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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Andaman Hotelier 2024 showcases South Thailand hospitality
The Andaman Hotelier 2024 event kicked off at Robinson Lifestyle shopping mall in Chalong yesterday, showcasing the excellence of hotel and tourism service personnel in southern Thailand. Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat inaugurated the event with a press conference, joined by Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), Thianprasit Chaiyaphattranan, President of the Thai Hotel Association, and Suksit…
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Knife attack on Myanmar nationals leads to crash in Phuket
Two Myanmar nationals were attacked and chased by an unknown assailant wielding a knife, leading to a crash with a food delivery driver in Srisoonthorn, Phuket, late yesterday. The incident occurred at the three-way intersection outside Phuket Provincial Prison in Moo 4 at approximately 9.15pm. Thalang Police and rescue workers from Srisoonthorn Municipality responded to the scene, finding two motorbikes…
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AirAsia unveils direct flights from Bali to Phuket and Malaysia
Indonesia AirAsia has launched two international routes from Denpasar, Bali, to Phuket in Thailand, and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. This strategic move aims to boost Indonesia’s tourism by enhancing air connectivity. Veranita Yosephine Sinaga, President Director of Indonesia AirAsia, stated that these new routes are a significant step in the airline’s commitment to expanding its air network and strengthening Indonesia’s…
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Phuket launches workshops to curb rising motorcycle fatalities
Phuket authorities initiated a series of workshops yesterday to address the increasing number of fatalities and injuries caused by road accidents, particularly focusing on motorcycle riders. The launch event took place at a hotel in Ratsada, with a significant turnout of district and community leaders. Phuket Vice Governor Sattha Thongkam introduced the initiative, part of the District Drive Project, aimed…
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Hook, line, and sinker: Two men nabbed for illegal fishing
Two men have been apprehended for illegal fishing within a restricted zone off Cape Panwa, an area designated as a sanctuary for aquatic animals and plants. Officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) stationed at the Phuket Marine Resources Conservation Center spotted the men fishing in the protected waters on Wednesday afternoon, June 12. According to a…
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Phuket police seize 15,000 meth pills in major drug bust
A drug bust by the Phuket Provincial Police has led to the arrests of three individuals and the seizure of over 15,000 methamphetamine pills, along with various items under the Narcotics Control Act. The total estimated value of the seized items exceeds 387,000 baht. The arrests were executed by officers under the leadership of the Chief of the Crime Suppression…
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Phuket ramps up flood prevention as rainy season nears
Phuket City Municipality is ramping up flood prevention efforts as the rainy season approaches, deploying a comprehensive strategy to protect residents and maintain city infrastructure from imminent rain damage. Preparations include mobilising manpower to combat incoming floods, deploying machinery, and distributing sandbags across vulnerable areas to minimise damages, according to Phuket Town Mayor Saroj Angkhanapilas. The municipality aims to ensure both…
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Phuket hosts Southern Halal Expo to boost tourism
The Southern Halal Expo & Tourism fair is currently taking place in Phuket, aiming to revitalise local tourism and enhance the incomes of local families while enhancing a sense of community for Muslims. Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat officiated the opening ceremony at the Robinson Lifestyle Shopping Center in Thalang yesterday. The event, organised by the Andaman Phuket Muslim Women’s Association in…
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Phuket man arrested for murder of 21 year old masseuse
Phuket police arrested a man in connection with the murder of Benjarat ‘Nong Cream’ Cheychan, a 21 year old masseuse from Phuket who was last seen leaving her house in Rawai on June 3. Benjarat was seen departing with a man driving a grey Bangkok-registered Toyota pickup truck. She informed friends she was going to address a dispute with a…
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Gun-brandishing pickup driver threatens couple during road rage
A road rage incident saw a white pickup driver allegedly brandishing a gun and threatening a truck driver and his wife in Phuket yesterday. Wichit Police are currently searching for the suspect involved in this alarming incident. According to Kwannapa Patjirang, she and her husband were travelling northbound on Chao Fa West Road when they noticed a white Toyota Revo…
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Missing American in Phuket beach found dead
An American man who was swept away by a giant wave in front of his three year old son and Thai wife has been found dead on Nai Harn Beach, Phuket. The incident occurred on June 9 as the family was enjoying their time at the beach. His wife, 49 year old Siriamorn, and their young son were at Nai…
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Search continues for American missing at Nai Harn Beach
Police in Phuket are intensifying their search for an American who went missing after being swept away by waves at Nai Harn Beach. Strong winds and high waves are hindering rescue efforts, with lifeguards raising red flags to warn against swimming. His wife, 49 year old Siriaamorn Petchraawut, hopes for a miracle. The 49 year old American father, James Everett…
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Phuket raids uncover multi-million baht foreign business schemes
In a crackdown on illicit foreign enterprises, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), in collaboration with the Immigration Police, Tourist Police, and other authorities, stormed three businesses in Phuket. These companies, ostensibly legitimate, are suspected of being fronts for illegal activities. Thaveewat Surasit, Director of the DSI’s Security Cases Division, revealed that the coordinated raids, backed by search warrants, aimed…
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Australian man arrested in Pattaya for multiple offenses and mafia connections
Immigration Bureau officers arrested an Australian man in Pattaya for multiple offences in his home country and his connection to a foreign mafia gang in Phuket. Officers arrested the Australian, identified only as Grey, at his luxury home in Pattaya after discovering his connection to the mafia gang. However, officers did not provide full details about the group. The Immigration…
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Thai lifeguards nab American phone thief at Kata Beach (video)
Thai lifeguards helped a foreign woman catch an American man who stole her mobile phone while she was swimming at Kata Beach in Phuket. The theft took place at Kata Beach on Saturday, June 1. The foreign woman reportedly left her mobile phone on the beach while she was swimming, giving the American man a chance to steal the phone.…
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British mum’s dengue fever warning after son’s Thai holiday tragedy
A crestfallen British mother urged travellers ahead of the holiday season to be wary of dengue fever after losing her son to the disease while he was on holiday in Thailand. The heartbroken mother, Jayne Toulson-Burke, recalled the last devastating phone call from her son, Bob, just before he died from the disease several years ago. The 59 year old…
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Patong fruit shop owner shoots wife in rage over affair
A fruit shop owner in Patong, Phuket, shot his wife in a fit of rage after discovering her affair with a newly hired employee. The incident occurred when the man fired his gun at the ceiling, but the bullet ricocheted and injured his wife. Police Lieutenant of Patong Police Station Phacharathon Chan-iad. received a radio report today about a shooting…
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Intoxicated Thai man arrested after rampage in Wichit
A Wichit man was arrested following a seven-hour siege at his father’s car shop, with police seizing a small arsenal of firearms. The standoff, which saw residents gripped in fear, finally ended peacefully as the suspect tried to make a getaway in a luxury car that wouldn’t start. The ordeal began late Friday night when a distressed woman in Phuket…
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Phuket beautician shot by van driver after DNA test dispute
A grey van driver in Phuket shot a slingshot at a beautician, causing her to bleed, due to anger over his wife refusing a DNA test for their child. Social Hunter 2022 posted an image and a warning, alerting Phuket residents about a grey van with the licence plate number 30-9306 Phuket. The van nearly collided with a motorbike, driven…
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Phuket Airport to invest 6 billion baht in new international terminal
Phuket Airport plans to invest 6 billion baht to construct a new terminal dedicated to international flights, aiming to boost its passenger handling capacity from 12.5 million annually to 18 million. The airport’s director, Monchai Tanod, highlighted the urgent need for expansion. Last month, the airport saw an influx of around 16,000 domestic passengers daily, hitting 90% of its pre-Covid-19…
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Russian ruse: Massive Thai visa scam exposed
Thai police dismantled a sprawling network that illegally enabled foreigners, predominantly Russians, to secure long-term stays in Thailand through deceptive company setups. This elaborate scheme, orchestrated by a 45 year old Russian woman and her Thai accomplice, has rocked the idyllic province of Phuket. Police revealed that the Russian mastermind arrived in Thailand in 2012 and, alongside a Thai woman,…
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Mystery stabbing shocks community at Chalong temple
The brutal stabbing of a Thai man behind Luang Pu Supha Temple in Chalong last night sparked a massive police investigation. The shocking incident has left the community in fear and sparked a full-scale investigation. Chalong Police Station officers were alerted to the gruesome discovery at 10.09pm, yesterday, May 29, via the 191 hotline. Police Lieutenant Colonel Somkiat Sarasit, head…
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Cable chaos: Trio busted for illegal TV scheme in Phuket
Phuket Tourist Police nabbed two Chinese nationals and one Myanmar national for working illegally on an audacious cable installation operation to provide Chinese TV channels in Phuket Town. Acting on an anonymous tip-off, officers swooped on the roof of an apartment building on Yaowarat Road, catching the five foreigners red-handed. Thai national Sittichai Klapdee, who was present at the scene,…
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American man with depression commits suicide at Phuket hotel
A Thai maid discovered the dead body of a 63 year old American man in his Phuket hotel room after he committed suicide yesterday, May 29. His Thai ex-girlfriend reported that the foreign man suffered from depression but did not seek treatment. Hotel staff reported the death of the 63 year old foreign man, Michael Thomas, to Thalang Police Station…
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Staffer pays the price for dine-and-dash at Phuket cafe
A staffer at the Cafe Dim Sum Phuket took to social media to warn fellow service workers about a crafty scam that left her out of pocket. The alarming incident occurred on May 23 at the bustling eatery near the iconic Clocktower Circle in Phuket Town. Nong Lin, an employee at the popular restaurant, recounted her experience with a group…
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Phuket dreams of a Vietnamese tourist boom
Tourism operators in Phuket, the jewel of Thailand’s southern resort islands, are optimistic about a significant influx of Vietnamese tourists following a high-impact promotional campaign in Vietnam’s two largest cities. Thanet Tantipiriyakit, President of the Phuket Tourist Association stated that the island aims to welcome at least 120,000 visitors from Vietnam this year, marking a 50% increase from last year’s…
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Top 5 surf beaches in Phuket: Unleash your inner surfer on vacation
Phuket, Thailand’s “Pearl of the Andaman,” isn’t just about pristine beaches and turquoise waters. Beneath the idyllic surface lies a thrilling secret for adrenaline seekers. While the island caters to sunbathers year-round, surfing in Phuket flourishes during the southwest monsoon season, roughly from May to October. So… Where are the best surfing spots in Thailand? Phuket’s beauty lies in its…
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Thai teenager with ADHD stabs uncle to death in Phuket
A 15 year old Thai boy stabbed his 60 year old uncle to death last night in a rented room in the Thalang district of Phuket. Officers from Thalang Police Station were alerted to the fatal stabbing incident at a rented room in the Thalang district of Phuket at about 7pm yesterday, May 27. The victim, 60 year old Somkiat…
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Phuket: Belgian expat’s secret stash of illegal pawn busted
Phuket unveiled a clandestine operation hidden within the opulent residence of a Belgian national. Motorcycles, an array of national IDs, and a single mobile phone were found in the expat’s possession. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thepnom Suwannarat, Superintendent of Investigation Division 3, Provincial Police Region 8, bore fruit as he apprehended a 63 year old Belgian, known only as Philippe. His…
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Phuket’s tourism boom: Is the island ready for the rush?
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is confident that tourism revenue in Phuket this year will skyrocket to a staggering 400 billion baht. In a surprising revelation, the provincial TAT office reported that more than 3.6 million tourists graced the resort island in the first quarter alone. Lerdchai Wangtrakoondee, director of the provincial TAT office, announced yesterday that tourist numbers…
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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