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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Police investigate motorbike hoons in Patong
PHOTOS: Patong Police Patong Police are investigating alleged foreign motorbike racing gangs in Patong after a viral video clip in local social media. The Patong Police report that the clip of tourists who have been driving their motorbikes at high speed around the streets of Patong has been very popular and provided them with a lot of information about the…
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Elderly motorbike driver dies in Thalang crash
A 74 year old motorbike driver has died after colliding with a high speed taxi in Thalang this morning. The Thalang Police headed to the accident near an intersection of Thepkrasattri – Nai Yang Road in Thalang at 7.40am. When they arrived they found a damaged taxi. Nearby they located the damaged motorbike. 74 year old Somchai Uttasaha, the motorbike…
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Motorbike driver dies in Phuket collision
A motorbike driver has died after colliding with a car in Phuket Town yesterday. The Phuket City Police were notified of the incident on Takua Pa Road in Phuket Town at 2am yesterday. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a damaged car driven by 28 year old Tanyapat Donkamnerd who was waiting for police at the scene. Nearby they…
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Mahout charged after Italian tourists injured from elephant attack
A mahout has been charged after an elephant attacked an Italian tourist in Phang Nga yesterday. Phang Nga livestock officials say the elephant was too young for elephant rides. A 29 year old Italian tourist, and his 31 year old travel companion, remain in Phang Nga hospital this morning following the elephant attack yesterday. Read more about the attack HERE. Chief…
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Italian tourists injured in goring attack by bull elephant in Phang Nga park
A 29 year old Italian tourist, and his travel companion, are in a Phang Nga hospital this morning following an elephant attack. The man was seriously injured yesterday when a 12 year old male elephant, that he and a friend were riding as part of a tourist activity in Phang Nga’s Mueang district, suddenly shook them to the ground and…
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Motorbike driver dies after slamming into the back of a parked bus, Phuket
A motorbike driver has died after colliding with the rear of a parked bus on the side of the road in Thalang this morning. Thalang Police say the incident happened at 5am on Sanambin Mueangmai Road (4026) which is about 200 metres from the Thalang Technical College. Police and emergency responders arrived to find the parked bus. Embedded into the…
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Baby Risso’s Dolphin rescued at Railay Beach in Krabi
PHOTO: DMCR A baby Risso’s Dolphin has been rescued after being found on Railay Beach in Krabi on Sunday. Officials at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) were notified that the baby dolphin was found of the east end of Railay Beach. The DMCR says that the species is a baby Risso’s dolphin. This one is 250 centimetres…
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Swedish man runs amok on Phuket’s main road
Police and rescue services were called to Phuket’s main arterial north-south road where a 57 year old Swedish man was running around the road and darting in front of traffic. Police speculate that, as his visa was running out, he may been on a suicide mission. They’ve also revealed that he is mentally unstable. Daily News reports that Thalang police,…
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Motorbike driver dies after colliding with sedan on Thepkasattri Road, Phuket
A motorbike driver has died after colliding with a sedan driven by a Russian driver who was allegedly making a “risky” U-turn on Thepkrasattri Road in Koh Kaew yesterday. The incident happened at 3.30pm yesterday. Police and other emergency responders arrived to find a white sedan, a motorbike and a pickup truck. The motorbike driver had sustained serious injuries –…
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54 year old Swede dodges traffic in Thepkasattri Road, Phuket
PHUKET: Achadtaya Chuenniran A 54 year old Swedish tourist is now in custody after running around Thepkasattri road yesterday morning dodging cars and causing traffic mayhem. Luckily no cars came in contact with the man police described as ‘mentally ill’. A video clip from the incident shows the man running in and out of the traffic on Thepkasattri Road in…
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Hong Kong property tzars team up for new Phang Nga development “Aquella”
FILE PHOTO Two of Hong Kong’s leading entrepreneurs Allan Zeman and Richard Li are developing a mixed-use project in Thai Muang, Phang Nga named Aquella. The initial phase of the development includes a par 72, 18 hole golf course, resort pool villa residences with two to four bedroom unit configurations back of a massive land site that offers over 2.5…
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Police to target motorbike rental shops when renters are unlicensed
Police are targeting the rental operators of motorbikes when unlicensed foreigners have motorbike accidents. Police today say they are questioning the renters of the bike involved in Sunday night’s crash on Patong Hill between a pickup truck driven by 47 year old Thavorn Glasueak and a motorbike carrying two Russians, a 29 and 31 year old. This incident happened at the…
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Phuket City football club has been announced
The news of the new team was announced to the press today. President of the Phuket City team, Tammawat Wongjaroenyod, says, “I love sport especially football. It is my most favorite sport. I have decided to be the president of the team as Phuket is an international tourism city. I want tourists to know more about beautiful natural places in…
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Couples get hitched in Phuket on Valentines Day
Many Thai and foreign couples have registered marriage certificates today, Valentines Day, at the Phuket District Office. The Phuket Vice Governor Prakob Wongmaneerung has present at the office where about 35 couples registered for marriage certificates when the doors opened at 10am. A Thai couple was first, followed by a foreign couple. But the Office predicts there will be at…
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Chinese tourist rescued after a diving incident at Koh Racha
PHOTOS: Go-Eco Phuket A male Chinese tourist is currently in a satisfactory condition in hospital after a diving accident off Koh Racha Yai, south west of Phuket, yesterday. Go-Eco Phuket, a local conversational group, reported that they were notified of the incident at about noon. “The male Chinese tourist bought a diving course from a diving operator on the island.…
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Kamala’s Twinpalms Montazure poised to welcome guests in July
Set on the golden sands of Kamala Beach, Twinpalms MontAzure will welcome its first guests in July this year. Already a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the boutique beach hotel offers beautifully appointed Suites, Penthouses and Private Pool Suites. Suites range in size from 70m2 to Penthouses with private pools and sea views boasting large living spaces…
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Two injured Chinese tourists head home
The Tourist Police have escorted two Chinese tourists, who sustained injuries from last Saturday’s speedboat accident, back to the airport for their return to China. The speedboat captain has now been charged over a “reckless act causing injury” but continues to deny the charge. Read more about the latest charges and investigation into Saturday’s incident HERE. Last night Col Tongchai Wilaiprom…
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Patong Police warn tourists to be aware of their belongings
FILE PHOTO Patong Police are warning tourists to be aware of their belonging before going to the beach after a suspect stole the belongings of a French tourist near Patong Beach. The Patong Police reported the news about a suspect that snatched the foreigner’s belongings at Patong Beach on Sunday night. The news was popular in local social media. After…
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UPDATE: Speedboat captain charged, two Chinese tourists remain in hospital
A speedboat captain has now been charged over a “reckless act causing injury” but the captain is denying the charge. Two Chinese tourists remain in hospital following Saturday’s collision between the tour boat and a moored small oil tanker just off the east coast of Phuket. A number of Chinese tourists and boat crew were injured as a result of…
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Three die in Phuket crashes in two separate incidents
Three motorbike riders have died in two separate incidents in Phuket, last night and early this morning. The first accident happened at 7.40pm last night. The Phuket City Police were notified of the accident in front of the Thep Buri housing estate in Rassada. Two motorbikes had collided with each other. Two people died in that incident. Another crash happened…
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16 month old baby dies after being crushed by a bus in Rawai
A 16 month old girl has sustained serious injuries after being crushed by a bus in Rawai. She later died at hospital. Rescue workers were notified about the incident at 6pm last night at Rawai beach. Emergency responders arrived to find the bus. The injured girl, who had sustained injuries, had already been rushed to a Rawai Sub-district Health Promoting…
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49 baby leatherback sea turtles hatched on Phang Nga Beach – VIDEOS
PHOTOS / VIDEOS: Thon Thamrongnawasawat/ DMCR 49 baby leatherback sea turtle hatched on Kuek Kak Beach in Takua Pa, Phang Nga last night. 48 of them have survived and headed straight for the Andaman Sea once they got their bearings. A large leatherback sea turtle had laid eggs on a beach in Phang Nga in December. Read more about the delight…
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Romanian tourist dies in Phuket motorbike incident
A Romanian man has died after a motorbike accident at Ao Yon in Wichit on Saturday. Wichit Police report that they were notified from the Phuket City Police that the body of a foreign tourist, who had died from injuries received in a road accident, was being kept at the Vachira Phuket Hospital. The man was later identified by the…
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Chinese boy dies after slipping from pool ledge on fifth floor of Kamala hotel
A Chinese boy has died after slipping from a pool ledge on the fifth floor at a hotel in Kamala last night. The boy fell five floors and hit the ground. Kamala Police were notified that the body of the boy had arrived at Patong Hospital at 8.50pm last night. Police arrived to confirm the death of a nine year…
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UPDATE: An ‘engine malfunction’ blamed for boat collision off Phuket
A number of Chinese tourists and boat crew were injured as a result of their speed boat hitting a small oil tanker off the east coast of Phuket on Saturday afternoon. At this stage the investigation reveals that the speedboat’s engine ‘malfunctioned’. (Is that like ‘brake failure’?) The oil tanker’s captain says that he had stopped the tanker to help…
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UPDATE: Speedboat collides with oil tanker off Phuket
A number of Chinese tourists have been injured, one seriously, after the speed boat they were on hit a small oil tanker off the east coast of Phuket yesterday afternoon (Saturday). The speed boat, Sai Nam, was carrying 10 Chinese passengers, including two children, was heading back to Phuket after a day at Koh Phi Phi. The tour was between…
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Twelve injured in boat accident off Phuket – PHOTOS
PHOTOS: มานพ สิงห์ 8823 / Newshawk Phuket Twelve passengers were injured in a boat accident near Koh Rang off the east coast of Phuket. There was also one captain and a crew on the boat The Phuket PR reports that the speedboat’s name is ‘Kor Sainam’ and that it collided with another boat carrying the name ‘Chock Kreangkrai’. 12 passengers…
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Cement truck brings down four power poles in Chalong, motorbike driver injured
A foreigner has sustained an injury after a cement truck became entangled with cables and brought down four power poles in Chalong . The incident was in Soi Anusorn at the intersection with Patak Road in Chalong at 12.25pm today. Police and rescue workers arrived to find the cement truck sitting in the middle of the road. Cables were found…
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Phuket Governor confirms there is enough water in Phuket
PHOTO: Bang Wad Dam, Kathu The Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana has confirmed that Phuket has enough water supplies for residential use without restrictions. The PWA announced start dates for odd/even day water restrictions to start in some areas of the island from today (Friday). But a day after the announcement, the PWA followed up by cancelling the restrictions. Read more…
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Water Authority cancels water restrictions in Phuket
PHOTO: Bang Wad dam in Kathu The Phuket Waterworks Authority (PWA) has announced a cancellation for water restrictions that were set to hit some some areas around Phuket from tomorrow. The PWA announced start dates for water restrictions to start in some areas of the island on Monday. The restrictions were set on an odd/even rotation and are usually a…
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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