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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Sponsored A healthy tomorrow starts today: Celebrate the great American Smokeout day
The Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 17, is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to take their first steps towards a smoke-free life. If you’re an expat in Thailand, this day could be a timely reminder to...
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Bahrain F1 out!
PHUKET: “Of course it’s not on. The schedule cannot be rescheduled without the agreement of the participants – they’re the facts.” Bernie Ecclestone, head of Formula 1, explains that the Bahrain Grand Prix will not go ahead unless all the drivers consent to participate. The FIA have apparently neglected to consider a section of their own code. Article 66 clearly…
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Phuket police have ‘vagabond ladyboys’ in sight
PHUKET: Ladyboys have become an entertainment mainstay in Patong, but unwitting tourists are seeing a shadier side to the festive scenes with robberies and assaults by ladyboys wandering the streets and beachfront. Patong Police are working to curb these crimes before it affects tourism and have found that the issue stems from ladyboys moving to Phuket from other provinces. Ladyboys,…
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No more nun-sense at Phuket temple
PHUKET: Scandals involving monks are fairly common in Thailand, but the most recent clerical debacle involves the banishment of an elderly temple nun after a public outcry over her behavior at a well-known Phuket temple. About 50 local residents gathered at Wat Kitti Sangkaram (Kata Temple) early yesterday demanding the immediate dismissal of 74-year-old Mae Chee Euam (Nun Euam), who…
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Robson quits Thailand football manager post
PHUKET: Bryan Robson last night resigned as manager of Thailand’s national team.Secretary General of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), Worawi Makudi said in a statement to the press, “Bryan wished to resign, and his contract was terminated by mutual consent. I cannot give any more details.” Robson, 54, was diagnosed with cancer and underwent an operation earlier this year.…
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No Tiger in the Open
PHUKET: “To not have one of the greatest players that have ever lived at the US Open is massive.” Defending US Open golf champion Graeme McDowell from Northern Ireland expressing shock at Tiger Woods withdrawing from this year’s US Open [June 13 – 19] at Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Maryland US. — Neil Quail
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Cabinet resolution opens window to register Burmese workers in Phuket
PHUKET: In a bid to get more members of Phuket’s huge alien workforce legally registered, the Phuket Provincial Employment Office has announced it will open a “one-stop” registration center at its offices at Saphan Hin. Employment Office chief Noppadon Ployyoudee explained to a recent meeting of provincial officials that before Parliament was dissolved Cabinet passed a resolution that extended the…
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Phuket Live Wire: Surfing waves at high speed
PHUKET: Understanding the changing tide of internet speeds on Phuket is easier said than done. Everybody wants to know how fast their internet connection is running, and what they can do to speed it up. Fortunately, internet speeds in Phuket have been improving – dramatically in some cases. The general SOP level (“Screams Of Pain”) this year, compared to two…
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Body of missing deckhand found off southern Phuket
PHUKET: The body of deckhand Nati Tavorn, reported missing by his Phuket employer early yesterday morning, was found floating off Coral Island (Koh Hei) yesterday afternoon. The body, discovered at about 5pm, was returned to Chalong Pier at about 6pm and taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, his employer Martin Eleveld told the Phuket Gazette. Mr Nati, 50, was a deckhand…
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No break for Phuket Snooker Cup star
PHUKET: Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm (James Wattana) ranked 67 in the world thrilled his Phuket fans with back-to-back wins over the past 24 hours at the Sangsom Phuket Snooker Cup. The tournament is being hosted at the Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa in Patong and features several of the world’s top 100 players. Play began at 1pm today with Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm (Wattana)…
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Phuket to lead Thai assault on world record for mass massage
PHUKET: Phuket will stage a bid to break the world record for the largest simultaneous group rubdown in a mass Thai massage on Karon Beach on August 19. The current record holders, credited to “Tourism Victoria Australia”, the state tourism board for the southeastern state down under, grabbed the record with 232 pairs on March 30 last year. Phuket participants…
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Phuket light-rail plan inches forward
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Office will finalize its list of potential bidders for work on a light-rail and other transport mega-projects next week. At a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall last Wednesday, Phuket Vice Governor Nivit Aroonrat told government officials and private sector attendees the province would draft invitation letters to the finalist bidders on June 16. Among the organizations represented…
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Phuket dinghy found adrift, deckhand missing
PHUKET: A crew member of a Phuket fishing boat charter company was reported missing this morning in Chalong Bay. Nati Tavorn, a deckhand for Phuket Fish Boat, failed to arrive at the company offices after spending the night aboard one of the company’s boats in Chalong Bay. A search of the pier and beach by company staff, where the boat…
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Burden chalks up opening win at Phuket Snooker Cup
PHUKET SNOOKER: Alfred Burden of the UK began the Sangsom Phuket Snooker Cup in fine style this afternoon with a 4-1 victory over Thailand’s Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon in the opening match. Burden is ranked 57th in the world, while Thanawat trails in 82nd place. Match two, an all-Thailand affair, started at 4pm, between Nakorn Chapon and Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm, better known to…
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Phuket Election: Suniran re-elected Cherng Talay Mayor
PHUKET: Suniran Rachatapreuk secured enough votes in a local Phuket election on Saturday to retain his position as Mayor of Cherng Talay. “The election results were sent to the Election Commission of Thailand [in Bangkok] yesterday [June 5],” Kitipong Thiengkunakrit, Director of the Phuket Election Commission, today confirmed to the Phuket Gazette. “If there are no complaints filed with us…
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Phuket family mourns drowned boy, age 7
PHUKET: A seven-year-old Phuket boy drowned today while he was bathing beside his father’s fishing boat. Sukaiya Kunpaw entered the canal in Mai Khao at about midday while his father, 38-year-old Adun Kunpaw, was cleaning his boat. With tears in his eyes and a wavering voice, Mr Adun told the Phuket Gazette that young Sukaiya was bathing on the other…
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When I was a lad…
PHUKET: “It’s something that will be a great story when I’m an old man telling my grandkids that I was once the best player in the world at golf. It’s a little surreal.” Luke Donald already relishing the opportunity to have yawning kids listen to his golfing war stories. Thirty three year old Donald becomes the third Englishman after Sir…
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Phuket Police to lead the way to free, fair election
PHUKET: Following reports of vote buying in the run-up to the general election, Phuket’s top cop is calling for stepped-up security that could include arrest of anyone found in public without a national ID card, from June 15 onward, according to local news reports. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said today the only complaints related to the election thus…
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Phuket gold heist: Arrest warrant issued
PHUKET: Police have issued an arrest warrant for the man who held up a Phuket Town gold shop on Saturday. “We have issued the arrest warrant for a ‘Mr Ake’. We don’t know his full name, but we know he is from Surat Thani. He is a big, dark-skinned man who wore a wig and used a fake gun, as…
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Phuket Breaking News: Karaoke owner gunned down in Karon
PHUKET: A karaoke owner in Karon was shot at close range by gunmen this morning after a night of drinking on Phuket’s west coast, the island’s primary destination for tourists. Sompong Saenim was drinking with five men at his karaoke bar and restaurant on Patak Road when at about 7:30am two of the group pulled out guns and fired about…
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Nadal clinical on clay
PHUKET: The “King of Clay” Rafael Nadal Parera turned in a majestic performance on Sunday to defeat world number three Roger Federer and win a record equaling sixth French Open tennis title. Nadal won the Coup des Mousquetaires [name of the French Open trophy] at his first attempt in 2005 aged 19 and made the grand slam event his own…
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Manhunt launched after man steals B4mn from Phuket gold shop
PHUKET: Police have launched a manhunt after a lone robber made off with 4 million baht in jewelry from a gold shop in Phuket Town earlier today. Chantana Thanetthanasombut, owner of the Thong Thanet gold shop at the Yee Teng complex at the Slaughterhouse Intersection, told the Phuket Gazette that a man entered her shop about midday today posing as…
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F1 back in Bahrain
PHUKET – Quote of the day: “The Bahrain Grand Prix has always been a source of national pride and it is an event that transcends politics.” – Zayed Rashid Alzayani, chairman of the Bahrain International Circuit gushes over the reinstatement of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Yesterday’s unanimous decision by Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) means October 30 will see the…
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Phuket Election: Cherng Talay votes for new mayor
PHUKET: Residents in Cherng Talay today cast their ballots to put a new mayor and six council members into office. Suniran Rachatapreuk, 48, is running for re-election. He has served as Cherng Talay mayor since July 1999. His only opponent is 51-year-old Somsak Sophanon, who served as a Cherng Talay Municipality Council member during Mr Suniran’s second term, between 2003…
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Phuket politician arrested on drugs, weapons charges
PHUKET: A local politician and two other men have been arrested and charged with possession and sale of narcotics after a raid on their jungle hangout in Phuket yesterday. At a police press conference at Phuket City Police Station this morning, Phuket Provincial Police Superintendent Pekad Tantipong identified the suspects as Cherng Talay subdistrict councilor Nakhin “Poo” Wisuttharom, 36, and…
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Phuket tour van crushed by overturned 10-wheeler
PHUKET: A 10-wheeled truck bound for Bangkok caused misery for Phuket commuters last night when it crashed into a tour van at the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang. Thalang Police were notified of the crash at 6:40pm. At the scene they found the truck on its side, pinning a crumpled van, operated by the Phuket Adventures tour company, against a traffic…
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Phuket double murder was drug deal gone sour
PHUKET: Police have arrested two men for their part in the murders of a man and a woman whose bodies were dumped over a beachfront cliff in Nai Thon before dawn on Tuesday morning. Sittipong Chareonrak and Ammarin Pantip were presented to the media today at a press conference at Tah Chat Chai Checkpoint. The men were identified by Sanit…
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Officials investigate more Phuket beach encroachment
PHUKET: A handful of bars and restaurants built on Bang Tao Beach are being investigated to determine whether or not they are encroaching on state land. Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak on Wednesday led a team of investigators to the site. Accompanying him were representatives from local authorities such as Cherng Talay Municipality, Thalang District Office, Phuket Marine Office and Cherng…
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FC Phuket accept 5-2 loss
PHUKET – Quote of the day: “If we have to travel [to Bangkok FC] to play a mere six minutes, I think it will be an non beneficial waste of expense…and so we’ve made an official report stating this reason as why we won’t travel to play the rest of the game…and are ready to accept the loss with the…
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Portrait FC sitting pretty atop Phuket’s AFL
PHUKET: Round six of the 2011 Five-a-side Adult Futsal League season seven took place last evening at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) in Thalang, Phuket. A mid-table battle between Jitjongrut FC and Thalang Tigers was first on the card. Both teams created plenty of chances, but were met with stubborn defense and goalkeeping. The match finished in a 1-1…
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No more Glory for Robbie Fowler
PHUKET SPORTS: Former Liverpool FC star Robbie Fowler is in Bangkok this weekend playing in the Tesco Lotus Masters football sevens tournament, which includes teams from Asia, Europe and a selection from Phuket. Known as “God” to the Liverpool faithful, Fowler joins other ex-professionals such as Lee Sharpe and Ian Rush at Patana International School in Bangkok for the annual…
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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