Phuket News
Discover the latest news and updates from Thailand’s most famous and beautiful island, The Thaiger’s hometown, having previously operated as the Phuket Gazette.
Our team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Phuket, covering everything from local politics and business to lifestyle and tourism. Learn about the island’s stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving expat community, as well as keeping updated on events, and attractions.
The Thaiger is your ultimate guide to staying connected with Phuket’s ever-evolving landscape. To keep up with the most reliable news source on the island, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
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Landslide fears prompt stop-work order high in the Phuket hills
PHUKET: Work was ordered to stop at a construction site high on the hills overlooking Patong yesterday after it was found to be above the legal limit for building – and amid fears of a landslide smothering the residents below. Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak led an inspection of the site – eight rai of land with unobstructed views of…
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United ready for Van Gaal lift off but dangers lurk
PHUKET: On paper it appears a match made in heaven. Serial winner Louis van Gaal at the helm of 20-times English champions Manchester United with a mission to steer the chastened giants back to the Premier League summit. When United kick off the new season next Saturday lunchtime at home to Swansea City, however, reputations will count for precious little…
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New-look Arsenal have the taste for trophies
PHUKET: Having finally treated their long-empty trophy cabinet to some FA Cup silverware last season, Arsenal have splashed the cash ahead of the new Premier League campaign to improve a squad that could now be capable of pushing for loftier titles. Rapid forward Alexis Sanchez, a 35 million pound signing from Barcelona, leads a band of new recruits that also…
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Djokovic falls while Federer pulls great escape
PHUKET: Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga handed world number one Novak Djokovic a 6-2 6-2 third round defeat on Thursday as the Rogers Cup was rocked by upsets. A day of high-drama began under a bright morning sun with South African Kevin Anderson startling third seeded Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (8) 7-5 and ended in the late evening chill with…
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CAS start appeal into Suarez biting ban
PHUKET: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) began its hearing on Friday into Uruguay forward Luis Suarez’s appeal against his ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in a World Cup match. Suarez, wearing a checked shirt, brushed aside photographers and refused to make any comment as he arrived by taxi at the CAS headquarters in a Lausanne suburb.…
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Phuket “mega meth mule’ shipped millions, say police
PHUKET: A mother arrested at a school car park in Phuket Town yesterday led to the “accidental” arrest of man who has since confessed to shipping millions of ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and kilograms of ya ice (crystal methamphatime) throughout Thailand, say police. The string of arrests began on Monday, when officers took into custody Uten Wanthong for possession of…
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Katathani Phuket rocks eyed for encroachment
PHUKET: A team of officials descended on Kata Noi Bay late yesterday afternoon to inspect a battery of rocks in front of the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort that were alleged to be encroaching on public beach land. The inspection, led by Suthee Sirianan, the Chief Administrative Officer of Muang District Office, was launched after local villagers filed a complaint through…
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Williams shines at Rogers Cup
PHUKET: World number one Serena Williams cruised into the quarter-finals of the Rogers Cup with a 7-5 6-4 win over Lucie Safarova on Thursday but the Montreal tournament lost two of her potential title rivals when Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova were knocked out. Second seed Kvitova, playing her first event since winning her second Wimbledon title, could not find…
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Deadly Phuket inferno inspires rethink of firefighting abilities
PHUKET: The deadly fire that claimed four lives, including a family of three, last Saturday has prompted the Phuket City mayor to re-evaluate the city’s firefighting capabilities and find a way to win back city residents’ confidence. Flames engulfed the Chokchai Furniture shop in Phuket Town at about 2am, trapping and killing the Rueanchai family of three and one woman…
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Illegal Phuket taxi drivers beg military to call off metered-taxi project
PHUKET: About 30 illegal Phuket taxi drivers from Kata-Karon yesterday appealed to the military to call off the launch of a fleet of metered taxis to serve the island’s tourists and residents. The drivers gathered at the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command at Cape Panwa, on Phuket’s east coast, late yesterday afternoon to “seek assistance” from the military in…
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New Phuket underpass at Chalong Circle to cost up to B800mn
PHUKET: The final public hearing for the Chalong underpass was held yesterday as the pre-construction study drew to a close, revealing that an estimated budget of 750-800 million baht would be required for the project. Paisarn Suwannarak, specialist engineer from the Department of Highways, announced during the hearing at the Phuket Merlin Hotel that the project plans would be completed…
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Skimming: The new frontier for ATM fraud
SPECIAL REPORT BANKS are spending millions of baht upgrading ATMs throughout the country and hope to replace all ATM cards with more secure microchipped versions by the end of next year. The project aims to stem the rising tide of the world’s fastest-growing computer crime: skimming. But what are the best ways to protect yourself – and your money –…
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Phuket Airport to launch “Lady Parking’ as multi-storey car park nears completion
PHUKET: Six parking bays at Phuket International Airport will be set aside for women only as part of the nation’s celebrations to honor the 82nd birthday of HM Queen Sirikit on August 12. The move follows Airports of Thailand (AoT) president Makin Petplai announcing yesterday that “Lady Parking” will be established at six airports in the country to mark the…
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Father and daughter escape injury in Phuket after tree crashes onto pick-up truck
PHUKET: A father and daughter narrowly escaped injury today as part of a banyan tree – believed by Phuket locals to be 50 years old – fell on the bed of the pick-up truck they were driving in. Phuket native Soonthorn Makphol, 40, was turning into the grounds of Wat Wichit Sangkaram on Narisorn Road in Phuket Town near his…
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Thai Police target source of human trafficking from Myanmar, but exclude Rohingya
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police have asked their Myanmar counterparts to launch a public-awareness campaign to make Myanmar nationals aware of the dangers of slavery by accepting to work illegally in Thailand. Royal Thai Police Assistant Commissioner-General ML Pansak Kasemsant announced the news yesterday at the Thailand-Myanmar Bilateral Meeting on Strengthening Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Co-operation in Combating Trafficking…
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Phuket student faces charges for running down officer
PHUKET: A speeding student who ran down a Phuket police officer yesterday in an attempt to avoid a helmet check is facing two, possibly three, separate charges for his actions. The 17-year-old, whose name is being withheld, knocked Sen Sgt Maj Chakkapong Korsawat of the Phuket City Police unconscious on Nakhon Road, behind Phuket Wittayalai School, at about 7:35am (story…
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Phuket taxi drivers wait for military bigwigs to file complaints
PHUKET: Outraged taxi drivers from Phuket’s tourist-popular Kata-Karon area who vowed to file a complaint with military leaders yesterday about the tearing down of taxi stands on private land have pushed back their mission until Friday. “We spoke with officers at the Navy base at Cape Panwa yesterday to find out who we should file the complaint with. They told…
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Phelps and Lochte set for duel at US nationals
PHUKET: Olympic swim king Michael Phelps and reigning Swimmer of the Year Ryan Lochte will wage a series of duels at this week’s star-studded U.S. national championships in Irvine, California. Phelps, who has competed in four meets since coming out of retirement in April, will face the toughest test of his comeback as he is entered in the 100-metre freestyle,…
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Phuket officials reveal B20mn fund for tourist victims
PHUKET: Phuket officials today revealed that a national fund of 20 million baht to assist tourist victims of crime and natural disasters was finally available for tourists in Phuket. The news was announced today, when it was disclosed that 44-year-old Antonio Papaleo, a victim of a stabbing attack in Phuket, became the first tourist in Phuket to receive assistance from…
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AirAsia flight forced to land in Phuket, suspected bird strike
PHUKET: AirAsia Flight FD3187 was forced to land at Phuket International Airport at 5:15pm today after the captain voiced his concerns about possible engine trouble. “The captain believes that the engine might have sucked in a bird,” an AirAsia staffer* told the Phuket Gazette. The flight, carrying 153 passengers, departed from Nakhon Sri Thammarat at 4:20pm, destined for Bangkok. All…
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Phuket taxis run to Navy over demolition of taxi stand on private property
PHUKET: Taxi drivers from Phuket’s tourist-popular west coast beach area Kata-Karon are ready to file a complaint today about taxi stands on private land being destroyed. The complaint against a Karon Police Superintendent will be filed to the Third Naval Area Command at about 4pm. “The taxi drivers say that police tore down a taxi stand that was located on…
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Phuket location change for free screenings of The Cove documentary
PHUKET: The award-winning documentary The Cove will be screened at two locations this week to raise awareness of how dolphins are caught at the Taiji Cove in Japan and sold for use in dolphinaria around the world. Organizers confirmed today that the film would not be shown twice at Central Festival (story here), but will be shown once at the…
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One injured as Phuket taxi slams into pole at high speed
PHUKET: Police have yet to establish the cause of a high-speed accident that saw a Phuket taxi slam into a power pole near the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang early this morning. Police were called to the scene, near the Tah Reua Shrine, at about 6:50am. “The driver, Somkid Chantakuapa, 42, had already been rushed to Thalang Hospital,” Lt Col Sanit…
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Phuket student leaves traffic cop unconscious after high-speed crash
PHUKET: A 17-year-old attempting to avoid a helmet check put a Phuket City Traffic Police officer in hospital after running him over this morning. Officers found Sen Sgt Maj Chakkapong Korsawat unconscious on Nakhon Road, behind Phuket Wittayalai School, at about 7:35am. The minor, whose name is being withheld, was standing next to him in shock. “There was blood coming…
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Patong to be model for Phuket’s new-era beaches
PHUKET: Patong will remain steadfast in keeping its beach clear, as it is to be the model for Phuket beach management, it was revealed after a closed-door meeting today. “Patong Beach will be the first to implement a new system, now that all the west coast beaches are [mostly] clear of encroachers and vendors,” Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut told the…
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Jet-ski operators back on beach, vow to protect Phuket tourists
PHUKET: Jet-skis are back on Phuket’s beaches after operators vowed to double up as beach cleaners, as well as volunteer lifeguards, Phuket Jet-Ski Club Nucha Petchvimol told the Phuket Gazette today. However, their return to the beaches may be temporary, confirmed Commanding General of the 41st Military Circle Peerapol Wiriyakul. “I have yet to receive a full report. All I…
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Phuket Poll: Overwhelming support for the “clear the beaches’ campaign
PHUKET: The bold campaign to clear Phuket’s beaches of all structures has received overwhelming support from Phuket Gazette readers. The support was voiced in an online poll launched on June 22, which attracted more than 3,300 respondents. Central to the debate over whether or not any structures should remain on the beaches has been the tearing down of parts of…
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Breaking News: Fire breaks out in Phuket hotel room
PHUKET: Firefighters contained flames to a single guest room of the Pearl Hotel in the heart of Phuket Town this afternoon. No injuries were reported. A hotel staffer declined to comment to the Phuket Gazette. The fire is the second to make headlines after a blaze early Saturday morning killed four people (story here). — Woranut Pechdee
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Police rule out arson in deadly Phuket Town fire
PHUKET: Officers investigating the cause of the deadly Phuket Town fire that killed a family of three and one woman early Saturday morning have ruled out the possibility of arson. Flames engulfed the Chokchai Furniture shop in Phuket Town at about 2am on Saturday (story here). The shopowner, Janhorm Jakkaew, was the only one of five people in the building…
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Practice safe parasailing, says DDPM Phuket chief
PHUKET: A parasailing safety warning was issued over the weekend by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket. The announcement follows the news of a Patong Beach parasailing operator plummeting from the sky after he lost his grip on the parachute ropes (story here). “All the equipment should be checked before taking off, including the harness and safety…
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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