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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The Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 17, is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to take their first steps towards a smoke-free life. If you’re an expat in Thailand, this day could be a timely reminder to...
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Laser speed trap on airport road
PHUKET: Motorists traveling north towards the airport are advised to take their feet off the gas until the end of this week at least, or risk paying a fine for speeding. Every day until Saturday, police officers will be been perched atop the footbridge near the Muang Thalang School, armed with a pair of laser speed guns, while, 300 meters…
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OrBorJor reviews Rassada Port bids
PHUKET TOWN: Companies bidding for a 30-year lease management on the Rassada Port made presentations to the Phuket Provincial Organization Administration (OrBorJor) on Friday. The companies that delivered presentations were Sri Fuengfah Co Ltd, Port and Marine Enterprise Co Ltd, and Seatran Travel Co Ltd. A fourth bidder, Thepkrasattri Petroleum Co Ltd, pulled out. The OrBorJor’s decision as to who…
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Duty-free scheme discussed
PHUKET TOWN: A special meeting was convened yesterday to brainstorm ideas on how Phuket might be developed into a duty-free city. Provincial Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi called the meeting – which brought together members of the Provincial Administration Organization and the Thai business community – in the wake of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s proposal that tourism in Phuket and Chiang Mai…
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Gambling tops arrest stats again
PHUKET: Gambling arrests topped the Phuket police scoreboard again in April, with 209 people held for gambling offenses between April 1 and 25. The figure does not include the 91 people arrested in raids on casinos on April 29. Provincial Police statistics released today showed arrests of illegal immigrants coming in second place, with 189 people locked up, followed by…
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Malaysia puts harsh brakes on Thai drivers
KHUAN DON, THAILAND: In a move sure to bring frowns and grimaces to the Land of Smiles, Thailand’s neighbor to the south has introduced measures making it an almost hopeless enterprise for Thais to enter Malaysia by automobile. At the Khuan Don border (near Satun) this afternoon, Malaysian authorities in spiffy blue uniforms were handing out “Rules” flyers to scores…
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Thai Airways board members lose perks
BANGKOK (AFP): Thai Airways International board members, long accustomed to free flights and expensive perks, are to lose their privileges as part of an effort to streamline the national carrier, an airline official said this afternoon. Chairman Chai-Anan Samuddavanija, appointed with a new board of directors amid controversy this week, has vowed to cancel the perks offered since Thai Airways…
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Japanese woman drowns off Mai Thon
MAI TON: The body of Japanese tourist Na-Ao Yukimura, 35, was found on Tuesday on a beach on Mai Thon Island. Pol Capt Cha-aom Khowsrisuwan of the Phuket Town Police Station said, “Some villagers found Ms Yukimura’s body lying face-down on the beach. She was wearing a green bikini, and a snorkeling mask was around her neck. She had been…
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Thalang police set up suggestions box
THALANG: Pol Col Prapakorn Saksupa, superintendent of Thalang Police Station, has announced that the station has established a PO Box for the public. The box is specifically for people in Thalang district who wish to write to the Thalang Police Station to express views, make suggestions, or provide information on suspected criminal activities. The police have stressed that only senior…
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Police seize 2 tonnes of smuggled meat
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Marine Police yesterday evening raided a warehouse in Moo Bann Iravadee on the bypass road after receiving a report that it contained smuggled cigarettes. But instead of illegal smokes, they found about two tonnes of illegally imported meat, worth about 200,000 baht. Pol Lt Col Bunjerd Piriyavong of the Phuket Marine Police told the Gazette that…
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Mayor meets Governor over 2 am law
PHUKET TOWN: Thirty entertainment venue owners, led by Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, yesterday met with Provincial Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi at his home to inquire about the results of last week’s petition asking for Patong to be given an exemption from the 2 am limit on opening hours. The petition, signed by some 300 business owners in Patong, was handed to…
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Top police officers removed from Phuket
PHUKET TOWN: Pol Col Chalit Tintanee, the superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, and Pol Lt Col Wutthichai Kamput, deputy superintendent (Crime Suppression Division) of Thalang Police Station, have been transferred to Surat Thani. A well placed source within the police department told the Gazette that both Col Chalit and Lt Col Wutthichai received a phone call this morning ordering…
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Headless corpse at Freedom Beach
PATONG: A headless corpse was found floating in the sea near Freedom Beach on Saturday afternoon. Police have been unable to identify the decomposed body, but assume the victim was male. “It was impossible to determine whether he was a Thai or a foreigner because the body was so severely decomposed. He must have died more than two weeks ago,”…
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Thailand to woo investors
BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand plans to expand the role of state investment promotion agencies in an effort to boost its damaged economy with fresh domestic and foreign investment, reports said today. During a two-day economic workshop chaired by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, officials pledged to transform Thailand into a “knowledge-based” economy through new investment spurred by tax incentives and special privileges.…
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Young Thais hooked on football betting
BANGKOK (AFP): Hundreds of thousands of Thailand’s young football fans are addicted to gambling on foreign matches, the government said in a report released today. Some 300,000 football-crazed students wager 50 million baht (1.1 million dollars) every day, according to ruling Thai Rak Thai party politician Poom Sarapon. A recent survey shows that most of the kingdom’s football gamblers are…
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Gov denies being too strict
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday denied being too strict on work permits and new company registrations. He insisted that he was simply enforcing the law. “I haven’t been too strict or done anything extraordinary,” he told the Gazette. “All I’ve done is ensure that procedures are followed according to Thai law. “The problem before was that no one checked…
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Bars must display anti-drugs message
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi today announced that a new law is to be introduced requiring bars and entertainment venues to publicly display an anti-drugs message. The Governor urged district officers to enforce the requirement strictly, once it becomes law. The proposed penalty for not displaying an appropriate message is at least three days’ closure of the offending premises.
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Provincial government gets on IT track
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi has announced a government drive to ensure that every provincial government department on the island will have its own web site by the end of the year, and that all departments will start using email to share information. His announcement came at a meeting of departmental heads at the Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, held…
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TAT rejects “Phuket too costly’ claim
PHUKET: Anuphap Teerarat, director of the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), today rejected criticism from a German movie producer that Phuket has priced itself out of the market as far as film-makers are concerned. The producer, Wolfgang Rademann, was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying that he had opted to shoot his made-for-TV movie, which…
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B30 medical scheme: Public urged to update records
PHUKET: The Provincial Public Health Office (PHO) is to start a public information drive, urging people to update their house registration documents (tabien baan) immediately. “This is important because the budget Phuket will get for the 30-baht scheme will depend on how many people are registered as living in the province,” said Dr Boonrieng Chuchaisaengrat, Chief of the PHO. He…
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Flight from Beijing lands in Phuket
PHUKET: Air China, in conjunction with the Chinese tour operator China Comfort Travel Co, is now operating twice-weekly charter flights direct from Beijing to Phuket. The charter service, aimed exclusively at mainland Chinese tourists, was launched with a maiden flight that landed at Phuket International Airport just after midnight on Saturday morning. “We’re operating only inbound charters right now, but…
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Worst-ever road death, injury statistics
PHUKET: Sixteen people died in traffic accidents between January 20 and February 20, according to statistics from the Wachira, Thalang and Patong government hospitals. All the victims were on motorcycles, Ampaipan Pawawattananusorn of the Phuket Provincial Health Office reported. In the same period, 906 were hurt in crashes involving motorbikes, while 35 people were injured in car accidents. The year’s…
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Another blow for foreign investors
BANGKOK (AFP): Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today urged developing Asian nations to abandon economic policies modeled after the United States and Japan, and to try to build local businesses rather than attract foreign investors. At the opening of the 57th session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Thaksin said that economic reforms…
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Braggart raped by five women
SRISAKET (AFP): Five Thai women have agreed to pay compensation to a man they allegedly gang-raped on Songkhran Day, police said today. Police said the women, aged between 20 and 40, admitted to plying the 47-year-old man from this northeastern Srisaket province with alcohol, tying him up and stripping him naked before taking turns having sex with him. “All the…
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Homeowners urged to join watch program
PATONG: Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Kathu Police Station, has urged Patong homeowners and tenants to notify the police when they go on vacation, leaving their homes unattended. Police officers will check on the houses while on patrol. A red box will be installed in front of each home, containing a logbook for patrolmen to sign when they check…
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Patong “may be exempt from 2 am rule’
PATONG: The Ministry of Interior is looking at the enforcement of the 2 am closing law and may decide to make an exception for Patong, allowing bars and other entertainment venues in the town to stay open later. The announcement of the possible reprieve was made today by the Governor of Phuket, Pongpayome Vasaputi. He stressed that the clampdown on…
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Bikers raise B38,000 for schools
PATONG: Organizers of the 7th Phuket Bike Week have announced that the event, which ends today, has raised 38,000 baht for charity. Proceeds will go to Wat Suwan Kiriwong School, Baan Sai Namyen School and Baan Kalim School. Somnuek “Nicky” Phonkaew, one of the organizers of Bike Week, told the Gazette that the funds are to be earmarked to buy…
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Gambling tops arrest stats
PHUKET: Gambling once again topped the arrest statistics in March, according to figures provided by the Phuket Provincial Police. In the course of 136 raids, 223 people were arrested for gambling. Narcotics offences came second in the league, with 102 people arrested in the course of 96 busts. A total of 1,679 “ya bah” (methamphetamine) pills were seized. The other…
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Man hangs himself from tree
PHUKET TOWN: A man was found on Sunday hanging from a tree behind his home in Phuket Villa California. A neighbor walking by saw Teap Bourkeaw, 73, a native of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, hanging by a piece of cloth from the tree. The neighbor managed to get K. Teap down from the tree and called the police, but K. Teap…
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Six dead, 520 hurt during Songkhran
PHUKET: Six people died in traffic accidents in Phuket during the Songkhran holiday, according to statistics compiled from all of the island’s hospitals. In addition, 520 people were injured in traffic accidents. “Ninety percent of the accidents involved motorbikes, and most occurred between the evening of April 13 and the early morning of April 14,” Ampaipan Pawawattananusorn of the Phuket…
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Homeowners urged to join anti-crime scheme
KATHU: Police are urging anyone going away during the Songkhran period to notify them so that they can keep an eye on their homes until they get back. Joining the “Let The Police Watch Your Home” scheme is free, and is very simple, said Pol Lt Col Witoon Kongsudjai, inspector of Tung Tong Police Station. All householders need do is…
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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