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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![Hundreds gather at home of fallen former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin [video] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAzMjggMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Hundreds gather at home of fallen former Patong Mayor Pian Keesin [video]
PHUKET: Hundreds of people gathered at the Keesin family home in Patong yesterday afternoon in memory of former Mayor Pian Keesin, who was found dead in one of his other homes, north of Phuket Town, on Tuesday morning (story here). The Keesin family has declined to publicly reveal the cause of death. Among the guests present was current Patong Mayor…
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Phuket Town to feature floating market next year
PHUKET: Phuket Town will soon be the home to the island’s first floating market, the opening of which is slated for early next year. The floating market will be set up on part of the Bang Yai canal – the longest canal in Phuket – which begins in Saphan Hin and winds throughout the city. “We believe this project will…
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Phuket marine officials investigate mysterious fish deaths
PHUKET: Marine officials are searching for an explanation as to why dozens of fish have been dying recently near Koh Racha Yai island off the southern coast of Phuket. “A parrot fish was swimming in slow circles close to death… at Ao Konkare [Bay 1] [on Wednesday]. What would cause its eyes to bulge out like that?” local diver and…
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Beach thief nabbed in Phuket
PHUKET: Police arrested a snatch-and-dash beach thief in Phuket last night. The 20-year-old Myanmar national named by police only as “Mr Kla” was arrested at 8:30pm after Patong Police caught up with him on the island’s main party strip – Soi Bangla. “Mr Kla confessed that he had stolen an iPad from a family of Korean tourists when he saw…
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Phuket praised for progress in prepping for upcoming Asian Beach Games
PHUKET: The Minister of Tourism and Sports has praised Phuket’s leaders for the progress made in prepping the island for the upcoming 4th Asian Beach Games. “Phuket has made great progress, but we must remember that besides competing, athletes will also be experiencing Phuket for themselves. We must take this opportunity to impress them,” said Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn…
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Gun battle brings down suspected serial 7-Eleven stickup artist
PHUKET: Police arrested a man suspected of several armed robberies at 7-Eleven stores after a shootout in Phuket today. Phuket Town native Piriya Tangbunjerd, 41, was slightly injured in the short gun battle. “Mr Piriya was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hip. The two officers involved in the incident suffered no serious injuries,” Phuket…
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Fast arrest of thief should boost tourists’ confidence, say Phuket police
PHUKET: Police are hoping that the speedy arrest of a knife-wielding thief who targeted a Bahrain couple on Monday will raise tourists’ confidence in their safety. Patong Police arrested Ismael Pomalee, 30, from Pattani, less than 24 hours after the robbery. “We received a call at about 9:30pm on Monday saying that the couple had been held at knife point…
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Bigger, better and with a new name – BISP Soccer 7s coming to Phuket for the 13th time
PHUKET: There were just 35 teams competing in the first edition of the BISP International Football tournament in 2001. Thirteen years later there are 127 teams from eight countries coming to compete in the tournament, this year renamed the BISP Soccer 7s. “There will be over 1,300 competitors, with all the coaches it makes for 1,550 people taking part in…
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Phuket’s Keesin clan given one week to grieve, before facing mafia charges
PHUKET: Police have granted the Keesin clan one week to grieve the loss of the head of their family, former Patong mayor Pian Keesin, who died yesterday (story here), before officials move ahead with pressing taxi mafia charges. “I am aware that Mr Pian passed away. I am sorry for the family,” Region 8 Police Deputy Commander Paween Pongsirin told…
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Phuket downpours leave sinkhole, landslip across roads
PHUKET: Workers from the Phuket Highways Office tomorrow will begin repairs to a gaping hole along the southbound lane on the bypass road left behind by the week of heavy downpours across the island. “We have closed the outside lane and placed warning signs and cones to inform motorists of the hazard,” Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad told the…
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No official services for fallen former mayor Pian Keesin, confirms Patong Municipality
PHUKET: Patong Municipality will not hold any official remembrance ceremonies to mark the death of Pian Keesin, whose body was found at his home north of Phuket Town yesterday morning (story here). Mr Pian was elected as the town’s first mayor in 1995 and served five terms – totalling nearly two decades. Born in Patong on February 12, 1944, Mr…
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Video Report: Foul play not suspected in Pian Keesin’s death
PHUKET: Police have ordered an autopsy to be performed on the body of former Patong mayor Pian Keesin in order to rule out foul play. Mr Pian was found dead in his home north of Phuket Town this morning (story here). “At this stage, doctors presume he died of a heart attack or cerebral hemorrhage,” Col Sien Kaewthong of the…
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Phuket lifeguards close beach, urge tourists to heed warnings
PHUKET: After saving several people from drowning yesterday, lifeguards are urging all tourists to heed warnings to stay out of hazardous surf at Phuket’s Kata and Karon beaches. A section of Kata Beach was closed and red warning flags were posted along dangerous sections of Karon Beach, said Kata-Karon lifeguard chief Uten Singsom. “We saved a few swimmers yesterday. They…
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![Poll: 98% of tourists against Phuket dolphinarium [video] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAzMjYgMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Poll: 98% of tourists against Phuket dolphinarium [video]
PHUKET: Tourists led the charge, as an overwhelmingly majority of the more than 7,000 readers who took part in the recent Phuket Gazette poll voted against opening the island’s controversial dolphin park. A staggering 4,353 of the 4,435 (98%) of those who identified themselves as “Tourists / Visitors to Phuket” voted: no – Phuket should not have a dolphinarium; they…
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Phuket Poll: Do you feel safe on the streets of Phuket after dark?
PHUKET: The gruesome murder of two British backpackers on the holiday island of Koh Tao has drawn international media attention to safety concerns in major Thai tourists destinations such as Phuket. In the wake of the murders, the Region 8 Police commander ramped up security in all areas under his watch, including Phuket and Koh Tao (story here). At about…
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Phuket readies for first-ever International Night Run
PHUKET: Athletes will have the opportunity to run along the streets through Phuket’s historic Old Town under the cover of darkness on November 1 as the island hosts its first Phuket International Night Run. Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana unveiled the new event – organized in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Sports Authority of Thailand…
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Phuket flash flood, landslide warning in effect, but bright skies ahead
PHUKET: The flash flood and landslide warning issued for Phuket last Friday is still in effect, though local officials have appealed for people to not panic over the current wet weather. “The warning was sent to every local authority as a precaution, to advise people to beware of flash floods and landslides in risk areas,” said Weera Amnuayporn, acting director…
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Phuket teen stabs ex-girlfriend’s new lover in jealous rage
PHUKET: A teen, recently released from the island’s juvenile detention center, is on the run after he stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new lover seven times in a jealous rage in Phuket Town early this morning. Phuket City Police arrived at the scene, outside of Royal Phuket City Hotel, at about 12:30am. There, they found a 29-year-old hotel employee, named by police…
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Police suspect single gunslinger responsible for two 7-Eleven stickups
PHUKET: Phuket police suspect that a single gun-wielding robber is responsible for two 7-Eleven stickups yesterday. The first robbery took place at 1am at a 7-Eleven store on Ranong Road in Phuket Town. Then, at 10pm, a 7-Eleven at Baan Kien in Thalang was also robbed. “We believe the two robberies may well be connected, as the robber caught on…
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Phuket tourists’ safety vital during Asian Beach Games, says Governor
PHUKET: Local community support is essential for tourists’ safety and Phuket’s image when the island hosts the Asian Beach Games next month, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong said today. “We need more advertisements encouraging locals to get involved. Everybody on the island is hosting this event – we have to work together to best represent our homeland,” said Governor Nisit, who…
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Phuket storm pins woman under tree, more rain forecast
PHUKET: The storm that ravaged Phuket over the weekend pinned a woman under a felled tree on a busy street in Mai Khao late Saturday night. Rescue workers and police arrived at Mai Khao Soi 10 at about 11:30pm to find Soisuda Somjan, 20, and her motorbike trapped the tree. “She was unable to move with her right leg caught…
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Indian tourists washed overboard, drown off Krabi coast
PHUKET: Two Indian tourists travelling in a rented longtail boat drowned off the coast of Railay, east of Phuket, yesterday after a large wave swamped their boat and washed them overboard. Ekkapong Kinglek, 25, the boat operator, was charged with reckless driving causing death, Capt Praphan Nhuchaikaew of the Krabi City Police told the Phuket Gazette. The tourists, Yash Agarwal,…
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Asean health experts target regional vaccination strategy
PHUKET: Asean health experts gathered in Phuket last week for a series of workshops to hammer out strategies for regional vaccine security. The three-day event, hosted on the island for the first time, involved a series of brainstorming sessions among health experts, centering on vaccine research and development, production and vaccine immunization. The exchange of information is seen as the…
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![Phuket Classic competition to attract 145 bodybuilders [VIDEO] | Thaiger](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0naHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmcnIHZpZXdCb3g9JzAgMCAzMzEgMjIwJz48L3N2Zz4=)
Phuket Classic competition to attract 145 bodybuilders [VIDEO]
PHUKET: This year’s edition of the Phuket Classic bodybuilding competition will see 145 contestants flex their muscles to please the audience. The event will be held at Central Festival Phuket on October 12, from 11am to 7pm and will see 10 foreigners competing in a separate category. “The judges will be evaluating the contestants depending on body type, weight and…
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Special Report: Phuket’s billion-baht beach ‘scandal’ never kept a secret
Special Report PHUKET: A senior official at Kata-Karon Municipality this week claimed that permits issued to allow local residents to work as beach vendors were introduced at the behest of a Provincial Hall standing committee some 20 years ago. The issue raised a storm of controversy last week when Paween Pongsirin, Region 8 Police Deputy Commander at the time (story…
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Phuket cat burglar robs sleeping couple’s hotel villa
PHUKET: Police have arrested a Phuket cat burglar who crept into a sleeping couple’s hotel villa and stole a mobile phone and about 13,000 baht in cash. “Thung Taothong, 28, was arrested at his apartment in Soi Yod Saneh in Chalong and charged with robbery,” Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Sophon Borrirak told the Phuket Gazette today. “We are still searching…
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Breaking News: 6-wheeled Phuket truck kills two on Patong Hill
PHUKET: Two people were killed in a road accident as they ascended the infamous Patong Hill road at about 3pm today, Patong Traffic Police told the Phuket Gazette. The two people riding the motorbike died after being crushed by a 6-wheeled truck in front of Sea Pearl Hotel. The driver, who police have yet to publicly name, has been taken…
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Masked men open fire in Phuket drive-by shooting, injure two
PHUKET: Two men were injured just before midnight last night in what Phuket police are calling a drive-by revenge shooting. Four men were sitting round a table drinking at Baan Liporn when a group of eight masked men on motorbikes drove by and opened fire. Watthana Suebsak, 18, was shot in the face and seriously injured, while Prasert Chanthip, 35,…
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Australians’ drunken balcony fall raises Phuket safety concerns
PHUKET: Patong Police have urged local municipality workers to inspect the balcony-railing heights of Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa after three drunk Australians tumbled off their second-floor balcony (story here). “It is beyond our jurisdiction to ensure that the railings are of a safe height. We actually voiced our concern before this accident, and again after it. However, we cannot…
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Phuket Police defend snaring foreign tourists in illegal taxi raids
PHUKET: Police have defended their actions in a raid that saw officers and military personal, clad in flak jackets and carrying assault rifles, besiege an illegal Phuket taxi carrying a family of foreign tourists. “We flagged down a taxi with the assistance of the security guard in front of our hotel at Karon Beach. The driver agreed to take us…
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![Phuket Classic competition to attract 145 bodybuilders [VIDEO] | Thaiger](https://thethaiger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/4_2014106113254617_XZkjmiojnJdTFgnGRlbhdqzKYJUaIESuTjoxDOtU_jpeg.jpeg)
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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