Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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Phuket’s Thanyapura extends its challenge
PHUKET: The island’s active and healthy lifestyle destination, Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Center, is extending its commitments to developing sporting excellence in athletes and enthusiasts of all abilities and ages by hosting the Thanyapura Junior Challenge Triathlon, part of the Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest 2013, on Saturday, November 30. With participants divided into Junior (6-8 years), Intermediate (9-12) and Senior…
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FIVB Phuket Open starts today – Beach Volleyball
PHUKET: World No 1 Taiana Lima and Talita Da Rocha Antunes of Brazil head the seedings of the Phuket Thailand Open, powered by PTT, which starts at Karon Beach today. Seeded second in the six-day competition are compatriots Maria Clara Salgado Rufino and Carolina Solberg Salgado, ranked No 3 in the world. Other seeds include the German pair of Laura…
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Phuket police grab privates in theft case
PHUKET: Three privates in the Army were arrested yesterday on charges stemming from the theft of a handgun and other property from the home of a policeman.The theft that tipped police off to the military men’s activities occurred early on the morning of October 12 at the home of Patong police officer Sgt Rongrot Pecharat.“Sgt Rongrot reported that a .38…
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Former Central Festival Phuket security guard robs shops of ex-employer
PHUKET: Police arrested a former Central Festival mall security guard yesterday for stealing over two dozen phones from the mall.Kitti Pueanrak, 23, went to the mall to watch an evening movie on October 21, said Wichit Police Deputy Superintendent Jakkrawath Boontaweekulsawas.When the movie ended, Mr Kitti went down the escalator and slipped into the mobile phone section one floor below.…
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Mizsy Phuket brings ray of sunshine in dour affair
PHUKET: Most of the nearly 1,800 fans who attended Phuket FC’s final home match of the season had little to cheer about after their side was downed 1-0 by last-placed Rayong United in a disappointing match on Saturday night in Phuket Town. Indeed, the halftime presentation of “Mizsy Phuket” finalists proved to be the evening’s highlight for the home fans,…
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Ships, planes north of Phuket warned of possible Indian rocket fallout
PHUKET: Ships and planes were warned yesterday to stay away from the Phang Nga coast, north of Phuket, on November 5 as India will launch a rocket that might jettison a fuel tank into the area.“India’s space center told us that the launch would possibly be on November 5, because the weather on that day is expected to be suitable…
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100 SuperCheap workers unaccounted for at Employment Office
PHUKET: None of the 100 Burmese staff who reportedly resigned from SuperCheap after the fire at the megashop have reported their resignations to the Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO).The workers are required by law to report their resignation by November 1, Yaowapa Pibulpol, chief of the PPEO, told the Phuket Gazette.“I have no idea why none of them have shown…
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South Africa considers consulate in Phuket
PHUKET: South African Ambassador Ruby Marks met with Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut on Friday to discuss the possibility of opening a consulate on the island.“South Africa has a consulate in Chiang Mai, and now they are considering adding one in Southern Thailand,” Gov Maitri said.“Phuket is a logical choice because we have so many South African visitors – 77,915 last…
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Heavy rains to continue in Phuket until tomorrow afternoon
PHUKET: Heavy rains are expected in all regions along the Andaman coast until tomorrow afternoon, an officer at the Thai Meteorological Department told the Phuket Gazette this morning.Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang and Satun will all be affected. Tourists should avoid swimming in the sea for the next two days, as the surf is likely to be particularly dangerous, the…
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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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Phuket devout demand apology from drunken Russian
PHUKET: About 200 Phuket residents yesterday demanded an apology from the Russian tourist who damaged a statue of revered historical abbot Luang Por Kongdet during a drunken spree late Tuesday night. If the tourist, Oleg Fomenko, 31, or the Russian honorary consul for Phuket do not apologize within seven days, there will be protests, the residents warned. Mr Fomenko was…
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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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![Drunk Russian topples statue of Phuket abbot, bungles lorry theft [VIDEO] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/phuketnews_20131025183219632_baQzJNEoTcuhTpXtGwDyCrXIPyuLapFyZdHebmBB_jpeg.jpg)
Drunk Russian topples statue of Phuket abbot, bungles lorry theft [VIDEO]
PHUKET: A Russian tourist has blamed overindulgence in alcohol for a spree in which he pushed over a statue honoring a temple abbot in Karon late Tuesday night. Oleg Fomenko, 31, was arrested at 9pm and taken to Karon Police Station for questioning on Thursday night after officers identified him through CCTV footage at Wat Karon (map here). The video…
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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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Head’s up for 27th Phuket King’s Cup
PHUKET: Recognized throughout the eastern hemisphere as the premier sailing event of its kind, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta will host a week of incredibly close racing in the beautiful Andaman Sea off the coast of Southern Thailand from December 1-6, 2013. The 27th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta sees a new Bareboat Charter division, intended to address any disparities between…
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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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TSLC continues their attention to detail – Phuket sports
PHUKET: In a continuing series of sporting tips provided by Phuket’s Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club, resident experts Tennis Head Coach Roger Cochrane talks layering, but firstly Aquatics Head Coach Randy Simon gives some attention to detail. Attention to detail… when I was in the military, it was something I learned a LOT about. But it was a necessity. When…
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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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Phuket hotel singer dies in visa run crash
PHUKET: Police have confirmed that the Philippines woman who died in the visa run van accident in Trang province early Monday morning worked in Phuket as a singer in a hotel restaurant.The woman, who police have yet to name, was sitting in the back row of seats in the van at the time of the accident.“There was heavy rain that…
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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…
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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