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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Thailand's healthcare system is affordable and supported by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme, offering essential services to most citizens. However, hidden healthcare costs can surprise patients and lead to unexpected expenses. These include specialist fees, insurance gaps, emergency services,...
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Danish tourist mugged for kiteboard on Phuket beach
PHUKET: Police are searching for three foreign men who allegedly threatened a Danish tourist in to handing over his entire kiteboard kit at a Phuket beach. Bjarke Carlsen, 25, reported to police that the incident occurred yesterday at Friendship Beach (map here). “Mr Carlsen said he was robbed on the beach at about 10am, when three men wearing ski masks…
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Phuket teen killed by water truck in front of unopened Makro Rawai
PHUKET: A 15-year-old girl was killed by a water truck at the yet-to-be-opened Makro store in Rawai last night. The 48-year-old driver, Utai Suwannachoti, fled the scene, but surrendered to police this morning. “When we arrived at the scene, we found a water truck stopped in the middle of the road with a lot of onlookers surrounding it,” Capt Wuttiwat…
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Phuket to honor tsunami victims
PHUKET: The Phuket community will honor those who died in the devastating tsunami that struck the island nine years ago with a ceremony at the Tsunami Memorial Wall in Mai Khao followed by the traditional “Light Up Phuket” candle-lighting ceremony on Patong Beach. Thai official figures state that the tsunami killed 5,398 people and that more than 3,700 disappeared in…
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Phuket Police rule out “Nui’ as suspect in missing Nong Dear probe
PHUKET: Chalong Police today ruled out the Bangkok Monster “Nui” as a prime suspect in the Phuket Nong Dear case. Known only as Nui, as police have yet to release his full name, the prime suspect in the case that has outraged the nation confessed on live television to the abduction and rape of “about 10 girls”. He also confessed…
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Phuket Police to target foreigners at night
PHUKET: Foreigners passing through checkpoints at night will be stopped and searched as part of a new effort to ensure the safety of people and property on Phuket, police announced today. The police initiative is motivated by two recent ATM robberies perpetrated by foreigners and the fact that the number of foreign suspects in criminal cases sharply increased this year,…
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Phuket land grab suspect arrested
PHUKET: Police charged a man with encroaching on a protected Phuket forest yesterday after he was found building two houses amid mangroves in Wichit. The arrest came during a raid led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak at a site near Klong Mudong (map here). The raid was inspired by a complaint filed by local villagers, Vice Governor Somkiet told…
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Chef murdered in Phuket likely bag-snatch victim
PHUKET: Police suspect that the chef who was fatally stabbed early yesterday morning while on his way to work was the victim of a bag-snatch. Eyewitnesses told police that Dithchart Insom was riding north on the Kathu-Naka road (map here) when two men on a motorbike rode alongside him and ordered him to stop. “When Mr Dithchart stopped, the men…
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Phuket mother denies rumor that 7-year-old daughter’s body was found
PHUKET: The mother of 7-year-old Natthapa “Nong Dear” Papkaew today dismissed the rumor circulating across Phuket that the body of her missing daughter had been found. “I have heard the rumor, but they’re not true. My little girl has not been found,” Jaroon Papkaew told Phuket Gazette today. Capt Thada Sodarak of the Chalong Police confirmed that his officers had…
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Phuket Provincial Hall officially re-opens today
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Hall, closed at the request of anti-government protesters last month, officially re-opened today. On November 27, thousands of protesters massed at the hall, presented Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut with a bouquet of flowers, and asked him to shutter the building. He obliged, but carried on working at various locations outside the hall (story here). The main government…
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Phuket murder trial of Swedes enters closing stages
PHUKET: Tommy Viktor Soderlund, one of two Swedish nationals charged for the stabbing murder of Maksim Schantz two years ago, reiterated his plea of not guilty at Phuket Provincial Court today. Mr Soderlund, in court to testify, repeated his plea of not guilty and gave his version of events that led to the killing of Russian-born Swedish national Mr Schantz…
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Jetstar begins direct Phuket-Melbourne flights
PHUKET: Jetstar Airways has launched its non-stop service between Phuket and Melbourne, connecting Phuket to one of its most important source markets just in time for the tourism high season to kick off. “The first flight of the service directly to Phuket left the ground on December 14, making it the first direct low-cost carrier service for travellers between the…
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Monkey business at kratom den north of Phuket
PHUKET: Police raiding a kratom den in Phang Nga last Friday ran into some serious monkey business when they discovered 19 caged macaques. After receiving a tip that beverages made from the leaves of the illegal kratom tree were being brewed in a house in Takuapa, police moved in. “Not only did officers find three men drinking a kratom beverage,…
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Queens of the beach compete
PHUKET: With the success of the PTT School Tournament, held in conjunction with the recent 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball Phuket Open, organizer Bob Selznick wanted to give students another chance to develop their skills on the sand by hosting a new tournament. “I promised the girls that I would teach them, and hold a two-person per side beach volleyball tournament…
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Patong Carnival Fun Fest underway
PHUKET: Thousands of tourists and Phuket residents lined the streets of Patong yesterday evening to usher in the annual Patong Carnival, held each year to unofficially mark the beginning of the tourism high season. This year, branded the “Patong Fun Fest”, the carnival got underway with the traditional parade, snaking its way from Phang Muang Sai Kor Road, Prachanukhro Road…
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Karon named deadliest Phuket beach
PHUKET: Karon Beach was marked as the deadliest beach in Phuket after eight people drowned between October 2012 and September 2013, said Karon Police Superintendent Weerawat Jantarawichit on Friday. “We have put up signs in many languages warning people about the dangers, but they have not been successful – this is very concerning,” Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut said in a…
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Tourist Police Volunteer busted for drug dealing in Phuket
PHUKET: Provincial Police arrested long-time expat and well-known Tourist Police Volunteer Garry Halpin yesterday for dealing drugs to tourists and local teens. Mr Halpin, 52, was arrested at the Chalong Villa and Spa last night, where he was in possession of over 18g of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine), drug paraphernalia, a digital scale and cough syrup. “Garry was a tourist…
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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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Another Phuket taxi driver arrested for assaulting a tourist
PHUKET: Karon Police yesterday arrested a taxi driver for threatening and assaulting a tourist with a piece of bamboo. Narongsak “Petch” Kongsawat, 19, was arrested at the taxi rank in front of the Centara Grand Beach Resort, Phuket, at about 4:30pm. “Police identified themselves, showed the arrest warrant and took Mr Narongsak to the police station for questioning over an…
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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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Man caught exposing his “big gun’ to Patong ladies
PHUKET: A man who thought it was a good idea to show all the ladies along his street in Patong that he had a big gun in his pants has been arrested and charged with possession of an illegal firearm. He was also charged with carrying a naked weapon in a public place. Officers were alerted to the man’s antics,…
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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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Thai stars to shine at Phuket’s Patong Carnival
PHUKET: Thai pop stars Sarunyu “Ice” Winaipani and Rattapoom “Film” Toekongsap are among the headline acts to perform at this year’s Patong Carnival, which is held annually to usher in the tourism high season. Also on the bill of performers to entertain the crowds are renowned Thai country music bands Maleehuana and Kangkeng, and nationwide star Bow Wee. This year’s…
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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…
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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