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.

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  • Chinese tourist comatose after Phuket jet-ski accident recovers

    Chinese tourist comatose after Phuket jet-ski accident recovers

    PHUKET: The Chinese tourist rendered comatose when the jet-ski he was riding collided with a paragliding speedboat at Patong Beach has recovered and is to be discharged from hospital today. A nurse at Phuket International Hospital confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that Shen Baocheng’s doctors had approved his release. Lifeguards pulled Mr Shen from the water unconscious last Saturday morning…

  • Australian tourist dies in Patong motorcycle crash

    Australian tourist dies in Patong motorcycle crash

    PHUKET: An male Australian tourist died this morning at Vachira Phuket Hospital after the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a power pole in Patong. Patong Police and Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation Worker were notified of an accident near Patong Municipality Office on Ratchapathanuson Road (map here) at about 5:30am. “When we arrived we found a man in his 30s, unconscious,…

  • Phuket water authority defends water shutoffs

    Phuket water authority defends water shutoffs

    PHUKET: An argument broke out during the Phuket Governor’s monthly meeting with the media yesterday when journalist-residents of Wichit turned on the manager of Phuket Provincial Waterworks demanding to know why their water had been suddenly cut off for three days.“Phuket Provincial Waterworks shut off the water supply water without notice,” said one media member who lives in Wichit.“I didn’t…

  • Phuket teaches Russian, Chinese and Korean tour operators how to be legal

    Phuket teaches Russian, Chinese and Korean tour operators how to be legal

    PHUKET: The Phuket Employment Office yesterday launched a two-day series of seminars to educate Russians, Chinese and Koreans operating tourism-related businesses in Phuket about work permits and employment law regarding foreigners.Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut officiated the opening of the first seminar yesterday, attended by 100 foreign and Thai representatives working for tour operators that cater to Russians tourists.Talks were delivered…

  • Phuket pilgrimage to honor the late Luang Pu Supha

    Phuket pilgrimage to honor the late Luang Pu Supha

    PHUKET: Followers of revered monk Luang Pu Supha will travel to his final resting place in Sakon Nakhon Province, in Northeast Thailand, to honor the man who became one of Phuket’s best-known monks.Formally known as Phra Mongkol Visut, Luang Pu Supha died at 5:20am today, confirmed Piyawat Seehaworrachart, who had served the revered monk since 1959.“I was very sad towards…

  • Man slain in Krabi, jealous lover suspected

    Man slain in Krabi, jealous lover suspected

    PHUKET: Krabi Police suspect a 19-year-old man was slain because he had become embroiled in an affair involving a jealous lover. Chokechai Ruksamun, from Thung Yai District in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, was found dead in a roadside ditch in Krabi’s Khao Phanom District on Saturday morning. He had been shot once, in the forehead. “We found an abandoned Honda Wave…

  • Body with head wound found floating near Phuket port

    Body with head wound found floating near Phuket port

    PHUKET: An investigation is underway after a man’s body was found floating at the Yod Duangporn fishing port in Rassada yesterday morning.The body bore a 10cm wound to the scalp, stretching from the middle of the forehead to the top if the head, said Lt Col Watcharapong Praiphun of the Phuket City police.“The man was wearing a medallion with Mon…

  • Phuket taxi driver pleads guilty to abducting, sexually assaulting Chinese tourist

    Phuket taxi driver pleads guilty to abducting, sexually assaulting Chinese tourist

    PHUKET: The illegal taxi driver charged with abducting and sexually assaulting a Chinese teen tourist on May 17 (story here) entered a plea of guilty to all charges at Phuket Provincial Court this morning. Paitoon Kruain, 32, initially told the court he was innocent of the crimes, but changed his plea to guilty after a robust challenge from the judge.…

  • Poll: Who are the real victims of corruption in Phuket? | Thaiger

    Poll: Who are the real victims of corruption in Phuket?

    PHUKET: The recent allegation that at least 60 million baht in corruption payments was fleeced each and every month from businesses and individuals in Patong finally put a figure on just a part of the corruption rampant in Phuket (story here). Every person who has been forced to face the ugly reality of corruption knows what it feels like to…

  • Phuket FC come to stalemate with Ayuthaya’s ‘Ancient Warriors’

    Phuket FC come to stalemate with Ayuthaya’s ‘Ancient Warriors’

    PHUKET: More than 3,000 Phuket FC fans endured yet another disappointing draw last Saturday evening at Surakul Stadium, watching their side come from behind a two-goal deficit to Ayuthaya FC to seize a single point in league play. The match was both sides’ 26th of 34 scheduled matches in the Yamaha League One (YL1) 2013 season. Ranked 7th in the…

  • Phuket party thieves arrested with B1mn of stolen goods

    Phuket party thieves arrested with B1mn of stolen goods

    PHUKET: Two hedonistic thieves who robbed a liquor store and drove off with their loot in the back of the store’s truck have been apprehended with over a million baht of loot from an extended stealing spree around Phuket. Undercover officers first located Ekkachai “Ek” Sae Kang, 33, on a soi off Sakdidet Road, and he led them to his…

  • Baby’s body found at Phuket garbage depot

    Baby’s body found at Phuket garbage depot

    PHUKET: The body of a dead baby girl was found yesterday at the Karon trash-separating facility.Capt Channarong Prakongkua of the Karon Police told the Phuket Gazette, “One of the trash collectors said he was separating trash at the garbage depot at around 5:30pm, when he opened a plastic bag and found the tiny corpse.“It was a baby girl with the…

  • Campaign launched to preserve Phuket sea gypsy culture

    Campaign launched to preserve Phuket sea gypsy culture

    PHUKET: Plans are afoot at a local-government level to improve living conditions and enhance opportunities for the Phuket sea-gypsy community.“We will start working on Phuket sea gypsy communities at Baan Hin Luk Diao and Baan Laem Lah in Thalang on September 5. These are the first areas we will address,” Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut said on Friday.He was speaking after…

  • Phuket cobra gunned down in village standoff

    Phuket cobra gunned down in village standoff

    PHUKET: Rescue workers in Thalang, in the north of Phuket, last night were forced to shoot dead a meters-long cobra after frantic attempts to remove it from a tree within a workers camp failed. Kusoldham Foundation rescue workers were called to the camp, located in Baan Lipon, Srisoonthorn, at 10:30pm by Somneuk Jaturapushkul, the village headman’s assistant. “Villagers were afraid…

  • Chinese tourist comatose after jet-ski, speedboat collision in Phuket

    Chinese tourist comatose after jet-ski, speedboat collision in Phuket

    PHUKET: A Chinese tourist remains comatose after being seriously injured in a collision between the rented jet-ski he was riding and a paragliding speedboat at Patong Beach today. Rescue workers and police were called to the beach at about 11am. “We arrived to find Shen Baocheng, a 27-year-old Chinese tourist, already pulled from the water by lifeguards,” said Lt Thawatchai…

  • Human Rights Commission Rohingya-shooting report due “this month’

    Human Rights Commission Rohingya-shooting report due “this month’

    PHUKET: The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) yesterday confirmed that the report on the case of the Royal Thai Navy opening fire on Rohingya refugees off the coast of Ranong in February, will be concluded this month. During the shooting, naval personnel allegedly killed at least two refugees fleeing arrest. The report will be handed over to Prime…

  • Phuket Cricket: ICC on a roll, youth team crushes Laguna

    Phuket Cricket: ICC on a roll, youth team crushes Laguna

    PHUKET: In round 8 of Phuket’s Outrigger T20 cricket league, ICC took on Patong in the morning session, while the Youth side faced Laguna in the afternoon session. In the morning match, Patong’s total of 136-5 was comfortably chased down by ICC who reached 139-3 in the 17th over. In the afternoon encounter, the Youth side amassed the league’s highest…

  • New goal for Phuket FC – Survival

    New goal for Phuket FC – Survival

    PHUKET: If there was any hope left for Phuket FC to still get promoted after their home-draw last Wednesday (August 21) to 2nd placed Air Force, then it was all but relinquished with an away-loss the following Sunday night (August 25) to 3rd placed Singhtarua FC. Played in front of an energetic “Klong Toei Army” crowd at the PAT Stadium…

  • Rise in Phuket metered taxi fares to thwart cab cheats

    Rise in Phuket metered taxi fares to thwart cab cheats

    PHUKET: Taxi fares are set to rise in Phuket in an attempt to thwart the illegal-taxi trade and to provide legitimate taxi drivers with a decent standard of living. “We will increase taxi fares as part of our campaign to solve the problem of taxi-driver cheats in Phuket,” said Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada. “If the standard fares rise, taxi…

  • Krabi killer manhunt moves to Koh Lanta | Thaiger

    Krabi killer manhunt moves to Koh Lanta

    PHUKET: Police are scouring the tourist island of Koh Lanta, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, in their efforts to arrest double-homicide fugitive Samran “Khui” Suetrong. Samran is wanted for shooting dead his stepson’s wife, Siripan Noorod, 24, and her 19-month-old son Autthakorn Noorod, at their home in Krabi’s Khao Phanom District on Monday night (story here). A warrant for…

  • Beach Volleyball World Tour hits Phuket’s sands in October

    Beach Volleyball World Tour hits Phuket’s sands in October

    PHUKET: The 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour will make its penultimate stop at Karon Beach, Phuket at the end of October. This will be the 8th successive year that Thailand has staged an Open series women’s event on the FIVB calendar. The US$110,000 Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT, which is organized by Pentangle Promotions Co., Ltd and the…

  • Phuket Special Report: One fateful night at the Longhorn Saloon

    Phuket Special Report: One fateful night at the Longhorn Saloon

    SPECIAL REPORT POLICE promptly arrested three Thai musicians for the stabbing murder of American tourist Bobby Ray Carter Jr and the assault of his 27-year-old son in Krabi four weeks ago yesterday. Since then, however, the case has slowed to a crawl. A trial date has yet to be set, police have yet to press formal charges and all three…

  • Burmese Rambo stabbed in Phuket slap flap

    Burmese Rambo stabbed in Phuket slap flap

    PHUKET: A man humiliated by a slap on the head in front of a group of people stabbed his assailant four times, sending him to the hospital. The event transpired after an evening of drinking at a Burmese workers’ camp behind Phuket Simon Cabaret in Patong (map here). After work yesterday evening, a 30-year-old man known as “Rambo” got together…

  • Grimes brothers take on tough international field – Phuket Sports

    Grimes brothers take on tough international field – Phuket Sports

    PHUKET: The Grimes brothers have had a fairly busy summer with their racing schedules, having took part in the Rotax Invitational Thailand race, which was held in conjunction with the fourth round of the Thailand Rotax Max Challenge at Bira International Kart Circuit, just south of the Bangkok.The Rotax Invitation race was held for the first part of the weekend.…

  • Phuket jet-ski operators urged to be fair, polite

    Phuket jet-ski operators urged to be fair, polite

    PHUKET: Complaints about jet-ski operators filed by tourists holidaying in Phuket have prompted the island’s authorities to launch a two-day seminar aimed at educating the operators about charging fair prices and being polite. Tourist complaints about jet-skis reached such a level that Qin Jian, Vice Consul of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China, based in Haad Yai, lodged…

  • Phuket Court orders media blackout on Swedish murder trial

    Phuket Court orders media blackout on Swedish murder trial

    PHUKET: Officials at Phuket Provincial Court today ordered a media blackout on the ongoing trial of Swedish nationals Tommy Soderland and Sebastian Ljung amid concerns that the media was influencing witness testimonies. The two men are on trial for the alleged murder of Maksim Schantz in Phuket in 2011(story here). “We have seen at least one story in the media…

  • Phuket expats corralled by new immigration rule for passports

    Phuket expats corralled by new immigration rule for passports

    PHUKET: Officers at Phuket Immigration are calling for all foreigners whose passports are set to expire within the coming year to ensure they are issued new passports and apply – and are issued – new long-term permits-to-stay* before their current permits expire. The call follows a new regulation issued by the Immigration Bureau on August 13 (click here), explained Lt…

  • Phuket party thieves loot liquor store

    Phuket party thieves loot liquor store

    PHUKET: Police are on the lookout for the suspects who stole 12 kegs of beer, two cartons of cigarettes and 10 bottles of whisky from a liquor store in Baan Lipon, in Phuket’s northern district of Thalang.They even stole the store’s pickup truck to make off with the party essentials, reported police.So far, officers are stumped for clues.“We have checked…

  • Phuket kratom plantation cleared

    Phuket kratom plantation cleared

    PHUKET: Police yesterday afternoon raided a property in Patong, on Phuket’s west coast, and cut down about 20 kratom trees. The orchard owner, named by police as Sathit Jaihaw, 37, had about 20 big kratom trees growing on his property, and in his house police found three small packages of harvested leaves pre-packed for sale. Kratom leaves yield an illegal…

  • Patong bag-snatcher tracked by phone, caught in Chalong | Thaiger

    Patong bag-snatcher tracked by phone, caught in Chalong

    PHUKET: Police arrested a construction worker in Chalong on Tuesday after tracking a phone stolen during a bag-snatch in Patong.The suspect confessed to conducting a series of bag-snatchings in Patong after losing his job due to his drug habit, police said.Lt Col Somsak Thongglieng led fellow Patong Police officers to arrest Worakiet Sriwong, 32, originally from Mae Hong Son in…

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.

Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.