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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Aggressive British beggar beaten on Bangla
PHUKET: A British beggar who was verbally abusing tourists who weren’t giving him money was attacked on Phuket’s main party street, Soi Bangla, last night. Patong Police and Kusoldharm rescue workers arrived at the scene to find Aziz Javid, 29, sprawled out on the road with a crowd of onlookers standing around him. “He was suffering from a minor head…
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Stunning Airshow set for Phuket’s Patong Beach tomorrow afternoon
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette has just been advised of an Airshow over Patong Beach tomorrow (Sunday, December 15) at 4pm. Organized by Patong Municipality to celebrate the opening of Phuket’s high season for tourism, the show will be repeated, also at 4pm, on Monday and Tuesday as well. The show stars world-renowned stunt pilot Les Vorosmarthy who flew into Phuket…
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Phuket resort looks to bring to heel Kata Noi taxi rank
PHUKET: Reform for the 60-vehicle taxi rank operating at the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort is on the horizon, said Katathani President and CEO Sombut Atiset yesterday. The hotel is working together with the Karon Municipality and Karon Police to establish a balance where everyone can “live together”, explained Mr Sombut. “We are working with the Kata Noi Taxi Service, and…
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Phuket Governor pushes ‘Visiting 3K Police Stations’ project
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut inspected Karon Police Station yesterday as part of his “Visiting 3K Police Stations” campaign to promote Phuket as a safe holiday destination. The governor is using the project to keep a close eye on police stations at three key tourism beach areas – Kathu (Patong), Kamala and Karon. In October Governor Maitri was given a…
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Missing Chinese tourist suffering from Alzheimers found in Phuket Town
PHUKET: A 59-year-old Chinese tourist who was reported missing two days ago and suffers from Alzhiemer’s disease was found last night. The last sighting of Deshen Zhaun, before he was found, was at at 3pm when he entered Madam Massage in the Phuket Merlin Hotel in Phuket Town, said the man’s son-in-law, Wichit Sae-Ju. “When I returned to pick him…
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Desperate Phuket mother turns to spirit medium to find missing daughter
PHUKET: The mother of missing 7-year-old Nong Dear has resorted to consulting a spirit medium after police efforts have failed to yield any results in the week the girl has been missing (story here). “It’s been a week now; I know police are working hard, but they are still unable to find my daughter,” Jaroon Papkaew said. “I didn’t know…
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Russia Beyond the Headlines – all about it, in a language you can understand
PHUKET: The latest issue of the Phuket Gazette, on newsstands across the island this weekend, includes our launch edition of Russia – Beyond the Headlines (RBTH).Like the China Daily we pioneered two years ago as a free supplement for our valued readers, RBTH delivers insights into its host country’s relationships with Thailand and Asia. It also explores Russian culture, sports,…
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Phuket Drift: Pickup makes move, flips, crashes
PHUKET: A pickup truck thwarted in a passing maneuver on Thepkrasattri Road flipped over and landed upside down on the median in Mai Khao yesterday morning. The cab was partially crushed by the impact, but the passenger and driver escaped with only minor injuries. Called to the scene at Baan Suan Maphrao at about 10:30am, police found Wutirai Chuchuay, 26,…
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Phuket’s iBless Philippines donations reach typhoon victims
PHUKET: Funds and relief goods collected for victims of Typhoon Haiyan under the iBless Philippines campaign have been sent to the Philippines, and more fund raising events are in the works. “We sent 139,468 baht and 2,700kg of emergency relief goods to the Philippines on November 29,” Bernardita Sanchez, an iBless committee member, told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. Some of…
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Patong ghost-resort owners ordered to clear way for residents
PHUKET: The absent owners of an abandoned resort in the foothills overlooking Patong have been given three months to respond to an order to allow access across their 200-million-baht plot of land – or face a court order to do so.Phuket Vice Governor Somkiat Sangkhaosutthirak delivered the news yesterday at the site of The Crest resort, on Phra Barami Road,…
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New Kathu District Chief vows to continue beach free-zone project
PHUKET: The new Kathu District Chief vowed today to pick up the reins of the Patong “beach clear” zone, which was set in motion by former Kathu chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol. In July Mr Veera requested that the Patong Municipality clear all vendors – including sun bed operators – from a large section of Patong Beach (story here). Mr Veera’s parting…
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Faulty Phuket public lighting deals deadly electric shock
PHUKET: A construction worker died from an electric shock yesterday afternoon when he leaned against a barbed wire fence to urinate. “The fence was accidentally electrified by a frayed wire,” said Lt Peerasit Noopayan of the Cherng Talay Police. A nearby light pole was leaning to one side, and the frayed wire which supplies it with electricity came into contact…
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Health woes blamed for Swedish expat suicide in Phuket
PHUKET: A Swedish expat who had repeatedly told his girlfriend he wanted to die because of health problems killed himself yesterday after sending his girlfriend out to buy lunch.When Kotchamon Boonraksa, 38, returned to the house in Rawai an hour later, the doors and windows were locked. “I called his phone again and again, but he didn’t answer,” she said.…
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Krabi Police ramp up tourist security as trial looms for Bobby Carter murder suspects
PHUKET: Police in the tourist area of Ao Nang, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, have beefed up patrols and launched a tourist-friendly campaign to heighten security ahead of the huge influx of visitors expected during the tourism high season. The move to boost safety comes as the public prosecutor prepares to bring to trial three musicians for the stabbing…
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Phuket Governor affirms Phuket Prison’s “white’ status
PHUKET: A pre-dawn search of Phuket Prison today failed to uncover any drugs or contraband being hidden by prisoners. The mass raid of the entire compound was held to establish the facility’s status as a Department of Corrections “White Prison”. Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusutwas led about 100 officers, including Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Arayapan Pukbuakao and Phuket Prison Chief…
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Search begins for missing Phuket girl, 7
PHUKET: A distraught mother has made a heartfelt plea to find her seven-year-old daughter, Natthapa “Nong Dear” Papkaew, last seen in a Chalong neighborhood on Friday. Nong Dear is about 120cm tall and about 16kg. “She has long black hair and is missing her two front teeth,” Ms Jaroon Papkaew, 45, told the Phuket Gazette. “She was wearing a yellow…
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Baby abandoned in front of Phuket mayor’s house
PHUKET: Police are questioning residents in the central Phuket area of Srisoonthorn after a baby was found abandoned in front of the local mayor’s house on Sunday. A maid discovered the newborn boy in front of Mayor Worrawut Songyot’s house when she arrived for work at 9am. “When we arrived, the infant male was wrapped in a yellow towel. His…
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Compulsory healthcare for foreigners a matter of choice: Poll
PHUKET: A clear majority of Thai nationals believe foreigners should not be compelled to buy health insurance when entering Thailand, but fewer than half of all tourists and expats living in the country shared that view, at least according to the results of the latest Phuket Gazette online readers’ poll. The poll – asking “What is the best insurance solution…
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Body believed to be western woman retrieved from water off Ranong, brought to Phuket
PHUKET: The body of a woman believed to be a westerner was found by a fishing boat off Ranong on November 30, and brought to Phuket yesterday.The woman was estimated to be 40-50 years old, about 170-180cm tall, and had white hair. She was wearing a green shirt and brown underwear when she was found, said Capt Weerachart Srira of…
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No amnesty for Phuket foreigners waiting for work permits
PHUKET: While illegal taxi, tuk-tuk and tour van drivers continue to work freely in Phuket under a government pledge of immunity from arrest, foreigners waiting for work permits will receive no such protection. In their long-accommodating efforts to encourage drivers working in the tourism industry to become legal, the provincial government has granted amnesty to all illegal transport drivers in…
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Patong ATM thieves caught with skimming equipment re-enact crime
PHUKET: The trio of professional thieves who were busted in Bangkok after robbing an ATM in Phuket were caught with what police believe to be ATM skimming equipment in addition to safe-cracking tools. Yesid Alexander Ledesma Gutierrez, 50, Luis Fernando Guarin Suta, 44, and Carlos Arturo Amariles Marin, 57 have all confessed to the blowtorch robbery, and took part in…
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Immigration stamps out rumors over retirement visas
PHUKET: Phuket Immigration Superintendent Napat Nusen issued a press release today clarifying that the rules regarding retirement visa extensions will remain unchanged, but will be interpreted more strictly. “Nothing has been changed. It has been the same since 2008. A wife can still use the same type of follower visa as before if her husband applies for a Non-immigrant O…
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Romanian arrested with 3kg of cocaine at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: Customs officers at Phuket International Airport arrested Romanian Pop Florin, 52, on Friday night after finding more than 3kg of cocaine in his baggage. Acting on a tip-off from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Customs officers from Bangkok came to Phuket to assist in the arrest, Phuket Airport Customs Director Montira Cherchoo explained. “Mr Florin departed Sao Paulo,…
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Phuket protest march becomes victory parade
PHUKET: Thousands of jubilant anti-government protesters are gathered outside of the main government buildings in Phuket Town, celebrating the decision of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra earlier today to dissolve her government. The protesters, however, vow to carry on protesting until the People’s Council proposed by Suthep Thaugsuban, the former deputy prime minister and protest leader in Bangkok, is set up.…
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Phang Nga gets jump on Phuket with high season party
PHUKET: Phang Nga kicked off its tourism high season with a colorful parade down the main street of Khao Lak to the Tsunami Memorial last night. The event comes a week ahead of the unofficial opening of the Phuket high season with the Patong Carnival (story here). The five-day festival marking the high season was ushered in by Phang Nga…
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Phuket road accidents claim lives of two men with same last name
PHUKET: Police have yet to establish whether two men who died in separate road accidents in Phuket yesterday were from the same family. Sutep Yotarak, 33, died after his motorbike collided with the motorbike driven by Araya Sanguannam, 62, in Mai Khao at about 11:30am. After Mr Sutep fell off his bike, he was struck by a passing car and…
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Nine Phuket heroes due to arrive next month
PHUKET: A 50-million-baht project to honor important figures in Phuket’s history moves closer to completion next month with the arrival of nine bronze statues. The statues represent individuals important in the defense of Phuket against Burmese invaders, including the well known Phuket Heroines, sisters Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn (story here). Cast in Ang Thong province, the statues will be…
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Phuket boy, 16, murdered with throat cut and body burned in woods
PHUKET: Police are investigating the murder of a 16-year-old boy who had been stabbed multiple times and whose throat was cut before his body was dumped and burned at a wooded location in a remote part of central Phuket. Police called to the scene – on Muang Chaofa Road, about 3km from Chao Fa West Road (map here) – shortly…
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Phuket Employment Office re-opens to process work permits
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO), which processes work permits for foreigners, quietly reopened today. “We are now back to working normally,” PPEO Chief Yaowapa Pibulpol told the Phuket Gazette. “Our office was closed for two and a half days, from the afternoon of December 3 through the public holiday for HM The King’s birthday yesterday,” she explained. “But…
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Boy, 14, killed by Phuket tour bus
pHUKET: A tour bus carrying Chinese tourists to view the sunset at Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape yesterday afternoon struck a motorbike carrying three teenagers in Rawai. One of the three teens died instantly in the impact. The other two are in hospital. Police arrived at the scene, on the southbound lane near the intersection with Sai Yuan Road (map here),…
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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