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 Live Wire: CAT runs out of fast wireless receivers
PHUKET: Internet speeds in Phuket continue their roller coaster ride with True and 3BB delivering generally good speeds on international downloads, and TOT’s speeds highly dependent on where you’re located. 3BB had a five-hour outage in the southern part of the island last Thursday. Expensive TOT Fiber Optic service continues to go up and down: when it’s working, it’s fast,…
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Japan tragedy touches Phuket
PHUKET: Earthquakes are a part of daily life in Japan, so are the ensuing tsunami alerts. This is a country that is a product of 15 million years of tectonic movement that ripped it away from mainland Asia. But nothing – not even the Japanese people’s millenia-long struggle with Mother Nature – could have softened the blow that was dealt…
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Breaking news: FC Phuket 3 – JW Rangsit 1
PHUKET: Excellent teamwork led FC Phuket to a 3-1 win over Thai League Division 1 side JW Rangsit FC in rainy conditions at Surakul Stadium in Phuket this evening. FC Phuket dominated the first half during a driving rainstorm that started just minutes into the game. Goals by Niran Phantong and Ivory Coast player Nenebi Sylvestre at seven and 20…
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Top official dispells Phuket tsunami rumors
PHUKET: The director of the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC), the agency in Thailand that issues tsunami warnings, yesterday called on people to ignore rumors that a tsunami will strike Thailand. NDWC Director Somsak Khaosuwan was in Phuket to lead public information seminars about natural disasters. The seminars were held at Wat Suwan Kiriwong School in Patong. Mr Somsak said…
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Phuket parents seek return of runaway girl, 14
PHUKET: The parents of a 14-year-old Phuket girl who ran off with her young boyfriend are asking the public for help in securing her safe return. Jintana Wangnurat and her English husband Huwy Williams came to the offices of the Phuket Gazette this morning with a picture of their daughter Grissana “Green” Wangnurat, age 14. Mr Williams, a nine-year Phuket…
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Breaking News: Suspects arrested for Butti murder
PHUKET: Police have arrested at least four people in connection with the shooting murder of Italian resort owner Luciano Butti, 61. Mr Butti was gunned down while riding a rented motorbike in Pa Khlok on Tuesday night. Takuapa District Police Inspector Wannarat Mahachode and his team of investigators arrested 23-year-old Rachanon Saowaree at the Takuapa Bus Station yesterday, according to…
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Luangta Maha Bua remains in Phuket, in spirit and reality
PHUKET: Scores of people are expected to join a ceremony tomorrow morning to place bone fragments of the highly-revered Luangta Maha Bua Yanasampanno at a temple in Phuket Town. The fragments will be installed at Wat Jaroen Samanakij, known locally as Wat Lang San, near Phuket Provincial Hall. The event will begin at 7am with the giving of alms to…
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Phuket police nab Chinese ‘stopover thieves’
PHUKET: Chalong Police have arrested three mainland Chinese they think are part of a gang who specialize in burglarizing guests at luxury hotels the world over. Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Narong Laksanawimol identified the three suspects at a press conference today as: Liu Shuiping, 45; Liu Jianhua, 39; and Liu Shuidong, 40. All are listed as residents of Jiangxi, China.…
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Phuket, Pattaya police earn big thanks from Germany
PHUKET: The German Embassy in Bangkok has issued an official letter of commendation to the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau praising the efforts of officers in Phuket and Pattaya in helping to track down, arrest and deport three Germans found hiding in Thailand over the past 12 months. The letter, from German Ambassador Dr Hanns H. Schumacher to Royal Thai…
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Phuket home to UN marine management project
PHUKET: Getting eight culturally diverse countries with varying systems of government and historically contentious relationships to co-operate on environmental management is a mammoth task. That is precisely what the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem project (BOBLME) hopes to facilitate over the next four years with nations in the Bay of Bengal region. BOBLME, covering about 6.2 million square kilometers…
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“LOVE AID – To Japan From Phuket With Love’ benefit concert scheduled
PHUKET: A benefit concert entitled “LOVE AID – To Japan From Phuket With Love” has been scheduled for April 2 on Karon Beach, with 100 per cent of proceeds going to help victims of the Japan earthquake, tsunami and subsequent explosions at a nuclear power plant. The event was originally scheduled for next Thursday, but has been changed to Saturday,…
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Phuket heeds Japan’s call for aid
PHUKET: The Phuket Tsunami Relief Center for Japan has been set up at Provincial Hall as a collection point for donations to aid survivors of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11. The center was established on Tuesday following talks between Phuket Japanese Association President Kazushi Miyashita and Governor Tri Augkaradacha. “Seven years ago when the tsunami…
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Phuket honors respected civil servant
PHUKET: A Royal Cremation ceremony was held in Phuket today for Wannapreuk Sukyiran, who died of natural causes on Thursday at the age of 79. Mr Wannapreuk, father of Phuket deputy chief prosecutor Tawan Sukyiran, had a distinguished career in civil service as a member of the Phuket Public Health Office. More than 300 people attended the service, including Phuket…
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Phuket Police: “Business deal’ prime motive for Butti murder
PHUKET: Police believe a business deal was the prime motive for the murder of Luciano Butti, 61, who was gunned down in Phuket on Tuesday night. However, officers are also investigating Mr Butti’s ongoing divorce proceedings. Mr Butti was to appear in court for divorce proceedings yesterday, Lt Col Phisit Cheunphet of Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette today. Mr…
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Phuket raid nets Bt100k in smoking contraband
PHUKET: Officials from the Phuket Excise Office yesterday seized 956 packs of illegally imported cigarettes and packs of tobacco with a total street value of about 100,000 baht. Most of the contraband was imported by post, said Excise officer Chingchai Borwornthanasan. Three people were arrested in the raid: Yusaree Yun from Pattani, and Ussamarn Wangdee and Je-padeemoh Yun, both Phuket…
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Italian man gunned down in Phuket
PHUKET: An Italian man in his 40s was shot dead while riding from the Heroines Monument to Pa Khlok at about 10pm last night. Police know the identity of the man but the Gazette is withholding publication pending notice of next of kin. The man’s body was found lying on the road about 200 meters from the entrance to the…
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Big stink at Phuket fish factory
PHUKET: Following complaints from a neighboring hotel, the management of a seafood packaging plant in Phuket Town has been given three months to get the stink out. Phuket Vice Governor Somkiat Sangkaosuttirak and a team of government officers inspected the Phuket Union Foods facility yesterday afternoon. Among those present were representatives from the Phuket Provincial Industry Office (PPIO), Phuket City…
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Phuket moves for Japan disaster relief
PHUKET: Bangkok Hospital Phuket has set up a drop-off box to collect donated items for survivors of the earthquake and tsunami disaster that struck Japan on Friday. Estimates of the earthquake’s magnitude made it the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan, and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since record-keeping began in 1900. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto…
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Phuket Swindle: Romanians charged in Bt100mn ATM scam
PHUKET: Four Romanians were arrested by Phuket police yesterday and charged with running an ATM card scam that is claimed to have stolen 100 million baht. The four were named by police as Gavrila Florin Eugen, 33; Ene Bogdan Constantin, 23; Vilvoi Claudiu Constantin, 36; and Gavrila Alexandra, 26. All four suspects were arrested at their rented room at the…
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Phuket’s Heroines Festival hoped to attract record crowds
PHUKET: The “Thalang Historical Drama”, being performed nightly at Phuket’s annual Heroines’ Festival currently underway in Thalang, is expected to attract more than 2,000 people each night to watch the show. “The show last night went very well. Governor Tri Augkaradacha played the part of Rama I, but that was the only performance he will act in during the festival,”…
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Lady Pie is off to the Hong Kong Sevens
PHUKET: It will be the life of pie for hungry rugby fanatics later this month when a popular Phuket eatery sends 8,500 “scrummy” pastries to Hong Kong for the world-renowned Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Rugby Sevens tournament. A bulging crowd of 120,000 people are expected to descend on Hong Kong Park over three days, starting on March 25, to see which…
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Phuket Beach Safety: Why the guards are not there
PHUKET: As we move slowly away from the monsoon season and a record number of tourist drownings at the beaches, the Phuket Gazette asked the president of the Phuket Lifeguards’ Association why he and his 82 colleagues aren’t at work. Prathaiyuth Chuayuan, 43, a veteran of 23 years on the sand, says it’s all about a contract. In his words:…
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FC Phuket draws even with “Big Bang’
PHUKET: Despite some excellent chances by both sides, FC Phuket and Division One leaders Big Bang Chulalongkorn University (BBCU FC) FC played to a scoreless draw last night before a record crowd at Surakul Stadium. The final tally barely reflected the intensity of the exciting match. One of the best opportunities for FC Phuket came at 75 minutes, when Sarach…
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Phuket Taxi Fares: Motorcycle meters on tap
PHUKET: Meters for motorcycle taxis will hit the streets of Bangkok this month in an effort to regulate fares and reduce accidents – a scheme which will soon be tested in Phuket as well. Visitors to the Central World shopping complex in the Pathum Wan district of Bangkok will be the first to witness the meters in operation. Approximately 24…
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FC Phuket take on Chula tonight
PHUKET: FC Phuket will have a chance to take down top-of-the-table Big Bang Chulalongkorn University FC (BBCU FC) when the two sides take the field at Surakul Stadium tonight in the third weekend of Thai League Division 1 play. BBCU FC are in first with six points, while FC sit two points behind following their being awarded a 2-0 victory…
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Woman arrested after stashing ya bah pills near Phuket school
PHUKET: Police yesterday arrested a woman who stashed close to 2,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills on top of a phone booth in front of a primary school in Phuket Town. At a press conference at Phuket City Police Station today, officers asked the press not to release the identity of the woman as doing so could compromise the ongoing investigation…
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Phuket Crime: Swede arrested for major mobile phone theft
PHUKET: A Swedish tourist is in police custody in Phuket for the alleged theft of 85 Nokia mobile phones from a delivery vehicle in Patong. Patong Police duty officer Weerapong Rakkittoo identified the suspect as John Redling, age 38. The devices were reported stolen from a delivery vehicle in the basement parking lot of the Jungceylon shopping complex on March…
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Phuket travelers heading for Japan advised to continue to Bangkok
PHUKET: Following the devastating series of earthquakes and the tsunami that struck Japan’s main island of Honshu earlier today, travelers heading from Phuket to Japan are advised to at least continue their journey to Bangkok, an officer at Phuket International Airport told the Phuket Gazette this afternoon. “All flights [from Phuket] to Bangkok are continuing as scheduled. There are no…
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Japan hit by 8.8 earthquake; tsunami strikes coast
TOKYO (BNO NEWS): A series of enormous earthquakes struck off the Pacific coast of northeastern Japan early this afternoon, seismologists said, generating large tsunamis that devastated coastlines with warnings for multiple countries. The 8.8-magnitude earthquake at 2:46pm local time (0546 GMT, 12:46 Phuket time) was centered about 179 kilometers east of Sendai in Japan. It struck about 10 kilometers deep,…
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Royal Paradise chosen as Phuket “landmark’ for Earth Hour
PHUKET: THE Royal Paradise Hotel and surrounding businesses in Patong will be plunged into darkness for one hour from 8:30pm on March 26 to mark Earth Hour 2011. About 500 people in Patong will hand out pamphlets promoting Earth Hour on March 24 to raise awareness of the event, said Meena Panun, who is coordinating the public campaign for Patong…
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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