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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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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Family of accused boy speak out on child molestation charges
PATONG, PHUKET: A 17-year-old German boy arrested on March 9 on child molestation charges is himself a victim of abuse, his family and German diplomats claim. German Ambassador Dr Hanns H Schumacher on March 16 met Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong to discuss the case, which began with the arrest of British national Dax J Young on child molestation…
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British expat killed in head-on collision
KARON, PHUKET: A British man was killed after his SUV slammed into a six-wheel truck in the early hours of Wednesday, March 18. Colin Richmond, 51, is thought to have died instantly in the crash, which happened at 1.30am at the Koktanode Junction on Patak Road in Kata. When he tried to overtake another car, his Toyota Sport Rider moved…
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Kamala protest ends after 20-hour blockade
KAMALA, PHUKET: A 20-hour blockade of the Kamala-Patong Road ended at around 5:30pm yesterday after Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima spent most of the morning negotiating a settlement. The protest began at Kamala Police Station at around 7pm on Tuesday. By 9pm, a 500-strong mob had used vehicles to seal off the main road. The roadblock inconvenienced many people, including tourists…
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New box jellyfish found at Ao Nambor
CAPE PANWA, PHUKET: Marine biologists think they have discovered a tiny species of the venomous box jellyfish never seen before in the waters around Phuket. Dr Somchai Bussarawit, Chief of Museum and Aquarium at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) said on March 18 that the specimen was discovered at Ao Nambor, the same area where almost 40 specimens of…
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Teen killer arrested after return from Ranong
PHUKET: Phuket City Police have arrested a man wanted for the January 2 shooting of 17-year-old Anukul Boonwong. Phuket City Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit identified the suspect as Sulaimarn “Chuk” Wetkla, who was presented with an arrest warrant and taken into custody in front of his home in Rassada Village 7 at 11 pm yesterday. Details of the arrest were announced…
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Kamala roads blocked by protesters
PHUKET, KAMALA: Roads in Kamala have been blocked by protesters since yesterday evening. About 400-500 Kamala residents gathered at an intersection near Phuket Fantasea at 8pm on Tuesday evening to protest the local police station’s handling of crime in the area. The protests began at 7pm when a crowd gathered outside the station. The protesters later set up tents and loud speakers…
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Anchalee denies involvement in governor’s transfer
PHUKET CITY: One of Phuket’s leading Democrat Party figures has denied any involvement in the transfer of former governor Preecha Ruangjan and revealed that Dr Preecha requested the transfer. Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr, Deputy Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangkok and wife of Phuket MP Tossaporn Thepabutr, said media reports that she had something to do with the transfer…
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Youth stabbed to death in Suan Luang Park
PHUKET CITY: In the latest fatality from teenage gang violence, a 17-year-old boy was found stabbed to death inside Suan Luang Park in the early hours of Sunday, March 15. Phuket City Police received a report of a murder in the park on the emergency hotline (‘191’) at about 1:45 am. Arriving at the scene with rescue workers from the…
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First day in office for Governor Wichai
PHUKET CITY: Today marks the first day in office of Phuket’s new governor, Wichai Phraisa-ngop.Mr Wichai was greeted at the Governor’s Mansion yesterday morning by numerous officials and well-wishers, some traveling from as far away as Phang Nga and Surat Thani to attend the ceremony.Transferred to Phuket from his previous posting as governor of Sing Buri province in the Central…
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PAD to hold huge rally in Phuket
PHUKET: The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will stage a large rally at Saphan Hin in Phuket on April 18. All five core PAD leaders – Sondhi Limthongkul, Chamlong Srimuang, Pipop Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuk and Somkiat Pongpaiboon – are set to attend. Mr Sondhi’s Asian Satellite Television (ASTV) is organizing the rally, which will start at 4 pm and go…
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Siam Indigo damaged in Sunday morning fire
PHUKET CITY: The popular Siam Indigo Exotique Bar and Restaurant on Phang Nga Road was partially damaged in a fire that broke out at about 10:20 am yesterday. Taweesak Suwit, an officer at the local Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) office, told the Gazette that two Phuket City fire trucks managed to get the blaze under control, though…
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Suspects held for stealing 1.7 million baht from a Briton
BANGKOK: A Thai graduate student and two female accomplices were arrested for allegedly stealing 1.7 million baht from a Briton via e-banking facilities and ATMs, police said yesterday. Tourist Police Division Chief Maj-General Adis Ngamjitsuksri yesterday presented three suspects at a press conference along with 10 items of evidence that included five mobile phones, a notebook computer and a PC.…
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Komkai killing: second suspect surrenders
PHUKET CITY: The second of five suspects wanted for conspiracy to commit murder in the high-profile contract killing of Jintana Plaza heiress Komkai Kositkoon turned himself in to police on Thursday afternoon. The suspect, 46-year-old Sopol Latrana, surrendered himself to Region 8 Police Commander Santarn Chayanon and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongtong at Phuket City Police Station at 5…
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Danish man found dead in Kata hotel
KARON, PHUKET: In what police are treating as a case of death by natural causes, a Danish tourist was found dead in his hotel room at Kata Beach on Wednesday morning. Chalong Police Duty Officer Parichat Jaturonphan identified the deceased as 60-year-old Svarre Mortensen, a guest at the Tropical Garden Resort in Kata. Mr Svarre’s body was discovered lying face…
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Body found at sea presumed to be missing cook
PHUKET: Earlier today, Marine police found what they suspect is the body of the last victim from the Choke Somboon 19 dive boat accident in which seven people went missing on March 8 when the vessel capsized during a storm about 12 miles off the coast of Phuket. Having found and identified the bodies of six missing tourists who were…
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Car crash cash cow
SRISOONTHORN, PHUKET: Road accidents can be costly for insurers, so when a dead ox was the cause of a two-car collision on Wednesday local police came up with a pragmatic way to ease one insurance company’s financial burden. Thalang Police Duty Officer Prakorb Boonkwan, notified of the unusual accident on Wednesday morning, was the first to arrive at the scene.…
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Billionaires Lead Phuket’s Top 5 Rich and Famous Villa List
PHUKET: Thailand’s resort island of Phuket is fast becoming the place for the rich and famous in search of tropical island living coupled with great investment. According to the recently-launched Phuket Insider blog, two of Forbes magazine’s leading billionaires have uber-luxury villas in Phuket. Phuket’s “Top 5” are reported as: 1. New Zealand’s wealthiest brothers, Richard and Christopher Chandler (one…
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Dive boat disaster: Japanese victim recovered
PHUKET CITY: The body of missing Japanese dive tourist Hirotsuga Yuba was recovered by divers this morning, leaving only the Thai cook of the ill-fated Choke Somboon 19 unaccounted for after the vessel sunk during a storm on Sunday night. The bodies of four European tourists who were trapped in their cabins when the vessel capsized were recovered by divers…
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Pattaya, not Phuket, to host ASEAN meetings in April
BANGKOK (TNA): Citing a lack of facilities in Phuket, the government has chosen Pattaya as the venue for two meetings for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) leaders and their dialogue partners next month, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya. Thailand earlier said that it had planned to host the Asean+3 and Asean+6 in Phuket, but Mr Kasit…
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Trang woman commits suicide in Rassada
RASSADA, PHUKET: A woman who committed suicide by hanging was found in the living room of her daughter’s home late Tuesday morning. Phuket City Police Duty Officer Anek Mongkol identified the deceased as 45-year-old Lamoon Injan, a resident of the Wangwiset District in Trang. At about 11:30 am, Mrs Lamoon’s daughter discovered her mother’s body suspended by the neck from…
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Four bodies found in sunken dive boat
PHUKET: The Phuket branch of the Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) confirmed this afternoon that the bodies of four more victims from the dive boat Choke Somboon 19 have been discovered inside the sunken vessel.Deep sea divers have been working with Marine Police since first light this morning to reach the sunken vessel, which lies 70 meters below…
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Phuket has a serious new blog
PHUKET: ThePhuketInsider.Com, a major new blog described as “The Source for All Hotel & Real Estate News”, was launched today by Phuket Gazette columnist Bill Barnett, the well-known local property and hospitality consultant. Barnett is the Managing Director of Phuket-based C9 Hotelworks. His blog is slated to become something quite special for readers with an interest in the ‘Greater Phuket’…
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German youth arrested for sexual abuse of young boys
PATONG, PHUKET: A 17-year-old German national has confessed to charges of sexually molesting young boys following an investigation by the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) and Kathu Police. The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested at 11.30 pm in Rawai on Monday. The German is accused of conspiring to sexually abuse two young boys together with…
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Red Cross Vigo auction on March 18
PHUKET CITY: The Toyota Vigo that was top prize in the 2009 Phuket Red Cross Fair raffle is to be auctioned on March 18. The 650,000-baht pick-up remained unclaimed at the midnight deadline on Saturday February 28, prompting the auction. Bidding will take place at the Phuket Red Cross Office on Narisorn Rd. Prospective buyers should arrive at the office…
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Drowning victim’s body recovered off Rawai
RAWAI, PHUKET: A fishing trip ended in tragedy on Sunday, when a small fiberglass boat with three men aboard sank in a storm off Koh Bon in Rawai. Kathu resident Attakorn Chaiboon, 40, drowned in the accident, which happened at around 8.30 pm. His body was finally recovered from the sea at 3.10 pm on Tuesday. Two survivors, 33-year-old Sittichai…
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Body of sunken dive vessel victim identified
PHUKET CITY: The identity of the female tourist whose body was recovered by a Royal Thai Navy vessel this morning has been confirmed as that of Austrian national Gabrielle Jetzinger, a source at the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) has revealed. Ms Jetzinger was among seven passengers still listed as missing after the dive…
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Gov Preecha transferred out in civil service reshuffle
PHUKET: Governor Preecha Ruangjan is to be transferred to Phitsanuloke province in the north of Thailand, a source in the Governor’s Office has confirmed. Dr Preecha, a native of Phichit province (which borders Phitsanuloke), was appointed as governor of Phuket less than five months ago under the government of Somchai Wongsawat and his now disbanded People Power Party (PPP). Dr…
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Body of Caucasian woman recovered at sea
AO MAKHAM, PHUKET: The body of a Caucasian woman was this morning found floating near the site of the sinking of the Choke Somboon 19, which capsized about 12 nautical miles off Phuket on Sunday night. For the original story, click here. The identity of the woman has not yet been confirmed. Her body, recovered by a Royal Thai Navy…
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Seven still missing after freak storm sinks boat near Phuket
PHUKET: Following the sinking of a boat last night that was carrying tourists returning to Phuket from a diving trip near the Similan islands, six foreign tourists and one Thai member of the boat’s crew are still missing. Police have issued the following list of seven people who were on the boat but remain unaccounted for: German national Ms Jetzinger…
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British expat denies child molestation charges
PATONG, PHUKET: A British man is being held for alleged sexual assault on four young schoolboys between the ages of nine and 14. Department of Special Investigations (DSI) officer Pol Maj Jatuporn Arunleaktawin identified the suspect as British national Dax J. Young, a 41-year-old Caucasian arrested by DSI officers and Kathu Police over the weekend in his rented home in…
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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