Phuket News
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Phuket FC tryout rescheduled
AO MAKHAM, PHUKET: Open trials for Phuket FC soccer team have been postponed two days until November 14. The trial will now take place at the FIFA Tsunami Memorial Center at Ao Makham this Saturday from 4pm to 6pm. Phuket FC are looking to bolster the squad ahead of the 2010 season. Several players, including Thai premiership veterans, have contacted…
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Hainan delegation tours Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Representatives from the Chinese province of Hainan paid a visit to Phuket as part of a three-day study tour examining tourism management and development strategies. The Hainanese delegation held talks with Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop, Vice Governor Smith Palawatwichai and other officials at Provincial Hall yesterday afternoon. It was the final day of their three-day stay in Phuket,…
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More trouble at Panason City in Phuket
WICHIT, PHUKET: Problems continue at the troubled Panason City housing project, with workmen this morning allegedly trying to bury seven houses under mounds of earth using three excavators, according to residents of nearby Ketkaew village. Four of the houses were still occupied, 50-year-old local woman Yaowaluck Promsiri said. The incident caused outrage among local residents, 30 of whom are understood…
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Pa Khlok man named Phuket’s ‘Outstanding Citizen’
PA KHLOK, PHUKET: A 47-year-old Muslim man with no education past high school has won top honors for Phuket in a nationwide search for the most outstanding citizen in each Thai province. Jeerasak Torthip was named an ‘Outstanding Citizen’ for his work in securing a simple, sustainable way of life for the people of Bang Rong Village, a coastal community…
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Road to encroachment divides Phuket
MAI KHAO, PHUKET: Villagers and local officials are at odds over whether a new road in Mai Khao caused the destruction of 25 rai of peat swamp forest – or stopped the encroachment from being much worse. Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organization built the 28-million-baht road, which is 3.5 kilometers long and skirts the boundary of Jik Forest. Mai Khao…
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Americans cash in on Phuket volleyball win
KARON, PHUKET: With a masterful performance, the American pair of Jen Kessy and April Ross captured their second-straight Phuket Thailand Open title on Karon Beach yesterday, walking off the sand with the winners’ check of US$30,000.The top-seeded Kessy and Ross finished their four days of competition by downing compatriots Angie Akers and Tyra Turner with clinical precision in the 37-minute…
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All-American volleyball final in Phuket
KARON, PHUKET: The US teams of Jen Kessy/April Ross and Angie Akers/Tyra Turner will square off in the championship match of the US$190,000 Phuket Thailand Open this afternoon. The top two-seeded teams scored semi-final victories yesterday afternoon to advance to the ‘final four’ of the final women’s event on the 2009 world tour. The third-place final will see another US…
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Phuket convention center “a certainty’: DPM Korbsak
MAI KHAO, PHUKET: Phuket’s decades-old dream of having an international-class convention and exhibition center took another turn yesterday, when Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu toured the proposed project site in Mai Khao and suggested a number of changes to the latest plan. Mr Korbsak, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs, reaffirmed that Cabinet has approved 2.6 billion baht…
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Shooting murder in Phuket flower shop
CHALONG, PHUKET: A middle-aged man found shot to death in a Chalong flower shop early this morning is thought to be the victim of a jealousy-inspired murder. Police identified the victim as 38-year-old Surat Thani resident Weerathep Kamchan. Chalong Police received a report of the shooting at about 4:30am from the victim’s alleged mistress, 36-year-old Boonruen Buasi. Investigators including Chalong…
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MV Doulos Phuket visit cancelled
PHUKET: It has been announced that the ‘library ship’ MV Doulos has cancelled her visit to Phuket. MV Doulos was due to port in Phuket from November 19 to 26. However, planned maintenance and repairs on the ship, currently berthed in Singapore, have run into unexpected delays. The advance preparation team regret the delay and apologizes for any inconveniences caused.…
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Favorite teams drop like flies in Phuket Thailand Open volleyball tourney
KARON, PHUKET: After the posting of the seeds for this week’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour event in Karon, pundits figured that the gold medal participants at last week’s international stop in China would face each other in the third-round of the US$190,000 Phuket Thailand Open. Instead, only one of the final two teams advanced as expected, as Switzerland’s Simone Kuhn…
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New Phuket TAT office chief to sell Phuket’s international side
PHUKET: With the possible exception of Bangkok, Phuket is the most ‘international’ of Thailand’s 76 provinces. A ride past the bustling eateries that line Patong’s Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road will confirm it: there are people from every corner of the globe living and working here. It’s this angle that new Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) South Region 4 Office chief…
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Phuket Open: All Thai teams out
KARON, PHUKET: All five Thai teams in the FIVB Phuket Thailand Open volleyball tournament have been eliminated from competition. Defending Phuket Thailand Open champions Jen Kessy-Boss and April Ross of the US opened defense of their title by defeating 32nd seeds Julaluk Radarong and Manerat Udomchavee of Thailand 21-15 and 21-13 today. More bad news for the Thais came when…
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Woman arrested for Phuket FantaSea jewel heist
PHUKET CITY: After analyzing DNA evidence, police on Monday arrested a cashier at Phuket FantaSea for the theft of more than two million baht’s worth of diamond jewelry from the souvenir shop safe in May. Police said a sample of 26-year-old Khuanrue-thai Chartnarong’s hair matched those found near the safe shortly after the robbery, which took place at Phuket FantaSea…
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Software police target Phuket businesses
PHUKET: As part of a nationwide investigation, Phuket businesses are being investigated closely by police for using illegal computer software. A Gazette source said a ‘high profile’ property investment firm was raided earlier this week. Police are said to have seized hardware and software, all allegedly unlicensed. The company was given a million baht fine, the source said. Following news…
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Patong nightspots under curfew scrutiny
PATONG, PHUKET: Following many reports that certain nightlife establishments in Patong are not closing by the mandatory 2am curfew, the Phuket’s governor and the island’s top police officer say the situation is being closely monitored. This follows a report in a local Thai language newspaper that three unspecified nightclubs were habitually operating until 6am. At a meeting at Phuket Provincial…
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Phuket Police crack down on loan sharks
PHUKET CITY: Police are cracking down on loan sharks who offer desperate people high interest loans, sometimes backed up with the threat of violence against those who fail to pay back their debts. Four men are accused of offering loans with interest above the legally permissible rates. They were paraded before a press conference at Phuket City Police Station yesterday. Phuket…
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Five Phuket teens accused of gang rape
PHUKET CITY: Five teenagers, including two girls, were arrested yesterday for allegedly gang raping a 14-year-old Thai-Japanese girl at a house in Phuket City last week. Police say the two girls held the victim down while the three boys raped her. All five suspects are 14 to16 years of age. Their faces covered with balaclavas, the youths were presented to…
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Phuket FC to hold open trials
AO MAKHAM, PHUKET: In a bid to bolster the squad ahead of the 2010 season, the Phuket FC will hold open players trials on November 12. The trial will take place at the FIFA Tsunami Memorial Center at Ao Makham from 4pm to 6pm. The Sea Dragons finished their maiden season second from the bottom in the Thailand Regional Division…
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MV Doulos back in Phuket in mid-November
PHUKET CITY: On the next leg of its mission to bring books to readers around the globe, the world’s oldest passenger liner will make its fifth port-of-call in Phuket later this month. The MV Doulos, built in the US in 1914, will berth at the Phuket Deep Sea Port for a one-week stay starting on November 19. Built just two…
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British tourist reported missing, possibly in Phuket
PHUKET: British tourist Jim Leonard Derry, 72, has been reported missing.Mr Derry arrived in Thailand on July 28. His last known address was in Central Road, Pattaya. However, he is known to be a keen fisherman and frequent visitor to Phuket.Anyone with information on Mr Derry’s whereabouts is asked to visit the British Honorary Consulate Office in the Plaza Del…
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Phuket Gov and consuls to talk through problems
PHUKET CITY: Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop has agreed to meet with the island’s honorary consuls every three months to discuss problems concerning tourists and expat residents. The move follows a proposal by the German ambassador to Thailand yesterday. German Ambassador Dr Hanns H. Schumacher met with the governor at 2pm at Phuket Provincial Hall. Dr Schumacher was accompanied by German Honorary…
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‘Nong Peach’ top ladyboy at Phuket Rajabhat
RASSADA, PHUKET: Keslingthip ‘Nong Peach’ Rungreungniti took first prize in a beauty pageant among 12 ladyboy university students held at Phuket Rajabhat University last night. The event, now in its second year, was held as part of the school’s Loy Kratong celebrations. Nong Peach, 19, is studying performing arts in the school’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Most of the contestants…
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Phuket City CCTV plan hits a snag
PHUKET CITY: A new project at Phuket City Police Station has the worthy goal of providing disabled people with jobs and a salary. Nine disabled volunteers will work eight hour shifts watching monitors in the station’s CCTV control room, alerting officers when they spot traffic offenses, other crimes or suspicious vehicles. But there’s a snag: the control room is on…
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Phuket gets ready for Loy Kratong
PHUKET CITY: Scissors are busy clipping banana leaves at resorts and schools around the island as Phuket prepares for the Loy Kratong Festival that takes place at dusk today. The Buddhist festival, held annually on the full moon of the twelfth month, is celebrated throughout Thailand. In addition to venerating the teachings of the Buddha, the ritual act of floating…
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Berlin Air deal a boost for Phuket tourism
PHUKET CITY: More good news for the Phuket tourism industry came earlier this week when it was announced that German carrier Berlin Air has entered into a codeshare agreement with Bangkok Air. A codeshare agreement enables two airlines to sell seats on the same flight. In this case, Air Berlin customers will benefit from a wider choice of flights and…
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Phuket FC take on Thai champs tonight
PHUKET CITY: The Sea Dragons of Phuket will face a stiff challenge this afternoon when they kick off against 2009 Thailand Premier League winners Muang Thong United.The home side will bolster their line-up for the friendly match with former Thailand internationals Sarayud Chuaykhamdee and Somjed Sattabud.Muay Thai star Saenchai Sor Kingstar is also expected to play for the visitors.Phuket FC has been…
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Phuket is not it for Michael Jackson fans
PHUKET: Despite the much anticipated worldwide release of Michal Jackson’s posthumous movie This Is It on October 28, fans in Phuket have been disappointed to learn that the movie is not currently being shown in Phuket cinemas. The Gazette has learned that unlike cinemas in Bangkok, none of Phuket’s cinemas have the necessary projection equipment to show the movie in…
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India, Thailand in joint Navy training off Phuket
CAPE PANWA, PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy completed the latest in a series of training exercises with their counterparts from India earlier this week. For this year’s exercises, about 50 Indian sailors aboard the Bangaram Class patrol vessel INS Batti Malv took part in offshore reconnaissance maneuvers that began last Friday. The Thai side was led by Chief of Staff…
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Phuketians turn out for mass show of national pride
RAWAI, PHUKET: Thousands of flag-waving Phuketians braved the threat of rain yesterday evening to join the nationally-televised singing of the Thai National Anthem at Phromthep Cape. Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop and his wife Thaisika led the stirring rendition, with about 10,000 people and a school band lending support. Yachts and a Royal Thai Navy vessel Bang Prakong from the Navy…
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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