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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Lost in translation – Karon seafood restaurant staff chase American customer
SCREENSHOT: เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket A post on the Facebook page ‘Newshawk Phuket’ has a 30 second video captioned ‘in Karon, what happened?This happened on December 2 at 4PM, on the road, in front of Karon Beach, Phuket’. The video shows a group of people running after a western man and attacking him. Today , Karon Police Superintendent, Pol Col…
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Strong interest of foreign investors in Phuket’s resorts – JLL report
PHOTO: Dhawa Phuket “In the Asia Pacific, Phuket is one of the three hotel investment markets in the region that have been highlighted.” Buoyed by the rise of experience-driven travel and an affinity toward locally-inspired hotel offerings, resort assets remain a top target among investors. According to JLL Hotels & Hospitality’s Global Resort Report, resort sales accounted for 20% of…
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The 33rd Phuket King’s Cup Regatta runs to December 7
The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, kicks off its 33rd year this week and will run to December 7, 2019. With 10 classes of Keelboats and Multihulls, and six International Dinghy Classes, and the new IOMC (International One Metre Class) class, the regatta aims to grow sustainable sailing communities and help develop the skills of a new wave of sailors and…
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1 killed, 9 injured in Phuket road incidents
A woman has died and nine others injured in three separate incidents in Phuket. In the first accident, in Muang district, eyewitnesses say a Toyota Vios swerved before overturning and ending up on its roof. A 42 year old woman, Netchanok Det-arn was thrown from the car and seriously injured. The driver, who hasn’t yet been identified, was slightly injured…
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Individuals and Phuket government pass on insurance for building collapse victims
PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News On November 29, at the Phuket Provincial Hall, Phuket Governor, Pakkapong Tawipat, was the host of a ceremony to formally pass on the reimbursement from insurance companies to the families of victims after the under-construction petrol station collapsed on workers, killing 7 and injuring 2, on November 21. The Insurance Administration Organisation investigated the insurance of…
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Taiwan’s Eva Air adds direct flights to Phuket from next April
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com As the tourist demographic matures and evolves, so does the airline mix landing in Phuket. Now Phuket’s direct international airlift is set to increase again with non-stop flights from Taipei, Taiwan on Eva Air. The island’s airline traffic is already almost booked out for the next few months with Phuket International Airport officials asking airlines…
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Thailand Charter Week a great success for Thai yachting industry
Organisers of the Thailand Charter Week hope to make next year’s event even bigger after this month’s successful inaugural edition at Phuket Yacht Haven. Yachts hosted familiarisation cruises around Phang Nga Bay and surrounding areas. The second edition is being held from November 14-18, 2020. Many of the world’s most renowned brokerage houses, Asia’s leading charter companies and Thailand-based yacht service…
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Phuket tollway and tunnel project, linking Kathu and Patong, awaiting approval
PHOTOS: Phuket People’s Voice Phuket’s first ever tolled highway, to be built linking Kathu to Patong route, is awaiting approval from the government’s committee on public-private partnership. This will be the first ever tolled highway in Thailand that also allows motorcycles. The infamous, and much-discussed, Patong Tunnel, and accompanying link roads, has been a slow-burn story over the past two…
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Another leatherback sea turtle lays eggs in Phang Nga
Today (November 27), Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat posted on his Facebook about a positive update on the leatherback sea turtle eggs at Thai Mueang Beach in Phang Nga, as it seems a new mother turtle just laid eggs on the beach and the spot is quite close along the coast to the previous one. Dr. Thon said that the first mother…
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Warnings of heavy rain and flash floods for southern Thailand
The Thailand Meteorological Department is warning about possible heavy rain and strong winds for the south of the country as a result of the strong northeast monsoon currently over the Gulf of Thailand. The northeast monsoon started in the south of Thailand this year from mid to late October, reducing the length of the annual wet season. Many parts of…
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10 months later, no action to catch Bea’s murderer – Phuket
PHOTO: Dimitrios ‘Dim’ Chairopoulo, wanted and believed to be living in Greece “We are all in desperate need of some answers so that justice can be served for the family.” It’s been over 10 months since the murder of a local Phuket beautician 43 year old Niramon ‘Bea’ Aewkaew. But her alleged Greek murderer Dimitrios ‘Dim’ Chairopoulos remains on the…
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MD on the run – arrest warrant out for owner of company constructing petrol station in Phuket
PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews The owner of a company responsible for the collapsed petrol station under construction in Thalang, Phuket, is on the run. Seven people died and two others injured when the concrete pillars gave way to a concrete slab, crushing those below. Chuchart Plasuwan is the 44 year old MD of the The Blue Phuket Co Ltd. The incident…
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All passengers rescued after cruise incident off Koh Phi Phi
PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews At about 10am this morning (November 25), the passengers and crew of La Belle Des Ocean, a cruise that crashed into a submerged reef near Bida Nok, 3 nautical miles off Koh Phi Phi Ley, have arrived back at the Phuket Deep Sea Port. There were 150 passengers on board and the cruise was on its way…
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Representative of the owner of collapsed building visits the victims in Phuket
PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews On November 23, the owner of the petrol station project, where the concrete structure collapsed on Thursday, killing 7 people and injuring two, sent a representative of the project to visit the injured and the families of the deceased. The incident occurred on November 21 at about 1pm. The victims were the contractors and workers of the…
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Motorcycle thieves arrested in Patong
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Patong Police arrested three men in the seaside city with motorbikes that had been stolen. It appears the group has been stealing motorcycles around Patong since November 20. The group was spotted stealing a motorcycle on Phra Metta Road in Patong. After further investigation and inspection of CCTV it was discovered that the gang conducted their thefts…
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Arrest warrants issued over Phuket building collapse which killed seven
PHOTO: Matichon Online Thalang District police yesterday issued an arrest warrant for the owner of a construction company responsible for the collapse of a building under construction in Thalang, Phuket, according to online news portal Matichon. Seven Thai and Burmese workers were killed and another two injured following the collapse of the single story concrete structure at a new petrol…
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UPDATE: Police investigate building collapse in Phuket, killing seven
PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews UPDATE: Kritsana Pattanachareon, deputy spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police, says that an initial investigation into the collapse of a petrol station being built in Thalang, Phuket on Thepkasattri Road, resulting in seven deaths, indicated that poor construction standards were to blame. “We were informed by police from the Thalang district station that a concrete slab being…
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Laguna Phuket Triathlon returns to the island November 23 & 24
PHOTO: lagunaphukettri.com The Laguna Phuket Triathlon returns next week with a strong pro athlete line up vying for US$20,000 (605,500 baht) prize money on Sunday, November 24. The 26th Laguna Phuket Triathlon, will comprise a 1.8 kilometre swim, a 50 kilometre bike event and a 12 kilometre run in Asia’s Laguna Phuket resort area as well as various scenic locations in…
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Five Chinese awaiting deportation after being arrested in Phuket over illegal FOREX trading
PHOTO: SCMP Five Chinese are now in custody after being arrested over the running of an illegal online foreign-exchange. They were running the business from a residential housing estate in Chalong, Phuket. Phuket Immigration officers raided the rented property in the Baan Maneekram-Jomthong Thani estate in Chalong at the end of October. The five were arrested and taken to the…
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Construction site collapse, kills 7, injures at least 2 in Phuket
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Seven people are now dead and at least 2 injured following the collapse of a petrol station construction site near the Home Pro building in Thepkasattri Road in Thalang, northern Phuket. The latest source of deaths and injuries comes from Thai Rath. Construction labourers were stuck under an enormous slab of concrete early this afternoon at 12.50pm.…
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More than 30 dolphins spotted off Phang Nga coast – VIDEO
More than 30 dolphins were spotted around Phang Nga yesterday. Yesterday morning (November 17), Dive Master Nattapong Ninsawit from Sea Bees Diving Khao Lak revealed that he and his customers spotted a number of dolphins on the way back from their diving trip to Similan Islands. The group were travelling back, and while the boat was passing Similan Islands and…
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Karon residents receive financial assistance for last month’s floods in Phuket
PHOTO: siangtai.com Following the unexpected localised floods around Phuket on October 31, particularly around the Karon area, affecting 400 houses, a group of government officials, local businesses and monks pooled their resources to help the victims. The organising group consisted of the village chief, sub-district chief, Karon business owners and hotel entrepreneurs, the Abbot of Suwan Kirikhet Temple (Karon Temple)…
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Two Thai restaurants grab their second Michelin star – new guide 2019
Traditional Thai restaurants ‘R-Haan’ and southern-style ‘Sorn’ have each scored two Michelin Stars for 2020, while ‘Le Normandie’, ‘Mezzaluna’, and ‘Sühring’ held onto their two stars. Another 24 restaurants in Thailand received their first Michelin gongs. The awards were announced at the launch of the 2020 Michelin Guide for Thailand, featuring award winning restaurants in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and…
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Phuket scores #2 in Asia’s most popular destination list – Trip Advisor survey
PHOTO: Bangkok Cheap Hotels Phuket has scored the second position in the list of Asia’s Top 25 Destination in a Trip Advisor survey. The survey is done across the travel website’s million of users. Bali scored the #1 position in the extensive reader survey. Three other destinations in Thailand made the Top 25 list – Bangkok at #11, Chiang Mai…
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Inaugural Thailand Charter Week in Phuket opens tomorrow
PHOTO: Phuket Yacht Haven, ready for the inaugural Thailand Charter Week – asia-marine.net The Tourism Authority of Thailand has signed up as a Supporting Sponsor of the first Thailand Charter Week in a huge boost for the inaugural six-day event, held at Phuket Yacht Haven from tomorrow to November 21. Organisers were also facing the ‘good problem’ of over demand for berths,…
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Utopia Music Festival: Dare to Dream!
On November 11, 2019, Utopia Corporation arranged the Utopia Music Festival at their condominiums in Nai Harn Beach, using a theme of superhero. The concept of ‘Dare to Dream’ showcases the outstanding and unique properties under Utopia Corporation. The music festival started with a speech from Utopia CEO Hachi Yin and Vice President Leo Li, who explained their various…
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‘Coconut Water Gang’ arrested for trafficking children in Phuket
PHOTO: mgronline.com “The child told him that a gang gathered some kids and forced them to sell coconut water and would beat them up sometimes.” Patong police have announced the arrest of the ‘Coconut Water Gang’. There were four suspects from Nakohn Si Thammarat. The gang was accused of trafficking children by forcing them to roam the streets of Patong…
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Rare sighting of 5 metre manta ray in Similan Islands
A dive instructor has reported a sighting of a rare giant manta ray in the Similan Islands National Park in Phang Nga province. Somporn Kaewmaneechote from Sea Turtle Divers says he spotted the marine creature near Ta Chai island while accompanying a group of divers at a depth of about 26 metres. He says the ray was about four or…
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Kata Group launches new 512-room Phuket family resort – Pamookkoo Resort
Kata Group, Phuket’s oldest hotel group, is launching its eighth resort, the Pamookkoo Resort. The cost of the investment is 1.75 billion baht. The new resort is in the heart of Kata. Kata Group opened its first hotel on Phuket 40 years ago and was a pioneer in attracting the early tourists to the island’s southwest coast. The new hotel…
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New eyesight for the Thaiger – modern lens exchange surgery in Thailand
Tim Newton is the lead writer and editor of The Thaiger English. Healthy, happy, busy and no feeling that I’m actually 61 years old. But there I was, about to undergo eye surgery that would rid me of my annoying reading glasses and give me an equivalent of the vision I had when I was a lot younger. Luckily there…
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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