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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Phi Phi’s Maya Bay to be closed this June. Or maybe not…
According to AFP, Maya Bay is going to be closed in June this year. “The once-pristine Thai bay which became a tourist magnet after the 2000 movie “The Beach” will be closed to boats for several months to prevent further damage to its coral, an official said Wednesday. Hordes of tourists flock daily to Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi…
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Brush fire destroys old worker’s camp in Kathu
An old worker’s camp on fire just behind the Shell petrol station in Phra Phuket Kaew Road, adjacent to the Anupas car service centre. No one was in the dwelling at the time. The fire spread quickly to adjoining bush land but two fire crews attended quickly and brouht the blaze under control within 20 minutes. Police believe there was…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, February 15
‘Heavy traffic is causing pollution in BKK’ – Genius! | Thaksin and Yingluck now in HK | Witness of Australian ‘manslaughter’ in Pattaya speaks up | Changes to the collection of immigration data | UK Foreign Secretary jokes about Thailand’s sex tourism | Thailand mums are wanting smaller families | Encoached buildings on Koh Phi Phi being demolished.
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Six buildings demolished for encroaching national park land on Phi Phi
A hundred officers from Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, police, military and Office of Forestry demolished houses and shops located next to the national park booth. The team expect the full demolition to take 3 days. “It started in 2014 when the officers discovered the land encroachment. The man who claims to own the land, Aran Rothakan,…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, February 14
Another Chinese tour bus crash on the notorious Patong Hill | Pollution levels starting to fall in BKK | UN Refugee Chief speaks out about repatriation of Rohingya | Thai Education Minister apologises to Prawit | British government questions Thailand over prison conditions | Three white tiger cubs get their first public outing | And where do all the Valentine’s…
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Phuket airport increases domestic passenger seating
200 more seats have been installed for domestic travellers to solve the crowding issue while new ventilators have also been installed. The waiting lobby for the domestic departures has been expanded from 2,000 square metres to 5,000 square metres with 200 more chairs starting from today (February 14) onward. The ventilators have been installed as well. The expanding of the…
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Fourth drug courier arrested at Phuket Gateway
A 24 year old from Nakhon Si Thammarat, Jakrit Paipong, was arrested yesterday (February 13) at the Phuket Gateway Thachatchai checkpoint while carrying drugs to be distributed in Phuket. The van driving from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Phuket was stopped for a search and a military officer found Jakrit acting ‘suspiciously’. The officer looked into his bag and found 167…
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Six drug dealers arrested in major Krabi sting
Krabi police, along with Police Region 8 officers, have arrested six drug dealers from one of the biggest networks in the south and seized their assets, worth approximately 26.5 million Baht. The drug dealers arrested include 40 year old Kriangsak Rangsiyangkul from Bangkok, Nan Saung Kham from Myanmar, 34 year old Pornsawan Dindaeng, 22 year old Pitchsinee Patimin, 26 year…
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Krabi Abbot calls for justice over allegations
Phra Taweelert Raktaweesin, the Deputy Abbot of Wat Klong Son in Krabi, is calling for justice after being accused of having a sexual relationship with women – an accusation he is denying. Nong Talay patrol police, together with local media, inspected the famous temple of the district today (February 13) after receiving reports from locals that the monk has had…
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Third drug dealer arrested at Phuket Gateway checkpoint this month
Police have been having a good run at the Phuket Gateway Thatchatchai checkpoint lately intercepting small-time drug dealers and couriers. A 25 year old man from Phang Nga, Chalermsak Matchawate, was arrested with 585 amphetamine pills and 0.109 gram of heroine last night while traveling on a bus to Phuket. The Hat Yai – Phuket tour bus stopped at the…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, February 13
American hands himself into police over Pattaya ‘manslaughter’ | Phuket market bans smoking | UK’s Foreign Secretary visits Thailand | Road death statistics continue to rise | Coal plant protestors go on hunger strike | Greenpeace says stop BKK smog at the source.
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Waterfall encroachment opposite disputed Ao Sane villa construction
Officials from the Forest Protection Operations Centre visited Ao Sane yesterday (February 12). Cheewapap Cheewatham, Head of the centre’s Payak Prai Forest Crime Suppression Taskforce, led his team to inspect the encroached waterfall opposite the Ao Sane luxury property construction that was ordered to be suspended last year. On hand were the Deputy Director General of Department of Forestry, Internal…
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Patong & Krabi wastewater ‘being tackled’
Local administration officials in Phuket and Krabi provinces are assuring people that they are trying to tackle the pollution problems in the sea at Ao Nang beach of Krabi and the sea at Tri Trang beach in Patong. Broken waste water treatment facilities are being blamed for the flow of untreated effluent from households and tourism-related establishments into the sea…
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Towel party in a Phuket Town bar
Phuket authorities inspected the ‘Kanom’ bar in Phuket Town at 9.30 pm last night, after receiving a report about obscene behaviour at the premises. The promotion flyer of the bar has been shared among locals stating ‘On February 10, Towel Party at Kanom. Free Booze, Free Food all night long with pretty girls, coyotes and sexy show’. The team found…
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Drug courier arrested at Phuket Gateway checkpoint
Last night (February 9), Thachatchai police, stationed at Phuket Gateway arrested 20 year old Prasorn Kaewpradit, from Songkhla province, with 781 amphetamine pills and 28.4 grams of methamphetamine. Prasorn was traveling to Phuket on a Hat Yai – Phuket bus and the bus was stopped by checkpoint officers. During the search, he was acting suspiciously so the officers asked him…
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Five people from Soi Paradise arrested for taking drugs
On Thursday night (February 8), Patong police headed to the entertainment avenues in Soi Paradise and found five staff and customers using illicit drugs. The team of Patong Police along with Region 8 Investigative Police, Tourist Police, Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Navy Area 3 Officers inspected four bars, including My Way, Mo2, Zagclub and Boat Bar in Soi…
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‘Srithai Network’ Ponzi scheme victims lost 6 million Baht
Phuket members of a Ponzi scheme named Srithai Network gathered at the Phuket Reporter Club at the Provincial Hall yesterday (February 9) calling for help after claiming they’d lost 6 million Baht. A member of the group, Adithorn Raksamran, says that the head of the chain, Witchuda Yuwapan, in Phuket, invited him and his friends to join the scheme in…
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Bottlenose dolphin washes ashore in Surat Thani
A Bottlenose dolphin’s carcass washed ashore on Laem Sai Beach in Surat Thani’s Chaiya district on Friday morning, said Tambon Phumriang municipality mayor Yodchai Phankhrut, as he led a team to inspect the animal. The two metre long male dolphin was estimated at 15-20 years old. The carcass had wounds at the tail and all over the body. Already much…
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Land protest in Krabi over 7,712 rai of land
A group of more than 100 Krabi farmers gathered at the Krabi Provincial Hall to protest against alleged corrupt land officers and privately-owned palm garden that they claim encroaches 7,712 rai of forest land. The protest yesterday (February 8) was led by Yokin Khamwong who handed a letter to Krabi’s Governor calling for an investigation on the concession land of…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, February 9
Thai tourists fined for selfies sitting on coral | Social media has its say about Premchai | The cause of Central Thailand’s serious pollution | 20 prison guards sacked | Thai artifacts being called home from overseas museums | 7-11 sausage with aluminum sprinkles.
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Update on Koh Phi Phi fire
The Chief of Krabi Office of Tourism and Sports, Kirada Lamkorat, says that the tourist centre has received reports from 27 foreign tourists who have lost possessions in the fire, mainly important documents, and they have been brought to make a police report at the Koh Phi Phi Police Station to claim with their insurance companies and start the process…
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Thai tourist’s mermaid pose ends up with a 1,500 Baht fine
By Somchai Samart, Pratch Rujivanrom Three Thai tourists have been fined 1,500 Baht each for sitting on a mountain coral at Mu Koh Surin National Park in Phang Nga. After pictures of two women posing picturesquely while sitting on a large ‘mountain coral’ – apparently in Ao Mae Yai Bay in the Surin Islands – went viral on social media, Mu…
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Phuket man found ‘aluminium’ in 7-11 sausage
A Phuket man posted pictures of a sausage he bought from 7-11 on February 6 with the caption ‘Be careful when eating. There’s a small item that looks alike aluminium in the CP sausage. I bought it 20 minutes ago and luckily bit exactly here, otherwise it would have gone in my stomach’. He also added, ‘CP said they have…
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Thachatchai police announced stricter enforcement against ghost riders
Cyclists in Thachatchai area who like to ride against traffic flow are being warned by local traffic police that the law enforcement on ‘ghost riding’ will be stricter from now on. Following a large number of cyclists being spotted riding against the traffic flow, Thachatchai traffic police announced that they will enforce the traffic law section 43 (8) for ‘careless…
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One-stop service centre set up on Phi Phi for fire victims
A one-stop service centre has been set by the Krabi Governor, gathering all the departments involved to assist victims of last night’s fire. Fire trucks have also been brought to the location and fire extinguishing drills has been taught to the locals as an additional measure for the future. After an investigation forensic police have confirmed that the cause of…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, February 7
Big fire on Phi Phi injures nine / 111 year old ‘fit and well’ in Krabi / head of Ital-Thai arrested for poaching / 11 year old girl dies after running race at school / Two youth arrested over murder at correctional facility / Police nab Hells Angel Damon Wait.
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Records broken at windy 2018 The Bay Regatta
A strong line-up of 33 boats and almost 300 sailors from around the world competed in 21st edition of The Bay Regatta from January 31 to February 4, 2018. A travelling regatta that sails through three of Thailand’s most beautiful provinces – Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi – and stays at different anchorages each night, participants came from far and…
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More than a thousand herons and egrets visit Krabi during winter
More than a 1,000 herons and egrets were found in the palm garden at the backyard of a Krabi citizen, 80 year old Jarat Jaihan, in Prudinna sub-district, during their annual escape from the northern winter. Jarat said for the past 3-4 months at the same time of the day, 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm, the birds would stay in…
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Nine injured in Koh Phi Phi guesthouse inferno
A fire broke out at a row of shophouses on Ko Phi-Phi around 9.30 last night, prompting evacuation of local residents and tourists. The fire is believed to have started at a small hotel, the October Guesthouse, in Soi Slinky and quickly spread out to about 25 adjoining shophouses and restaurants. National Park officials, Navy officers and rescue workers rushed…
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Limiting tourists on the most popular islands
Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) held a meeting today (February 6) to discuss the excessive numbers of tourists visiting famous islands at the Pearl Hotel. The Chief of National Park Office, DNP, Songtham Suksawang, who chaired the meeting, said that the amount of tourists in the marine national parks is directly affecting the environment. “Those national parks,…
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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