Phuket News
Discover the latest news and updates from Thailand’s most famous and beautiful island, The Thaiger’s hometown, having previously operated as the Phuket Gazette.
Our team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Phuket, covering everything from local politics and business to lifestyle and tourism. Learn about the island’s stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving expat community, as well as keeping updated on events, and attractions.
The Thaiger is your ultimate guide to staying connected with Phuket’s ever-evolving landscape. To keep up with the most reliable news source on the island, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
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With World Kindness Day just two days away on November 13, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how empathy and care can make a real impact, not just in our relationships but in our health, too. This day is...
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250,000 baht in a day. Patong’s para-sailing business.
Following the death of Australian 70 year old businessman, Roger Hussey, in July 2017, and the subsequent investigation and promises for a ‘crackdown’ on the local parasailing industry, things appear to have settled back to ‘normal’. Again. Read about the tragic death of Mr. Hussey HERE. We have nothing against good people doing business in their own country. Most of…
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Ranong Ranger killed in suspected grenade blast
A Ranong ranger has been killed by a grenade blast at his official residence in the Muang district last night. Ranong is a five hour drive, north of Phuket, and borders Myanmar. 35 year old Sgt Supatthanachai Makprasit from the Narathiwat-based 48th Ranger Regiment, died from his injuries after being taken to Ranong Hospital. He had been involved in maintaining…
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Japan tops Thailand as Chinese tourists’ top choice for Golden Week
Watch out Thailand. Japan is stealing our tourists. Japan has now overtaken Thailand as Chinese vacationers’ top choice for the 2018 Chinese Golden Week holiday. This according to Ctrip.com, one of the biggest travel websites in China. This is the first time Thailand has lost its top destination status to Japan during the holiday season which expect at least 7…
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Three alternatives to Maya Bay
“Stop complaining and take tourists somewhere else – National Park officials.” National parks officials, looking after the Phi Phi islands, say there are plenty of other great locations to visit besides just Koh Phi Phi Ley’s Maya Bay. They were responding to complaints from both tourists and tour operators. Tour operators say that the move to indefinitely close the famous…
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No vegetables are safe – Phuket Vegetarian Festival
The most colourful and vibrant celebration of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2018, is held from October 9-17. It also coincides with the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. In accordance with tradition, many religious devotees will strictly adhere to a vegetarian diet to ensure purification of the mind and body. They also traditional abstain…
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One of two tsunami warning buoys not working since October last year
One of the tsunami buoys, part of the warning system for the Andaman Coast, has been broken since last year. GMM 25 news quotes the Director of the the National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) Suppapimit Paorik as saying… “Only one Tsunami warning buoy is still working. There are two of them. One of them remains broken since October last year.…
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Delayed Phuket provincial hall construction expected to resume soon
Phuket Governor Pakkapong Tawipat yesterday visited the new Phuket provincial city hall, still under construction following numerous delays and contract failures, but now expected to be finished by June 2020. Governor Pakkapong says, “The budget for the new provincial city hall was 450 million baht. The previous construction contract has been cancelled and the construction stopped. “The contract was cancelled…
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Faulty warning systems worries locals – Phuket
Since the deadly tsunami struck Phuket in 2004, local people have trained their ears to listen to any alerts from the local warning towers only to learn that the system does not work properly. “I don’t have much confidence in the warning towers system,” Kantima Datthuyawat, a masseuse on the Kamala Beach in Phuket province, lamented. She said she always…
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Tsunami risk is statistically very low
by Pratch Rujivanarom The chances of an imminent repeat tsunami in the Andaman Sea is remote, while the tsunami risk in the Gulf of Thailand is even smaller to nearly impossible chance, say leading seismologists in the wake of public tsunami fears triggered by the recent devastation in Palu, Indonesia. Nevertheless, say experts, the authorities, business sector and citizens in…
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Extensive dredging gives Royal Phuket Marina round-the-clock access
Royal Phuket Marina, working closely with the Marine Department in Phuket, have recently completed dredging of its marina basin and access channel, increasing the depth to two metres at the lowest tide and enabling motor boats up to 35 metres round-the-clock access. “The recent dredging program is part of our ongoing commitment to customers and our desire to drive Thailand’s…
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Phuket Governor assures Phuket “we’re ready to handle any tsunami”
The Phuket Governor Pakkapong Tawipat is assuring Phuketians and tourists of the island’s readiness to handle any tsunami. Governor Pakkapong says, “It’s not only Phuket that is paying attention to the recent tsunami in Sulawesi, but also the nation. We are totally ready to help people and tourists if any similar event was to occur.” “We are keeping an eye…
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Bridge over troubled floodwaters – Kamala to Patong Road
Clean up efforts are well underway following damage to the Patong-Kamala coast road on Tuesday. A damaged bridge was checked yesterday. The Kamala Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) has issued a temporary ban for the use of some damaged areas which are part of a hotel adjacent to the road’s main bridge. A team of officials, led by the Phuket Vice Governor…
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All Phuket tsunami warning towers still working – Phuket DDPM
In the wake of the Palu tsunami in Sulawesi, many Phuketians have asked us to check if the island’s tsunami warning system is working. Good news. All 19 of Phuket’s tsunami warning towers are fully operational. Only a few of them had minor problems with their audio alarm, according to the Phuket DDPM Chief. Another Indonesian earthquake, this time a…
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Burmese man drowns trying to rescue monkey
Three male Myanmar citizens did the right thing and jumped into a lagoon in Koh Kaew last night trying to rescue a monkey. But one of them drowned during his efforts to save the distressed monkey. Kusoldarm rescue divers were notified that a man had drowned at the lagoon in about 6pm. 38 year old U Mae Au, a Burmese…
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Tourism operators appeal indefinite closure of Maya Bay
by Sitthichai Sikhawat The indefinite closure of Koh Phi Phi Ley’s Maya Bay is causing ripples of concern through the island’s tourism associations, operators and beyond. The Krabi Tourism Association president Wattana Rerngsamut is appealing the indefinite closure in an order listed in the Royal Gazette on Monday and made public on Tuesday. The move will severely affect the tourism…
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Sunhemp in bloom at Rajabhat University
Phuket’s Rajabhat University is holding a Sunhemp Blooming event until the end of today. It started on Monday. President of Agricultural Resources for Tourism Management, Khun Kanokwan Kaewuthai, says, “We are attracting attention to local tourism with some of our agricultural resources by integrating knowledge, tourism, agricultural business, marketing and public relations.” “We are also supporting our student to practice…
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Maya Bay’s long road to recovery
by Kornrawee Panyasuppakun and The Thaiger Phi Phi tour operators are crying foul and seeking assistance from authorities after the local tourist magnet, Maya Bay has been declared ‘closed indefinitely’ pending further rehabilitation of the corals around the bay. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) is extending the closure of Maya Bay’s Had Nopparat Tara-Mu Koh Phi…
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Phuket Governor inspects flash flood and landslide areas along the coast
Phuket’s new Governor Pakkapong Tawipat, just two days into the job, yesterday visited Kamala and Patong to survey the damaged areas after the torrential rain storm, flash floods and landslides. Parts of Phuket’s west coast were awash yesterday with localised torrential rain. The rain came from a concentrated rain cell that sat over a ten kilometre stretch, drenching Kamala all…
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Maya Bay, closed until further notice – VIDEO
Koh Phi Phi’s iconic Maya Bay is now being closed until national park officials see some better signs of recovery in the damaged eco-system. Tim Newton reports… https://www.facebook.com/thethaigernews/videos/555881841529943/
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No happy endings for two massage parlours in Phang Nga
PHOTOS: Sanook Phang Nga district officials and the military have raided two establishments in the Lamken sub-district over the weekend after complaints of noise and the the businesses selling ‘sex’. The first business was called ‘Nang Fa’ (Angel) and was found to have seven staff including one Laotian national whose work permit had expired. The owner ‘Thayarat’ was busted for flouting…
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Maya Bay closed indefinitely
Maya Bay is to remain closed indefinietly. The four month closure of Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi has failed to restore the beach area as anticipated. So the national parks authority has issued a letter extending the closure of the bay. Sanook is reporting that no date has been announced when the famous bay would be re-opened again to…
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One dead in Phoenix boat salvage operations
The salvage operations for the ‘Phoenix’ have become mired in poor arrangements and unsuitable weather since operations began several months ago. Now, one person has died during the operations. On September 29, around noon, 37 year old Nipat ‘Jos’ Gladnak died during the salvage operation. It’s reported that Khun Nipat fainted whilst standing at the back of the salvage boat.…
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Phuket police hunting for a suspect in alleged rape attack
PHOTOS: Sakkarin Somboon / Newshawk Phuket Phuket police are hunting for a suspect in an alleged rape. Police are hoping someone can identify the published photo. A video clip of the man, who followed two women into a room and thenrunning out of the room, has become viral on social media since September 30. Victims say that the suspect was…
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Whale shark sighted off Koh Racha
A healthy looking whale shark was sighted off Koh Racha, south of Phuket, yesterday. Videos of the whale shark have been shared widely in social media with a message reading “a whale shark is near Koh Racha and swimming near a tour boat.” A tour guide of Nikorn Marine company, Mali Boondanpai, who recorded the video says, “the tour boat…
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Phuket’s underwater neighborhood gets a pre-high season clean
More than 300 volunteers, including divers and local volunteers, joined the cleaning activities held yesterday around Phuket. Rawai Mayor Arron Solos says, “There are many beautiful diving points in the Andaman Sea. In addition, from May to October every year, it is the monsoon season or ‘Green Season’ which can cause some strong wind and waves.” “Garbage and broken fishing…
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Dead Australian visited shooting range three times – Police
Following the death of the Australian 25 year old, who shot himself at a Sakoo shooting range on Friday, police have concluded their initial investigation. The man died at Vachira Hospital on Friday night. Police checked CCTV footage in the shooting range and have spoken to witnesses. Police have announced that Jayden Antony Cook had come to the shooting range…
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Phuket’s new Governor starts work today
Newly-appointed Phuket Governor Pakkapong Tawipat has arrived in Phuket after former-Governor Norraphat Plodthong has now retired. The Thai cabinet approved the new Phuket governor to replace current Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong who retired officially on September 30. The new Phuket governor, Pakkapong Tawipat, was a previous Governor of Phitsanulok. Governor Pakkapong’s qualifications include… • High school from Suankularb Wittayalai School…
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Central Floresta releases a statement following Tribhum ‘volcano’ fire
Central Floresta has spoken out after a fire almost destroyed a theme park under construction but stressed that the incident hadn’t affected other costumer services at the new shopping centre. The cause of fire is being investigated and a statement will be made after a full check of all systems and interviews with workers on the site, and the new…
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25 year old Australian, who shot himself in Sakoo, dies
The young Australian man who shot himself in the right temple at a Sakoo shooting range yesterday afternoon, has died as a result of his injuries. The man shot himself at the Asian Shooting Range, just south of the Phuket International Airport. The man, 25 year old Jayden Antony Cook, had arrived in Phuket on September 25 for a month’s…
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Official travel warnings about Phuket issued by the Chinese Embassy
“The embassy reminds Chinese tourists to follow the rules while in Thailand and to stay out of the water when authorities put red flags on beaches, indicating the marine situation is dangerous.” The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok is telling travellers to take particular care in Thailand’s southern resort provinces of Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi. The embassy has issued an official…
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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