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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Trawler sinks off Phuket after collision with barge
PHUKET: In the latest marine mishap off Phuket, a crew of 12 fishermen were saved by another fishing boat after their trawler slammed into a sand barge off Wichit last night. Pol Sub-Lt of the Phuket Marine Police received a report of the accident at 7am. The 10-meter trawler Sri Thong Prae 4 from Ranong was cruising about 2 kilometers…
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National census underway in Phuket
PHUKET: Thailand’s national census-taking in now underway in Phuket, which is the first province where the data collection is taking place.Phuket Provincial Statistical Office (PPSO) chief Yuthachai Apichaicharnkit said the census, held every ten years, was initially slated to begin nationwide on July 1, but had to be postponed to September 1 due to the civil unrest in Bangkok in…
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Truck crash: Phuket power pole snapped in half
PHUKET: Two truck drivers emerged unscathed after a high-speed collision that snapped a power pole in two early this morning. The accident took place on Thepkrassatri Road southbound, in front of the Honda Marine showroom in Koh Kaew. The driver, who identified himself only as “Cha-oum”, said he slammed into the pole at about 3:30am. Mr Cha-oum said he had…
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MET issued flood warning for Phuket
PHUKET: Due to prevailing strong monsoonal conditions, the Meteorological Department (MET) has issued a flood warning to residents in risk areas of Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Ranong. Issued by the MET Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) at Phuket International Airport at 11am today, the warning states that residents in risk areas should be prepared for flooding and flash-flooding. It…
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Two Chiang Mai men arrested for selling yaba
PHUKET TOWN: Two men from Chiang Mai were arrested on Wednesday last week for trafficking in amphetamines (yaba). A total of 300 pills of the drug were seized by the arresting officers. Undercover officers observed the two, aged 46 and 24, selling the drug in a restaurant at the junction of Si Sena Rd and Surin Rd. The two were…
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Phuket Raceweek draws to wild close
PHUKET: Winds gusting up to 35 knots and driving rain drew the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek regatta to a dramatic close yesterday with two men being catapulted overboard and at least one boat being left with her mast in tatters. The racers received an early warning before the final day of racing after news spread yesterday morning that Stuart Williamson’s…
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Children of murdered bar hostess to receive scholarship funds
PHUKET: The two young children of Wanphen Pienjai, the Phuket bar hostess murdered by American Ron Fanelli, have been accepted into the Scholarship Program of the Rotary Club of Patong Beach (RCPB) and will receive financial support on an ongoing basis. Meanwhile, Wanphen’s mother, Sa-ard Maliwan, 59, has told the Phuket Gazette that she gave 5,000 baht of the 20,000…
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Sunee’s murderer flees Phuket: police
PHUKET: Police have released images of the man they believe is responsible for stabbing Sunee Premprasert and then slitting her throat and leaving her to die in Thalang on Thursday. Tah Chat Chai Police duty officer Watcharin Jirattikarnwiwat told the Gazette this afternoon that police were continuing their investigation, but believe the suspect was no longer on the island. Ms…
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Warning to Phuket Tourists: Don’t swim!
Phuket NEWS Hound – A daily digest of news from around the world compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community. PHUKET: Red flag warnings are in force along Phuket’s west coast beaches, several of which have achieved notoriety in recent years for scores of drownings and near-drownings during the monsoon season (May through October). Strong West/Southwesterly winds reaching speeds…
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Phuket bars closed for two days
PHUKET: All bars and nightlife entertainment venues on the island must close for the two-day Asarnha Bucha Day public holidays (today and tomorrow), Phuket Provincial Police have confirmed. A spokesperson in the Phuket Provincial Police planning section today confirmed that there will be a two-day ban on alcohol sales at all nightlife venues. Alcohol sales at retail establishments will remain…
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Manhunt for Phuket maid murderer
PHUKET: Police say they know the identity of the man who stabbed a house maid to death at a luxury home Thalang last week and expect to make an arrest “soon”. The murder was reported to Tah Chat Chai Police on Thursday night by 50-year-old Khwanjai Aroonjareornkul, owner of the luxury home near the border to Sirinath National Park where…
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FC Phuket crush Chumphon FC, 5-1
PHUKET: Coming off a tough 2-0 home loss to Yala, Phuket’s proud new football club, FC Phuket, regrouped with a 5-1 win at home over hapless Chumphon FC yesterday. FC Phuket took the lead 18 minutes into play with a nice left-footed shot from in front of the goal by Sarach Yooyen. Some scrappy play ensued, with Thawin Butrsombat suffering…
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Phuket Town wins international development award
PHUKET: Phuket City Municipality has received an award in the category of ‘Promoting Economic Development’. The accolade has been granted in recognition of the municipality’s ‘Old Town’ project. Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwanasupana said the municipality was also cited as one of 16 “exemplars of good government” by a group of institutions. The group includes the Thai Environmental Institute; Germany’s…
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Katsu blazes into Phuket Raceweek lead
PHUKET: After trailing Scott Duncanson’s Quantum Fusion M on the opening day of racing in the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek regatta on Thursday, Ben Copley’s Katsu fought back with two first-place finishes yesterday to take the lead in the IRC1 class. Quantum Fusion M placed second and third in yesterday’s two races in the class to hold second place overall…
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Greater Phuket: Phang Nga hit by tough new zoning law
PHUKET: New ministerial regulations covering booming west coast areas in the south of Phang Nga aim to slow the number or new large-scale hotel and residential developments being built on prime oceanfront land in the area. Areas affected by the new regulations include parts of Khok Kloy in Takua Thung District, just across the Sarasin Bridge from Phuket, as well…
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Giant Clam in peril in Phuket waters
PHUKET: Fisheries experts are trying to find ways to culture hardier types of giant clams in order to make the huge mollusks better able to cope with rising sea temperatures, the state-run Thai News Agency has reported. Kongkiat Kittiwattawong, a researcher with the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), said giant clams in local waters face a variety of natural and…
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Laguna Phuket hold charity raffle
PHUKET: A unique painting valued at 60,000 baht by acclaimed Australian artist Chris Hogan will be raffled off to raise funds for Laguna Phuket Foundation’s Developing Sustainable Schools program. Chris is currently Artist in Residence at Laguna Phuket’s Summer Family Festival. The raffle draw will be the centerpiece of the festival’s “Art Party” in Canal Village on July 31, when…
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Duncanson wins Phuket Raceweek opener
PHUKET: Scott Duncanson and his crew on Quantum Fusion M drew first blood in the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek regatta yesterday, beating Ben Copley’s Katsu by more than four minutes on corrected time to lead the IRC 1 class.Anthony Hastings on Baby Tonga placed third in the class.Peter Dyer’s Sea Bees pipped Mike Downard’s Tuay Lek by just 26 seconds…
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TONIGHT! ‘Patong Cocktail Marathon 2010’ starts in Phuket
PHUKET: Bartenders will be center stage in Patong over the next 10 days as Soi Bangla hosts the “Patong Cocktail Marathon 2010″ competition that kicks off tonight. Although the name may sound like a binge drinking competition, the real intent is to showcase the considerable skills of the legions of bartenders who work in bars and pubs all over Thailand.…
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Fanelli arrest: Phuket Police to share Bt50,000 reward
PHUKET: Police investigators will share the 50,000 baht reward money offered for clues leading to the arrest of Ronald Fanelli, Phuket City Police say.Phuket City Police Superintendent Wanchai Ekpornpit told the Gazette this morning that several people offered tips to the police and photos of people they suspected might be responsible, but that none of those led to the arrest…
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Phuket tourism is unsustainable: readers’ poll
PHUKET: More than two-thirds of the respondents to a Phuket Gazette poll believe that the current state of Phuket’s tourism is unsustainable. Respondents were given the definition of sustainable tourism as “an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people”. Of the 435 readers who took…
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Phuket tsunami warning buoy: in good shape after recovery
PHUKET: The drifting tsunami detection buoy recovered on Saturday is not as badly damaged as feared and the unit will be redeployed in its original position off the coast of Phuket at the end of the monsoon season, officials say. The unit was successfully recovered by Navy SEAL divers aboard navy frigate HTMS Bangpakong, which docked at Phang Nga Naval…
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Phuket wastewater won’t stink
KAMALA: Residents in Kamala were informed at a public hearing on July 7 that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report needed to build a 350-million-baht battery of underground wastewater treatment facilities is now complete. The project only needs final approval from the provincial review board and funding to move forward. Kamala Deputy Mayor Santi Auttasup chaired the final public hearing,…
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Miss Thailand World contestants in Phuket for ‘training’
PHUKET: Thirty Miss Thailand World 2010 contestants are at the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket as part of a four-day “training camp” to prepare for the pageant, which will be televised live from Bangkok on the night of August 14. Apart from learning everything they will need to know to succeed in the beauty competition, the contestants will also do some…
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Fears of HFMD outbreak in Phuket
PHUKET: With more than 70 children in Phuket having contracted Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) already this year, Phuket City Municipality has issued an advisory urging parents to beware of the highly contagious malaise. Nittaya Panchamedithee, an officer at the municipality’s health section, said, “There is more chance of an outbreak in the rainy season as the virus can…
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No power, water in parts of Phuket Town tomorrow
PHUKET: Residents of Phuket Town’s tambon Talad Neua might consider getting out of town tomorrow, when there will be a one-day suspension of both electric power and water supply services. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced the power cuts, from 9am to 4pm, to carry out maintenance on high voltage wires The blackout will also affect pumps used to…
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Son-in-law sought over Phuket home blaze
PHUKET: A Kalim man whose home burned to the ground early Sunday morning suspects the blaze was intentionally set by his son-in-law as an act of revenge. Kathu Police Duty Inspector Jakkapong Luang-aon received a report of a fire on Phra Barami Road, Soi 6 in Kalim at about 1:15am on Sunday. By the time police and 15 Patong Municipality…
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Bt1.5 billion needed for Phuket underpass projects
PHUKET: Three public hearings have resulted in firm decisions as to what shape three major road projects on the bypass road will take, if 1.55 billion baht in funding is made available for them. The final meeting, held late last month at The Metropole hotel, was chaired by Vice Governor Nivit Aroonrat. Also presenting information and fielding questions were Kasem…
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Phuket Architect & Engineering Exhibition starts July 29
PHUKET: Royal Phuket City Hotel will host the 10th annual Architect & Engineering Exhibition 2010 from July 29 to August 1. Open daily from 11am to 8am, the expo will feature exhibits of the latest breakthroughs in construction, interior design and building maintenance technology. A wide variety of construction materials from more than 100 manufacturers will be on display, including…
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Phuket to get first “Health Promoting Hospital’ in Thailand
PHUKET: The Kamala Public Health Center will be home to the country’s first “Health Promotion Hospital”, incorporating traditional Chinese medicines into its array of medical services. The center, part of a post-tsunami project which begun in 2005, is co-funded by the Chinese government. Deputy Public Health Minister Pansiri Kulanartsiri said during an inspection of the site last week that 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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