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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World Cup update: Day 7
PHUKET: Argentina went on a scoring spree against Korea Republic with Gonzalo Higuain firing the first hat-trick of this Fifa World Cup to take a huge step towards the last 16, beating the Asians 4-1. Meanwhile in Bloemfontein, Dimitrios Salpingidis and Vasileios Torosidis scored to earn Greece a 2-1 comeback victory over a Nigerian team that played most of the…
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Phuket cops nab debauched bandits
PHUKET: A police dragnet led to the arrest of three young men wanted in connection with numerous cases of armed robbery and sexual assault in Phuket. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong presented the suspects to the media yesterday, identifying them as Noppon ‘Bell’ Gerdphon, Chaiwut ‘Boy’ Plengsri and Wittawat ‘Tee’ Saenai. All are Phuket residents in their early 20s.…
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British woman, 21, is latest Phuket drowning death
PHUKET: The drowning death of a 21-year-old British woman at Karon Beach over the weekend has left Phuket lifeguards frustrated over the failure of foreign tourists to heed their warnings not to enter the surf when red warning flags are flying. Rebecca Callaghan, from Evesham in Worcestershire, was in Phuket with her boyfriend as part of a holiday that took…
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Work on new Phuket incinerator to start next month
PHUKET: Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana has confirmed that the construction of Phuket’s long-awaited second solid waste incinerator is to begin next month, while a 43-million-baht project to improve the surrounding landfill is now complete. “Construction of the new plant was delayed because the original plans had be to modified for the incinerator to pass the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)…
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Phuket hero pulls motorist from burning Volvo
KOH KAEW, PHUKET: A courageous 62-year-old man saved a driver’s life by pulling him from a burning car following a crash in Koh Kaew before dawn this morning. Armard ‘Mard’ Pattanee rushed to the crumpled Volvo after hearing a loud bang. He cut driver Banjong Laocharoen’s seatbelt and helped him to safety – shortly before the car became completely engulfed…
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British woman survives macaque attack during Phuket holiday
PHUKET: A British woman with a life-long fear of monkeys was seriously injured by several primates while visiting Monkey Beach on Phi Phi Don Island on May 21. Dee Darwell, 56, arrived in Phuket on May 18 and had a couple of “lovely” days before setting off on a one-day trip to Phi Phi Don and surrounding islands with Siam…
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World Cup update: Day 6
PHUKET: Last night’s play saw the first major upset in the FIFA 2010 World Cup, with Spain falling to underdogs Switzerland 1-0. Chile earned three points by defeating Honduras 1-0, putting them at the top of Group H, alongside Switzerland. Host South Africa’s chances of proceeding to the second round were dimmed when they lost 3-0 to Uruguay. Tonight’s matches:…
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Phuket Court dismisses sex case against PIA teacher
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community. World Cup? Get instantaneous scores and news updates right here on the Gazette Online (fed directly from FIFA). PHUKET: ABC News reports that child sexual assault charges against a Tasmanian teacher working in Phuket have been dropped. Andrew Clements,…
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Bt9m sign for Patong Hill, Phuket
PHUKET: Work is underway on a nine-million-baht sign welcoming motorists to Patong. Patong Mayor Pian Keesin said the sign, meant to mark the border between Kathu and Patong, is destined to become a famous Patong landmark. Construction started on April 9 and is scheduled to finish by September 5. Almost 9.1 million baht in funding for the project has come…
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Phuket, Chiang Mai to brainstorm tourism promo strategies
PHUKET: Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) offices in Phuket and Chiang Mai will meet with travel agencies in the northern city to brainstorm ways of strengthening links between the two provinces. Sobtana Aunprasert, Assistant Director of the TAT office in Chiang Mai office, announced the meeting will be held June 18 to 20 at Ratilanna Spa Resort. The riverside gathering…
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Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket to open in November
PHUKET: Plunging occupancy rates throughout Thailand has not affected the Centara Hotels & Resorts’ plan to open their latest Phuket resort in November this year, just in time for the start of the next high season. The 1.9-billion-baht Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket will be the group’s fourth location in Phuket – and its largest. Centara’s Director of Group Marketing…
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Charkrit wins Laguna Phuket Marathon
PHUKET: Records were broken yesterday as Thai athletes dominated the 2010 Laguna Phuket International Marathon, claiming first place in both the men’s and women’s races. Charkrit Boonkong won the men’s event in 2:40:08, just over two minutes off the course record time of 2:37:53 set by defending champion Stephen Paine from Australia in 2008. Compatriot Thanyathorn Samutnoi won the women’s…
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Phuket Police nab cell phone bandits
PHUKET: Seven Phuket Vocational College students robbed of their mobile phones at knifepoint on Thursday will be reunited with their devices, thanks to the efforts of the Phuket City Police. Officers led by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong yesterday presented the two young men to be charged with the robbery – Surachet ‘Um’ Pisetsin, 19, and his 17-year-old alleged…
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Patong flood woes continue
PHUKET: Public works intended to prevent floods in Patong this monsoon season have not been completed in time to stop deluges on Nanai Road and other parts of the town. In March, Patong Mayor Pian Keesin pledged to put an end to the ‘Nanai River’, a 50-meter stretch of Nanai Road that spent much of last year’s wet season under…
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Phuket murder suspect arrested after 3 years on the run
PHUKET: After three years on the run, a man wanted for a stabbing murder in Phuket Town in 2007 has been arrested by police in Phang Nga. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong, Deputy Commander Peerayut Karajedee and Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit yesterday afternoon led a press conference to announce the arrest 26-year-old Tossaporn ‘Peh’ Jarunrak. Mr Tossaporn…
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Phuket bars stay open late for World Cup matches
PHUKET: On opening day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, host South Africa drew 1-1 with Mexico in a thrilling game, while France struggled to 0-0 draw against 10-man Uruguay in an uninspiring match. Bars in Patong have been allowed to stay open later than the normal 2am closing time, and many people lined the bars along Soi Bangla late…
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Phuket tsunami fears groundless: MET
PHUKET: The Meteorological Department (MET) has dismissed as groundless Internet reports that a celestial alignment will cause a tsunami-producing earthquake and solar flares tomorrow. The rumor appears to have started in Thailand following a posting on a Thai-language website. According to the post, a rare alignment of the Earth with Jupiter, Uranus, the Moon and the Sun will create strong…
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18th Annual Phuket Flower Fair
PHUKET: The 18th annual Phuket Ornamental Plants & Flowers Fair will be held from July 9 to July 18 at Saphan Hin. Organized by the Phuket Provincial Agricultural Office, Phuket City Municipality and Phuket Provincial Administration Organization, this year’s fair will feature Phuket Pineapple exhibitions, pineapple peeling and processing competitions, as well as flower decoration contests. Various kinds of flowers,…
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Phuket Senator slams Gov’t tourism recovery plan
PHUKET: Phuket Senator Thanyarat Achariyachai has slammed the government’s tourism-industry recovery measures, saying the tax incentives miss the mark and will do little to help operators outside the capital. Senator Thanyarat, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism, said that hotel occupancy rates have plummeted nationwide since the red shirt protests in April and May. She warned that hotels will…
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KBank lends Bt1.2bn for new Novotel project in Phuket
PHUKET: In a vote of confidence in Phuket’s tourism market, Kasikorn Bank (KBank) recently approved a 1.2-billion-baht loan to Bayshore Wing Co Ltd to construct a four-star, 305-room Novotel franchise hotel in Patong. News of the approved loan came last month, during a period of heavy debate over how much Phuket’s tourism-dependent economy would suffer from the dual threats of…
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Phuket Andaman Halal 2010
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Andaman Halal 2010 fair will showcase the island’s Muslim culture, traditions and foods in Saphan Hin from June 18 to 20. The event has been organized by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) in conjunction with the Phuket Islamic Committee Office, the Halal Science Center of Chulalongkorn University, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The…
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Bt49m in counterfeit goods destroyed in Phuket
PHUKET: High-ranking members of the Finance Ministry yesterday took part in the ceremonial destruction of seized counterfeit goods allegedly worth almost 49 million baht. The event, which took place at the Phuket Customs House in Phuket Town, was presided over by hammer-wielding Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Pattaraprasit and Customs Department Director-General Somchai Sajjapong. There was also an international flavor to…
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Bank heist: Colombian gang arrested in Krabi
PHUKET: Three foreign suspects were arrested in Krabi yesterday for the theft of 12 million baht from a vehicle in the headquarters parking lot of one of Thailand’s largest commercial banks, the state-run media has reported. The suspects – one American and two Colombians – allegedly smashed a car window in a pick-up truck and lifted the cash in a…
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Hit-and-run, crash-and-burn in Phuket
PHUKET: A man trying to flee after a hit-and-run accident on Monday night smashed into a power pole and barely escaped alive after his car was engulfed in flames. Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit said the driver was a well-known local businessman who was drunk at the time. According to a Phuket City Police preliminary investigations, the man was…
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Phuket to host ‘Global Ad Awards’, maybe
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: Adman Patrick Ferrara has launched a campaign to promote ‘Global Advertising Awards’, to be held in Phuket in Febuary 2011, and he claims it will outdo, and eventually overtake, the 2010 Cannes Lions advertising fest. According to Advertising…
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TAT pushes golf tourism to Phuket and Pattaya
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand has joined with several groups to support a tour package aimed at increasing domestic golf tourism between Pattaya and Phuket. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) official Suwannachai Rithirak said the TAT’s Pattaya and Phuket offices teamed up for the promotion. “We are seeing a great potential in golf which we believe will motivate golfers…
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Pitfalls for expats in Phuket: Do you really own your villa?
PHUKET: Many foreigners who buy property in Phuket opt for a stand-alone house (or ‘villa’), either in a managed estate or on a single plot, instead of an apartment or condominium, as the latter usually do not provide the individuality and/or privacy the buyer seeks. Due to legal restrictions in Thailand that prohibit land ownership by foreigners, it is common…
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Phuket Promotion: Mass Indian weddings
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community PHUKET: More than 1 billion baht is expected to be in circulation in Phuket if a plan to bring in over 400 Indian couples for marriage and honeymoons is realized, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in…
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Feng shui concerns over Phuket tunnel project
PHUKET: The proposed traffic tunnel beneath Patong Hill is drawing opposition from some unexpected quarters, as some elderly ethnic-Chinese residents of the island believe the project could ruin Phuket’s feng shui and bring economic ruin. According to a Chinese legend, Phuket is a golden sea dragon emerging from the Indian Ocean. Tradition holds that this dragon, Hai Leng Ong, is…
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Aussies win Seniors World Cup in Phuket
PHUKET: Australia defeated Iran 4-1 on Saturday to win the final of the 2010 Seniors World Cup at Surakul Stadium in Phuket Town. Thailand finished third, beating New Zealand 3-0 in the third place final. In semifinal play on Friday, Australia beat Thailand 3-0 and Iran beat New Zealand 4-1 to set up the final encounter. The event was 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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