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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Russian brotherhood stealing Phuket jobs
Hotels are unwelcoming. In the massage parlours, everyone is tense. Down Walking Street, in the girly bars, excitement is high and the air is filled with fearful chatter. The girls are aquiver in anticipation. The Russian ‘brotherhood’ (bratva) stealing Phuket jobs is bringing a whole new style of beatings and rapes to Thailand’s peaceful brothels. How will the new regime…
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Minister Pipat gets earful about Phuket tourism issues
Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn visited Phuket yesterday to listen to the range of critical infrastructure issues harming the local tourism industry. These issues include mafia-run hotels, problematic taxi drivers, heavy traffic, and a shortage of tap water. The meeting was held at the Andaman Health Promotion Coordination Center Conference Room at the Prince of Songkhla University Phuket…
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Russian man rushed to hospital after being found in stolen pickup truck in Phuket
A Russian man was rushed to a hospital after police found him in a stolen pickup truck parked at a Phuket beach. Sakhu police found the man, 27 year old Egor Andriesh, in the truck parked on Nai Thon Beach, The Phuket News reported. The doors of the pickup were locked, and officers had to call a locksmith to open…
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Patong Police arrest 5 over fight involving foreign motorbike racers
UPDATE Patong Police have arrested five people in connection with the recent fight involving foreign motorbike racers on Bangla Road earlier this week. Police said they used CCTV footage to hunt down two Swedish nationals and three Thais. One of the men arrested admitted that he got involved in the fight after he warned a group of foreign motorbike racers…
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Big Joke says Canadian businessman didn’t murder Thai girlfriend in Phuket
UPDATE 2 Deputy national police chief “Big Joke,” says that a Canadian businessman did not murder his Thai girlfriend who was found hanged in her nail salon in Phuket, southern Thailand, on February 8. Landy came into the spotlight when the deceased’s elder brother Kriengsak accused him of murdering his younger sister Wanvisa Riewklang. Surachat “Big Joke” Hakparn said that…
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Officials bust Phuket man selling crocodiles on TikTok
Officials busted a Phuket man yesterday who sold baby crocodiles on TikTok. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office seized 22 freshwater baby crocodiles from the suspect’s house on Moo 8 SriSoonthorn in Thalang district. The officers found the crocodiles in an area in the house with a small pool. The raid followed complaints that crocodiles were being advertised on…
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Viral video of fight reveals more drama with foreign motorbike racers in Patong
Patong is once again having drama with foreign motorbike racers. On Wednesday night, a video of a fight involving foreign motorbike racers on Bangla Road went viral. The racers were reportedly causing a disturbance. Residents and police tried to warn the racers to stop, but they didn’t listen. The racers then allegedly pushed residents before the residents got angrier and…
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Phuket using street art to draw tourists to historic Old Town
Phuket is using street art to draw tourists to its historic Phuket Old Town. The colourful, vibrant mural art is a painting of a cute character and a Chinese-style dragon, as well as a painting of a boat and a sea turtle amidst Phuket’s buildings. Phuket City Mayor Saroj Angkanapilart stated that the local government is prepared to welcome Chinese…
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Phuket health spa slams travel agency for ripping off foreigners
A Phuket health spa announced that it will no longer accept reservations from travel agencies after one agency ripped off its foreign customers. The decision was made after the agency in question overcharged foreign customers, causing them to file complaints about the high prices of the spa services. Phumontra Cafe & Massage is one of the most popular spa spots in Phuket…
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Mosquito bite in Thailand causes Dutchman to lose both legs
A Dutchman living in Nakhon Rathasima in Thailand is on a mission to spread awareness about “flesh-eating bacteria” (necrotising fasciitis) after a mosquito bite led to the amputation of his left leg and lower right leg. Long-term expat, 62 year old Ed Olieslagers from the Netherlands, went to the hospital in April last year after a mosquito bite became inflamed and…
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Festival coming up at Sarasin Bridge in Phuket and Phang Nga
A festival is coming up at Sarasin Bridge, which connects Thailand’s island province of Phuket with Phang Nga province. This will be the 13th time the festival, called the ‘Baan Phi Muang Nong’ project, has been held. The festival will start on Friday, February 17, and last until Sunday, February 19. The festival will dazzle attendees with fireworks shows, live…
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Over 100 Phuket couples tie the knot on Valentine’s Day
Over 100 happy Phuket couples officially tied the knot on Valentine’s Day yesterday. The couples registered their marriages at the Mueang Phuket District Office. To congratulate the newlyweds, District Chief Pairoj Srilamoon gave the couples souvenirs, including hotel vouchers for the first 20 couples. All couples were presented with special frames for their marriage certificates. The couples also had a…
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Phuket taxi busted gambling online while driving
In a tough economy, it’s not unusual for people to work two jobs to make ends meet, sometimes even overlapping and working both at the same time. But a van driver in Phuket learned that the two jobs that don’t mix are driving a taxi while gambling online. The Phuket van driver received a 2,000 baht fine and had his…
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Earthquake hits Phang Nga
Although Thailand doesn’t experience catastrophic earthquakes like those that have hit Turkey and Syria, there are occasional tremours in the region. Yesterday afternoon, the southern province of Phang Nga was rocked by a 3.7 magnitude earthquake, following two others around the country in the wee hours. The earthquake shook the Thana subdistrict in Kapong district, Phang Nga province. The trembler was…
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Conflicting reports emerge on Canadian man reportedly mugged in Patong
UPDATE Conflicting reports are emerging on the Canadian man who was allegedly mugged in Patong on Friday night. Earlier, Phuket Tourist Police said that the man, 28 year old William Lamarche Saint Louis, told them that five men violently mugged him near Patong Beach. Saint Louis said he had been drinking at a bar before going for a walk at…
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Phuket fishing crew rescued after almost one month at sea
A Phuket fishing crew survived for nearly one month at sea after their boat, the Soi Sakul Petch, suffered engine failure a week after it departed from the island in southern Thailand on January 19. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) launched a huge search operation after losing contact with the boat, combining marine and air searches, and reached out to…
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Phuket officials warn tourists to beware of jellyfish
Phuket officials are warning tourists to beware of potentially dangerous jellyfish while enjoying the island’s beaches. The warning issued today comes after more than 30 visitors reported being stung by jellyfish at Kata Beach last week, with most experiencing mild symptoms. In response to this, signs have been placed at over 20 popular tourist destinations around Phuket, including Patong, Nai…
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Phuket rescuers bring French tourists lost in forest to safety
Phuket rescuers brought two French tourists lost in a forest to safety between last night and this morning. The tourists, a man identified only as Victor, and his girlfriend, had arrived in Phuket earlier yesterday and decided to go for a walk on a local beach. The couple followed a trail up the Nai Thon mountain but found themselves lost and…
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Thai man accuses Canadian man of murdering his sister in Phuket
A Thai man accuses a Canadian man of murdering his younger sister who was found hanged in a nail salon in Phuket, southern Thailand, last week. He says the Canadian assaulted, held hostage, drugged, and blackmailed his sister just days before her death. She reported him to the police three days prior to being found dead. The Canadian allegedly offered…
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Patong police officer reportedly refused to help Canadian tourist violently mugged
A Patong police officer reportedly refused to help a Canadian tourist who was violently mugged. The victim, 28 year old William Lamarche Saint Louis, said five men violently mugged him near Patong Beach on Friday. Saint Louis told Patong Police he had been drinking at a bar before going for a walk at night. He said five men approached him…
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PLTO meets with taxis from outside Phuket over crackdown
The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) and the Phuket Provincial Police have recently held discussions with a group of taxi drivers and tour operators from outside of Phuket who have been banned from working on the island. The talks were focused on finding a solution to the continual problem of green plate taxi operators facing difficulties, including arrests and bans…
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Russian arrested acting illegally as tour guide
In Thailand, many jobs are earmarked as being only for Thai people. Even if a foreigner or expat had a business visa and a work permit, they are barred from certain fields. But in Phuket this week, a Russian man was arrested working as a tour guide which is forbidden for foreigners without any visas or permits. Pavel Maslennikov, a…
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French Consul meet Patong Police over motorbike incident
The Head of the French Consulate in Phuket met with Patong Police and Phuket Tourist Police to address the issue of French motorbike racers causing a public nuisance. The meeting on Friday was prompted by the recent arrest of 20 French racers who were caught breaking traffic laws in Patong. This incident and footage of their reckless behaviour caused a…
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Police bust foreign drivers, motorbike rentals
After a recent disturbance involving a group of unruly French motorbike drivers, Police in Patong are taking steps to curb irresponsible driving by foreigners. They are going after the drivers themselves as well as the rental companies that allow foreigners to hire motorbikes without properly vetting them. The crackdown is part of an ongoing effort to improve road safety in…
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Phuket gunman with mental health illness commits suicide
The gunman who shot two passengers on a Phuket-Phattalung minibus this morning left a suicide note before taking his own life inside the vehicle. Reports indicate that the gunman was a former soldier with a mental health issue. The gunman was identified as a 30 year old former conscript soldier Nawin. He was reported to have a mental illness, but…
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Suspected Jimi Sandhu hitman in Canadian jail wants to face trial in Thailand
A Canadian man accused of being a hitman in the murder of Indian gangster Jimi Sandhu in Phuket last year said he wants to face trial in Thailand despite having to potentially face the death penalty. Canadian Forces veteran Matthew Dupre is one suspect accused of murdering Sandu in February last year on behalf of a Canadian-based gang. Sandu did not…
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Police catch Kazakhstani overstayer with fake passport stamps in Phuket
Immigration police caught a Kazakhstani overstayer with fake passport stamps at Phuket International Airport. The woman was identified as 27 year old Xeniya Kopeikina. An officer stated that authorities are now charging Kopeikina for using counterfeit documents, as well as overstaying her visa in the country for 89 days, The Phuket Express reported. Kopeikina was arrested and will be facing…
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BREAKING: 2 victims shot on a Phuket minibus, gunman refuses to surrender
A deranged gunman shot a male and female passenger on a Phuket-Phattalung minibus at 6.49am today. The assailant remains inside the minibus, currently surrounded by police officers attempting to negotiate a peaceful surrender. According to a report on Channel 3, the incident happened just after the Phuket-Phattalung minibus departed from the bus terminal. The bus travelled about 1 kilometre when…
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PLTO focuses on foreigners using rental cars as illegal taxis
The crackdown on illegal taxis – those operating outside their jurisdiction or without proper licenses or permissions – continues in Phuket. Authorities have turned their attention to a new target: foreigners using personal rental cars as taxis. In response to numerous complaints, Phuket officials launched an investigation into reports of foreign tourists acting as illegal taxi drivers. A joint team…
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500k baht stolen from Singaporean family in Phuket villa
A Singaporean family’s vacation in Phuket was spoiled after their villa was burgled of over 485,000 baht worth of valuables, including two Louis Vuitton crossbody bags. The family of eight were visiting the beach destination from January 22 to 29 and were robbed at the tail end of their holiday. They had moved into a private seven-bedroom villa they booked…
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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