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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Phuket airport on high alert for MERS
PHUKET: Health officials at Phuket International Airport have ramped up efforts to identify any Phuket travellers who could be infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (Mers-CoV). The news follows Thailand’s second confirmed case of the virus on Saturday (story here). Officials have been checking to ensure that airport screening is being strictly enforced. “All staff members at the airport…
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Tension builds at Phuket sea gypsy village
PHUKET: Tension mounted again at the Rawai sea gypsy village as the local community prevented alleged landowners from blocking access to the area yesterday. “Representatives of Baron World Trade Co, which claims it owns the land, attempted to blockade the area with the help of about 40 officers from the Army, Provincial Office and Chalong Police, said Rawai Mayor Aroon…
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Two fires burn hot in Phuket
PHUKET: Firefighters from five firetrucks spent 30 minutes battling the flames from a house fire in Phuket Town, which was only one of two fires that erupted yesterday. “The 60-year-old homeowner, Sookjai Teerapittayanon, was running errands in the neighborhood when the fire started in her kitchen,” said Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayuth Karajedee. “Fortunately, nobody was in the house…
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Bar patron batters police officer for closing pub
PHUKET: An allegedly drunk man attacked a Phuket police officer after learning that the bar where he was drinking was being forced to close for the night. “Lt Col Wanchana Assompoch of the Phuket City Police was attacked while he was on patrol, closing down venues that had continued to operate past legal hours early Sunday morning,” said Lt Col…
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Another marine tragedy hits Phuket: one killed, one injured
PHUKET: One man was killed and another injured after the boat they were crewing from Phuket to Phi Phi Island burst into flames and sunk this afternoon. “The boat, which was transferring supplies to the Phi Phi Village Hotel, was near Koh Dok Mai when it caught fire,” explained Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana. “We received an SOS from…
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Thailand Yacht Show attracts elite
PHUKET: The inaugural edition of the Thailand Yacht Show, to be held February 8-14 at the Ao Po Grand Marina, continues to attract the elite of the superyacht industry. Burgess Yachts, one of the world’s largest and most internationally renowned brokerage and charter companies, is using the event to showcase an exciting and diverse range of yachts. The distinctive 73…
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Illegal fishing vessel owner arrested in Phuket
PHUKET: A man was arrested this weekend for his role in two Phuket-based boats illegally fishing in international waters. “We were contacted by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) about 37-year-old Thanongsak Raksawong being in charge of two of the six Thai-flagged boats currently under investigation for illegal fishing,” said Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana. Officers arrested Mr Thanongsak at…
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A Decade Ago: TAT battles direct flights to key markets
PHUKET: More direct flights from key tourist source markets to Phuket were put forward as the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office scrambled out of a ‘lion’s den’ of hoteliers and property industry figures a decade ago. “It seems to me, from what I have heard here, that there are tourists who want to come, but there are no…
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Sober driver slams into Phuket Police Station
PHUKET: An entirely sober woman survived slamming her car into the outer gates of the Phuket Provincial Police Station Sunday morning. Sriwan Saelong, 30, was only slightly injured during the accident. “Ms Sriwan told us that she had just overtaken a black car at about 2:30am as she was driving down Yaowarat Road. The car she passed then turned right…
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Unidentified body found on boat off Nai Harn
PHUKET: Police this morning discovered the severely decomposed body of an unidentified male on a boat off of Nai Harn. Officers were alerted to the Australian-flagged boat after a man complained of a bad smell emanating from a vessel that had been anchored in the same spot for nearly a week, confirmed Maj Thada Sodarak of the Chalong Police. “We…
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New Zealand national dies in single vehicle crash
PHUKET: A New Zealand national was killed in a single vehicle crash in Chalong early this morning. The woman*, whose name is being withheld until the embassy is informed of the death, was found at a curve on Soi Ta Eid. Her Zoomer-X motorbike was found severely damaged nearby. “While at the scene, the woman’s friends came and told us…
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Rassada woman saved from burning home
PHUKET: A handicapped woman was rescued from her burning home yesterday afternoon in Rassada. Firefighters were sent to the home of Pornnatcha Bumpen, 42, after locals reported hearing an explosion and seeing smoke. Neighbors were quick to rescue Ms Pornnatcha, who is unable to walk, from the fire. “It took nearly 30 minutes for firefighters to put out the flames,”…
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Phuket International Airport looks to ban paging boards
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport is considering banning private paging boards at the arrival hall, confirmed Somsak Pakdeerak, deputy president of the Phuket International Airport Administration Department. An announcement was posted on the facility’s Facebook page, AOT [Airpots of Thailand] Phuket International Airport, announcing that the new policy banning private agents using the boards to pick up passengers would come into…
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Phuket Food Festival underway in City of Gastronomy
PHUKET: The Eighth Annual Phuket Local Food Festival started at Saphan Hin on Wednesday night, with delicious local delicacies being served up by Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada. “This is a great fair that all tourists should know about, as it shows how beautifully unique Phuket is,” Governor Chamoren said. “Additionally, we have just been named as a UNESCO City of…
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Principled park official saves the day for Iranian tourist
KRABI: An Iranian man was reunited with his lost wallet containing nearly 100,000 baht worth of cash on Wednesday after an honest national park officer reported finding it. Wuthichai Prathumthong, chief of a forest protection unit at Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, found a pair of trousers Tuesday containing the wallet on Maya Bay. “The…
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Missing yacht found sunk off Green Island
PHUKET: A 50-foot sailing yacht reported missing yesterday morning was discovered run aground off an island between Phuket and Phi Phi. Somboon Chooseng, the owner of Anemone, reported that the yacht had gone missing from Phi Phi Don on Wednesday night, confirmed Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana. Within 45 minutes of the report being filed, Krabi Marine Police discovered…
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One map, one more problem: PM Prayut told survey cut out 1,200 rai
PHUKET: Officials in Bangkok are fuming after Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha was told that the ‘One Map’ project, aimed at seeing state agencies using a map set at the same scale, sliced off about 50 billion baht’s worth of national park and forestry land in Phuket for the benefit of private investors. In the past, the use of maps…
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Jet-skis’ truck-trailer chaos gets “okay’ for Phuket beaches
PHUKET: Nothing can be done about the morning and evening chaos caused by jet-ski rental operators driving their trucks and trailers right onto Phuket’s beaches, explained an embattled Phuripat Theerakulpisut, acting director of the Marine Office Region 5. “I will talk to them about being a bit more organized when they drop off and pick up their jet-skis. However, tourists…
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Team Thanyapura takes top honors at Tour of Takola
PHUKET: Team Thanyapura took top honors in the Tour of Takola in Takuapa on Sunday. Local cyclists competed in the challenging 70 kilometer course, which featured a rolling terrain and two climbs, totaling a distance of 9.3km with an average grade of six per cent. Daniel Amby, of Team Thanyapura, took the top spot on the podium finishing 25 seconds…
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Motorbike taxi driver found dead at Bang Wad Dam
PHUKET: Police are investigating the death of a Patong motorbike taxi driver after his body was found floating in a secluded area in Bang Wad Dam. Officers were called to the area after a local discovered the body of Chanon Phumpinai, 25, on Wednesday afternoon. “We had to walk quite a long way into the forest to reach the body,”…
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All tourist boarding boats must carry ID, says Gov
PHUKET: Tourists will be required to show a form of government identification to CCTV cameras before boarding boats at any piers on the island, Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “Having passengers show their identification will help us check on tourists’ safety,” Governor Chamroen explained. “If anyone goes missing or is involved in accident, we will…
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Man arrested in possession of numerous war weapons
PHUKET: A Phuket man was arrested in possession of war weapons and related paraphernalia at his home in Patong yesterday. Police were sent to the residence of Sompong Sakoonthap after several complaints were made last month about the sound of gunshots coming from his home, confirmed Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpo of the Patong Police “After a month long investigation, we…
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Minimum age requirement for jet-ski rental to be implemented in 30 days
PHUKET: New jet-ski regulations will now mandate that every renter must be at least 18 years of age to be allowed to operate the vehicle by himself. Six new jet-ski regulations are to be put in place within 30 days, confirmed Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat at a meeting with jet-ski operators this morning. “Should a driver be under the age…
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Taxi driver escapes death in single vehicle crash
PHUKET: A taxi driver narrowly escaped death early this morning after he crashed his taxi into a power pole in Thalang. Ong-art Kamruang, 32, ‘lost control’ of his vehicle near the entrance to Bang Kanoon Forest, in the northbound lanes of Thepkrasattri Road, confirmed Lt Col Sanit Nukong of the Thalang Police. “Witnesses stated that Mr Ong-art was driving too…
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French national found dead in Patong guesthouse
PHUKET: A French national was found dead in his Patong guesthouse last night. Police believe that Stephane Santin, 48, died two days before his body was discovered. “Mr Santin’s friend was concerned that he hadn’t heard from him since Monday,” said Lt Col Weerapong Rakhito of the Patong Police. “He went to go check on him at his room, but…
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Go vocational: Research shows Phuket university students jobless
PHUKET: The Phuket City Mayor called on Mathayom students to embrace vocational education in preparation for life after graduation following the release of research indicating a surplus of university graduates and a shortage of vocational workers. Addressing students at the ‘Learn for Life 2016’ event held at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat indoor gymnasium yesterday, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana pointed out…
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Official scolds former park chief for latest encroachment claims
PHUKET: Paiboon Koomchaya, chair of the national state land boundary enhancement committee, has called for evidence of ongoing boundary adjustment at Sirinath National Park from former national parks chief Damrong Phidet, who claimed that changes are being made for the benefit of rich land encroachers (story here). Mr Paiboon, who is also Justice minister, rebuked Mr Damrong for speaking to…
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Quadrilingual website to guide Phuket investors
PHUKET: A quadrilingual website to guide foreign investors will be launched through the Phuket Provincial website next month, Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada told the Phuket Gazette in an exclusive interview this week. The website will be launched in Thai, English, Chinese and Russian. “We are pushing hard to establish the Investment Institute in Phuket,” said Governor Chamroen. Phuket already has…
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Koh Yao Noi locals return missing smartphones
PHUKET: Honest Koh Yao locals were prompt in returning two smartphones lost by tourists on Koh Yao Noi last week. “In Koh Yao Noi, we are all segments of our society – police, locals, tour operators and hotel operators cooperate to take care of tourists and each other,” said Koh Yao Police Superintendent Jirasak Lamsak. The first phone was recovered…
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Phuket Marine Police train speedboat crews in safety, rescue
PHUKET: Marine Police launched safety and rescue education courses in Phuket following the death of a French snorkeller, who was killed by a speedboat earlier this month (story here). The campaign, entitled ‘Safety is the heart of tourist’, aims to have all crew working with tourists on the island to be trained within in two months. By January 15, more…
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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