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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Phuket Poll: Will the new Chalong Marina curtail the drug trade?
PHUKET: Officials hope the opening of the new Chalong Marina, with improved Customs and Immigration controls, will lead to a decrease in drug trafficking on the island. How much of an effect on the island’s drug trade do you expect the new facility to have? Have your say in the new Phuket Gazette readers’ poll by clicking here or on…
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UK language testing for spousal immigrants starts Monday
PHUKET: Thai spouses applying for visas to join or marry British partners in the UK now have to pass an English language test that is unavailable in Phuket. “From November 29, any non-European migrant who wants to enter or remain in the UK as the partner of a British citizen or a person settled in the UK will need to…
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Strong Thai baht will hurt Phuket: Poll
PHUKET: The surging Thai baht will have a negative affect on this year’s high season for tourism, a majority of Phuket Gazette online readers think. The poll asked online readers: With the Thai baht up more than 11% against the US dollar this year and gaining against many other foreign currencies, it is more expensive for many foreigners to travel…
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Burmese man shot dead in Patong, Phuket
PHUKET: A Burmese worker died in Phuket Saturday after being shot in the head by an ethnic Mon assailant, police said. Kathu Police duty officer Patapee Srichay said the man arrived at a workers’ camp located on Soi Khaun Yang, off Patong hill road, at about 10am. He was in search of a Burmese man who was later identified by…
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Phuket update: Chalong Marina project
PHUKET: Phase two of the construction of the new Chalong Marina is well underway and scheduled for completion in September 2011. Officials say the opening of the new marina should help reduce drug trafficking in Phuket. Project work is being carried out jointly by Golden Plan Co Ltd and Prommitr Co Ltd. Phase one of the project saw construction of…
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The Chedi Phuket rebrands as The Surin Phuket
PHUKET: The Chedi Phuket has been re-branded as The Surin Phuket, the name change effective from the beginning of this month. Senior Sales Executive Sureerat Bunpanluek said The Chedi Phuket was managed by General Hotels Management (GHM) as The Chedi since 1995. Last year the resort’s Board of Directors decided not to renew its contract with the management company. “Since…
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Korean Ambassador visits Phuket
PHUKET: The Korean ambassador to Thailand met with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on Friday, asking him to make it easier for Korean tour guides to work on the island. Ambassador Chung Hae-moon made the request at a Phuket Provincial Hall meeting also attended by Korean Honorary Consul and Phuket MP Tossaporn Thepabutr and Korn Suwanasai, head of Phuket Passport Office.…
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Tie game for FC Phuket and Loei City
PHUKET: FC Phuket picked up another point in their bid for promotion to Division 1 of the Thai League this afternoon with a scoreless draw at Loei City. In other matches in Group B play, Chainat FC rediscovered their scoring touch by beating Samut Prakarn on the road 4-2, while Rayong FC drew at Bangkok FC, 1-1. The top two…
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Dengue control inititiative launched in Phuket Town
PHUKET: Phuket City Municipality has designated four city temples as “pilot areas” in the battle to stop the spread of dengue fever. Phuket Town Mayor Somjai Suwansupapana told the state-run MCOT news agency there have been 693 confirmed cases of dengue in the city so far this year. The number of new cases being reported is on the rise. Monsoon…
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Aussie ambassador in Phuket: Safety is our priority
PHUKET: The new Australian ambassador to Thailand yesterday named the safety of Australian tourists as his mission’s top priority in Phuket. In Phuket to meet the governor yesterday, Ambassador James Wise said, “The problem that we worry about most of all in Phuket – and anywhere else in the world – is to be very assured that Australians are as…
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Phuket fireworks crackdown during Loy Krathong festival
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Police chief has ordered an island-wide crime crackdown during Loy Krathong celebrations, with police to set up checkpoints in key areas to prevent criminal activities, including illegal use of fireworks. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Pekad Tantipong said the Loy Krathong festival was an important and beautiful Thai cultural tradition worth preserving. As a…
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Finns find gold in Phuket
PHUKET: A Finnish company has opened its first Thailand branch in Phuket, giving jewelry owners a unique opportunity to cash in old gold – regardless of its karat rating. The ‘GoldToMoney’ shop, located at Chalong Circle, may deceive passers-by because it has not an ounce of gold on display. That’s because the company does not sell gold. It only buys…
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FC Phuket primed for success in Loei
PHUKET: The FC Phuket promotion bandwagon is back on the road this weekend, with the team traveling north to face Loei City on tomorrow afternoon. Kickoff for the AIS Regional League Division 2 playoff match will be at 4pm. Last Saturday the Phuket team came from a goal down to beat Loei 2-1 on the home turf at Surakul Stadium.…
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Loy Krathong losing its luster among Phuket youths
PHUKET: Tens of thousands of people are expected to turn out for Loy Krathong events to be held across Phuket on Sunday night, yet many young Thais seem to be losing interest in the tradition. From Mai Khao to Rawai, floats adorned with flowers and alight with candles will be set adrift at sea, on canals, lakes and rivers to…
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Point blank: Phuket man dies in Thalang shooting murder
PHUKET: A man was shot dead in front of his mother in his Phuket home last night. Thalang Police duty officer Pratuang Polmana identified the victim as Nipon Lohajan, aged 35. The victim’s mother told police her son answered a knock at the door of their home near the Heroines’ Monument at about 11:30pm. As soon as the door opened…
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Drug cases top Phuket crime statistics for October
PHUKET: Crime statistics released by the Phuket Provincial Police for October this year show decreases in most crime categories, with narcotics-related crimes once again the most common. There was no change in the number of Category 1 (heinous) crimes year-on-year, with 10 cases reported. There were four pre-mediated murders reported with two arrests in October this year and five cases…
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Aussie carrier Strategic Air to launch Phuket services
PHUKET: Australian carrier Strategic Airlines is preparing to launch non-stop direct flights to Phuket from Melbourne and Brisbane early next year, the Herald Sun has reported. The full-service carrier will offer twice-weekly flights, Tuesday and Fridays, from Melbourne to Phuket starting from February 22, 2011. The move follows Virgin Australia’s decision to end its Phuket service. Strategic’s service will be…
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Entries for Phuket King’s Cup Regatta near 100 mark
PHUKET: Almost 100 boats have already registered for this year’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, which will get underway off Kata Beach on December 4. Inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the event attracts participants from around the world and generates in excess of 100 million baht into the local economy annually.…
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Craig Alexander to compete in Laguna Phuket Ironman 70.3 event
PHUKET: The world’s most successful Ironman athlete of recent years, Australian Craig Alexander will contest the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship at Laguna Phuket on December 5. Alexander is the latest addition to a stellar line-up of elite professional triathletes heading to the island. As Ironman World Champion for the past two years, Alexander is set to face-off against fellow Ironman…
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Ronald Fanelli update: Still no return to Phuket Prison
PHUKET: Legal proceedings against confessed killer Ronald Fanelli are on hold until the American returns to Phuket, the Gazette has learned. Mr Fanelli is currently undergoing psychiatric examination at a facility in Surat Thani. The former US Navy officer was taken to Suan Saranrom Hospital for examination on September 13, reportedly at his own request. The case against him has…
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Phuket star gazers hope for clear skies
PHUKET: Weather permitting, the annual Leonids meteor shower should be viewable with unaided eyes after midnight tonight. The show will reach its peak between 3am and 5am, according to the National Astronomical Research Institute. Phuket people might not want to do an all-night vigil hoping to catch a glimpse, however. The northeast monsoon continues to prevail over Southern Thailand’s west…
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Phuket motorcycle helmet campaign hits streets of Patong
PHUKET: Over a thousand Patong residents yesterday took part in a parade in support of the “100% motorcycle helmet use” campaign underway across Phuket. The parade, held along the beach road in Patong, is part of the public awareness phase of the campaign. It was organized by Kathu Police, the Patong Taxi Federation, and Patong Municipality. The safety campaign, which…
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Phuket youth rugby club seeks donations
PHUKET: Members of Phuket’s Lomas Rugby club are appealing for donations as they get ready for a busy tour schedule. The club, which relies on contributions to pay expenses, is sending teams to two important youth tournaments in the coming weeks. The under-15 and under-12 squads will compete in the National Sevens Regional Qualifiers to be held in Krabi on…
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Two new vice governors for Phuket
PHUKET: Two new vice governors will take up office in Phuket later this month under the latest civil service reshuffle approved by the Ministry of Interior. The two new vice governors, effective from November 29, will be sitting Krabi Vice Governor Weerawat Janpen and sitting Surin Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak. Their appointments, approved on Saturday, are expected to lighten the…
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Phuket poll: Will the strong baht hurt high-season tourism?
PHUKET: With the Thai baht surging against many foreign currencies, the Gazette asks readers what effect they think the strong baht will have on the local economy entering the “high season” for tourism. To vote in the latest readers’ poll, click here or on the icon at the top right of this page. — News editor
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Qatar Airways flight a boon for Phuket
PHUKET: A new daily flight connecting Doha and Phuket is set to benefit the island in a number of ways, including improving travel options among European tourists wishing to holiday in the Andaman region. The first Qatar Airways flight from Doha, with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur, landed in Phuket on October 12. Phuket is one of nine new destinations…
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Phuket International Sportfishing Tournament starts Thursday
PHUKET: Registration for the annual Phuket International Sportfishing Tournament 2010 starts from 5pm tomorrow, with competitors setting out from Chalong Pier over the following three days in search of 11 eligible species, including black marlin, sailfish, cobia, barracuda and tuna. Trophies will go to the heaviest catch in each category, as well as for the most billfish releases. There will…
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Phuket fire: Patong post office damaged
PHUKET: A small fire in Patong yesterday afternoon caused commotion along Phuket’s busiest beach road and water damage to Taweewong Post Office. The blaze reportedly broke out from an electrical short inside an air compressor on the second floor of the True Coffee shop, on Soi Patong Post Office. Six Patong Municipality firefighting vehicles rushed to the scene. Firefighters managed…
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Phuket art galleries to show beach clean-up artwork
PHUKET: Beginning next month, selected art galleries in Phuket will stage a series of “marine debris” exhibitions comprising artwork made from trash collected during beach clean-ups. The grand opening will be at the Nakhonnai Museum, opposite the Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort & Spa on Saiyuan Road Soi 2 in Rawai. Doors will open at 6pm on December 1. Subsequent showing…
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Phuket private healthcare gets a thumbs-up: poll
PHUKET: A majority of Phuket Gazette on-line readers have a favorable opinion of private health-care services in Phuket, the results of the latest Readers’ Poll reveal. Last week readers were asked: “With two international hospitals and numerous private clinics, Phuket has been much touted as a medical tourism hub. Cost considerations aside, how would you rate the overall quality of…
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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