Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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Island prepares to “Light Up Phuket’ to honor tsunami victims
PHUKET: The world’s eyes will be on the Andaman coast this Saturday, as Thailand honors the victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, which devastated the region’s coastline on December 26, 2004. Remembrance services will be held at the Tsunami Memorial Wall in Mai Khao, on Patong Beach and Bang Tao Beach, as well as at Phuket Provincial Hall and in…
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Video: Phuket crash victim pummeled by oncoming truck
PHUKET: A 60-year-old man was hit by a truck moments after staggering to his feet from a motorbike crash on Thepkrasattri Road in Phuket on Sunday. CCTV video recorded Kan Sawaengkaew, 60, attempting to cut across multiple northbound lanes toward a u-turn point and crashing into 23-year-old Chinese national Chuai Cher. Both crash victims were sent skidding across the empty…
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Officers seize illegal umbrellas, mats from Phuket beach
PHUKET: In the wake of an anonymous complaint to the Governor’s Office, officials seized about 100 illegal beach mats and umbrellas from Surin Beach this morning. “We sent a team of about 30 officers in a joint mission to the beach after receiving a complaint that the beach vendors were breaking the rules,” Cherng Talay Police Superintendent Serm Kwannimit told…
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UNESCO dubs Phuket “City of Gastronomy’
PHUKET: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dubbed Phuket a ‘City of Gastronomy’ on December 11, honoring the island’s rich culinary history and unique cuisine. “Being chosen as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a ‘City of Gastronomy’ is a wonderful honor for Phuket,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. Efforts to collate recipes and…
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Foul play not ruled out in death of unidentified woman
PHUKET: Police have yet to rule out foul play in the death of an unidentified woman whose body was found floating in a Rassada canal this morning. Officers believe that the woman had been dead for two days before her body was discovered by villagers. “At this point, all we know is that she is about 150-160 centimeters tall and…
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One killed, one injured after motorcycle plummets into canal
PHUKET: One Myanmar national was killed and another injured after their motorcycle plummeted into a canal in Wichit yesterday. Police believe that Zin Kyaw Kyaw Lat Jaw Lar, 32, and his passenger Thin Thin Maw, 37, were on their way back from shopping when they lost control of their motorcycle on a curve and plunged into the water near Suan…
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Phuket police yet to question key witness of fatal Brit tuk-tuk incident
PHUKET: Police have yet to question the only witness to the death of a British woman who fell from the back of a Phuket tuk-tuk in the early hours of yesterday (Sunday) morning. Elizabeth Corrigan, 29, was allegedly inebriated as she and a foreign man, who police decline to name, made their way from Soi Bangla in Patong to their…
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Phuket motorbike rental operator posts 30k baht reward for Ukrainian man’s arrest
PHUKET: The owner of a Phuket bike rental shop put up a 30,000-baht reward on December 18 for any information leading to the return of a stolen bike. Chalong Police secured an arrest warrant for Ukrainian national Ivan Tretiak, 25, two days prior to the posted reward. “Mr Tretiak is wanted for defalcation. I am currently working on two separate…
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Phuket landing a first for European budget airline into Southeast Asia
PHUKET: Eurowings, Lufthansa Group’s long-haul budget airline, spearheaded its push into Southeast Asia this morning as its inaugural Cologne-Phuket flight landed at Phuket International Airport. The flight marks the first European low-cost carrier to link with Southeast Asia. Eurowings will fly Airbus A330s, with a capacity of 380 passengers, on the route twice a week. Christian Hein, senior vice president…
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Mum denounces Phuket teacher for alleged child abuse
PHUKET: The mother of a student at Satree Phuket School accused a teacher of abusing her 14-year-old daughter on December 14. Chomphunut Bunsophap claimed in a Faceook post that a teacher, who she did not name at the request of the school, struck her daughter in the back of the head with a hard-backed book as a form of punishment.…
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18-wheeled Phuket truck bursts into flames
PHUKET: The cab of an 18-wheeled truck burst into flames while south bound on the bypass road in Phuket at about 1:15 this afternoon. The driver of the truck, Sanit Kartmek, 43, was not injured in the incident. “At this point, we assume that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the vehicle. However, we will investigate further,”…
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Phuket underpass construction company dodges fines for another month
PHUKET: After months of deadline extensions for the Samkong Underpass project, the Phuket Department of Highways has given the construction company in charge of the project an additional 30-day grace period before it starts to levy hefty fines. “We will not start fining them 2 million baht a day for about one more month, as we had ordered them to…
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Digging starts at Chalong Underpass site
PHUKET: Construction workers have started digging drainage ditches on each side of Chao Fa West Road for the Chalong Underpass project, the Phuket Highway Department confirmed yesterday. Work started on December 17, closing one south-bound lane of Chao Fa West Road. “It will only take us 15-20 days to put in the drains along a two-kilometer stretch of the road,”…
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Governor attempts to revive Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center
PHUKET: The Phuket governor is attempting to resurrect the Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC) after the plan was killed during the Yingluck Adminsitration’s rule. “I am willing to breathe new life into this project in Mai Khao; as a member city of Thailand’s MICE [Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, Exhibitions], the only thing we are missing to fully comply…
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Police hunt for escaped Phuket prisoner
PHUKET: Police are searching for an escaped prisoner who bolted from Vachira Phuket Hospital while receiving treatment today. Nimit Jindamanee, 45, is on the run after he managed to free himself from his restraints and elude his custodian. He was admitted to the hospital on September 28 in order to be treated for tuberculosis and immune deficiency issues. “A committee…
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“HKT love Dad’ cycling event this Sunday
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport has announced its upcoming ‘HKT love Dad’ cycling event to take place this Sunday. The event aims to honor and celebrate HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 88th birthday as participants cycle a 29-kilometer loop from the airport’s X-terminal, past Thalang Technical College to Laem-Sai Pier and back. Additionally, there will be a release of 300,000 shrimp into…
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Police work to identify victim of single vehicle crash
PHUKET: Officials are looking to identify one of the two victims of a single vehicle crash in Chalong early this morning. Police believe that Chiang Rai native Surapong Sae-lee, 24, lost control of his pick-up truck at a curve near King Power Phuket, causing him to slam into a utility pole. The impact killed both Mr Surapong and his passenger,…
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Brit beaten by Patong tuk-tuk driver
PHUKET: Police have charged a Phuket tuk-tuk driver for savagely beating a British national over a discrepancy in the price of a ride in Patong on December 15. “William Joseph Kamarell, 22, explained that a tuk-tuk driver had picked him up at Soi Bangla in Patong and took him about five kilometers to where he was staying on Nanai Road,”…
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Phuket to host “Southern Architectural Expo 2016′
PHUKET: The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage (ASA) is hosting the ‘Southern Architectural Expo 2016’ in Phuket from January 29-31. “The theme of the event is Yapp Roi (South Up) which is meant to reflect and promote the identity of the south,” said Prachya Sukkaew, the vice president of the ASA Southern Office. Mr Prachya explained that education…
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Governor tables new airport route to tackle traffic
PHUKET: Officials are looking to build an alternative north-south road, parallel to Thepkrasattri Road, so those headed to Phuket International Airport can bypass the frustrating traffic jams. “Because of the traffic congestion on the island, especially on Thepkrasattri Road, we need to focus on a plan to ensure that people can get to and from the airport in a reasonable…
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“Missing’ British backpacker gone diving on Phi Phi
PHUKET: Phi Phi Police located a British backpacker, who was reported missing by deeply-concerned family members after an unnerving ‘final’ phone call, as he was signing up for a scuba diving course on the tropical island at about 4pm yesterday. Jordan Lewis Jacobs, 21, has been on the road since September 2014, having postponed his return to the United Kingdom…
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Three killed in Krabi plantation dispute
KRABI: One police officer and two other people were killed when they attempted to evict a group of squatters from a heavily-disputed, 8,200-rai oil palm plantation in Krabi on Tuesday. The men were named as 45-year-old Payaprasit Suvannman of the Thungsong Police in Nakhorn Sri Thammarat; Veerasak Kuekaew, 50; and Preecha Kuedam, 44. A fourth man found at the scene,…
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Hilltribe member arrested after impersonating tourist police officer
PHUKET: Police arrested a man belonging to a northern hilltribe on Tuesday, after receiving several complaints about him impersonating a tourist police officer. Police were informed that Kersiv SaeJang, 35, was going to different hotels in the area and asking for discounts. “We were able to track down Mr Kersiv with a phone number that he had left with one…
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PEA moves forward with underground cables for Patong
PHUKET: The project to bury the unsightly power cables stretching along Patong’s beachfront road is slated for June next year. The start date of the project was announced during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Patong Municipality and the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) yesterday. “The PEA chose to work with Patong Municipality because it is a primary…
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Phuket complaint center rolls out mobile unit
PHUKET: In an effort to quickly resolve complaints made to the Damrongdhama Center (ombudsman’s office), the Phuket governor launched the ‘Rapid Damrongdhama Unit’ yesterday. Currently, complaints filed with the office are forwarded to relevant officials. It then takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for residents to see results. However, the new unit is designed to expedite…
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Superyacht Rendezvous drops anchor
PHUKET: It’s full steam ahead for the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous as an eclectic fleet of yachts line up to drop anchor in Kata Bay on December 16-18. This is Asia’s largest invitation only gathering of superyachts where the fun of luxury yacht ownership is celebrated. This year’s lineup consists of S/Y Lamima, a stunning 65-meter gaff rigged Indonesian Phinisi; S/Y…
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Police pursue 83 arrest warrants for Phuket riots
PHUKET: Police are pursuing those named in the 83 unserved arrest warrants issued last month for suspects wanted in connection with the Thalang Police Station riot in October (story here). Officials have been collecting videographic and photographic evidence against the suspects, resulting in charges for assaulting officers, blockading traffic and arson, confirmed Region 8 Police Commander Tesa Siriwato on Tuesday.…
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Deaths that sparked Phuket police station riot ruled accident
PHUKET: Police have ruled that two men killed in a police chase, the alleged catalyst for the Thalang Police Station riot in October, was an accident. Patomwat Panarak, 22, and Teerapong Srisamut, 17, were killed after fleeing a police check point on October 9. Officers crashed their car into the men’s motorbike in an attempt to stop and apprehend them…
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DSI hunt three suspects in B2.4bn land encroachment case
PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is hunting down three men for their alleged involvement in land encroachment cases involving more than 2.4 billion baht of Sirinath National Park land. “We are searching for Ghao Naknam and Ti Nahnam, who illegally acquired a SorKor1 in Thalang for 2bn baht worth of national park land,” Lt Col Prawut Wongseenin, director…
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Phuket gang stabs man to death
PHUKET: Police are hunting for members of a gang who jumped two men, stabbing one to death, outside of the Suwan Phu-Pha Hotel in Kathu last night. “We have already arrested three of the gang members responsible for the attack. However, the alleged killer is reportedly on the run,” said Maj Chawalit Petchsripia of Thung Thong police station. According to…
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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