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.
-
Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
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...
-
Asian Beach Games: Thailand leads medal charge
PHUKET: Hosts Thailand plundered more gold in the 4th Asian Beach Games yesterday, sealing crucial victories to maintain their commanding lead in the medal tally. Despite another searing day in the seaside resort, crowds of Thai spectators and tourists braved the sun to watch the fun-packed competition on Phuket’s beaches and venues at Karon, Patong, Nai Yang and the Saphan…
-
Human-trafficking gang arrested attempting to smuggle illegal workers into Phuket
PHUKET: Three human-trafficking suspects were arrested yesterday trying to smuggle 19 illegal Myanmar workers into Phuket. The men – all Thai nationals – were apprehended at 2am near a checkpoint north of the island in Takuapa, Phang Nga province. The 19 illegal workers, brought from Ranong, included nine men and 10 women. “We questioned the driver of the pick-up truck,…
-
Phuket van driver returns cash-stuffed laptop case to Russian
PHUKET: A van driver returned almost 5,000 euros cash to a Russian tourist who forgot his bag full of valuables after arriving in Patong from Phuket International Airport last night. “I saw that he had left his computer bag in the back of the van, so I contacted my company’s headquarters right away,” 32-year-old Kritsana Buaked told police when he…
-
Phuket Police call for priority for Asian Beach Games buses
PHUKET: Police are calling for motorists driving over Patong Hill to give extra room to buses carrying Asian Beach Games athletes, officials, support teams and spectators, as such buses have been given immunity to the large-vehicle ban on the deadly road during rush hours. A bus crash that killed two tourists and injured many more last year (story here) led…
-
Fire at Toyota showroom in Phuket causes B100k damage
PHUKET: A fire that broke out in the main workshop at the Toyota showroom on the Dowroong intersection, south of Phuket Town, yesterday afternoon caused more than 100,000 baht in damage. “Luckily no-one was injured in the blaze,” said Lt Kraisorn Pakaaree of the Phuket City Police, who was notified of the fire at 2:50pm. Firefighters soon arrived and attempted…
-
Elephant tramples handler to death, runs into jungle with Russian tourists
PHUKET: An 18-year-old bull elephant trampled his handler to death and ran off into the jungle with a Russian mother and daughter still on top during a jungle trek in Phang Nga, north of Phuket, yesterday. The elephant, named Meaw, ran for three kilometers after killing his mahout, Suk Sapmak, 60, before officers were able to subdue him with tranquilizer…
-
More than B120mn set aside to improve Phuket’s waste problem
PHUKET: Officials have revealed a 127-million-baht budget to improve Phuket’s environment with plans to destroy nearly one million tonnes of trash at the landfill in Saphan Hin and overhaul the island’s drains. Governor Nisit Jansomwong led a meeting at the landfill and incinerator site at Saphan Hin last week to discuss ways to relieve the overwhelmed site where trash has…
-
Asian Beach Games: Minister Kobkarn eyes Thailand to host World Beach Games
PHUKET: Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul has revealed that hosting the 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket may be a precursor to Thailand having the potential to soon become a candidate country for hosting major sports competitions that will help boost tourism. “In the ANOC [Association of the National Olympic Committees] General Assembly in Bangkok earlier this month, a…
-
Sinkhole forces Phuket villagers to take prison detour
PHUKET: Motorists willing to try their luck crossing a section of road in Srisoonthorn, in central Phuket, that was heavily compromised by a sinkhole earlier this week (story here) have had that option removed. Heavy rains over the past few days have washed away the entire section of road on Rural Road 4008 off Thepkrasattri Road, near Bang Jo Prison.…
-
Officials scramble to resolve ban on tourists bringing own beach umbrellas
PHUKET: Officials are scrambling to get beach umbrellas and mats on the sands at the island’s key beaches this tourism high season before hordes of visitors arrive for the Christmas and New Year holidays. The push comes as an island-wide ban on all umbrellas at Phuket’s beaches saw a Swedish family on holiday last week being told they were not…
-
Police find second group of Rohingya refugees north of Phuket
PHUKET: A second group of 86 Rohingya refugees believed to have been smuggled to Thailand from Myanmar were taken into to custody by police north of Phuket on Wednesday. The refugees were detained in a rubber plantation in Kuraburi, Phang Nga province, after police were informed by local residents that a large group of Rohingya were hiding in the plantation.…
-
NFL Roundup: Dolphins douse Buffalo’s playoff hopes
PHUKET: The Miami Dolphins’ hopes for an AFC playoff berth are rosier than ever after a solid 22-9 win at home over AFC East rivals the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football, the first game of Week 11. The win lifted the Dolphins to a respectable 6-4 and put them at the top of the pack in the hunt for…
-
Asian Beach Games: Opening ceremony wows Phuket
PHUKET: The curtain formally rose on the 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket last night with the stunning opening ceremony at the Saphan Hin Sports Center near Phuket Town. His Excellency Privy Councilor and the Royal Representative Gen Surayud Chulanont presided over the ceremony. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and Tourism and Sports…
-
Video Report: Michael Jackson, Rihanna and Beyonce Triple Tribute in Phuket
PHUKET: Triple Tribute, a spectacular show straight from London, arrives in Phuket on Saturday with the infectious music of Michael Jackson, Beyonce and Rihanna at Laguna. A musical fest full of powerful vocals, explosive dance routines and stunning costumes, Triple Tribute offers up impressive impressions of the three megastars singing the artists’ top hits, anthems and ballads. “Sasha Fierce” named…
-
Asian Beach Games: Thailand lifts gold ahead of opening ceremony tonight
PHUKET: The 4th Asian Beach Games continued in Phuket today, with three gold medals up for grabs, ahead of the official opening ceremony at Saphan Hin tonight. Thailand beat Kuwait to win gold in flag football at the Saphan Hin Sports Center this morning, while two other gold medals were at stake in the men’s and women’s team beach woodball…
-
Phuket high-voltage cable incinerates motorbikes
PHUKET: A high-voltage power cable set motorbikes ablaze in front of a Phuket SuperCheap store last night after the overhead transformer it was connected to exploded. One end of the three-inch-thick power cable, carrying 33,000 volts, connected with the ground and set fire to two motorbikes parked in front of the Phuket Villa 5 branch on Chao Fa West Road.…
-
Police hunt for truck driver after teen crushed in fatal crash
PHUKET: Police are searching for the driver of a cement-mixer truck who hit and ran over a local student at Phuket Rajabhat University yesterday. The student, Chalermchai Lakbaan, 18, died instantly when his head was crushed under the wheels of the juggernaut. The incident occurred in front of the Phuket Cement Co Ltd site on Prachasamakkee Road in Rassada, at…
-
Asian Beach Games: Thailand scores two gold in ju-jitsu
PHUKET: Thailand captured superb form to win two gold medals in the ju-jitsu competition at the 4th Asian Beach Games at Saphan Hin, near Phuket Town, yesterday. The first gold came from women’s martial art duo Suphawadee Kaeosrasaen and Kunsatri Kumsroi in their impressive 36-33 win over Pakistan’s Sundus Salam Khan and Maryam 36-33 in the final. Areewan Chansri and…
-
Phuket police take down gang of shoplifting youngsters
PHUKET: Phuket police arrested a gang of seven, mostly teenagers, last night for shoplifting at several convenience stores in the Chalong and Rawai areas over the last month. The group, which called themselves noo pee, or ghost rat, targeted four convenience stores: Big One Rawai branch, SuperCheap Rawai, SuperCheap Saiyuan and Tesco Lotus on Wiset Road in Rawai. “The gang…
-
Phuket’s Yacht Solutions named consultant for Statham blockbuster
PHUKET: The Phuket-based marine services company Yacht Solutions has been appointed marine consultant for Jason Statham’s next blockbuster movie, Mechanic: Resurrection, which is scheduled for cinematic release in January 2016. Shooting started in Bangkok with Statham reprising his title role as a master assassin who faked his death in an attempt to walk away from his former profession in order…
-
Bangkok Hospital Phuket marketing manager dies in car crash
PHUKET: The marketing manager of Bangkok Hospital Phuket was found dead in her car after she slammed into a power pole heading southbound on Thepkrasattri Road last night. Phuket City Police officers and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers found Nicha Chiwangkul, 46, from Surat Thani, pinned behind the wheel of her Honda Civic about 30 meters from the Bang Ku Intersection…
-
Cobra caught creeping near Phuket school
PHUKET: Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers snapped into action yesterday when a two-meter-long cobra was found outside of a house only 20 meters away from the Phuket Thaihua Asean Wittaya School. Watchara Srikacha and a few other rescue workers rushed to the scene on Wichit Songkram Road Soi 4, near the Darasamuth Intersection, after a resident notified them of the reptile…
-
Video Report: BISP Soccer 7s get serious
PHUKET: There are people out there who complain that kids nowadays spend all their free time in front of the TV, on the Internet or playing gaming consoles. A visit to the British International School Phuket (BISP) grounds during the recent Soccer 7s tournament would surely prove those people wrong. With over 1,300 competitors and teams flocking to the island…
-
Asian Beach Games: Turkmenistan captures first gold
PHUKET: Babamuratova Gulbadam from Turkmenistan captured the first gold of the 4th Asian Beach Games after beating Kazakhstan’s Leila Konuspayeva 4-0 in the final showdown of the women’s 52kg Sambo yesterday. Supatra Nanong became the first Thai athlete to win a medal at the Phuket Games, winning bronze in the sambo women’s 72kg competition following her exceptional 4-0 win over…
-
Jilted Patong medium shoots man in head for flirting
PHUKET: A man is in the intensive-care unit (ICU) at Patong Hospital after being shot in the head yesterday for allegedly flirting with the girlfriend of a jealous spirit medium who lived on the same street. Patong Police arrested Bundit Pramualsil, 36, from Phuket, while he was riding his motorbike on a road near Tri Trang Beach, south of Patong,…
-
Asian Beach Games: Twelve gold medals up for grabs on first day
PHUKET: The curtain quietly rose on the 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket today, with the gold-medal hunt starting at 9am in four sporting events: sambo, jujitsu, flag football and squash. The flag football competition is being contested at the Saphan Hin Sports Center. Sambo is being fought out at Karon Beach, featuring the 52kg, 82kg, 64kg, 68kg and 100kg…
-
Phuket schools close for Asian Beach Games
PHUKET: Schools throughout Phuket have been ordered to close tomorrow and Friday to ease traffic congestion during the opening days of the 4th Asian Beach Games, which get underway on Friday. “Many parents might worry about how this might affect their children’s education, but I would like to state that we have made this decision to do our part in…
-
Video Report: Phuket’s Beach Police roll into action
PHUKET: Provincial Police Commander Patchara Boonyasit today unveiled the latest in Phuket law enforcement: the Beach Police, resplendent in their polo shirt and shorts uniform, with sidearms, and mounted on their patrol bicycles. “Phuket is a famous tourist destination that has many beautiful beaches and we want to ensure people’s safety while they are on our beaches,” he said. “Safety…
-
Rohingya land north of Phuket, search begins for missing boats
PHUKET: Police are calling for all residents along the Andaman coast to report any sightings of two boats flying Thai flags that are believed to be trafficking refugees, including many Rohingya fleeing Myanmar. The call to report any sightings of the boats follows police taking into custody 299 refugees at Koh Nok, off the Ranong coast, on Saturday. The boat,…
-
Asian Beach Games ceremonial flame arrives in Phuket
PHUKET: A special ceremony was held yesterday in Phuket Town to display and honor a ceremonial flame provided by HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej for good luck during the Asian Beach Games, which begin on Friday. The flame, called fai phra ruek, arrived at Phuket International Airport at about 3:30pm and was displayed on a float that paraded to Saphan Hin,…
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.