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.
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Phuket prepares for national elections
PHUKET CITY: Crowds of supporters turned out to cheer Phuket’s national political party representatives as they registered their candidacies and drew lots to be assigned their ballot numbers at Phuket Community Hall on Monday.Eight candidates representing four of the five political parties running in the December 23 national election turned out on the first day of registration.Registration closes on Friday.The…
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International rugby returns to Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Back after a one-year hiatus because of the 2006 coup, 80-80 rugby returns to Phuket November 16 – albeit downsized from what organizers had hoped would be a large-scale, international tournament. The King’s Cup Rugby-80 tournament, ro be played at Sanaam Chai in Phuket City, will run until November 23. Although teams from nations including Wales, England…
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Case closed on Korean’s death plunge
PHUKET CITY: Police investigations following the death of Korean tour guide Kim Kyoung Hoon, 39, who fell to his death from the roof of The Metropole hotel in downtown Phuket City on November 2, have concluded that Mr Kim’s death was a suicide.Phuket City Police Capt Krerkrit Ritnuang told the Gazette that Korean embassy officials initially suspected that Mr Kim’s death…
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Health Office issues cholera advisory
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) has issued an advisory for the public to exercise caution regarding food cleanliness following a surge in the number of cholera cases nationwide.PPHO Chief Dr Wanchai Sattayawutthipong said Phuket is among 40 provinces with reported cases of cholera. “There have been 62 reported cases of the disease in Phuket, but the situation is…
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New Chalong Police chief announces robbery arrests
CHALONG: The new Superintendent of Chalong Police Station, Col Samarn Chainarong, yesterday announced that Chalong Police officers on Thursday arrested two of four people involved in a series of robberies and had recovered 67 stolen items.Col Samarn said in a press release that Chalong Police had been monitoring the gang and pulled over Kaewjai Sooksabai, 35, as she was driving…
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Customs seize B5m of fake goods
PHUKET CITY: Thai Regional Customs Bureau 4 and the Phuket Customs Office at 10 am yesterday held a press conference at the Phuket Customs House on Phuket Rd to announce the seizure of counterfeit goods worth 5 million baht from a wholesaler in Patong.Regional Customs Bureau 4 Director Rakop Srisuppa-at and Phuket Customs chief Jakson Kitarmorn showed the media the…
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Patong porn director caught red-handed
PATONG: A Kathu Police investigations unit early yesterday morning arrested an Indonesian adult-film producer in his hotel room after he was caught conducting a photo shoot with one of his starlets – a Thai ladyboy.Pol Sub Lt Nitikorn Rawang, duty officer of Kathu Police Station, said the bust took place at 4:20 am.After receiving a tip-off that a video shoot…
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Elite Calendar girls coming to Phuket
PHUKET: Twelve top international models will be in Phuket next week to shoot the Phuket Calendar 2008 in a bid to raise the island’s image as an exotic holiday destination.The calendar, to be produced at a cost of 5 million baht by Elite Model Management South East Asia, will feature 12 sexy models in swimsuits, batik and casual wear at a…
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Woman arrested, 2,550 pills seized in ya bah bust
THALANG: A 33-year-old woman was arrested early Tuesday morning for possession of 2,550 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills, according to a press release read by Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday.A team from the Phuket Provincial Police drug suppression unit and Border Patrol Police 425, who are based in Takuapa, Phang Nga, set up a sting operation.Undercover…
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Deadline for local ‘yellow pages’
PHUKET: Businesses wishing to appear in the 2008 Gazette Guide, Phuket’s ‘yellow pages’, have until 6pm on Monday, 12 November, to enter (or update) their listings. New listings and updates received before the deadline will appear online within 48 hours and will be included in the hard-copy book for 2008, due out mid-January. New listings or updates received after the…
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Prominent architect Tucker Bishop passes away
PHUKET: One of the island’s most prolific architects, Tucker Bishop, passed away last night at the age of 57 at Bangkok Hospital Phuket.Although he had been suffering from long-term kidney complications, Mr Bishop continued to work on many high-profile jobs up until his death.Bill Barnett of C9 Hotelworks, who had worked with Mr Bishop on several projects, said, “With a…
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Gamblers trump October crime stats
PHUKET: Gambling topped the latest crime statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police, with 197 arrests in October.In second place, 94 people were arrested for drug-related cases, of which 64 involved ya bah (methamphetamine) with a total of 7,128 pills seized.Seventeen people were arrested for the use of cannabis, with 4346.74 grams (4.3 kilograms) confiscated. There were three arrests for inhalant…
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Thalang woman hangs herself
THALANG: Police discovered the body of Benjawan Rakkarndee, 30, at her home in Village 1 Srisoonthorn, near Soi Bangkham, on November 1 after she hanged herself, police said.Maj Prakorb Boonkwan of Thalang Police said, “I was informed about the body by the village chief at 10 am. I then called the Kusoldharm Foundation and a doctor from Thalang Hospital to…
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Cherng Talay Tesco saga continues
PHUKET: As construction of the controversial Tesco-Lotus Express store in Cherng Talay reaches its final stage, the legality of an alleged ban on its construction remains unclear and local authorities admit they are unsure which authority is responsible for approving – or halting – the store’s construction.On October 31, Samarn Krohlek and Apisit Ngarnpresertkit, leaders of a local protest against…
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Spa tax to be scrapped
PHUKET CITY: The controversial 10% tax on spa services will soon be scrapped, a member of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has said during a recent visit to the Phuket Provincial Health Office. Sangsit Piriyarangsan, head of the NLA’s finance committee and chair of a special panel set up to review the spa tax, said his members heard from representatives…
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Cholera “under control’ in Phuket
PHUKET: With 110 cases of cholera reported in Phuket so far this year, the possibility of an outbreak of the disease has raised fears of the threat posed to tourism. Authorities say that the situation is “under control” and that the high season will not be affected.Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit and Dr Wanchai Sattayawuthipong of the Phuket Provincial Health Office…
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FIVB: favorites win all-US final
KARON: Tournament favorites Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh from the US were pushed to their limits, but maintained their composure to walk away with the title and $32,000 first-prize money in the Second Phuket Thailand Open of the Swatch FIVB Beach Volley World Tour 2007 held on Karn Beach from October 31 to November 4.The pair overcame stiff opposition from…
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Two billion baht slated for Layan condo-marina project
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit on Wednesday met with Korean investor Wang Il Lee to discuss a planned 2 billion baht investment in a condominium, villa and marina project to be built at Layan Beach.The project, at the north end of Bang Tao Beach in Cherng Talay, would contain the first marina on Phuket’s west coast.The Korean initiative, by the Puvana…
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Don’s Mall robbed
RAWAI: A gang of seven teenagers, six of them masked, tore off the doors to Don’s Mall Minimart at 4 am yesterday, making off with computers and money from cash registers.Don Battles, founder of the Rawai landmark mall, told the Gazette, “This was a well-planned teenage gang. Six broke into the minimart while one was the lookout. They then broke…
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Flood warning issued
PHUKET: As a low-pressure trough is expected to cause heavy rains over the weekend, the Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) has issued a flash-flood warning for Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong and Trang. Those living in areas at the base of hills are at particular risk. All ships should travel with caution, the warning reads.
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Mystery surrounds Korean’s death plunge
PHUKET CITY (Nation, Gazette): South Korean tour guide Kim Kyoung Hoon, 39, fell to his death from the rooftop of The Metropole hotel in downtown Phuket City early this morning.Capt Krerkrit Ritnuang, of Phuket City Police Station, said that a hotel security officer found the body of Mr Kim, who was not a guest at the hotel, lying in the…
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Police nab prolific thief
PHUKET CITY: Phuket City Police announced the arrest of suspected thief Somsak Kaewdee, 27, at a press conference on Tuesday.Somsak, a resident of tambon Thepkrasattri, in Thalang district, is accused of robbing homes and small shops throughout Phuket.He was arrested at the entrance of Soi Hone Sai Thong, in Moo 7, Rassada, on Monday at 2:30 am, said Lt Col…
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Phuket Carnival marks high season arrival
PATONG: The Phuket Carnival 2007 will take over the streets of Patong today through Saturday, marking the official launch of the high season with musical performances, parades, food and games and much more. The festival started at 7 am with an alms-giving ceremony at Loma Park. Commerce Minister Krerkkrai Jeerapat will preside over the official opening ceremony 6:30 pm tonight…
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Thais miss out as FIVB tourney begins
KARON: The world’s top women’s beach volleyball players took to the sands today as part of the Swatch FIVB Beach Volley World Tour 2007.After a closely-fought battle, Thais Manerat Udomchavee and Julaluk Radarong narrowly missed out on a place in the second qualifying round after losing 2-1 (21-16, 19-21, 15-12) to Dutch pairing Sanne Keizer and Mered de Vries.In hot…
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Police call for Kata Viewpoint streetlights
RAWAI: Chalong Police this morning urged Phuket Governor Niran Kalaynamit to co-ordinate with the Kata-Karon and Rawai municipalities to have more streetlights installed along the dark stretches of road near Kata Viewpoint in order to make the streets safer for nighttime motorists.Speaking at the Phuket Provincial Security Meeting this morning, Lt Col Suwat Kaewprom, deputy superintendent of Chalong Police Station,…
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Probe to investigate Patong landslide
PATONG: Patong Municipality today set up a special committee to investigate the landslide area along Soi Veerakij [Nanai Rd Soi 9] and determine how many homes in the area are at risk of tumbling down the escarpment left behind by the recent landslide.Patong Municipality Chief Administrator (Palad) this morning told the Gazette that the villa and five-story apartment block left…
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Patong tunnel idea given fresh impetus
PATONG: The concept of building a tunnel between Kathu and Patong has been refloated and is being researched with an 80-million-baht feasibility study. Building the tunnel alone is already being estimated to cost as much as up to a billion baht. Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit told the Gazette that the Phuket Provincial Office held a meeting with the Highways Department…
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Allegations of vote-buying under investigation
THALANG: Accusations of vote-buying in the presidential election in the Srisoonthorn Administration Organization (OrBorTor) council election on October 7 are being investigated, including a vote recount, after official complaints were filed with the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) on October 5.Kraisri Kiewwan, chief administrator (Palad) of Srisoonthorn OrBorTor, told the Gazette that on October 5 a group of Srisoonthorn residents filed…
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Incinerator “on hold until after elections’ – Governor
PHUKET: Consideration of approval for funding to build a second garbage incinerator is likely to have to wait until a new government is elected in the national elections slated for December 23, Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit told the Gazette yesterday.“Bearing in mind the current political situation as the government gears up for national elections at the end of this year,…
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Two tourists drown
KATA-KARON: Two foreign tourists who ignored red warning flags and entered heavy surf drowned in separate incidents yesterday afternoon at Kata and Karon beaches.Pol Lt Col Chana Suthimas, duty inspector of Chalong Police Station, identified the victim recovered at Karon Beach as 41-year-old Mesut Yetkin from Turkey. His death was reported about 6:40 pm.A few hours earlier, about 3 pm,…
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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