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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Chuvit Facebook tip-off sparks Phuket gambling raid
PHUKET: Phuket Police last night raided a gambling den operating near a major government school in Kathu after its location was revealed by controversial MP Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of the Rak Thailand Party, on one of his Facebook pages. The raid on the gambling den, at 7:20pm in a house about 100 meters from Baan Kathu School, was conducted by…
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Forensics to probe suspected Patong jet-ski ‘arson attack’
PHUKET: Police yesterday called in forensic experts to investigate a fire that gutted a house and destroyed five jet-skis in Patong earlier that morning. At the scene, a burnt-down wooden house on Phang Muang Sai Kor Road, they discovered tyres had been placed near where the jet-skis were housed. Suspecting arson, they requested forensic assistance. Lt Col Kittisak Nuphueng, Inspector…
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Satree Phuket takes the initiative for AEC
PHUKET: In the next three years, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will come into force, and the region’s languages will be as important as English. A school on the resort island of Phuket in Thailand’s south has been providing Myanmar language classes to its high-school students. Secondary students at Satree Phuket School in the provincial seat are paying special attention…
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Governor opens “Festival of 1,000 eyes’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha yesterday officially opened the 20th Phuket Pineapple Fair at Saphan Hin Park in Phuket Town. The fair kicked off at 5pm and continues through to August 22. Phuket Agricultural chief Winai Khankaew explained to the Gazette, “It’s not just pineapples. There are all kinds of fruit, flowers and other agricultural products on show.” Among the…
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Phuket Sports: Orphans team up with Olympic finalists
PHUKET: A group of school children on Phuket played its part in helping the American pair of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross reach the recent Beach Volleyball Olympic final. Last year the duo competed in the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Women’s World Tour in Karon and took some time out from competing in their tournament to watch a school…
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Phuket Town underground cable project ’90 per cent complete’
PHUKET: Phase two of the 39-million-baht project to bury central Phuket Town’s electricity mains cables is more than 90 per cent complete, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana has confirmed. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has already finished burying the electricity mains cable on Krabi and Deebuk Roads. They are now focused on burying the mains supply along sections of Thepkrasattri…
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Phuket Police close case on death of German woman
PHUKET: Police have closed their investigation into the death of a German woman in Phuket last Friday following the request of her husband, who has accepted that she died from cardiac arrest. Angelika Geibler, 60, was found dead by her husband at their home in Rawai. He woke early and left the house; when he returned he found her dead,…
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Phuket safe from Sumatra smog: Officials
PHUKET: An expert at the Phuket Provincial Health Office today confirmed that no health warning has been issued for Phuket following Sumatran fire-related smog blanketing Southern Thailand.“Phuket is not affected by the smog from Sumatra, so we have yet to issue a smog warning,” Health officer Walapa Jeenloy confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.“There are some other provinces effected by the…
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Foul complaints prompt Phuket piggery inspection
PHUKET: An inspection of a chicken and pig farm led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak has resulted in several recommendations for the farm owners to follow, but otherwise found nothing untoward other than the foul odor emanating from the site. The inspection follows residents at the The Valley 2 housing estate filing a group complaint with the Damrongtham Center…
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Olympics: Medalists come home to heroes’ welcome
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rousing welcome Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Thailand’s Olympic athletes returned home to a resounding heroes’ welcome yesterday after capturing three medals – including two silver – at the London Games. The Kingdom finished 57th out of 205 countries that competed in the sporting extravaganza.…
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Protest pressures Phuket police to reopen teen death crash probe
PHUKET: Following a public protest yesterday, Chalong Police will reopen their investigation into a traffic accident in which a 16-year-old boy died on Sunday. About 20 people, including the aggrieved father, Sompong Sae-min, friends and family, gathered at Chalong Police Station at about 10am. According to the police report, Weerachat Sae-min, a 16-year-old first-year commerce student at Phuket Technology College,…
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Phuket Live Wire: What exactly is this new 4G?
PHUKET: Thailand has been bombarded with “3G” advertising for years. As befits a term with no real definition, “3G” is all about marketing. A phone company can call two tin cans and a piece of string “3G” and get away with it. Not so 4G. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the US and Europe have been taken to court over…
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Phi Phi islanders, resort tackle rising tide of monsoon trash
PHUKET: Island residents and local resort staff on Koh Phi Phi Don teamed up for a mass beach cleanup on Sunday, removing more than 100 trash bags worth of rubbish that had washed ashore.Local residents together with more than 45 staff from the Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island tackled the rising tide of trash at Lanah Bay, one of…
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Fireball engulfs Phuket marina workshop
PHUKET: Police believe that children playing with fireworks may have accidentally started a fire that destroyed a workshop at Phuket’s Yacht Haven Marina last night. Prai Junnoo, a 33-year-old security guard at the marina, reported the fire at about 9pm. Firefighters from the Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) and the Thepkrasattri Municipality fire brigades arrived swiftly and took 30…
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US court postpones trial of Phuket-based child porn suspect
PHUKET: The trial of a Ukrainian man arrested in Phuket and recently extradited to the United States for alleged involvement in international distribution of child pornography over the internet has been postponed to November. Maksym Shynkarenko, 33 at the time of his arrest, was taken into custody here in January 2009 at his luxury villa in Chalong through the collaborative…
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THAI’s low-cost carrier plan stalls
PHUKET: Plagued by financial losses, Thai Airways International (THAI) has decided to drop plans to establish a low-cost carrier airline by 2013.The chairman of the board, Ampon Kittiampon, confirmed on August 9 that, given the company’s recent financial under-performance, launching a low-cost carrier would not be included in this year’s strategic business plan.Dr Ampon told the press that he was…
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Phuket honors Queen’s birthday
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha this morning led an offering of alms to 81 monks before a mass blessing was held to honor HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday today, which is also honored as Mother’s Day in Thailand.The ceremony began at the auspicious time of 7:09am, with the Governor joined by his wife, Mrs Nalinee, as well as Phuket Vice…
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Police find “nothing suspicious’ in Chinese drownings
PHUKET: Chalong Police will not be conducting further investigations into two separate drowning deaths of Chinese tourists off Phuket this week, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Boonlert Onklang told the Gazette yesterday that he received a report at about 11:30am on Tuesday informing him that a Chinese woman had died while on a snorkeling trip to…
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Phuket kindergarten students get head start on Mother’s Day celebrations
PHUKET: As Phuket gears up to celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday on Sunday (August 12), which will also be honored as Mother’s Day in Thailand, Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) President Paiboon Upatising yesterday led a Mother’s Day activity at the PPAO’s Sathit Ruam Pattana Kindergarten in Phuket Town. “We are holding this activity to honor HM The Queen…
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Phuket Sports: Laguna reigns over the Village
PHUKET: Defending T20 champions Laguna took on the Village in the Outrigger T20 league on Sunday, August 5 at Phuket’s ACG. The Village were hoping to avenge their defeat by Laguna in the final of the Island Furniture League. However, Laguna came out winners once again after setting a target of 152 runs, while the Village could only manage a…
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Phuket Gazette office closed on Monday
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette would like to inform readers that our office will be closed on Monday, August 13, to observe the public holiday in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday on August 12.All government offices and all bank main branches will also be closed on Monday.Advertisers in the Gazette Classifieds are assured that this will not affect any…
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Phuket set to celebrate Queen’s Birthday, Mothers’ Day
PHUKET: A host of special ceremonies are being held at different locations across the island to honor and celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday and to celebrate Mothers’ Day on Sunday, August 12. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on Wednesday presided over the opening ceremony of a tree-planting event at King Rama 9 Park (Suan Luang) in Phuket Town to honor…
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Phuket Sports: Pair share Thailand Open lead
PHUKET: Korean Kim Hyung-tae and Japan’s Yasunori Yoshida made the most of near-perfect conditions yesterday to shoot eight under 64s and share a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Thailand Open at Suwan Golf & Country Club.The winner of the Open will receive US $1 million in prize money.Early-starter Kim laid down a marker with nine birdies and…
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Resort developers charged over island land encroachment
PHUKET: Following the July 31 high-profile raid on a resort under construction on Rang Noi Island, off Phuket’s east coast, the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Unit (NREC) has pressed charges against the developers for encroaching onto protected forest land. Kan Krao Company and Bridge Rang Noi Company were both charged yesterday with “possession [of] forest [land] without permission”.…
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Crash helmet saves minibiker at Phuket “curve of death’
SPECIAL REPORT By Thawit Bilabdullar and Orawin Narabal PHUKET: A high-quality crash helmet is credited with sparing a “minibike” enthusiast from critical injury after he lost control and crashed at one of Phuket’s most notorious traffic accident blackspots late last night. News of the crash was reported to Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers at 11:30pm. At the scene, on Thepkrasattri…
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Top Muay Thai bouts to honor Queen’s Birthday
PHUKET: Thai kickboxing fighters will face-off in six World Muay Thai Council (WMC) championship bouts in Phuket on Sunday in celebration of HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday.The event starts at 5pm and will be held at Bangla Boxing Stadium in Patong, which has a capacity of 3,000 people.VIP ticket prices start at 2,500; ringside tickets are 2,000 baht and stadium…
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Burmese worker nabbed for Phuket gold heist
PHUKET: Phuket Police today arrested a Burmese man who robbed a gold shop in Karon last night and made off with nearly two kilograms of solid gold, despite being shot by the shop owner. Burmese national Lacheman Kumar, 19, was arrested this morning at his home in Patak Rd Soi 10 in Karon, where he lived with his father, mother…
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Battle against rising prices continues with Blue Flag Fair in Phuket Town
PHUKET: The Department of Internal Trade (DIT-Phuket) kicked off its latest “Blue Flag Fair” in Phuket Town this afternoon. DIT-Phuket chief Supacha Bunthalit said the three-day event will feature 150 booths offering a wide variety of consumer goods at below normal market prices, including food products, garments, sheets, bedding and much more. The event is being held in the Mazda…
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Phuket Live Wire: Don’t get mugged by your mates
PHUKET: I have been holding off writing about more email scams, waiting so I can write about nailing somebody and getting them thrown in jail. So far, no luck. But in the past week I’ve received two messages from people I know, here in Phuket, who have had their email accounts hijacked. That’s quite a coincidence – if it is…
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Phuket FC sink Navy, 1-0
PHUKET: A beautiful second half goal by defender Nontaphan “Berm” Jiensathawong was enough to secure Phuket FC a 1-0 win over higher-ranked Navy in a match at Surakul Stadium in Phuket Town last night. Just over 2,000 fans turned up for the match, which was played in perfect conditions and heavy security, including a detachment of uniformed Navy servicemen. Navy…
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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