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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World Sports: Arsenal and Man United sneak FA Cup wins; EPL update
Arsenal and Man United sneak FA Cup replay wins Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Jack Wilshere’s late strike gave Arsenal a 1-0 FA Cup third-round replay win over Swansea City and Manchester United also progressed with a 1-0 victory over West Ham United on Wednesday. Arsenal wasted a hatful of good chances before sealing the win over Swansea thanks to…
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Dutch tourist autopsy results from Bangkok expected next week: Phuket Police
PHUKET: Police yesterday morning confirmed that the body of 26-year-old Dutch tourist Stephan Buczynski had been sent to Bangkok for an autopsy. Mr Buczynski was last seen by his fellow Dutch travel companion on Saturday night. His body was found floating off the north end of Patong Beach early the next morning (story here). “The body was sent to the…
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Live Wire: Phuket’s Internet options
PHUKET: As many of you know, I am in the process of moving. Sometime in the next month or so, I’ll be moving from a Patong townhouse – where I’ve lived for the past 12 years – to a modest housing development in Kathu, near Loch Palm Golf Course. For most of you, moving is a massive pain. For people…
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Phuket Blood Bank: Urgent call for O-negative blood
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) urgently needs O-negative blood to save the life of a foreign patient. Donors should call 076-251178 ext 2 or 081-9588854. If donors are available, staff will be on hand after the normal the usual closing time of 4:30pm to make the blood draw (map here). The patient in need is waiting for heart…
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Phuket First Person: Taxi greed still in driver’s seat – Iain Barnes
British tourist Iain Barnes arrived in Phuket to begin his dream of traveling to Asia while in his twenties – he turns 30 on January 19.Here, at the start of his trip, Iain describes his “welcome” to Phuket from the taxi touts stationed at the Phuket International Airport.PHUKET: The scene at the airport was bedlam. The taxi drivers were grabbing…
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Phuket Island View: Deporting Rohingya only feeds traffickers – Phil Robertson
PHUKET: The Rohingya refugees rescued off of Phuket on January 1 reportedly requested to be sent back to Myanmar, according to Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut.Since Thai authorities systematically deny access to detained Rohingya for humanitarians, NGOs and journalists, it’s impossible to actually know what the Rohingya told the officials, but you can bet they were not given much choice in…
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Swiss tourist dies after being pulled from Phuket waters
PHUKET: Police are waiting for doctors to confirm whether or not a 75-year-old Swiss man pulled from the water at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon died from drowning or other – more natural – causes. Staff at Patong Hospital notified Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Pratuang Polmana of the man’s death at about 4:15pm. Police named the man as Thomas Nebel, 75.…
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Charges still not laid against Tiger Discotheque owners following fatal fire
PHUKET: Charges are yet to be laid against the owners of the Tiger Bar and Discotheque following a fatal blaze which ripped through the Patong nightclub five months ago. The fire, which took place on August 17, killed four people, including two tourists, and injured 11. Public Prosecutor Vivath Kitjaruk told the Phuket Gazette they were still considering whether to…
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Phuket metered taxis still under the gun
PHUKET: A spat between “regular” taxi drivers and a metered taxi driver broke out in Patong on December 26, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two groups. The Patong taxi drivers accused the metered taxi driver of trying to pick up a fare from the street while on “their turf”, when all he allegedly did was provide directions to a…
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Hong Kong tourist dies in Phuket ICU after “mysterious’ swimming incident
UPDATE: Since this story was posted online, staff at Bangkok Hospital Phuket have confirmed that Mr Lai has died in the hospital’s ICU. “We cannot release any details as per the family’s request,” the staffer said. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa staff confirmed they have been notified of Mr Lai’s death. “We are still working with the police in…
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Hundreds of Rohingya refugees offshore north of Phuket
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette has confirmed reports of hundreds of Rohingya in open boats in the Andaman Sea off Phang Nga, just north of Phuket. The news comes as thousands of ethnic Rohingya flee the violence in Myanmar. “We have heard there are about nine boats containing hundreds of Rohingya, but they have yet to land anywhere along the coast,”…
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Phuket “Ae Inside’ killer to face Cha-am justice first
PHUKET: Phuket Police will have to wait for their counterparts in the Thai tourism town of Cha-am to close their murder investigation before taking the confessed assassin of Phuket newsman Wisut “Ae Inside” Tangwitthayaporn into custody (click here). Police from the Crime Suppression Division headquarters in Bangkok, along with local Cha-Am Police, moved in and arrested Tossapol Ketkaew, 36, at…
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Phuket Police to order Bangkok autopsy for Dutch tourist
PHUKET: Police investigating the death of a Dutch tourist whose body was discovered floating off Patong Beach yesterday will send the man’s body to Bangkok for an autopsy in order to identify the cause of death.The body of Stephan Buczynski, 26, was discovered at about 9:30am by a tourist riding a jet-ski some 500 meters offshore from the north end…
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Phuket beach turf war leaves car gutted by flames
PHUKET: Phuket police believe a Honda Jazz belonging to a beachfront seafood restaurant owner was maliciously set ablaze last night as part of an ongoing conflict between vendors in the Surin Beach area. Police declined to name the owner of the car for safety reasons. The owner parked the car in front of the restaurant at about 3pm yesterday. Just…
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World Sports Watch: Man Utd & City put pretenders in place; Euro round-up
Dominant United and City beat pretend pretenders Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Premier League leaders Manchester United and second-placed champions Manchester City put former English heavyweights Liverpool and Arsenal firmly in their place yesterday with United’s Robin van Persie again on song. United sealed a needlessly nervy 2-1 home win over eighth-placed Liverpool to maintain their seven-point lead after Van…
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Phuket Sports Watch: Inter Milan trump Pescara 2-0
PHUKET SPORTS WATCH – World sports news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Inter boost title bid with victory over Pescara Reuters/Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Inter Milan invigorated their Series A title challenge by beating Pescara 2-0 at the San Siro yesterday to move within six points of national football leaders Juventus.Goals in either half from Rodrigo Palacio and…
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Blockade-sparked tour counter blitz, ‘well received’
PHUKET: A blockade of the Karon beachfront road by tuk-tuk and taxi drivers has sparked a police blitz on all tour counters in the area using Russian nationals to sell tours. So far the blitz has been “well received”, Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Narong Laksanawimon told the Gazette on Wednesday. The tour counters allegedly specializing in Russian services were individually…
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Royal Thai Police parade highlights Phuket, Pattaya tourism-safety campaign
PHUKET: Royal Thai Police stormed Phuket’s party street, Soi Bangla, with an 800 officer strong parade yesterday to highlight a 30-day safety campaign aimed at slashing the criminal activity in Phuket and Pattaya. “We expect the 30-day project to decrease the criminal activity in Phuket by 50 per cent, and significantly increase how safe tourists feel on our island,” Phuket…
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Love sick member of the Royal Thai Navy found hanged in Phuket
PHUKET: A member the Thai Royal Navy was found hanged in his Phuket garage, just days after he discovered his girlfriend was having an affair.The body of Wanchai Sripangmol, 23, was found hanging from a rafter in his Kathu garage by his parents yesterday morning.“He took leave over New Year to visit his girlfriend in Kalasin Province only to find…
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Australian tourist found dead from possible drug overdose in Phuket resort
PHUKET: Patong police believe an Australian tourist who was found dead in his Phuket hotel room yesterday died from a drug overdose. The 45-year-old, whose name has yet to be released to the public by police, was staying at a resort in the Patong beach area. Captain Teerasak Boonsang of the Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette the man’s body…
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No one seriously injured in Children’s Day car crash
PHUKET: A single car crash on the bypass road is slowing down morning traffic on Children’s Day (today) as Phuket commuters and others pause to look at the wreckage. The driver, sitting stiffly on the slope of the ditch where his Suzuki Swift came to its final rest, confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that he was “okay”, given the circumstances.…
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Phuket Police have balls, promise to be gentle with ticket sales
PHUKET: The Karon Police do have balls, but heavy-handed tactics in selling the tickets will stop, the Karon acting police chief confirmed to the Phuket Gazette today. The news follows a mob of angry residents in the popular Phuket tourist area of Karon Beach gathering at the newly-established Karon Police Station yesterday. Their complaint: the “strong tactics” used to sell…
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Phuket Sports: Bay Regatta back in style
PHUKET: THE Bay Regatta, formerly known as the Phang Nga Bay Regatta, will take place January 30 to February 3. The popular sailing event takes in the scenic cruising grounds around Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi. The event is organized by Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC) and is expected to attract around 40 boats this year. The racing is split…
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Phuket Sports: PCC start new year in style
PHUKET: After a short break for the festive season, the fourth match of the Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Cricket League was played last weekend (January 7). Patong Cricket Club (PCC) squared off against the Village Cricket Team, with PCC claiming an all important victory in emphatic style. Opener Mike Khan (41), who was well supported by his partner Raju Seemant…
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Phuket Sports: Andaman Pearl continue to shine
PHUKET: The Andaman Pearl’s last away game against CAT FC at Grand Sport Park, Bangkok, was played without their head coach issuing instructions from the sidelines. Suphol Senapeng was admitted to hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning suffering from a severe stomach ache. Phuket United used coach Suphol’s absence as an added incentive to continue their fine form…
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Hot-headed somtam vendor wanted for Phuket shooting
PHUKET: Phuket Police are on the lookout for a somtam (spicy Thai salad) vendor following a local building supplies shop staffer being shot in the head at point-blank range with a homemade zip gun south of Phuket Town last night. Somjit Chueajan, 21, from Lampang province in northern Thailand, remains in the intensive care unit at Vachira Hospital Phuket, in…
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Children’s Day play starts tomorrow
PHUKET: Tomorrow Thais across the country will be celebrating the annual Children’s Day festivities. In Phuket Town, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (OrBorJor) will be staging its activities at the Provincial Hall (map here) from 8am to 4pm. Among the activities, 83 bicycles will be given away as prizes, a “Children’s Playland” will be set up and gifts, games, prizes,…
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Rescued baby dolphin and mother losing deadly battle at Phuket Marine Biological Center
PHUKET: Serious internal infections have left a mother striped dolphin and her baby in critical condition, despite the pair being rescued on January 4 in Phang Nga and receiving round the clock care at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC). “The mother dolphin has been unable to swim since she was first rescued. She had wounds on her skin and…
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Phuket Sports: Aussie fly-half to take on Thai heavyweight
Cooper pitted against Muay Thai veteran in pro-boxing debut Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper was pitted against Muay Thai veteran Barry Dunnett for his professional boxing debut scheduled in Brisbane next month. The 24-year-old New Zealand-born back is currently honing his punching skills in Brisbane ahead of the charity bout which will keep him out of…
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Unidentified body found in Phuket canal
PHUKET: The body of an unidentified Asian man with head wounds and heavy bruising was found floating in a canal near Layan Beach (map here) on Phuket’s west coast, in the early hours of this morning. “We received a report at about 3am from the fisherman who discovered the body. We believe the body was in the water for about…
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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