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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5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Driver who rammed car at Patong massage shop faces multiple charges
UPDATE The driver who rammed his car into parked motorbikes following a conflict at a Patong massage shop is now facing multiple charges. The charges include causing loss of property, bodily harm causing injury, and reckless driving causing injury, The Phuket Express reported. Four people were injured, and four vehicles were damaged in the incident on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road on Monday…
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Conflict at Patong massage shop leads to car ramming and injuries (video)
A conflict at a Patong massage shop led to a car ramming and injuries on Monday night, The Phuket News reported. The incident happened at around 8pm. The driver, Panudet, had a dispute with the co-owner of a luxury massage shop, Chatchanan “Patty” Charoenjai. Panudet previously reported to police that Chatchanan had slapped him across the face. The reason for…
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Girlfriend of Australian tourist found dead in Thai police custody suspects foul play
UPDATE The girlfriend of the Australian man who was found dead inside the detention room at a police station in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Monday says her boyfriend was “not suicidal” and had every intention of returning to his family. Police arrested 31 year old Matthew Michael Winder for being drunk and disorderly at around 5.45am and detained him at…
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Top real estate properties in the north and south of Phuket, Thailand 2023
Phuket is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world, and it’s easy to see why. With its stunning beaches, world-class amenities, and an abundance of outdoor activities. Phuket is the perfect place to invest in real estate. Whether you’re looking for a modern villa with top-class amenities in the north or a luxurious property with sea views in…
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Phuket’s must-try dishes: what to try and where to find them
Phuket, a beautiful island paradise in Thailand, is not only known for its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife but also for its delectable cuisine. With an array of mouth-watering dishes, Phuket offers a gastronomic experience that will leave your taste buds craving more. Here, we explore Phuket’s top 10 must-try dishes and the best places to relish them. Top 10…
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Following complaints, Phuket officials swoop on stray dogs
Following a number of complaints from fed up locals, Phuket officials on Wednesday swooped on stray dogs in the island province’s main city district. The residents had complained that a pack of dogs had been causing a nuisance. They said the dogs were chasing after motorcycles, as well as defecating on streets and people’s properties. The Department of Public Health…
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Phuket anticipates 60% hotel occupancy after Songkran
Thailand’s tropical paradise of Phuket anticipates a hotel occupancy rate of around 60% now that the Songkran Festival is over. There’s been a jump in the number of Chinese arrivals, even as the low season approaches, Bangkok Post reported. According to Sueksit Suvunditkul, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, hotel bookings were at 86% occupancy in the…
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Facebook to the rescue: social media helps catch Phuket motorbike thief
Despite the countless negatives of social media, sometimes, it can be used as a force for good, this time to catch a motorbike thief. Facebook helped police catch a motorbike thief in Phuket, The Phuket Express reported last night. The motorbike owner reported his stolen motorbike to Patong Police and also posted CCTV footage of the incident on the Facebook…
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Security guard stomps on American tourist’s head in Phuket (video)
An American tourist is seeking justice after being stomped on by a security guard at a pub in Phuket, southern Thailand, at 4am on April 9. The injured tourist decided to take the case to Thai media after the police failed to take action more than a week after he reported the crime. Police deny delaying the investigation and say…
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Foreign army veteran rescued after Songkran water gun exacerbates PTSD
A Thai rescuer took to Facebook to share knowledge about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms after he helped a foreign veteran suffering from the condition after a water gun attack in the Patong sub-district of Phuket. The Thai rescuer, Nicola Vincenzo Biccai, posted the story on Friday, April 14 that he received a notification from witnesses that a foreign man…
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Woman searches for sister who went missing on Phuket trip
A woman is searching for her sister, who she says went missing on a trip from Bangkok to Phuket. The woman, Prangthip Kottathum, says her sister, 27 year old Vannapa Bamrab, went missing on April 11. Prangthip filed a missing person report to Hua Mak Police Station on Thursday, April 13, Khao Phuket reported. Pranthip said that Vannapa called one…
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Phuket kitchen staffer stabs colleague to death
A Phuket kitchen staffer stabbed his colleague to death in the car park of a well-known hotel in Cherng Talay on Thursday, The Phuket Express and The Phuket News reported last night. The suspect, 20 year old Sarayut stabbed 23 year old Roongroj, in the stomach. Cherng Talay Police rushed to the scene after being informed of the incident at around 4.30pm. Upon arriving…
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TAT expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during Songkran
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during the Songkran Festival, with over 200,000 tourists expected to visit the island province. The director of TAT’s Phuket Office, Lertchai Wangtrakundee, stated that 84% of hotel rooms have already been booked from April 13 to April 16. Additionally, 258 international flights with 48,302 passengers…
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Phuket Island: A Destination for Fitness, Health, and Wellness
Phuket island in southern Thailand is quickly becoming one of the world’s top destinations for fitness, health, and wellness. Athletes from around the globe are flocking to this tropical paradise to take advantage of its world-class training facilities, stunning natural landscapes, and warm climate. The Thaiger team recently had the opportunity to explore some of the top fitness, health, and…
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Ride into the Wild West at Phuket Bike Week 2023
The Phuket Bike Week Association and Phuket City Municipality announced they are promoting Phuket Bike Week 2023. The event, also known as 27th Phuket Bike Week, will take place from April 28 to 30 at Dolphin Park on Patong Beach, with the theme, “Cowboy on the Beach.” Visitors can look forward to a wide range of activities, including an auto show…
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Phuket motorbike crash claims life of Russian tourist
Another tragic road death has hit Phuket. A motorbike crash claimed the life of a Russian tourist on a rural road in central Phuket yesterday, The Phuket News reported. According to a report made to Thalang Police, a motorcycle with two foreigners flew off a small road and crashed, killing the driver on the spot. Police and rescuers arrived on…
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Phuket Police arrest Ukrainian woman for spray painting slogans at viewpoint
Phuket Police yesterday morning arrested a Ukrainian woman for spray painting slogans critical of Russia at a popular viewpoint. The 34 year old woman spray painted “#Russia is a terrorist state,” and “#Russia” on rocks and a bench at Khao Khad Viewpoint in the Wichit sub-district of Phuket’s main city district. Wichit Police tracked the woman down through CCTV footage.…
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48 baby sea turtles successfully hatch in Phang Nga
In some uplifting news, 48 baby leatherback sea turtles successfully hatched in Phang Nga‘s Tai Mueang district, The Phuket Express reported yesterday. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) confirmed the good news, saying the turtles made their way into the sea. According to the DMCR, 48 of the eggs successfully hatched and the baby turtles were able to…
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Phang Nga arsonist unashamed after burning down floating restaurant
A shameless arsonist showed no compassion after destroying a floating restaurant in Phang Nga on Friday. Takua Thung Police arrived at the restaurant located on a canal in Baan Chong Nuea in Kalai sub-district of Takua Thung district and found it engulfed in flames, with the suspect, 31 year old Wanat Looklek, watching it burn. Wanat admitted to police that…
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Three foreigners in Patong restaurant brawl fined 2,000 baht each
Three foreigners who were involved in the Patong restaurant brawl this week have been fined 2,000 baht each, according to an update from the Phuket Provincial Police. Yesterday, it was reported that a customer, 34 year old Australian national ‘Karen,‘ admitted that he started the dispute by throwing a water bottle at two restaurant staffers because he thought they were…
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Phuket crash kills foreigner, the 35th road death on island this year
Phuket’s number of road deaths reached 35 this year after a motorcycle crash killed a foreigner early this morning. The accident happened on Karon Beach Road on Phuket’s west coast at about 2.28am, according to Ruamjai Rescue Foundation. Rescuers and emergency medical service teams arrived on the scene to find a garbage truck parked on the side of the road.…
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Phuket rescuers find body of man who jumped from bridge
Phuket rescuers on Wednesday found the body of a man who jumped from the Thep Krasattri Bridge. Kusoldharm rescuers recovered the body, and the man’s wife confirmed that the body was her husband’s. The rescuers found the body floating about 1 kilometre away from the bridge, The Phuket Express reported. The names of the man and the wife were being…
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3 foreign men arrested in Thai police crackdown on child prostitution in Phuket
Following the crackdown on child prostitution at Velvet bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket two weeks ago, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) discovered six more foreign men also bought sexual services at the bar and through its network. Out of the six, three foreign men were arrested while three are on the run. The Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) and…
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British expat dies from allergic reaction to bee sting in Phuket
A 69 year old British man died from a severe allergic reaction to a single bee sting yesterday in Phuket, southern Thailand, reports KhaoSod. Volunteers from Rawai Rescue Unit rushed to a house in Soi Kit Prasarn 1 in Rawai district after they were informed that a foreigner was in critical condition after being stung by a bee. Upon arrival,…
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Australian arrested over Phuket restaurant brawl
UPDATE Police arrested an Australian man for his involvement in the brawl that broke out between foreign staff and foreign customers at Atlas Restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket in southern Thailand early on Monday morning, reports the Phuket Express. Police arrested 34 year old “Karen” of Australian nationality who admitted to starting the fight by throwing a bottle at the…
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Hong Kong Airlines to launch direct flights to Phuket
Low-cost carrier Hong Kong Airlines will launch a direct flight to Phuket in southern Thailand, starting June 16, 2023. An Airbus A320 will service the direct Hong Kong – Phuket route four times per week to meet rising demand as tourists return to Thailand in full force. The outbound flight will depart from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) at 8.20pm…
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About 7,000 Russians and Ukrainians stranded in Thailand
While it’s common to discuss the influx of Russians as they pour into the country and are investing more and more in villas and homes, it’s easy to forget about the thousands of people who are not staying by choice in Thailand. Around 7,000 Russians and Ukrainians are currently stranded in Thailand due to the ongoing war between the two countries.…
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Dutch woman arrested at Phuket Airport for illegally entering Thailand
A 28 year old Dutch woman was arrested at Phuket International Airport on the weekend for entering and staying in Thailand without permission or a visa. The unnamed woman was taken to Sakhu Police Station to face charges of entering and staying in Thailand illegally. It’s not clear how she managed to enter the kingdom. Under Phuket Immigration’s new yellow…
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Russian, Chinese investors drive Phuket property market
The Phuket property market is on fire now, with the help of Chinese and Russian investors. Chinese buyers are reportedly increasing their investments, buying up villas, shophouses, and even orchards, to cater to Chinese tourists. Russian property investors are also contributing to the surge in demand for villas and homes in Phuket. While Russians are interested in buying pool villas,…
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Brawl erupts between foreign staff and foreign tourists at Phuket restaurant (video)
A violent brawl erupted between three foreign staff members at a restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket, southern Thailand, and five drunk foreign tourists in the early hours of this morning. Partygoers notified Patong Police Station that a group of foreign tourists and a group of foreign restaurant staff were attacking each other with chairs at Atlas Restaurant on…
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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