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.
-
Sponsored 5 hidden healthcare costs in Thailand and how to avoid them
Thailand's healthcare system is affordable and supported by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme, offering essential services to most citizens. However, hidden healthcare costs can surprise patients and lead to unexpected expenses. These include specialist fees, insurance gaps, emergency services,...
-
Asia gets first grand slam victory
PHUKET: Li Na stamped her name on sports history on Saturday by winning the French Open at Roland Garros, becoming the first tennis player from China to win a Grand Slam singles final. A straight sets victory 6-4, 7-6 over defending champion Francesca Schiavone from Italy was completed in less than two hours by the world number seven. Li was…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Phuket pips Bangkok for inaugural Legends Tour match
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette this morning confirmed that the inaugural match of the Football Legends Tour – in which the Liverpool Legends squad will take on the Legends of Thailand team – will be held in Phuket. Phuket will now host the inaugural Prime Minister’s Football Legends Charity Cup match on Sunday, October 2 at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Phuket braces for more heavy rain
PHUKET: June has started out as a very rainy month in Phuket, with sustained rainfall and thunderstorms covering the island. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) website reports rainfall reached a high of 100.2mm over the 24-hour period of June 1 with winds topping 64 kilometers per hour (kmh) at Phuket International Airport. Phuket’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation this…
-
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…
-
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 F1 fans await Bahrain bid today
PHUKET: Formula One fans in Phuket eagerly await a decision on whether the Bahrain Grand Prix, originally scheduled for March 13, will be re-scheduled to November 20 later this year. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone may move the season’s last race in Brazil back to October 2 which could result in the Indian GP being cancelled. Bahrain was due to host…
-
Phuket expats urged to ask visiting friends to insure themselves
PHUKET: The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has called on British expats on the island to remind their visitors to take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy before heading to Phuket. The request comes as new research reveals that young people are more likely to buy a present for their host than take out a travel insurance policy. The…
-
‘Streets of Phuket’ maps added to Gazette web news
PHUKET: By popular demand, Phuket Gazette online readers can now view accurate pop-up maps embedded in news stories with the single click of a mouse, thanks to a new partnership with IMAGE Asia and their best-selling Streets Of Phuket atlas. For example, see our news about the recently opened Phuket Provincial Administration Organization Hospital on Srisena Road. Click on the…
-
Phuket sailing legends line up for Raceweek
PHUKET SPORTS: The Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, winner of the Asia Boating Award for “Best Asian Regatta of the Year 2011”, returns with four days of international-standard yacht racing, from July 20 to 24. Now in its eighth year, the event attracts a host of yachts with a range of competitive standards across several classes. Critical to being voted best…
-
Phuket Democrats get police protection
PHUKET: Phuket Democrat Party candidate Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr has been provided two police officers as personal bodyguards in the run-up to the July 3 election. Also to receive police protection is Wirasak Suksomboon, president of the Democrat Party office for Phuket 1 constituency. “I, Mrs Anchalee and the president [of the Democrat office] for Phuket 2 constituency, have requested security…
-
Opening of new Phuket bridge postponed
PHUKET: The unofficial opening Phuket’s new bridge, the Srisoontorn Bridge, originally scheduled for this week, has been postponed, officials say. Arun Sa-nae, director of the Provincial Highways Office in Phuket, said some last-minute changes in the work plan meant that the new span would probably open to off-island traffic around mid-June. The final work by project contractor Italian-Thai Development involved…
-
Phuket night clubber escapes disaster
PHUKET: A Thai man whose surname translates to “likely to escape disaster” was walking home from a Phuket karaoke bar last night when he was assaulted and left for dead by the side of the the road in Thalang. When Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived at the scene just after midnight, they found 33-year-old Wiwat Khongrodpai lying on the road…
-
Fifa’s one horse race
PHUKET SPORTS – Quote of the day: “We will put Fifa’s ship back on the right course in clear, transparent waters.” Sepp Blatter, again re-elected as president of FIFA, hopes to prevent his “family’s” vessel from being dashed on the reef of corruption. — Neil Quail
-
Phuket steps up fight against illegal timeshare touts
PHUKET: A multi-agency task force will be set up to investigate timeshare companies operating in Phuket, especially Patong. Tasked with investigating the companies, their workers and any officials involved in allowing the timeshare companies to operate, the “committee” is expected to launch an investigation by October, just before the annual tourism high season begins, Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak announced. The…
-
Crackdown ordered on religious tattoos in Phuket
PHUKET: The Culture Ministry has attacked the growing trend for tourists in Phuket and other parts of Thailand to have religious images tattooed on their bodies. It has ordered provincial governors across the country, including Phuket, to crack down on such tattoos, igniting a debate on the human rights implications of forbidding the practice. Culture Minister Niphit Intharasombat told reporters…
-
Cricket and tax
PHUKET SPORTS – Quote of the day: “The ACG (Alan Cooke Ground) will in a small way do for cricket what the reduction in boat tax did for marine tourism.” Alan Cooke MBE in a small way underestimates the value of his legacy to Phuket cricket and sport. — Neil Quail
-
Phuket developers shine at int’l property awards
PHUKET: Phuket based developers have won top honors in the Asia Pacific Region division of the International Residential Property Awards. Since the inaugural awards in 1995, the competition has established itself as one of the premiere programs recognizing excellence in the field of residential property development. The 2011 Asia Pacific Awards set a new participation record with 21 countries taking…
-
New Phuket hospital opens its doors
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) Hospital opened today with more than 200 people registering as patients. “The purpose of the hospital is to reduce the workload of other government hospitals. The OrBorJor bought the land and the Phyathai Hospital building and renovated it under a budget of 845 million baht,” explained OrBorJor Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Manop Leelasuthanon.…
-
Phuket Red Cross launches June blood drive
PHUKET: The Phuket Chapter of the Thai Red Cross Society has announced its schedule for its June 2011 blood drive. “Blood types A+ and O+ are needed. Our stock of these two types is depleted. However, every blood type is welcome,” said Suphawan Rattanachan, an officer with the Phuket Red Cross. Mobile donation clinics will be set up as follows.…
-
Phuket Survivor: Man survives slaughter by “playing dead’
PHUKET: Phuket police are investigating the murder of a man and woman whose bodies were discovered thrown off a cliff along a coastal road in Thalang this morning. The key witness, a man who apparently escaped the same fate by playing dead, is now in police custody and under heavy guard. Tah Chat Chai Police were notified of the deaths…
-
Crisis? What Crisis?
PHUKET SPORTS – Quote of the day: “Crisis? What Crisis? There is no crisis in football.” Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, confirming his delusions as to the state of world football. — Neil Quail
-
Phuket discharge: Officials confirm wastewater release “safe’
PHUKET: Wastewater discharged into the sea at Karon and Kata beaches is safe, a review committee headed by Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha was told yesterday. Environmental engineer Siripong Pasari of Southern Thai Consulting Co Ltd was called in to explain to Gov Tri what exactly caused the discharge filmed by a German TV crew in Phuket earlier this month. The…
-
Phuket ‘3G fishermen’ saved by call from the wild
PHUKET: Three men, comprising three generations of a fishing family, were rescued from their capsized boat 17 nautical miles off Phuket’s east coast yesterday thanks to a mobile phone kept in a waterproof bag. The men – Somboon Sae-Oui, 56, his son Pichet, 28, and eight-year-old grandson Bhumin – survived two hours clinging to their upturned boat while it was…
-
Fans fury forces FC Phuket coach to quit
PHUKET: Sompong Wattana from Rajvithee FC will be the new coach of FC Phuket. The news was released at 5pm today, ahead of a scheduled sanctioned press release tomorrow. A fourth straight game without a win for FC Phuket incensed the team’s distraught fans yesterday and led to a blockade of Surakul Stadium by angry fans, known as the “Hulks”.…
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.