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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Team Phuket Today to take on LPIM
PHUKET: Avid viewers of the Phuket Today show will no doubt be aware that, for the past several weeks, the TV show’s presenters have been training for this year’s Laguna Phuket International Marathon (LPIM). Isaac Stone Simonelli, who also has the challenging job of running the editorial news department of the Phuket Gazette you are currently reading; Tara Sudlow, lifestyle…
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Phuket Sports: Monaco, Montreal, modifications – F1
PHUKET: A crash laden Monaco was good for Mercedes; Nico Rosberg, now probably their number one driver, led from start to finish. This is not a harbinger of things to come in 2013; Monaco is a special race. Monaco, Spa and Suzuka are often quoted as the three tracks where driver skill can overcome technical differences between their cars. But…
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Phuket Football: Islanders face uphill battle
PHUKET: Phuket FC’s inconsistent start to the season continued after they beat their Phang Nga Bay rivals Krabi 2-0 on May 29 in front of a raucous crowd: The team then traveled to Saraburi and lost 1-0 after Mario Neto scored a late winner. The Islanders are in fifth place, three points behind Bangkok FC in the last automatic promotion…
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Phuket Health: Exploring island fitness
PHUKET: Thousands of long-distance runners are starting to get the butterflies ahead of the eighth annual Laguna Phuket International Marathon (LPIM), which takes place early tomorrow morning (click here for story) To help prepare, if not calm some nerves, fitness contributor, Hayden Rhodes, has provided some more training tips and advice in this article, which will elaborate on last week’s…
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Phuket bank stabbing witnesses confirm murder-suicide
PHUKET: The two women present in the Bank of Ayudhya meeting room yesterday watched when Phonthakorn Teerabenjakul, 51, pulled out a knife and stabbed Piboon Vachwanichsanong, 71, to death, and then killed himself, police say (story here). “The women saw the whole thing,” Phuket City Police Inspector Yongyuth Kongmalai told the Phuket Gazette today. “They said there was no fight…
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Mass Phuket protest demands Deputy PM step down
PHUKET: Ahead of the white-mask protest set for Sunday, hundreds of members of the “We Preserve Phuket Club” stormed Phuket Provincial Hall this morning demanding that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra relieve Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi of his position after he issued a thinly veiled threat to the people of Phuket concerning the cancelled International Convention and Exhibition Center project…
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Phuket Police: Mixed up shoes offer only lead to Cinderella snatch thief
PHUKET: Police barely have their shoe in the door for a case against a pair of snatch thieves after a botched attempt to grab an Irish woman’s purse led to a motorbike crash and a lost flip flop.Hannah Louise O’Hagan, 27, was driving a motorbike to her boyfriend’s place at Baan Term Fun Housing Estate yesterday evening after a trip…
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Two dead in bank conference room stabbing
PHUKET: A real estate loan gone sour ended in the stabbing deaths of the borrower and the lender in the conference room of a bank in Phuket Town early this afternoon. Police arrived at the scene to find both men dead from multiple stab wounds, one with the knife stuck in his chest.Phonthakorn Teerabenjakul, 51, had borrowed 30.8 million baht…
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Phuket event encourages mindful consumption for World Environment Day
PHUKET: Taking part in a global initiative to increase awareness about environmental concerns, Phuket held an event in line with the theme of World Environment Day (WED) this year: Think. Eat. Save. The event in Phuket was held at Vachira Phuket Hospital yesterday morning. “The theme this year strives to encourage people to think about how to reduce the amount…
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Phuket white mask protest to take place Sunday at Saphan Hin
PHUKET: The anti-Pheu Thai “V for Thailand” group who have been using the Guy Fawkes white mask to obscure the identity of their supporters across the Kingdom plan to stage a protest in Phuket on Sunday. The protest, slated for 5pm at the Milestone in Saphan Hin, is one of nine nationwide rallies the group has planned, extending from Chiang…
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Thailand Super Series at Sepang: Mission Accomplished
PHUKET: The new era of Thai motor sports is already a thriving reality as the drivers, teams, support personnel and racing cars have made their way back from Sepang, which hosted the first ever round of Thailand Super Series (TSS) from May 25-26. Not just a Super Car: Toyota’s 86 has arrived in Super 2000 One new race car that…
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Phuket Police hit “abductor’ taxi-driver with two more charges
PHUKET: Two more charges have been levied against the illegal taxi driver who denies having sexually assaulted a Chinese tourist after picking her up at Phuket International Airport on May 17 (story here). Already accused of deprivation of liberty for holding the 19-year-old woman captive in his vehicle for five hours, as well as sexual assault and being under the…
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Thousands to run Laguna Phuket Marathon this weekend
PHUKET: Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities will take to the roads of Phuket on Sunday morning when the eighth annual “Run Paradise” Laguna Phuket International Marathon (LPIM) once again celebrates the joy of running and pursuit of fitness in a family-friendly carnival atmosphere. This year the line-up of more than 4,000 Thai and international participants from 45…
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Phuket Red Cross makes urgent call for O-negative blood
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC), often called upon to save the lives of Thais and foreigners, has no reserves of O-negative type blood. “We try to maintain a daily minimum stock of 200 units of A, B and O blood types, and 20 units of Rhesus-negative blood,” said PRBC Acting Chief Pornthip Rattajak. “We need all types of…
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Russian tourists injured as Phuket tour bus slams into Patong house
PHUKET: Five Russian tourists were injured when the brakes failed on a Pegas Touristik bus while the vehicle was descending the steep hill into Phuket’s premier resort town of Patong at about 6pm this evening. The Bangkok-registered bus came to a thudding halt as it slammed into a house by the side of the road near Suwankiriwong Temple, known locally…
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Phuket’s most famous beachfront road to get 200-million-baht face lift
PHUKET: A plan to beautify over 3.5 kilometers of the Patong beachfront road by hiding unsightly power lines underground was presented at a public hearing yesterday in Patong.If the 203-million-baht project passes the public hearing process, as it is expected to, construction could start this year, covering the stretch of Taweewong Road from the three-junction in Kalim to Klong Pak…
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Governor looks for direct flights between Phuket and Nice, France
PHUKET: Fresh off the plane from France, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut revealed plans to support direct flights between two sister cities – Nice and Phuket. Such a flight would bolster the plans laid out in February by the French Ambassador to Thailand, Thierry Viteau, of inviting small and medium enterprise (SME) businesses to Phuket to discuss cooperative investment opportunities (story…
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Twelve Burmese dead as border boat run goes fatally wrong [video report]
PHUKET: Marine Police recovered the bodies of nine Burmese nationals yesterday, bringing to 12 the number who died when their boat capsized in rough seas north of Phuket as they attempted to evade a Thai coastal patrol on Friday night.Pak Nam Police in Ranong province confirmed that the nine bodies retrieved yesterday comprised three women and six men found floating…
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Phuket lifeguards warn tourists of dangerous surf at beaches
PHUKET: The lifeguards stationed at Phuket’s popular beaches have urged tourists to beware the dangerous surf and rip tides brought on by the return of the annual southwest monsoon. Strong winds and swirling currents together with big tides are creating dangerous swimming conditions at Phuket’s key tourist beaches, Phuket Lifeguard Club President Prathaiyut “Nut” Chuayuan explains. “I urge all visitors…
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Phuket danger season surf claims one life, endangers fishing vessel
PHUKET: The heavy waves striking Phuket’s west coast over the weekend claimed the life of one man fishing at Patong last night and demanded the Marine Police assist a fishing boat in distress.Police responded to an emergency call at about 7pm yesterday, reporting that one man had drowned while fishing at Patong.The officers arrived at the scene, the southern headland…
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Thai suspects claim innocence in Phuket attack on Kedah royal bodyguard
PHUKET: The two Thai men arrested for their involvement in the attack on a Kedah royal family bodyguard at a hotel in Patong on Tuesday night claim that though they were at the scene, they had no prior knowledge that the attack would occur. The bodyguard, Mohd Sobri Bin Said, suffered bruising to his body and a serious wound to…
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Phuket tourists, divers to be warned off damaged coral zone
PHUKET: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) will install floating signs to warn tourists and local divers not to disturb coral that is undergoing restoration after suffering extensive damage at a seawalking site off Phuket. The site includes more than 300 square meters of coral off Khai Nai Island that was allegedly destroyed by a seawalking tour company…
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Phuket KBank customers warned of trojan, spyware
PHUKET: Kasikornbank (KBank) today issued a warning for all online banking customers to beware a trojan spyware message asking customers to download a program to their computer or mobile phone. Doing so may allow the spyware to steal your “one time password” SMS text messages sent from the bank’s online banking system, called “K-Cyber Banking”, to the mobile phone and…
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Europa League winners to gain Champions League ticket
PHUKET: To try and boost the ailing Europa League, UEFA president Michel Platini announced last week that – starting from the 2014/15 season – the winners would qualify for the Champions League. Platini also said that a fifth Champions League place is to be awarded to clubs in the big European leagues. Under this new system, the Europa League winners…
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Phuket taxi driver continues to deny sexual assault charges
PHUKET: In Phuket Prison since May 20, illegal taxi driver Paitoon Kruain continues to deny that he sexually assaulted a Chinese tourist whom he picked up at Phuket International Airport on May 17 and drove around in his car for five hours (story here). “He has been charged with sexual assault, deprivation of liberty and being under the influence of…
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Phuket Prison used to lure meth dealer
PHUKET: Thalang District officers yesterday used Phuket Provincial Prison as a venue to lure a suspected drug dealer into making a ya bah (methamphetamine) delivery during which he was arrested.Undercover officers placed Atthachai Sittabut, 36, under arrest during a sting operation in front of the prison in Phuket Town at 2:30pm.A subsequent search of Mr Atthachai’s house in Mai Khao,…
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Basic training tips for Phuket’s athletes
PHUKET: As we all know, Phuket is a world renowned holiday destination for thousands of people from around the globe. But did you also know it is one of the ultimate training and competition destinations in the eyes of international athletes? The island has mountains, hill trails, sandy beaches, beautiful coastlines and hosts many local and international sporting events –…
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US Navy transport contractor reaches agreement with Phuket taxis
PHUKET: Following a breakdown in land transportation services yesterday that left sailors from the USS Nimitz waiting hours to enjoy their shore leave, the Phuket Marine Chief organized a meeting last night and negotiated a settlement between the transportation company contracted by the US Navy and local taxis. Although 37 buses are needed, 28 are now available to transport sailors;…
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Five fugitives in Phuket to face Kedah royal guard probe
PHUKET: All five suspects accused of carrying out an attack on a Kedah royal family bodyguard at a high-end resort in Patong just after midnight on Tuesday (story here) arrived at Patong Police Station for questioning this morning. Being escorted into the compound at 8:30am were three Thais: Prakong Seesopha, 32; Sakorn Seesopha, 34; and Thanyaporn Toh-in. Joining them were…
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Chinese Ambassador wins promise of translators for Phuket Police stations
PHUKET: The Deputy General Director of Tourism has vowed to hire Chinese translators for Phuket police stations in reaction to concerns raised by Chinese Ambassador to Thailand His Excellency Guan Mu on Wednesday. “We will hire police translators to work with the police,” Deputy General Director of Tourism Kajorn Weerajai said. “I also plan to make a guide book for…
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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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