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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5 hidden healthcare costs in Thailand and how to avoid them
Thailand's healthcare system is affordable and supported by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme, offering essential services to most citizens. However, hidden healthcare costs can surprise patients and lead to unexpected expenses. These include specialist fees, insurance gaps, emergency services,...
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Miss Teen Canada delivers the ‘bear necessities’
PHUKET CITY: Miss Teen Canada International 2005, 18-year-old Amanda Klyn, donated some 2,000 teddy bears to children affected by the tsunami, during her visit to Phuket and Phang Nga from August 7 to 9.Miss Klyn was invited to visit Thailand by Sananchart Thephasadin, the Thai Ambassador to Canada, after winning her title in January.She explained that the teddy bears were…
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Airport limo problem gets committee treatment
PHUKET CITY: The problem of transportation at Phuket International Airport has been dumped into the laps of at least 10 ad-hoc committees, who have been given the vaguest of briefs – to discuss solutions to the problem – and no deadline to report back with their conclusions.The decision to set up the committees was made at a public meeting at…
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THAI increases fuel charges – again
PHUKET: Thai Airways International (THAI) has announced yet another round of increases in its fuel surcharge on all foreign and domestic flights, to be applied to tickets issued on or after August 15.The national carrier will raise the surcharge on one-way domestic flights from 200 baht to 300 baht; similar rises will be levied on regional and international routes, depending…
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Jungceylon working out money woes
PATONG: Junceylon, the new entertainment complex in Patong, has hit liquidity problems, but these are being worked out and the giant center will still open in November, a source told the Gazette yesterday.The source, who asked not to be named, said that Jungceylon’s money woes started in April and the company has applied for help from the Bankruptcy Court in Bangkok…
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International rugby comes to Phuket
PHUKET: Rugby fans are in for a feast in the coming week as the first International 80-80 Rugby Tournament is staged on the island.Matches in the four-team tournament will be played this weekend and in the evenings next week, culminating with the play-offs and final on Sunday, August 14.80-80 rugby is a new format whereby players must weigh no more…
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Two brothers stabbed to death
PHUKET CITY: The bodies of two brothers from Udon Thani who had been beaten and stabbed to death were found near an ice factory about 700 meters north of Sri Suchart Grand View housing estate, on the bypass road, about 6 am on Wednesday.Pol Lt Col Chokechai Suthimek, of Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that the men were…
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Alleged killer cop surrenders
PHUKET CITY: Narcotics agent Pol Sen S/Maj Manot Junjuer, accused of shooting two people at point-blank range yesterday, killing one of them and seriously injuring the other, turned himself in this morning at the Phuket City Police Station.The dead man was named as Seksit Kulra-uk. The injured man, who is in a serious condition at Wachira Phuket Hospital, was an off-duty…
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O’Hanlon murder suspect surrenders
PATONG: Paul Chetwynd-Talbot, sought for the murder of his girlfriend, Debra O’Hanlon, who was found dead on Tuesday afternoon (see story here), turned himself in to the police last night. Pol Col Teeraphol Tipjaroen, Superintendent of Kathu Police Station, told the Gazette that Talbot had come to the front of the police station at about 8pm last night and had…
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Patong and Kamala revival budgets finally settled
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) budget for renovation of Patong and Kamala has finally been settled, at 291.4 million baht, a source in the TAT’s Bangkok headquarters revealed yesterday.The source, who asked not to be named, told the Gazette that the original landscaping plans, proposed in January, foresaw spending of 750 million baht for Patong and 600 million…
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Patong Bay “cleaner’ after tsunami
PATONG: When people noticed that, right after the tsunami, the water in Patong Bay seemed to be the clearest it had been in years, they were not imagining things.Levels of harmful bacteria in the bay were reduced to nearly zero right after the tsunami, researchers from the Pollution Control Department (PCD) learned when sampling the water on January 20.The announcement…
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Roads claim 11 lives in June
PHUKET: Official figures obtained from Wachira, Thalang and Patong hospitals, as well as Phuket International and Ruampaet private hospitals show that 11 people died in motorcycle accidents on Phuket’s roads during June.In addition, one person was killed in a car accident.The hospital records also show that, during June, 1,134 people were injured in road accidents. Of these, 1,056 were on…
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“Hilal Town’ attracts big crowds
KAMALA: Thousands attended the grand opening of the “Halal Food Hilal Town” Muslim festival at Kamala Beach last night.Organized by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the event is scheduled to run until Monday (August 1).Privy Councilor Gen Surayud Chulanont declared the festival open in a ceremony followed by the presentation of a play about…
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Tennis ace Vijay due in Phuket
PHUKET: World-renowned tennis player Vijay Amritraj, from India, will visit Phuket next week to tour tsunami-hit areas in the region as part of his role as a United Nation Messenger of Peace. Mr Armritraj, well-known, since retiring from professional tennis, as a commentator on Grand Slam tennis events on the ESPN Star Sports network, was appointed one of only nine…
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La Samudra takes the lead
PHUKET: Scott Duncanson and the crew aboard Securicor Som Tam Express were first across the finish line again today in both races on the second day of the Evason Phuket Race Week – but not by a large enough margin to repeat yesterday’s outright win.On corrected time, Som Tam was overtaken in Race 2 in the IRC 1 class by…
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Man found murdered in Pa Khlok
PA KHLOK: A Thai man was found battered and dead this morning on the shore near Bangpae Seafood restaurant. Pol Maj Chamroon Plaiduang, inspector of Thalang Police Station, told the Gazette that the discovery of the body by local people was reported at about 8 am. An ID card found on the corpse identified him as Prasit Laowongsa, aged 27,…
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Sinking brings drama to Race Week
PHUKET: Westerly winds of eight knots provided exciting sailing on the first dayof the 2005 Evason Phuket Race Week, producing some thrills and spills among the fleet of 29 boats competing – and even a sinking.Ava, in the IRC 2 Class, was trying to get out of dirty air from La Samudra when she hit a rock, holing the hull…
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B2m aid theft case takes a step
PHUKET CITY: The case of the stolen 2.05 million baht in tsunami aid money has entered a new stage, Deputy Provincial Public Prosecutor Thanit Adisakpaisan has revealed.The Chief of the Finance Division of the Phuket Provincial Financial Office, Apichart Nooprod, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, is accused of being the ringleader in the theft, which was reported on February 15. Apichart…
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Missing Italian found dead
PHUKET: The body of an Italian tourist who disappeared while snorkeling at Laem Ka Yai on Friday was found the following day on the beach at Khao Khad.Pol Lt Thivakorn Kongpeth of Phuket City Police Station told the Gazette that Gianluigi Peria had been staying at Ya Nui Resort in Chalong with his companion, Silvia Rota.When he failed to return…
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Tsunami alarm “a success’
PHUKET: A tsunami warning has been declared a “90% success” after the alert went out late last night from the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC).The alert, urging evacuation of the Andaman coast, came after an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale struck the Nicobar Islands, only 664 kilometers from Phuket.At 11 pm, Plodprasop Suraswadi, Director of the NDWC in…
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Phuket flight services picking up
PHUKET: In moves that appear to signal a revival of tourist confidence in Phuket, several airlines have begun boosting their regional services to Phuket or have announced plans to do so soon.Orient Thai resumed its daily Phuket-Hong Kong-Phuket service on July 15, and has announced that it will operate chartered flights between Phuket and the South Korean cities of Inchon…
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Limo protest delays improved airport taxi service
PHUKET CITY: A protest by about 100 airport limousine drivers at Provincial Hall yesterday morning successfully delayed the setting up of a taxi counter in the airport terminal.It also prevented the number of meter taxis serving the airport from being increased from 30 to 70 with effect from next Monday (July 25).“The Phuket Taxi Meter counter is currently 50 meters…
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Ya bah arrests “on the increase’
PHUKET CITY: The number of arrests for possession or use of ya bah (methamphetamine) has doubled since April, the Gazette has learned. Pol Capt Aikanit Danpitaksart of the Phuket City Police told the Gazette that he believes the number of people using the drug is increasing, despite Thailand being in the third phase of the government’s “war on drugs”.He said…
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Wat Kamala “beautifully blitzed’
KAMALA: True to their promise, the folks from the popular Australian TV gardening design program Backyard Blitz, have completed their 48-hour makeover of the gardens at Wat Kamala, which were washed away by the tsunami.The program, which airs on Australian TV Channel 9, specializes in renovating people’s gardens along themed lines, and doing it in record time. This is the…
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Premiership teams head for Phuket
PHUKET: First they were coming, then there was not enough money and they were not coming. But now they will definitely be here tomorrow – representatives of the English Premier League teams Everton, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City.The three teams will host a one-day kid’s soccer camp at Surakul Stadium, from 10 am to 5:30 pm, open to all-comers.Eam Thavornvongwongse, President…
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Police plea for alcohol-free holy days
PHUKET: Police have asked shops, bars, restaurants and hotels not to sell alcohol from midnight tonight until midnight on Friday, to honor Asarnha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Day.Phuket City Police Superintendent Pol Col Paween Pongsirin explained that although there is no legal requirement for outlets to stop selling alcohol during these two days – and those who do will…
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Phuket to host first 80-80 international rugby tournament
PHUKET: Dr Marut Muangkeo, President of the Thai Rugby Union (TRU), has announced that the world’s first international 80-80 rugby tournament, in which all players each must not weigh more than 85 kilograms, will be held in Phuket from August 6 to 14.Apart from the weight restriction, 80-80 rugby is full 15-a-side contact rugby played under the existing International Rugby…
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Hotel occupancy rates rise 15pc
PHUKET: Hotel occupancy rates on the island for July are expected to be up 15% when compared with June, thanks mainly to Tourism Authority of Thailand marketing, Pattanapong Aikwanich, President of the Phuket Tourist Association, predicted today. “There have been many Thai groups who bought the ‘Beach basking, bargain shopping’ packages, as well as tourists from Australia, the Middle East,…
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Wat Kamala to be “blitzed’
KAMALA: Popular Australian TV gardening program Backyard Blitz is to spring a Buddhist Lent surprise on tsunami-hit Wat Kamala – in the shape of a newly-landscaped garden.The program specializes in renovating viewers’ gardens along themed lines and is a popular Sunday evening show. This is the first time an episode has been recorded overseas. Jacq Brophy, Head of Production, told…
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Property tax break ill-timed – Phummisak
PHUKET: Phummisak Hongsyok, President of the Phuket Real Estate Club (PREC), yesterday criticized the government’s move to reduce the tax on transfer of property ownership as ill-timed and inappropriate.His criticism came despite the fact that many would assume that real estate companies and property developers would welcome the proposed tax break as a stimulant, however small, to house sales.The proposal…
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Police appeal for new wheels
PHUKET CITY: Phuket City Police Superintendent Col Paween Pongsirin is appealing for public donations to help buy badly-needed police vehicles for his cash-strapped department. Col Paween told the Gazette last week that although cars and motorcycles are essential for police work, seven of the department’s 14 squad cars are no longer roadworthy or are currently being repaired. He added that…
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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