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.
-
Sponsored 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
-
Elderly Belgian hospitalized after roadside incident
PHUKET CITY: A morning cycle ride turned into a nightmare for a 68-year-old Belgian expat who was hospitalized after allegedly being knocked off his bicycle by a pickup truck and then set upon by the driver. Paul Cassiens was cycling along Chao Fa West Rd yesterday morning when at 6:30 am his bike came into contact with a bronze Toyota…
-
Yachting events giant acquires PIMEX
PHUKET: World-class yachting events organizer Informa Yacht Group has acquired the Phuket International Marine Expo (PIMEX), adding Phuket’s premier boating exposition to its calendar of international yachting events.The announcement was made at a press conference at Royal Phuket Marina today, attended by more than 100 press and VIPs, to announce the opening of the new Royal Phuket Marina Exhibition and…
-
Backlund murder trial enters final days
PHUKET: The final hearing of witnesses in the Hanna Backlund murder trial will be held this Friday, Phuket Provincial Court Registrar Sittipong Engchuan told the Gazette today.Akaradech Tongay is accused of stabbing Ms Backlund to death in broad daylight at Mai Khao Beach on March 15.He will be given a final chance to add to his confession and Pol Lt Col Somkit…
-
PAD rallies to continue in Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Local members of the anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will continue their evening gatherings at Saphan Hin even though Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, wife of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was found guilty of tax evasion in court on Thursday.Phuket PAD leader Natjarong Ekpermsup told the Gazette, “We will only stop protesting if the Bangkok protests stop.”While the PAD…
-
Phuket-bound tourists stranded in Bangkok
PHUKET: Now that One-Two-Go and Nok Air have stopped flying to Phuket, many tourists are unable to find flights to our southern isle.Angry Finnish tourist Arto Tiitinen called from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok this morning to inform the Gazette that many other irate Phuket-bound tourists were awaiting standby flights.“I’m surprised that there are not extra flights; now my family must holiday elsewhere.…
-
Land brokers in murder-suicide
THALANG: A local land broker shot dead his female business partner and then turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide last Sunday.The incident occurred at Manas House rented apartments on Thepkrasattri Rd in Srisoonthorn.After the owner of the apartment block heard gunshots, he called the police, who arrived at the scene about 5 pm, Pol Maj Prakob Boonkwun told the Gazette.The…
-
Soldiers of fortune found dead in Rawai
RAWAI: Two men who worked for a “security” company in Iraq died from suspected drug overdoses in Rawai on Monday while on holiday in Phuket.Australian ex-soldier Jason Gerrard Flynn, 32, from Perth, and James Plunkett Howe, 34, from the UK, were staying in Soi Sammakkee 2 with their Australian friend Mark Leo, who discovered their bodies on Monday morning.“Both of…
-
Police Deputy Commissioner opens new Immigration building
PHUKET CITY: Gen Wiroj Phahonwet, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, arrived in Phuket to lead the opening ceremony of the new Immigration offices at Saphan Hin on Tuesday morning.The three-story building, which sits on 341 square meters of land, was built at a cost of just over 12 million baht.At 9:09 am, the ceremony started with a troupe…
-
“Wave watcher’ may predict tsunamis
PHUKET: An automatic weather station to be installed on Koh Racha Noi will also measure wave and tidal movements, which may be able to help warn against impending tsunamis.The proposal has been approved by the Royal Thai Navy and the Town & Country Planning Department, though the budget required has yet to be determined, said Chumnong Chitpukdee, Director of Southern…
-
Tosaporn named Korean Honorary Consul for Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Member of Parliament Tosaporn Tephabutra has been appointed the Republic of Korea’s Honorary Consul for Phuket and the new consular office here opened yesterday. Its opening occurs in a year coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Thailand, which will be observed on October 4. Presiding over the opening ceremony at the new office, located near Surakul Stadium on Wichit Songkram…
-
Father who allegedly abducted girl to Cambodia is arrested
SWEDEN (Nation): Alicia Elfversson on Friday arrived in Sweden with her mother and aunt, who for the past year have been looking for the girl. Alicia was reported missing on June 4 last year after her father, Torgier Nordbo, picked her up for a routine visit to see relatives in Norway. (Click here for previous report.) Nordbo, who has business…
-
Phuket’s first Toy Library opens
WICHIT: Muang District Chief Wisit Kurattanavate today officially opened Phuket’s first “Toy Library”, which has been set up at the childcare center at Wat Thepnimit on Chao Fa East Rd.Organized by the Phuket Community Foundation (PCF), Phuket International Hospital (PIH) and Wichit Municipality, which is responsible for the government-run childcare center, the toy library aims to give underprivileged children the…
-
Immigration chief targets “national stability’
PHUKET CITY: In Phuket to officiate at the opening of the new Phuket Provincial Immigration Office at Saphan Hin today, Immigration Commissioner Lt Gen Chatchawan Suksomchit yesterday announced that he is shaking up his ranks to use technology to be more effective.Gen Chatchawan, Thailand’s top Immigration officer, said his goal is to improve “national stability” in order to restore investor…
-
Anti-smuggler task force stages simulation
AO CHALONG: While the record fleet was wrapping up racing in the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek at Chalong Bay on Sunday, the Phuket Marine Police, Thai Customs officers and the Royal Thai Navy Third Fleet staged a co-ordinated, simulated raid on a fishing boat with the crew pretending to be arms smugglers.In the exercise, a response group combining all three organizations…
-
Man drowns in “freak wave’
PATONG (Gazette, Kom Chad Leuk): The body of one of the three men who were dashed against rocks at Paradise Beach by a single large wave on Saturday was recovered today.Cap Nithikorn Rawang, duty officer at Kathu Police Station, told the Gazette that the men were fishing off a rocky outcrop near Paradise Beach when they were swamped by a…
-
Pian wins second term as Patong Mayor
PATONG: Pian Keesin won the Patong Municipality election for the seat as Patong Mayor yesterday, defeating rival Somkiet Kuru by 577 votes.Of the 11,460 eligible voters in the resort town, 7,849 voters (or 68%) turned out to cast ballots at the 23 polling stations set up around Patong.Votes were cast from 8 am to 3 pm, after which the counting…
-
OrBorTor moves to keep Koh Maphrao clean
KOH MAPHRAO: In a move to keep Koh Maphrao clean, Koh Kaew Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), the local authority responsible for Koh Maphrao, will place trash cans around the island.Koh Kaew OrBorTor President Kuakiat Jitkua today told the Gazette, “I’m trying to improve waste disposal at Laem Hin and Koh Maphrao. “On Wednesday, we held a beach cleanup with local…
-
Yo!2 finds Raceweek plain sailing
AO CHALONG: Peter Ahern’s crew aboard Yo2! have maintained their lead in the IRC 1 class of this year’s Six Senses Phuket Raceweek with two more wins today, leaving them with four wins from four races so far in the series. Other provisional results posted this afternoon show that Ben Copely’s Swan 42 Katsu, racing in her first Raceweek regatta,…
-
Yo!2 blows into first place in Raceweek opener
AO CHALONG: After torrential downpours delayed the start of the first race yesterday morning, crews racing in the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek regatta were blessed with steady winds of more than 10 knots pushing the record fleet around the courses. The fleet of 44 yachts, competing in seven classes, faced miserable conditions as heavy rain forced organizers to delay the…
-
“Death truck’ families to receive B35k per victim
BANGKOK (TNA): Relatives of the 54 Burmese migrant workers who suffocated in the back of a seafood truck in Ranong on April 9 will receive 35,000 baht compensation for each relative who died while being illegally transported to Phuket, Suwanna Suwanjutha, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, said on Tuesday.A total of 121 people were crammed inside a…
-
Fuel price cuts effective Friday
PHUKET: Phuket motorists will benefit from a reduction in fuel prices tomorrow following an announcement today by the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) that gasohol, diesel and benzine prices at PTT and Bangchak stations will be lowered.Sunee Sorn-In, owner of the Kata Petroleum gas station operated under PTT, confirmed that the reduction will come into effect tomorrow and that her gas…
-
New international school set to open
THALANG: Phuket International Academy (PIA), under construction on Soi Teenped-Nanai, in Baan Nanai and next to Khao Pra Taew National Park, is scheduled to open on September 8 with its first students, ranging from nursery to Grade 4, taking classes.The academy, once complete, will run through senior high school and a boast modern sports and performing arts facilities. All construction is scheduled…
-
World health tourism conference slated to bring US$10 million
KARON: An international convention on medical and health tourism to be be held in Phuket next year is expected to generate US$10 million, according to the event’s organizer, SOS Medical Tourism Services.The World Medical Health Tourism Conference (TWMHTC) 2009 will be held at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa from September 16 to 18 2009.“Phuket is the ideal location…
-
Kathu killing attracts top-level interest
KATHU (Gazette, Kom Chad Luek): The mafia-style murder of Komkai Kositkoon, whose mother owns Jintana Shopping Plaza in Patong, has caught the attention of some of the nation’s top police.“Maj Gen Chatree Sunthornsorn, a personal assistant to the national police chief, was in Phuket yesterday and has taken control of the case,” Thung Thong Police Superintendent Col Arayapan Pukbuakao told the…
-
One-two-go, Orient Thai hit by 30-day flight suspension
BANGKOK (Nation): One-Two-Go and Orient Thai Airlines risk seeing their aviation licenses revoked if they fail to tackle the defects that led to the suspension of their flight services today.That possibility comes amid growing concerns about the airlines’ safety standards.About 40,000 passengers on their booking lists will be affected by the 30-day flight suspension starting today and will receive combined…
-
Big Buddha cost to top 100 million baht
CHALONG: The total cost of Phuket’s Big Buddha image on top of the Nakkerd Hills between Kata-Karon and Chalong is predicted to surpass 100 million baht, said Suporn Vanichkul, President of the Mingmongkol Faith 45 committee, which is raising funds for the project.K. Suporn told the Gazette that the structural work on the Big Buddha is almost finished and that…
-
One-Two-Go forced to suspend operations
BANGKOK (Nation): Low-cost carrier One-Two-Go will suspend its operations from Tuesday until September 15, making it the first airline victim of record oil prices. Founder and CEO Udom Tatiprosongchai said the unrelenting rise in oil prices had forced the airline to shut down temporarily. “The company has been losing money for months, and we cannot continue like this,” said K.…
-
THAI reopens Narita-Phuket route
MAI KHAO: The first Thai Airways International (THAI) direct flight from Narita, Japan, since the tsunami, arrived at Phuket International Airport yesterday afternoon, bringing some 300 Japanese tourists to the island.The Boeing 777-200 arrived at 3:30 pm, a little ahead of schedule, giving the tourists some more time to be welcomed by Tourism Authority of Thailand Southern Region 4 Office…
-
Intarat takes to the air
KARON: Maj Gen Intarat Yodbangtoey, “special adviser” to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Anongwan Thepsutin, wrapped up his two-day visit to Phuket yesterday with a helicopter inspection tour of suspected illegally acquired land plots on Phuket.“About 20 construction sites believed to be illegal are under investigation by the DSI [Department of Special Investigations]. We expect the DSI to announce the…
-
Heavy rains cause traffic delays
KOH KAEW: As the rain continues to fall on the island, motorists on Thepkrasattri Rd near Boat Lagoon this morning saw waters rise to more than a meter deep across the three northbound lanes.Police allowed only high-clearance vehicles to pass, such as pickup trucks, directing them in single file through the shallowest point, while diverting other vehicles to alternative routes.Many…
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.