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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“Professional’ pickpockets beaten by Phuket locals
PHUKET: Two pickpockets were caught and beaten to a pulp by locals at Wat Chalong Fair last night. Col Anantachai Piyapanun of Chalong Police received a report from locals present at the scene at about 9:30pm. “The two victims named Nunthicha Sermjabog and Jenjira Somboon were walking amid crowds at the fair when the two men, named Duangden Punna and…
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Marine experts: action needed to counter Phuket beach erosion
PHUKET: Officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and experts from academia have suggested two ways to counter the issue of erosion on Phuket beaches. However, they have yet to state when will they take action, and say they are waiting for ‘help’ from local, provincial and national authorities. On Tuesday, a team from the…
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Bus crash in Phuket injures 16 Indian tourists
PHUKET: A bus carrying Indian tourists crashed against a concrete divider in the hills of Kata this morning, toppling to one side and taking down a street light with it. Lt Col Sakkarin Sangchareon of Chalong Police received the report at about 8:10am. “The bus was heading from Kata to Chalong. One tour guide and 16 Indian tourists were injured…
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Video: Foreign boat hunted for anchoring on coral off Phuket
PHUKET: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is hunting for a foreign boat that was captured on video anchoring on a coral reef at Koh Racha. “We received the report and video clip from a tour guide who wishes to remain anonymous,” Suchat Rattanaruengsri, head of the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Division Region 6, told the Phuket Gazette.…
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Infant found dead hours after being fed
PHUKET: A 20-day-old baby girl was found dead at a Burmese worker camp in Thalang last night. Col Chattri Choowichien of Thalang Police received the report at about 10:30pm from Soi Na Yao in Pa Khlok. “Ms Soo, 31, told us that she was breast-feeding her new-born daughter in their room at about 6pm. The baby started choking on the…
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Phuket tourist detained two days for capturing fish
KOH RACHA: A tourist was arrested and jailed yesterday for catching and keeping two fish at a beach on Phuket’s Racha Island. The arrest was made after locals reported the man collecting live fish in a water bottle at Plub Pla Beach. At about 2pm, Fisheries Officer Nares Choopueng, along with Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Department (DMCR) officials, confronted…
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EducationUSA Thailand to host informational fair
PHUKET: EducationUSA Thailand, a program of the US Department of State and US Embassy Bangkok, is inviting high school and university students, parents, and educators to its annual series of higher-education fairs. The Phuket fair is slated for February 1 at Satri Phuket School, with Chiang Mai scheduled for February 2 at Le Meridien Chiang Mai, and Bangkok on February…
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Rawai Mayor warns against swindler
PHUKET: Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos has issued a warning about a possible swindler posing as a Phuket City Municipality officer. Mr Aroon said that a man who called himself Raywat Chanakeaw called him to ask for money yesterday morning. The caller claimed to be a Phuket City Municipality officer and said that he had been in an accident and needed…
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Canadian tourist dies in single-vehicle accident, friend severely injured
PHUKET: A young Canadian woman faces months of rehabilitation and huge hospital bills after being severely injured in a single-vehicle accident that claimed her friend’s life in Phuket last week, the Vancouver Sun reported yesterday. Nezabravka (Nezi) Borislavova, 24, from Vancouver, suffered internal injuries, two broken shoulders, a broken arm and broken wrist, according to her family friend Patrick Parenteau.…
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Parents protest closing of municipality kindergarten
PHUKET: At least 200 parents and students gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday morning to protest against the closing of the Phuket City Municipality kindergarten. The group was led by Chanakan Nansang and Pranee Thongkao, with several protesters carrying signs that read ‘Why close the kindergarten and open a secondary school?’ Ms Chanakan said that Phuket Municipality School had not…
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Thai immigration to deport alleged pedophile, sex-offender today
PHUKET: Authorities will today deport a suspected Czech pedophile back to his home country where he is wanted for allegedly committing sexual crimes. “Czech authorities will provide five policemen to escort him during his flight back,” Immigration Bureau chief Nattorn Prohsunthorn said yesterday. The suspect, Zdenek Pfeifer, 49, was arrested in Phuket last week in response to a request from…
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Italian man killed on Phuket road bend
PHUKET: An Italian man was killed after his motorbike crashed into a roadside barrier while he was heading toward Promthep Cape this afternoon. Lt Col Thada Sodarat of Chalong Police received the report at about 12:30pm. “The victim’s body was lying on the side of the Nai Harn-Laem Promthep Hill road and a Yamaha motorbike was wedged under the barrier.…
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Blood test for Lucky the elephant goes awry
PHUKET: An agitated elephant injured two people and damaged two vehicles while officers were drawing his blood as part of a general health and DNA check on Saturday. A total of 219 elephants were given blood tests at Nakkerd Hills camps by officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), who are currently investigating elephant trafficking…
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Pick-up stuck after drunk Phuket man drives onto beach
PHUKET: Rescue workers spent more than seven hours freeing a pick-up truck from the sands of Bang Tao Beach yesterday morning. The owner of the Isuzu pick-up, Supot Muthina, 32, reported his predicament to Cherng Talay Police at about 8am. He said that he had gotten drunk about 3am and decided to drive to the beach to listen to some…
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Phuket tuk-tuk driver injured after crashing into police box
PHUKET: A tuk-tuk driver sustained serious injuries after crashing into a police box situated atop a median in Kathu this morning. The accident occurred at about 8am near the Kathu-Patong junction, on the way down from Patong Hill. The driver had no identification documents with him, but police believe his name is Faad Yayi, aged between 70-80 years. They also…
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Taxi and tuk tuk operators’ requests denied
PHUKET: The Provincial Committee turned down requests from both taxi and tuk tuk operators to either expand their services to other areas or bring more vehicles to the Island. Phuket Vice Governor Sanit Sriwihok presided over the meeting with concerned officials regarding the requests at the Provincial Hall yesterday afternoon. “Taxi operators in Phuket City are asking for permission to…
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Fisherman drags ashore ‘disappeared’ 4 million baht speedboat
PHANG NGA: A speedboat that went missing on Thursday was found floating off Koh Yao, Phang Nga Bay, by a local fisherman yesterday afternoon. The speedboat belonged to the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra resort and reportedly ‘disappeared into thin air’ after being anchored off Krabi (story here). The fisherman, Apichat Singharoon, 32, reported his discovery to the Klong Prasong village headman,…
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Hotel speedboat communication goes dark after dropping anchor
KRABI: A speedboat ‘disappeared into thin air’ after being anchored off Krabi last night. The speedboat, that belonged to Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort, was reported as ‘missing’ by hotel staff at about 10am today to Somsak Tepbhud, village chief of Baan Koh Kwang. “The staff told us that they had been in contact with the boat crew…
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BREAKING NEWS: One seriously injured after explosion on yacht
PHUKET: Two men were injured after a fire extinguisher exploded inside a yacht at the Boat Lagoon at about 2pm today. The yacht, named Serenity, is on the hardstand at the marina for repairs. Both men, who are employees of Marine Engineering Co, were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital where one is reported to be in critical condition. Maj Somchai…
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Elephant “sees red’ during blood test, rams into pick-up
PHUKET: Visitors and officers watched in horror yesterday as an elephant became agitated during a blood test at a camp in the Nakkerd Hill, damaging a pick-up truck parked nearby. The 15-year-old elephant, named ‘Plai Kong Thong’ was undergoing a general health and DNA check by officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), who are…
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Phuket police hunt for Rawai burglary suspect
PHUKET: Police are hunting for a burglar who broke into a British man’s rental house in Rawai on Tuesday. Steven Denkhag, 47, filed a complaint with Chalong Police that his belongings, 3,000 baht in cash, and several ATM cards had been stolen from his house. One of Mr Senkhag’s friends, a Facebook user named Onlyyou Formemylove, shared CCTV footage of…
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Immigration Chief says Phuket Airport now fully equipped
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport is now ‘fully equipped’ in terms of personnel and equipment to handle arriving and departing passengers, the Immigration Commissioner announced on Tuesday. He added that officials have “done their best” to reduce long queues and make immigration service faster. Long lines, delays, non-existent essential equipment, a lack of personnel and “confused travellers” all marred the opening…
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Man found dead in water tank
PHUKET: The body of an Indonesian crew member was found in a ship’s water tank yesterday morning. The ship, named Fuh Cih Fu no 68, was moored off Koh Tapao Noi in Wichit. Although the body was initially discovered by a crew member on the vessel the day before, it was not reported until about 9am yesterday, according to Maj…
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Manhunt for Phuket hit and run killer is underway
PHUKET: The search is on for a driver involved in the hit and run killing of an elderly man in Thalang yesterday. Capt Chatree Chuwichian of Thalang Police received a report of a man who was crossing the street and got hit by a pickup truck about 6am. “Witnesses claimed that a pickup truck crashed into Sangop Sookkaew, 78, and…
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Interpol wanted Czech pedophile arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: Royal Thai Police last night arrested a Czech Interpol fugitive wanted for allegedly spreading HIV in both Thailand and his home country. Zdenek Pfeifer, 49, was arrested at the Sila apartments in Cherng Talay. He was initially charged with overstaying his visa, but will now be taken to Bangkok for processing of charges filed against him. Mr Pfeifer has…
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Phuket, Surat Thani police collaborate on B1.5mn drug bust
PHUKET: A suspected dealer was arrested with drugs worth at least 1.5 million baht at his apartment in Phuket Town on Sunday. Phuket City Police received a tip-off from Surat Thani Police that a suspect named Payoongkorn Inaksorn would be delivering drugs from Surat Thani to Phuket. Officers in Surat Thani received the information after apprehending another drug dealer who…
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Minor caught shoplifting at Supercheap store
PHUKET: A Phang Nga girl was arrested early this morning in Phuket after she was caught shoplifting from a Supercheap store near the Heroines’ Monument. Capt Suporn Muangkairong of Thalang Police received the report about 4am. “Staff told us that she had entered the store with a bag, but they paid no heed to it. However, the door alarms started…
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Phuket cops dress as postmen to nab B500K worth of drugs
PHUKET: A suspected dealer was busted with drugs worth about half a million baht by undercover police officers in Phuket Town on Sunday. A tip from another dealer, who had surrendered himself on Saturday, led Phuket City Police officials to the post office behind Provincial Hall. “The dealer told us that a man named Korapat Thipasak, 33, would come to…
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Another taxi driver kills another motorcyclist in Phuket
PHUKET: A motorcyclist was killed late last night in a head-on collision with a taxi in Cherng Talay. Lt Col Rassada Kluengwong of Cherng Talay Police received reports of the incident at about 1:50am. “We arrived to find the body of 43-year-old Sarayuth Duangjan lying face down on the asphalt in the middle of the road,” said Col Rassada. “Rescue…
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Police hunt for shooter of injured Burmese woman
PHUKET: A woman was shot during a ya bah (methamphetamine) ‘exchange’ at a Burmese workers’ camp yesterday morning. Capt Kraisorn Boonprasob of Thalang Police received reports of the incident from 41-year-old Mongkol Wongpradit, the caretaker of the camp located in Thalang. “Chan, a worker at the camp, told us that two Thai men on a white motorbike approached him and…
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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