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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Body of Russian expat, kidnapped in Phuket, believed found
PHUKET: Police have found a body they believe is that of missing Russian expat Alexey Slabinskiy, first reported as suspected of being kidnapped three weeks ago (story here). “We learned that the suspects – Russians Oleksandr Boychuk, 44, and Aleksandr Novichkov, 58 – had rented a house in Soi Koktanode in Cherng Talay,” Provincial Police Commander Ong-art Phiwruangnont told the…
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Phuket officials call for healthy turnout for “Senate poll Sunday’
PHUKET: About 100 officials led by Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak gathered yesterday to call on the people of Phuket to vote in the nationwide Senate election on Sunday. Speaking at Sanam Chai, the field in front of Provincial Hall that is occupied by anti-government protesters every night, Vice Governor Somkiet reminded passers-by that the polls will be open across…
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Drunk Aussie tourist marks rough landing in Phuket
PHUKET: An Australian man who passed out drunk during his flight to Phuket was carried off the plane still unconscious on arrival yesterday and rushed to Thalang Hospital. The man, named by police as Christopher Lazarus Boubis, 39, later regained consciousness in the emergency ward at the hospital, but immediately went on a rampage through the facility. “He was shouting…
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Phuket PDRC factions unite for mass protest
PHUKET: The two factions of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) anti-government protesters in Phuket united today to march through Phuket Town and stage a motorcade along Phuket’s west coast. The Krabot Rak Chart faction led by former Rassada Mayor Suratin Lian-udom massed in front of the Phuket Revenue Office on Narisorn Road, before joining fellow PDRC supporters led by…
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Death of workers in sewer both accident and mistake, says manager
PHUKET: Workplace health and safety officials will investigate the deaths of four sewer maintenance workers who died of asphyxiation in a Phuket Town sewer on Wednesday morning. “We will start our investigation on Tuesday, when we will interview representatives from the contractor and the municipality to establish precisely what happened,” Yudhakarn Ovasith, chief of the Phuket Provincial Labour Protection and…
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Karon black water strikes again, flows across trash-covered beach
PHUKET: The Karon black water saga continued today as a fresh wave of rank, dirty water flowed over a long line of trash that has also been cursing the beach. “This is a failure on the part of Karon Municipality. I have not seen them do anything to try to resolve the problem,” said Karon Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) Winai Chidchiew.…
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Officials to sue 29 for Phuket national park encroachment
PHUKET: Officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) announced a plan on Wednesday to sue 29 landowners found to be encroaching on Phuket’s Sirinath Marine National Park land. “Right now we plan to sue the landowners for encroachment onto a total of 1,500 rai. I want to get back as much of Sirinath National Park as we…
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Blood Heroes Unite: Phuket Regional Blood Center announces April donation opportunities
PHUKET: Those looking to be “Blood Heroes” will find it hard not to stumble upon a willing needle as the Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) will offer a plethora of opportunities to donate in April. “We are calling for donations in anticipation of an increased number of accidents, and thus a higher demand for blood during Songkran,” said PRBC Chief…
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Brazen thief steals Phuket Police officer’s motorbike
PHUKET: A Phuket Police officer has become the latest victim of motorbike theft on the island. Sen Sgt Maj Narong Wilairat reported at 6:30am that his motorbike was stolen from in front of his police accommodation just meters from the main building at Chalong Police Station. “My son used the motorbike – a red Honda Click Phuket license plate ‘Khor…
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Phuket FC reignites youth football development
PHUKET: The island’s premier football team Phuket FC has renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Plookpanya School on youth football development for the second year running. The MOU was signed in the evening of March 26 at Surakul Stadium. Phuket Football Club Vice President Eam Thavornwongvongse told the Gazette, “The purpose of the MOU is for cooperation with a…
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Phuket firefighters stage full-scale drill at Patong resort
PHUKET: Patong Municipality held its annual full-scale fire and evacuation drill this week, complete with a Navy helicopter airlifting a survivor to safety from a beachfront resort’s rooftop. Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada presided over the exercise on Wednesday, joined by Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket) Chief San Janthawong and Patong…
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PACC Dives in on extortion charges
PHUKET: Charges of extortion lodged by 41 members of the Phuket dive industry will be investigated by national-level anti-corruption officers who arrived on the island today. Public-sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) Secretary Prayong Preeyachitt promised a thorough investigation that would conclude with legal action against any officer found guilty of extortion. The charges stem from a round-up of dive instructors…
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Phuket lounge chair touts battle boot campers for beach space
PHUKET: A Phuket exercise and beach-cleanup group saw an abrupt end to their activities on March 15 when lounge chair touts battled them for space on Nai Harn Beach. “Clean the Beach Boot Camp” is a free event held every two weeks aimed at bringing together local expats and giving back to the community, explains Krix Luther, the health and…
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Dynamic Without Fins competition next in the Phuket Suunto Series
PHUKET: The We Freedive Suunto Series continues this Sunday at Phuket Country Home in Chalong as competitors line up to participate in the “Dynamic Without Fins (DNF)” event. The event will be monitored by Association Internationale pour le Developpement de l’Apnee (AIDA) judges Sarah Whitcher and Richard Wonka. All competitors’ results will be entering the AIDA International ranking list. Those…
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Phuket protesters to stage mass rally on Saturday
PHUKET: Anti-government protesters will stage a mass rally in the heart of Phuket Town this Saturday in support of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protests in Bangkok. “Our rally will start in front of Provincial Hall [map here] at 8:30am, and from 9am we will parade through Phuket Town to show our strength to the government,” protest co-ordinator Amnuay…
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Hydrogen sulfide kills four, injures four in Phuket sewer
PHUKET: Four workers were killed by hydrogen sulfide fumes in a Phuket Town sewer this morning, and four others remain hospitalized after attempting to rescue them with inadequate equipment. The four who died had been tasked with maintenance of a sewer access point about 100 meters from Tesco Express on Srisena Road, and they succumbed to the fumes one by…
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Mum’s nightmare a prelude to daughter’s disappearance becoming murder investigation
PHUKET: More than three months after 7-year-old Natthapa “Nong Dear” Papkaew disappeared, her mother had a nightmare that her beloved daughter had been raped by a tall man with a knife. Jaroon Papkaew, Nong Dear’s mother, woke from the horrific vision only to discover a graver nightmare: DNA tests confirming that the human remains found in a Chalong pine field…
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Officials inspect overflowing Phuket landfill, prepare for possible fires
PHUKET: Island officials yesterday visited Phuket’s overloaded waste management facility and took steps to ensure that any fire there could be quickly contained. The inspection followed the news of a blaze that erupted in a garbage disposal site in Samut Prakan province on March 16 (story here) and adversely affected many locals in the area. “I have asked Prachum Suriya,…
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Thalang triumph over ICC at ACG
PHUKET: In Sunday’s JLL league match, the Thalang cricket team chased down 143 runs in 22.4 overs at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) to defeat the Island Cricket Club (ICC). In their first encounter of the season on February 9th. ICC set the record for the lowest team total on the ACG of just 37 runs. Winning the toss this…
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New bypass road opens for Phuket travellers
PHUKET: The new road that will allow drivers travelling between Patong and Chalong to bypass the Darasamuth Intersection in front of Central Festival officially opened to the public yesterday morning. The new route, officially dubbed the Muang-Naka Road by Governor Maitri Inthusut, is just one part of an overall project to improve traffic flow throughout the island (story here). The…
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French resort manager, Ukrainian tour guide nabbed in work permit raids
PHUKET: Phuket Immigration last night arrested the manager of The Blue Garden Resort & Spa in Cherng Talay, where Russian woman Iana Strizheus was found bruised and battered after her alleged kidnapping ordeal (story here). Officers moved in and arrested French national Eric Raymond Seigneurin, 55, at about 9pm after plainclothes police posing as tourists observed him serving tourists at…
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Chalong Police chief denies Phuket dive industry shakedowns
PHUKET: Chalong Police Superintendent Krittapas Dazintharasorn has publicly denied that any of his officers are – or have been – involved in arresting and extorting money from foreign dive instructors in Phuket. Col Krittapas’ denial of corruption among his officers follows more than 20 dive instructors being rounded up at Chalong Pier (map here) and taken to Chalong Police Station…
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Phuket Gov warns against showing ‘too much’ skin during Songkran
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut issued a warning yesterday about showing too much skin during the Thai New Year Songkran Festival next month. “Tourists need to be aware of how they dress and of their surroundings when participating in the Songkran Festival. Please do not just wear a bikini, as it might make you a target for sexual harassment,” said…
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Sister of Russian missing in Phuket offers B500,000 reward
PHUKET: The sister of missing Russian Alexey Slabinskiy has offered half a million baht for information leading to the arrest of the two men believed to be involved in his disappearance. An additional 100,000 baht is offered to whoever finds her brother. WANTED: Olexsande Boychuk. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong Mr Slabinskiy disappeared with his girlfriend, Iana Strizheus, on March 7 (story…
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A moving meditation
PHUKET: Making a guest appearance at the Aikido of Phuket dojo across from Bangkok Hospital, Aikido Grand Master Nobuo Maekawa exceeded my per-conceived expectations of the quintessential Japanese martial artist. Small in stature but huge in confidence, aging but incredibly able and agile, lighthearted yet deeply philosophical and reflective. “It is a moving meditation. Blend, like cafe au lait. If…
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Phuket black water problem to be taken on by Bangkok officials
PHUKET: In an effort to combat the black water debacle in Karon, officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to temporarily relinquish control of wastewater management in the area to the Wastewater Management Authority of Thailand (WMA). “Municipality officers signed the MoU on March 13. It allows the WMA to take charge,” Director of Regional Environmental Office 15 Pornsri Suthanaruk…
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Three Phuket candidates registered to battle it out for Patong mayor
PHUKET: Three candidates have registered to fight for the position of mayor in Phuket’s premier resort town of Patong in the upcoming April 26 election. “Kittisan Kuru of the Patong Gao Na (Patong Progress) Party and former town council member was the last candidate to register today at 8:30am,” Patong Municipality Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Poonsak Naksena told the Phuket…
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Myanmar Embassy Official visits Phuket over allegations of workers’ rights violations
PHUKET: The Labour Attache to the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok landed in Phuket on Friday to dig into allegations by Myanmar construction workers of labor law violations. “I came down to Phuket to follow up on a complaint on March 5 against Nantawan Co, Ltd, which employs about 200 workers from Myanmar,” said Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, Mr Lwin had just…
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Northern Phuket at full flush as water supply restored
PHUKET: Water supply throughout huge residential areas of northern Phuket returned today after waterworks crews completed repairs to a main that burst in Baan Bang Jo, Cherng Talay, on Saturday (story here). “The burst main left residents in Cherng Talay, Koh Keaw, Rassada, Koh Sireh, Srisoonthorn and Baan Porn, Srisuchart and the Rock Garden housing development without mains supply over…
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Phuket officers investigate fire in driverless car
PHUKET: A car erupted in flames outside an abandoned Phuket house early yesterday morning with its owner nowhere in sight. Nutchanat Thongpan, a neighbor living near the abandoned house, notified police of the blaze at about 1:30am in Neramit Village 3 in Baan Lipon, Capt Narong Muangdoung of the Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette. “I returned from work that…
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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