Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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Phuket water authority defends water shutoffs
PHUKET: An argument broke out during the Phuket Governor’s monthly meeting with the media yesterday when journalist-residents of Wichit turned on the manager of Phuket Provincial Waterworks demanding to know why their water had been suddenly cut off for three days.“Phuket Provincial Waterworks shut off the water supply water without notice,” said one media member who lives in Wichit.“I didn’t…
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Phuket teaches Russian, Chinese and Korean tour operators how to be legal
PHUKET: The Phuket Employment Office yesterday launched a two-day series of seminars to educate Russians, Chinese and Koreans operating tourism-related businesses in Phuket about work permits and employment law regarding foreigners.Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut officiated the opening of the first seminar yesterday, attended by 100 foreign and Thai representatives working for tour operators that cater to Russians tourists.Talks were delivered…
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Australian honorary consul Larry Cunningham steps down
PHUKET: Larry Cunningham, Australia’s Honorary Consul in Phuket, will retire at the end of this month. Mr Cunningham was designated as Honorary Consul in 2005 and has been in the position formally since October 2007. Australian Ambassador to Thailand James Wise paid tribute to him. “Australia could not have wished for a more committed and energetic honorary consul,” he said.…
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Phuket pilgrimage to honor the late Luang Pu Supha
PHUKET: Followers of revered monk Luang Pu Supha will travel to his final resting place in Sakon Nakhon Province, in Northeast Thailand, to honor the man who became one of Phuket’s best-known monks.Formally known as Phra Mongkol Visut, Luang Pu Supha died at 5:20am today, confirmed Piyawat Seehaworrachart, who had served the revered monk since 1959.“I was very sad towards…
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Body with head wound found floating near Phuket port
PHUKET: An investigation is underway after a man’s body was found floating at the Yod Duangporn fishing port in Rassada yesterday morning.The body bore a 10cm wound to the scalp, stretching from the middle of the forehead to the top if the head, said Lt Col Watcharapong Praiphun of the Phuket City police.“The man was wearing a medallion with Mon…
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Phuket taxi driver pleads guilty to abducting, sexually assaulting Chinese tourist
PHUKET: The illegal taxi driver charged with abducting and sexually assaulting a Chinese teen tourist on May 17 (story here) entered a plea of guilty to all charges at Phuket Provincial Court this morning. Paitoon Kruain, 32, initially told the court he was innocent of the crimes, but changed his plea to guilty after a robust challenge from the judge.…
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Race for adventure
PHUKET: Adventure racing is a sport that is rapidly capturing the imagination of sporting and adrenaline junkies in Thailand and around the world. These non-stop races, ranging in length from 4-8 hours, require teams to run, trek, mountain bike and paddle, while navigating a course through the wilderness. Likened to an expedition with a stopwatch, adventure racing requires teamwork, perseverance,…
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Poll: Who are the real victims of corruption in Phuket?
PHUKET: The recent allegation that at least 60 million baht in corruption payments was fleeced each and every month from businesses and individuals in Patong finally put a figure on just a part of the corruption rampant in Phuket (story here). Every person who has been forced to face the ugly reality of corruption knows what it feels like to…
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Phuket party thieves arrested with B1mn of stolen goods
PHUKET: Two hedonistic thieves who robbed a liquor store and drove off with their loot in the back of the store’s truck have been apprehended with over a million baht of loot from an extended stealing spree around Phuket. Undercover officers first located Ekkachai “Ek” Sae Kang, 33, on a soi off Sakdidet Road, and he led them to his…
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Baby’s body found at Phuket garbage depot
PHUKET: The body of a dead baby girl was found yesterday at the Karon trash-separating facility.Capt Channarong Prakongkua of the Karon Police told the Phuket Gazette, “One of the trash collectors said he was separating trash at the garbage depot at around 5:30pm, when he opened a plastic bag and found the tiny corpse.“It was a baby girl with the…
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Phuket braces for more underpass traffic jams at Tesco junction
PHUKET: Motorists who have seen the road blocks placed on the median strip in front of Tesco-Lotus on the bypass road (map here) need not fear about long traffic jams at that intersection just yet, the Phuket Gazette has been told. Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad confirmed to the Gazette that there are no plans to block the road…
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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