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 tourist electrocution brings probe, safety blitz
PHUKET: The electrocution of 45-year-old Russian tourist Fedor Samsonov at a high-end Phuket resort last night has prompted an investigation by police and a full-scale safety inspection of the resort’s electrical system. “This is very tragic and we feel very much for the family,” said Lars Ydmark of resort management company Tri-Asia, which manages the Dewa Karon Beach Resort. The…
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Phuket sports: Krabi put their talons into FC Phuket
PHUKET: FC Phuket suffered a 1-2 defeat to fellow Division 1 rivals, Krabi FC in a charity match played at Surakul Stadium yesterday evening. In essence a derby game, it was the Southern Sea Kirin’s fourth of the 2012 pre-season schedule so far. Proceeds of the ticket sales will be used to help return former Phuket player Camara Ahmed back…
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Phuket Crime: Dokset DNA results show human skull hit with heavy object
PHUKET: Preliminary results from forensics tests conducted on remains found at the home of Norwegian Stein Dokset have found that they are those of a human female. They have yet to be confirmed as those of Rungnapa Suktong, however, the Phuket Gazette has been told. The remains were found in the locked basement bathroom at Mr Dokset’s luxury villa in…
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Wet Phuket: blame La Niña
PHUKET: Unseasonably heavy rains along the Andaman coast are the result of the La Niña effect, a forecaster at the Southern Meteorological Center at Phuket Airport has confirmed. The forecaster, asking that his name not be used, told the Phuket Gazette that this was the second year running that La Niña had brought heavy rainfall during what are typically Phuket’s…
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Phuket Police to start patrols with the “All Blacks’
PHUKET: Phuket Police will soon be patrolling the streets of Phuket in brand-new all black Mazda2 cars. The 10 new patrol cars were bought with 5.9 million baht provided by Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok, said Phuket City Police administrator Charturong Laddayam. “The new patrol vehicles are expected to improve our international image and help our relations with tourists,”…
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Phuket Gazette: Expert says Western lifestyle spawns ‘global public health disaster’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community UN expert says globalization of Western lifestyle spawns ‘global public health disaster’ PHUKET (News Wires): A United Nations independent expert on Tuesday said an international public health disaster persists as undernourishment and overweight problems have spawned from the globalization of western lifestyles. UN Special Rapporteur on…
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Phuket Convention Center project up in the air – again
PHUKET: Efforts to build a world-class convention and exhibition center in Phuket remain mired in red tape, and a recent visit to the proposed project site by two Government advisers raises little hope that the work will begin any time soon – if ever. The latest twist in the decades-old saga came with a visit to the proposed project site…
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Phuket tin smelter Thaisarco under probe
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak today led a team of local officials to investigate claims that the Thaisarco tin smelter at Cape Panwa was releasing contaminants into the air, causing lung cancer and other health issues among local residents. Prapan Kanprasang, head of the Damrongtham Center, which acts as the provincial ombudsman’s office, said his office received a letter…
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Laguna Phuket denies ‘wrongdoing’ in baby elephant trade
PHUKET: Laguna Phuket today issued a public statement in response to a two-year-old baby elephant being seized at the elephant camp at the resort complex late last month. The statement, marked as attributable to Mark Breit, Regional Director, Laguna Tours & Quest, read: “Laguna Phuket houses and employs domesticated Asian elephants, which, due to habitat loss and poaching, have no…
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Paiboon alone in start of Phuket election campaigning
PHUKET: On the first morning of enrollment for candidates for the position of Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) president, former president Paiboon Upatising was the first and so far only candidate to show his hand today. All other potential candidates have until Friday to register. Mr Paiboon, running for his second term as Phuket’s highest-ranking elected government official, arrived at…
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Phuket rail link gathers steam
PHUKET: The move to build a rail link from Surat Thani to a point just north of the bridges onto Phuket gained momentum on Friday when it was confirmed as one of the projects to be presented to the Cabinet during the minister’s meeting in Phuket on March 19-20. The news was announced at a meeting chaired by Phuket Governor…
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Pla-Wan attack: “Eight is enough’, say Phuket police
PHUKET: Phuket City Police are not pursuing their investigation into whether any more suspects are to be arrested in connection with the attack on Vorasit “Pla-wan” Issara. Mr Vorasit is the general manager of the Sri Panwa resort. He was brutally attacked by staff at the Rachada pub in Phuket Town in December. Phuket City Police Superintendent Chote Chidchai today…
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Phuket Live Wire: Shutter island
PHUKET: I’m going to change topic a bit. At the Computer Clinics we used to talk about all sorts of technology, including TVs, tablet computers, cameras and phones – much to the chagrin of several Windows die-hards. The simple fact is that all of the technology is converging, with more-powerful and more-mobile computer chips making all sorts of magic possible.…
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Phuket sports: Morning Star shines bright
PHUKET: The first game of Phuket Soccer Six League’s (PSSL) round three at Headstart International’s Football Island saw The Lounge face Morning Star. Following two quick goals by Karl Ward, it seemed Morning Star would make light work of their opposition, but The Lounge emerged from their slumber and fought back to bring themselves to within a goal at 4-3.…
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FC Phuket crush Tuk Tuks
PHUKET: A new-look FC Phuket played their first pre-season, friendly match recently with Tuk Tuk FC, an outfit of the Le Meridian resort, resulting in a 7-0 goal fest for the home boys. The free-admission match played at Surakul Stadium was a confidence-booster for the Southern Sea Kirin if anything. It was a chance for fans to see their new…
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Phuket sports: Believe to achieve
PHUKET: It wasn’t difficult to identify professional golfer Lindsay Renolds on entering Laguna Golf Club recently. Standing near the entrance was a young man surrounded by staff members, who at first glance seemed to be getting advice from the Phuket pro, but in fact were catching up on how he performed at his latest tournament played in India. Obviously popular…
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Four dead, five injured as pickup truck slams into Phuket tourist van
PHUKET: Four tourists are dead and five injured after a pickup truck loaded with fish and a van filled with tourists heading for Phuket collided in Tai Muang, Phang Nga, yesterday evening.Tai Muang Police received a report of the accident, on the Mae Yey Bridge on Petchkasem Road between Tai Muang and Takuapa Moo 1 in Thung Maphrao, Tai Muang…
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Phuket Heroines Memorial Fair underway
PHUKET: The Phuket Cultural Office has a fun-packed range of activities lined up for this year’s Heroines Memorial Fair, which started on Friday in Thalang.Among the attractions taking place to honor Jan and Mook, the famous heroines who led Siamese forces in repelling an invasion by the Burmese in 1785, are group weddings, traditional dance performances and spectacular light and…
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Phuket kids top national ukelele contest
PHUKET: A trio of Phuket primary students have been crowned champions at a national ukulele playing contest. Watchawong Petchsuwan on ukulele, Anwa Rathaporn on base ukulele and Treerat Nachalaem on vocals – all students at Baan Nabon School in Wichit, south of Phuket Town – were bestowed the top accolade at the Junior Thailand Ukulele Champion Contest 2012 on February…
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Swede falls victim to Russian snatch thieves in Phuket
PHUKET; A Swedish tourist in Phuket had his gold chain and other valuables snatched by a pair of women he claims were Russian, according to a local media report. Swedish tourist Peter Wentzel, 40, was walking along the Karon beach road at 11:30pm last night when two foreign women pulled up in front of him on a motorbike and asked…
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Phuket sports: Lizards chase the Tiger’s tail
PHUKET: Unlucky for some, the 13th match of the Island Furniture League saw a battle between league newcomers the Thanyapura Tigers and former champions the Liquid Lounge Lizards (LLL), at the ACG last Sunday.Both sides were in desperate need of a win to advance up the table and boost their title hopes. In a closely fought match, the Tigers eventually…
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Phuket sports: The boys from Brazil
PHUKET: For the second week in succession Phuket’s Fair Play League (FPL) used two different locations for their weekend fixtures with Youth Football Home hosting U14 matches and Quality Schools International (QSI) the venue for U11 matches. Four of the six teams competing in the U14 Division have a real chance of taking the title which makes winning remaining matches…
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World sports: What’s in a week?
PHUKET: Liverpool FC collected their first piece of silverware since their FA Cup victory six years ago last Sunday.Kenny Dalglish, who became only the seventh manager to win all three major domestic titles, heaped praise on Cardiff City, with the Premiership side needing penalties to take the first trophy of the year.Despite the manner of the win, (3-2 from a…
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Phuket’s Lomas impress at Bangkok 10s
PHUKET: The Phuket Lomas recently participated in the two-day Bangkok Youth Rugby 10s tournament at Pattana International School with great performances from both the U12 and U16 teams in their respective divisions. On the first day of competition the Lomas U16s faced cup favourites CIMB Cobra from Malaysia. It was a tense battle in which the Lomas matched their opposition…
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Phuket goes to the polls March 25, April 7
PHUKET: An island-wide ban on the sale of alcohol will go into effect from 6pm on April 6 through to midnight of April 7 so island residents can vote in the upcoming Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) presidential election. Residents living in Chalong and Rassada municipal areas will be subject to a similar ban for elections to select councilors for…
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Phuket PSU chosen for Thai Cabinet meeting
PHUKET: The Phuket campus of the Prince of Songkla University (PSU) yesterday was selected as the venue for the upcoming Thai Cabinet meeting on March 19-20. Sombat Wattanapanich, Cabinet Secretary and Adviser to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, was accompanied on a tour of the potential venues on the island. Leading the entourage was Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, Phuket Vice Governor…
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Senators “worried’ about Phuket beating, cheating, intimidating tourists
PHUKET: A delegation of senators from Bangkok yesterday were treated to a grave description of the problems plaguing Phuket’s tourism industry, including jet-ski ripoffs.The senators, all members of the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism, agreed that everything from the intimidation and beating of tourists to the lack of a strong public transportation system were having a serious effect on Phuket’s…
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Hookah bars targeting Phuket youth
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Office is planning to crack down on hookah bars and other businesses catering to a growing demand among island youths to smoke flavored tobacco known as shisha. The proliferation of venues offering shisha to youths has risen dramatically over the past year and the situation must be quickly addressed, a provincial panel heard recently. New Phuket…
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Phuket Business Directory 2012 is on sale now
PHUKET: The Gazette Guide for 2012 is now available at vendors throughout Phuket and the Andaman region, and, being eight times the size of other business directories on or off line, is the most comprehensive index to help find the service you need. With contact details of thousands of businesses classified into 142 different categories, the 362-page book is priced…
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Rally round Phuket
PHUKET: Following the very successful Grumpy Old Men’s Club (GOMS) rally and car treasure hunt last year, the organizers this year have invited a number of Phuket’s foremost business, social and community organizations to join a great family day out and raise funds for their organization’s ongoing projects. The now-renamed Phuket Invitational Car Rally (PICR), to be held on March…
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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