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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Phuket officials swoop on encroaching beach beds, umbrellas, and restaurants
Phuket officials swooped on encroaching beach beds, umbrellas, and restaurants on a beach in the Thalang district yesterday. A team of officials led by Thalang District Chief Bancha Tanuin inspected Lay Phang Beach in Cherng Talay. The officials asked operators to remove beach beds and umbrellas from the beach. Even though many tourists enjoy these things, authorities say they lead…
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Phuket crash kills foreigner, the 35th road death on island this year
Phuket’s number of road deaths reached 35 this year after a motorcycle crash killed a foreigner early this morning. The accident happened on Karon Beach Road on Phuket’s west coast at about 2.28am, according to Ruamjai Rescue Foundation. Rescuers and emergency medical service teams arrived on the scene to find a garbage truck parked on the side of the road.…
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Phuket rescuers find body of man who jumped from bridge
Phuket rescuers on Wednesday found the body of a man who jumped from the Thep Krasattri Bridge. Kusoldharm rescuers recovered the body, and the man’s wife confirmed that the body was her husband’s. The rescuers found the body floating about 1 kilometre away from the bridge, The Phuket Express reported. The names of the man and the wife were being…
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3 foreign men arrested in Thai police crackdown on child prostitution in Phuket
Following the crackdown on child prostitution at Velvet bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket two weeks ago, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) discovered six more foreign men also bought sexual services at the bar and through its network. Out of the six, three foreign men were arrested while three are on the run. The Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) and…
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Another Dutch national arrested in Phuket for illegally entering Thailand
A Dutch national was arrested in Phuket for illegally entering and staying in Thailand, on the same day that another citizen of the Netherlands was arrested in Phuket for the same crime. The Immigration Office at Phuket International Airport said that over the past weekend, it arrested a 61 year old Dutchman. The man was apprehended at the Immigration checkpoint…
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Australian arrested over Phuket restaurant brawl
UPDATE Police arrested an Australian man for his involvement in the brawl that broke out between foreign staff and foreign customers at Atlas Restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket in southern Thailand early on Monday morning, reports the Phuket Express. Police arrested 34 year old “Karen” of Australian nationality who admitted to starting the fight by throwing a bottle at the…
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Hong Kong Airlines to launch direct flights to Phuket
Low-cost carrier Hong Kong Airlines will launch a direct flight to Phuket in southern Thailand, starting June 16, 2023. An Airbus A320 will service the direct Hong Kong – Phuket route four times per week to meet rising demand as tourists return to Thailand in full force. The outbound flight will depart from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) at 8.20pm…
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About 7,000 Russians and Ukrainians stranded in Thailand
While it’s common to discuss the influx of Russians as they pour into the country and are investing more and more in villas and homes, it’s easy to forget about the thousands of people who are not staying by choice in Thailand. Around 7,000 Russians and Ukrainians are currently stranded in Thailand due to the ongoing war between the two countries.…
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Ban on fishing in Andaman Sea begins April 1
It’s that time of year again when the oceans need a break from humans in order to recover and regrow. Along the Andaman sea, fishing restrictions will be implemented for a three-month period from April 1 to June 30. The restrictions will cover the coastline of four provinces on the Andaman in an effort to allow fish stocks to recover.…
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Russian, Chinese investors drive Phuket property market
The Phuket property market is on fire now, with the help of Chinese and Russian investors. Chinese buyers are reportedly increasing their investments, buying up villas, shophouses, and even orchards, to cater to Chinese tourists. Russian property investors are also contributing to the surge in demand for villas and homes in Phuket. While Russians are interested in buying pool villas,…
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Brawl erupts between foreign staff and foreign tourists at Phuket restaurant (video)
A violent brawl erupted between three foreign staff members at a restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket, southern Thailand, and five drunk foreign tourists in the early hours of this morning. Partygoers notified Patong Police Station that a group of foreign tourists and a group of foreign restaurant staff were attacking each other with chairs at Atlas Restaurant on…
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Thai man sets ‘high’ score for fastest joint roller at Phuket’s Cannabis Cup
As cannabis remains one of the nation’s hottest political issues in Thailand prior to the election in May, one Thai man won 5,000 baht for rolling a perfect one-gramme joint in just 43 seconds at the first-ever Cannabis Cup in Phuket on Saturday, reports Reuters. Hailed the fastest joint roller in all of Phuket, 30 year old Phuketian Ativat Janmuangthai won…
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Phuket scumbag allegedly rapes teenage girl he contacted online
A Phuket scumbag allegedly raped a teenage girl he contacted online. The victim’s parents told Thalang Police that the suspect, 24 year old Sumet, raped their 17 year old daughter, The Phuket Express reported yesterday. The parents said that Sumet contacted their daughter on Facebook and flirted with her. Sumet then came to their house when he knew that they…
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Phuket’s red card system for foreigners nabs 6
Phuket Immigration has announced those punished with their new yellow card and red card system for misbehaving foreigners. The new trial system was established to combat claims that law-breaking foreigners didn’t know the rules so, much like a football game, Phuket Immigration has implemented a yellow and red card system as a warning system. If a foreigner commits an offence for…
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Phuket officials seize baraku from restaurant
There’s been another bust on a venue in Phuket. Officials in Phuket’s Thalang district seized baraku, also known as shisha, from a restaurant near a hotel in the town of Sakhu. The seizure followed anonymous complaints via social media. Thalang Distric Chief Bancha Tanuin said officials inspected a Sakhu hotel on Thursday. They found two sets of baraku being used…
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Truck crushes motorbike rider to death in Phuket
A tragic road death occurred in Phuket after a truck crushed a motorbike rider‘s head yesterday morning. A Facebook post with a video of the incident by Phuket Info Center read… “At 10.39am today (March 23), there was an accident involving a motorcyclist who lost control [of his bike] and fell under the rear wheels of a truck. He was…
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Patong minivan crash injures four tourists and a driver
A Patong minivan crash injured four tourists and a driver. The crash happened when one minivan transporting foreign tourists crashed into another one on the road connecting Patong Beach and Kamala in Phuket. The accident occurred on Phra Baramee Road yesterday, at 11.35am. According to MGR Online, the accident occurred when one minivan drove out of its lane and collided with…
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Tour bus crash on Patong Hill seriously injures driver
A tour bus crashed into a power pole on Patong Hill early this morning, with the driver suffering serious injuries to his leg. The bus slammed into a power pole on the final curve heading into Patong on Phra Baramee Road at around 5am, The Phuket News reported. Police and rescuers arrived on the scene to find the red Phiphairat…
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After a walk on the beach, Russian tourists get lost in Phuket jungle
A walk on the beach turned into a disaster for two Russian tourists who ended up getting lost in a Phuket jungle on Tuesday night. The head of Sirinat National Park, Sorasak Rananan, said the park received a notification from the Phuket Tourist Police at 10pm that two tourists were lost near the Sai Koo Mountain in the area of…
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Phuket motorbike accident kills woman, seriously injures man
Another tragic motorbike accident has claimed a life in Phuket. A motorbike accident killed a woman and seriously injured a man on Phuket’s Patong-Kamala road last night. Police were notified of the accident at 9.50pm, The Phuket News reported. Police and emergency responders arrived on the scene about 100 metres away from Panya restaurant. There, they found a blue and…
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Phuket Food Festival coming up next week
Foodies will rejoice to know that the Phuket Food Festival is coming up next week. This will be the 25th time the festival has been held. The Phuket City Delicious Food Festival 2023 will be held at the Saphan Hin Center Stage area from March 28 to April 3. The festival will be open to visitors from 4pm to 11pm…
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First charter flight from Mahan, Iran makes its way to Phuket
The first charter flight from Mahan, Iran, made its way to Phuket on Monday. Mahan Air flight W557/IRM057 landed at Phuket International Airport at 2.30pm. As tourism from the Middle East continues to be a major target market for Thailand, the new charter flight network was warmly welcomed. Officials and staff were on hand to greet passengers as they walked…
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Phuket Marine Police bust jet ski operators over licenses
Jet skiing is a popular activity for tourists in Phuket, but not all operators seem to be following the rules. The Phuket Marine Police last week busted jet ski operators for crimes involving improper licenses. This news comes as the police have been ramping up jet ski inspections at popular tourist beaches. The six operators on Bang Tao Beach were…
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Arrest warrants for Swiss man and Thai women allegedly involved in Patong bar scandal
UPDATE Police issued arrest warrants for a Swiss man and two Thai women allegedly involved in the Patong bar scandal that came to light last week. The scandal involved underage girls being exploited for sexual services. A number of individuals were arrested, and five Patong Police officers were transferred to other posts for their connections to the scandal last week.…
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Phuket child prostitution scandal: Entertainment venues lose 100 million baht
In the wake of a child prostitution scandal in Phuket, several entertainment venues have lost 100 million baht. Local authorities ordered the early closure of bars, restaurants, and adult entertainment establishments, following the discovery of underage girls being employed at Velvet bar in Phuket to engage in sexual activity with foreigners. The venues were ordered to close at 1am and…
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Chinese ambassador visits Phuket as tourism surges
Chinese tourist arrivals are expected to surge to over 300,000 in April, according to the Chinese ambassador to Thailand, Han Zhiqiang. The ambassador made a courtesy visit to Phuket governor Narong Woonciew at the Provincial Hall on Saturday, where the two worked to strengthen ties between Thailand and China and increase tourism to Phuket and beyond. Narong and the Chinese…
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Sea turtle eggs continue to pop up across Phang Nga
Nature and animal lovers will delight at the news that sea turtle eggs are continuing to pop up across Thailand’s Phang Nga province. On Friday, locals came across sea turtle eggs on Das Beach on the island of Koh Ra. The island is located in the Koh Phra-Thong sub-district of the Khura Buri district. Officials from the Department of Marine…
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Foreign owner of Patong bar in trafficking scandal flees thailand
UPDATE The foreign owner of the Patong bar at the centre of a recent sex trafficking scandal fled Thailand to Laos, according to the Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn. Big Joke arrived in Phuket yesterday to follow up on the case. He said the bar is related to a network of bars in Bangkok…
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Big Joke to travel to Phuket following Patong sex trafficking bust
UPDATE The Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakpark, plans to travel to Phuket following the recent sex trafficking bust in Patong, ThaiRath reported yesterday. Yesterday, the deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 8, Pol. Maj. Gen. Wasan Techaakasen, went to Kathu Police Station to follow up and apprehend more suspects involved in the scandal. They were charged…
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Phuket restaurant caught selling stonefish, known to be venomous
Yet another Phuket restaurant has been caught selling a protected fish, this time a stonefish, which is known as the most venomous fish in the world. Yesterday, officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Phuket Office received a tip-off that the restaurant, located in Rawai sub-district in Phuket’s main city district, was selling protected marine animals. Officials…
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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