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 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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Abhisit launches Democrat election campaign in Phuket
PHUKET: Caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva arrived in Phuket this afternoon ahead of a rally at Saphan Hin in Phuket Town tonight to mark the launch of the Democrat Party campaign for the July 3 national election. Top of his agenda was to inspect the site of the Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center in Mai Khao, while accompanied by…
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Phuket Viagrabonds into the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Cup
PHUKET: Phuket 10s Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers competition finished its qualifying stages , with home favourites Phuket Viagrabonds reaching the cup final due to be played on Sunday at Karon Stadium. All results from the semi finals are detailed below: Cottesloe Pirates 5 Arabian Gulf Legends 24 Selangor Old Dog 5 Asian Japanese Dragons 0 Bedhoff Kings 5 Bucks Stags…
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Phuket ‘hashers’ mourn three fallen comrades
PHUKET: Two more members of the Phuket Hash House Harriers died this week following the death of a “hasher” in a motorcycle accident on Monday. The most recent was Ruurd Jansen, 66, who died after the roof of his house collapsed on him on Wednesday. Mr Jansen and his wife ran a beach-side restaurant called “Som” (“Orange”) near the Laguna…
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Phuket final reminder to catch the UEFA Champions League Final
PHUKET: Wembley Stadium will play host to the best in European football this Saturday, when English champions Manchester United face off against Barcelona. The UEFA Champions League Final will kick-off at 8:45pm Central European Time (1:45am on Sunday in Phuket), and is expected to serve up a scintillating display of football with both teams vying for their fourth title. Pundits…
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Phuket Rugby 10s kick off today
PHUKET: The 13th Phuket International Rugby 10s kicked off today with Phuket’s own Vagabonds intent on providing stiff opposition for the challengers in the event. Karon Stadium again plays home to the hugely popular tournament, and after recent rains the surface is in ideal condition for rugby. For information on the tournament and updates on games as they are played,…
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Phuket Rugby 10s at Karon Stadium hots up for the semis!
PHUKET: The Phuket Rugby 10s Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Cup moves into the final group matches with the results at the Karon Stadium being: Stray Cats 0 Taipei Silverbacks 12 Cottesloe Pirates 0 Bedhoff Kings 10 Hong Kong Bulls 5 Cottesloe Old Gulls 17 Selangor Old Dog 5 Wanderers Jagermeister Wrinklies 7 Asian Japanese Dragons 7 Old Bangkok Bangers 10…
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“It’s a shame the scrums are not contested.” at Phuket 10s
PHUKET: Susanne Olovsson, a member of Sweden’s International women’s rugby team playing for Kuala Lumpur’s Selangor Old Dogs in the Phuket Rugby 10s at Karon Stadium. Susanne is the prop forward for her country, which placed 12th in the last women’s World Cup. “I’m really enjoying the Phuket 10s, a great competition, though suffering with the heat and humidity,” she…
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One dead, two injured in Phuket motorbike collision
PHUKET: A young woman was killed and two teenage boys injured when their motorcycles collided at a U-turn in Thalang early this morning. Capt Praman Yukkaphan of Thalang Police identified the deceased as Urairat Khongket, an employee of a rubber glove factory in Baan Manik, Srisoonthorn. Originally from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, the 27-year-old probably died instantly from massive head injuries…
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Phuket Rugby 10s heats up!
PHUKET: The Phuket rugby 10s continues, in glorious sunshine, though harsh for the players. The standard is high with top scorers so far, our very own Phuket Viagrabonds and the Morrabbin Rams. The results from the following four games in the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Comp were: Phuket Viagrabonds 31 Asian Japanese Dragons 0 Morrabbin Rams 38 Aarabian Gulf Legends…
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Heineken Thailand Brewery Co. Ltd Phuket Rugby 10s Kicks Off!
PHUKET: The Phuket rugby 10s sponsored by Heineken Thailand Brewery Co. Ltd kicked off under slightly overcast skies, just perfect conditions. We will be bringing you frequent updates throughout the day. The results from the opening games in the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Comp were: Taipei Silverbacks 19 Cottesloe Pirates 0 Stray Cats 7 Bedhoff Kings 24 Hong Kong Bulls…
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New Phuket bridge to open next week
PHUKET: The new bridge connecting Phuket with Phang Nga will be open to traffic next week as planned, the Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) announced. Known as the “Sarasin Bridge 2” throughout the construction phase, the new roadway will be known officially as the Srisoonthorn Bridge. “The new bridge is about 94 per cent complete and the construction contract ends…
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Phuket police net bumper haul in pirate raids
PHUKET: Two high-profile raids in Phuket yesterday, in the prime tourist areas of Kata and Patong, landed goods valued at more than a million baht. The first raid was on a shop near Dino Park in Kata, at about 3pm. There, officers seized a haul of hundreds of imitation brand-name shorts and wallets, and more than 400 pirate wristwatches. Officers…
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Steep slope stalls Phuket shortcut plan
PHUKET: Work is underway on a new road joining Kathu and Wichit, in central Phuket, but the plans are being reviewed as the main hill the road was to have passed over has now proved too steep to pave. Teeraporn Jirarattanakorn, director of the Department of Rural Roads office in Phuket, told the Phuket Gazette the completed 1.5-kilometer road will…
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Dirty tackle
PHUKET SPORTS: “This move is little more than a tactic being used by those who have no confidence in their own ability to emerge successfully from the Fifa presidential election.” Mohamed Bin Hammam (President of the Asian Football Confederation) offering a vague clue as to who and why allegations of corruption have been brought against him. — Neil Quail
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Rugby 10s gets Phuket buzzing
PHUKET: THE 13th Phuket International Rugby 10s kicks off tomorrow May 27 with Phuket’s own Vagabonds intent on providing stiff opposition for would be challengers in the event. Karon Stadium again plays home to this hugely popular tournament and after recent rains the surface is in ideal condition for rugby. Phuket Vagabonds rivalry with the Bangkok Bangers will certainly entice…
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Patong’s first high school to open 2014
PHUKET: Patong Municipality will spend 320 million baht to renovate and expand the Ban Sainamyen School, establishing it as the busy Phuket tourist town’s first high school. Plans have been drawn up and construction is expected to take two years, with the high school slated to open in 2014. “The [existing] school building is old but clean, though at present…
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Dems out in droves in Phuket
PHUKET: Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr and Raywat Areerob arrived at Provincial Hall at 8:30am today to register as the Democrat Party candidates in the upcoming general election. Mrs Anchalee will run in Phuket constituency 1, which covers all of Muang District except Rassada and Koh Kaew subdistricts. Mr Raywat will run in constituency 2, which covers the rest of the island.…
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Thai stars to clash with Liverpool Legends at Thanyapura Phuket
PHUKET: THE clash of legends on Phuket. In mid-June, a team of former Thailand internationals hope to turn back the clock and take the game to a potent force of illustrious former Liverpool FC players. One of the most celebrated strikers ever to wear a ‘war elephants’ shirt is Piyapong Pue On. A national hero, he has represented Thailand on…
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Windsor notches eight gold medals at BIS, Phuket
PHUKET: BRITISH International School (BIS) hosted 382 young athletes for its impressive third Flying Fish International Swimming Invitational and witnessed the emergence of a future star from Phuket. Twenty-one teams represented seven countries from around the region including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, China, the Philippines and Pakistan. The vast number of boys and girls were organized by age, ranging from…
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Phuket Live Wire: WiFi versus 3G
PHUKET: More than a dozen people have asked me in the past week, “What’s the difference between WiFi and 3G?” I am sure the interest has nothing to do with learning about technology. Every one of the people is considering buying an iPad 2. They can figure out which color they want and how much memory they want, but they’re…
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Thailand champions from Phuket place fifth in South Africa
PHUKET’S golfing duo Michael Weinstein and Kenth Fredin returned from a successful – if somewhat saturated – World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) Finals held in the Eden district of South Africa. Victory in Bangkok at the qualifying tournament in March this year, awarded Michael and Kenth the opportunity to represent Thailand at the 36-hole challenge final. Played on the Jack…
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Football still in the dark ages
PHUKET: I USED to love football. A game for thugs played by gentleman as the saying partly goes. My father played for Glentoran in Northern Ireland and in later years he became a respected referee. My younger brother followed this officious capacity in sports and became an international hockey umpire. As one can imagine, our household was never short on…
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Legends to match up at Thanyapura, Phuket
PHUKET: THE host venue for the Liverpool Legends versus the Legends of Thailand Phuket leg has officially been advised to the Phuket Gazette as the Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Center (TSLC), by the owners and promoters North Scoreboard Co Ltd. “Thanyapura was selected for the quality of the pitch and facilities to support our international teams and visitors, as well…
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Crowds turn out to support Phuket election candidates
PHUKET: A large crowd of supporters greeted three political hopefuls this morning as they arrived at Phuket Provincial Hall to register their candidacies with the Phuket Election Committee (PEC). First on hand to register, at 8:30am, was Bhumjaithai Party candidate Jirayus Songyos, who will contest Phuket Constituency 2. The second applicant was Pheu Thai Party candidate Wisit Jai-arj, who will…
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Honorary Consuls tackle Phuket tourism’s Big Bad Four
PHUKET: Tuk-tuks, jet-skis, dirty water and bad publicity abroad once again topped the agenda at the sixth “Honorary Consuls Meeting with Local Authorities” at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday afternoon. Governor Tri Augkaradecha opened the proceedings by apologizing for some “inappropriate language” by some attendees at the previous gathering in February. He also promised to keep the meetings short by inviting…
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Tonight, Tonight: Phuket Police chief to square off against boxing legend
PHUKET: The island’s “Top Gun” will take on Thailand’s legendary boxing champion tonight in a charity bout to raise relief funds for the families of police still suffering from the devastating flooding in parts of the south that took place in late March. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong will enter the ring against former WBA champion Khaosai Galaxy in…
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Phuket youngster killed in shrimp farm machinery
PHUKET: A seven-year-old boy was killed on Saturday after becoming stuck in an aerator drive shaft at a shrimp farm pond. Chonnakan “Thua Lek (small child)” Sae-lao suffered multiple broken bones, including a broken neck, when his clothing was snagged by the rotating drive shaft. Chonnakan’s parents, Sommai Pengpaitoon, 37 and Piraphong Sae-lao, 41, are fruit vendors and had gone…
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FC Phuket caught by Hares
PHUKET: Recovering from their disappointing home loss last week, FC Phuket traveled to eastern Thailand on Saturday where they managed a draw against Chantaburi FC. The 12th-place Chantaburi “Hares”, who drew against Suphanburi FC 2-2 in an away game last week, were not to be taken lightly on their home turf. A lethargic 45 minutes and several poorly missed opportunities…
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Phuket poor get food, scholarships
PHUKET: Some of Phuket’s poorest people were on hand at the Kusoldharm Foundation headquarters yesterday afternoon to accept donations of food as part of the annual Te Krajard merit-making ceremony. The event marks the birthday of the Chinese God Hui Joh that is highly revered by Phuket’s ethnic Chinese community. Led by Kusoldharm Foundation President Benjawan Tamphanuwat, workers distributed 3,000…
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Aussie “marathon centurion’ to run Laguna Phuket
PHUKET: Completing one marathon is on the “to do” list for many people, but Australian Julia Thorn has gone more than 100 times better than most: she plans to complete her 115th at the Laguna Phuket International Marathon (LPIM) on June 12. Not content with adding another notch to her belt, the-53-year old Melbourne mother of three has set herself…
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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