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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FIVB beach volleyball is looking good
PHUKET: The venue at Karon beach which is hosting the US$146,400 Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT beach volleyball tournament, the penultimate stop on the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour is ready for start of play tomorrow. The courts have been laid down and the center court grandstand is in place, along with the temporary offices for the various…
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Phuket tour bus slams into motorists, shophouse; ‘brake failure’ cited, again
PHUKET: Three people were injured when a Phuket tour bus slammed into traffic waiting at the busy Slaughterhouse Intersection in Phuket Town (map here) just after midday yesterday. No tourists were on board the bus at the time of the accident, but the juggernaut slammed into two cars and three motorbikes before it came to a halt when it plowed…
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Phuket Police searching for karaoke assault gang
PHUKET: Police are on the lookout for a gang of youths wanted for a vicious attack on two men outside a karaoke bar in Thalang early yesterday morning. Officers were called to the scene, an unnamed karaoke bar in Soi Ta Mhen, Muang Mai, at 3am. “When we arrived we found Wicharn Mueanprasart, 34, with a knife wound to his…
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Baby elephant seized at Phuket trekking camp
PHUKET: Local wildlife conservation officials yesterday seized an 18-month-old elephant at a camp in Phuket after the infant pachyderm was smuggled onto the island. Acting on a tip-off, officers led by Kathu District Chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol raided the camp, located in the Bang Thong in Kathu (map here), at 3pm. Joining the raid were officers from the Phuket Provincial Livestock…
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Phuket’s illegal tour van drivers granted temporary amnesty
PHUKET: The Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) will issue documents to certify illegal tour van drivers who have applied to become legal so they may continue working until their applications are processed. The news follows a group of illegal van drivers appealing to Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday for the right to keep working until their applications to become legal…
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Phuket mourns Thailand’s highest-ranking monk
PHUKET: Official mourning ceremonies in Phuket began yesterday for Thailand’s highest-ranking monk, His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Somdet Phra Sangharaja, who passed away on Thursday. His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch, who turned 100 on October 3, had been in and out of hospital, most recently undergoing intestinal surgery on October 14. Governor Maitri Inthusut opened the ceremony…
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French, Polish among injured in Phuket visa run crash
PHUKET: A French woman and a Polish man have been identified as the two foreigners injured in the visa run van accident in Trang province on Monday (story here). “Caterina Murcia, 30, from France, was treated for a broken arm,” a nurse at the Surgery Unit of Trang Hospital told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “She was discharged from the hospital…
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Phuket police officer on drugs arrested for extorting Frenchman at gunpoint
PHUKET: A Phuket police officer and two accomplices have been arrested for extorting money from a Frenchman at gunpoint while the men were taking drugs together. Police are continuing their search for three additional suspects. Henry Richer, 54, told police that on October 14 he joined Picharn Kaewkongtham and five other men in taking ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) at the…
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Phuket’s Road to Freedom under fire for corruption
PHUKET: Winai Chidchiew, the Subdistrict chief (Kamnan) for Kata-Karon, has lashed out over the project to build a new road to Freedom Beach, accusing local officials of trying to push the project through for their own benefit. Kamnan Winai alleges that the road, planned for the headland south of Patong Bay (story here), is being pushed through by local officials…
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NFL Week 7: Colts down Manning, Broncos
PHUKET: In week seven’s marquee match up, Bronco’s quarterback Peyton Manning’s return to Indianapolis to take on his former team did not turn out as many predicted, with rising star quarterback Andrew Luck outshining the veteran to carry his Colts to an exciting 39-33 win. Manning and the Broncos entered the game undefeated and were favored by five points over…
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Phuket’s Dylan inks formula deal
PHUKET: Island-based Australian racing driver Dylan Young announced that he has signed a deal to compete in a second season of the 2013 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship, with gracious support from Wahoo Phuket, Kata Rocks and Indigo Pearl. The series will commence this weekend with the first two races being held alongside the Airtel Indian Formula 1 Grand Prix…
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Counting down to Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest
PHUKET: Challenge Laguna Phuket’s Tri-Fest carnival, which will see thousands of top international athletes from around the world descend on the island, was previewed by media in a special conference at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) headquarters in Bangkok recently. The week-long event will kick off with the legendary Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) on November 24, which is celebrating…
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Phuket’s youth futsal squad tops the South
PHUKET: A flawless shoot-out by Phuket’s provincial youth futsal squad, against regional rivals Phatthalung on October 17, guaranteed the young islanders a place at the 30th National Youth Games next year. With the final 8-4 victory, Phuket have qualified to be Southern Thailand’s representatives at the games, scheduled to be held in Si Saket, March, 2014. The match, played at…
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Phuket’s TSLC sporting tips: How to become a faster cyclist
PHUKET: In a continuing series of sporting tips provided by Phuket’s Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club, resident experts Brian Finniss tells you to stand up straight, though first Jürgen Zäck gets you out of your comfort zone. A lot of cyclists and triathletes do spend quite some time in the saddle and wonder why they do not deliver on race…
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Phuket’s ACYC Club Sailing Race 6
PHUKET: All are welcome to join Phuket’s ACYC (Ao Chalong Yacht Club) Sunday sailing races. Breakfast is available at the club from 8am onwards. Anybody wishing to sail but who doesn’t have a boat are advised to turn up before 10:30am and we will do our best to get you on a vessel. Eligibility and entry: The series is open…
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Phuket’s Tri-Fest just round the corner
PHUKET: The 20th Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) will take place on Sunday, November 24, marking the beginning of Laguna Phuket’s week-long Tri-Fest. This year’s LPT will celebrate its 20th anniversary while welcoming the inaugural Challenge Laguna Phuket (CLP) on Sunday, December 1 to its iconic multi-sports week-long event – Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest 2013. During the proceeding seven days, Laguna…
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Phuket surf claims lives of Russian, Chinese tourists within hours
PHUKET: Two tourists, a Chinese and a Russian, drowned within hours of each other yesterday at Karon Beach, on Phuket’s west coast. Lifeguards reported that both tourists ignored red warning flags marking the area as dangerous to swim. Oleg Ozerskikh, 52, was pulled from the water unconscious by lifeguards at Karon Beach (map here), at about 11:30am. Rescue workers sped…
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Phuket Governor requests lifeguards for Racha Yai to stop the drownings
PHUKET: In response to the growing number of tourists drowning at Racha Yai Island, Governor Maitri Inthusut has called for a lifeguard station at the popular day-trip location. “There are no lifeguards on the island now. Among the many things we need to do in Phuket to support tourism, having a lifeguard station there is an important one,” he told…
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Another armed drug suspect arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: Police on Wednesday raided a house in a residential area in Thalang, where they seized 2,446 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) and about 408g of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). Acting on a tip-off from plainclothes officers, Thalang Police Deputy Superintendent Pisit Chunpet served a warrant to search the house, in Baan Don, for drugs. “We arrived at 3pm and…
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Subsidy deadline looms for Phuket rubber farmers
PHUKET: More than 300 Phuket rubber farmers have been approved to receive national rubber subsidy funds and officials are working to certify nearly 2,000 others who have applied for the money before a November 15 deadline. “The government has budgeted 21 billion baht for Thai rubber farmers,” Chalee Sittabut of the Phuket Provincial Agricultural Extension Office told the Phuket Gazette…
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Phuket hotel staffer arrested on murder charges
PHUKET: A hotel employee at Banthai Beach Resort & Spa in Patong was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly taking part in a gang attack that led to a death in Phitsanulok five years ago.Danai Thonglaima, 35, is alleged to have joined in a roadside attack in May 2008, after which he fled to Phuket and lived a secret life.Officers from…
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Villagers battle for access to Phuket public land
PHUKET: Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak visited Pa Khlok yesterday afternoon to investigate claims made by residents that a path on public land had been blocked off, denying them access to a pier where they keep their fishing boats. About 50 residents had travelled to Phuket Provincial Hall the day before to lodge a complaint with Governor Maitri Inthusut (story here).…
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Phuket visa run crash leaves one dead
PHUKET: A Philippine national has died and an unknown number of Phuket expats were injured in a visa run van crash in Trang early Monday morning.A representative at Phen Phet Visa Run confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today that the accident occurred in Trang province, about 300km south of Phuket, at about 2am on Monday.The van was carrying tourists and…
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Phuket Governor denies sweeping mafia problems “under the carpet’
PHUKET: The Phuket Governor has strongly denied allegations of ignoring rampant corruption and “mafia” operations in Phuket. “Phuket has never swept problems under the carpet,” Governor Maitri sternly told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. The public statement followed a consortium of leading Phuket travel figures on Monday insinuating that some of Phuket’s top officials were not willing to help “take out…
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Phuket handyman caught robbing safe in Russian woman’s room
PHUKET: Police Monday night arrested a hotel staffer in Karon who used a master key and a stolen room safe key to rob a Russian tourist of the equivalent of nearly 20,000 baht in banknotes.The thief also deleted CCTV records at the Karon Phunaka Resort and Spa in the hope of covering his tracks.Tatiana Gorshkova discovered 10,000 baht cash, US$100…
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Phuket Governor calls off SuperCheap fire site search, announces no deaths
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut today buried rumors that people had died in the SuperCheap inferno last Wednesday night as he laid to rest the on-site investigation. No proof of any fatalities were recorded or announced (story here). “I received the report form the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office [DDPM-Phuket] concerning the SuperCheap fire. I am pleased…
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Phuket Governor orders probe into alleged land grab
PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut today ordered a task force to investigate claims by local residents in Pa Khlok, on Phuket’s central east coast, that public land had been encroached on.The villagers, numbering about 50 and led by Baan Bangla village headman Samarn Bumroongna, arrived at Provincial Hall at 10am in protest.Chief among their complaints was that someone who claimed to…
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Phuket travel consortium casts doubt on local support for mafia crackdown
PHUKET: A consortium of four major travel organizations yesterday publicly voiced their doubt that top local officials fully support the ongoing multi-agency crackdown to clean up rampant corruption and “mafia” operations in Phuket.Top figures representing the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, the Phuket Spa Association (SPA) and the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) called a…
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Phuket Town drinkers take down armed robber
PHUKET: Two men sitting in front of their house drinking in the early hours this morning made a citizen’s arrest, taking down a man who had just robbed a Phuket Town convenience store at knifepoint. Phuket City Police were notified of the arrest at 3:40am. “By the time we arrived, Ronnarit Klinchuen, 21, and his friend Ponlawat Kaensub, 22, had…
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Failed motorbike ram attempt wins policeman B10k reward for bravery
PHUKET: A patrol policeman who broke his collar bone while ramming bag-snatchers with his motorbike in an attempt to stop their getaway was rewarded with 10,000 baht yesterday morning for his bravery. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Ong-art Phiwruangnont issued the bonus on hearing how Sgt Songwut Noosuk of the Phuket City Police attempted to apprehend the perpetrators on Saturday afternoon.…
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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