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.
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Police seek better photos of mob leaders
THALANG: Police have been unable to issue warrants for the arrests of people suspected of being involved in a mob three weeks ago at the Yacht Haven marina because the pictures they have are not clear enough for positive identification. The mob beat up Kent Michalick, a member of the crew of the superyacht Yanneke Too and trashed the pick-up…
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Regatta ends on windless note
KATA: The 15th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta ended with a whimper rather than a bang when the final day’s racing was canceled for lack of wind – the second such windless day in the six-day event. As a result, the seven class awards were made on the basis of races completed by the end of Friday, as follows: Racing: 1.…
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Patong upgrade to town status delayed
PATONG: Patong Mayor Surasak Maneesri has blamed the previous local administration for a lack of progress in getting the town’s status upgraded from tessabaan tambon (village) to tessaban muang (town). In February last year, local government officials estimated that the application process would take eight months to a year to complete. But, said Mayor Surasak, “The Ministry of Interior has…
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Slow going in Krabi murder probe
KRABI: Police have released one suspect held during investigations into the November 29 murder of German tourist Petra Sack, after it was found that the man, Santi “Neng” Sagnakul, was in Phang Nga at the time of the murder. Another man, Somchai “Ann” Samartjit, 22, is still being questioned, though police say they are now more inclined to believe that…
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Casino boss gambles on nudists
BANGKOK (AFP): Senator Vikrom Isiri, the entrepreneur who built the Andaman Club casino and hotel on Myanmar’s Son island, close to Ranong, now plans to build a nudist colony on the nearby island of St Luke’s. The Nation newspaper reported that the resort will cater to Europeans who “like to take their clothes off in public”. “Everybody [guests] will have…
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Panellists announced for Phuket Seminar
The hosts of the 14 December seminar on “The Prospects for Land Resource Management and Tourism in Phuket” have announced speakers from both the public and private sectors. Travelling from Bangkok for the occasion will be: – Rajatin Syamananda, Director-General, Town & Country Planning Dept – Thasanee Chantadisal, Director of the Urban & Environmental Planning Division, Office of Environmental Policy…
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American resident, 50, dies in bike smash
PATONG: Kamala-based financial adviser Richard “Nick” Dixon, 50, died of multiple injuries after he lost control of his motorcycle on Tuesday and smashed into an oncoming pick-up truck.on a sharp curve in Kalim. Pol Lt Serm Kwannimit of Kathu Police Station told the Gazette that when he arrived at the scene at around 5.45 pm, Mr Dixon, an American citizen,…
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Traffic drive nets 1,000 offenders in 5 days
KATHU: Police here have been showing that they are serious about their crackdown on traffic violations. Between December 1 and yesterday, they fined nearly 1,000 people for a variety of offenses. In many cases, people were cited for more than one violation. A total of 914 people were charged with riding a motorcycle without a helmet and were fined 100…
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Nightclub owners reminded to close tonight
PHUKET TOWN: The chief of police in Muang District, Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, yesterday chaired a meeting attended by 75 owners of entertainment venues, at which he reminded them that no one may sell alcohol today, HM The King’s Birthday, and that the only evening venues that may open are restaurants. Col Paween, the Superintendent of the Phuket Town Police…
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Foreign musicians to be hunted down
BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand pledged Monday to crack down on overseas singers and musicians as part of a wider plan to cut the number of illegal migrant workers here by up to 30 percent, a senior official said. While there were some 200 mostly Filipino singers, musicians and artists working legally in hotels and bars in Thailand, many more had entered…
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Chalerm questioned over missing guns
BANGKOK (AFP): Police questioned Thai politician Chalerm Yoobamrung and his wife Lamnao for two hours today in connection with the murder of a police officer for which their son, Duongchalerm, is the chief suspect, officials said. Chalerm and Lamnao, were questioned separately over the disappearance of two handguns from their home, one of which is believed to have been used…
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Prison bulging with narcotics offenders
PHUKET: More than half of the people currently incarcerated in Phuket’s overcrowded provincial prison have either been convicted of narcotics offenses or are awaiting trial on such charges. According to the latest statistics released by the prison, 636 people – more than half the total – are currently incarcerated on narcotics-related convictions or charges. Of these, 505 are men and…
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Burmese fisherman found murdered
PHUKET TOWN: A man believed to have been a Burmese fisherman was found murdered on Thursday in deep grass near Sri Sena fishing port. Pol Maj. Pissanu Poolwong of Phuket Town Police Station told the Gazette that the man, as yet unidentified, had died from 14 stab wounds to the forehead, neck, chest, stomach and right side. He added that…
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Ya bah seized in raids doubles
PHUKET: The number of ya bah (methamphetamine) pills seized by police between November 1 and 25 is more than double the amount netted during the same period in October, according to the latest statistics released by police. During November, police seized 7,435 ya bah pills, compared with the 3,327 tablets of the drug netted in the previous month. The jump…
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Big C opening causes traffic chaos
PHUKET TOWN: The snarl of traffic on the bypass road yesterday, on the evening of the opening of Big C Supercenter, marked the start of a fierce battle for the hearts and wallets of Phuket shoppers between Big C and the its retail giant rival, Tesco Lotus Supercenter. Both have brought the heavy artillery in for the battle. Big C…
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Four gibbons released in the forest
THALANG: Four gibbons from the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP) were released into the forest this morning. The gibbons – Fish, Bamboo and Mai, all four years old, and six-year old Tara, the only female – were set free about three and a half kilometers away from the Bang Pae waterfall. Upon release, Tara was the first gibbon to venture out…
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“UFOs’ seen over Phuket Town
PHUKET TOWN: Mobile phone systems were jammed last night as people phoned friends all over town to tell them about mysterious white lights zooming around the sky to the north of Phuket Town between 8 and 9 pm. Niyompong Torwong, Public Relations Officer of the Bangkok Phuket Hospital, told the Gazette that he saw a star moving very fast around…
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Two boys, 13, arrested for motorbike theft
PHUKET: Police who raided an old tin mine off Chaofa Nok Rd, following a tip-off, found two 13-year-old boys in the act of dropping a motorbike engine block into the mine. Pol Maj Thanet Puangmanee and his men raided the old mine beside Wat Naka on Monday and found the two boys, one from Chalong and the other from Karon,…
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Kathu Police to crack down on traffic laws
PATONG: Kathu police today warned that, from next Wednesday, they will crack down on road traffic violations in a campaign aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries on the district’s roads. Signs in Thai and English have been going up all over the district, and particularly in Patong, warning motorists to follow the Highway Code or face the…
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Police home in on mob members
THALANG: Police have compiled, from criminal records, a list of some 50 people they suspect may have been involved in the mob that beat up a New Zealand yachtsman on November 18, then trashed the pick-up truck he had been driving. The mob, from Baan Kor-Ane, attacked Kent Michalick, from the superyacht “Yanneke Too”, and smashed up the truck, after…
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Help us eradicate sex tours – TAT boss
PHUKET: Anupharp Thirarath, the Director of the local office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has appealed for information about any person or company involved in promoting sex for sale in Phuket. The appeal comes after TAT officers discovered websites offering child sex as part of package tours. One website offered three days and two nights’ stay, including sex…
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Yacht skipper blasts mob violence
THALANG: The skipper of a 30-meter superyacht has blasted villagers in the north of Phuket for “lawlessness” after a member of his crew was beaten up by a mob on Sunday evening, and was then forced to apologize to them for driving through their village too fast. After brushing aside security staff at the Yacht Haven marina, the mob of…
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Three nighttime venues raided
PHUKET TOWN: Three nighttime venues have been cited for violations after police officers, led by Vice Governor Niwat Wattanasen and Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, went on an inspection tour on Tuesday. The Sure Garden, in Soi Taling Chan, was ordered closed for 30 days because it was found to be serving customers under the…
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Governor moves Muang District Chief
PHUKET TOWN: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has ordered the replacement of Muang District Chief Somsak Sanyanuphap with Wirachai Chanpen of Phang Nga province. The transfer order, issued on Friday, is the first demonstration of the new power of the Governor CEO, granted as part of Thailand’s experiment in giving provincial governments more autonomy. Under the new system, the Governor CEO…
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Provincial intranet underway
PHUKET: Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday chaired a meeting on the development of a computerized central database for all government offices operating within Phuket, known as the Phuket Net project. The move to develop the IT system is part of the Governor CEO administration experiment. At the meeting, which was held at the Provincial Hall, Preecha Wongchakorn, Director of…
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Artist dies in head-on smash
PHUKET: Well-known Rawai-based artist Jirasak Patanapong, 45, died of severe head injuries after being involved in a head-on collision on Chao Fa Nai Rd at about 10 pm on Friday. Two other people were injured in the accident. Tawin Tongpeng today told the Gazette that he was driving his pick-up truck to his home behind Wat Thepnimit after picking up…
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Airport passenger traffic down 8pc
PHUKET: The number of passengers arriving or departing through Phuket International Airport in October is down 8.19% from the figure for the same period last year. Statistics released by airport officials show that passenger throughput was 259,889, compared with 283,062 in October last year. However, the figures show an 8.01% improvement over September, which saw 239,060 passengers arrive or depart…
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Elephant hurls keeper, injures tourist
PHUKET: A disgruntled elephant at Phuket Zoo picked up and threw its keeper with its trunk on November 6, causing Scottish tourist Louise Fletcher to fall from the elephant’s back. She was then kicked by the elephant, resulting in serious leg injuries. Recovering at Phuket International Hospital, Ms Fletcher yesterday recalled the incident. “A worker at the zoo suggested I…
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Phuket Town wins prize
PHUKET: Phuket Municipality has won the King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) Prize, awarded to local governments that listen to the views of local people and give them the opportunity to take part in the running of the town. Phuket Municipality was one of just four municipalities in the whole country to win the prize, out of 432 towns that entered. The…
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Bangsen murder probe hits a wall
SURAT THANI: Investigations into the murder of Koh Yao boatman Bangsen Jaidee hit a wall yesterday when doctors refused to allow officers to interview the chief suspect. Police from Thalang Police Station went to Saranlom Hospital in Surat Thani, which specializes in diseases of the mind, intending to interrogate Siwadol “Dol” Lomin. Dol was taken to the hospital by his…
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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