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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One missing, six rescued from drowning at Phuket beaches
PHUKET: Two Thai tourists were safely rescued while one is still missing after the trio went swimming in a red-flagged area at Karon Beach yesterday afternoon. The missing man, Arnon Rodjui, is originally from Samuthprakan, reported Col Charnarong Krongkue of Karon Police. Officers from the Karon Tourist Help Center and Karon Police searched for Mr Arnon using jet-skis this morning,…
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Phuket gov tightens security measures amid reports of bomb threats
PHUKET: The Phuket Governor has ordered a security boost in Phuket, particularly at crowded areas such as department stores and fresh markets, as well as at all entry and exit points such as Phuket International Airport, bus terminals, deep sea ports and checkpoints. Following reports of bomb threats in Phuket and bomb blasts in Bangkok last month (story here), Governor…
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Two charged for stealing Phuket tourist’s gold jewelry
PHUKET: An Indian tourist was reunited with his stolen jewelry after Patong Police tracked down the snatchers via CCTV footage and arrested them last night. The victim, Dr Deepak Kumar Sharar, was visiting Phuket for a conference. He reported the incident, which occurred near Novotel Phuket Vintage Park Resort on Saturday night, to Patong Police. “Mr Kumar told us that…
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20-passenger speedboat collides with another at Phuket pier
PHUKET: A speedboat carrying 20 passengers crashed with another at the Boat Lagoon in Koh Kaew yesterday evening. No injuries were reported. A speedboat belonging to ‘Golden Dragon Tour 1’ was carrying passengers from Koh Phi Phi to Phuket when it collided with, and landed partly on top of, another speedboat, ‘K. Kanreab‘, which was not carrying any passengers at…
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Phuket beauty pageant with a purpose
PHUKET: Phuket is slated to hold the first ‘Miss Supranational Phuket 2017’ contest next month. All profits from the event will be donated to Vachira Phuket Hospital. The concept of the pageant is ‘Absolutely Phuket’ and organizers aim to find the “most beautiful woman who truly represents the island”. “This is the first time that this event has been organized…
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Huge amounts of trash on Phuket beach ‘normal’ at this time of year, Mayor says
PHUKET: Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup has responded to complaints of trash on Patong Beach after the Phuket Gazette submitted photos of the depressing landscape to her office today. The photos, showing a sea of trash throughout Patong Beach, were sent to the Gazette by a concerned reader. “This type of thing is normal during the monsoon season, when the wind…
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Thai, Russian tourist team up to save injured turtle at Phuket national park
PHUKET: A Thai and Russian tourist received praise for rescuing an injured turtle stuck in a fishing net at Sirinath National Park yesterday. Officers from the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) came to examine the creature after receiving reports from the Thai tourist, Chanyut Butrgrim, who was visiting the park at Nai Yang Beach. “It is an olive ridley sea…
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Fake Facebook profile of Phuket vice governor sparks concerns
PHUKET: A Phuket vice governor has warned the public to be wary of his Facebook impostor after a user with a fake profile added people and asked to borrow money from them. Vice Governor Teera Anantaseriwidhya said he will today file a complaint against the Facebook user who created a profile in his name (in Thai). “Please do not accept…
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Spree of electric wire thefts in Phuket casues B2mn in damages
PHUKET: Police are hunting for a thief or thieves who have been stealing wires and equipment from electric poles in many areas of Phuket, causing more than 2 million baht worth of estimated loss. Locals in many areas, particularly Thalang and Kathu, have filed several complaints about unlit streets in their areas for the past two months. “They are not…
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Phuket beachgoers warned of ‘Portuguese Men of War’
PHUKET: Lifeguards have warned Phuket beachgoers to be wary of ‘Portuguese Men of War’, poisonous siphonophores that deliver a painful sting if touched. “One of our lifeguards spotted a Portuguese Man of War on the beach yesterday. This is not the first one we have found during this monsoon season – several of them have been seen on Phuket beaches…
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Malaysian fraudsters arrested for skimming Phuket bank accounts
PHUKET: Three Malaysian ATM skimmers were arrested at the Sadao border checkpoint between Malaysia and Thailand on Tuesday. The arrests were made by the Songkla Immigration Office and Sadao Provincial Police. The suspects were wanted for conducting unauthorized money withdrawals in Songkla and Phuket, skimming more than 600,000 baht from 13 Phuket and Songkla-based accounts last month (story here). “We…
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Marine chief dispels rumors of ‘oil spill’ at Phuket beach
PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office Chief has negated concerns about ‘oil spills’ on Karon Beach after a video was shared on social media claiming that that was the case. Facebook user ‘Tonya So Say’ yesterday posted a 14-minute video on the group Siang Prachachon Khon Phuket (‘The Voice of Phuket Citizens’) with the caption: “There is oil spreading on Karon…
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Truck on fire on tarmac at Krabi International Airport
KRABI: Krabi International Airport came under fire after the engine of a pick-up burst into flames on the tarmac yesterday afternoon as bystanders looked on in panic. The pick-up was being used by airport employees for pre-flight ckecks. The flames were soon brought under control by rescue workers and firefighters. “We later discovered that the engine of the pick-up was…
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Krabi Hospital denies allegations of ‘ignoring’ injured Brit
KRABI: Hospital officials yesterday denied reports that they ‘ignored’ the condition of a British man who was brought in with severe head injuries following a motorbike accident in Krabi last week. The accident occurred in front of Tesco Lotus in Krabi Town. The victim, 35, was named only as ‘Jo’ in a social media post shared by his friend, Facebook…
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Phuket gov launches weekly farmer’s market
PHUKET: Governor Norraphat Plodthong officially unveiled a ‘Farmer’s Market’ at Limelight Avenue in Phuket Town this week. The market is aimed at allowing farmers to directly supply fresh, high quality produce and provide a wider choice to customers. The new market will be held every week from Friday to Sunday, with a variety of organic products on offer. However, pineapples…
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Bypass trees chopped down to ‘ease traffic’, says Phuket highways chief
PHUKET: Officials from the Phuket Highways Office say that the reason for chopping down the more than 20 towering pine trees near the Premium Outlet on the Bypass Road this morning was to provide a ‘better view’ of that road to drivers on both sides. “Due to ‘heavy rain’ these days, it was necessary for us to cut down the…
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PEA announces temporary blackout schedule for Phuket
PHUKET: The Provincial Electricity Authority has announced a series of “temporary” blackouts again, this time for “maintenance” in various parts of Phuket, starting tomorrow. The power cuts, which are expected to last from 9am-4:30pm, are scheduled as follows: June 6: Premium Outlet to Biztown and from Siam Niramit to Phuket A&P Trading. June 8: Rock Garden Bypass Housing to Moo…
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Gang of fake gold peddlers arrested in Phuket, Samui
PHUKET: Four men and three women were arrested this weekend for allegedly selling 4 million baht worth of fake gold in several Phuket gold shops over the period of a month. Two suspects are still on the run. Five of the suspects were nabbed at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint, one in Patong, and one in Koh Samui. The suspects are…
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One injured as Phuket International Airport ceiling collapses
PHUKET: A 59-year-old Thai passenger was hospitalized with head injuries when part of the ceiling at Phuket International Airport’s domestic terminal crashed down on Saturday. Bancha Sanguannam was travelling to Bangkok via NokAir. He was seated at Gate 81-82 while waiting for his flight when the incident occurred. Mr Bancha was taken to Thalang Hospital where he received nine stitches…
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Thousands participate in the 12th Laguna Phuket Marathon
PHUKET: More than 4,000 runners lined-up yesterday morning to run the Marathon and Half Marathon distances at the 12th annual Laguna Phuket Marathon. With a record turnout of almost 7,000 runners during the two-day event, the Marathon and Half Marathon proved to be the most popular. With more than 1,600 athletes competing in the marathon alone, it was the largest…
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Phuket woman wanted for allegedly cheating ‘savings group’ out of millions
PHUKET: Police are searching for a woman who allegedly swindled a ‘rotating savings’ group out of millions of baht. ‘Rotating savings’ is a form of combined peer-to-peer banking and lending system wherein a group of individuals agree to contribute a certain amount of money per month in order to save with and borrow from each other. Thirty people yesterday went…
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Vachira Phuket Hospital to conduct free cancer screening for women
PHUKET: Vachira Phuket Hospital will conduct free breast and cervical cancer check-ups every Wednesday from June 14 to August 31, 4:30-8:00pm. Vachira Phuket Hospital social security card holders, both foreign and Thai, as well as 30-baht health insurance card holders, can avail themselves of the free services. The women being tested must be between 30-60 years of age in order…
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Another dead marine creature washes up on Phuket beach
PHUKET: A dead turtle in an advanced state of decay washed up at Surin Beach yesterday, two days after a beached whale in a similar state was discovered in the same place (story here). Officers from the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) came to examine the creature after receiving reports from the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor). They took…
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Bus driver caught with nearly 1,000 protected marine creatures
PHUKET: A bus driver was arrested in Phang Nga early this morning with nearly one thousand protected marine creatures. He was enroute to Phuket. “We received information from one of our sources that a big delivery of marine creatures would be made by bus today. We monitored the route and finally spotted the bus on Petchkasem Road in Moo 2,…
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E-work permits planned for migrant workers in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket officials have announced the launch of an electronic work permit (e-work permit) for migrant workers from Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos, to become effective on November 1 this year. The labor department estimates that nearly 50,000 migrant workers from these countries currently work in Phuket. The initiative is part of Thailand 4.0 and intended to cut down on processing…
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Million-baht-a-month lottery ring busted, three arrested
PHANG NGA: Police yesterday arrested two women and a man for allegedly running an underground lottery operation in Phuket’s neighboring province Phang Nga. The arrests were made at a staff housing unit at Banglam ‘Health Promoting Hospital’ in Takuathung District. The three suspects are Kamol Tongdeeying, 48, a palm oil farmer; Cholthida Makkhum, 35, an accountant;; and Pornthip Jankham, 31,…
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Thailand 4.0, Smart City main focus of TCEB conference in Phuket
PHUKET: The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) in cooperation with the ‘Southern Thailand MICE Cluster’ organized the ‘4th Thailand Domestic Mice Mart’ event at Duangjitt Resort & Spa in Patong yesterday. More than 200 participants attended the proceedings, which featured Thai Airways, Thai Smile, Air Asia and Bangkok Airways among the exhibitors. “This is a great opportunity for buyers…
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10kg monitor lizard found in Phuket home
PHUKET: A 10kg monitor lizard was released into a forest after it was found in a foreigner’s house in Thalang yesterday. “We received a request from the owner of the house to help catch the lizard in Baan Suan Neramit 5, Srisoonthorn sub-district. When we arrived, it was hiding somewhere in the house,” said Pongpan Juanan of Kusoldharm Foundation. “It…
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Private entrepreneurs reveal plans to launch ‘smart buses’
PHUKET: The shareholders of Phuket City Development Co Ltd (PKCD), a group of private entrepreneurs who came together late last year to form a company to work hand in hand with government departments to boost investment and promote seamless business operations in Phuket (story here), revealed their latest plans on Tuesday. The company announced that six separate “offshoots” would handle…
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Phuket fishermen protest closure of community seafood restaurant
PHUKET: Local fishermen and representatives from fish processing groups yesterday morning gathered at the Damrongdharma Center to ask for help after the Phuket Fisheries Office ordered the closure of the Sarasin Seafood Restaurant in Tah Chat Chai. The group of 30, led by Ronnakorn Hongsa, president of Fish Processing Group Baan Tah Chat Chai, submitted a letter to Damrongdharma Center…
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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