Phuket News
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Phuket Sports: Trouble on the terraces
PHUKET: THE Thai Premier League Co Ltd (TPL) – the mother company of the Yamaha One league (Division 1, or YL1) – collected a total of 230,000 baht in fines in the first two weeks of the YL1 2013 season. Of this amount, Phuket FC were fined 5,000 baht for only having one ambulance at its first home match against…
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Phuket Sports: Scores, storms and Sepang – F1
PHUKET: Well, Melbourne was a great Grand Prix, and we now have some answers to those intriguing questions from the off-season. Last week I put my neck on the block and made some predictions about the Australian GP (click here for article) that were against conventional wisdom. How well did I do? I said slower teams have had a better…
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Archers set their sights on Phuket
PHUKET: The front lawn of the Blue Elephant restaurant in Phuket Town hosted a press conference held by the Phuket Archery Club on March 16, to announce the 3rd Phuket Archery Open, to be held April 6. The organizer of the competition, Montree Thammakij, outlined the event saying: “We have 11 types of competition and 57 trophies, along with medals…
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Phuket Sports: Patong pull clear at the top; Round 2 Junior league
PHUKET: After securing a first win of the season in their last match, the Village were confident of another successful outing against Phuket’s senior cricket league leaders, Patong, who loss in their last match to Jabudays (ICC). With only 3 points separating the top four teams, a win for the Village, last seasonfs runners up, would put them back in…
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Phuket Tourist Police shootout cop loses leg to gunfight injury
PHUKET: The Phuket Tourist Police officer injured in a shootout yesterday morning has had his right leg amputated in order to save his life. Sen Sgt Maj Pinchai Piyadilok, 34, was quickly transferred to the Prince of Songkla University Hospital in Haad Yai yesterday after he was shot in the leg and in the stomach in a gunfight at a…
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Body washes ashore near Phuket Town
PHUKET: Police are trying to determine the identity of a man whose body was found this morning washed ashore at Laem Tukkae, on the east side of Phuket Town. The man was likely a Burmese crewman aboard one of the many vessels operating out of Phuket, said Phuket City Police Duty Officer Chaleaw Taihoo. “He may have had an argument…
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Russian tour agent in Phuket faces deportation
PHUKET: Phuket Immigration officers arrested a Russian tour saleswoman in Patong yesterday for working illegally and for illegally entering the country. “We inspected the Kathu area for illegal foreign workers,” explained Phuket Immigration Investigator Chidchanok Sakornyen. “As we reached the tour counter of the Leon Speedy Travel company on Thaweewong Road [map here], we found Oleg Tikhomirova, 34, discussing tour…
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Phuket’s international boat show comes of age
PHUKET: The 10th Anniversary Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) opened today to a large gathering of island dignitaries, VIPs, exhibitors, visitors and media. While the traditional boating markets of Europe and the USA continue to struggle in the current economic climate, Phuket is driving Asia’s growth and continues to attract top international boat brands and marine products to exhibit. Pivotal…
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Sit still Singapore – Live Wire
PHUKET: I was in Singapore last weekend, and frankly am surprised by the way “4G” technology is being marketed in all sorts of places: the tops of taxis, television ads, magazine and newspaper ads, radio and TV. Everybody, it seems, wants to know more about 4G, and how to can get it. It’s not just Singapore. All over the world,…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: UN to rescue the World Cup
Exclusive – Brazil enlists U.N. help to ready World Cup stadium Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Brazil’s capital city, struggling to finish a new football stadium in time for an upcoming dress rehearsal for the 2014 World Cup, is turning to a surprising partner for help: the United Nations. The Brasilia government signed this week a 35 million reais (11.65…
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Police arrest 25 Sri Lankan refugees trafficked to Phuket
PHUKET: Police today arrested at least 25 refugees found walking along the busy Chao Fa East Road in Chalong. “The group included 18 men, six women and a 2-year-old boy. Among the six women, one was two months pregnant,” Chalong Police Superintendent Krittapas Det-intarasorn told the Phuket Gazette. None of the refugees could present passports, he explained. Some had United…
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Phuket Russians targeted in Thai New Year crackdown
PHUKET: Kathu District Chief Weera Kerdsirimongkol, who took up his position in Phuket less than a month ago, will target Russians, Nepalese and Vietnamese working illegally in Phuket, starting on April 14, the first day of the Thai new Year, he told a Provincial Hall meeting yesterday.“Initially, we will work with Phuket Employment Office and issue warnings to businesses involving…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Salute, suspicions and sympathy
Katidis banned for rest of Greek season for Nazi salute Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: AEK Athens have suspended Giorgos Katidis for the rest of the season after the 20-year-old midfielder made a Nazi salute to fans during a game at the weekend.The former captain of his country’s under-19 side had already been banned from all international teams for life by…
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Fear of attacks on Phuket’s new airport buses delays launch date
PHUKET: The long-awaited and much supported Phuket Airport Bus Express – marking Phuket’s first ‘hop on-hop off’ bus service from the airport to major tourist beaches along the west coast (story here) – will not be launched this month. The news came at a provincial transport committee meeting at the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) this afternoon led by ardent…
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Phuket to become land probe role model
PHUKET: A Deputy Ministry of Interior arrived on Phuket yesterday to launch a land title deed investigation geared to establish Phuket as a role model for land probes.“Many plots of land have been acquired through corrupt officials,” Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Prasopdee told the Phuket Gazette.“This investigation, commencing immediately and lasting 30 days, will establish Phuket as a role model…
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Phuket Sports: ‘Imagina na Copa!’
PHUKET: It’s the catchphrase of the year in Brazil: “Imagina na Copa!”It basically means “Imagine what it’ll be like during the World Cup,” and it has become a favourite among Brazilians stuck in traffic or in line at their woefully overcrowded airports.The underlying belief is that the chaos will be worse when Brazil hosts the football tournament in June 2014,…
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Phuket Police bag two as snatch turns snitch
PHUKET: A young Thai woman wanted as a bag-snatcher was placed under arrest by Phuket Police yesterday after she presented herself at Thalang Police Station to seek guidance over being beaten by her boyfriend. Rudeemas “Yaem” Sumeng, 22, reported the whereabouts of her partner to Thalang Police after he allegedly beat her. She walked into the police station apparently unaware…
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Beach north of Phuket crawling with baby turtles
PHUKET: The beach at Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueang National Park has been full of life over the past month with 339 baby leatherback turtles hatching from five protected nests in the area.“We are still watching two more nests expected to hatch soon. One nest contains 91 eggs and the other contains 84 eggs,” park chief Witoon Detpramuanphol told…
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Ministry of Justice steps up to help Phuket sea gypsies
PHUKET: Thailand’s Ministry of Justice is spearheading a multi-agency effort to provide assistance to sea gyspies in Phuket.Leaders of the small sea gypsy community in Rawai currently face legal action from investors for allegedly encroaching on private land, despite the previously nomadic people having lived there for decades.Many of the indigenous fisherfolk from Rawai have also been arrested, and released…
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Phuket bus driver found dead, pinned by bus door
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a bus driver whose body was found, still standing, pinned by the partially closed door of his own bus this morning.Phuket native Ekkarat Sarapol, 29, from Wichit, arrived and parked his Sawat Travel Company bus alongside other tour buses at the Phuket Boat Lagoon, north of Phuket Town, at 6am.He was last seen…
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Sea Warriors hook Blue Marlins
PHUKET: The Southern Sea Warriors won their first Thailand Yamaha One League (YL1) game of the season, beating Suzuki Si Racha FC 3-1 in front of just over 4,200 fans at Surakul Stadium on Saturday. Last season, Phuket had lost both of its YL1 league matches – home and away – against the Suzuki Si Racha ‘Blue Marlins’. Phuket FC…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Winners, losers and rain
Chelsea climb to third as Spurs lose again Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Frank Lampard scored his 200th goal for Chelsea as they beat West Ham United 2-0 to move into third place in the Premier League above Tottenham Hotspur who suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat by Fulham at White Hart Lane yesterday. FA Cup semi-finalists Wigan Athletic remained…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Red Bulls take front row at F1 season opener
Vettel on pole for Red Bull in Melbourne Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: World champion Sebastian Vettel will start the Formula One season-opener from pole position on an all-Red Bull front row later today (1pm Phuket time) after posting the fastest time in the rain-delayed qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. The German, chasing a fourth successive world title this…
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Tourist Police chief targets Phuket jet-ski rip-offs
PHUKET: A complaint by a senior Chinese consulate official has prompted Tourist Police Commander Roy Ingpairoj to visit Phuket in person to investigate unscrupulous jet-ski operators at Patong Beach.Maj Gen Roy led 22 Tourist Police officers on an inspection of Patong Beach late yesterday afternoon. The visit followed Qin Jian, Vice Consul of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of…
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Phuket Sports: Wales play England in decider
PHUKET: Flyhalf Owen Farrell has been passed fit to return to England’s lineup for Saturday’s Six Nations title decider against Wales in Cardiff, and is likely to start despite Toby Flood kicking six out of six penalties in Sunday’s 18-11 victory over Italy. The news was not so good for number eight Ben Morgan, who has lost his fitness battle…
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Phuket Sports: European football roundup
PHUKET: Chelsea came from two goals down at Manchester United to draw 2-2 in a thrilling FA Cup quarterfinal last Sunday that capped a bad week for the Premier League leaders who were knocked out of the Champions League on March 5 by Real Madrid.Manchester United and Chelsea drew 2-2 on Sunday as the quarter-finals of the FA Cup took…
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Phuket Sports: Truth, tyres and tall tales – F1
PHUKET: The 2013 Formula 1 rules are much the same as last year, so slower teams have had a better chance to copy and catch-up in the off-season rather than have faster teams increase their lead with innovations. But the new Pirelli tyres are going to degrade even faster than the 2012 versions. So I expect a very close season.…
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New Phuket buses ready to run the gauntlet
PHUKET Governor Maitri Inthusut confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that he will approve the long-awaited bus service to start serving tourists arriving at Phuket International Airport. The new bus service – to launch with six buses departing the airport to provide a “hop on, hop off” service to the major tourist beaches down the west coast – has one final…
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Triple homicide prime suspect caught at Phuket visa run pier
PHUKET: Police have arrested the prime suspect wanted for a triple homicide over a land conflict in Phang Nga.After nearly three months on the run, Somsak Wongsri, 49, was arrested in Ranong on Tuesday.He was wanted for the execution of Prajuab Choojit, 24; Sarawut Boonklin, 31; and Somboon Kimtin, 69, who was the father of popular Thai country music singer…
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Record-breaking 96-page Gazette hits the newsstands today
PHUKET: Phuket Gazette readers are urged to make more room in their travel bag for the Phuket Gazette this week as our bumper issue hits a record-breaking 96 pages.Leading the charge is our exclusive front page report on the new airport bus service, which is ready to launch next week and, apparently, prepared to take on the tuk-tuk and taxi…
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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