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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10 biggest challenges retirees face in Thailand (and how to overcome them)
Retiring in Thailand comes with many benefits, like warm weather, affordable living, and a rich culture. However, it also brings challenges. Retirees must deal with visa rules, healthcare costs, language barriers, and cultural differences. Rising medical expenses, required insurance, and...
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Ireland’s Healy cited; Nadal wants time; Mancini and Lotus under pressure
Ireland’s Healy cited for stamp on England’s Cole Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Ireland prop Cian Healy has been cited for stamping on England’s Dan Cole during a maul in the first half of their 12-6 Six Nations championship loss in Dublin on Sunday, tournament organizers said yesterday. Healy contravened Law 10.4 (b), which states that a player “must not…
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Phuket’s Wat Chalong Fair 2013 in full swing
PHUKET: The Wat Chalong Fair 2013, a 7-day extravaganza of performances, food, games and shopping, is now in full swing (map here). Each night starting at 7pm, fair-goers can enjoy performances by Thai country music (luk-thung) stars and traditional Southern Thai Nang Talung shadow puppeteers. The crowd of thousands on opening night enjoyed a performance by Jintara Poonlarb, and the…
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Phuket tourist carrying roses dies in motorbike crash
PHUKET: Simon Ashley, a tourist carrying an Australian driver’s license, died when he lost control of his motorbike on one of the sharp curves between Patong and Karon early this morning. “A tuk-tuk driver who witnessed the accident said that he saw Mr Ashley leave Soi Bangla in Patong and head towards Karon with a bunch of roses in his…
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Blaze engulfs abandoned luxury hotel bordering Phuket National Park
PHUKET: Police suspect the fire that engulfed an abandoned luxury hotel near Nai Yang Beach in northern Phuket early this morning was started by thieves searching for copper wire. “The hotel, on the border of the Sirinath Marine National Park, was completely abandoned. Thieves most likely went onto the premises to salvage copper. We suspect they were attempting to burn…
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Attorney denies Norwegian man willed millions of baht to Phuket elderly, children
PHUKET: Police have not been able to find a will to substantiate rumors that a Norwegian man left a portion of his 100-million-baht estate to Phuket foundations for the elderly and for children. Frank Robert, 52, died on Saturday from pre-existing medical conditions, a Patong Hospital staffer told Patong Police. “I have talked to the attorney who will execute Mr…
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Live Wire – Putting the pieces together
PHUKET: In the past three editions of Live Wire, I’ve taken you through a detailed list of the internet packages currently available in Phuket and a description of what kinds of packages – “3G,” ADSL, Fiber, etc – most people will want. Last week I warned you about the truly awful experience one reader had with the new TOT 3G…
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Phuket United end losing streak, beat Leo Bang Seu at home
PHUKET: A 4-1 second-half run secured victory for Phuket United (7-4) in their match against Leo Bang Seu on Saturday night in Phuket Town. The much needed win ends the Andaman Pearl’s five-game losing streak. Played in front of about 500 fans at the Saphan Hin Indoor Sports Complex, the match was both team’s 20th of the 30-fixture Thai Futsal…
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Police catch Phuket gold thief using CCTV images
PHUKET: Phuket Police used CCTV images to track down and arrest a thief who snatched two gold necklaces from a woman driving her motorbike in Rassada. Nathawut Wannakoon, 22, was arrested at his home in Soi Imchit on Chao Fa Road (map here) by Phuket City Police on February 9 for the theft of the necklaces valued at 25,000 baht…
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Phuket prepared for Chinese New Year
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has prepared an extravagant celebration to ring in the Year of the Water Snake with the arrival of the Chinese New Year tomorrow. The celebration is slated to kick off at Sanam Chai (across from Phuket City Hall, map here) at 4pm. “Acrobats from Henan, China will be performing as well as other…
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American tourist found dead in Phuket hotel
PHUKET: A 23-year-old American tourist was found dead in his Cherng Talay hotel room by staff after he failed to checkout at noon yesterday. Staff at the Resident Resort and Spa Retreat called Cherng Talay Police at about 10:30pm to report the death. “When we entered the room, we found the man face down on the bed,” Cherng Talay Police…
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Phuket Deputy Honorary Consul: Russian tourists cause most problems, not expats
PHUKET: Santi Udomkiratak, 48, has been the Deputy Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation for the provinces of Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga since 2008. Born and raised in Phuket, Mr Santi received a degree in mechanical engineering from King Mongkut’s University of Technology in Bangkok. Here, he gives his views on Russians in Phuket. Most of the problems we…
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PACC it all in, Phuket
PHUKET: This week’s exclusive lead story in the Phuket Gazette newspaper about the decision of the Public-sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) to shelve its investigation into encroachment cases here in Phuket comes as a disappointment – but not much of a surprise. Phuket has a long history of land probes, all of which are motivated by political forces. In the…
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Rawai Municipality takes charge of one of many environmental issues plaguing Racha
PHUKET: The Rawai municipality was assigned to take charge of the mounting trash-disposal issues on Koh Racha Yai despite progressive local government talks yesterday with hotel and resort representatives about a conglomerate of environmental issues facing the once pristine island. “Though hotel and resort representatives agreed to take care of the trash-disposal problem themselves, I have assigned the Rawai Municipality…
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Phuket cement truck flips on late-night trip down Patong Hill
PHUKET: An out of control cement truck flipped at the bottom of Patong Hill last night, skidding on its side into a motorbike and two houses before coming to a halt about 50 meters away from Wat Suawan Kiriwong Patong on Phra Baramee Road (map here). No one was seriously injured. “It was about 1am last night, and I was…
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Phuket Old Town festival to showcase Chinese heritage
PHUKET: The annual Phuket Old Town Festival will begin on February 15, ushering in the three-day celebration of the town’s historical origins and unique ethnic mix of cultures. To announce this year’s festival, leading Phuket dignitaries gathered at Queen Sirikit Park on Thursday night. Joining Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana in announcing the event were representatives from Phuket City Municipality,…
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Phuket Provincial Transportation Office brokers breakthrough deal for taxis
PHUKET: A breakthrough arrangement with banks and insurance companies means that all taxi drivers in Phuket have until February 28 to become legally registered – or face a 2,000-baht fine every time they are caught carrying passengers.The deal, brokered through the Phuket Provincial Transportation Office (PPTO), was announced at a meeting with illegal taxi drivers at the Amora Beach Resort…
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Phuket City police bag druggy by using GPS tracker from stolen iPhone
PHUKET: Police quickly nabbed a Phuket druggy by using the GPS tracking feature of the iPhone he had stolen from a German tourist yesterday. The German tourist, David Trebs, was standing in front of the 99 Oldtown Boutique Guesthouse in Phuket Town at about 2am yesterday when a man on a motorbike drove by and snatched his iPhone, explained Lt…
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Phuket Soccer Schools and Thanyapura set for international tourney
PHUKET: The Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) is hosting a 40-team international tournament this weekend at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC). Teams will compete in U8, U10, U12 and U14 age groups. The tournament has attracted teams from Hong Kong, Singapore, Koh Samui and Phuket. The opening ceremony starts at 8:30am on Saturday with the closing ceremony taking place on…
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Thailand Futsal League: Andaman Pearl bagged by CAT
PHUKET: The island’s pro futsal team, Phuket United, suffered their fifth straight loss on Wednesday night, losing at home 1-2 to the state-owned telecom corporation flagship team, CAT FC. Played in front of about 500 fans at the Saphan Hin Indoor Sports Complex, the match was both sides’ 19th of 30 fixtures in the Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL) 2012-2013…
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Phuket migrant workers granted three-month deportation reprieve
PHUKET: Cabinet has passed a resolution allowing migrant workers in Phuket and across the Kingdom an additional three months to complete the nationality verification process, Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) chief Yawapa Pibulpol told the Phuket Gazette today. “According to Cabinet’s resolution, migrant workers’ deportation deadline has been extended until April 15,” Ms Yawapa said. “What action we will take…
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Rogue wheel in Phuket leaves Russian in ICU
PHUKET: A Russian biker remains unconscious in Bangkok Hospital Phuket’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after being knocked from his motorbike by a rogue wheel that flew off a 10-wheeled truck on Thepakasatrri Road yesterday. The Russian, named by police as Alexey Balabko, 26, was a riding a “big bike” when he was struck by one of two wheels that came…
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Phuket jet-ski operator nabbed, denies anchor attack
PHUKET: Police have apprehended the Phuket jet-ski operator who reportedly swung an anchor angrily at the head of a German tourist at Kata Beach on Monday (story here). Named only as “Mr Buntoon”, age 33, the operator was brought in for questioning by Karon Police yesterday. “He confessed that he run over the German man’s belongings with the jet-ski trailer…
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One dead, one injured in Phuket construction landslide
PHUKET: One man is dead and another injured after a landslide buried them while they were building a retaining wall high in the hills of Patong late yesterday afternoon.The two men were working in a trench about two meters deep when the land beside them gave way, burying them alive, explained Lt Thawatchai Srimai of the Patong Police.Rescue workers called…
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Phuket full-scale tsunami drill not to be announced in Russian
PHUKET: Phuket will hold its annual full-scale tsunami evacuation and marine rescue drill at Karon Beach on February 21, but the tsunami warning messages will not be played in Russian, the Phuket Gazette was told today. “The Ministry of Interior requires the six Andaman provinces in the tsunami hazard zone to hold a tsunami evacuation and marine rescue drill at…
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Phuket parents join “fight club’
PHUKET: Two parents tired of having their boy picked on by a gang of students at school took matters into their own hands today by turning up at the school and “slapping” the five bullies. They have since been charged with assault. Sgt Paritat Duangkamol of the Thalang Police was called to Muang Thalang School at 8:10am. Outside the principal’s…
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Phuket Police search for jet-ski operator after anchor attack on German tourist
PHUKET: Karon Police are looking for a jet-ski rental operator at Kata Beach who yesterday allegedly swung an anchor at the head of a German tourist.When contacted by the Phuket Gazette, Col Werawat Juntharavijit*, Acting Superintendent of the Karon Police, today said he had yet to be informed of the incident.“I have not received a report about this. I will…
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Racha residents call for Phuket officials to fulfill old promises
PHUKET: The ongoing struggle to protect the beauty and environmental health of the tourist-popular Racha Yai Island, about 25 kilometers south of Phuket, continued yesterday in a meeting with Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa. Santi Chandi, representative of Racha Yai residents, asked the vice governor to solve the problems she had promised to solve at a meeting in May 2012. At…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Global soccer fixing scam exposed
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World sports news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Investigators expose global match-fixing network Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Hundreds of soccer matches have been fixed in a global betting scam run from Singapore, police said on Monday, in a blow to the image of the world’s most popular sport and a multi-billion dollar industry.…
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Spiraling Phuket prices blamed on B300 min wage
PHUKET: A market vendor at the busy Kaset Market in Phuket Town yesterday told the Phuket Governor the 300-baht-a-day minimum wage was forcing vendors to pass on price hikes of fresh produce to consumers. Governor Maitri Inthusut yesterday morning led officers to inspect food prices at Kaset fresh market, located behind the Robinson department store in Phuket Town (map here).…
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Breaking News: Phuket fugitive Dane “Denny’ Knudsen arrested
PHUKET: Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that wanted Danish national Dennis Mark Knudsen, 24, has been arrested by Phuket Police. Mr Knudsen was wanted for breaking bail conditions after he failed to appear at Phuket Provincial Court on January 22 to resolve a dispute with Australians John Cohen and Adam Shea about a “big…
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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