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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Treasury Dept gets moving on ICEC
PHUKET: Nine months after a provincial government committee decided on a 350-rai plot of Treasury Department (TRD) land in Mai Khao as the preferred site for the Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC), the TRD has now decided the project needs prompt action.Pitak Direksoonthorn, Director of the TRD’s State Property Administration Office, on Wednesday met Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit…
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Youngster yachtie wins Raceweek photo contest
PHUKET: Local yachtie Mia Gillow, 23, has won the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek Photo Contest, winning her three nights’ stay in a Studio Garden View room at The Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa during the annual regatta. Miss Gillow’s photo of Living Doll on a charge running downwind at Geelong Race Week in Australia early this year has also…
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Inaugural multihull regatta underway
CHALONG: Crews racing in the inaugural SEA Property Multihull Championship got off to an easy start this morning with catamarans and trimarans crossing the start line in light winds.Although the regatta entails only two days of racing, it has attracted a large number of local multihulls, including many of the Phuket designed and built Firefly 850s.Among the Fireflys, which are competing…
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Thaksin on graft charges
BANGKOK (The Nation): The attorney-general has filed a criminal lawsuit against Thaksin Shinawatra, accusing him of abusing power while serving as prime minister by converting telecom concessions to benefit Shin Corp at a cost of 66 billion baht in damages to Thailand.After an initial delay, the attorney-general yesterday took up the policy corruption case involving Shin Corp, which was investigated…
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Lucky escape no laughing matter
RAWAI: Twelve staff from Tamarind Bar on Wiset Rd miraculously escaped fatal injuries when the pickup truck they were traveling in careened off the road and smashed into a power pole, causing passengers to be thrown from the vehicle about 1 am today.Eye-witnesses said the four-door Toyota Hilux Vigo was northbound on Wiset Rd when its left wheels came off…
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Thailand’s rich get richer: Forbes
BANGKOK (The Nation): Despite the political and economic uncertainties, Thailand’s 40 richest people have proved to be a stable lot as old names remain on Forbes‘ 2008 list, and some have become even wealthier.Chaleo Yoovidhya, with a net worth of US$4 billion (Bt135 billion), returns to the No 1 spot – up $500 million from last year – thanks to…
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PAD members march on Provincial Hall
PHUKET CITY: The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) marched through Phuket City this afternoon on their way to deliver a letter expressing disappointment at the central government’s handling of the Preah Vihear Temple saga.About 300 PAD members led by PAD leader Natjarong Ekpermsup met at about 1:30 pm in front of the Tourism Authority of Thailand office on Thalang Rd…
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OrBorJor hospital suffers another delay
RASSADA: In the latest snag in the saga of the re-opening of the old Phya Thai Hospital, one of Thailand’s leading interior designers, who has been commissioned for the project, presented interior plans for the five-story building and for only about half of the main building.Wibool Tiramongkol, special instructor at the Faculty of Decorative Arts at Silpakorn University – Thailand’s…
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Rassada Municipality officer shot dead
RASSADA: Police believe the killing of Rassada Municipality officer Surin Inkaew, 23, who was found shot dead in his rented room early on Saturday, was motivated by ya bah (methamphetamine).Capt Sathit Noorit from Phuket City Police Station told the Gazette that he was notified of the shooting at 4:20 am.Police arrived at the ground-floor apartment, about 500 meters from Rassada…
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Foreign Minister resigns
BANGKOK (The Nation): Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama announced his resignation today, with effect from July 14. Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry, Noppadon insisted that he and the Foreign Ministry had done the right thing regarding Thailands’ stand over the registration of Preah Vihear Temple as a world heritage site.But he said he had to resign because he could not…
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TAT lowers tourism projections
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has sharply cut its projections for the number of international visitors and tourism revenue next year due to soaring oil prices, which are discouraging international travel and have led to cuts in inbound flights.It targets only a 3.3-per-cent growth in the number of international visitors in 2009, a sharp downward revision…
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Tourists stay put as tsunami sirens sound
PATONG: Tourists in Patong opted to soak up the sun rather than run for their lives during yesterday’s tsunami drill. The exercise, held across the six Andaman provinces, included the sounding of all 79 tsunami warning towers operated by the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC).At Patong Beach, a female English tourist told the Gazette, “I heard the siren and knew what it was,…
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Dolphins rescued from receding tide
CAPE PANWA: Three rough-toothed dolphins were rescued after they were found stranded on mud flats created by the receding tide at Ao Makham on Saturday.The rescue comes one week after the carcass of a female striped dolphin was discovered washed ashore at Baan Dan in Thalang and nine days after a pod of false killer whales beached at Koh Racha.The…
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Pian runs for re-election as Patong Mayor
PATONG: Pian Keesin on Friday announced he will defend his seat as Patong Mayor at least one more time in the Patong Municipality election to be held on July 27. Khun Pian will be leading the charge for the Rak Patong (Love Patong) party, contesting the mayoral election against Somkiet Kuru of the Patong Gao Na (Patong Progress) party. Campaigning…
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Nok Air slashes Bangkok-Krabi route
BANGKOK (The Nation): Nok Air’s daily Bangkok to Krabi flight was one of three routes dropped by the domestic airline on July 1 in an effort to reduce costs. Services from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and to Ubol Ratchathani were also terminated.Travelers already booked on flights for those routes are being transferred to Thai Airways International and Thai AirAsia flights,…
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HOGs go the extra miles
PHUKET: It’s official: the 52 Harley-Davidsons and their 74 riders that collectively notched up 21,000 kilometers by riding from Phuket to Krabi and back on Monday have been added to the global tally to set a record for the most miles on that one day by ‘hog’ riders.Bikers from Phuket, Haad Yai, Krabi, Trang and Pattalung set off from the…
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Thai Airways being torn apart from within
BANGKOK (The Nation): Although the board of directors at Thai Airways decided to reinstate its president, Apinan Sumanaseni, last week, the national carrier’s internal problems are still far from resolution. Executives and staff members have been divided largely because of internal conflicts that have arisen from criticism of the board’s major decisions.For instance, THAI will stop direct flights between Bangkok…
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Busted “Ice Boy’ spills the beans
PATONG: Kathu Police Superintendent Col Grissak Songmoonnak and four Drug Suppression officers from Kathu police station arrested four ya bah (methamphetamine) and ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) dealers on Tuesday night.Krisada “Boy” Seangrot, 19, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, was arrested at 8.30 pm at the fountain in front of Jungceylon shopping center in a sting operation in which police arranged to…
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Major Chalong blackout tomorrow
CHALONG: The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) has announced a scheduled blackout for tomorrow (July 4) in order to continue its work on high-voltage power lines.The blackout, from 9 am to 5 pm, will affect Chao Fa East Rd, from De Wara Thani Village, Soi Taiad, Land & Houses Park (Seewalee 3 and 4), Choke Thip Villa, Soi Jarin-U-Thit and…
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Chalerm retreats from angry mobs in Phuket and Krabi
KRABI (The Nation): Ongoing protests by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) took Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung by surprise in Phuket and Krabi, forcing him to cancel official duties on Tuesday and again yesterday.Chalerm was supposed to meet Phuket’s governor on Tuesday, along with high-ranking police and local government officials. Heeding warnings of the mob at Phuket airport, said to…
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Chalerm avoids mob in Phuket
PHUKET: To avoid a welcoming party of about 1,000 protesters waiting for him at Phuket International Airport last night, controversial Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung diverted his plane to land in Krabi.After he landed there at 8:15 pm, K. Chalerm checked into the Krabi Meritime Resort.He reportedly checked out of the hotel at 3 am today.Chalerm is due to deliver his new policies to…
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Assassination plot dismissed
BANGKOK (The Nation): Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Sathiraphan Keyanon yesterday played down a claim about a possible plot to assassinate ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying it should not be treated seriously.Sathirapan was reacting to comments by retired supreme commander General Chaisit Shinawatra who claimed last weekend that Thaksin’s opponents may have put out a contract on him.He said the matter did…
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Provinces ordered to be on alert for leptospirosis
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Public Health Ministry has ordered all provinces to be on the alert for the emergence of leptospirosis after it found 587 current victims of the disease. Of those infected, 15 have died.Dr Prat Boonyawongvirot, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said yesterday that most cases were found during the rainy season. People who wade through floodwater with cuts…
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HRH Ubol Ratana to visit Phuket
PHUKET: HRH Princess Ubol Ratana Rajakanya will be in Phuket July 26 to 29 as part of her ‘To Be Number One’ project to steer Thai children and youths away from drugs.Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit made the announcement at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday at the monthly meeting of Phuket Provincial committee members and office chiefs.She will attend the opening ceremony…
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1,000 policemen deployed to protect Government House
BANGKOK: (The Nation): Some 1,000 policemen have been deployed to protect Government House this morning after the Civil Court ordered protesters yesterday to stop using amplifier systems and blocking the roads.Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Assavin Kwanmuang said he ordered the stepped-up security at Government House because he expected that the PAD would move its stage there as a result of the Court’s…
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Airlines to cut long-haul flights to Thailand
BANGKOK (Nation): Major airlines including Thai Airways International will cut long-haul flights to Thailand next year in line with a forecast 12% drop in the number of inbound tourists, the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has announced.ATTA president Apichart Sankary said that although the Tourism Authority of Thailand has set a target of 17 million visitors next year, only 15…
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Cherng Talay OrBorTor rallies against illegal billboards
CHERNG TALAY: Ma-an Sumraan, Vice-President of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration (OrBorTor), has launched a campaign to rid his neighborhood of all illegal billboards.Cherng Talay OrBorTor officials have started pasting warning notices on offending billboards as part of K. Ma-an’s “soft” approach to the problem.However, some people have interpreted the warning notices as somewhat hostile and simply ripped them off…
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Chalerm to inspect Phuket land
PHUKET: Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung is expected to arrive in Phuket tomorrow ahead of an inspection tour on Wednesday of land plots that he stands accused of helping his friends to acquire, Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit announced this morning.During the recent censure debate, K. Chalerm was accused by Democrat Party Secretary-General Suthep Thuegsuban of using his position to leverage the…
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Evicted Vises Hotel tenants seek top-level redress
PHUKET CITY: After being told by Kathu Police last week that their forced eviction is not a police matter, long-term tenants of the Vises Hotel in Patong on Friday filed a complaint with the Phuket Consumer Protection Board at Provincial Hall.The tenants were met by Prapan Chansaeng, who explained to them that by law a hotel can rent rooms only on a daily…
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Korean drowns while trying to save his wife
KATA: A Korean man drowned off Kata Beach about 11 am yesterday after being dragged out to sea while trying to save his wife, who had swum into difficulty.Hun Sang Suk, 46, had swum out to rescue his wife, who had been dragged away from the shore by strong currents, said Lt Ratthaket Mingmuang of Chalong Police Station.“The red flags were…
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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