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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Phuket seawalkers deny destroying corals
PHUKET: About 200 square meters of coral have been damaged off Khai Nai island in Phang Nga, say local marine officials, in order to create a pathway for tourists to walk on the sea floor. The manager of the seawalking company at the site, however, has defended his business, telling the Phuket Gazette it is environmentally friendly and had not…
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Phuket Songkran: Zero road deaths through Day 3
PHUKET: Phuket maintained its zero death toll for Day 3 of the Seven Days of Danger national road-safety campaign for the Songkran Thai new year holiday period, while nationwide the death toll grew to 173. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket), which collates all road accident statistics during the campaign, reported nine motorbike accidents, injuring 10…
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Phuket Songkran: 48 hours with no road deaths
PHUKET: The second day of the Seven Days of Danger nationwide road-safety campaign for the Songkran Thai new year holiday period passed on Phuket without recording any deaths, leaving the island’s road toll for the period so far at zero. The Seven Days campaign began at midnight on Wednesday (story here). The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office…
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French tourist cries robbed after Phuket spending spree
PHUKET: A French tourist, afraid his wife would be angry at him for spending too much money on holiday in Phuket, was arrested yesterday for filing a false report to police, in which he claimed he was robbed by two teenagers. The Frenchman, named by police as Marc Forestier, 54, arrived at Karon Police Station at about 2:30pm to file…
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Phuket dignatories mark Thai New Year with Songkran mass blessing ceremony
PHUKET: Hundreds of people gathered at Saphan Hin this morning to join a Songkran blessing ceremony to celebrate their Thai New Year.At 7am, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut chaired the opening of the ceremony, joined by Vice Governors Sommai Prijasilpa, Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak and Chamroen Tipayapongtada.Among the other leading Phuket figures to join the mass ceremony, offering alms to 399 monks, were…
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Phuket Songkran starts early, Governor urges ‘Safety First’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut has called for all officers island-wide to make public safety their top priority during the Songkran celebrations, which unofficially started early in Patong late today.Governor Maitri specifically ordered that extra officers be posted at the six official water-play zones on the island: – Saphan Hin Park, Phuket Town– Kata-Karon beachfront– Soi Bangla and Patong beach…
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British sex fiend arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: British national Hugh Glass, 57, wanted for multiple sex crimes involving children, was arrested yesterday afternoon while walking along the beach road in Phuket’s key tourism town of Patong.Col Chayawut Jansomboon of the Immigration Police in Bangkok led officers to arrest Mr Glass on Thaweewong Road at 3:30pm.The arrest followed a meeting between Jonathan King of the UK-based Serious…
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Unidentified body found off Phuket Deep Sea Port
PHUKET: Police are trying to determine the identity of a man whose body was discovered off Cape Panwa, on the east coast of Phuket, today.Local villagers found the body floating near the channel marker to the Deep Sea Port at about 12:30pm.“We believe the body was in the water for more than five days before it was found,” Sub Lt…
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Phuket Marine officials bolster sea safety for Songkran
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office and Marine Police joined forces yesterday to launch a water-safety campaign aimed at ensuring the well-being of beachgoers and boaters during the Songkran holidays.“Our mission is to be on hand to help people and decrease the risk of marine accidents during the Seven Days of Danger,” said Phuket Marine Police Inspector Chatchai Sakdee, who was…
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Wolfpack torpedo the Phuket Cricket Group
PHUKET: The Wolfpack, led by Will Badger, deservedly lifted the Kata Group International Cricket 7’s Cup yesterday afternoon at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG), after overcoming local side Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) in the final. The PCG had earlier defeated both Wolfpack and the CBB’s in two exhilarating finishes, but they had no answer to the batting of ‘Player of…
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The Formula 1 soap opera
PHUKET: In the lead up to Shanghai, Formula 1 is full of questions. Can McLaren possibly get it together? The news says “no”, but I think they could surprise us. We are all hoping that Force India will be a force to reckon with, after they sort out the problem with their nuts. Lotus will be intending to get back…
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The fall of sporting idols
PHUKET: Sports stars are among some of the most revered men and women on the planet. Those who excel at their chosen sport are seen as gods among us mere mortals and they are rewarded accordingly. But a fall from grace for someone at the top of their game is viewed with as much, if not more, interest than any…
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Phuket beefs up bus services, driver drug tests for Songkran
PHUKET: More buses and drug and alcohol tests for drivers have been ordered at the Phuket bus terminal in Rassada to ensure that everyone can travel, and travel safely, during the Songkran holidays.The Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) added 20 per cent more buses to accommodate the crowds returning home for the Thai new year and make sure no one…
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Phuket survives first day of Songkran Seven Days of Danger
PHUKET: The nationwide Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for the Songkran holidays came into effect in Phuket at midnight last night.As of 5:30pm today, Phuket had yet to record its first fatality for the period, which is notorious for the number of deaths and injuries on Thailand’s roads as millions of people make the journey home to celebrate Thai…
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Phuket gold shop killing: Leads point police to two suspects
PHUKET: Testimony from witnesses has helped police narrow their focus to two possible suspects in the gold shop shooting on Monday (story here), Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat told the Phuket Gazette today. However, no match has been found for the killer’s fingerprints. “We are continuing to get information from witnesses,” said Gen Choti, “which has led us to…
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Topper Sail Phuket is tops
PHUKET: Topper Sail Phuket is the first sailing school in Southeast Asia to gain Royal Yachting Association (RYA) approval for dinghy sailing and power boating. The center also offers dinghy sailing, keelboat sailing (day boats), power boating, safety boats, and shore-based theory courses. Topper Sail Phuket can now offer RYA qualifications, which are highly regarded worldwide due to the high…
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Tour of Thailand official slams into power pole during Phuket storm
PHUKET: An official of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup Tour of Thailand 2013 cycling event, whose riders were in Phuket earlier this week (story here), was injured when his pickup truck slid off the road during the storm yesterday afternoon and slammed into a power pole. Surasak Ritphirat, 39, suffered a head wound in the impact and was rushed…
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Phuket Cricket 7s start in a blaze of glory
PHUKET: Play got under way on a glorious morning of the second running of ACST’s ‘Kata Group International Cricket 7’s at Phuket’s Alan Cooke Cricket Ground (ACG – click here for map). Teams from Australasia and Asia joined local outfits to play in matches consisting of five overs per side. Tournament Director Brad Tarr paid tribute to the facilities on…
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Gold shop owner increases reward for killer-thief; police issue warrant
PHUKET: Though the identity of the man who robbed a gold shop and killed a man on Monday night is still unknown, there is now a warrant out for his arrest, and the bounty on his head has been doubled to 400,000 baht. (Story our earlier story here.) Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat has told the media, “We believe…
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Russian boy, 9, saved from drowning at Phuket beach lagoon
PHUKET: Following a Russian boy about 9 years old almost drowning at Nai Harn lagoon yesterday, the chief lifeguard at the popular Nai Harn Beach (map here) has called for parents to keep a close eye on their children playing in the water over the Songkran holidays this weekend. Nai Harn chief lifeguard Jula Nontree told the Phuket Gazette this…
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Phuket bikes burned again by teen gangsters
PHUKET: Patong Police are looking for a gang of teenagers who were seen setting alight four motorbikes in the beach resort town early this morning. Firefighters were called to Soi Klong Bang Wad, near Wat Patong (map here), at 4:30am after local residents saw the motorbikes, parked opposite the Aood Watch and Optic store, go up in flames. “Firefighters from…
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Phuket Media Record: Gazette Facebook breaks through 10,000 fans in four months
PHUKET: Anna Bolkowska this afternoon became the 10,000th person to ‘like’ the Phuket Gazette on Facebook since the new fan page was launched just four months ago. In so doing, this stunning professional model from Scotland received a large surprise: a free flight over Phuket and Phang-nga Bay in a luxury private plane, courtesy of Pat James of Aero Pro…
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Police offer B200k reward for gold shop robber
PHUKET: Police are offering a reward of 200,000 baht for information leading to the arrest of the man who robbed the C.P. Gold Master & Jewelry store at gunpoint yesterday evening, shooting dead a customer at the store in the process. Apichet Choo-kliang, 32, was shot in the chest trying to stop the gold heist (story here). Mr Apichet was…
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City keep slim hope of retaining title alive with win at Old Trafford
Special Aguero goal helps City sink United Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Sergio Aguero tore through the Manchester United defence to score a dazzling winner as Manchester City beat the Premier League leaders 2-1 yesterday evening to remind them they are still champions for a few more weeks. Second-placed City’s second successive league win at Old Trafford, following last term’s…
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Russian tour company worker freed after proved legal
PHUKET: The Russian woman arrested for working illegally at a tour counter in Kata last week has been released after her company proved to Phuket police that she was legal. Natalia Nikiforova, 33, was arrested at the Rus Info Tour Center in Kata last Wednesday for working without a work permit and for illegally entering the country (story here). Karon…
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Man shot dead in B2.3mn Phuket gold heist
PHUKET: A man was shot dead while trying to stop a hold-up at the C.P. Gold Master & Jewelry store at Tesco Lotus on the bypass road (map here) early this evening. The robber made off with gold jewelry with a reported value of more than 2.32 million baht, The shop’s CCTV security cameras show the robber parked his motorbike…
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Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand
PHUKET: The women’s section of the “Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand” started today on Phuket. The event features 15 international teams (including T-Thailand and T-All Star from Thailand). The first stage of the women’s race was completed earlier today on Phuket and the race schedule for tomorrow’s Phang Nga leg is as follows:9am: The race starts from…
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Fire scare at Phuket student dormitory
PHUKET: Smoke pouring from a second-floor window at a girls’ student dormitory late yesterday afternoon prompted no fewer than three fire trucks to rush to the scene to extinguish the blaze. Phuket City Police received a report of the fire, at the Phuket Rajabhat University dormitory on Rassada-anusorn Road (map here), at 5pm. Firefighters arrived promptly and took about 20…
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Thai Football: Phuket FC sink Thai Navy in added time
PHUKET: Surakul Stadium erupted in celebration after Phuket FC’s “super sub” Chana Sonwiset scored in added time to secure his side three points in a league match against the Royal Navy football club in Phuket Town last night. The match was evenly poised at 0-0 going into the final minutes of added time, until Chana – whose name literally means…
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Phuket shelter in fight against HIV stigma
Daoroong ‘Joojee’ Rodsamnam, 49, from Bangkok, has been project manager for the Life Home Project Foundation, a shelter for HIV-positive mothers and their children, for seven years. Here, she talks about HIV in Phuket, the goals and challenges of the Foundation and what motivated her to work there. PHUKET: Phuket is always in the top-five provinces in Thailand in terms…
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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