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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  • Russian tourists unharmed in 10mn baht resort fire east of Phuket | Thaiger

    Russian tourists unharmed in 10mn baht resort fire east of Phuket

    PHUKET: Flames engulfed a resort in Krabi Tuesday night, dislodging 60 Russian tourists as it burned 35 bamboo bungalows to the ground. Damages were estimated at 10 million baht. Koh Sriboya villagers informed Subdistrict Chief (Kamnan) Samran Raden of the fire at about 8pm. He rushed to the scene, where he found villagers and resort staff collecting sea water to…

  • Creeping Phuket python shows up for breakfast | Thaiger

    Creeping Phuket python shows up for breakfast

    PHUKET: A Phuket restaurant owner heard a two-meter python noisily working its way over the roof of his establishment as he was preparing to open yesterday morning. “The owner explained that he was cleaning when he heard a strange noise coming from the roof. When he took a peek to find the source of the noise he spotted a big…

  • Phuket governor says Karon Beach water safe, clean | Thaiger

    Phuket governor says Karon Beach water safe, clean

    PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut washed his hands on Tuesday in Karon Beach canal water, which had run black and rancid on Monday. “The water itself is clear,” Governor Maitri said. “The black color is just sediment that had gotten stirred up. I want everyone to know that the water is clean and won’t harm you.” Just a day earlier, locals,…

  • Cycling: the spice of life | Thaiger

    Cycling: the spice of life

    PHUKET: WITH surprising speed given the temperature, the amorphous speck approaching in the distance gradually revealed itself to be a group of 14 cyclists. Maybe it was the promise of a cold beer and big plate of food at Bill Bentley’s Pub and Restaurant in Mai Khao that provided the final surge of energy, or maybe they were downright tough…

  • Phuket’s X-Terminal officially opened | Thaiger

    Phuket’s X-Terminal officially opened

    PHUKET: Phuket International Airport’s X-Terminal was officially opened yesterday, after a successful trial period serving Chinese and Russian charter flights. “From now on, all international charter flights will check in at X-Terminal,” said Makin Petplai, president of Airports of Thailand (AoT). “The check-in system works well. Passengers check in at the X-Terminal, then take the shuttle to the main terminal…

  • Police charge Phuket driver for death of Finnish national | Thaiger

    Police charge Phuket driver for death of Finnish national

    PHUKET: Kamala Police are withholding the name of the driver charged for hitting and killing a Finnish national on Saturday. Robin Straka, 25, was rushed to Patong Hospital after the accident with severe head injuries and was later transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital (story here). However, doctors were unable to save him. “Mr Straka had crossed the Kalim-Kamala Road to…

  • Phuket police chase down snatch-theft duo | Thaiger

    Phuket police chase down snatch-theft duo

    PHUKET: Phuket police quickly scooped up a pair of bag-snatch operators working in Patong late last night.“We received a report at about 11:40pm from a witness saying that a female foreigner had her bag stolen in front of Patong Hospital while she was walking with a friend,” Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette this morning.From the…

  • Phuket Cricket: Laguna make it five in a row | Thaiger

    Phuket Cricket: Laguna make it five in a row

    PHUKET: In match 11 of the Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) cricket league, on Sunday, February 23 at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG), Laguna were matched up against the Island Cricket Club (ICC). In their last encounter, Laguna snatched victory by just one run, and coming off the back of a humiliating defeat in their last outing versus Thalang, ICC were…

  • No money lost in latest Phuket ATM break-in | Thaiger

    No money lost in latest Phuket ATM break-in

    PHUKET: Phuket’s Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) fell victim to an attempted ATM robbery last Sunday. Police were informed at about 11am, after an employee went to service the machine located on Sakdidet Road in front of a 7-Eleven, Somkid Onchun of the Wichit Police told the Phuket Gazette. “The thief managed to pry off the cover of the cash dispersal…

  • Phuket student wins national spelling competition | Thaiger

    Phuket student wins national spelling competition

    PHUKET: Darasamuth Phuket School student AJ Grosvenor won first place at the national spelling competition in Bangkok on February 19. The 10-year-old Por 4 student studies under Andy Dawson in the English Program at the school in Phuket Town.Grosvenor won first place in the Phuket round, then first place again in the southern provinces round and completed his hat trick…

  • Fire erupts on Toh Sae Hill, destroys two rai of Phuket jungle | Thaiger

    Fire erupts on Toh Sae Hill, destroys two rai of Phuket jungle

    PHUKET: Flames engulfed the dense jungle on Toh Sae Hill on Friday night after a dry tree caught on fire, most likely from a discarded cigarette, said a Phuket firefighter.Phuket City Municipality Firefighter Chief Pairat Sulin was notified of the fire by residents and led his brigade to the scene near the Khao Toh Sae Viewpoint at about 11pm.“When we…

  • Phuket maid pulled from bus to Bangkok with over B100,000 in stolen loot | Thaiger

    Phuket maid pulled from bus to Bangkok with over B100,000 in stolen loot

    PHUKET: A maid who had been working for two months at the home of a Phuket official made off with more than 100,000 baht in cash and valuables on Saturday, but was quickly apprehended.When Boonum Earjittrakul, a Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) council member, discovered that a gold bracelet valued at 104,250 baht and 10,000 baht in cash were missing…

  • Speedboat sinks in high-speed collision across the bay from Phuket | Thaiger

    Speedboat sinks in high-speed collision across the bay from Phuket

    PHUKET: All 37 tourists made it to shore yesterday after two speedboats collided at sea about 1km from Krabi.Krabi City Police were informed of the incident at 3:30pm and immediately contacted the Krabi Marine Office to scramble a rescue team.Six were injured when the Chainartnumchork 8, owned by Barracudas Tour, and the The Pimmasa 5, owned by Centara Grand Beach…

  • Police solicit help to catch ATM-scammer gangs operating on Phuket | Thaiger

    Police solicit help to catch ATM-scammer gangs operating on Phuket

    PHUKET: Phuket Police asked for help on Friday to bring scam artists to justice, noting that there are at least three gangs on the island targeting ATM customers. The conference followed the arrest of two French nationals for attempting to bribe police officers after being caught in an alleged ATM scam (story here). “People should be aware of possible scams…

  • Phuket pounce on Pattaya | Thaiger

    Phuket pounce on Pattaya

    PHUKET: Yesterday was the first fixture of the Yamaha League One season and fans saw a spirited bout between Phuket FC and Pattaya United FC, who were relegated from the Thai Premier League this year, resulting in a 1-0 final score that secured victory for the Ronins. As the sun went to sleep, the crowd woke up, with about 4,000…

  • Ukrainian expat falls to death from Phuket condo balcony | Thaiger

    Ukrainian expat falls to death from Phuket condo balcony

    PHUKET: A 27-year-old Ukrainian man died early yesterday morning after attempting to climb from a fifth-floor balcony of a Phuket Town condo to his home on the fourth floor.Phuket City Police were notified of the incident by the building’s security guard at 1:10am and rushed to the scene with Kusoldharm Rescue workers. “We found the body of Oler Volkov on…

  • German woman takes fatal fall down stairs in Phuket | Thaiger

    German woman takes fatal fall down stairs in Phuket

    PHUKET: A 72-year-old German woman died yesterday after falling down a flight of steep stairs at a rented house near Nai Thon Beach. Tah Chat Chai Police were notified of the incident at 7:30pm and rushed to the scene with rescue workers. At the house on Sakoo-Nai Thon Road, police found the body of Margret Hiller lying at the bottom…

  • Finn struck by car while crossing Phuket Road | Thaiger

    Finn struck by car while crossing Phuket Road

    PHUKET: A 25-year-old Finnish man was struck and injured by a car as he was crossing the road in Kamala early this morning. Robin Straka had crossed the Kalim-Kamala Road to use the ATM at a Tesco Lotus. On his return, he suddenly stopped walking, and seemed to be thinking about something, witnesses told police. “That was when he was…

  • Phuket drug crackdown apprehends 62 | Thaiger

    Phuket drug crackdown apprehends 62

    PHUKET: Phuket police officers apprehended 62 people on drug charges yesterday as part of an anti-drug sweep in Phuket Town and Rassada ordered by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut. In total,180 officers took part in the late afternoon maneuver, which involved searching two houses and administering urine tests at four checkpoints. Five teenagers – two girls and three boys – aged…

  • Phuket cops’ early morning raid nets 11 thieves, drug users | Thaiger

    Phuket cops’ early morning raid nets 11 thieves, drug users

    PHUKET: Police netted nearly a dozen snatch-theft and drug suspects during an early morning raid in Phuket Town yesterday. CCTV images of suspects stealing bags from two foreigners on Thalang Road in Phuket Town on Tuesday allowed officers to identify the suspects’ den on Srisena Road. The police raid on the house led to five teenagers being charged for ‘theft…

  • Patong Tunnel compensation for evicted Phuket villagers jumps to B2.56bn | Thaiger

    Patong Tunnel compensation for evicted Phuket villagers jumps to B2.56bn

    PHUKET: The funds for compensating Phuket landowners who would be displaced by the construction of the Patong Tunnel have more than doubled, jumping from 1 billion baht to 2.56bn baht. The Chief Inspector-General of the Ministry of Transport, Somchai Chanrod, made the announcement in Phuket earlier this week. It was not clarified whether the government had expanded the number of…

  • [Video Report] Alleged French ATM scammers caught bribing Phuket police | Thaiger

    [Video Report] Alleged French ATM scammers caught bribing Phuket police

    PHUKET: Phuket Police arrested two French nationals for bribing an officer of the law yesterday, while a third man is still on the run. Karin Radoun, 28, was also charged with ATM fraud and being in the country illegally. He and Karim Akrour, 36, denied all the charges when presented to the press this morning. Police are still hunting for…

  • Frenchwoman in fatal crash identified as Phuket yacht staff trainer | Thaiger

    Frenchwoman in fatal crash identified as Phuket yacht staff trainer

    PHUKET: The foreigner killed in a car accident on Thepkrasattri Road before dawn yesterday has been identified as French national Julie Humbert, 31. Her identity was confirmed by an employee of Thalang Hospital, where her body was taken after the crash (story here). “A co-worker contacted the hospital this morning after she heard the story. She identified Ms Humbert’s body…

  • Local Phuket fishing competition out to catch it all | Thaiger

    Local Phuket fishing competition out to catch it all

    PHUKET: The annual “Yamu Night Fishing Game” kicks off tomorrow morning.The annual competition, aimed at promoting local fishing traditions in the area, is put on by Paklok Subdistrict Municipality (OrBorTor).“Only those fishing from longtail boats with local fishing equipment are allowed to participate. However, both Thais and foreigners are welcome to get involved,” said Paklok Public Relation staffer Samart Sensai.“If…

  • Airport-bound foreigners safe after illegal taxi catches fire | Thaiger

    Airport-bound foreigners safe after illegal taxi catches fire

    PHUKET: A black-plate taxi carrying two foreigners to Phuket International Airport burst into flames on Thepkrasattri road at about 2pm today.It took villagers about 15 minutes and seven fire extinguishers to put out the fire, explained a Kusoldharm Foundation rescue worker. No one was injured.“By the time we got there, the fire was already under control. At the scene were…

  • Krabi resort owner vows legal action over demolition | Thaiger

    Krabi resort owner vows legal action over demolition

    PHUKET: The owner of the Poda Island Resort is threatening to sue the Department of National Parks (DNP) for dismantling his facilities. Chuan Pukaoluan, who has operated the resort for about 20 years, says that he had bought the plots of land the resort was built on legitimately. However, the courts determined that the structures were encroaching on a national…

  • Phuket EC not enrolling MP candidates by mail, yet | Thaiger

    Phuket EC not enrolling MP candidates by mail, yet

    PHUKET: Despite an announcement by the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday that they would accept additional candidate registrations for the April MP election by mail, Phuket election officials have received no official instructions to enroll new candidates. Anti-government protesters in Phuket blocked MP candidates from registering last December. Only one person, Jirayos Songyos of the Pheu Thai party, was able…

  • AirAsia flight makes emergency landing in Phuket after Mecca pilgrim suffers heart failure | Thaiger

    AirAsia flight makes emergency landing in Phuket after Mecca pilgrim suffers heart failure

    PHUKET: An AirAsia plane made an emergency landing at Phuket International Airport after a Malaysian man returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca suffered heart failure while in Thai airspace. The crew of flight D7 171 from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur attempted to resuscitate Ridzwan Bin Jamaludin, 64, while still in the air, explained Thalang Police Deputy Superintendent Amnuay Kriwuttianant. “The…

  • Widow of slain Phuket protester returns from Bangkok before fresh wave of violence | Thaiger

    Widow of slain Phuket protester returns from Bangkok before fresh wave of violence

    PHUKET: It has been a month since Phuket taxi driver Prakong Choochan died at the age of 46 from injuries sustained from an explosive device thrown at protesters in Bangkok. His widow, Tippayao Choochan, vowed to continue supporting the “Bangkok Shutdown” protests after his death, and was in the capital last week to join the rally (story here). However, she…

  • Unidentified foreign woman killed in Phuket crash | Thaiger

    Unidentified foreign woman killed in Phuket crash

    PHUKET: An unidentified foreign woman died in a car accident on Thepkrasattri Road early this morning.Police were called to the scene, on the southbound side of the road opposite the entrance to Bang Kanun Forest, at 5am.“We found a car flipped over in the middle of the road and the body of a foreign woman inside. We searched the car,…

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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