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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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...
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SPECIAL REPORT: Fears of Phuket abductions
Special Report: It is a typical story in Phuket: a taxi or van picks up passengers and on the way to their destination gets them to stop at a jewelry store, souvenir shop or travel agency. A familiar experience, considered no more than an irritation or a waste of time by some. But is it more serious than this? PHUKET:…
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Five fugitives in Phuket to face Kedah royal guard probe
PHUKET: All five suspects accused of carrying out an attack on a Kedah royal family bodyguard at a high-end resort in Patong just after midnight on Tuesday (story here) arrived at Patong Police Station for questioning this morning. Being escorted into the compound at 8:30am were three Thais: Prakong Seesopha, 32; Sakorn Seesopha, 34; and Thanyaporn Toh-in. Joining them were…
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Chinese Ambassador wins promise of translators for Phuket Police stations
PHUKET: The Deputy General Director of Tourism has vowed to hire Chinese translators for Phuket police stations in reaction to concerns raised by Chinese Ambassador to Thailand His Excellency Guan Mu on Wednesday. “We will hire police translators to work with the police,” Deputy General Director of Tourism Kajorn Weerajai said. “I also plan to make a guide book for…
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Phuket driver escapes injury as car flips, plunges into canal
PHUKET: A woman was run off the road by speeding drivers as she pulled out of the Esso gasoline station on the northbound lane of the bypass road (map here) this morning. Frightened by the oncoming traffic, the woman missed her brake pedal and accidentally hit the accelerator, propelling her car over the curb, across a patch of grass and…
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The rise of ASEAN football
PHUKET: The sport of football is considered by many to be the most popular game on the planet. While it has been a mainstay in the European and South American nations for decades, increased access to matches and a youthful fan base have now allowed this exciting sport to reach the far corners of the globe. A notable example of…
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Phuket motorbike taxi driver found dead in canal
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of man whose body was found in a canal in central Phuket late yesterday afternoon with a deep cut under his chin. Thalang Police led by Duty Officer Kitthiphum Thinthalang arrived at the scene, a canal behind the Thalang Victory Memorial Field (map here), at 6:15pm. Local residents identified the man as 53-year-old local…
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Phuket manhunt called off as German fugitive arrested
PHUKET: The Phuket manhunt for the Carlo Konstantin Kohl, who escaped his Australian guards at Suvarnabhumi Airport while being escorted home to Germany (story here), has been called off. Police arrested the 25-year-old at the German Embassy in Bangkok yesterday, Immigration Police Commissioner Panu Kerdlabpol said. “We had officers waiting for him at the embassy,” Lt Gen Panu said. Kohl…
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Five arrested over attack on Kedah royal family bodyguard
PHUKET: Police today arrested five men for the attack on a Kedah royal family bodyguard at a high-end resort in Patong just after midnight on Tuesday. Four of the men, including three Malaysians, were arrested while trying to exit Thailand at the busy Sadao checkpoint in Songkhla province. The first arrest was made at a rented house in Sikao District…
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Phuket murder trail leads to Hungary
PHUKET: Royal Thai Police investigating the murder of 39-year-old Hungarian businessman Laszlo Csapai may travel to Hungary to question a key witness, the Phuket Gazette has confirmed. The witness, currently jailed in Hungary, claims he saw prime suspect Moshe David murder Mr Csapai and bury the body, Surat Thani Provincial Police Commander Kiattipong Khaosum-ang explained. Following the witness’ testimony, Thai…
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US Navy sailors caught in Phuket taxi blockade
UPDATE: This story has since been updated through the stories ‘No blockade: Phuket taxis called to the rescue [Video Report]’ (click here) and ‘US Navy transport contractor reaches agreement with Phuket taxis’ (click here). PHUKET: Taxi drivers have set up a blockade at Phuket’s Deep Sea Port, where the USS Nimitz and the USS Princeton are anchored. According to reports,…
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Phuket FC swoops down on Krabi Andaman Eagles
PHUKET: The Islanders advanced to 4th place of the 18-team Yamaha League One (YL1) after downing Krabi FC in a Phang Nga Bay derby match last night in Phuket Town. Despite Krabi dominating the attack early on, the two Southern sides went into the locker rooms at half time scoreless. The deadlock was broken eight minutes into the second half,…
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Phuket hosts full-scale tsunami drill
PHUKET: A total of about 300 emergency-response officers from Phuket and Phang Nga joined forces to stage a full-scale tsunami evacuation and sea rescue drill off the northern tip of Phuket yesterday.The drill started with the sounding of the tsunami warning alarm, prompting the officers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in Phuket and Phang Nga to…
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Damaged Phuket tourist ferry to be recovered
PHUKET: Efforts are underway to recover the ferry Puean Foong II, which started taking on water in heavy seas yesterday afternoon with more than 100 tourists on board (story here). The boat was returning from Phi Phi Island to Phuket when strong waves punctured the hull, explained Samphan Aiyara, managing director of Friendship Sea Tour Co Ltd, which owns the…
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Australian ‘Couple on the Run’ to tackle Laguna Marathon
PHUKET: Australian ‘Couple on the Run’ Andrew and Sue O’Brien will take on the Laguna Phuket International Marathon on June 9 in the latest step of their worldwide running mission to promote shared exercise as a means of achieving personal goals.Melbourne based Sue and Andrew became known as the Couple on the Run in 2008 when they ran eight marathons…
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Phuket FC look to swoop down on Krabi Andaman Eagles tonight
PHUKET: Despite a tough away draw last Saturday in Trat, Phuket FC are in high spirits ahead of tonight’s Yamaha League One (YL1) Phang Nga Bay derby match with Southern rivals, Krabi FC. The all-Southern match-up, both sides 13th of the 34-fixture YL1 2013 season, will be played at Phuket’s Surakul Stadium with a 6:30pm kickoff (click here for map).…
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Women’s beach volleyball tournament to hit Karon Beach
PHUKET: The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour is to return to Karon Beach this year after an agreement to continue staging the annual event was recently signed by Pentangle Promotions Co Ltd and the Thailand Volleyball Association with the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). Several changes to the competition format have been made by the FIVB; the qualifying round is…
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Phuket on alert for German fugitive
PHUKET: Police across Phuket are on alert for a German fugitive who managed to escape Australian police officers guarding him as they waited for a connecting flight at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.Carlo Konstantin Kohl, a 25-year-old burglary suspect, escaped from the airport’s “day room” – a waiting room for transit passengers who do not need to go through immigration formalities –…
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Phuket Video Report: More than 100 tourists rescued from sinking ferry
PHUKET: More than 100 people were rescued from a tourist boat that started sinking while returning from Phi Phi Island to Phuket this afternoon after being damaged by big waves.No injuries were reported.The ferry, Puean Foong II, was near Chicken Island (Koh Kai), about 15 nautical miles from Phuket, when it took on water, said Phuket Marine Police Inspector Chatchai…
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Phuket Police post YouTube video of gold shop suspect, unmasked
PHUKET: Police have posted a YouTube video showing the man they believe committed the gold shop murder-burglary in Phuket on April 8 in the hope that members of the public can identify him. The CCTV footage shows a man with a slight limp smoking as he walks back and forth in front of the C.P. Gold Master & Jewelry store…
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Phuket Immigration: Deporting, blacklisting foreigners for drug charges since 1979
PHUKET: Following the recent spate of foreigners being charged with minor drug offenses, the chief of Phuket Immigration today confirmed that all foreigners arrested for drug use, or any drug-related offense, are transferred to Bangkok and deported – following the Immigration Act BE 2522.“The law is not new. It has been in use since 1979. Any foreigners found guilty in…
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Longtail boats resume island tours after Krabi storm
PHUKET: Krabi longtail boat operators have resumed tourist services to outlying islands following storm seas capsizing much of the local fleet on Saturday. The move to resume tours to the islands in Thailand’s iconic boats comes despite warnings by the Thai Meteorological Department for small boats to stay on shore. The decision follows damage to 77 longtail boats on Saturday,…
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Gas tanker leaks 2.5km trail of fuel through Phuket Town
PHUKET: A six-wheeled gasoline tanker truck leaked a trail of fuel 2.5 kilometers long through Phuket Town yesterday, causing motorbikes to skid and fall, resulting in at least one hospitalization. Police responded to a report at 11am that a gas tanker had leaked “gasoline” along Yaowarat Road, from the intersection with Mae Luan Road (map here) all the way to…
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Phuket lifeguards linger on beaches another month, contract pending
PHUKET: Lifeguards are staying on Phuket’s key tourist beaches for another month, as the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) wades through the Phuket Lifeguard Club’s contract again this year, beginning yet another saga (story here). To ensure the safety of tourists and residents at the approach of monsoon weather – often the cause of dangerous swimming conditions – the PPAO…
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Phuket Brake Failure: 10-wheeler flies off Patong Hill
PHUKET: The brakes on a 10-wheeled truck failed as it descended into Patong this morning, sending the heavy vehicle careening off the road and into a roadside ditch.No injuries were reported from the accident, Lt Col Nikorn Chuthong of the Patong Police said.Truck driver Somneuk Cherngthorn, 41, was delivering a small load of merchandise from Phuket Town at about 9:30am…
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Burmese man slashed in Phuket gas pump fracas
PHUKET: A Burmese man working as a pump attendant at a Phuket gas station was slashed yesterday after he punched one of five Burmese customers who did not have the money to pay for the gas they had just received. Patong Police inspector Pratuang Polmana arrived at Patong’s only gas station, the Esso gas station on Phra Barami Road (map…
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Phuket’s fans given football treat as Munich crowned Euro champs
Ribery and Robben combine to give Bayern victory Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A brilliant Franco-Dutch move involving Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben in the final minutes settled a memorable all-German Champions League final as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at Wembley. Watched by many avid football fans across Phuket who saw Frenchman Ribery’s backheel allow Dutchman Robben to…
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Rough seas along Krabi coast capsize 60 boats, two injured
PHUKET: Heavy weather wreaked havoc on the Krabi coast, across the bay from Phuket, flipping over 60 long-tail boats and injuring at least two this afternoon. Around noon today, rough seas capsized 10 longtail boats anchored close to shore, injuring one tourist, said Krabi Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Chief Thalerngsak Phuwayanapong. “One tourist was reported injured, and was transferred to…
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Islamic Festival kicks off, expects to draw record numbers in Phuket
PHUKET: The Alhamdulillah Talk-show Festival, expected to draw over 20,000 participants, is underway in Cherng Talay and will be running until midnight Sunday – rain or shine. “There will be talk shows about Islamic teachings and philosophy at the festival. We want to introduce Islam to the world, not just as a religion but also as a way of life,”…
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Nine dead in Phuket wedding guest truck crash
PHUKET: Nine died and seven were injured after two pickup trucks – one carrying wedding guests returning to Trang from Phuket and one ferrying road construction workers – collided in Krabi last night. Police were called to the scene at the dangerous curve known as harm tai (“forbidden to die”) in Sai Khao district at 8pm. There they found two…
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Asia’s top sailors set for Samui
PHUKET: The line-up of boats for the 2013 Samui Regatta, set to take place from today to June 1 off Chaweng Beach, features a strong mix of top international racers and regional regatta veterans. Organized by Regattas Asia, a leading regatta and marine-based sporting event management company in Asia, Samui Regatta is celebrating its 12th year. Familiar faces on the…
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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