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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Father demands justice after son’s assault at Rawai school
A father from Rawai has brought his grievance to the public after his six year old son suffered a violent assault by classmates at Wat Sawang Arom School, and an agreed compensation has not been honoured. The incident occurred on August 18 when the 32 year old father reported to Chalong Police that his son had been tied up, stripped,…
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Phuket’s waste crisis worsens with tourist surge
Phuket grapples with a mounting waste crisis as tourism surges post-pandemic. The island’s waste disposal plant now receives 1,100 tonnes of garbage daily, a significant rise from 742 tonnes in 2022 and 961 tonnes last year, according to deputy governor Norasak Suksomboon. Norasak highlighted these challenges at the 25th Inter-Islands Tourism Policy Forum, where 150 global tourism leaders and policymakers…
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Kathu: Thai man shoots himself after affair argument
A 31 year old Thai man is fighting for his life in hospital after a shocking self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head during a heated argument with his wife over an affair at their Kathu condo last night, September 26. The late-night drama unfolded around 11pm, with police and rescue workers rushing to a condo on Phra Phuket Kaew Road…
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Pizza the action: Foreign man wreaks havoc at Phuket pizzeria
An unidentified foreign man went on a rampage in the Thalang district of Phuket in the early hours of this morning and physically assaulted the Thai owner of a pizza shop near Phuket International Airport. The Phuket Times reported on the incident today. The report included pictures of the injured Thai pizza shop owner, a damaged car and restaurant, as well…
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Gypsy cash dash: Phuket locals swarm ATMs for 10k baht handout
Hundreds of sea gypsies in Phuket flocked to ATMs at Laem Tukkae, Koh Sirey, Ratsada subdistrict on Wednesday, September 25, as part of the Thai government’s 10,000 baht handout scheme for vulnerable citizens. The scheme, aimed at state welfare cardholders and disabled individuals, is part of a broader economic stimulus programme. A national report noted that the sea gypsies, still…
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Ex-mayor of Kathu embroiled in corruption scandal
The former Mayor of Kathu Subdistrict Municipality has been indicted on corruption charges, with accusations of paying a road contractor before work was completed. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) Region 8 dropped the bombshell at a press conference yesterday, September 25 in Krabi, revealing widespread corruption across southern Thailand. Suchart Kruaykittanon, Assistant Secretary-General of the NACC, confirmed the charges. “The…
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Phuket water supply halted for essential repairs
Phuket residents face a water supply disruption in central areas from 9am to 5pm today, September 26 due to essential repairs, the Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) announced. The disruption is necessary to address reduced water pressure caused by a malfunctioning water pump raft. Affected areas include Srisoonthorn, Cherng Talay, Pa Khlok, Kamala, and Ratsada. Residents in these regions may…
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American man denies sexually assaulting 3 year old Thai girl in Phuket
An American man, suspected of sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl in the Rawai area of Phuket, firmly denied the accusations against him. However, police are adamant they have gathered enough evidence to warrant his arrest. The child sex abuse case came to light when a Thai man named Bao found the three year old girl crying in pain outside her…
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Jealous ex stabs man to death in Phuket horror
A late-night romance ended in tragedy after a 22 year old man was brutally stabbed to death by his girlfriend’s jealous ex-boyfriend in a house in Kathu district in Phuket. Police were called to a blood-soaked scene at a residence on Soi Namtok Kathu at around 5.20am today, September 25. They found 22 year old Anukun Ketkaew lying unconscious in…
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Police launch raids on popular nightlife venues on Bangla Road
In a bold move to clean up the streets of Patong, police and health officials are back in action, targeting Bangla Road’s nightlife hotspots with surprise drug tests. The high-stakes operation saw staff at multiple entertainment venues undergo random tests, aiming to ensure drug-free working environments in the heart of Phuket’s party scene. Patong Police, led by Chief Police Colonel…
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3 year old Thai girl sexually assaulted by foreign man in Phuket
An unidentified foreign man allegedly sexually assaulted a three year old Thai girl at her home in the Rawai district of Phuket in the early hours of Monday, September 23. The young victim suffered severe injuries to her private parts. A Thai man who lived near the victim’s home shared the story of the three year old victim with the…
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Phuket’s tourism boom set to break records this year
After a rocky few years post-Covid, Phuket is poised to smash its highest-ever revenue records in 2024, even if tourist numbers don’t quite hit pre-pandemic levels. Longer stays, higher spending and a shift in visitor profiles are key to this tourism boom, according to Rangsiman Kingkaew, Vice President of Strategy and Planning at the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA). Speaking at…
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Foreign man found hanged at Phuket resort
In a chilling discovery on Sunday morning, the body of a foreign man was found hanged outside a resort in Koh Kaeo, Phuket province, leaving police scrambling to uncover his identity. The grim scene was uncovered by a hotel staff member at around 7.50am, on September 22, who immediately alerted the police. Arriving at the scene, officers were joined by…
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Pickup truck fire sparks alarm on Karon beachfront
A pickup truck fire sparked alarm among locals and tourists along the Karon beachfront yesterday, September 23. The blaze broke out around 12.10pm near the Thavorn Palm Beach Hotel. Firefighters from Karon Municipality, along with traffic police, swiftly responded, rushing to the location of the fire. They found a white Nissan pickup truck, registered in Phuket, with flames and smoke…
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Monsoon leaves Patong Beach littered with trash and plastic waste
Patong Beach has become heavily littered with trash and plastic waste as the southwestern monsoon continues to batter Phuket’s west coast. A large section of the beach was found covered in debris on Sunday afternoon, September 22, highlighting an ongoing environmental issue. A local expatriate, having lived in Phuket for approximately five years, described the situation along the northern part…
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Phuket flea market feud turns fiery: Shooting leaves two injured
The owner of the Koh Beng Ban Pon Flea Market in the Thalang district of Phuket engaged in a fierce argument with his former business partner, resulting in a shooting that left two people injured. Officers from Thalang Police Station investigated the shooting at Koh Beng Ban Pon Flea Market at approximately 7.30pm yesterday, September 23. The two injured individuals…
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Young Thai artists’ exhibition opens in Phuket today
Trapped on an Island, an art exhibition curated by young artists, opened yesterday at the Phuket Contemporary Art Gallery at Provincial Hall. Running from today until September 30, the exhibition features works by 45 artists from across Thailand, all under the age of 35. Part of the TIDKOR Young Contemporary Art and Exhibition, this event is held under the 3rd…
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Chalong Police urge motorists to reclaim lost licence plates
Chalong Police have called for motorists who lost their licence plates while navigating floodwaters this week to get in touch, as several plates have been handed in. Heavy downpours on Monday resulted in flash floods across multiple areas of Chalong, causing significant difficulties for drivers on both Chao Fa East and Chao Fa West roads. The rising waters led to…
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Phuket health officials warn of dengue crisis after floods
Phuket is on high alert after a dengue fever advisory was issued by the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), warning residents of a potential surge in infections following a week of relentless rain, flash floods, and landslides. The advisory, released yesterday, September 19, comes with no detailed explanation but the timing is telling as stagnant water, a breeding ground…
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Phuket’s prison break: Drug rehab programme promises new life
Phuket is shaking up the prison scene with a groundbreaking initiative aimed at turning drug dealers into model citizens. The revamped Prison Scout Volunteers for Social Development programme officially launched its fourth edition, with bold ambitions to reform inmates, shape positive mindsets, and offer a way out of their criminal past. With the Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat notably absent, Vice…
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Patong mayor urges caution after landslips and road damage
Patong Mayor Chalermsak Maneesri called on residents and drivers to remain vigilant following several landslips, potholes forming on rain-soaked roads, and a large tree falling onto power lines between Patong and Kamala. A notice was issued by Patong Municipality today, September 20. “Watch out! Follow the situation of flash floods, forest runoff, flooding, mudslides, and strong wind waves.” Residents affected…
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Phuket teleconference reviews disaster plan for southern provinces
Royal Volunteer Command Center Region 4 held a teleconference yesterday with representatives from 14 southern provinces to review the 2015 National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan. The meeting, chaired by Major General Anusorn Ourai, Deputy Commander of Army Area 4 and Deputy Director of the Royal Volunteer Command Center Region 4, aimed to improve coordination and ensure systematic disaster relief…
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Phuket: Lifeguards rush to save turtle washed ashore in Thalang
Lifeguards at Bang Tao Beach in Thalang district, Phuket, faced an unexpected rescue mission this morning when a 30-kilogramme sea turtle, too weak to swim, was found washed ashore. The beach patrol team, led by Wirun Chuea-saman, head of the Surin-Bang Tao Beach lifeguards, quickly sprang into action. “We spotted the turtle during our routine patrol. It wasn’t injured but…
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Thai woman killed in head-on collision with taxi in Phuket
A tragic accident occurred in Cherng Talay subdistrict, Thalang district, Phuket early today when a 33 year old woman lost her life after her motorbike was struck head-on by a green plate taxi on the wrong side of the road. Police responded to the incident on Srisoonthorn Road, near the Party Party Store, approximately 230 metres north of Soi Bang…
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Phuket drug suspect nabbed in mangrove forest hideout
A Thai man wanted on serious drug charges was finally captured today after being tracked down to a remote mangrove forest in Pa Khlok subdistrict, Thalang district, Phuket. A police investigation team from Thalang Police, supported by local patrol officers, swooped in on the suspect’s hideout. The high-stakes raid, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Suchart Luecha, Inspector of Investigation at…
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Burmese binman killed in horrific Patong crash
A Burmese binman tragically lost his life in a three-vehicle crash in front of Wat Suwan Kiriwong School in Patong in the early hours of yesterday morning. The incident unfolded around 5am, yesterday, September 17 on Phra Barami Road, just 370 metres from Wat Patong. The victim, identified as Myanmar national Aung Aung, was a garbage collector employed by Patong Municipality.…
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Phuket tourists engage in steamy street show on tuk tuk
In a jaw-dropping scene that left locals stunned, two foreign couples were caught engaging in intimate acts aboard a tuk tuk near Phuket’s Patong Beach during a traffic jam caused by heavy rain. Despite the crowd of onlookers, the couples carried on brazenly, seemingly unfazed by the attention. The scandalous incident took place yesterday morning, September 17, when a 40-second…
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Phuket Airport skips memorial for One-Two-Go crash victims again
The Airports of Thailand (AoT) once again dodged the chance to hold an official memorial service in Phuket for the 90 victims of the One-Two-Go Flight OG269 disaster. This marks the 17th consecutive year that local officials have avoided organising any remembrance ceremonies for one of Thailand’s deadliest air crashes. On the anniversary of the tragedy, Monchai Tanode, General Manager…
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Phuket plans sustainable tourism overhaul to boost economy
Phuket’s sustainable tourism took centre stage yesterday, September 15, as the House of Representatives Tourism Committee held a seminar to explore new directions for the island’s tourism sector and delve into the creative economy. The event, Transforming Phuket’s Future, was held at Dara Hotel and saw participation from significant figures in government, the private sector, and civil society. Phuket Vice…
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Storm alert: Phuket’s rain game is just getting started
Hold onto your umbrellas, folks, the driving rain that drenched southern parts of Phuket this morning is just a taste of what’s to come, warns Wirote Lewcharoenthrap, Director of the Southern Meteorological Centre (west coast). Thanks to a vigorous southwest monsoon hammering the Andaman Sea and the west coast, southern Thailand is bracing for heavy downpours and choppy seas from…
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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