian eight-year-old boy lost in the wilds of Soi Bangla early this morning was reunited with his anxious family within 30 minutes, thanks to the help of the Phuket Tourist Police. It was about midnight when an Aussie family – mother, father and boy – tearfully informed tourist police volunteers that they had lost their fourth family member.…
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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