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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5 hidden healthcare costs in Thailand and how to avoid them
Thailand's healthcare system is affordable and supported by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme, offering essential services to most citizens. However, hidden healthcare costs can surprise patients and lead to unexpected expenses. These include specialist fees, insurance gaps, emergency services,...
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International Cricket: Ricky Ponting to end career
PHUKET: Australia’s Ricky Ponting announced his retirement from international cricket today, telling a stunned news conference he would be calling time on his glittering 17-year career after this week’s third test against South Africa. The former Australia captain has scored 13,366 runs in 167 tests – the second highest haul in the long history of the game – and stands…
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Girl, 9, confirmed dead in Phuket tour van crash
PHUKET: Phuket police have named the schoolgirl who died in the tour van crash this morning as Kulnaree Lattuada Lancini, 9 years old, a student at British International School (BIS). Chalong Police Sub Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop told the Phuket Gazette that Kulnaree died at the scene of head trauma. Kulnaree was in the rear seat of a pickup truck that…
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Two new Phuket police stations ready in December
PHUKET: Two new “temporary” Phuket police stations will open by December, ahead of permanent police stations that are slated for completion late next year. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavaviwat on Tuesday inspected the construction site of the new Wichit police station in Soi Na Sua on Chao Fa West Road. “On December 6, the two new police stations at…
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Phuket girl, 12, feared dead in tour van crash
PHUKET: A 12-year-old girl is feared dead after a Phuket tour van reportedly collided with a pickup truck near Chalong Temple on Chao Fa West Road in Chalong this morning. According to initial reports, two others were injured in the accident, which occurred at about 7 am. It is not known at this point whether the driver fled the scene…
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Deadline for listings in Phuket’s yellow pages
PHUKET: Businesses wishing to appear in the 2013 Gazette Guide Business Directory, Phuket’s ‘yellow pages’, have until 12 noon on Thursday, December 6, to enter (or update) their listings – that’s eight (8) days from now. Businesses not listed by that date will not appear in the directory until 2014. The 350-page book, with details of about 2,500 businesses serving…
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Thailand Futsal Premier League: Phuket United eye Colombian star
PHUKET: The island’s pro futsal club, Phuket United, are looking to sign Andres Reyes, one of the up and coming stars showcased at the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012, held in Thailand earlier this month. Phuket United Assistant Coach Patt Srivijit told the Phuket Gazette that the team is planning to get in contact with Andres Reyes about a possible…
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World Golf: Long putter expected to be outlawed for 2016
PHUKET: With a widely expected ban on anchoring long putters likely to be announced by the game’s ruling bodies today, players have expressed sharply contrasting views ahead of this week’s World Challenge. While 14-times major winner Tiger Woods and putting supremo Steve Stricker are both in favour of such putters being outlawed, 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley says he…
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Loy Krathong Festival honors “Phuket yesteryear’
PHUKET: As communities across Phuket celebrate the Loy Krathong Festival tonight, residents in Srisoonthorn, Thalang, will be drawing to a close their three-day version of the festival. Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut officiated at the opening of the Srisoonthorn festival, which this year also honors the area’s tin-mining history, at the Bang Maruan Lagoon – located next to the site of…
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Live Wire: Drilling down on landlines
PHUKET: Last week I talked about the general state of internet connections in Phuket. This week I want to drill down on landlines. I wish I could just point you to a web page that has all of the information about the various internet lines available on Phuket, and let you make a choice. Life isn’t that simple. You would…
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Murder fugitive Aldhouse to arrive in Phuket on Saturday
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse, wanted in Phuket for the stabbing murder of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in August 2010, will be extradited from the UK and will arrive in Phuket on Saturday. Aldhouse, also known by his kickboxing nickname “The Pitbull”, will arrive at about 7pm, Chalong Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri told the Phuket Gazette today. Chalong Police…
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Phuket Sports: Westwood hopes to reproduce wow factor in Thailand
PHUKET: Lee Westwood wowed the crowds at the Thailand Golf Championship last year by flirting with a 59 in the first round of the Asian Tour event and the world number six would be more than happy with a similar start to his title defence. Westwood had virtually wrapped up the title at the halfway mark at Amata Spring Country…
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Phuket Poll: Bringing illegal taxis in from the cold
PHUKET: The Phuket authorities over the past year have taken a combination of measures to bring illegal taxis on the island under regulation. The latest move brought 50 airport taxis into the fold from a “co-operative” that was openly and illegally serving passengers at the airport. However, that move followed a mini-blitz in which 194 drivers were fined for being…
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Phuket Prosecutor prepares to file charges against Tiger Disco
PHUKET: The Phuket Public Prosecutor’s Office is in the final stage of preparing its case against the operators of Tiger Discotheque over the fire that broke out at the Patong nightclub on August 17. The popular night venue erupted into flames just before 4am, while hundreds of patrons were still inside. Four people died in the inferno, including two tourists.…
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Phuket Customs raid seizes B1.5mn of pirated goods
PHUKET: Phuket Customs officers today presented to the press almost 2,000 counterfeit items, with an estimated street value of over 1.5 million baht, that were seized in a raid last week. Officers from the Royal Thai Customs Investigation and Suppression Bureau (ISB) raided a transportation company depot on the bypass road after receiving a report that a consignment of counterfeit…
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Phuket Sports: Sponsors put Dylan on track
PHUKET: Locally-based race driver Dylan Young is pleased to announce that Indigo Pearl Resort Phuket has followed in the footsteps of lifestyle venue KU DÉ TA Singapore by becoming a support sponsor for his MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship season. The new MRF Challenge Championships credibility is supported by Indian Formula 1 star Narain Karthikeyan, who is acting as the…
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Australian fall survivor out of Phuket intensive care unit
PHUKET: Two weeks after falling from the 18th floor of a Patong hotel, a 39-year-old Australian tourist has been moved from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to an orthopedic ward at Vachira Phuket Hospital. The man, originally from Sydney, suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and serious injuries to his left leg when he fell from the balcony adjoining his…
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Phuket cat burglar fails as roof caves in
PHUKET: A would-be cat burglar bungled his attempt to rob a Phuket minimart after falling through the roof into the store’s stockroom below, leaving him trapped until he was found by staff this morning.Arriving at the scene, a minimart in Pa Klok, police found 38-year-old Thepmongkol Thongsri lying injured in the stockroom.“He gained access to the store by climbing onto…
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Phuket protesters back home after rally in Bangkok
PHUKET: The hundreds of Phuket protesters who joined the Pitak Siam anti-government rally in Bangkok over the weekend have arrived home safe in Phuket. Concerns were raised on Saturday when police officers with riot shields enforcing a cordon around the protest site at the Royal Plaza started firing tear gas into the crowd and clashes between the protesters and police…
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Phuket Sports: Man Utd go top as City stutters; Full football round-up
PHUKET: Barcelona maintained their three-point lead in Spain after an inspired Andres Iniesta pulled the strings in a 4-0 win at Levante and Manchester United reclaimed top spot in the Premier League after a 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers. Bayern Munich went nine points clear in the Bundesliga while Serie A table-toppers Juventus slipped up with a 1-0 defeat…
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Phuket protesters home safe after Pitak Siam rally in Bangkok
PHUKET: The hundreds of Phuket protesters who joined the Pitak Siam anti-government rally in Bangkok over the weekend have arrived home safe in Phuket. Concerns were raised on Saturday when police officers with riot shields enforcing a cordon around the protest site at the Royal Plaza started firing tear gas into the crowd and clashes between protesters and police ensued.…
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Wild marks Laguna Phuket debut with title win
PHUKET: Swiss Olympian Ruedi Wild produced a clockwork performance in his debut at today’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon to snatch the title from a top-class field of fellow pros in just under two and a half hours. He become his country’s first-ever winner of the iconic endurance event, now in its 19th year. In the women’s field it was another Olympian,…
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Thailand Futsal: Phuket United fall to Bangkok in home opener
PHUKET: The island’s professional five-a-side soccer club, Phuket United fell 3-5 to the Bangkok Futsal Club, in an exciting and intense match-up in Phuket Town last night.Played in front of nearly 1,000 spectators at Phuket’s new 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex in Saphan Hin, the match was both sides’ third match of the 30-fixture, GMM Sport Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL)…
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Pitak Siam leader abruptly ends anti-govt rally
PHUKET: General Boonlert Kaewprasit, the leader of the Pitak Siam anti-government protest in Bangkok, admitted to his “loss to evil” after calling off the rally yesterday evening.Retired General Boonlert Kaewprasit said he called off the protest because the number of participants was smaller than expected. He blamed this on efforts by authorities and police to prevent many prospective protesters from…
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Phuket underpass roadwork sparks fears over ambulance access to hospitals
PHUKET: Staff at Phuket International Hospital and officers from the Phuket City Police Traffic Division are working together to come up with viable routes for ambulances to make sure they can get patients to the facility in an emergency during rush hour. The news follows project contractor Italian-Thai Development Co’s placement on Friday night of concrete blocks on the inside…
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Phuket Police not “preventing’ protesters from joining Bangkok rally
PHUKET: Police at the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint, the only road linking Phuket with the mainland, have confirmed they are not stopping or discouraging any people from Phuket from joining the Pitak Siam mass protest in Bangkok. The news follows Phang Nga Governor Thamrong Charoenkul saying yesterday that he had received an order from the government to keep an eye…
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Phuket Police appeal for help in identifying floating body, possibly that of a foreigner
PHUKET: Phuket Police are appealing to the public for help in identifying the body of a man found floating yesterday afternoon off Koh Racha Yai, an island about 25 kilometers south of Phuket.Lt Wuttiwat Liangboonjinda of the Phuket City Police said officers received a report from local fisherman who discovered the badly decomposed body floating in the sea.Police think the…
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Bangkok Police fire tear gas to disperse Pitak Siam rally
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police have fired tear gas into the crowds of Pitak Siam protesters gathering in Bangkok in an attempt to stop the mass anti-government rally today. Apharat Chartchutikumjorn, the Pitak Siam coordinator for Phuket, told the Phuket Gazette by phone this morning that police action started last night, steering groups of protesters away from the main stage…
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Phuket United ready for home-debut tonight against Bangkok Futsal Club
PHUKET: The island’s pro futsal team, Phuket United are set to play their inaugural home match in the GMM Sport Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL), tonight against Bangkok Futsal Club. The match will be played at Phuket Town’s brand new, 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex in Saphan Hin with a 7pm kickoff. It will be the third fixture of the TFPL…
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Phuket Governor reveals his “Seven Wonders’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut in an exclusive interview with the Phuket Gazette this week revealed his personal philosophy in handling the high-level decisions and complicated issues that facing the resort province .“This is my seventh week as the Governor of Phuket and the Phuket Gazette is the first English-language publication I have had a chance to talk to exclusively.Friendly,…
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Phuket Sports: World golf round-up; Golfing tip
PHUKET: Kingston Heath Golf Club was the venue for the Australian Masters last week. The course is the ‘pride of the sand belt’ in Victoria. Adam Scott and Ian Poulter were the two highest world ranking players at number 5 and number 13 respectively. Going into the last round, Scott was 12-under and Poulter 13-under. With home crowd advantage and…
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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