Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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Phuket tourism operators warned to prepare for AFTA
PHUKET: Phuket tourism operators were warned very plainly yesterday that they must become game-changers if they want to stay in business after 2015. The warning was fired at the Phuket Creative Tourism Forum held at Royal Phuket Marina. The forum was organized by the Phuket Tourism Association (PTA) in conjunction with Phuket Rajabhat University’s Faculty of Management Science. Somprasong Khomapat,…
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Phuket parents furious over teacher hitting young children
PHUKET: A Phuket temple’s daycare program is under fire after video footage surfaced allegedly showing a long-time teacher beating her students. About 200 parents and children gathered at Wat Thepnimit daycare center in Wichit today to complain about the teacher and the subsequent firing of four other teachers who parents claim were responsible for exposing the abuse, not inflicting it.…
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FC Phuket to resume league campaign on Sunday
PHUKET: FC Phuket will kick off the second half of the Thai Premier League (TPL) Division One 2011 season this weekend in Nakhon Pathom. Phuket face Rajapracha FC, or the “Crowns”, who sit 7th in the table, two places ahead of Phuket in 9th position. Speaking to the Phuket Gazette this afternoon, club secretary Soranun Sanae, clarified details of this…
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Phuket ‘luggage truck’ in fatal collision
PHUKET: Police are awaiting test results to confirm whether alcohol was a factor in a fatal traffic accident this morning involving a luggage-transport truck and a motorbike. Thalang Police responded to reports of the crash in Srisoonthorn Subdistrict – about 300 meters north of the Heroines’ Monument – shortly after 1am. At the scene was a bronze-colored Isuzu D-Max pickup…
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Anchalee, Raywat confirmed as Phuket MPs
PHUKET: The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) has confirmed Democrat candidates Raywat Areerob and Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr as Phuket’s two Members of Parliament. News that Mrs Anchalee had been confirmed as MP for Phuket 1 constituency broke on Wednesday. However, MP Raywat told the Phuket Gazette that his seat as an MP was endorsed on July 21. “The ECT was…
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New GM appointed for Phuket’s renowned Boathouse
PHUKET: Marie Laure Fleury, formerly the resort manager at the upscale Triasara, Phuket, has been appointed General Manager of the Boathouse, the renowned 37-room boutique resort on Phuket’s Kata Beach. Effective immediately, Ms Fleury will oversee the lead-up to the reopening of the resort in October, the Gazette was told today. The Boathouse resort and its adjacent Oasis Restaurant have…
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House and home expo opens in Phuket
PHUKET: More than 50 exhibitors from across Thailand today unveiled their products for the first time in Phuket at the opening of the Architect & Engineering Exhibition 2011. Products on show at the expo, now in its 11th year, run the gamut from construction materials through to custom-made home decor items. The theme of this year’s A&E expo is “New…
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Archaeologist confirms 2,000-year-old relics safe in Phuket
PHUKET: An inquiry into the whereabouts of ancient beads, ceramic vases and glass shards excavated by a Phuket archaeological team in 2005 has revealed that the artifacts are safe on the island. The relics are all estimated to be more than 2,000 years old. A letter of complaint was filed with the Crime Suppression Division by Sutha Pratheep Na Thalang…
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FC Phuket shatter Glass Rabbits in friendly 2-1 win
PHUKET: FC Phuket proved once again that it can conquer a Premier League team in a deserved victory over Bangkok Glass Football Club (BGFC) on Tuesday in Pathum Thani. Phuket dispatched Thai Premier League (TPL) side Sri Racha in the Toyota Cup earlier this month in a two-leg encounter, 4-3 on aggregate. Tuesday’s outing at Ho Saeng Chai Stadium was…
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Phuket Live Wire: AIS rolls out 3G coverage
PHUKET: Finally, it’s here! 3G has arrived on Phuket and will be available later this month. AIS marketing and sales manager, Paiboon Rinsakul, gave a ground-breaking presentation at the Computer Clinic meeting last Sunday. Mr Paiboon demonstrated AIS’s new HSPA 3G service, with full internet access over AIS’s about-to-be-released wireless network. In front of 50 observers at the meeting, Mr…
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Phuket flight forced back to Bangkok now on the ground in Phuket
PHUKET: The Thai Airways flight that was forced to return to Bangkok this morning due to bad weather has safely landed in Phuket with all 316 passengers on board. “Flight TG301 left Suvarnabhumi Airport at 7:35am and was to land in Phuket at 9am,” said Boonlert Nuanla-or, chief of the Thai Airways critical information unit. “But when the plane arrived…
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Phuket police claim “breakthrough’ with drug mule bust
PHUKET: Police believe they have made a major breakthrough in breaking a Phuket drug delivery chain that leads all the way to Bang Kwang Prison in Bangkok. A provincial anti-drugs task force together with Border Patrol Police from Takuapa in Phang Nga arrested Prapan “Ae” Nammali during a sting operation in Saphan Hin Village on Sunday night. The arrest was…
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‘Surf House’ to promote Phuket surfing
PHUKET: Phuket surfing culture got a boost today with a major retailer opening a “surfing center” at Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong. Quiksilver Surf House opened today to promote the upcoming Quiksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011 and to grow Phuket’s surfing culture, Quiksilver Retail (Thailand) Ltd General Manager Surached Mungthong said. “I would like to help expand the surfing community…
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Phuket landslide kills Burmese migrant worker
PHUKET: A Burmese migrant worker was buried alive at a Phuket construction site this morning when a large pile of dirt slid into the trench he was working in. Min Hla Thein, 45, was working on a large drainage system at the Phuket Villa 5 project in Wichit when the landslide filled the 2.5-meter ditch, police said. Phuket City Police…
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Dane’s death accidental: Phuket police
PHUKET: The Danish man found dead at a Phuket hotel last Tuesday likely died as a result of diabetes and heavy drinking and smoking, police said. The body of 62-year-old Preben Thamsen Schmidt was found in the gardens of the Print Kamala Resort early in the morning. He had wounds to his face and arms and was last seen drinking…
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Japanese to power up Phuket offshore students
PHUKET: Koh Lone School will receive their first free wind turbine in August following a joint initiative by a Japanese manufacturer and the Phuket Provincial Energy Office (PPEO). PPEO Chief Jirasak Tummawetch along with representatives from A-Wing Co Ltd, the Thai affiliate of the Japanese small wind turbine manufacturer, made the announcement at a meeting with Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet…
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Exciting finale at Phuket Six Senses Raceweek
PHUKET: Neil Pryde and his Team Premiere crew have claimed overall IRC Racing class honors at the Six Senses 2011 Phuket International Raceweek. Final day conditions brought early rains which gave way to good winds and allowed for decent racing. The battle for Racing class boiled down to who would take second. Ricky Pointon’s Jing Jing won both races to…
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Murder the ultimate risk in Phuket land. Did it trigger the temple murders?
PHUKET: Murder the ultimate risk in Phuket land deals. Did it trigger the temple murders? The significance of the armed attack by six gunmen at Suwanpadit temple in Surat Thani last Sunday is not lost on Phuket people. The men, armed with pistols, entered the temple and opened fire on Songwut Noppakhun, an official serving with the Surat Thani Provincial…
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Storming last day ahead for Phuket Six Senses Raceweek
PHUKET: An eight point gap keeps Neil Pryde’s Team Premiere in pole position of the 2011 Raceweek regatta’s Racing class heading in to the final day of competition. A resurgent Katsu skippered by Ben Copley on 13 points has laid down a late challenge by taking over at second place from KukuKERChu with David Ross, while Ricky Pointon’s Jing Jing…
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Phuket pirates plea for sympathy, assert right to sell illegal goods
PHUKET: A group of pirates from Kata and Karon staged a protest in Phuket Town on Wednesday to fight rising opposition to the sale of illegal wares. The protest leaders first arrived at Phuket Police Station, where their letter of complaint was received on behalf of Phuket Police Commander Pekad Tantipong. The crowd of about 60 vendors then moved on…
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Phuket futsal clinic to promote FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012
PHUKET: The coach of the Thai national futsal team and 10 of his players will hold a futsal clinic for Phuket youth this weekend at Saphan Hin sports gym. Coach Jose Maria Paza Mendez and his team will be teaching futsal techniques to a group of 50 local students on Saturday and Sunday from 4pm to 5:30pm. Although the clinics…
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Pryde extends lead at Phuket Raceweek
PHUKET: Neil Pryde and his Team Premier crew today extended their lead in the Racing class of this year’s Phuket Raceweek regatta with two wins from two races. Team Premier now lead the class with just four points, leaving their nearest rivals in their wake. David Ross of KukuKERChu is in second place with 12 points and Rick Pointon’s Jing…
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Foul weather stalls search for missing Phuket tourist
PHUKET: Bad weather today hampered the search for a Chinese tourist who disappeared under large waves at Karon Beach yesterday evening. Rescue parties, including lifeguards from Karon Beach and the Royal Thai Navy, could only safely search for the 27-year-old tourist, named as ‘Mr Ruging Lin’, from 3pm to 5pm today, said Karon Municipality Sea Rescue Center Chief Supachai Junphet.…
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Phuket Amateur Golf Week tees off
PHUKET: Twenty-two amateur golfers from all over the world descend on Phuket this weekend to compete in the Golfasian Phuket Amateur Golf Week which runs from July 24 to July 28. Players of all abilities and handicaps, both ladies and gentleman from countries including New Zealand, India, Australia and Abu Dhabi will test their abilities on Phuket’s best golf courses.…
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Tiger cuts caddie
PHUKET: “I, along with a lot of people, lost a lot of respect for Tiger over his extra-marital affairs and I pointed out before his return at the Masters at Augusta in 2010 that he had to earn back my respect.” Steve Williams takes the moral high ground after his 12-year professional relationship with Tiger Woods as caddie came to…
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Phuket hotelier dies in sidewalk crash
PHUKET: A 54-year-old Swedish hotelier died after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle accident early Tuesday morning in Patong. Vachira Phuket Hospital identified the victim as Lars-Goran Salomonsson, who owned the Lars-Lita guest-house and restaurant in Patong with his wife, Lita. After hearing the sound of a loud crash around dawn, witnesses found Mr Salmonsson lying in a pool of blood…
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Double victories for Team Premier and Voodoo at Phuket’s Raceweek
PHUKET: Six Senses Phuket Raceweek faced unusually calm conditions on day one and kept crews in eager anticipation for the start of Asia best regatta. The Answering Pennant (AP) had been raised by Principal Race Officer (PRO) Simon James to signal that racing was postponed, but winds soon picked up to a worthy 13 knots and jockeying for the start…
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Plans unveiled for Phuket’s long-awaited Patong tunnel
PHUKET: Research consultants conducting the feasibility study for Phuket’s controversial Kathu-Patong tunnel project yesterday announced the route they plan to propose to the government. The proposed route would start from Soi Bang Thong on Phra Barami Rd near the Go-Kart Speedway in Kathu, tunnel through the hills and connect with Phang Muang Sai Kor Rd in Patong, explained Anurak Srisawaeng,…
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FA Cup run ends for FC Phuket
PHUKET: Sponsor Thai Premier League (TPL) side TOT SC hosted FC Phuket at their new stadium in Nonthaburi yesterday to see who would advance to the FA Cup fourth round. This match was the very first match to be played at the home side’s new stadium. TOT automatically qualified for this stage of the competition while Phuket earned their position…
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Phuket police have doubts over mum’s suicide
PHUKET: Cherng Talay Police are investigating the death of a mother who was found hanged from a beam in the family’s Phuket home yesterday. When officers arrived at the house in Bang Tao, her 13-year-old son was crying nearby and her husband was sitting in front of the house drunk and incoherent. Duty Officer Lt Col Yodpat Suwannasit told the…
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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