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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Big bikes to roar into Phuket
PHUKET: More than 2,000 bikers from around Thailand and Southeast Asia are set to come roaring into Phuket next month for Southern Big Bike Party and Charity 2010. Organizer Kittiwong Jansattham met Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at Provincial Hall last week to finalize arrangements for the event, activities for which will be centered at Saphan Hin Public Park December 17…
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Phuket golf series heating up
PHUKET: The race to become Phuket’s top amateur golfer is beginning to heat up with five qualifying rounds of the Phuket-Times.Com Amateur Open already completed. There are eight events in total, culminating in the season-ending Master’s Final next year that will determine who will be crowned the island’s best amateur golfer. Laong Cameron is the current Order of Merit leader,…
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New Phuket marina will not affect drug trade: poll
PHUKET: Phuket Gazette online readers are skeptical that the opening of the new Chalong Marina will have much of an impact on drug trafficking on the island, results of the latest readers’ poll reveal. The poll question asked readers: “Officials hope the opening of the new Chalong Marina, with improved Customs and Immigration controls, will lead to a decrease in…
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Petroleum exploration underway off Phuket
PHUKET: State oil firm PTT is conducting a study off the coast of Phuket that could lead to test boreholes being drilled there by 2012, the company says. The work falls under the second phase of work being carried out by PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited, or PTTEP. Visit Coothongkul, PTTEP vice president in charge of projects in…
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Cigana, Granger reign supreme at Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: It was a big day of former champions at the 2010 Laguna Phuket Triathlon yesterday, as Italian Massimo Cigana and Australian Belinda Granger took top honors. The pair were in dominant form in their respective races, crossing the finish line well ahead of the chasing pack, which included a host of top professional athletes and more than 800 amateurs…
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Central Festival Phuket to get Bt.5bn upgrade
PHUKET: Central Retail Corporation (CRC) has announced a .5 billion baht facelift of the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall that will include the opening of its fourth floor.The renovation, the first since the complex opened in September 2004, will be completed by the beginning of next year. It is intended to cash in on the recovery of the Phuket tourism…
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Phuket hails Rino’s recovery
RINO Mangon Vogt, a 10-year-old suffering from a rare and congenital heart condition known as Ebstein’s Anomaly, had his successful life-saving operation in Bangkok. The Phuket Gazette first ran the story on August 17, which was picked up by the ThaiVisa website and this media attention led to the generous donations needed to pay for expensive treatment, including 750,000 baht…
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FC Phuket 2 – 0 Bangkok FC
PHUKET: FC Phuket had a solid 2-0 win over Bangkok FC last night and now sit tied at the top of the table in Group B play in the “mini-league” for promotion to Division 1 of the Thai League. In other Group B matches, Rayong FC drew at home to Chainat FC 1 – 1, while Loei City drew with…
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Illegal worker “sweep’ to target Phuket
PHUKET: A special task force of government officers will sweep through Phuket and arrest and likely deport any foreigners found working illegally, the Gazette has learned. The move follows the creation of a Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) task force set up to identify and arrest any foreigners found working without appropriate permits. Headed by PPEO chief Noppadol Ployudee, the…
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Gov lauds PPAO sponsorship of Laguna Phuket Triathlon
PHUKET: Ahead of the 17th Laguna Phuket Triathlon this Sunday, Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha has lauded the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) for becoming an official sponsor of the event for the first time ever. The annual triathlon kicks-off a week of sporting and social activities culminating with the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship the following Sunday on December 5,…
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Business Air increases Phuket – South Korea flights
PHUKET: Bangkok-based airline Business Air has announced plans to increase flight frequency on its service connecting Phuket with Incheon, South Korea. The extension to the carrier’s existing Phuket – Incheon route will make it easier for holidaymakers to travel between the two destinations during the high season for tourism. Business Air already runs four weekly flights from Phuket to Incheon,…
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New tsunami buoys off Phuket by new year: NDWC
PHUKET: Two new Italian-built tsunami direct detection units will be installed off Phuket by the end of the year, the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has revealed. NDWC Director Somsak Khaosuwan said the two units, known as “tsunameters”, will be located about 400 to 500 kilometers offshore. Although the exact locations have yet to be determined, one of the units…
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Phuket Immigration launches online hotel guest registration drive
PHUKET: Phuket Immigration is warning hoteliers they could soon face fines if they fail to register their guests’ details though the agency’s new online database. Phuket Immigration Superintendent Panuwat Ruamrak made the announcement at an instructional seminar at the ICT Center in Saphan Hin earlier this month. “After one month, we will look at how the system is performing. We…
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Case closed on bizarre murder-suicide in Phuket restaurant
PHUKET: Police have closed the case file on the bizarre murder-suicide that shocked Phuket Town earlier this month. Diners at Khrua Pailin Restaurant were stunned when restaurateur Bundit Anurakbundit stood up from a table of friends, walked across the restaurant floor to his sister-in-law Wassana Jarit and shot her in the head point-blank. He then turned the gun on himself.…
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British expats’ Phuket home burgled
PHUKET: A British couple living in Rawai returned home from dinner last night to find their house burgled, with several valuable items stolen. Charles Stuart Crompton and his wife left their home in Soi Natai at 8:30pm on Tuesday night and went out for a meal. When the couple returned home two hours later they found their house had been…
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Phuket’s most wanted: DEA souvenirs
PHUKET: Officers from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) met with their Thai counterparts in Phuket yesterday to discuss when and where they will hand out souvenir items bearing images of some of the “most wanted” drug traffickers in Asia. Attending the meeting at Tourist Police headquarters in Phuket Town were DEA Group supervisor David McConell and special agents Scott…
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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…
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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