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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Thailand is a popular destination known for its dynamic culture, stunning beaches, and bustling cities however, travellers can face unexpected travel emergencies that include medical issues, road accidents, petty theft, and natural disasters. To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip,...
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BBC denies £150k Phuket partying claim
PHUKET: The BBC has denied claims that it wasted more than 7 million baht on a show in Thailand after an episode was reportedly scrapped.The British public service broadcaster issued a statement yesterday after leading UK daily newspapers The Sun and Daily Mail reported the crew for the BBC show Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents spent 10 days “partying” in…
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More escaped Rohingya rounded up in Phuket; search continues
PHUKET: Phuket police have taken nine more Rohingya men back into custody, and back to the immigration detention center they had escaped from early on Saturday morning (story here). “We are still searching for the remaining 23,” said Phuket Immigration Superintendent Col Sanchai Chokhayaikij. “I am sure they are still in Phuket because our officers continue to round them up,”…
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Familiar pattern reveals Phuket meth, not quilt
PHUKET: A man was charged with drug dealing after Phuket City Police pounced on him picking up a package that he claimed was supposed to encase a quilt – not the nearly 8,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills police found.The man, Somsak Srisakul, was presented to the press today at Phuket City Police Station.“We received a tip-off that drugs would be…
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Phuket police force to start growing in November
PHUKET: Phuket’s police force will increase by 700 officers next year, with new officers starting to arrive in November, Royal Thai Police Commissioner Adul Saengsingkaew has announced.The move is to upgrade the island’s force to meet the demands of increasing numbers of tourists and residents on the island.“Phuket will have a bigger and more efficient police force in 2014,” General…
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Tourism Minister mulls compulsory travel insurance for tourists
PHUKET: The Tourism and Sports Ministry would like to make it compulsory for all foreign tourists to have travel insurance before entering the Kingdom because unpaid bills are putting a huge strain on cash-strapped public hospitals in major destinations, particularly Phuket. However, some tourism-business operators warn that this measure might keep away travellers as well as tarnish the country’s image.…
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Phuket duo win Tourism Thailand competition
PHUKET: A Phuket-based duo, comprising Richard Brownsdon from UK and Vimalin Chalermporn from Thailand, were recently selected as the winners of “The Little Big Project”, a Thai destination promotion and development competition. Mr Brownsdon and Ms Vimalin won the competition with their project, which focused on “responsible eco-tourism and marine conservation in Phuket”, executed in collaboration with openmindprojects.org. Since May…
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Law suits fly in face of DSI Phuket “mafia’ list
PHUKET: Five of the men whose names or businesses appeared on the Department of Special Investigation’s (DSI) “mafia” list have struck back at the DSI’s allegations that they had links to illegal taxis and organized crime (story here). Three have already filed defamation suits. Thammawat Wongcharoenyut and Siwa Siangyom filed their complaints against the DSI in Phuket on Saturday. San…
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Phuket fighting fish gamblers netted in rubber plantation
PHUKET: A Phuket police raid on a gambling den known for fighting fish netted nine men Saturday morning.“I received a report of a place that was open every weekend for fish gambling,” Thalang Superintendent Sirisak Warasiri said. “So I sent my men to investigate.”“They found a well-established location with tables and chairs for the gamblers,” he said.Police raided the den,…
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Rohingya escape from Phuket Immigration
PHUKET: Police scoured mangrove forest around Saphan Hin after having rounded up only four out of 36* Rohingya who to escape from the Phuket Immigration detention center in the early hours of Saturday morning. “We are still searching for the remaining 32 Rohingya. We have contacted all police stations on Phuket and distributed photos of the Rohingya,” Phuket Provincial Police…
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Phuket FC president’s birthday wish granted with win over Nakhon Pathom
PHUKET: The Islanders last night won their first match in the last 50 days – and first at home for 112 days – beating Yamaha League One (YL1) rivals, Nakhon Pathom United 2-0 on a waterlogged pitch at Surakul Stadium in Phuket Town.Marking the occasion, Phuket FC President Pamuke Achiriyachai at half time was presented flowers, a birthday cake and…
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Phuket top officials make merit in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 81st birthday
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut led top Phuket officials in a celebration of HM Queen Sirikit’s 81st birthday early this morning by donating alms to monks.The Governor, all three vice governors and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat, along with 500 officers and local residents, made the dry food offering in front of Queen Sirikit Park.The government officers were all…
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Concern piqued by fetus hammerhead sharks on display at Phuket restaurant
PHUKET: Local concern peaked in Phuket after photos began to circulate of two baby scalloped hammerhead sharks on display in front of a restaurant in Kata last week.“The ones [scalloped hammerhead sharks] at that restaurant clearly show to everybody that they are fetuses – they are not fully grown sharks, so obviously fishermen caught a female shark somewhere, chopped her…
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Phuket Airport gets multilingual makeover, bus to resume full service on Friday
PHUKET: The new Airport Express bus service, operating a “hop on, hop off” service between Phuket International Airport and the prime tourist beach destination Patong, will resume full service on Friday. “The bus service will return to the full schedule on August 16,” Prakob Panyawai, the owner of the bus company, confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. Services were pared back…
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Bar girl delivered B100k to Swedish murder suspects, Phuket Court told
PHUKET: As the murder trial of Tommy Soderlund continued yesterday, a police officer told the court that Mr Soderlund was arrested in the hotel room of a Pattaya bar girl who had delivered 100,000 baht to him and his alleged accomplice Johan Ljung. Mr Soderlund and Mr Ljung are charged with murdering Russian-born Swedish national Maksim Schantz in Phuket on…
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Phuket’s elite captains mark 24 years of dodging rocks
PHUKET: A gathering of Phuket’s elite captains and core sailors of the local yachting community last night marked 24 years of dodging rocks with the launch of the fourth edition of the essential cruising guide, Southeast Asia Pilot, that made it possible. The latest edition covers the area from the Andaman Islands in Indian territorial waters to Darwin, Australia. In…
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Trio of top cops gather to promote Phuket safety, again
PHUKET: The two highest-ranking police officers in Thailand joined Phuket’s top cop in Patong yesterday evening in the latest campaign to safeguard tourism revenue by convincing tourists that Phuket is a safe place to vacation. Over 400 police officers gleaned from every station in Phuket gathered in formation at one end of Soi Bangla to be reviewed by the Royal…
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Phuket FC’s new coach to play ‘Brazilian style’ against Nakhon Pathom
PHUKET: The Islanders’ newly appointed (click here for story) Brazilian head coach, Stefano Rodrigues, or “Coach Teco”, said he is confident in Phuket FC’s chances against Nakhon Pathom United in tomorrow’s match. The game, the Yamaha League One’s 2013 season’s 21st clash of the 34 match campaign, will be played at Surakul Stadium with a 6:30pm kickoff (click here for…
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Chinese woman, 22, found dead in Phuket resort swimming pool
PHUKET: A 22-year-old Chinese tourist was found dead yesterday morning floating in a resort swimming pool on Koh Lone, a small island about three kilometers east of Rawai.Peng Yu was staying at the Cruiser Island Resort with a Chinese tour group.“A hotel staffer found her floating face down in the swimming pool,” Thada Sodarak of the Chalong Police said.Ms Peng…
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Human trafficker shot, captured in Surat
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thailand arrests suspected leader of human trafficking gang Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Thai authorities have captured the suspected leader of a human trafficking gang, who confessed to selling Burmese migrants into slavery on Thai fishing boats and possibly murdering as many as seven, a Thai official said…
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Patong Mayor Pian Keesin targetted in DSI’s investigations list
PHUKET: Long-serving Mayor of Patong Pian Keesin, as well as ten other people and suspect locations, has been named on a Department of Special Investigations (DSI) blacklist regarding illegal taxis. The blacklist was presented yesterday as Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak and DSI Director-general Tarit Pengdith arrived on the island to open the ‘Phuket Organized Crime Center’ (story here).…
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Special Report: Anatomy of a Phuket taxi driver
Special Report The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has opened an ‘Organized Crime Center’ [sic] at Phuket International Airport to crack down on illegal taxi drivers still operating there. The move follows widespread allegations of mafia operating on the island and illegal taxi drivers overcharging tourists. Here, the Phuket Gazette investigates what it takes to become a Phuket taxi driver.PHUKET:…
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Rohingya riot north of Phuket pre-planned escape attempt, says Immigration
PHUKET: The Rohingya refugees’ rebellion against their captivity during the Muslim holy day Eid-al Fitr yesterday was a pre-planned attempt to escape the facilities and leave Thailand, Phang Nga Immigration Police told the Phuket Gazette today. “The refugees were convinced by visitors to protest and attempt to escape to another country,” Phang Nga Immigration Inspector Neti Khanboon said. Lt Col…
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Phuket drug users scramble free of police net – two women arrested
PHUKET: A police drug bust yesterday netted only two female meth dealers after several teenagers using drugs at a bungalow in Phuket managed to scramble to freedom.One of the two woman arrested, Supattra Kanam, 24, spotted the police arriving at the bungalow, about half a kilometer from the Heroines’ Monument. She was able to run into the house and warn…
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Guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins arrives in Phuket
PHUKET: The guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins arrived in Phuket yesterday, anchoring at the Deep Sea Port at Cape Panwa.The Higgins, the US Navy’s 26th Arleigh Burke class destroyer, carries a crew of 276 sailors and a formidable armament of standard and vertical-launch missiles, long-range Tomahawk missiles, two triple-tube torpedo mounts and deck guns.“The crew were welcomed to Phuket with a…
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Rohingya refugees protest officials’ prevention of group prayer for Eid-al Fitr
PHUKET: Over 250 Rohingya refugees raged against Phang Nga Immigration officers when denied the right to leave their cells and gather for mass prayer to mark Eid-al Fitr today. Eid-al Fitr is one of the most important days for practicing Muslims, as it marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan (special report here). “The refugees broke out…
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Krabi murder defendants claim US Embassy translator unfair
PHUKET: The three Thai musicians charged with the murder of American tourist Bobby Ray Carter Jr in Krabi on July 31 (story here) have refused to have the translator provided by the US Embassy in Bangkok involved in the trial. The lawyer representing the three defendants explained the complaint to the judge at Krabi Provincial Court on Tuesday, when defendants…
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Body of executed pregnant woman found in Khao Sok National Park, north of Phuket
PHUKET: An unidentified pregnant woman was executed by gun and her body left in Khao Sok National Park, Phang Nga police said today.The body of the woman, believed to have been in her late 20s, was found by villagers in Phang Nga’s Kapong District yesterday.“She was wearing an orange-red maternity dress, and appeared to be pregnant,” Prajak Rodkantuk of the…
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FIVB beach volleyball world tour’s return to Phuket has interest spiking
PHUKET: The return of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour to Karon beach Phuket has created plenty of interest among both players and fans. With the tournament still just under three months away, over 40 teams from 19 countries have already entered the US$75,000 Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT, which will be held from October 29 to November 3.…
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Organized Crime Centers to open for business tomorrow
PHUKET: Phuket’s first Organized Crime Center for Tourism is set to open tomorrow, with one office at Phuket International Airport and one office at the Phuket City Police Station. The offices are being established to get a grip on tourist operators extorting money from island visitors, money launderers, illegal taxi drivers (story here) and persons involved in criminal associations (story…
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Oil spill damage not as great as feared, say Phuket Marine Biologists
PHUKET: The environmental damage to Koh Samet is not as great as initially feared, according to five Phuket-based marine biologists who have just returned from a fact-finding mission to the oil-spill stricken island (story here). The Phuket group’s findings were similar to those reported by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. “We did not find any remains or evidence…
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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