Phuket News
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Tiger disco fire: Police to call in forensics experts from Bangkok
PHUKET: Forensics experts from Bangkok will be called in to assist Phuket officers in their investigation into what caused the deadly inferno at Tiger Discotheque on Patong’s Soi Bangla early this morning. The blaze, which claimed the lives of four people, may have started as a result of an electrical fault inside the building. Events inside the nightclub seem to…
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Tiger fire “sounded like a bomb’, report staff
PHUKET: Staff at the Tiger Discotheque in Patong initially thought the sound of an exploding transformer was a bomb, which caused people to panic and stampede towards the door when fire broke out at the Phuket venue early this morning. Four people were killed and at least 12 others injured, according to officials. Thamrongsak Boonrak, Legal Counsel for Tiger Discotheque,…
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4 dead, 11 injured in Tiger disco inferno
PHUKET: A pre-dawn blaze at the popular Tiger Bar and Discotheque in Phuket has left four people dead and 11 people injured. Among the injured were four French nationals.Kathu Police were notified of the blaze at the well-known Patong nightspot at about 4am. Patong Municipality Fire Department rescuers raced to the scene with eight fire engines. It took them about…
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Phuket Prisoners bestowed Royal Pardon
PHUKET: More than 100 inmates at Phuket Provincial Prison were given a Royal Pardon today in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday and HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 60th birthday.The Royal Pardons were granted by HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej to 750 convicts across Thailand today, 175 of which were incarcerated at Phuket Prison.Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer Chaiwat Taepee…
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Two survive as car plows into Phuket power pole
PHUKET: Two men lucky to be alive are recovering at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town after the car they were travelling in slammed into a power pole in Cherng Talay about midnight last night. Arriving at the scene, on Pasak-Koktanod Road, police and Phuket Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation rescue workers found a white Toyota Vios with extensive damage to its…
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Mother of Phuket Swedish murder victim sues for B24.5mn as trial postponed
PHUKET: Swedish nationals Johan Sebastian Ljung and Tommy Viktor Soderlund, who have been charged with the stabbing murder of Maksim Schantz on August 1 last year, appeared at Phuket Provincial Court on Tuesday. However, as multiple witnesses, necessary to the case, failed to present themselves at the court, the judge reconvened the trial for 9:30am on November 2. Aeknara Luangsanam…
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Chuvit Facebook tip-off sparks Phuket gambling raid
PHUKET: Phuket Police last night raided a gambling den operating near a major government school in Kathu after its location was revealed by controversial MP Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of the Rak Thailand Party, on one of his Facebook pages. The raid on the gambling den, at 7:20pm in a house about 100 meters from Baan Kathu School, was conducted by…
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Forensics to probe suspected Patong jet-ski ‘arson attack’
PHUKET: Police yesterday called in forensic experts to investigate a fire that gutted a house and destroyed five jet-skis in Patong earlier that morning. At the scene, a burnt-down wooden house on Phang Muang Sai Kor Road, they discovered tyres had been placed near where the jet-skis were housed. Suspecting arson, they requested forensic assistance. Lt Col Kittisak Nuphueng, Inspector…
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Governor opens “Festival of 1,000 eyes’
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha yesterday officially opened the 20th Phuket Pineapple Fair at Saphan Hin Park in Phuket Town. The fair kicked off at 5pm and continues through to August 22. Phuket Agricultural chief Winai Khankaew explained to the Gazette, “It’s not just pineapples. There are all kinds of fruit, flowers and other agricultural products on show.” Among the…
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Damrong leads National Park raids on Phuket resorts
PHUKET: National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department (DNP) Director-General Damrong Phidet yesterday led raids on 10 resorts alleged to have encroached on National Park land on Phuket’s west coast. The raids started in the afternoon with Mr Damrong leading 10 teams of investigators brought in from 10 different offices of the Royal Forest Department (RFD) from across Thailand. In…
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Phuket Sports: Orphans team up with Olympic finalists
PHUKET: A group of school children on Phuket played its part in helping the American pair of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross reach the recent Beach Volleyball Olympic final. Last year the duo competed in the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Women’s World Tour in Karon and took some time out from competing in their tournament to watch a school…
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Phuket Town underground cable project ’90 per cent complete’
PHUKET: Phase two of the 39-million-baht project to bury central Phuket Town’s electricity mains cables is more than 90 per cent complete, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana has confirmed. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has already finished burying the electricity mains cable on Krabi and Deebuk Roads. They are now focused on burying the mains supply along sections of Thepkrasattri…
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Phuket safe from Sumatra smog: Officials
PHUKET: An expert at the Phuket Provincial Health Office today confirmed that no health warning has been issued for Phuket following Sumatran fire-related smog blanketing Southern Thailand.“Phuket is not affected by the smog from Sumatra, so we have yet to issue a smog warning,” Health officer Walapa Jeenloy confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.“There are some other provinces effected by the…
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Turtles rescued after oil dumping raises alarm
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) has put the dumping of used oil into the sea back to the top of their agenda after two oil-stained sea turtles found their way to shore during the last two months. Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, head of the PMBC’s Endangered Species Unit, has called on all relative organizations to step up their efforts on…
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Foul complaints prompt Phuket piggery inspection
PHUKET: An inspection of a chicken and pig farm led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak has resulted in several recommendations for the farm owners to follow, but otherwise found nothing untoward other than the foul odor emanating from the site. The inspection follows residents at the The Valley 2 housing estate filing a group complaint with the Damrongtham Center…
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Olympics: Medalists come home to heroes’ welcome
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rousing welcome Phuket Gazette / The Nation PHUKET: Thailand’s Olympic athletes returned home to a resounding heroes’ welcome yesterday after capturing three medals – including two silver – at the London Games. The Kingdom finished 57th out of 205 countries that competed in the sporting extravaganza.…
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Phuket Live Wire: What exactly is this new 4G?
PHUKET: Thailand has been bombarded with “3G” advertising for years. As befits a term with no real definition, “3G” is all about marketing. A phone company can call two tin cans and a piece of string “3G” and get away with it. Not so 4G. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the US and Europe have been taken to court over…
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Phuket Sports: Islanders prevail in Chanthaburi 1-0
PHUKET: A single goal by Watcharakorn “Bird” Klaithin was enough for Phuket FC to prevail 1-0 over Chanthaburi FC in their 22nd fixture of the season on Sunday evening. The away match was played in front of a humble crowd of 420 at Chanthaburi’s Central Stadium in Chanthaburi town in Eastern Thailand. Though Phuket were heavily favored, there was a…
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Phi Phi islanders, resort tackle rising tide of monsoon trash
PHUKET: Island residents and local resort staff on Koh Phi Phi Don teamed up for a mass beach cleanup on Sunday, removing more than 100 trash bags worth of rubbish that had washed ashore.Local residents together with more than 45 staff from the Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island tackled the rising tide of trash at Lanah Bay, one of…
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Fireball engulfs Phuket marina workshop
PHUKET: Police believe that children playing with fireworks may have accidentally started a fire that destroyed a workshop at Phuket’s Yacht Haven Marina last night. Prai Junnoo, a 33-year-old security guard at the marina, reported the fire at about 9pm. Firefighters from the Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) and the Thepkrasattri Municipality fire brigades arrived swiftly and took 30…
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THAI’s low-cost carrier plan stalls
PHUKET: Plagued by financial losses, Thai Airways International (THAI) has decided to drop plans to establish a low-cost carrier airline by 2013.The chairman of the board, Ampon Kittiampon, confirmed on August 9 that, given the company’s recent financial under-performance, launching a low-cost carrier would not be included in this year’s strategic business plan.Dr Ampon told the press that he was…
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Phuket Sports: Wood claims maiden victory at Thailand Open
PHUKET: Englishman Chris Wood claimed the first win of his professional career yesterday with a two-shot victory in a rain-interrupted US$1million Thailand Open, breaking the hearts of home fans hoping for the first Thai champion in eight years. The 24-year-old European Tour regular – competing in a OneAsia Tour event for the first time – fired rounds of 67, 64,…
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Phuket honors Queen’s birthday
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha this morning led an offering of alms to 81 monks before a mass blessing was held to honor HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday today, which is also honored as Mother’s Day in Thailand.The ceremony began at the auspicious time of 7:09am, with the Governor joined by his wife, Mrs Nalinee, as well as Phuket Vice…
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Police find “nothing suspicious’ in Chinese drownings
PHUKET: Chalong Police will not be conducting further investigations into two separate drowning deaths of Chinese tourists off Phuket this week, the Phuket Gazette has learned. Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Boonlert Onklang told the Gazette yesterday that he received a report at about 11:30am on Tuesday informing him that a Chinese woman had died while on a snorkeling trip to…
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Phuket Sports: Laguna reigns over the Village
PHUKET: Defending T20 champions Laguna took on the Village in the Outrigger T20 league on Sunday, August 5 at Phuket’s ACG. The Village were hoping to avenge their defeat by Laguna in the final of the Island Furniture League. However, Laguna came out winners once again after setting a target of 152 runs, while the Village could only manage a…
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Minor Hotel Group pours B3bn into Phuket resort
PHUKET: Thailand-based Minor Hotel Group is splashing out 3 billion baht on the acquisition and remodeling of Bundarika Villas and Suites on Phuket’s northern west coast. As first reported by Phuket Gazette Property Columnist Bill Barnett in June, the Bundarika Villas Suites located on 23 rai Phuket’s north west coast on Layan Beach, was purchased with “an adjoining 32 rai…
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Phuket Gazette office closed on Monday
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette would like to inform readers that our office will be closed on Monday, August 13, to observe the public holiday in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday on August 12.All government offices and all bank main branches will also be closed on Monday.Advertisers in the Gazette Classifieds are assured that this will not affect any…
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Phuket set to celebrate Queen’s Birthday, Mothers’ Day
PHUKET: A host of special ceremonies are being held at different locations across the island to honor and celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s 80th birthday and to celebrate Mothers’ Day on Sunday, August 12. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on Wednesday presided over the opening ceremony of a tree-planting event at King Rama 9 Park (Suan Luang) in Phuket Town to honor…
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Resort developers charged over island land encroachment
PHUKET: Following the July 31 high-profile raid on a resort under construction on Rang Noi Island, off Phuket’s east coast, the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Unit (NREC) has pressed charges against the developers for encroaching onto protected forest land. Kan Krao Company and Bridge Rang Noi Company were both charged yesterday with “possession [of] forest [land] without permission”.…
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Silence shrouds release of Phuket baby elephant DNA test results
PHUKET: The DNA test results expected to determine the legality of three baby elephants seized from camps in Phuket were expected to be announced in the first week of June, but have yet to be released confirmed the Regional Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division. On May 31, Watcharin Phusit, the superintendent of the regional Natural Resources and Environment…
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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