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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Somber Phuketians pay respects to departed King at Provincial Hall
PHUKET: Hundreds of grief-stricken Phuketians in somber attire have been queuing quietly at Phuket Provincial Hall today to take part in a ceremonial anointing of a portrait of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej as well as signing a book of remembrance. During the period of mourning over the coming days and weeks, following yesterday’s announcement of HM King Bhumibol’s passing…
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No jail time for driver who killed German in road accident
PHUKET: The driver of a car that killed a German man and severely injured his Thai partner in Kata last year will walk away without serving any jail time. The dramatic court case over the death of Andreas Walter and the severe injury of his Thai partner Patcharin Lammai ended on October 6 at Phuket Provincial Court. Jakarin Rodpradit, the…
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Officials to strictly monitor social media activities
PHUKET: Social media users and their activities are under strict scrutiny by authorities following the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej yesterday, Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamorthan announced today. “We have set up a special team comprising police officers, military personnel and IT staff to keep a close watch on social media,” said Governor Chokchai. “We are on the lookout…
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Phuket entertainment venues shut for weekend
PHUKET: As the Kingdom mourns the loss of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Phuket’s governor today requested that the touristic island’s entertainment venues close over the weekend. “I would like to ask all entertainment venues not to put on performances at least for the next three days,” Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan said. “It’s not an order and we won’t be enforcing it,…
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Bangla falls silent to mourn the passing of His Majesty
PHUKET: Entertainment venues in Phuket fell silent last night as a sign of mourning for the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej at 3:52 pm yesterday. Bars and nightclub owners in Bangla, Patong turned off their music and instead lit up candles at their venues to pay tribute to His Majesty. A similar show of grief could be seen…
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Phuket Governor urges officials, public to abide by PM’s declaration
PHUKET: As Thailand enters a period of mourning following yesterday’s announcement from the Bureau of the Royal Household that His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away at 3:52pm, Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamorthan expressed his deepest condolences and ordered officials to strictly abide by a declaration issued by the Prime Minister’s office. In a televised announcement yesterday evening, Prime Minister Gen…
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Nation weeps over His Majesty’s departure
PHUKET: His Majesty the King has passed away this afternoon, the Royal Household Bureau has now confirmed. The bureau said that His Majesty died at 3:52pm, at the age of 89. His Majesty had been hospitalized for years.
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Phuket police commemorate Royal Thai Police National Day
PHUKET: Phuket Police officers marked ‘Royal Thai Police National Day’ today. Hundreds of Phuket police officers joined the event, which is part of nationwide celebrations to honor the force. The ceremony was held at the Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters in Phuket Town. The celebrations started with a Buddhist blessing before the official ceremony, led by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teeraphol…
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Drunk American attacks vehicles on Thepkrasattri
PHUKET: An intoxicated American man was arrested for throwing bottles at vehicles and running in and out of traffic on the northbound Thepkrasattri Road in the early hours of yesterday morning. Tah Chat Chai Police charged thirty-eight year-old Stephen Leonard with drunk and disorderly conduct and damaging property . He was fined 200 baht. Mr Leonard allegedly smashed the window…
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Checkpoint nets nearly 100kg of marijuana
PHUKET: Tah Chat Chai police officers seized nearly 100 kilograms of marijuana at Phuket’s northern checkpoint on Tuesday. Col Prawit Suttiruengarun told the Phuket Gazette that the police arrested a Trang man after ordering the vehicle to stop for a routine search. The man, who police have identified as 37-year-old Annop Dueramare, reportedly attempted to drive away after the officers…
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New drunk-driving law would punish families
PHUKET: Provincial officials told the Phuket Gazette on October 7 that they are prepared to support and enforce a new law that would punish the families of drunk drivers, should the legislation be approved by Thailand’s Cabinet. Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith is behind the proposed new law aimed at cracking down on the number of drunk driving accidents, deaths and…
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Drive-by road rage shooting suspect arrested
PHUKET: Sakoo Police yesterday arrested a Thai man who critically injured another man in a road rage-fueled drive-by shooting on Thursday. The 23-year-old suspect, Pawarut Thepabutra, told police that he left his house about 5am on the morning of the incident with his girlfriend to join a Vegetarian Festival parade at Bang Neow Shrine in Phuket Town but then went…
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16 arrested in gambling ring bust
PHUKET: Police apprehended 16 suspected gamblers and confiscated more than 130,000 baht in cash and gambling paraphernalia during a raid of an illegal gambling ring in Wichit yesterday. City Defense Deputy Jiradet Burarak and other officials led the raid on a house in Soi Thepanusorn at about 6pm after locals complaining about the level of noise emanating from the residence.…
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Van driver murdered in Kathu
PHUKET: Police are hunting for a Thai man suspected of shooting dead a van driver in Kathu on Saturday. Chamnong Kaewprot, 41, was admitted to Phuket International Hospital by his wife, with shotgun wounds to his back. He was later transferred to Mission Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Capt Sawanya Eiattrong of Kathu Police arrived at the scene of…
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Police hunt Phuket Town mobile robber
PHUKET: Police are looking for a man who allegedly snatched a mobile phone from a student at gun point in Phuket Town on Saturday morning. The incident took place outside the Phuket City Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education on Damrong Road. “The victim, Kritsana Harinsalai, 24, is registered at the Rawai office but had come to the Phuket City…
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Frenchman found dead in Patong hotel room
PHUKET: The naked body of a Frenchman was found in a hotel room in Patong on Saturday. The body of Sylvain Bernard Renia, 27, was discovered by housekeeping staff at The Nest Resort on Nanai Road. “His body was found in the toilet. He was naked and his face and body were resting against the wall,” said Capt Sininat Cherdchutrakulthong…
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Samui suffering from serious drought
KOH SAMUI: Desperate drought-hit residents on Koh Samui are turning to spirits for help after receiving little assistance from local authorities. “There has been no help from the local government,” said Samui villager Sawat Limsuwan, 61, yesterday having prayed for the heavens to open at a makeshift shrine on his parched land early last month. Mr Sawat told the Phuket…
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Festival raids seize over 70k pills
PHUKET: Provincial police announced yesterday that they have seized nearly 72,000 methamphetamine pills, estimated to have a street value of 4 million baht, over the course of the past week. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teeraphol Thipjaroen told the Phuket Gazette that the annual Vegetarian Festival brings with it a chance for dealers and suppliers to transfer drugs and cash in…
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Hotel owner faces forest encroachment charges
PHUKET: A team from the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) raided a hotel located on the Bypass Road this morning after locals complained that the establishment was encroaching on forest land. “We got a complaint in March that the Hilltop Hotel and Residence, located behind the Wang Mai wooden shop, was encroaching on forest land,” said RFD Deputy Director General Somchai…
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B3mn damages in Yamu speedboat blaze
PHUKET: Investigators confirmed today that an electrical short circuit was the cause of a speedboat blaze off Yamu Pier in Pa Khlok on September 24. Three crew members were injured in the fire, with one of them sustaining serious injuries including a broken leg and burns on 40-50 per cent of his body (story here). He is still under doctors’…
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Crane crash damages two vehicles at Krabi Hospital car park
KRABI: Two vehicles were damaged when a crane crashed into a covered garage in front of a residential building at Krabi Hospital this morning. The crane driver, Sompong Chinnawong, 60, claimed that he could not stop the crane, despite repeated attempts to brake. “I was trying to start the engine, but it would not start. Then, for some reason, it…
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Tourist bus crash causes pile-up on Patong hill
PHUKET: Yet another tour bus has crashed on Patong Hill. In the accident on Wednesday afternoon, the driver lost control and ploughed into three other vehicles, resulting in a Thai man being seriously injured and 11 others sustaining injuries. Witnesses told Patong Police that the bus crossed over into oncoming traffic while in a downhill turn, crashing into a pick-up…
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Krabi taxi drivers’ brawl goes viral
KRABI: Airport ‘Limousine’ drivers and metered taxi drivers came to blows when a heated argument about passengers escalated at Krabi International Airport on Tuesday. A video clip shot by a bystander was shared and widely criticized on social media. The caption of the video is “Krabi International Airport fight between green plate taxi and taxi meter [sic]. I don’t want…
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Man in ICU after drive-by road rage shooting
PHUKET: A 23-year-old Thai man is in intensive care after being shot in a drive-by road rage attack this morning. Thalang police told the Phuket Gazette they received an emergency call at about 6am, after Chayan Srinual was rushed to Thalang Hospital. “Mr Chayan was shot once in the left side of his back,” said Thalang police Captain Chatree Chuwichian.…
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Longtail passengers rescue fellow tourist
KRABI: A Chinese tourist was lucky that a Royal Thai Navy rescue team was on hand after she nearly drowned in the Andaman Sea on Saturday. Xiaochang Lai, 23, along with five other tourists, was touring the bay on a longtail boat and had stopped to snorkel around the coral reef at Koh Gai. Ms Lai became separated from her…
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New vice governors named
PHUKET: The Interior Ministry yesterday announced Phuket’s three new vice governors, who will be taking their posts on October 10. The vice governors were named as Sanit Sriwihok, previously the Surat Thani Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad); Theera Anantasereewittaya, previously the Department of Local Administration inspector in Bangkok; and the second female vice governor for Phuket, Siwaporn Chuasawat, previously the…
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Festival firecrackers ignite Supercheap blaze
PHUKET: Police said they believe a fire that spread across Bang Tao’s Supercheap store yesterday was ignited by children’s firecrackers. Firefighters and personnel from the Cherngtalay Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) office raced to the scene of the blaze yesterday afternoon. Firefighters reportedly battled the blaze for 20 minutes before it was extinguished. Goods inside the store were…
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Vegetable Frenzy brings economic boon
PHUKET: Phuket’s controversial Vegetarian Festival is expected to generate 3.4 billion baht in revenue for the local economy, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) claimed today. According to the TAT, during the closing days of the festival, hotel occupancy along the parade routes was up to 90 per cent. Additionally, officials said occupancy of beach hotels also increased during the…
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Cops nab racing teen riders
PHUKET: Traffic Police last night nabbed two teen motorbike riders who were allegedly racing with about 30 other riders along a stretch of road in Saphan Hin. Police received complaints at about 5:30pm that a group of more than 30 teenagers were racing motorbikes near the Vegetarian Festival celebrations. Responding officers were only able to catch the two teens. The…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival in full swing
PHUKET: This year’s Vegetarian Festival in Phuket is fully underway, with processions of devotees marching to Chinese shrines across the island for the second day of rituals this week. Yesterday, devotees and festival participants gathered at Choor Su Gong Naka shrine for the first street procession of the festival. Crowds gathered at the Bang Ku shrine today for a second…
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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