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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Sponsored Is tap water in Thailand safe to consume?
Wondering if you can drink the tap water in Thailand? From brushing your teeth to filling up a bottle, it’s helpful to understand a few basics. Tap water safety in Thailand varies by location, and while some people use it...
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Chinese couple photo shoot no-no at temple crematorium
Pictures of Chinese couple taking their pre wedding photos at the crematorium at Chalong temple have gone viral among Thais social media users. People are criticising the couple and their entourage about the inappropriateness of this photo location, showing a proposal with a man kneeing down in front of a woman in red bride dress right in front of the…
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Laguna Phuket Marathon to welcome 8,000+ runners for 2018
South East Asia’s leading destination marathon, the award-winning Laguna Phuket Marathon, will take place at the Laguna Phuket resort complex on Bang Tao Beach on June 9 & 10, 2018. Organised by leading event organiser Go Adventure Asia, Laguna Phuket Marathon has been certified by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) for a 13th consecutive year and remains…
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Phuket Hotels Association award their first six scholarships
The PHAB (Phuket Hotels Association Benefit) fundraising event was held last year on May 13 and raised approximately 4 million baht. Since then, the Phuket Hotels Association’s Education Working Group has placed advertisements, shortlisted candidates and interviewed the prospects for its scholarship program. The three institutions they will be working with are Phuket Vocational College, Rajabhat University and Prince of…
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THAIGER TODAY January 31
Frenchman and Thai accomplice re-enact murder | Viet Jet back-pedal over PR stunt | Thai PM admits falling popularity | British expat needs triple by-pass – no health insurance | Krabi province investigates marine ambulance | AMLO clamps down on Bitcoin.
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A 152 year chance to see a rare triple treat – Lunar Eclipse
Stargazers and astro-photographers will gather at locations along Phuket’s east coast between 6pm and 12pm to catch sight of the very rare triple display of a blue moon, a super moon and a total lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse, a blue moon and a supermoon will occur simultaneously, in a coincidence that last happened almost 152 years ago in 1866.…
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Krabi authorities consider purchase of marine ambulance
A meeting to discuss marine safety was held at Nong Talay Sub District Administration OrBorTor yesterday (January 30), where the idea was floated to purchase a medical boat (marine ambulance) by the President of Krabi Tourism Association, Wattana Rerngsamut, to increase safety and emergency transportation in case of accidents at sea. The meeting was chaired by the President of Nong…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, January 29
Krabi coal fire plant hearings get no opposition | Frenchman nabbed over Italian’s murder in Tak | Thailand voted the Number One ranking of the list of Best Countries to Start a Business | Anxious wait for Thai fishing ‘yellow card’ to lifted | Wildlife Selfie Code launched | ‘Upcycling the oceans’ event pulls nearly a tonne of rubbish off…
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Russian man dies after walk along Krabi beach
A 61 year old Russian tourist, Shikokenko Alexander, fainted while walking along the beach at Hong Island in Krabi, was being taken to hospital but died on the way (January 28). At 1pm, the Chief of Bokkoranee National Park received a report that the Russian man was walking with his wife along the beach when he collapsed onto the sand.…
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4 metre long python found in goat farm
Last night (January 28), the owner of Kiang Tawan goat farm in Krabi, 56 year old Kiang Yaithong, along with his friends, tried to capture a 4 metre and 15 kilogram python that sneaked inside his farm and ate a cat and a few chickens. They tied it up and dragged it out from the goat cage then left it…
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Huge python found in 70 year old’s house
A big python, actually a HUGE python, was found in front of a 70 year old Somneug Pattanawong’s Phuket home today. He heard his dog barking loudly so opened the door to check what the fuss was all about. The python, which is at least 50 kilograms and 6 metres long (that’s about 20 feet) was basking in the sunshine…
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1,150 Officers prepared for Krabi Power Plant Public Hearings
Krabi’s Police Commander, Pol Maj Gen Boontawee Toraksa, has promised that the public hearings will not see any violence with the addition of 1,150 police, military and defense volunteer officers, all prepared to guard the area. Infrastructure for the public hearings has already been put in place with 3 big air-conditioned tents with a capacity of 2,500 people. CCTV cameras…
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Waste water flowing freely onto Krabi’s beaches
Krabi Vice Governor, Pol Capt Apinan Puakpong, with a team of military officers, Krabi Office of Natural Resources and Environment and Krabi Provincial Public Health Office, inspected hotels, resorts and restaurants along Tub Kaeg Beach and found that there are five 5-star hotels as well as one restaurant that have their waste water pipe releasing directly into the sea. The…
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FIFA World Cup lands in Phuket
The FIFA World Cup has already arrived in Phuket for an exhibition. The exhibition is arranged under the auspices of the ‘FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour 2018 by Coca-Cola’ which takes place today (January 27) at Central Festival Phuket. Phuket fans will be meeting with the legend of FIFA Christian Karembeu, former player of French National Team in the World…
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Dugong found dead on a beach in Rassada
Kusoldham Phuket Foundation and Muang Phuket Police received a report from locals at noon today (January 26) about the dead body of a dugong washed up ashore on Somkiet Beach in Baan Laem Nga, Rassada sub-district. The 1.2-meter-long dugong started to smell already and there were traces of cuts from sharp items on the head, skin and stomach with its…
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Mother & child re-united. And it feels so good.
Rescuers had to break a car’s window after its doors automatically locked with both a toddler and the car key inside in Phuket’s Mueang district on Thursday morning. The mother, 36, whose name was withheld, sought help from the people nearby after she was unable to open her car door, and police and rescuers were alerted at 8.40am. The mother…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, January 26
Latest announcements about Smart Visa | Re-enactment of Israeli mob hit in Samui | 3 road deaths on Patak Road, Karon in 24 hours | Police raid illegal hostels in Koh Pha Ngan | Monster drug haul in BKK | Bans on catching and eating seahorses AND official bans on smoking on some Thai beaches starts next week.
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Motorcyclist dies whilst over-taking on the left in Karon
After an early double fatality on Patak Road, Karon, where two people on motorbikes collided (one Filipino, one from Myanmar), a rescue team member, 27 year old Sahasanai Nakan, crashed after overtaking a bus resulting in his death yesterday (January 24). The cyclist was riding on Patak Road in Karon without a helmet and overtook a bus, but fell and…
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Filipino and Burmese killed in Karon crash
A Fillipino man, 35 year old Arthur Mina, and a Burmese woman have died following a crash earlier this morning (January 25) on Patak Road, Karon. Police say that his motorcycle collided with another motorcycle driven by a woman (whose name hasn’t been announced by police). The accident occurred on a curve. The two drivers were allegedly driving at high…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, January 25
THAIGER TODAY, Thursday, January 25…. The ‘S’ word in Bangkok | Why can’t our taxis work like this? | AIDS levels dropping in ASEAN | PM pleads with media to drop Prawit ‘chatter’ | Charged Israeli mobsters heading to Samui to recreate crime | Philippines volcano sparks evacuations.
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Thailand Yacht Show – attracting Superyachts to the region
PHOTO: Andy Treadwell, CEO and Founder, Thailand Yacht Show At a Press Conference in Bangkok last week Prakob Wongmaneerung, Vice Governor of Phuket, Nithee Seeprae, Executive Director of Product Promotion Department of TAT and Andy Treadwell, CEO and Founder of the Thailand Yacht Show, along with numerous officials and key business leaders, gathered to re-confirm their commitment to promoting Thailand…
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Krabi palm oil plant given warnings after releasing waste water
A privately owned palm oil mill in Krabi is being told to close its doors by the Krabi Office of Industry after releasing waste water into a natural canal twice in a month. On January 22, Benyathip Tanti-Ariyasap, and her team from the Krabi Office of Industry, visited the palm oil mill belonging to the Lap Pakdee Palm Company Limited,…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, January 23
3 killed and many more injured in latest Yala bombing | Another bus with Chinese tourists ends up in a road ditch in Chiang Mai | Later on the Israeli mob hit on Samui | Central Pattana introduce cashless technology at 4,000 stores | Bullets flying in Hat Yai yesterday | Exports up 9.9% over past 12 months.
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, January 22
Israeli hit squad kills one in Koh Samui | ‘Taxi OK’ App and reforms launched this Thursday | Spot checks at Chalong Pier reveal shortcomings on some boats | Couple arrested at Don Mueang after alleged murder in Pichit | Total of four arrested over Phuket Airport baggage thefts.
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Ukrainian driver loses control of his car – two killed in Cherngtalay crash
A car driven by a Ukrainian man, Artem Chidoko, was travelling, allegedly at high speed, from Cherngtalay towards Phuket International Airport when he lost control while taking a curve on the road. He crashed into a van driving on the other side of the road in the opposite direction about 2pm yesterday afternoon (Sunday). He was driving with two passengers,…
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UPDATE: One more airport worker arrested for stealing passengers’ valuables
After three Phuket airport staff were arrested for stealing passengers’ valuables on Saturday, police extended their investigation and arrested another staff member, 28 year old Kwanchai Butchai, from Sisaket province. The three men that were arrested earlier include 30 year old Manote Nakpojit and 29 year old Nirut Saksri who admitted the thefts, while another one, 23 year old Chakrit…
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Phuket and Krabi province officials meet for marine safety meeting
Authorities from Phuket and Krabi provinces have met to discuss marine safety, boat management and the tourism situation on Koh Phi Phi. About 33 authorities plus media from Phuket led by Phuket Governor, Norapat Plodthong, left from Ao Po Pier on Saturday heading to Phi Phi to meet with Krabi authorities led by Krabi Governor, Second Lieutenant Apinan Puakpong and…
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12 infringements during random safety check at Chalong Pier
The Tourist Police, Marine Police and Phuket Marine Office headed to Chalong Pier yesterday (January 20) to conduct random inspections and found 12 boat operators in error over various safety issues. Two people held expired licenses, another one didn’t bring his license onboard and another 6 operators were not running boats in accordance with the conditions specified in their license.…
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“Limit visits to marine national parks to six million”
A leading marine biologist has proposed to the government to limit visitors to marine national parks to 6 million a year to lessen impact on its ecological environment. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, deputy dean at the Fisheries Faculty of Kasetsart University, made his proposal at the meeting of the Marine and Coastal Resources Policy Management Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gen…
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Buggy crash at Ao Po Pier
A buggy with passengers crashed into Ao Po Long-tail Boat Club yesterday (January 19) resulting into 10 people being injured. All the injured are Chinese tourists who have already been sent to Thalang Hospital. The driver, 39 year old Pongthep Lawan, said that after he picked up his passengers from the boat returning from Naka Yai Island, the buggy stopped…
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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