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 A healthy tomorrow starts today: Celebrate the great American Smokeout day
The Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 17, is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to take their first steps towards a smoke-free life. If you’re an expat in Thailand, this day could be a timely reminder to...
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Phuket Sports: Siam’s motocross mania; Reds and Blues to Bangkok; Futsal Cup; Thai Open
BANGKOK (The Nation): Thailand’s best bikers will go up against the global elite for the first time when the 2013 FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) Motocross World Championship Grand Prix of Thailand makes its debut in the Kingdom in March. The race weekend will be hosted at the Pinthong Industrial Estate 3 track in Chon Buri from March 8 to…
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Phuket Sports: Stacy Lewis sizzles in record-tying opening round
PHUKET: America’s Stacy Lewis struck a stunning nine-under par 63 to leave the rest of the field in her wake in the opening round of the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament at Siam Country Club, Pattaya Old Course yesterday. The score tied her career-low round and also the tournament record. Lewis, who was the LPGA’s Player of the Year in 2012,…
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Drug dealer attempts to kill Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent
PHUKET: Two Phuket Police officers were injured during a sting operation of two Cherng Talay drug dealers after one of the dealers took an officer’s gun and attempted to shoot Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Parinya Tanthasuwan. “During the arrest, Witoon ‘Bang Ann’ Piwluang took the gun from one of my men,” said Lt Col Parinya, the case investigator “He…
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Myanmar Navy makes history
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy gave a warm welcome two Myanmar Navy ships yesterday morning as they made their country’s first diplomatic visit to a foreign country.Captain Aung Zaw Hlang brought the two coastal patrol ships UMS 561 and UMS 562 to the Phuket Deep Sea Port early this morning. Waiting for him was Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command…
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“White Police’ to change Thai police culture
PHUKET: Members of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) arrived on Phuket as part of the launch of a nationwide program designed to oust crooked police officers and slowly change police culture in Thailand. Each of the 1,460 police stations across Thailand will have 10 of its officers selected this year to help gather information about the behavior of police…
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German tourist to be flown home for neurological treatment
PHUKET: The German tourist who fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room on February 16 has received treatment at Vachira Phuket Hospital for his broken arms, but his family plans to take him back to Germany for treatment of a blood clot putting direct pressure on his brain. “Alexander Sven Zott is still on life support and using…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Arsenal outgunned by devastating Bayern
Classy Bayern in command after 3-1 victory at Arsenal Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Bayern Munich seized control of their Champions League last 16 tie against Arsenal as goals from Toni Kroos, Thomas Mueller and Mario Mandzukic earned the German giants an emphatic 3-1 first leg win at the Emirates last night.A clinical early strike from Kroos opened the scoring and…
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DBD investigates Thai firms suspected of helping foreigners set up companies illegally
PHUKET: A special investigation by the Department of Business Development (DBD) into foreign-owned businesses in Phuket has revealed links to Thai legal and accounting firms on the island that may be helping companies set themselves up illegally in Thailand. “We suspect that these firms may be allowing foreigners wanting to open a business to use their company address to represent…
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Police nail multi-million-baht real estate scam artists in Phuket
PHUKET: Patong Police yesterday arrested two con artists who allegedly made more than 16 million baht by posing as real estate agents and luring potential clients into fixed gambling matches of fantan. Acting on reports from two men who said they had been scammed out of 200,000 and 900,000 baht, police arrested Wasan Choothong, 29, and Tiwalai Ruprasut,58, at the…
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‘Missing’ Swiss student discovered in Ranong prison pleads guilty
PHUKET: The Swiss student, who was thought to be missing for a month before being found in Ranong Prison, has pleaded guilty to the theft charges levied against her after she balked at an immigration overstay fine and stole an immigration officer’s camera. When Tscherina Nora Janisch, a 22-year-old Swiss exchange student, refused to pay a three-day visa overstay fine,…
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Phuket Live Wire: Landing that special connection
PHUKET: In the past five editions of Live Wire, I’ve been talking about the things you need to consider if you want to get a good internet connection in Phuket. Believe me, it ain’t easy. I’m moving to Kathu shortly, and the kinds of problems I’m having are no doubt indicative of the kinds you’ll have, the next time you…
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Phuket Milestone: ‘A History of Phuket’ to launch March 8
PHUKET: Although the Thai resort island of Phuket has become a world-renowned tourist destination and is now home to many thousands of expatriates, limited attention, particularly in the English language, has ever been given to the rich history and cultural storylines that have accompanied its phenomenal growth. That has now changed. The Phuket Chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce…
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Paul Wilson set to guide Laguna Phuket Golf Club
PHUKET: A new management team has taken the helm at Laguna Phuket Golf Club following the departure of former Director of Golf, Tim Haddon, who now heads up the recently-opened Laguna Lang Co Golf Club in central Vietnam. Paul Wilson has been appointed assistant director of golf at Laguna Phuket to guide the club through its planned course renovations during…
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Thailand Futsal: Phuket pearl anchored by Thai Port – VIDEO
PHUKET: The Pearl of the Andaman, Phuket United, succumbed 2-3 to a stronger Thai Port Futsal Club on Saturday night in Phuket Town. The match, Phuket’s 22nd and Thai Port’s 23rd in the 30-fixture GMM Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL) 2012-2013 season, was played in front of about 800 fans at the Saphan Hin Indoor Sports Complex. Thai Port –…
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Phuket’s top cop pushes for Valentine’s Day violence investigation
PHUKET: Phuket’s top cop took the reigns in a Valentine’s Day violence case after an allegedly attacked teen couple expressed their concern that the perpetrators would be protected from the law by their father, a Thalang police officer. Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat summoned Thalang Police Acting Superintendent Sirisak Wasairi to report to him immediately about the case, which revolves around…
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German in stable condition after three-storey fall
PHUKET: The German tourist who fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room early Saturday morning was moved from the Vachira Phuket Hospital ICU to a different ward, but is still on life support. Police rushed to the Kalim Resort at 2:45am on Saturday morning to find German national Alexander Sven Zott, 35, unconscious on the pavement after the…
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VIDEO: This Week Today from the Phuket Gazette
PHUKET: This Week Today from the Phuket Gazette features top news, sports and events from around the Pearl of the Andaman. Anchorman Isaac Stone Simonelli, the Gazette‘s managing news editor, introduces the top stories from the island, brought to you by PGTV. In this week’s round-up: – DSI investigates foreign businesses in Cherng Talay – PMBC introduces jellyfish warning signs…
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Dubai student drowns north of Phuket near Phang Nga waterfall
PHUKET: A student from Dubai drowned near a Phang Nga waterfall, north of Phuket, on Valentine’s Day after having left his friends to explore the area.Muhammad Ali, 20, had separated from his friends to “walk around and take photos” in the Ton Pariwat Wildlife Conservation Area after a morning of rafting at Kong Songprak, said the conservation area chief Uthen…
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Swiss man dies allegedly avoiding police checkpoint
PHUKET: A Swiss visitor allegedly trying to avoid a police checkpoint in Chalong died early this morning after his car hit a shelter in Rawai, on Phuket’s south coast, flipped and landed in the sea below.The 46-year-old was driving with a female companion when he hit the shelter at the sea gypsy village in Rawai.“We got the report at about…
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Toilets run dry in Rassada despite well endowed reservoirs
PHUKET: Despite the assurance that water supplies were going to keep taps in Phuket wet (see here), the Phuket Gazette received a report on February 14 that a resident of Baan Rockgarden 5 in Rassada had been without water for three days. The Gazette relayed the information to Mr Pisak and learned that a water pipe had broken, preventing water…
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Phuket Police officer’s sons accused of Valentine’s Day attack
PHUKET: A teenager alleged that the sons of a policeman attacked her and her boyfriend with a metal rod and a knife on Valentine’s Day, then threatened her boyfriend with a gun while the policeman restrained him.The 17-year-old teenager, given the pseudonym “Koy” because of her age, said that she and her boyfriend Benz Densiri, 18, were leaving the garage…
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German tourist on life support after fall from Patong hotel balcony
PHUKET: A German tourist tumbled from a balcony in Patong early this morning and is on life support at Vachira Phuket Hospital. Patong Police received a report at 2:45am that the 35-year-old German had fallen from the 3rd floor balcony of his room at the Kalim Resort. “At the scene we found the man, dressed in a striped shirt and…
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Phuket: Drug store to the world
PHUKET: The recent fining of a pharmacy owner in Chalong Police District (story here) for the illegal sale of prescription drugs is just the tip of an iceberg that needs to be urgently addressed by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and law enforcement agencies in Phuket. The year 2012 was the first ever that death by overdose of prescription…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: FA Cup
United to make changes for Reading FA Cup clash Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Manchester United will ring the changes for their FA Cup fifth-round clash with Reading on Monday (Tuesday morning Phuket time), but manager Alex Ferguson still expects his new-look side to get through against the Premier League strugglers. United came through their midweek Champions League last-16 1-1…
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Teachers, students plant rare species of palm in Phuket National Park
PHUKET: Phuket teachers and students helped plant 100 of the rare White Back Palm trees near Ton Sai Waterfall yesterday in honor of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut led the tree planting ceremony, which included officers from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Teachers and students from Muang Thalang School and Weerasatree Anusorn School joined…
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Three beached dolphins treated and released in Phang Nga
PHUKET: The three Spotted dolphins that beached themselves on February 7 in Khao Lak have not returned to land after being treated and released back into the sea, Patcharaporn Kaewmong, a veterinarian at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “I think they are safe since they have not come back to us,” said Dr Patcharaporn.…
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Six busted with 1.5 million in drugs in Phang Nga, north of Phuket
PHUKET: Police busted a drug ring yesterday, netting drugs with a street value of about 1.5 million baht when they arrested six drug dealers with ya bah (methamphetamine), ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and cough syrup in Phang Nga, north of Phuket. Acting on a tip-off, police went to the home of Chaiyuth Prasanphan, 35, and his brother Somchai Prasanphan, 40,…
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Motorbike with sidecar backslides down hill and flips, killing one
PHUKET: A motorbike with a sidecar carrying six Burmese workers slid down a hill and flipped over in the Blue Canyon Country Club in northern Phuket yesterday, killing one and seriously injuring two. Police received the report of the accident at 6:50 pm and rushed to the scene with Kusoldharm foundation rescue workers. “One of the passengers, Mr Muang, told…
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Phuket-Ranong visa-run van flips three times in Phang Nga
PHUKET: A visa-run van returning to Phuket from Ranong with 10 Russian passengers flipped three times as it took a sharp turn at “high-speed” on the wet roads of Phang Nga yesterday. None of the passengers were seriously injured. “On the way to Ranong the driver was going very, very fast. We understood that he was a professional driver, but…
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Brake failure on fleeing bus causes second accident
PHUKET: A tour bus fleeing the scene of an accident suffered brake failure and crashed into a utility pole on Patong Hill yesterday, causing a three-hour traffic jam. Patong Police received the accident report at 4pm and arrived at the scene to find that the bus driver had fled. “A bus with a Pegas Touristik company logo heading from Phuket…
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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