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.
-
Sponsored
Infinito helps hotels in Thailand with revenue management
Maximising revenue and profit–isn’t that the ultimate goal for every business in the hospitality industry? If you run a hotel, you might have heard that revenue management is an effective way to boost your top-line revenue. It involves using data...
-
Foul play not suspected in death of Microsoft engineer at Phuket villa
PHUKET: Phuket Police see no reason to open a murder investigation in the case of a former Microsoft engineer found dead at his villa at Ao Makham last week (story here). The man, American-born Clifford Nelson Bamford, was found floating in his villa pool by his housekeeper on July 1. “There were no signs of a fight at the scene…
-
MV Hope at Langkawi, four more bodies spotted at sea
PHUKET: The Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Hope, which capsized in heavy seas south of Phuket on Thursday night (story here), is expected to arrive at Langkawi, Malaysia, today after being under tow from its position south of Racha Noi Island overnight. The news came as local fishermen reported seeing four bodies in life jackets off Koh Rok, off the coast…
-
Relatives cry murder, Phuket police disagree
PHUKET: Relatives of a woman found dead in her car in an old tin mining pond on Monday believe she was murdered, but police do not agree.Wattana Itthisan, the 27-year-old owner of Fasai Minimart in Chalong, was found in her submerged car in an old tin mining pond behind Chalong Temple on Monday morning.“The driver’s window was open and the…
-
Phuket man confesses to suffocating “nagging’ mother-in-law
PHUKET: A man who suffocated his mother-in-law after an argument in Phuket confessed to the killing several hours after the horrific encounter.The body of Prayad Phawaphutanon, 50, was found half-clothed and lying on her bed by her 14-year-old son when he returned from school yesterday evening, said Thalang Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri today.“After finding his mother dead in bed, he…
-
Phuket health officials brace for MERS
Special Report MIDDLE East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was first identified in Saudi Arabia in September last year. At least 80 people have since contracted the disease; 44 of them died. The most recent deaths, both in Saudi Arabia, were diagnosed on June 28. Both patients were dead five days later. MERS spreads more easily than its relative, the notorious SARS…
-
American surfer dies in Phuket
PHUKET: A 60-year-old American surfing on Phuket’s popular break at Kata Beach died after falling from his board into the water.Mark Carroll arrived in Thailand yesterday and immediately hit Kata’s surf alone after checking into his hotel.“Mr Carroll appeared to have lost consciousness while surfing and fell into the water,” Pichai Wattanawalan of the Karon Police told the Phuket Gazette.The…
-
Phuket teenager shot in gang attack
PHUKET: A 16-year-old boy from Rawai was shot in the leg four times by a gang of teenagers in a reprisal attack in Phuket Town last night. The teenager, given the pseudonym “Korn” by police, was shot multiple times at the Esso gas station near the busy Slaughterhouse Intersection (map here) at about 9:20pm. “When we arrived at the gas…
-
Chula United’s Big Bang neutralizes Phuket FC’s glory
PHUKET: An ever-determined 10-sided Phuket FC let their 2-1 lead against Yamaha League One (YL1) rivals Big Bang Chula United, slip away in the final minute of added time in a highly-charged fixture. Played on Saturday evening at Surakul Stadium, just under 4,000 spectators turned out, including some 300 pink-shirted BBCU fans – some rumored to be locals coerced to…
-
Phuket Police’s 300 boost Bangla red-light security
PHUKET: In a mass show of police strength, more than 300 officers gathered in Phuket’s famed red-light district of Soi Bangla in Patong on Saturday night in the government’s latest campaign to bolster tourist safety on the island.Led by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut, the officers patrolled the bars with an eye to keeping the peace, on the lookout for any…
-
Phuket police move to snare wanted rapist stepfather from Laos
PHUKET: Police have requested an arrest warrant for the Laotian man wanted for repeatedly raping and impregnating his 15-year-old handicapped stepdaughter in Phuket. “The stepfather has left the country,” Patong Police Officer Teerasak Boonsaeng told the Phuket Gazette. The 40-year-old man, originally from Laos, has been at large since June 29, when his wife discovered what he had done (story…
-
Glue-huffing monk on holiday in Phuket also a thief
PHUKET: A monk who came to Phuket to visit a friend was arrested in Rassada yesterday and charged with sniffing glue and theft. Police were alerted by villagers at about 6pm yesterday that a monk was sniffing glue in a pavilion at Pa Aram Rattanaram Temple, near Mission Hospital (map here). When police arrived at the temple, they found Chaiyasit…
-
MV Hope: Three more survivors rescued, two bodies brought ashore Phuket
PHUKET: Three more survivors were plucked from the sea yesterday as the Royal Thai Navy continued its search for the crewmen still missing from the Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Hope, which capsized in heavy seas south of Phuket on Thursday night (story here). The three survivors – named as 2nd Officer Mohammad Mobarak Hossain and Cadets Raeq Fairooz and Mushfiqur…
-
Close encounter of the rugby kind – Phuket Sports
PHUKET: In a nail-bitingly close encounter, the Wallabies triumphed in the second Melbourne Test. 16-15. A solitary point between the two teams. A series now level at 1-1. Over two games, a total score of 38- 37. Some match-up! Before the game, Lions captain Sam Warburton had referred to “the biggest game of my life.” After the final whistle, Wallabies…
-
Sea survivor: Bangladeshi cargo shipman recounts ordeal
PHUKET: Crewman Abu Bakar Siddique lies resting in a ward in Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town, recovering from his ordeal of being washed overboard from the cargo ship MV Hope amid heavy seas late Thursday night. The MV Hope was overpowered by rough seas while en route from Penang, Malaysia, to Chittagong, Bangladesh. The ship was about 25 nautical…
-
Waves take man to sea, return his body the next day
PHUKET: The body of a man who disappeared while fishing with friends in Phuket yesterday was found washed ashore at Kalim Beach, north of Patong, this morning. “Villagers called us at about 9am to say they had found a body on Kalim Beach,” said Patong Police officer Thawatchai Srimai. “He has been identified as Jittakorn Kerdrit, 32, from Surat Thani,”…
-
Sarong unravels mystery of body dumped near Phuket school
PHUKET: The sarong wrapped around the head of the man found dead in a field near a prominent Phuket school has led police to arrest a murder suspect. Police have declined to reveal any information about the suspect, except that he was male. “This is an ongoing investigation. We believe more than two people were involved in the murder and…
-
Local fisherman’s body found in Phuket lagoon
PHUKET: The body of a local fisherman feared drowned was pulled out of a lagoon by rescue divers in Cherng Talay yesterday.Daorueng Lekon, 41, was last seen at about 5pm on Wednesday, walking into the water to place a fish trap in the pond, said Sub Lt Prasert Tongphrom of the Cherng Talay Police.“Villagers said he always went fishing at…
-
Seminar aims to develop potential of Phuket Muslim women
PHUKET: Recognizing the importance of women’s role in the family and in society, Phuket officials this week held a two-day seminar aimed at developing the leadership potential of Phuket Muslim women.The seminar, held on Wednesday and Thursday and organized by the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO), aimed to improve Muslim women’s knowledge about their rights, roles and responsibilities, and to…
-
Corpse found by the road in Rawai
PHUKET: The body of a man believed to have been murdered was found wrapped in a blanket by the roadside in Rawai just after midnight on July 4.“His skull was broken – it looked like it had been hit with a hard object. His face was bloodied and covered with a black plastic bag,” said Chalong Police Captain Thada Sodarak.“We…
-
Phuket FC reinforced for TPL promotion push
PHUKET: In their dedicated drive to get promoted to the Thai Premier League (TPL), Phuket FC have regrouped mid-season, signing 10 new players to help them in the final 17 matches of the Yamaha League One (YL1) 2013 season. The new signings include seven Thais, a Brazilian, North Korean and Cameroonian. The club has not made any official announcements about…
-
Phuket Vice Governor donates blood for Buddhist holiday
PHUKET: Phuket’s Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa this week donated blood to help publicize a special blood drive in honor of Asarnha Bucha Day, which marks the day the Buddha outlined the four noble truths that form the basis of Buddhist thought. The blood drive is scheduled for July 20-23. “We will accept donations from 9am to 3pm at the Phuket…
-
Phuket Navy helicopter rescues cargo shipman in life raft
PHUKET: One more crew member from a foundering Bangladeshi cargo ship was rescued this afternoon when a Royal Thai Navy helicopter spotted him in a life raft, plucked him up from the broiling sea and flew him to safety. “Adubagar Siddiue, 40, was in a life raft not far from the MV Hope,” said Rear Admiral Prayuth Phutien of the…
-
Phuket receives new Honorary Consul for Italy
PHUKET: Dr Francesco Pensato has been proclaimed the Honorary Consul of Italy for Phuket and the rest of South Thailand. Dr Pensato, a lifelong patron of the arts and himself a composer of music, is also a director of the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC, website here) and chairman of TICC’s Phuket and Southern Region of Thailand Committee. Nominated for…
-
Rohingya rape suspect handed over to court
PHUKET: The Rohingya man charged by police with holding a 25-year-old Rohingya woman captive and raping her repeatedly over three days has been handed over to the Takuapa Court. Kuraburi Police relinquished custody of Korlimula Ramahatu yesterday after he conducted a re-enactment of the alleged crimes on Tuesday. “The suspect denied the rape charge,” Kuraburi Deputy Police Superintendent Chalerm Wannasathid…
-
Family appeals for help with missing daughter in Phuket
PHUKET: A 20-year-old woman on the verge of moving from Phuket back home to Nakhon Sri Thammarat has been reported missing by her family. Weerawit Sangpan, 28, told Thung Thong Police that his 29-year-old sister, Boonyanee, disappeared sometime early on Sunday. “We talked at midnight on Saturday. She sounded fine; we had a good conversation,” he told police. “She had…
-
Russian tourist dies in ICU after fateful Phuket swim
PHUKET: The Russian tourist who was comatose after being pulled from the water at Karon Beach on June 23 died on Tuesday at Vachira Phuket Hospital. Kho Khay Gym, 31, had gone swimming with friends at Karon Beach when he was struck by big waves and dragged out to sea. His friends called for help and he was rescued by…
-
Lady Sevenstar will be manned by Phuket Raceweek’s first all female crew
PHUKET: Popular all women’s sailing team Lady Sevenstar has officially entered Asia’s most exciting regatta, the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Race Week (click here for map, held from 17 – 21 July. “It looked liked we were going to miss the race this time as our usual boat, FireFly Lady Sevenstar /aka the Frog, was not available. Miraculously, in the…
-
Phuket raid nets B100mn of pirated goods in Patong
PHUKET: A Department of Special Investigation (DSI) task force in Phuket yesterday arrested seven people and seized pirated goods with an estimated street value of more than 100 million baht. Armed with a search warrant and joined by officers from the Patong Police, the DSI agents raided two three-story shophouses in Soi Sukcharoen, off Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in…
-
Phuket road work forces motorists to seek bypass road bypass
PHUKET: The long tailbacks on Thepkrasattri Road caused by the resurfacing of the bypass road at the Bang Khu Intersection in Koh Kaew has forced police to urge motorists to use alternative routes. “We need to resurface about 1.5km of the [bypass] road, starting at the Bang Khu intersection,” said Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad. “The road surface is…
-
Young cricketers deliver in Phuket Sawadee League
PHUKET: Young cricket talent took part in another round of the Phuket Cricket Group’s (PCG) “Sawasdee League” at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) last weekend. Although the international school teams were absent, four teams including representatives from the PCG’s Youth Academy, Baan Sapam and Thai Hua played some closely contested matches. The ACGround officially opened last year. Video: Phuket Today…
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.