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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Governor to lead the war on drugs
PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi plans to devote the next three months to personally leading the fight against illegal drugs. His pledge, announced today, follows a promise by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to obliterate the illegal drug trade in Thailand within three months, starting from February 1. At the regular meeting of senior officials at Phuket Provincial Hall this…
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Chinese New Year a blessing for hotels
PHUKET: The island’s hotels are enjoying a surge in occupancy rates with many ethnic Chinese flying in from around the region to celebrate the advent of the Year of the Goat on February 1. Phuket Town hotels are nearly full, both with Asian and Western visitors, said Napasorn Kakai, Deputy Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Region 4 office.…
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Police hunt food vendor’s killer
PHUKET TOWN: Police believe a love triangle led to the murder of a fried sausage vendor who was found stabbed to death beside his cart on Tuesday morning. Nearby residents discovered the body of Sritanonchai Kornsopa, 30, about 8 am at Kuan Din Dang-Samkong Rd in Moo 6, Rassada. Investigating officers later determined he had been dead for about six…
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“Foreigners grabbing Thai jobs’: Karon Mayor
KARON: The Mayor of Karon Municipality has lodged a complaint with Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi that foreigners in the Karon area are “grabbing” jobs that Thais can do, and has urged the authorities to be more thorough about checking work permits and other licenses. The Mayor, Tawee Thongcham, told the Gazette that the Governor went to Karon on Saturday as…
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War on drugs begins soon
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket’s part in a national plan to obliterate illegal drugs within three months will be revealed when Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi speaks on the topic on Friday. Police will have drug control as part of their duties, even if they are assigned to traffic, administration or management, said Pol Lt Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket Town Police…
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Purachai aiming to cut prison population
PHUKET TOWN: More prisoners are likely to be freed on probation to reduce the problem of overcrowding at Phuket Provincial Prison. The announcement was made today by visiting Justice Minister Purachai Piemsomboon. “The prison in Phuket is very old,” he said. “The number of prisoners is increasing but the budget and the number of prison officers is not. “Phuket [Prison]…
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Phuket buys more water from golf course
KATHU: Phuket Provincial Waterworks has signed a 600-million-baht contract to buy water from MBK Properties and Development Co, owner of the supply source, a tin mine at Loch Palm Golf Course in Kathu. The agreement is intended to ensure there is sufficient water supply throughout the January-April dry season. Phuket Waterworks has estimated water demand of 3 million cubic meters…
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Billions of Baht for Phuket
PHUKET: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra dealt a major blow to the Democrat Party yesterday, announcing a multi-billion-baht plan to turn Phuket into the country’s biggest economic and tourism hub over the next five years. The premier has pledged that more than 100 billion baht would be invested in the development program over the next 5-6 years. The Thai Rak Thai…
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Parties slug it out over Phuket billboards
PHUKET TOWN: Accusations are flying across the political divide in a slinging match that broke out on the eve of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s party congress in Phuket this weekend. With more than 300 Thai Rak Thai (TRT) MPs gathering from today in the heartland of the opposition Democrat Party, billboards began appearing around the island about three weeks ago,…
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Cough syrup the new menace
PHUKET TOWN: Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyurapan chaired a crisis meeting in Phuket today to plan action to stem the rising misuse of cough syrup among Thailand’s young people. Among the 120 provincial officers who met at Royal Phuket City Hotel were Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi, Public Health officers from the 14 southern provinces and others from as far…
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Quake tremors rattle Phuket
PHUKET: Tremors from a distant earthquake caused anxiety in tall buildings in Patong and triggered a stampede to evacuate the Phuket Vocational College at Saphan Hin, Phuket Town, today. The six buildings at the college shook for almost a minute, with students running downstairs to gather outside. One student, Kittipong Jarusatorn, said later, “Someone shouted, ‘Get out of the building,…
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Islanders win top ecotourism prize
PHANG NGA: An ecotourism strategy devised by the residents of Koh Yao Noi, off Phuket, has won a prestigious World Legacy Award, which will be presented later on today in Washington DC by Queen Noor of Jordan. The award, one of only three throughout the world for 2002, will be presented on Wednesday in the US capital to Jaranya Deangnoy,…
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Coral reef bombers still at large
KOH LANTA: The coral on two undersea mountain reefs, blasted more than a year ago by fishermen using illegal explosives, has grown back and marine life has returned, authorities say. But the vessels that inflicted the damage have not been identified despite photographic evidence showing at least one boat in the area at the time. The diving community along the…
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Blaze leaves seven homeless
PHUKET TOWN: A fire in a two-story shophouse on Phuket Rd this morning caused about 2 million baht baht damage and left seven people homeless. Firefighters took 45 minutes to extinguish the blaze while officers from Phuket Town Police Station redirected traffic at the nearby intersection with Ong Sim Phai Rd. Buildings on either side of the fire sustained minor…
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Kathu Police announce “Foreign Friends” project
KATHU: Region 8 Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Pichai Soontornsajabool and the Kathu Police Department have jointly announced a new project to help foreigners in the Patong area. The project name, roughly translated, is “Good Foreign Friends”. Kathu Police Superintendent Chalit Thintanee told the Gazette, “The police want to establish links with groups of long-stay tourists and business people. We…
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Murder suspect on the run
PHUKET TOWN: Police are hunting for a Cambodian fisherman known only as Yao after the body of his friend, workmate and fellow countryman was found stabbed to death on board a fishing boat in the Rassada Port area yesterday. Officers arrived at the fishing vessel Sor Chanachol 444 after receiving a call at 1 pm, said Pol Capt Passakorn Sontikul…
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Officials examine traffic jam problem
PHUKET TOWN: Residents along Chao Fa West and Chao Fa East Rds have asked local authorities to solve traffic jam problems. Busy “talat nut” markets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are being blamed for delays that affect local and through traffic. Wises Sabaijit, Palad of Wichit Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) met residents at the weekend and said later that the…
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MP pushes for greater unionization
PHUKET TOWN: The Chairman of Thailand’s Parliamentary Committee on Labor, Khon Kaen MP Premsak Pearyura, was in Phuket again yesterday, and once again found himself in the middle of controversy. In September last year K. Premsak hit the limelight for remarks he made at a seminar on work permits for foreigners. “Most of the foreigners [in Thailand] are small investors…
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Busy schedule for 2nd Thaksin visit
PHUKET: Phuket will be on show during the visit by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and more than 300 Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party MPs this weekend. Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi and local government officers met this morning to finalize plans for activities associated with the TRT seminar. Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan and representatives from 18 southern provinces will meet…
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Full moon raid on Reggae Bar
NAI HARN: Police raided the Reggae Bar near Nai Harn lake in the early hours of Saturday morning and charged the owner with selling alcohol after legal opening hours. Pol Lt Col Worapong Wongjom told the Gazette that about 100 people, both Thais and foreigners, were attending a full moon party there. In tests for drugs, seven people returned positive…
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Urgent call for AB-negative blood
PHUKET TOWN: Bangkok Phuket Hospital is urgently seeking a donation of type AB-negative blood for a 25-year-old Swiss man requiring treatment after a jet-ski accident. Potential donors are asked to report to the hospital’s reception desk or to call 076-254425. The victim, Sandro Hauger, was riding a jet-ski off Patong when his brother Roger, on another jet-ski, collided with him,…
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Meter taxis “forced to raise fares’
PHUKET TOWN: Fares for longer trips in meter taxis have risen substantially because, the cab company says, it continues to be denied the right to pick up passengers from the airport. Patipol Prakobtan, manager of Phuket Taxi Meter Co, explained, “We have made no profit because we haven’t been granted permission to set up a booth at the airport.” The…
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Laem Phromthep to get B20m facelift
RAWAI: Popular tourist site Laem Phromthep will be improved by a 20-million-baht beautification project spanning seven months, it was announced yesterday. Arun Sorot, President of the Rawai Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), said, “We plan to build a new car park first. It will take as many vehicles as the old one. Construction will begin in the middle of February.” In…
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Party-trick escapee back in custody
PHUKET TOWN: A 17-year-old motorcycle thief who escaped from the Phuket Juvenile Observation and Protection Center during a Children’s Day party last Saturday was arrested again after he stole another motorbike. A police patrol spotted the teenager, originally from Sakhon Nakhon, behaving suspiciously in Suan Luang park, off Chao Fa Rd, about 3 am yesterday. Pol Lt Col Anukul Nookate,…
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Phuket to promote health tourism
PHUKET TOWN: “Come to Phuket for your health” will be the catchy slogan for a new strategy aimed at attracting tourists who need medical or dental care to come to Phuket. Thailand’s inexpensive surgery is to be used as the lure to make the island a center for health care, in addition to its traditional beach, diving and golf attractions.…
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Deputy Interior Minister on Social Order visit
PHUKET TOWN: Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenond plans to meet with owners of Phuket entertainment venues tomorrow as he pursues more effective implementation of the national Better Social Order Policy. Tonight he is likely to make an excursion to check on how the policy is working in local venues, where 2 am closing and adults-only admission are being strictly enforced,…
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Bold trio rob tourists of 200,000 baht
PHUKET TOWN: A couple on vacation in Phuket had cash and belongings worth about 200,000 baht stolen from their car yesterday afternoon by a gang who distracted their attention while their possessions were taken. Luckana “Ann” Polthep, 26, from Nonthaburi, came to Phuket on vacation with her foreign boyfriend. The couple, who were staying in Patong, withdrew 60,000 baht from…
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Phuket proposed as air hub for the South
PHUKET TOWN: Kanok Abhiradee, President of Thai Airways International (THAI), yesterday announced that the airline will propose that Phuket become the regional aviation hub for Southern Thailand. The announcement, which follows the central government’s plan to have three regional aviation hubs in Thailand – the other two being at Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani – was made at a seminar…
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Gunmen make off with 70,000 baht
PHUKET TOWN: Motorcycle raiders knocked a man off his motorbike, held a gun to his head and escaped with cash and checks totalling 70,000 baht yesterday, in a bold daylight robbery. Police said the two men pounced as Pramote Sanmongkol, 24, rode the 500 meters along Rassada Rd from Phuket Adventure Group Co, where he works, to a nearby bank,…
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Visit targets better social order
PHUKET: Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenond is to visit Phuket on Wednesday as the national campaign to improve “social order” continues. At a meeting that afternoon, K Pracha will relay the latest developments in policy to members of local administrations before visiting a one tambon-one product site on Koh Sireh. On Thursday K. Pracha will meet Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi…
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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