Phuket News
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Phuket red shirts protest reconciliation bills
PHUKET: About 20 Phuket red-shirt supporters rallied at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to protest the Constitution Court ordering Parliament to stop the third reading of the hotly contested “reconciliation bills”. Coinciding with the red-shirt protests in front of Parliament in Bangkok that began on Thursday, and concluded yesterday, the Phuket contingent filed a letter of complaint to Phuket Vice Governor…
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Police to crackdown on Euro 2012 football gambling
PHUKET: Police will target “likely” venues in a crackdown on gambling in Phuket during the Euro 2012 football tournament, which kicked off last night and culminated in a 1-1 draw between Poland and Greece.“We received an order [from the Police Region 8 Headquarters] about two weeks ago instructing us to target those areas likely to be venues for gambling,” Phuket…
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Phuket homeless man found dead at Saphan Hin
PHUKET: Phuket Police suspect that a homeless man found dead at Saphan Hin Park this morning died as a result of consuming too much alcohol in an attempt to keep warm during the current wet weather. Phuket City Police Duty Officer Nanon Pitakkultorn received a 191 hotline report at 7:30am informing him of a deceased man laying next to Gymnasium…
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Phuket officials render assistance to storm victims
PHUKET: Officials in Srisoonthorn and Cherng Talay, on Phuket’s west coast, today inspected more than 30 houses damaged by the storm yesterday. Many of the homes had portions of their roofs blown off by the strong winds, while others were battered by falling trees. The roof of a drinking water plant flew off and fell onto two houses in the…
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Phuket “baraku’ bars still under the microscope
PHUKET: At a press conference held at Provincial Hall yesterday, Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada detailed the current state of affairs concerning the investigation into the island’s baraku bar business. During the meeting, V/Gov Chamroen stressed that all baraku bars – “baraku” being the Malay-derived word for hookah water pipes – could be adequately controlled using existing laws and regulations.…
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Phuket Gazette readership approaches 50,000 – new look, Property Review launched today
PHUKET: The launch of a series of new supplements and expansion of the Phuket Gazette‘s Andaman, Nationwide and Airline editions has driven the newspaper’s circulation to close to 50,000 readers a week. The Nationwide and Airline editions, both printed and distributed by Gazette partner newspaper The Nation, have kept pace with the rapid growth of the local Andaman edition here…
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Phuket sea gypsies get ID cards and water, but no new fishing rights
PHUKET: Some of the issues facing Phuket’s sea gypsy communities were resolved in a meeting yesterday, held in accordance with the Ministry of Culture’s plan to improve the quality of life of sea gypsies in all six of the Andaman provinces. The meeting follows more than 2,000 protesters, including sea gypsies and members of other landless communities from across the…
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‘Marathon Man’ flies in for Laguna Phuket run
PHUKET: Confirmed to take part in the Laguna Phuket International Marathon on Sunday is Australia’s renowned “Marathon Man” Trent Morrow, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Due to arrive on the island today, marathon and ultra-marathon runner Morrow has successfully completed 49 marathons and nine ultra-marathons since 2008 and is the only person to successfully complete a marathon in all states…
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Phuket probe given 30 days to report on land clearing
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak has given local government 30 days to confirm whether or not the clearing of a plot of land in Srisoonthorn, Thalang District, was legal.The news follows V/Gov Somkiet’s inspection of the site yesterday, after a complaint was filed with the Phuket Governor’s Office.“The person who filed the complaint said he had previously filed a…
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Metered taxi co-op moves to boost fleet at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: The Phuket Taxi Meter (PTM) Service Co Ltd yesterday filed an official request to add 30 cars to their fleet of 80 metered taxis at Phuket International Airport. The move to boost the fleet at the airport comes as part of the company’s negotiations to renew its concession. PTM’s current concession is set to expire on September 30. PTM,…
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Phuket storm rips open school roof, children evacuated
PHUKET: Children at Phuket’s Kajonkietsuksa School on Chao Fa West Road, Wichit, were evacuated from the school this afternoon after strong winds tore open a section of roof, allowing the driving rain inside.Rattana Ketkul, financial manager at the school, confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that no children were injured in the incident, but the students were moved to another building.“We…
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Phuket woman loses husband, then killed in hit-and-run
PHUKET: A Phuket woman was killed instantly while trying to cross Thepkrasattri Road in Srisoonthorn last night when she was struck by an unidentified car traveling at high speed.Thalang Police Duty Officer Somkid Khaosang received the accident report at about 9:45pm.Col Somkid and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the deceased woman lying on the northbound…
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Phuket mother questions mental health care after screwdriver attack on 7-year-old son
PHUKET: The 7-year-old victim of a screwdriver attack by a mentally ill man in Phuket Town has recovered from his physical injuries, but his mother fears that the psychological trauma caused may take much longer to heal. Krittamet “Best” Kingsaiyut’s mother, Chareerat Naksri, was told by doctors that the stab wound to her son’s head was only two centimeters deep.…
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Phuket update: Krabi footballer accused of rape released on bail
PHUKET: The professional footballer signed with Krabi FC who stands accused of raping an American exchange student has been released on bail, the Phuket Gazette has learned. An officer at the Krabi Provincial Court confirmed that the man was presented to the court and released on bail, but the officer declined to give any further information. “I was given orders…
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Phuket bar operators fined for holiday trading
PATONG Police arrested and fined some 12 bar operators for selling alcohol on the Buddhist holiday, Visakha Bucha Day, on June 4. Comments from bar owners that no warning was given for bars to close for the holiday fell on deaf ears, although one bar owner pointed out that only months ago a senior police officer in Phuket was reported…
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Thais in Phuket confident in English skills, but foreigners disagree
PHUKET: The results of the latest Phuket Gazette online poll show that a strong majority of foreign and expat residents find English-language skills in the local tourism industry very poor – but the small fraction of Thais who took part tended to rate them quite highly. A total of 1,864 people took part in the two-week poll launched on May…
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Wild monsoon weather interrupts Phuket power supply
PHUKET: The torrential rain and Force 7 winds gusting over 50kmh overnight and throughout this afternoon are causing power disruptions to many parts of Phuket, including the resort town of Patong.“We have been experiencing problems with power supply cables from Thalang to Patong since early this morning,” Somchai Krueapat of the Provincial Electricity Authority confirmed.Power supply to areas in parts…
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The Riddle of Phuket’s Black Sands
SPECIAL REPORT The Phuket Gazette investigates a reader’s inquiry into why much of the sand at Laem Panwa Beach is black – and why it sticks to anything metal. The Gazette‘s Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai, Stephen Fein and Chutharat Plerin report. PHUKET: The west coast beaches of Phuket attract millions of tourists annually, but there is only one beach on the island…
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Phuket elections set for June, July
PHUKET: The Phuket Election Commission (PEC) has confirmed the results of elections in Rawai Municipality last month, but has yet to set a date for the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) council election because restructuring of constituency boundaries is still underway. PEC Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit updated the public on several electoral affairs during a ‘Government Meets the Media’ event at…
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Phuket neighbor Ranong shaken by 4.0 Richter earthquake
PHUKET: An earthquake registering 4.0 on the Richter scale struck Ranong province, just north of Phuket, at about 1pm today, shaking houses along the coast and scattering villagers in fear. Ranong is best known among Phuket expats and long-stay tourists as the jump-off point for “visa runs” to Myanmar. Paiboon Aiamsuwan, director of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) monitoring station…
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Phuket Games athlete released from hospital and heading home
PHUKET: The young athlete injured in a motorbike accident that claimed the life of his teammate passenger was released from the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Hospital yesterday. Atthapong Noikhamsin, the 13-year-old boy who survived the accident in Rawai on Thursday morning was seen off from the hospital by Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha and OrBorJor President Paiboon Upatising. Young Atthapong’s…
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Krabi FC footballer denies rape of American student
PHUKET: A Krabi FC football player has denied allegations that he raped a 23-year-old American exchange student near Krabi Town, across Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, last Thursday night.The man was arrested by Krabi City Police on Friday after they were notified of a woman being attacked at the tourist-popular Nopparat Thara Beach in Ao Nang.The woman was taken to…
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Phuket Beach Safety: Man missing after swimming in dangerous surf
PHUKET: A Thai man who entered the pounding surf at Patong Beach over the weekend is still missing and presumed dead, the latest in the ever-growing toll of monsoon-season drowning deaths in Phuket. Atthiwut Prommarat, 18, was visiting his mother who works as a beach vendor when the tragedy occurred, said Uten Singsom, head of the Phuket Lifeguard Club’s Kata-Karon…
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Phuket Live Wire: Is the iPad rotting your child’s brain?
PHUKET: In 2010 and 2011, there was a rash of articles in the popular press saying that iPads, iPhones, tablets and the like would rot your kid’s brain. It’s hard to wade through headlines like these from the New York Times and not feel like an iPad is the root of all kiddy evil: “Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction,…
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Phuket marks Visaka Bucha Day
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha this morning led more than 1,000 people in offering alms to 99 monks at a merit-making ceremony in Phuket Town to mark Visakha Bucha Day. Visakha Bucha Day is observed on the day of the full moon during the 6th lunar month, which usually falls in either May or early June. It is a day…
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Phuket police confirm identity of mutilated man
PHUKET: Phuket Police have identified the mutilated body that washed ashore at Nai Yang Beach yesterday. Tah Chat Chai Police identified the man as 36-year-old Santi Chandaeng, originally from Udon Thani but most recently living in Phuket’s Thalang District. The man’s wife, Roongruthai Phaha, 35, told police that her husband was last seen departing for a fishing trip on Saturday.…
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The Racha steps up campaign to keep Koh Racha green
PHUKET: Management at The Racha resort on Koh Racha Yai, a popular day-trip island about 25 nautical miles south of Phuket, has stepped up its campaign in environmental care on the island. The news follows environmentalists’ accusations against greedy developers, tour operators and resort owners for blatantly exploiting Koh Racha‘s pristine natural beauty to make a profit, with little or…
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Phuket Crime: Mutilated body found on Nai Yang Beach
PHUKET: Police in Phuket are trying to identify a mutilated body that washed ashore at Nai Yang Beach yesterday morning as the first step in a murder investigation. Tah Chat Chai police were notified of the discovery in Sakoo Village 1 at about 11am. Arriving at the scene with Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation workers, Lt Col Prakob Boonkwan and fellow officers…
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Phuket banks another gold in the games
PHUKET: Despite being one of the smallest provinces in Thailand, Phuket continues to make big waves at the 28th National Youth Games (Phuket Games 2012) now underway on the island. The island’s gold medal tally now stands at 13, following Somkiat Kraisrisombat’s win of the gold yesterday in the Boys’ Singles event at CS Bowl, Big C Supercenter.Steady-handed Somkiat won…
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Phuket volunteers join cleanup at Koh Racha
PHUKET: After being lambasted by environmentalists last week, Phuket’s conservation authorities were quick to promote the good work they are doing in repairing Koh Racha Yai’s environment with the coral reef rejuvenation project and beach cleanup being held this weekend. “This activity is part of a improvement project that we started last year. It aims to rejuvenate the coral reef……
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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