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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Road collapse at Krabi Airport domestic terminal
PHUKET: Authorities have closed the ramp road to the domestic terminal at Krabi International Airport after heavy rain over the past week washed away the earth underneath a retaining wall, causing the road to subside.The damage was reported by a tourist at 9:30am on Saturday, Krabi Airport Director Sunyaluk Kraiboot told the Phuket Gazette.“The retaining wall collapsed, causing about 10…
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Phuket protesters en route to Bangkok
PHUKET: Phuket Pitak Siam group members are en route to Bangkok to join a protest against the amnesty bill proposed by the Pheu Thai party which is slated to be debated in Parliament next Wednesday. A confrontation between police and protesters, as well as forced entry into both Parliament and Government House compounds is expected, reported The Nation (story here).…
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Phuket beefs up security after Provincial Hall explosion
PHUKET: Local officials laid out plans for increased security at government offices and popular Phuket locations as police continue their investigation into the bomb that exploded at Provincial Hall on August 1 (story here). The meeting follows National Police Office adviser Ratchata Yensuang’s visit to Phuket to learn more about the non-fatal explosion in the parking lot of Phuket Provincial…
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Krabi’s “Andaman Eagles’ ready to take flight
PHUKET: The Islanders aren’t the only Southern Thai club raising the stakes this August – Phuket FC’s neighbors, Krabi FC nicknamed the “Andaman Eagles”, have also undergone a mid-season makeover in hopes of steering clear of the dreaded four-team fate of relegation (click here for details of Phuket FC’s transfer activity) . Playing in their second season in Thailand’s second…
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PSS to put Phuket on the map
PHUKET: Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) are preparing to host, coordinate and compete in a number of youth “footy” events in the coming months, and the academy looks to recruit more local talent to be help make sporting history. PSS Head Coach Martin Hill said that the main attraction of becoming a PSS Academy player is to represent the club at…
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Officials shoot fierce croc escaped from farm north of Phuket
PHUKET: Officials put down a fierce two-and-a-half meter long crocodile after it and another croc escaped from a crocodile farm in Phang Nga today.Villagers reported the escape to Chief of Phang Nga Provincial Fisheries Office Somkiat Sookchanchai.“We rushed to the farm owned by Panet Saelim, 48, and were able to quickly find the pair of crocs in the irrigation ditch…
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Sunken vessel threat to Phuket marine traffic
PHUKET: Marine Officers have marked the cargo boat that recently sank, Unity, with a buoy and light to prevent any damage being done to other ships travelling between mainland Krabi and Phi Phi (story here). “We have also put out public announcements over the radio to inform boat owners about the danger posed by the sunken boat,” Krabi Marine Office…
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Phuket students head to Bangkok for National English competition
PHUKET: Three 11-year-old Phuket students will be competing in a national English-language competition in Bangkok this weekend after having come in second place in the southern regional competition in June.The primary school students, Fonthip “Plo” Tanphaibul; Satakamon “Mona” Sawasdiphat; and Poramate “Fluke” Phuchareon, began working on their 20-minute group presentation about the Phuket Heroines in May, and are now ready…
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Only way is up for Phuket FC
PHUKET: After a two-week hiatus, Phuket FC’s skillful Japanese defender Yusuke Sato has fully recovered from a minor calf injury, confirming that he is ready to return to action, starting with two important, upcoming home fixtures. The 6th placed Islanders will host the 15th placed Thai Tobacco Monopoly Football Club tonight (click here for map), which will be followed by…
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Top brass from Bangkok visits Phuket over bombing
PHUKET: National Police Office adviser Ratchata Yensuang arrived in Phuket last night to get a grasp on the non-fatal bombing in Phuket Provincial Hall’s carpark yesterday (story here). “The bomb appeared to be quite amateurish. We have already delegated key investigative roles to specific officers – to ensure we catch the culprit as soon as we can,” Gen Ratchata said.…
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Phuket out of TAT promotional campaign for 2014
PHUKET: Phuket is one of several main tourism destinations in the country that will not be promoted under the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) international marketing campaign for next year. Instead, the focus will be on less-developed tourism areas, Director of the Phuket-TAT office Chanchai Doungjit revealed yesterday. “We will not be promoting tourism centers that are already well-established. Instead,…
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Phuket bombing ‘civilian scare tactic’
PHUKET: The bomb blast at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (story here) was designed to frighten officials, and was likely not intended to kill anyone, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) President Paiboon Upatisin said. “The rising price of rental land might be the motive for the blast. Although actually, we don’t really have problems with anyone,” President Paiboon said, mulling the…
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Phuket marine specialists helping out with Koh Samet oil spill
PHUKET: Five Phuket marine specialists headed to Koh Samet yesterday to help clean up the approximately 50,000 liters of crude oil that leaked into the Gulf of Thailand from a PTT Global Chemical pipeline last Saturday (story here). “Our five marine specialists will be working with their counterparts from Rayong, Chumpon, and other provinces,” Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) director…
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Radio DJ killed in Phuket hit-and-run
PHUKET: A Phuket DJ was killed in a hit-and-run yesterday afternoon after he was dragged beneath a pickup truck for about 700 meters, witnesses said.Police and rescue workers arrived at the scene to find Terdpong “Bao” Phuttapiruk, 29, dying in the middle of the road.“He was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, but he was unconscious and suffering from broken ribs,…
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Phuket presents a successful inaugural Junior Phuket Raceweek
PHUKET: A fleet of 14 Optimists and five Toppers took part recently in the newest event on Phuket’s sailing calendar, the inaugural Junior Phuket Raceweek. Held off Panwa Beach Resort Phuket, youngsters from seven to fifteen years old completed four races in idyllic Phuket conditions under the watchful eye of Principal Race Officer Royal Thai Navy Rear Admiral Prasart Sribhadung,…
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Breaking News: Explosion at Phuket Provincial Hall, bomb suspected
PHUKET: The Phuket Gazette has confirmed reports of an explosion at the Phuket Provincial Hall complex in Phuket Town just after 2pm today.Police officers at the scene found the remains of a clock and batteries among the debris from an explosion that emanated from a green plastic trash can in the car park in front of the Phuket Provincial Administrative…
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“Bombs’ detonated at Phuket Airport drill
PHUKET: A simulated terrorist bomb drill held at Phuket International Airport yesterday went off without a hitch, organizers said.In the exercise, members of the Phuket Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and Airports of Thailand (AoT) staff short-circuited one bomb with a high-pressure water device, responded to a “fire” when a second was detonated, and cared for “injured” participants.When the first…
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Thai musicians arrested for murder of American tourist
PHUKET: Three Thai musicians have been arrested for the murder of 51-year-old American tourist Bobby Ray Carter Jr and the assault of his 27-year-old son in Krabi early this morning.According to one of the suspects, Ratikorn Romin, 27, from Phang Nga, a fight broke out between the three musicians and the Americans, who had joined them on-stage last night at…
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Phuket security guard chose wrong bag when he turned to crime
PHUKET: A Phuket security guard who turned to crime may have regretted his decision after the bag he stole turned out to contain nothing more than cosmetics, and CCTV images led police to his rented room the same day.Rungnapa Bunnamee left her cosmetics bag in the basket of her motorbike when she stopped to shop at a 7-Eleven on Phuket…
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Phuket crane loses balance, operator flees scene of destruction
PHUKET: A crane manipulating a heavy section of concrete pipe toppled over in Phuket this afternoon, demolishing the second floor of two shops, and though no one was injured, the driver fled the scene.“As the crane was lifting a section of pipe, land subsided under the crane arm, causing the operator to lose control,” said Sumpawat Wannasangkam of the Department…
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VIDEO REPORT: Phuket king cobra attempts to swallow baby python for breakfast
PHUKET: A huge king cobra about five meters long was captured while attempting to swallow a baby python on Tuesday morning in a fruit plantation off Patak Road near Karon. “Mr Yo, a Burmese man who lives in a labor camp in the fruit plantation, saw the king cobra first,” said Wisit Chuanchit, a villager who witnessed the snake-on-snake incident.The…
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Phuket pushes for new road to Freedom
PHUKET: Top Phuket officials, including Governor Maitri Inthusut, yesterday attended the first public hearing for the proposed new road from Sirirat Road, near Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, to Tri Trang Beach, on the southern headland of Patong Bay. About 100 people turned out to join the meeting, held at the Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa in Patong. “Actually there…
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Phuket Airport to undergo full-scale “explosive’ emergency drill
PHUKET: A full-scale emergency-response drill will take place at Phuket International Airport today – Wednesday, July 31 – as part of the Phuket International Airport Emergency Plan 2013.“The exercise will begin at 10am and last for one hour, at the parking lot, right in front of Phuket Airport Terminal 2,” said Airports of Thailand’s Acting Phuket Director Somsiri Kuengsopha.“The drill…
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Greed jeopardizing tourists’ safety, says Racha group
PHUKET: Reckless speedboat captains and tour guides chasing day-trip commissions have been named as the leading culprits jeopardizing tourists’ safety at Koh Racha, a popular day-trip island south of Phuket.Sarit Jandee, president of the Racha Conservation Club, blamed tour guides for encouraging day-trippers to swim and rent water-sports equipment on the west side of the island, which at this time…
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Phuket officials seize machinery, halt construction at protected mangroves site
PHUKET: The Phuket Land Office will be called on to answer how three Nor Sor 3 land-use documents came to be issued for “plots” within a protected mangroves site on the outskirts of Phuket Town. Officials from the Royal Forest Department (RFD) yesterday raided a seven-rai site in the Klong Koh Pee area, near Saphan Hin in Phuket Town. Land…
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Four youths charged over Phuket machete attack
PHUKET: Police have arrested four youths for a savage attack on a man who was repeatedly beaten and hacked with a machete in Karon last Thursday, after the incident was recorded on CCTV. “We went to the scene and found the victim, Silert Pong-Aroon, seriously injured,” Karon Police Superintendent Weerawat Jantarawichit told the Phuket Gazette. “Rescue workers rushed him to…
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Drunk man rails against Phuket police, damages vehicles
PHUKET: Officers stationed at the Pa Khlok Police Box were in for a startling surprise last night when a drunk man arrived to report his son missing, but erupted in a violent rampage after police could not immediately locate the missing son.The man, identified as 41-year-old Pa Khlok villager Sunchai Fordkaew, arrived at the police box at 8pm.“He said his…
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Belarus woman hospitalized in Phuket after slamming motorbike into tree
PHUKET: A Phuket tourist from the Republic of Belarus was injured on Friday night when she lost control of her motorbike and slammed into a pine tree close to Patong Beach at about 10pm.“The accident took place at the entrance to Lai Mai Beach Resort. The injured woman was Yuliya Kavaliova, a 26-year-old. When we arrived, she was crying in…
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Phuket car care lasts 10 minutes
PHUKET: A local resident at Nai Yang Beach, on Phuket’s west coast, yesterday spent 20 minutes waiting for a team of car detailers to perfect the shine on his white Toyota Fortuner – only then to roll the vehicle upside-down into a ditch 10 minutes later. Concerned villagers called the Kusoldharm Foundation at 10:45am, reporting a car had crashed into…
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HRH Princess Sirindhorn visits Phuket
PHUKET: HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn arrived in Phuket yesterday, a day before she is scheduled to officially open a variety of new buildings across the island.In a six hour span, the princess will open six buildings, from Panwa to Kathu. The public is welcome to attend the events, as follows:8.05am: Open the brand-new Islam Phattana School, built by the…
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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