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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Phuket’s Patong to transform feces into fertilizer
PHUKET: Patong Municipality will apply for a 65-million-baht loan to build a treatment plant that will convert thousands of tonnes of Phuket’s fecal matter into fertilizer. The Patong Council yesterday carried the motion in favor of building the fertilizer factory, with a plan to profit from the horrendous waste. Residents and tourists in the resort town generate up to 10…
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Bangkok floods prompt PM Yingluck to call for cheap THAI flights to Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today called on Thai Airways International to reduce airfares for flights to Phuket and other destinations in Southern Thailand. Prime Minister Yingluck’s call comes in response to the likely flooding of Rama II Road in Bangkok, the main artery connecting Bangkok with the South. “Thai Airways International will offer airfare discounts in response to PM…
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Phuket Airport ready for flood-redirected flights
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport (PIA) is ready to take on the role as the Airport Authority of Thailand (AoT) Emergency Operations Center if Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok succumbs to floods.“We held a meeting to discuss the possibility of PIA becoming the alternate [main] airport in case Suvarnabhumi Airport is unable to operate,” said an AoT Phuket spokesperson yesterday.“We are…
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Flood price rises no match for Phuket flower power on Loy Krathong
PHUKET: Floods in Bangkok and Central Thailand forcing the prices of some flowers to double in Phuket have not stopped people from splashing out for the Loy Krathong festival tonight. The krathong, lotus-shaped floats traditionally made of banana leaves, with a small offering of food, flowers, joss sticks and/or candles, are usually adorned with lotus and orchids. Prices of both…
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Phuket probe reveals 1,400 meth pills in man’s underpants
PHUKET: The arrests of two low-level Phuket drug users have led to the bust of their suspected methamphetamine dealer, who was allegedly caught with 1,400 ya bah (methamphetamine) stashed in his underwear. Narongrit Metula, Bualin Panachai and Seksan Sritham were presented at a press conference at Chalong Police Station yesterday. Tipped off by an undercover agent, a team of police…
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Pullman Phuket Arcadia Nai Thon nears opening
PHUKET: Construction of the five star Pullman Phuket Arcadia began in October 2010 on Nai Thon’s headland and with the project completion target date of August 2012 approaching, marketing and recruitment proposals are scheduled for the end of this year. Mr Maitree Narukapichai, the project owner’s representative and managing director of Villa Zolitude Resort and Spa in Chalong, detailed the…
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Phuket Live Wire – Google in English online all the time
PHUKET: How many times have you typed google.com in a browser’s address bar and ended up at google.co.th? Let me show you how to fix Google so it won’t do that any more – and at the same time, show you how to set up your favorite web browser so it brings up the pages you want, whenever you start…
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Phuket officials ordered to crack down on flood price gouging
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Somkiat Sangkaosuttirak today ordered Phuket Provincial Commercial Affairs acting chief Jarus Phetpakdee to conduct price checks on consumer goods in Phuket and to crack down on any irregularities. At a meeting of top officials convened at Provincial Hall this morning expressly to tackle the issue, V/Gov Somkiat said, “We have received many complaints about the rising…
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Phuket hotels offer “great escape’ deals for Bangkok flood evacuees
PHUKET: At least seven Phuket hotels and resorts have signed up for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) campaign, offering discounted room rates to Bangkok flood evacuees. Bangornrat Shinaprayoon, director of the TAT office in Phuket, said Phuket was one destination that many people from Bangkok were fleeing to. “Many are staying in hotels in Phuket Town or returning to…
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Young woman crushed to death on Phuket beach road
PHUKET: A young Phang Nga woman was killed on the Patong beach road, on Phuket’s west coast, yesterday when a six-wheeled truck ran over her after colliding with the motorbike she was driving. Kathu Police received a report of the accident on Thaweewong Road, near the junction with Phra Barami Road, at about 6pm. Arayada Budsayakul, 27, was killed instantly,…
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Floods force Bangkok buses to Phuket to relocate to brewery
PHUKET: Rising flood waters in Bangkok have forced the Transport Company to relocate bus services to Phuket from the main southern bus terminal, Sai Tai Mai, to the Holland Beer Restaurant on Rama 2 Road in Bangkok’s Bang Khuntien District, Thonburi. “We had to close the southern bus terminal because all the roads around it were flooded,” said Transport Company…
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Phuket longtail fisherman watches helpless as nephew drowns
PHUKET: A longtail boat operator drowned near Phuket’s Ao Por Pier this morning as his uncle helplessly looked on. The drowned man’s uncle, “Rut”, described the series of events to family friend Suriya Dujpayak, but was too grief-stricken to speak to the press. Boonchuay Piewsoy, 35, developed cramps at about 7:30am while swimming out to his boat, which was anchored…
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King’s College take Phuket rugby cup
PHUKET: As waters continue to inundate Bangkok and travel advisories assist with reduced visitor numbers to Phuket, it was a privilege to see the efforts made by a few rugby playing schools and organizations to travel and participate in the first Phuket Lomas International Youth Rugby Tournament hosted by Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) recently. King’s College from Bangkok…
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Phuket not alone in problem of abandoned babies
Phuket NEWS Hound – World news selected by Phuket Gazette editors for Phuket readers Russia places boxes for mothers to drop off unwanted babies PHUKET: Russian hospitals have begun to introduce so-called baby boxes where new mothers will be able to place their unwanted newborns, officials said on Monday. According to the RIA Novosti news agency, Russian health officials said…
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Phuket gets cooking for Bangkok flood victims
PHUKET: The cafeteria at Phuket Vocational College in Phuket Town has been dedicated to cooking at least 12,000 meals a day to be delivered to flood victims in Bangkok. “The Ministry of Interior has asked all provinces with the potential to help to provide assistance to flood victims in Bangkok,” said Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak. “Phuket has been assigned…
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No “nipple gangs’ in Phuket: Police
PHUKET: Phuket police today were firm in the assertion that there are no “nipple gangs” at work in Phuket. The news follows a report by a Chinese daily newspaper saying that Singaporean men on holiday in Phuket had been drugged by knock-out drops smeared onto women’s breasts. Once drugged unconscious, the men were robbed, the report said. Other newspapers and…
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Phuket roads blamed for traffic accidents: Poll
PHUKET: More than half the people who took part in a recent Phuket Gazette poll responded that the island’s roads were either the primary cause or a large contributing factor to the number of road accidents that occur in Phuket. In the poll, readers were asked, “Do you believe that the condition of Phuket’s roads endangers residents and tourists?” Overall,…
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Bangkok flood ‘stranglehold’ on fixing deadly Phuket road
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) chief Arun Sanae has applied for a budget of eight million baht to fix the damaged Patong Hill road, but says he does not know when the funds to begin repairs will arrive. The road suffered a severe rip in its surface last month after heavy rains caused a landslide underneath it on October…
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China’s Xue, Zhang win gold at Phuket FIVB beach volleyball final
PHUKET: China’s Chen Xue and Xi Zhang defeated Americans Jennifer Kessy and April Ross to win the final of the 2011 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour at Karon Beach today. Favorites Xue/Zhang defeated the second-seeded Kessy/Ross 21-16, 21-14 in 40 minutes, rounding off a perfect tournament of six wins, zero losses. In the battle of former Phuket champions, the…
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Body of foreign man found floating off Phuket
PHUKET: A Thai fishing boat this morning found the body of a caucasian man floating in the waters between Racha Yai Island and Coral Island, to the south of Phuket. Samnieng Srisan of the Phuket Tourist Rescue Center at Chalong Pier told the Phuket Gazette that the squid fishing boat Sor Naja made the discovery at about 10:15am. “The body…
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Bangkok floods hit Phuket bars with ‘beer crisis’
PHUKET: Phuket’s critical tourism and entertainment industries are struggling to cope with the disrupted supply of consumer products and price rises brought on by the floods in Bangkok and central Thailand. The latest shortage to take hold on the island is alcohol, with reports flooding in to the Phuket Gazette of bars either running dry or short of stock and…
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Thai Floods: Kudos and consequences for Phuket
PHUKET: While the floods laying siege to Bangkok have dominated national news and made headlines around the world for weeks, Phuket has remained safe and dry. And as such, the province has been, as it well should be, a major platform for flood relief for hundreds of thousands of victims throughout Thailand’s central plains. Heartwarming initiatives continue underway in Phuket…
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China, USA to face off in Phuket FIVB beach volleyball final today
PHUKET: China’s top-seeded duo Chen Xue and Xi Zhang will take on the second-seeded team of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross from the United States in the gold medal final of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour at Karon Beach this afternoon. Both teams ground out semifinal match victories yesterday to advance to the internationally-televised final, scheduled to start on…
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BIS Phuket calls for boats, life vests to help Bangkok flood victims
PHUKET: British International School Phuket (BIS) is appealing for donations of boats and life vests to help those affected by the floods in Bangkok. “Due to the flooding problems in Bangkok, Rangsit University has formed a group of rescue team to help the Rangsit and Muang Eak communities and they are desperately in need of additional supplies as the water…
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Phuket surf zones to mark coastal conservation
PHUKET: At least three surfing locations at Phuket beaches are being shortlisted for recognition as National Surfing Reserves (NSRs). Brad Farmer, global chair of the non-profit organization National Surfing Reserves (NSR), conducted a site inspection at Kata, Kalim and Nai Yang Beaches yesterday. “The surfing reserve concept is a symbolic dedication whereby surfing areas are recognized as coastal resources worthy…
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Phuket officials rally to stave off flood shortages, price hikes
PHUKET: Top officials at Phuket government offices yesterday met to discuss critical issues with product shortages and prices hikes in Phuket brought on by the floods in and around Bangkok. Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising said that his organization had received many complaints from Phuket residents about the product shortages and rising prices. “Even though Phuket Governor…
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Aussies deported over false Phuket robbery claim
PHUKET: The two Australian tourists on holiday in Phuket who were charged with filing a false robbery report last weekend have been deported, the Phuket Immigration Office has confirmed. The Australian couple, Abdul Karim El Rajab, 31, and Zeidan Nouha, 30, were arrested for filing a bogus report of being robbed in Patong last Sunday. Police believe the couple filed…
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China, USA march on at Phuket FIVB volleyball open
PHUKET: The FIVB Swatch Beach Volleyball Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT gave spectators an exciting third round full of action and suspense on Karon Beach today.China’s top-seeded Xue/Zhang earned their 34th final four appearance out of 67 career FIVB Swatch World Tour tournaments together. Second-seeded Kessy/Ross will be in the 30th final four in 61 career FIVB Swatch World…
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Chinese tourist found dead in Phuket hotel room
PHUKET: Police are continuing their investigation into the death of a 30-year-old Chinese tourist who was found dead in her Phuket Town hotel room yesterday afternoon. Miss Hou Juan’s body was discovered by a maid at the small hotel on Patipat Road near Suan Luang Park. The maid had entered the room after Miss Hou failed to check out at…
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Phuket All Stars and Singapore CC open the ACG on Saturday
PHUKET: The Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) officially opens its gates this weekend with two exhibition matches against the Singapore Cricket Club who are traveling to Phuket specifically for this inaugural event.A selection of players from the Phuket Cricket Groups’ Island Furniture Leagues will join forces as the Phuket ‘All Stars’ to face Singapore CC over two games on Saturday 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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