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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Suspect suffers heart attack during police questioning
PHUKET CITY: A man arrested for possession and sale of ya bah (methamphetamine) pills is back in jail after being rushed for emergency medical treatment after a seizure suffered while in detention at Phuket City Police Station on Saturday night.Pol Capt Thammasan Boonthong identified the suspect as 28-year-old Phuket native Boontham “James” Nuandaeng.Following a tip-off by police informants that the…
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Paiboon trounces Anchalee in OrBorJor poll
PHUKET CITY: The preliminary count of votes cast in yesterday’s island-wide polling for the presidency of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) saw former Phuket Senator Paiboon Upatising defeat incumbent Anchalee Vanich Tephabutra by more than 20,000 votes.An unconfirmed tally released by the Phuket Election Committee shows K. Paiboon with 59,995 votes (60.6%), compared with K. Anchalee’s total of 39,085…
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Calcutta outclass Etihad in Sixes final
KARON: The Calcutta Cricket & Football Club (CCFC) produced a Sixes masterclass at Karon Stadium yesterday, sweeping aside all opposition in their quest for the Cup on the final day of the Phuket International Cricket Sixes.First in the Calcutta firing line were the Liquid Lounge Lizards from Phuket, with each team vying for a place in the semi-finals.Needing a win…
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Alien worker crackdown continues
PHUKET CITY: More than 50 Burmese are in the process of being deported after being caught working illegally by Phuket Immigration Police in two raids over the past two days.Phuket Immigration Police led by Col Chanatpol Yongbunjerd held a press conference at Phuket Immigration headquarters yesterday afternoon to announce the arrest of 43 Burmese workers who were arrested after a…
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“I robbed to pay for my baby,’ says gold shop suspect
PHUKET CITY: Following information provided by Phuket police, Maha Sarakham police early Wednesday evening arrested Taweesak Bualad, 21, for the robbery of the Kasem Suwan gold shop in Samkong, Phuket City. Lt Col Wijak Tarom of Phuket City Police told the Gazette that the robbery was recorded on the shop’s CCTV system, clearly showing Taweesak brandishing a handgun and demanding…
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Songkran road toll in Phuket tallies 4 dead, 64 injured
PHUKET CITY: The nationwide Seven Days of Danger road safety campaign ended yesterday, with the final tally in Phuket at four dead and 64 people suffering injuries requiring admittance to hospital. The road toll in Phuket, released today by the Phuket branch of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, reported 64 road accidents for the period. Police at nine…
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Annual fishing ban to protect tuna stocks
PHUKET: In a bid to protect declining tuna stocks in Phang Nga Bay, the Department of Fisheries has threatened to fine and confiscate the fishing equipment of any boatmen found bottom trawling or fishing in protected areas with nets smaller than allowed by regulations.From April 15 to June 15, all “otter trawlers” (those that trawl the sea floor) and trawlers…
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Booze ban set for this weekend
PHUKET: Nighttime actives will be drier than usual tomorrow in preparation for the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) elections on Sunday. The Phuket Election Committee has announced that, in accordance with election law, a booze ban will be in effect throughout the province, prohibiting sales and distribution of alcohol, including in bars and clubs, from 6 pm Saturday to midnight…
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Vice-Governor opens Wat Chalong toilets
CHALONG: Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha this morning chaired the opening ceremony of Wat Chalong’s new three-million-baht public restrooms, which are being hailed as “the first international-standard public toilets” in Thailand by the Office of Tourism Development. The restrooms, built with the help of industrial manufacturing firm SCG (Thailand) Co Ltd, are to commemorate 100 years since the passing away of revered…
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Dim chef serves self to police
CHERNG TALAY: Cherng Talay District Police on April 10 enjoyed making one of their easiest arrests on record, nabbing a thief who foolishly transferred funds from his victim’s bank account directly into his own.Officers led by Maj Thongchai Matitham arrested 24-year-old Songkhla native Areeyang Talae at 5.30 pm for the theft of an ATM card reported lost by Swede Henrik…
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Danish tourist dies of suspected pain killer overdose
KATHU: A Danish tourist was found dead in his bed yesterday afternoon at the Delight Village bungalow resort, near the Prince of Songkla University in Tung Tong. Tung Tong District Police Inspector Lt Col Kittipong Klai Kaew identified the deceased as 37-year-old Kenneth Schou Rodnes. Police suspect Mr Rodnes died around 8 pm on Tuesday from an accidental overdose of…
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Daniel Jackson dies of heart attack
RAWAI: Long-time Nai Harn resident Daniel Leroy Jackson died of a heart attack early Tuesday morning at Phuket International Hospital. He was 62. Friends and neighbors James and Pat Domville informed the Gazette of Mr Jackson’s passing this morning.Originally from Baltimore in the US state of Maryland, Mr Jackson was a Vietnam War veteran who worked as chief public transport safety…
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107 illegal Burmese rounded up in crackdown
PHUKET CITY: Following a crackdown ordered by new Phuket Immigration Police Superintendent Pol Col Chanatpol Yongbunjerd on April 10, more than 100 illegal aliens found working in the province were arrested and deported before the start of the Songkran holidays. News of the arrests was distributed to the media during a special “meet the press” karaoke event hosted by Phuket…
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Appeal made for missing Brit
PHUKET: The Immigration Police Tourist Assistance program is asking for anyone with information about Daniel Christian Hall, who was last seen at the Full Moon Party on Koh Pha-ngan on February 24, to contact them. According to a report filed with police, no-one has heard from Daniel since then and he abandoned all his belongings except for his passport in…
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Crime statistics: prostitutes drop, gamblers rise
PHUKET: Arrests made for prostitution in Phuket decreased in March from the previous month, while the number of arrests for gambling shot up by 127 cases, according to monthly crime statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police.During March, there were 304 arrests for gambling, 139 arrests for prostitution and 110 arrests for drug-related offenses, 58 of which involved ya bah (methamphetamine)…
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Songkran road toll in Phuket: 2 dead, 40 injured
PHUKET: Phuket recorded its first two road accident fatalities of the 2008 Songkran Festival, as two male teenagers riding motorbikes were killed in separate accidents in Kathu on Sunday. The first victim was identified by the Phuket branch of the National Road Safety Monitoring Center as 15-year-old Chakkrit Titprong. K. Chakkrit was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital following a collision…
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Aussie lifeguards lend a hand
KAMALA: Ahead of the rainy season arriving next month, when the rough surf along the west coast of Phuket becomes dangerous for all but very experienced swimmers, Phuket lifeguards are being trained in surf life-saving techniques at Kamala Beach today and tomorrow.Conducting the training are experienced members of the Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) in New South Wales,…
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Patong restaurateur stabbed
PATONG: The owner of a restaurant off Sawasdirak Rd, near the Patong beachfront, is in stable condition after being stabbed early on Thursday morning.He was allegedly stabbed by a drunk teenager who was dining in his restaurant.Capt Jongserm Preecha of Kathu Police Station told the Gazette that he received a call from Patong Hospital at 3 am reporting that a…
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Phuket Bike Week underway
PHUKET: Phuket Bike Week 2008 was kick started last night with an exhibition of gleaming custom choppers and other iron steeds, both old and new, showing their muscle in seven zones at Jungceylon shopping center.Yamaha, Suzuki and BMW have taken some of the stands to show off their latest superbikes, tourbikes and even jet skis until 11 pm tonight.Organizers expect…
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Owner of Burmese “death truck’ in custody
RANONG: The owner of the truck in which 54 Burmese, including an eight-year-old girl, died on Wednesday from suffocation while being smuggled from Ranong to Phuket presented himself today to police for questioning, Col Kraithong Chanthongbai, Superintendent of Suksamran District Police, told the Gazette.The truck owner, who has been named as Damrong Phussadee, of Rungruengsup Limited Partnership, is now in police custody, Col Kraithong confirmed.However,…
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Saphan Hin incinerator given top-level support
PHUKET CITY: A Prime Minister’s Office inspector who is in Phuket to review mega-projects for which the governor has requested funding said that top priority should be given to having a second burner installed at the incineration plant at Saphan Hin.Changthong Opassiriwit arrived in Phuket on Tuesday and spent the day visiting the proposed project sites, including a 150-rai site…
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Finn dies of suspected heart failure
KARON: Police are waiting for medical analysis of the body of a Finnish tourist who died Wednesday morning at the Hilton Phuket Acadia Resort and Spa before moving ahead with any further investigation.Capt Theerawuth Thepluan of Chalong Police Station identified the deceased as 46-year-old Onerva Kastehelmi Jaktholm. She was found dead of apparent heart failure in her room on the…
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Governor receives Songkran blessing
PHUKET CITY: Phuket’s top-ranking civil servants this morning took part in a ceremony offering Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit an early Thai New Year’s greeting in the traditional way – by pouring lustral water over his hands.Some 100 top provincial officials attended the event at the Governor’s Mansion on Narisorn Rd. Among them were Vice-Governors Worapoj Ratthasima, Tri Augkaradacha, Smith Palawatvichai,…
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54 Burmese dead in trafficking horror
RANONG: Fifty-four Burmese, 17 men and 37 women, suffocated to death while being transported in the sealed container of a seafood delivery truck yesterday en route from Ranong to Phuket.Col Kraithong Chanthongbai of Suksamran District Police today told the Gazette that police received a call from local people saying that a 10-wheeled truck had been left by the side of Petchkasem Rd…
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Patong beach road to become “clearway’
PATONG: Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukkabal on April 2 announced that from next high season no parking will be allowed along the busy beach road.“Taxis will be allowed on Thaweewong Rd only to drop off passengers,” K. Chairat told a press conference at Phuket Provincial Hall.“Tuk-tuks and hawkers are currently taking up all the parking spaces along the beach road,…
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Candidates register for Phuket City elections
PHUKET CITY: The first day to register candidacies for the upcoming Phuket City Municipality elections saw a large turnout by supporters of both the incumbent Khon Noom (Young Turks) party led by incumbent mayor Somjai Suwannasuppana and her rival Ayuth Tansiriroj and his Chao Baan Sarng San (Creative) party.K. Ayuth, a lawyer and former ally of K. Somjai, hopes to…
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Robbery ring rounded up
PATONG: Kathu Police yesterday arrested six men for a string of robberies in this popular beach town.Kathu Police Inspector Lt Col Chalermchai Hernsawas and a squad of fellow officers made the initial arrest about 5 pm.The case started when 25-year-old Saiyon Jantorn reported seeing a man sitting atop her red-and-black JRD motorcycle, which was parked near Laem Petch Temple opposite…
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Bepy passes away
PHUKET: Well-known restaurateur and local resident “Bepy” Graziano di Ceneda passed away about 9:30 last night after succumbing to lung cancer.A native of Florence, Italy, Bepy had lived in Phuket for 15 years and was well known here, especially in Cherng Talay where his popular Toto restaurant stands at Tinlay Place on the road into the Laguna resort complex.Bepy was…
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Navy boys are good to Phuket
PHUKET: Three US Navy warships – USS Hopper, USS Ingraham and USS Port Royal – are currently in Phuket, marking the first time that the three have anchored in the same port to give the 900-plus enlisted personnel and officers some well-earned R&R.While the ships are in port, many of the seamen can be seen around the island, letting loose at some…
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Destination Air flies on
PHUKET: The managing director of Destination Air has described Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit’s order to suspend flight service to Patong as “anticlimactic”, saying the airline had for months been scheduled to wrap up operations in Patong because of unsafe monsoon-season conditions now setting in. Pat James told the Gazette that the governor’s decision, taken in the wake of complaints about noise…
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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