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.
-
Sponsored A World Kindness Day: Spread kindness, prevent illness - Get your 10% discount
With World Kindness Day just two days away on November 13, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how empathy and care can make a real impact, not just in our relationships but in our health, too. This day is...
-
Mixed messages from tsunami tests
PHUKET CITY: Mock tsunami evacuations at Baan Laem Tukkae and Saphan Hin were staged on Friday and Saturday, but with voice announcements that could not be understood and firetruck sirens instead of the tsunami warning towers alarms.However, government officials have insisted that the “quiet” testing was intentional to avoid panic.The tests, on Friday in Baan Laem Tukkae and Saturday at…
-
Phuket to have biggest aquarium in Southeast Asia
BANGKOK (The Nation): Ripley Entertainment, operator of Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, plans to build and open a 2.1-billion-baht aquarium in Phuket within three years.The firm will enter into a joint venture with Thailand-based conglomerate Minor International Plc, the franchisee of the Ripley museum in Pattaya.The aquarium project will be Ripley’s second property in Thailand and its first aquarium…
-
Beached dolphins have “slim’ chances of recovery
PHUKET: Two gravely ill dolphins are being treated at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) after washing ashore in separate incidents – the first at Karon Beach yesterday and the second in Phang Nga’s Tai Muang District this morning.PMBC biologist Kongkiat Kittiwattawong told the Gazette that the first, a 40-kilogram female spinner dolphin (S. longirostris), washed ashore at Karon Beach about…
-
The Sultan floats again!
PATONG: Eleven days after the 38-foot sailboat Sultan beached at the south end of Patong during a storm, salvage efforts at high tide around midday yesterday finally saw her afloat and sailing for safer waters.Sultan made landfall on Patong Beach about 1 am on June 19 after its anchor chain snapped during strong winds and large waves in Patong Bay.Skipper…
-
Krabi Airline to debut November 1
BANGKOK (The Nation): Soon to be Thailand’s newest carrier, Krabi Airlines is now being set up and plans to begin flight service to international destinations starting on November 1, just in time for the start of the 2007-2008 high season.Civil Aviation Department Director General Chaisak Angkasuwan said the airline, with four investors, including former Thai Airways International employee Kosol Vongsrisart,…
-
Five major hotels to be re-branded
PHUKET: Three Phuket hotels will be renamed under the Central Group’s re-branding of its hotel and resort business, while another two will be taken over by the Marriott chain of hotels.Central Karon Village, Central Karon Beach Resort and Central Kata Resort will be renamed Centara Villas, Centara Karon Resort and Centara Kata Resort, respectively.Centara, the Central Group’s new hotel brand,…
-
Night Station ordered closed
PATONG: Night Station discotheque, in Soi Sukhumvit on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, has been ordered closed for 60 days for late trading and allowing minors entry to the club.Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit signed the order Thursday, and the closure went into effect last night. The club is ordered to remain closed until August 27.Kathu District Chief Khantee Silapa told the…
-
OrBorJor closer to buying Phyathai building
PHUKET CITY: After years of failed negotiations, the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has taken a step forward in buying the abandoned Phyathai Phuket Hospital building and re-opening the facility as a hospital with public organization status.OrBorJor President Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr met with Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit Wednesday afternoon to discuss buying the building for 327 million baht, with 273 million…
-
Phuket art gallery gutted by fire
PHUKET CITY: Firefighters were called to Phang Nga Rd this morning after flames engulfed the 111 Phuket Art Gallery building, destroying up to 50 paintings on sale at prices ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 baht each.A local resident alerted police and fire officers around 11:30 am after seeing smoke rising from the building, located behind the Sinthavee Hotel. Five fire…
-
Rotting corpse found in Thalang
THALANG: Police made a grim discovery on Monday morning, when they found the badly decomposed body of an unidentified man lying in a ditch.A local fisherman alerted police of a sickening odor at Tambon Srisoontorn Village 1, where the body was discovered by Pol Lt Col Kritthana Putluecha and his team around 8:30 am.The victim, who suffered a fractured skull…
-
Huge kratom bust in Thalang
THALANG: Police seized about 2,000 kilograms of kratom leaves and cut down kratom trees up to 15 meters tall at a house in Thalang last Thursday.In what is believed to be the biggest kratom bust in the district, officers raided the house in Tambon Sri Soontorn after obtaining a search warrant, applied for after an investigation led to a tip-off.Lt…
-
Police bust ya bah ring
KATHU: On a night of rain, gunfights and car chases, a Phuket Provincial Police drug suppression unit smashed a major ya bah (methamphetamine) ring on June 19, arresting five people and seizing 1,384 ya bah pills and 115,000 baht in cash as evidence in the case. The operation started with a routine drug bust on June 18 in front of…
-
Police bust gang of motorbike thieves
PHUKET CITY: Police have busted a gang of motorbike thieves, including their leader, who have allegedly stolen about 50 motorbikes over the past four months.Col Nos Svettalekha, superintendent of Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette, “The leader of the gang is Krittanai ‘Max’ Buapeng, 36, from Krabi. We have followed him for about nearly four months.” Krittanai was arrested…
-
Chinese tourist drowns
PATONG: Strong waves claimed the life Chinese tourist Wing Wong, 40, who drowned at Patong Beach about 1:30 pm yesterday.Sub Lt Naruwat Puthawiro, duty investigator of Kathu Police Station, today told the Gazette, “He and his friends were swimming at Patong Beach. Although I have yet to question his friends, at that time there were strong waves. I suspect that…
-
Beauty applied
PATONG: Twenty-four beauties from Southern Thailand on Sunday signed up at Jungceylon to enter the Miss Thailand World 2007 beauty pageant organized by Thai TV Channel 3 and BEC Tero Entertainment.The applicants, from 17 to 24 years old, came from as far as Trang, Surat Thani and Songkhla hoping to be named to be the most beautiful woman in the…
-
Body found in Klong Bang Yai
RASSADA: The body of a man aged 20 to 30 was found floating in Klong Bang Yai near the Chokthawee fish raft in the port area around noon on Sunday.Capt Krurg-rit Ritnuang of Phuket Police Station told the Gazette, “When I arrived at the scene, the body was still floating in the klong. Fishermen helped drag it to the fish…
-
Toddler killed in botched burglary
RASSADA: A two-year-old girl and her nanny have died after their throats were slit in a botched burglary by two local youths yesterday eveningPhuket Deputy Police Commander Chalit Tinthanee last night announced that the attackers, a 15-year-old student at Phuket Technical College (PTC) and his 17-year-old friend, entered the house of PTC teacher Narisorn Phueng-rang in Baan Kabout about 5 pm.Once inside they were…
-
Charoen told to vacate SorPorKor plots
BANGKOK (The Nation): The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld an Appeals Court verdict and ordered Phuket businessman Charearn Thavornwongwongse to vacate four plots of SorPorKor land for landless farmers covering roughly 16 rai in Kamala and Kathu Districts.According to the court, K. Charearn could no longer be considered a farmer because he owned various businesses.He is the Managing Director of…
-
Dutchman arrested for office hold-up
PHUKET CITY: A down-on-his-luck Dutchman was arrested yesterday for the June 15 robbery of the management office at the Phuket Villa California residential development.The man, identified as Jeroen De Valk, 35, allegedly made away with 74,000 baht – but not before CCTV cameras recorded his motorcycle license plate number.On June 15, a man dressed in black walked into the offices of the…
-
Cops nab office thief
PHUKET CITY: Provincial bureaucrats will sleep better at night, following the arrest of a man wanted for stealing valuables from government offices on the island.At a press conference yesterday, Phuket City Police Station Superintendent Col Nos Sawetalek presented 30-year-old Prayuth Kruakaew as the thief, along with four laptop computers, three mobile phones and cash in baht, US dollars and Chinese…
-
Dutch ambassador to visit Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Dutch ambassador Pieter Marres will hold a reception for Dutch nationals only at the Royal Phuket City Hotel from 6 pm to 7:30 pm on June 29. Netherlanders will have the opportunity to meet Amb Marres and his wife, Josee. Also, from 2 pm to 4 pm, staff from the Netherlands Embassy Consular Section will be available for…
-
Looking for beautiful Thai women
PHUKET: Girl watchers might want to pay a special visit to Jungceylon on June 24, when starry-eyed beauties from all over the southern region will converge on the second floor to apply for the chance to compete in the Miss Thailand World 2007 beauty pageant. The pageant, organized by Thai TV Channel 3 content provider BEC Tero-Entertainment, will determine which…
-
Thieves cash in on dark and stormy night
PHUKET CITY: While storm winds whipped through Phuket City on Tuesday night, thieves made off with about 90,000 baht in cash after breaking into a Christian foundation at Phun Pol Night Plaza.Lt Col Ampolwat Saengrueng, duty inspector of Phuket Police Station, told the Gazette, “Burglars broke into the New Life Foundation at 74/123 Phun Pol Night Plaza. They scaled a…
-
Japanese hotel worker killed in crash
KARON: A Japanese circus entertainer from Club Med died after he was run over by a tuk-tuk on a hill near Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort at about 6 am on Tuesday.Lt Col Sanguan Muangtham, duty inspector of Chalong Police Station, identified the victim as Nakamura Masakazu, 41. Mr Masakazu was riding a rented Honda Dream motorbike in heavy rain…
-
Beached Brit needs to float his boat
PATONG: Strenuous efforts by about 50 volunteers at high tide this morning failed to push the stranded 38-foot sailboat Sultan off Patong Beach. The boat’s cash-strapped British owner will now seek financial assistance from his embassy in an effort to re-float the vessel, which has drawn considerable attention from tourists visiting the beach.Sultan washed up on the south end of…
-
Phuket shrines to make Chinese-style Jatukham amulets
PHUKET CITY: Three Chinese shrines on the island are joining forces to make Chinese-style versions of the popular Jatukham Ramathep amulet in order to raise money to build a 60-million-baht VIP wing at Vachira Phuket Hospital. A press conference was held at Pud Jor Shrine on June 18 to describe the amulet-making process and inform the public how to reserve…
-
Yacht beached after heavy storm
PATONG: The 38-foot sailboat Sultan washed up on the south end of Patong Beach about 1 am last night during a strong storm, waking owner Michael Wilson, who was asleep on the vessel when it hit the shore.Mr Wilson, from the UK, had sailed 17 days alone through stormy weather from Sri Lanka before reaching Phuket yesterday. Upon inspecting his…
-
Health office warns of rainy-season dangers
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) yesterday issued a warning for people to be wary of five types of aliments that are more prevalent during the rainy season, which is now fully upon us.PPHO officer Arunee Suphanam warned people to take better care to avoid contracting diarrhea, infections in open wounds, colds and pneumonia, mosquito-borne diseases and conjunctivitis, also…
-
Gold shops get cheaper insurance
PHUKET: Gold shop owners on Phuket have agreed to increase their security measures in exchange for discounted insurance premiums from the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of Insurance.Phuket Gold Shop Association Chairman Chaiyoot Prayoonyong stated that the slowdown of the economy has increased the risk of robbery nationwide and that gold shop owners have agreed to upgrade their security, by installing…
-
American wins Laguna Marathon with course record
CHERNG TALAY: Amid sporadic downpours and Phuket’s wet season drizzle, American Brent Christian Roeger this morning won the second Laguna Phuket International Marathon with a time of 2 hours 45 minutes 44 seconds, setting a new course record. Phuket resident and Hash House Harrier “Fast” Eddy Ou, originally from the US, was second across the finish line, completing the 42-kilometer…
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.