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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Patong’s one-way system to change by year’s end
PHUKET: Plans to change the direction of Patong’s one-way traffic system in Phuket look set to go ahead by the end of this year, Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup has confirmed. “A public hearing was held on Friday to determine whether or not to change Patong’s traffic flow. I believe this could happen by the end of this year,” Mayor Chalermluck…
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European soccer roundup: Lampard haunts Chelsea, Real and Barca on goal spree
PHUKET: Frank Lampard scored against his old club Chelsea to earn champions Manchester City a 1-1 draw but Jose Mourinho’s men stayed on top of the Premier League. Manchester United dropped further down the table after losing 5-3 against newcomers Leicester City. Barcelona and Real Madrid scored 13 goals between them during a memorable La Liga weekend, when Cristiano Ronaldo…
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Land officers target network of corrupt Phuket officials
PHUKET: The Royal Forest Department (RFD) this week ramped up its campaign to break open a network of corrupt officials who allegedly issued illegal land titles over the past three decades, covering at least 8 billion baht of protected land in Phuket. Working in collusion since 1987, the officials continued to issue SorKor 1 land-use documents for plots in Sirinath…
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Former Phuket Governor named in billion-baht illegal land title probe
PHUKET: Former Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop, along with a former Phuket Land Office chief and several other officials, has been named in a police complaint filed over illegal land titles issued for 80 rai in Sirinath National Park. Kitiphat Taraphiban filed the complaint, naming a network of 13 people, at Thalang Police Station on Thursday as one of his last…
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Phuket knife-wielding robber makes off with cash, 7-Eleven stamps
PHUKET: Police are searching for a robber and his accomplice after a man threatened staff with a knife and robbed a 7-Eleven in Rassada, north of Phuket Town, at about 4:30am today. Police arrived at the scene, in front of the Rock Garden housing estate on Pracha-U-Thit Road, soon after the robbery. “Wareerat Sae-Chiaw, 21, and Mali Pimon, 25, who…
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Australian tourist ignores warning sign, injured in fall
PHUKET: An Australian tourist was injured after ignoring a warning sign and falling down a small cliff at the Susan Hoi Shell Cemetery, also known as the “Fossil Beach”, near Ao Nang in Krabi yesterday. According to police, David Grant, 40, was visiting the famous natural attraction with a friend when he decided to climb down the cliff to the…
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Phuket Police vow to continue hunt for Russian murder-kidnap suspects
PUKET: Police have exhausted their leads in the hunt for two Russian men wanted in connection with the murder and kidnapping of a fellow Russian in Phuket earlier this year. Ukrainian Oleksandr Boychuk, 44, and Russian Aleksandr Novichkov, 58, are wanted for the kidnapping of Alexey Slabinskiy, 39, and his girlfriend Iana Strizheus in March (story here). Miss Strizheus was…
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Phuket unveils waste-management teaching center
PHUKET: A sustainable waste-management teaching center opened in Saphan Hin earlier this week in a bid to teach island residents how to recycle organic waste and reduce Phuket’s carbon footprint. “More than half of daily household trash is organic waste that can be effectively turned into compost and fertilizer,” said Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana at the center’s opening ceremony…
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Soccer Schools Tournament to kick off at Thanyapura
PHUKET: Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) is bringing the National Youth Tournament back to the island, with over 320 players competing in four age divisions. This year’s tournament, to be held on September 27 and 28 at Thanyapura, will see clubs flying in from various parts of Thailand, including Bangkok, Pattaya and Koh Samui, as well as local Phuket teams. To…
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PACC delays charges over alleged dive extortion – again
PHUKET: The conclusion of an investigation of three Chalong Police officers for their alleged abuse of power has been set back again, confirmed the Public-sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC). “We still need more time to finish compiling our case,” said Lt Col Wannop Somjintanakul, the PACC officer leading the investigation. He declined to provide a specific date. Col Wannop told…
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Two die, two injured, travelling four-up on Phuket motorbike
PHUKET: Two ethnic Mon men died and another two were seriously injured in Phuket after the motorcycle they were riding slammed into a tree last night. “According to witnesses the four men, all riding on the same motorbike, were travelling at high speed when they hit a tree on Thepkrasattri Road near Baan Tah Reua Shrine at about 11:40pm,” explained…
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The Royal and Ancient golf club votes to allow women members
PHUKET: The Royal & Ancient golf club’s decision on Thursday to allow women members after 260 years has been widely welcomed within and beyond the game. Here are a selection of reactions to the vote, which was passed with an 85 percent majority: Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R&A: “This is a very important and positive day in the…
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Three men ambush British motorist in northern Phuket
PHUKET: Three men ambushed a British national and his wife as they slowed their motorbike at a speed bump in northern Phuket last night. “My wife and I were attacked and knocked off our motorcycle at 9:00… on the road that connects Sri Soonthorn Road with the Alan Cook Cricket Ground,” Iain Richardson told the Phuket Gazette. “Three teenagers were…
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Smoke on the water: Boat operators warned of Phuket haze
PHUKET: Boat operators have been warned of limited visibility at sea as hazy skies shroud Phuket following heavy rains and subsequent warm weather. “The haze is a result of recent heavy rainfall combined with high levels of humidity in the atmosphere,” said San Jantharawong, chief of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket office. “In this situation, visibility…
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Phuket and Penang become twin cities
PHUKET: Phuket Town and George Town in Penang, Malaysia, became official twin cities after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Phuket City Hall today. Inspired by the two cities’ long-established historical relationship, the decision was seen as an important move in facilitating the exchange of expertise in areas of tourism, business and cultural heritage (story here). “Both cities have…
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Phuket police hunt mother of dead newborn found in Patong
PHUKET: Police are searching for the mother of a newborn boy whose body was found dumped in a pile of trash in a small street in Patong this morning. Laiad Pongtuan, 55, was scouring through trash while looking for plastics and other recyclables in Soi 8 off Nanai Road, when he came across a large black plastic bag. “When I…
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Phuket OG269 disaster ushers in B34mn lottery windfall for airport staff
PHUKET: Four people – all staffers working at Phuket International Airport – won government lottery prizes yesterday totaling more than 34 million baht. One of the prize winners, Saowaluck Katekaew, won 4mn baht after choosing the lucky number 269 in memory of the One-Two-Go Flight OG269 disaster that killed 89 people seven years ago to the day on Tuesday. Miss…
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Phuket health officials challenge Chang over Vegetarian Festival ‘beer flags’
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) has filed a complaint against those responsible for emblazoning flags heralding the upcoming Vegetarian Festival with Chang Beer logos. Krit Sakulpat, deputy chief of the PPHO, led a delegation to Phuket City Police Station yesterday to lodge a formal complaint against ThaiBev, the company that produces Chang Beer, and Jui Tui Shrine for…
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K-1 World Max Final is coming to Thailand
PHUKET: The world-renowned Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament – K-1 World Max Final – is coming to Thailand on October 11. During the event, which will be held at the Indoor Athletics Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand’s martial arts fans will witness Buakaw Banchamekgoing battle it out with Enriko Kehl. The event will be telecast live worldwide. Should Buakaw be able…
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No order to ‘erase’ Thaksin from Phuket textbooks – yet
PHUKET: No orders have been issued to Phuket officials to remove mathayom history textbooks that mark Thaksin Shinawatra, the first prime minister in Thailand’s history to lead an elected government through a full term in office. However, Mr Thaksin has been erased from the history presented in textbooks that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has recently ordered…
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Phuket Town water shut off for pump station repairs
PHUKET: Taps throughout Phuket Town ran dry at 9am today as Phuket City Municipality shut off the water supply to some areas so that workers could repair power cables for one of the main water pumping stations serving the town. The water supply is scheduled to return at 4pm. For more information, call the Phuket City Municipality Water Supply Office…
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Electric shock puts Phuket TOT worker in hospital
PHUKET: A Phuket TOT worker was rushed to hospital after suffering an electric shock while installing cables near the Baan Kamala Intersection yesterday afternoon. Kamala rescue workers arrived at the scene at about 2pm, where they found two men attempting to remove 19-year-old Boonlong Taweepa from a hodge-podge of wires, Lt Solae Damad of the Kamala Police told the Phuket…
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Rubble on Surin Beach not part of clean-up plan, says Mayor
PHUKET: The shocking piles of rubble on Surin Beach are not part of an initiative to clean up the beach area, confirms Cherng Talay Mayor Ma-ann Samran. Following the demolition order for illegal buildings on the beach, workers have started using the rubble to create a makeshift seawall. “The dumping of rubble along the beach to stop erosion is not…
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Phuket’s One-Two-Go air crash a disaster “not to be remembered’: airport officials
PHUKET: There was no official memorial service today, September 16, to remember the 89 people who died in the crash landing of One-Two-Go Flight OG269 at Phuket International Airport seven years ago. “We do not want to perpetuate horrible memories of the incident. It was a tragedy and not a day to remember,” Phuket Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham told the…
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Phuket Governor nominated for Interior Ministry promotion, successor revealed
PHUKET: Maitri Inthusut has been nominated for promotion from his current position as Governor of Phuket to Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, effective October 1. Governor Maitri was among more than 30 high-ranking officials nominated by the Ministry of Interior for promotion or transfer in a list to be presented to the Cabinet today, reported The Nation. Any…
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Brigade of Krabi officials tear down more than 100 illegal structures
PHUKET: An 800-strongbrigade of Krabi officials removed 80 squatters from an old palm oil plantation and demolished more than 100 illegal structures today. “We told the people that they had to leave the area before noon,” said Bunnsueb Samakrad, director of the Forest Resource Management. “This land belongs to the Royal Forest Department. After the palm oil company’s licence for…
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Sixteen corrupt officials to be charged for B100bn national park land scandal
PHUKET: Sixteen officials will face negligence charges for their alleged involvement in causing more than 100 billion baht of damage by illegally issuing land documents in Phuket, the Royal Forestry Department revealed in Bangkok yesterday. The accused officials had been involved in issuance of illegitimate land deeds and documents since 1987, department head Theerapat Prayurasiddhi said. Eight of the officials…
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Phuket driver escapes injury as storm fells tree onto pickup truck
PHUKET: Police are urging motorists to exercise caution on Phuket’s roads today after strong winds felled a tree that landed on a pickup truck in Kamala this morning. Rescue workers were called to the scene, on the road between Patong and Kamala, on Phuket’s west coast, at about 8:30am. “The pickup driver had left Patong and was on his way…
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Phuket local finds cobra curled up in bathroom sink
PHUKET: A Phuket villager was shocked to find a cobra curled up in his bathroom sink when he went to hang up his underwear to dry last night. The startled man called Ruamjai Rescue Foundation workers to the scene to have the reptile removed. “The home owner said that he had gone into the bathroom to hang up his clothes…
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Aussie yachties dodge 10,000 baht fine east of Phuket
PHUKET: A 10,000 baht fine lodged against an Australian-owned yacht was dropped after officials confirmed that the vessel was registered with the Phuket Marine Office. Over the weekend, four Australian yachties claimed that a group of six uniformed Thai marine officers had shown up on a dinghy and had attempted to extort money from them while at sea in Phang…
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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