Phuket News
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Clean the Beach Boot Camp takes on Nai Harn Beach on World Clean Up Day
A very special Clean The Beach Boot Camp (CBBC) took place on last Saturday in support World Clean Up Day. In total, 170 people, including 120 students from the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism at the Prince of Songkla University in Kathu headed to Nai Harn Beach, one of the island’s favourites in the island’s south. Involving some 18 different…
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Phuket social enterprise shop takes the first steps
PHOTOS: stepswiththeera.com A Bangkok-based social enterprise has made its debut in Phuket as it opened a new zero-waste shop, cafe and vocational training centre in Cherng Talay. The shop is run by Steps With Theera and provides a range of plastic substitutes including bamboo straw sets, bamboo toothbrushes and SuperBee wax wraps, alongside a refill station with beauty products from…
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6 year old Burmese boy dies from bike-pickup truck crash
SOURCE: khaosod.co.th A 6 year old Burmese boy has died following a motorcycle accident when his parents crashed the vehicle onto a pick-up truck earlier this week. He died in the intensive care ward at Vachira Hospital yesterday morning (Thursday) The accident occurred on September 15 near Soi Pramote, Chaofa West Road, Chalong. The boy’s father, 39 year old Thein…
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Could you be a digital nomad in Thailand?
Are you a digital nomad? Working online wherever you can find a seat and wi-fi? According to digital nomad websites, some of the most popular locations to work online around the world include Chiang Mai & Bangkok (Thailand), Budapest (Hungary), Belgrade (Serbia), Bali (Indonesia), Lisbon (Portugal) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). What do all these cities have in common? The main…
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New branding for the old town – tweaking Phuket’s Old Town
PHOTO: Many renovated buildings and putting the crappy overhead cabling underground is bringing the old town alive Though Phuket remains among the world’s most popular tourist destinations, injecting some 477 billion baht to the Thai economy, with its “Pearl of the Andaman Sea” branding, its future status is being questioned due to competition from Indonesia and Vietnam. In response, Phuket…
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“Phuket needs a world class exhibition and convention centre”
“Two key developments we are tracking is Central Festivals next phase of expansion and Proud Groups Andamanda project that both have significant concerence, meeting and incentive space.” Plans to promote Phuket as a world-class MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) location are being obstructed by many impediments – inefficient town planning, poor transport systems and poor availability of land in tourist…
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Laguna Angsana Resort opens conference and exhibition venue
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com Laguna Phuket’s Angsana resort is set to debut it’s new 1,500 square metre conference and exhibition space. It’s actually a renovation and rebranding of the successful Laguna marquee space and relocated to a more permanent location within the Angsana Laguna Phuket complex. Tagged as ACES, the venue will open at the end of September. For…
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Phuket’s Surin Beach’s anti-erosion walls fails causing another environmental disaster
PHOTOS: ขยะมรสุม ขยะมรสุม has posted on their Facebook page about the ugly and failed attempt at an erosion wall at Phuket’s Surin Beach (photos below). He said in his post… “Found this big pile of trouble at Surin Beach. What are these sacks for? Are they becoming trash? You won’t conquer nature with sand sacks. If you want to make…
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Wan Yubamrung’s subordinate arrested for attempted murder in Patong
PHOTO: Manager Online Last night (September 12), 32 year old Thanpawat Supchotiwanich, a subordinate of Thai Pheu Thai party politician Wan Yubamrung, was arrested in front of his house in Soi Ekkachai 135, in Patong, acting on a warrant issued back in 2010 after he shot a business peer over an undisclosed conflict. Thanpawat is also known as ‘Tong Deksuegaeng’…
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Jet-ski collision injures two Chinese tourists in Patong
Two Chinese tourists have been injured in a jet-ski collision in Patong yesterday, the Phuket News reports. Maj Teerasak Boonsaeng from Patong Police was notified of the accident shortly before 4.00pm yesterday, with both men taken to Patong hospital for treatment. The men, named as 28 year old Hu Meng and 26 year old Yang Ming, had rented jet-skis from…
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Centara signs up three more Phuket hotels
The surge of new properties continues in Phuket as the developers and Thai business leaders continue to show their confidence in Phuket as an international holiday destination. Thai hospitality group Centara Hotels and Resorts has entered into agreements to manage three hotels on Phuket’s northern west coast in Mai Khao. Two of the properties are currently operating, which are the…
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Phuket’s most expensive car number plate is ‘9999’ costing more than 700K
FILE PHOTO Following the auction for car license plates organised by the Phuket Land Trasport Office over the weekend, it’s been revealed that the number 9999 got the highest bid at 710,000 baht. This year’s auction was for the ‘ขก’ category, which represents ‘treasure, virtue and fortune’, and there were 301 numbers available. The Chief of Phuket Land Transport, Banyat…
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Phuket Governor requests 38 million baht to finally finish Provincial Hall
The Governor of Phuket, Phakaphong Tavipatana, confirms he has requested 38 million baht for the long-awaited completion of Phuket Provincial Hall on the south side of Phuket town. Last October, he had asked for a new contractor to be appointed by December, but that never happened. It’s understood he has now filed a request with the Ministry of Interior in…
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Wyndham adds two more hotels for Phuket’s south
PHOTOS: Artists impressions of the new Wyndham Nai Harn Resort Phuket Global hotel group Wyndham has announced two more Phuket pipeline hotels. The announcement follows a long list of new developments and openings over the next few years on the island. First for Wyndham, is a 353 key property named the Wyndham Nai Harn Resort Phuket at the popular southern west-coast…
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Phuket’s Katathani Beach Resort land under investigation
The Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, sprawled along Kata Noi’s small beach on Phuket, is the latest subject of investigation by the Phuket Provincial Land Office. The investigation team has been given 30 days to complete its review by the Phuket Governor. The latest investigations are the latest in a tit-for-tat battle between the owners of the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort…
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Burmese man stabbed to death by ‘friend’ in Patong, Phuket
PHOTO: Phuket People’s Voice Patong Police have arrested 18 year old Robier Aaron, from Myanmar, after he stabbed another Burmese man, 23 year old ‘Johnny’, to death. The incident happened on Friday night (September 6) at around 9pm in front of a restaurant on Phangmuang Sai Gor Road. Police received a report about the attack and found Johnny’s body stabbed…
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3 drug dealers arrested in Phanason condo, Phuket
Phuket police revealed that they have arrested 3 drug dealers at the Phanason Greenplace condominium complex in the Samkong area, on the road that connects Samkong to Surukul Stadium. One of the suspects already had an arrest warrant out for several crimes before this drug case. The three men include 20 year old Narasak ‘Film’ Sarika, who was arrested with…
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Norwegian accused of Phuket murder absconds, manhunt launched
PHOTO: Thaiexaminer.com The Norwegian tourist accused of murdering a British guest at a resort in Karon two weeks ago has absconded while out on bail, police say. Following Roger Bullman’s no-show for his appointment at the Phuket Provincial Court, a police manhunt has been launched and arrest warrant issued. Police say they’re confident he has not fled the country as…
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Court orders prison sentence for airline boss after 2007 Phuket crash
PHOTO: La-croix.com 12 years after a crash at Phuket airport that killed 89 passengers, a Paris court has sentenced the former chief of Thai budget airline One-Two-Go to four years’ imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 Euros. Udom Tantiprasongchai has been found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in a civil suit brought by the families of 9 French victims. However, despite…
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Missing Chinese swimmer’s body found off Freedom Beach in Phuket
The relatives of a 35 year old Chinese tourist, whose body was found floating off Freedom Beach in Phuket, have now been contacted. Chinese man Yin Lei was swept away by strong currents while swimming with six other friends off Freedom Beach last Sunday night around 7pm, resulting in an urgent search mission on Sunday night into Monday. After the…
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Indian visitors to Phuket surge whilst total numbers drop
by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com The soaring number of Indian visitors to Phuket for the first seven months of 2019 has propelled Indian tourists into the Top 5 arrivals for the first time. Arrivals from India from January – July, compared to the same period in 2018, grew 354%, amassing a total of 186,360 arrivals. Mainland Chinese arrival figures continue…
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Swimmers at Surin Beach left without lifesavers as Council removes funding
The President of the Cherng Talay OrBorTor (municipality), Ma Ann Samran, has not renewed the monthly contract for lifeguards protecting Surin Beach on Phuket’s west coast. As of yesterday, there are now no duty lifeguards keeping swimmers out of the water when the waves become dangerous, or saving them when they get into difficulty. Police arrived late yesterday afternoon at…
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Alleged killer of British man wandering free around Phuket
PHOTOS: Gustavo Valiente, Bajaj Family The killer of a British father has been seen wandering free around Phuket just nine days after allegedly choking him to death in a frenzied 4am attack at the Centara Grand Resort on Karon Beach. 54 year old Norwegian Roger Bullman has been staying at a Phuket guesthouse on bail awaiting an appearance in court in…
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Top 10 things to do in Phuket during the wet season
There’s a bit of rain around. No worries. It’s rainy season and the island looks a lot better when it’s all green and the dams are filling. Try something on our instant list of the ten things you can do when it’s wet and raining in Phuket. So here is our completely random Top 10 things to do whilst it’s…
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Vachira Phuket Hospital doctor calls for microscope donations
Boonlert Sripairotkul, a Neurologist at Vachira Phuket Hospital, has posted a call for donations in order to purchase a new microscope for the hospital as the current machine has been used since 2002 and “produces strange noises”. The 17 year old microscope has been used for brain, spinal cord and blood vessels operations. The doctor told TheBangkokInsight that hospitals in…
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18 cases in one day for Patong’s lifeguards in Phuket
PHOTOS: Patong Surf Life Saving Busy day for Phuket’s local lifeguards as they saved 17 people from the waves off Patong, and one one the Beach Road. Yesterday (August 27), Patong Lifeguards reported that there were a total of 18 people rescued, all in a day’s work at Patong beach. They said the situation was very challenging, with limited manpower,…
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New hotel and condo developments flood Phuket’s property market
by Bill Barnett The continuing wave of developers bringing hotel investment grade real estate to the Phuket real estate market is escalating. Notable new entries include 74 units at the Melia Phuket Karon Residences that are now for sale. Pricing for one and two bedroom units starts at 8.4 million baht. A 7% three-year guarantee is offered with 30 days owner usage. Meanwhile,…
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New 222 room development announced for Phuket’s Mai Khao Beach
A new 222 room development for Mai Khao Beach, on the northern coastline of Phuket, is currently undergoing its environmental impact assessment. Thai-Chinese Property Holdings has announced it is partnering with APlan Properties to develop the new hotel and residence project, Radisson Phuket Mai Khao Beach. The development is costing 1.6 billion baht and will be operated by the Radisson…
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Phuket disaster chief says latest precautionary weather warning is “just regular”
PHOTO: Holidayguru.ie A wind and rain storm swept through Phuket around 3.00am this morning, bringing minor damage, causing branches to fall across roads, and waking up residents around the island. Meanwhile, the national Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) office, along with the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning of, “a high possibility of flash floods due…
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Tributes paid to Amitpal Singh Bajaj, killed at Centara Grand hotel in Phuket
PHOTO: Southall Sikh Temple Tributes are being paid to the British father, Amitpal Singh Bajaj, who was reportedly attacked and killed trying to protect his family at a beach hotel in Phuket. The incident followed a next door guest reacting badly to a noise complaint and allegedly barging into the family room and attacking Amitpal. Amitpal, from Southall in west…
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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