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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    The Thaiger key takeaways Staying in budget hostels or guesthouses and eating street food keeps daily expenses low. Mixing buses, trains, and budget flights allows affordable travel between cities and islands. Free or cheap activities, such as temples, markets, parks,...

  • Phuket police call for public’s help in identifying cafe thief | Thaiger

    Phuket police call for public’s help in identifying cafe thief

    PHUKET: Phuket City Police today released CCTV images of a man who robbed a cafe at the top of Rang Hill on August 5. “We’ve searched for the man ourselves, but couldn’t find him. We are now releasing these images with the hope that the public can identify him,” said Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Prawit Engchuan.The robbery took place…

  • Phuket bartender saved from drunken swim at Patong | Thaiger

    Phuket bartender saved from drunken swim at Patong

    PHUKET: Friends of an intoxicated Phuket bartender saved him from drowning this morning after he decided to go for a swim at Patong Beach. Surachai Junmee, 29, and five friends were drinking at Loma Park (map here), after they got off work at about 2am, Patong Police Capt Teerasak Boonsang explained. “At about 6:30am, by which time they were quite…

  • Smartphones stolen at gunpoint | Thaiger

    Smartphones stolen at gunpoint

    PHUKET: An armed robber and his driver escaped by motorbike last night after stealing smartphones from two university students visiting Phuket.Duangnapa Janta and Nupong Kongpimp, who had come from Mahasarakham University in the northeast of Thailand as interns at a hotel at the Laguna Phuket complex, reported the incident to Cherng Talay Police at about 8pm last night.“When we arrived…

  • Phuket FC mauled by Port Lions, promotion looks slim | Thaiger

    Phuket FC mauled by Port Lions, promotion looks slim

    PHUKET: If there was any hope left for Phuket FC to still get promoted following Wednesday’s home draw to Air Force (see story), then it was all but relinquished following their away-loss last night to Singhtarua FC. Played in front of an energetic blue-and-orange-clad “Klong Toei Army” crowd at the PAT Stadium in the heart of the Thai capital, the…

  • Phuket illegal resorts next on list, warns Parks chief | Thaiger

    Phuket illegal resorts next on list, warns Parks chief

    PHUKET: Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) director-general Manopat Huamuangkaew has warned that Phuket is now at the top of his priority list in demolishing illegal resorts encroaching on national park land.Mr Manopat specifially identified Sirinath National Park, on Phuket’s west coast, as his key interest in protecting public land in Phuket.The news follows work beginning on…

  • Police move to detain Rohingya at purpose-built regional shelters | Thaiger

    Police move to detain Rohingya at purpose-built regional shelters

    PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police are lobbying Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to build regional detention centers to house Rohingya refugees across Southern Thailand. The move aims to relieve the pressure on already-overflowing detention centers at immigration offices in Phuket, Phang Nga and Ranong. Maj Gen Kraibun Suadsong from the Royal Thai Police Office of Police Strategy, which oversees the Thai…

  • Landslide warning device installed in Phuket hills | Thaiger

    Landslide warning device installed in Phuket hills

    PHUKET: A landslide early-detection system costing 4-million-baht has been installed in the Patong Hills. The system was installed in Phuket because of the high risk of landslides in Patong, Kathu and Karon, Thawan Sukkho of the Bureau of Geotechnology, Department of Mineral Resources, explained to Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut during an inspection on Friday. “The system is comprised of steel…

  • Deputy PM calls for “one-stop’ police counters for Phuket tourists, expats | Thaiger

    Deputy PM calls for “one-stop’ police counters for Phuket tourists, expats

    PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok today called for every police station across Phuket to have a dedicated section to receive complaints from foreigners.The call came at a meeting at The Metropole Hotel in Phuket Town attended by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut, Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat and other top-ranking police officers from the Andaman provinces of Phang Nga and…

  • Nigerian arrested in Phuket with visa stolen from Malaysia, cocaine | Thaiger

    Nigerian arrested in Phuket with visa stolen from Malaysia, cocaine

    PHUKET: A Nigerian man arrested for possession of cocaine in Phuket yesterday was also found to be carrying a passport with a visa stolen from the Thai embassy in Malaysia.Karon Police on patrol were notified by an undercover officer of the location of the Nigerian, who was believed to be in possession of drugs.“We approached the man and asked to…

  • Phuket Town Hungry Ghost festival underway | Thaiger

    Phuket Town Hungry Ghost festival underway

    PHUKET: Phuket Town is honoring its strong Chinese cultural roots with the annual Por Tor Festival, which was launched yesterday in the town’s Queen Sirikit Public Park (map here). More commonly known as the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts across Asia’s Chinese communities, the festival comprises a variety of cultural displays and activities. “The Por Tor festival is an annual…

  • Phuket drug suspect found with ‘stolen’ visa | Thaiger

    Phuket drug suspect found with ‘stolen’ visa

    PHUKET: A Thai visa sticker believed stolen from the Thai Embassy in Malaysia has been found in the passport of a suspected drug smuggler in Phuket, according to an informed source.The suspect was arrested by Phuket Immigration police yesterday morning on charges of possessing an undisclosed amount of cocaine.“Further checks reveal that he entered Thailand with his passport containing one…

  • Phuket man denies being multi-million-baht extortion artist, blames official | Thaiger

    Phuket man denies being multi-million-baht extortion artist, blames official

    PHUKET: A Phuket businessman and adviser to the Thailand Trade Organization turned around allegations of being a Patong extortion artist today, pointing his finger at a government official. However, Chart Chindapol was unwilling to name the official, who he claimed raked in 50 million baht a month, pocketing 3 million for himself. A letter accusing Mr Chart of “distressing, threatening…

  • Spa speed splashes spills and spunk – F1 | Thaiger

    Spa speed splashes spills and spunk – F1

    PHUKET: Well, F1 is back after the mid-season break. Before Hungary I asked if Lewis Hamilton could continue the trend of British global sporting dominance to win in Hungary. He could. I said Red Bull was looking very powerful, but Sebastian Vettel was not my favourite to win Hungary. As I predicted, Mercedes out-qualified him and Lotus outperformed him. But…

  • Phuket land probe: officials receive protection of anonymity | Thaiger

    Phuket land probe: officials receive protection of anonymity

    PHUKET: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday declined to name anyone under investigation for allegedly issuing land titles for plots within Phuket’s Sirinath National Park. The news came as Chief of the DSI’s Consumer and Environment Protection Office Prawuth Wongsinil, publicly announced that his office will investigate only two of the 11 resorts identified by former Department of National…

  • Phuket Immigration on the lookout for stolen visa stickers | Thaiger

    Phuket Immigration on the lookout for stolen visa stickers

    PHUKET: The theft of 300 visa stickers from Thailand’s embassy in Malaysia has put Phuket Immigration on high alert.Phuket Immigration was notified about four days ago to be on the lookout for stickers bearing the stolen numbers, Phuket Immigration officer Angkarn Yasanop said.A Foreign Ministry investigation revealed that 259 of the 300 stickers had been used and 55 visa holders…

  • Phuket’s Outrigger T20 cricket: Round 7 | Thaiger

    Phuket’s Outrigger T20 cricket: Round 7

    PHUKET: On a sunny Sunday for round 7 of Phuket’s Outrigger T20 Cricket league, ICC took on the Youth side in the morning session, while the Village faced Patong in the afternoon session. In the morning match, ICC notched up a solid 162-7 batting first while the Youth could only manage 125-6 in reply. The much anticipated afternoon encounter between…

  • Phuket’s Organized Crime Center keeps eye on the prize – illegal taxi industry | Thaiger

    Phuket’s Organized Crime Center keeps eye on the prize – illegal taxi industry

    PHUKET: An officer at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Organized Crime Center clarified today that the current goal of the center is solely to dismantle the illegal taxi operations in Phuket, which officers believe are at the core of tourist extortion and local money laundering issues. “The center (story here) at this point is designed to tackle all the…

  • Bangkok big gun praises Phuket police work | Thaiger

    Bangkok big gun praises Phuket police work

    PHUKET: Big gun from Bangkok Gen Wuthi Liptapallop of the Royal Thai Police reviewed Phuket police progress yesterday on the island-wide crackdown on crime from August 16 to September 31. The crackdown, aimed for sweeping results in preparation for the Asian Economic Community (AEC), is targeting everything from immigration issues to prostitution, said Gen Wuthi. Phuket Immigration Police presented their…

  • Dokset trial: Phuket Forensic Police recount gruesome details of body | Thaiger

    Dokset trial: Phuket Forensic Police recount gruesome details of body

    PHUKET: The senior officer in charge of collecting forensic evidence at the home of Norwegian national Stein Harvard Dokset recounted to the court today what his team encountered when they discovered the remains of Mr Dokset’s slain ex-girlfriend, Rungnapa Suktong. Mr Dokset, 50, stands accused of murdering Ms Rungnapa and leaving her remains to dissolve in an acid-filled trash bin…

  • Phuket FC suffer 13th draw of season against Air Force | Thaiger

    Phuket FC suffer 13th draw of season against Air Force

    PHUKET: The Islanders once again allowed an early lead to slip away and be forced to settle with yet another draw – their 13th of the season – this time against 2nd placed, Air Force AVA FC (formerly known as Airforce United) in a high-stakes match last night at Phuket’s Surakul Stadium.A beautiful header by Luiz “Dudu” Purcino 10 minutes…

  • Women on top: Triathalon Champ talks about empowering women | Thaiger

    Women on top: Triathalon Champ talks about empowering women

    PHUKET: “If I miss my morning training, I have no energy throughout the day,” says Belinda Granger, 15 times Iron Distance Triathlon Champion. “But you don’t have to compete in Triathlons. Just notice something that keeps you energetic and lively and keep adding more of that element into your life,” she adds. The 10 women who attended the “Empowering Women…

  • Despite rescue efforts, dolphin beached at Patong dies | Thaiger

    Despite rescue efforts, dolphin beached at Patong dies

    PHUKET: A dolphin that washed ashore at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon died despite the best efforts of bystanders to keep her alive.The female striped dolphin was first spotted by a tourist, who informed a jet-ski operator, who in turn called the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC).“I was walking along the beach when a tourist came to tell me about the…

  • Cold case cracked: Phuket market vendor faces decade-old murder charge | Thaiger

    Cold case cracked: Phuket market vendor faces decade-old murder charge

    PHUKET: A used-clothing seller in the Baan Lipon market was arrested yesterday afternoon on a Songkla murder charge dating back to 2002.Thalang police received word from police in Padang Besar that Jatejit Boonchai, a 36-year-old Trang native, was living in Thalang.“We found out that he was selling second-hand clothing in the market,” said Thalang Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri said.“So we…

  • Same same, but different: Second crane collapses in Patong | Thaiger

    Same same, but different: Second crane collapses in Patong

    PHUKET: For the second time in just over a month, a crane being used to install water pipes on Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in Patong toppled over yesterday afternoon, landing this time on a garden wall. No injuries were reported. The accident occurred at about 4:30pm near Patong Hospital (map here). The crane operator, Phol Phongsaen, 32, said the…

  • Sexagenarian on cycle tour of Thailand stops by Phuket | Thaiger

    Sexagenarian on cycle tour of Thailand stops by Phuket

    PHUKET: Retired teacher Manit Intarit, 66, stopped by Phuket Provincial Hall on his bicycle on Tuesday to meet Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut on the ninth day of his cycling trip around Thailand to honor HM The King and Queen.Pony-tailed Mr Manit, who hails from Pattani, said, “I want HM The King and Queen to know that residents of the Deep…

  • Phuket student drug flunkies heading for summer camp rehab | Thaiger

    Phuket student drug flunkies heading for summer camp rehab

    PHUKET: A group of 29 Phuket students – all of whom tested positive for drugs – are in for a summer camp they’d not expected. They are now signed up to spend nine days getting clean and learning about the dangers of substance abuse. From today, August 22, to 30, the students will join a stricter-than-normal summer camp at Phuket’s…

  • VIDEO REPORT: Police set reward for Democrat Party Phuket office thief | Thaiger

    VIDEO REPORT: Police set reward for Democrat Party Phuket office thief

    PHUKET: A reward of 5,000 baht was offered this morning for any information leading to the arrest of a thief who is believed to have broken into the Democrat Party Phuket office not once, but twice this month.In addition to robbing the office of an undisclosed amount of money, the thief also vandalized the interior. The office is located on…

  • Phuket teen swerves to avoid car making u-turn, dies in crash | Thaiger

    Phuket teen swerves to avoid car making u-turn, dies in crash

    PHUKET: A 16-year-old speeding south on Thepkrasattri Road last night died after he swerved to avoid a car and hit a metal pole instead.Witnesses told police that Sakarat Muaenparn was riding his motorbike at high speed in the motorbike lane when a car made a u-turn south of the PTT station, said Thalang Police officer Chatree Chuwichian.The car turned in…

  • Officials baffled over dead Koh Racha Yai fish | Thaiger

    Officials baffled over dead Koh Racha Yai fish

    PHUKET: Several dead reef fish collected from the dozens of dead fish found at the popular dive destination of Koh Racha Yai were brought to the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) earlier this month after local fishermen, villagers and divers voiced concern that they may have been poisoned, perhaps by cyanide.“In the last week to 10 days, there have been…

  • VIDEO REPORT: HM the King’s historic visit may bolster Phuket sea gypsy land rights | Thaiger

    VIDEO REPORT: HM the King’s historic visit may bolster Phuket sea gypsy land rights

    PHUKET: As part of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probe to establish how long Phuket sea gypsies have been living at Rawai Beach, officers have discovered movie footage of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej visiting the community in 1959. The footage may prove critical to the sea gypsies’ fight against court-ordered evictions based on land claims by private investors, 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.

Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.