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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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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THAIGER TODAY Monday, February 12
‘Kra Canal’ project “not a priority” | Officals jump into action over black sludge washing into Ao Nang and Patong beaches | Student intern uncover 6.9 million baht alleged embezzlement | Student protests ‘must be handled carefully’ | Boris Johnson visits Myanmar | Cloud seeding being used to help settle last week’s BKK smog.
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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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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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Chalong ‘Carpark’ to finish April next year
Phuket Highway Office Chief, Somwang Lohanut, has updated the progress of Chalong Circle underpass, saying that the construction is expected to be finished around April next year – at least 14 months of more pain for southern local drivers. The office has already installed signs at the construction site suggesting detours via Kata, Karon, Chalong and Phuket Town to avoid…
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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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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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Drugs and weapon nabbed at Thachatchai checkpoint
Thachatchai police have arrested a Nakhon Si Thammarat man, 21 year old Chakrit Petcharat, with 1,564 amphetamine pills worth about 300,000 Baht. Last night (February 8), Thachatchai police at the Phuket Gateway checkpoint stopped a bus traveling from Nakhon Si Thammarat. While checking, police noticed Chakrit seemed suspicious so they searched him and found the drugs in his luggage on…
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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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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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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, February 8
Premchai house raids reveal weapons and ivory / infamous Tiger Temple to re-open / Krabi Governor says Phi Phi completely unprepared for fires / National police chief orders changes following shooting of on-duty policeman / UN will sit next week to discuss Roningya crisis.
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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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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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UPDATE: Fire on Koh Phi Phi
The fire zone following the blaze on Phi Phi last night is being cleared since early this morning (January 7) while Ao Nang Sub-district Administration Organization (OrBorTor), tourism businesses and Phi Phi Island Protection and Conservation Club have set up a registration list for fire victims. The area where the fire is thought to have started remains limited access, waiting…
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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,…
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Four houses destroyed, one badly damaged, in Phuket Town fire
A fire consumed four Phuket houses and partially damaged another on Monday morning, police said. The Muang Phuket police station was alerted of the fire in Tambon Talad Mai at 6.45am. The crew from four fire engines took about an hour to put out the blaze, which burned down four connected houses and damaged a fifth. Police said no one…
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Going Green: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon achieves Gold Green Globe status
Guests enjoying the resort’s electric tuk-tuk Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket has become a certified Green Globe Gold member in 2017 having recently received the coveted eco-sustainable certification for the sixth consecutive year, achieving some of the best rankings in Southeast Asia. “We are very proud of our achievements in sustainable operations at the resort and of our…
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Pick-up and van crash in Krabi kills the driver and injures 10
Yesterday (February 4), Klong Thom Police (Krabi) received a report about a pick-up truck crashing into van, resulting in 1 casualty and 10 injuries. The accident occurred at Namkhao-Koh Lanta Road, where police and rescue teams found the Chevrolet pick-up badly damaged from its front all the way to the driver seat. About 20 metres away, a van with Trang…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, February 5
Thammasat and Chulalongkhorn University students mock Thai politics | 24 year old Ukranian stabbed by boat crew | Strong winds ravage Songkhla coastal communities | Unidentified body found floating in BKK along | US Labour department puts Thai fishing industry on notice | Thepa and Krabi power plants put on hold.
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Anonymous attack in Patong
A 27 year old man, Natchasak Satitrong from Surat Thani province, was attacked while sleeping in a sala near the Loma Park football stadium in Patong early yesterday morning (Sunday). At 4 am Kusoldham Foundation received a report about a man being attacked by a sharp item. They found Natchasak with knife wounds on his scalp, his left fingers, right…
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Boat crew arrested after slashing tourist
Phuket Tourist Police and Thalang Police arrested a boat crew, 24 year old Thanakorn Sechana from Sakon Nakhon province, after he slashed a Ukrainian passenger with a knife yesterday (February 3). The passenger, 24 year old Vitalii Kuzmichov, was traveling back from Phi Phi Island with a Best Travel Club tour boat and got slashed near his left elbow by…
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‘Big drug dealer’ arrested in Rawai
Phuket police have held a press conference to reveal a drug network which included the arrest of one man and seizure of 1.39 kilograms of methamphetamine, worth 5 million Baht. Police allege the drugs belong to a ‘big drug dealer’, 26 year old Nakarin Chaweewongprateep. The police initially arrested 49 year old Suth Saekang in Rawai with 307 amphetamine pills…
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‘No can find’ – police investigate an alleged sex show in Soi Bangla
Pol Col Akanit Danpitaksat has revealed recent checks in Soi Bangla after receiving a report about a sex show at an entertainment venue. However, police couldn’t find any evidence of a sex show despite checking the venues for a few nights. He explained that the Anti-human trafficking Police went to check the place and it was open normally with tourists…
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Singaporean crashes into the Heroines Monument
A 55 year old Singaporean man, Ang Koh Lin, crashed his Toyota Fortuner into the metal fence adjacent to the Heroines Monument last night (February 1) and was critically injured. Emergency responders provided first aid at the scene and sent him immediately to hospital. From the investigation, police believe that he was driving from Paklok heading west towards the monument…
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Baby crocodile found in Chalong tin mine lake
A local fisherman has found a baby crocodile at an old mine in Soi Nakok, Chalong. Fisheries Officers have been visiting the area and speaking to the man this morning. The question on everyone’s lips…’Where’s the mother?!” More information coming soon.
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.