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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BISP students to train like the tennis champs
PHUKET: Even if you’ve never held a tennis racket and you don’t follow tennis news, you probably know the name of Rafael Nadal. Ranked number one by ATP, Olympic Gold medalist in Beijing, eight-time winner of the French Open, two-time Wimbledon Champion, two-time US Open Champion… the list goes on. But Nadal isn’t the only Spaniard to conquer the world…
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New Muay Thai stadium to open in Phuket
PHUKET: A new Muay Thai boxing stadium named Taied Stadium will open in Chalong on September 18.The stadium is located at the heart of the island’s Muay Thai training scene on Soi Taied in Chalong, on the same site as a temporary stadium that hosted several fights earlier this year in order to gauge spectators’ interest. The stadium’s owner, Tawatchai…
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Phuket’s White Prison status untainted by porn cache
PHUKET: The overcrowded Phuket Provincial Prison maintained it’s unblemished White Prison status despite dirty magazines, as well as other contraband, being turned up in a pre-dawn raid this morning. “We searched all possible places that inmates could be hiding contraband and found three adult-content magazines, two pairs of box cutters and a leather belt,” said Phuket Prison Chief Rapin Nichanon.…
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India crush feeble England to win one-day series
PHUKET: India’s Shikhar Dhawan smashed a six to seal a crushing nine-wicket victory over hapless England in the fourth one-day international in Birmingham on Tuesday. The tourists cruised to a win that gave them an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series after another feeble England batting display in which the hosts were bowled out for a paltry 206 at Edgbaston.…
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Phuket police officers accused of extortion to be formally charged in two weeks
PHUKET: An official from the Public-sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) has announced that his officers need two more weeks to complete an investigation into three Chalong Police officers for their alleged abuse of power. “We are nearly ready to press formal charges and hand the case to the public prosecutor, but we need about two more weeks to finish our…
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Police raid offices of Phuket Pisona Group kingpins
PHUKET: Police this morning swooped in on the offices of the Pisona Group on Phra Baramee Road in Patong, home of the central holding company belonging to former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin and his son Prab. Officers led by Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, the Region 8 Police deputy commander who has spearheaded the purge of Phuket’s taxi mafia, seized one…
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Federer goes for another win under the lights
PHUKET: Roger Federer will get to break out his trademark all-black outfit again on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court at the U.S. Open on Tuesday. The 32-year-old Swiss, five times the champion in New York, takes on Spain’s 17th seed Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the quarter-finals, having won 24 of his 25 matches under the lights at Flushing…
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Dolphinarium company calls meeting with Phuket vice governor
PHUKET: A representative of Phuket Aqua Project Co Ltd, the company that is building the Nemo dolphinarium in Chalong, held a closed-door meeting with Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa this morning. “We have heard that many people do not agree with our project,” the representative, who declined to be named, told the Phuket Gazette after the meeting. “People need to…
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Phuket taxi mafia suspects Pisona Group’s Pian Keesin and the “Pisona Seven’ out on bail
PHUKET: Former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, his sons “Prab” and Pattawee, and five other members of the Keesin-owned Pisona Group have been released on bail. Wanted on charges of extortion and criminal activities carried out by a criminal association (story here), Mr Pian and five other suspects from Pisona Group surrendered to officers at the Royal Thai Navy base at…
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Keesin family trio denied bail over Phuket mafia charges
PHUKET: Former Patong mayor Pian Keesin, two of his sons and five others wanted for their alleged role in taxi mafia activity on the island were denied bail by police today. Patong kingpin Preechawut “Prab” Keesin announced on his Facebook account on Thursday that he would turn himself over to the authorities on Monday [today], but did so at the…
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No hotline for Phuket’s roaming metered taxis – yet
PHUKET: Though roaming metered taxis officially hit the streets of Phuket today, there is no metered-taxi hotline or call service available, confirmed Phuket Land Transport Office chief Terayout Prasertpol to the Phuket Gazette. “We are already planning a hotline, as well as a call service at the airport, but at the moment the number of taxis is just too small…
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Officials under fire for allegedly issuing illegal Phuket land documents
PHUKET: More than a dozen officials suspected of illegally issuing land titles in Phuket are now under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), confirmed an NACC official on Saturday. “Sirinath National Park officers filed complaints with the Thalang Police. We then received a list of 16 officials that work for various government departments,” explained Prasart Pongsivapai of the NACC’s…
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Former Patong mayor surrenders to Navy for Phuket taxi mafia charges
PHUKET: Former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin surrendered to officers at the Royal Thai Navy base at Phuket’s Cape Panwa this morning. Mr Pian, and six other members of his operating company Pisona Group, including his son Pattawee Keesin, presented themselves at the base and were taken into custody. Under military escort, all seven suspects were handed over to Phuket City…
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Metered taxi prices jump as roving service starts in Phuket
PHUKET: A hike in metered taxi fares comes as roving metered taxis officially begin foraging Phuket for passengers, after the grand opening of the new island-wide service this morning. “We will now see more metered taxis driving throughout the island. There will eventually be about 1,400 metered taxis on Phuket,” said Phuket International Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham. “These metered taxi…
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Phuket taxi mafia fugitive Prab Keesin surrenders in Bangkok
PHUKET: Preechavude “Prab” Keesin, son of former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, surrendered to police in Bangkok this morning. Mr Prab and his father are both facing charges for their alleged involvement in Phuket’s taxi mafia, and were the main targets in a high-profile raid last week (story here). Specifically, they are facing charges of extortion and criminal activities carried out…
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Murray looks to continue success against French
PHUKET: No one loves beating up on French players quite like Andy Murray. Until losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Toronto last month, Murray had won 18 straight matches against French players. His career record against the French is 67-13 and between losing to Tsonga in the first round of the Australian Open in 2008 and to Richard Gasquet in the…
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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