Phuket News
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Relocating to Thailand with your family brings exciting new opportunities, but it also comes with the challenge of managing healthcare costs in a new system. Thailand has both public and private healthcare options, each offering different prices and quality of...
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Bottlenose dolphin, rare in Phuket, found dead
PHUKET: A bottlenose dolphin was found dead on Bang Tao Beach this morning, the first to be found beached in Phuket in years. “The dolphin was a female bottlenose dolphin,” Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) said. “They mostly live west of Maithon island in Phang Nga and in Ranong. This dolphin was about 2.2 meters…
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Alcohol banned tonight for Makha Bucha
PHUKET: A nationwide ban on the sale and purchase of alcohol is in effect today, Makha Bucha Day, one of the four annual religious holidays in Thailand.“Alcohol is banned in Phuket and across the country out of respect for the holy day,” Peerayuth Karajedee, Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police, told the Phuket Gazette this morning. “We have sent out…
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Phuket officials squelch Dengue fever rumors
PHUKET: Residents must do their part in controlling dengue fever by not allowing water to stand in containers around their homes, officials have told the Phuket Gazette as rumors started to grow last week of an outbreak in Karon. In response to a complaint from a reader living on Patak Road Soi 24 in Karon that at least nine people…
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Thailand Futsal: Phuket United back on track with away victory
PHUKET: Five different Phuket United players scored the goals that contributed to the team’s away-victory (2-6) against Samut Songkhram on Sunday afternoon in Bangkok. Played at Bangkok’s Fashion Island Futsal Arena, the match was both side’s 24th of the 30-fixture GMM Sport Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL) 2012-2013 season. Phuket United’s goals were scored by Brazilian Jardel, who scored both…
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Mangrove flyover given start date, plans tweaked
PHUKET: A May start date for the long awaited 170-million-baht Klong Koh Pee flyover project, which will now traverse 700 meters of protected mangrove forest, was announced yesterday by the Phuket Governor. “The people of Phuket have been waiting for this project to start for almost 20 years,” Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut said. “The project is important, as it provides…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Premiership managers fed up with questions over future
Mancini swears he is fed up of questions over future Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: If Mario Balotelli had left his “Why Always Me?” T-shirt behind in Manchester, his former manager Roberto Mancini might well have fancied wearing it yesterday. The Manchester City boss, who used to joke that all his news conferences started with questions about fellow Italian Balotelli…
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French Ambassador sees SME business opportunities in Phuket
PHUKET: The new French Ambassador to Thailand, Thierry Viteau, made his first visit outside of his station in Bangkok to Phuket on Thursday to discuss the need to strengthen relations in the tourism market. “Phuket and Nice in France have been ‘sister cities’ since 1989; I want to take this opportunity to re-strengthen and renew our relations,” Amb Viteau, who…
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Thailand Futsal: Phuket United get new coach after losing streak
PHUKET: The spirits of Phuket United futsal fans are in a state of recovery, following the announcement of a new head coach after the resignation of Coach Suphol “Hum” Senapeng on Thursday. Initially reported on the Thai website, SMM Online, Coach Suphol’s resignation announcement follows the team’s recent loss to Samut Sakhon FC by a score of 6-1 on Wednesday…
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Phuket Sports: Fair play league
PHUKET: THE 5th Annual Fair Play League (FPL) kicked off its new five-week season at British International School (BIS) last Sunday. Run by Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS), the league is designed to promote fair play in football and help players integrate and play with other children from different schools, as well as cultural and social backgrounds. Before the under-14 matches,…
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Phuket Sports: Laguna end first round undefeated
PHUKET: In the final match of the first round, and one of the most highly anticipated matches so far this season, Jabudays took on the undefeated Laguna at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) on last Sunday. Many thought this match might see the Laguna side capitulate to a very strong Jabudays side, the only side to defeat them in 2012.…
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More floods threaten Phuket Town if Klong Bang Yai project is delayed further
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Maitri Inthsut paid a visit to the behind-schedule Klong Bang Yai project, which, if incomplete by the coming rainy season, threatens Phuket Town with another round of serious flooding. “The klong is the main waterway draining water from Kathu to Saphan Hin. If it is not finished before the heavy rains start, homes and businesses in the…
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Phuket Sports: Siam’s motocross mania; Reds and Blues to Bangkok; Futsal Cup; Thai Open
BANGKOK (The Nation): Thailand’s best bikers will go up against the global elite for the first time when the 2013 FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) Motocross World Championship Grand Prix of Thailand makes its debut in the Kingdom in March. The race weekend will be hosted at the Pinthong Industrial Estate 3 track in Chon Buri from March 8 to…
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Drug dealer attempts to kill Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent
PHUKET: Two Phuket Police officers were injured during a sting operation of two Cherng Talay drug dealers after one of the dealers took an officer’s gun and attempted to shoot Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Parinya Tanthasuwan. “During the arrest, Witoon ‘Bang Ann’ Piwluang took the gun from one of my men,” said Lt Col Parinya, the case investigator “He…
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Myanmar Navy makes history
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy gave a warm welcome two Myanmar Navy ships yesterday morning as they made their country’s first diplomatic visit to a foreign country.Captain Aung Zaw Hlang brought the two coastal patrol ships UMS 561 and UMS 562 to the Phuket Deep Sea Port early this morning. Waiting for him was Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command…
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Dutch ambassador guides reform
PHUKET: Speaking at the Phuket Gazette offices recently, Ambassador Boer explained about his efforts to galvanize the international diplomatic community to jointly deliberate with authorities in Bangkok to bring an end to the various scams that have done so much damage to the tourism industry in Phuket and other destinations in Thailand. Amb Boer, now in the second year of…
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“White Police’ to change Thai police culture
PHUKET: Members of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) arrived on Phuket as part of the launch of a nationwide program designed to oust crooked police officers and slowly change police culture in Thailand. Each of the 1,460 police stations across Thailand will have 10 of its officers selected this year to help gather information about the behavior of police…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: Arsenal outgunned by devastating Bayern
Classy Bayern in command after 3-1 victory at Arsenal Reuters / Phuket GazettePHUKET: Bayern Munich seized control of their Champions League last 16 tie against Arsenal as goals from Toni Kroos, Thomas Mueller and Mario Mandzukic earned the German giants an emphatic 3-1 first leg win at the Emirates last night.A clinical early strike from Kroos opened the scoring and…
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DBD investigates Thai firms suspected of helping foreigners set up companies illegally
PHUKET: A special investigation by the Department of Business Development (DBD) into foreign-owned businesses in Phuket has revealed links to Thai legal and accounting firms on the island that may be helping companies set themselves up illegally in Thailand. “We suspect that these firms may be allowing foreigners wanting to open a business to use their company address to represent…
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National defense volunteer nabbed with marijuana at Phuket checkpoint
PHUKET: Thalang Police arrested a national defense volunteer with two bags of marijuana at a checkpoint in Thalang on Saturday. When police saw a white Toyota Vios attempting to avoid the checkpoint at Baan Yamu at 8:30pm, they stopped the car, driven by Supakij Benjamas, 29, and searched it. “We found two bags of marijuana and tobacco in a peanut…
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Police nail multi-million-baht real estate scam artists in Phuket
PHUKET: Patong Police yesterday arrested two con artists who allegedly made more than 16 million baht by posing as real estate agents and luring potential clients into fixed gambling matches of fantan. Acting on reports from two men who said they had been scammed out of 200,000 and 900,000 baht, police arrested Wasan Choothong, 29, and Tiwalai Ruprasut,58, at the…
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Phuket Live Wire: Landing that special connection
PHUKET: In the past five editions of Live Wire, I’ve been talking about the things you need to consider if you want to get a good internet connection in Phuket. Believe me, it ain’t easy. I’m moving to Kathu shortly, and the kinds of problems I’m having are no doubt indicative of the kinds you’ll have, the next time you…
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Phuket Milestone: ‘A History of Phuket’ to launch March 8
PHUKET: Although the Thai resort island of Phuket has become a world-renowned tourist destination and is now home to many thousands of expatriates, limited attention, particularly in the English language, has ever been given to the rich history and cultural storylines that have accompanied its phenomenal growth. That has now changed. The Phuket Chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce…
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Confessed killer Aldhouse, a fighter afraid to fight
PHUKET: British national Lee Aldhouse admitted in court today that he was afraid to fight the premeditated murder charges he faces for the slaying of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in 2010. Nonetheless, the confessed killer entered a plea of “not guilty” in front of a judge at the Phuket Provincial Court. “I am afraid to fight the case. I…
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Paul Wilson set to guide Laguna Phuket Golf Club
PHUKET: A new management team has taken the helm at Laguna Phuket Golf Club following the departure of former Director of Golf, Tim Haddon, who now heads up the recently-opened Laguna Lang Co Golf Club in central Vietnam. Paul Wilson has been appointed assistant director of golf at Laguna Phuket to guide the club through its planned course renovations during…
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Phuket’s top cop pushes for Valentine’s Day violence investigation
PHUKET: Phuket’s top cop took the reigns in a Valentine’s Day violence case after an allegedly attacked teen couple expressed their concern that the perpetrators would be protected from the law by their father, a Thalang police officer. Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat summoned Thalang Police Acting Superintendent Sirisak Wasairi to report to him immediately about the case, which revolves around…
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German in stable condition after three-storey fall
PHUKET: The German tourist who fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room early Saturday morning was moved from the Vachira Phuket Hospital ICU to a different ward, but is still on life support. Police rushed to the Kalim Resort at 2:45am on Saturday morning to find German national Alexander Sven Zott, 35, unconscious on the pavement after the…
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Phuket Gazette Sports: EPL and FA Cup review; Lady driver takes Daytona pole; Tennis: Serena beaten; Nadal Wins
Five-goal Liverpool crush below-strength Swansea Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho scored on his first start for Liverpool who leapfrogged Swansea City into seventh place in the Premier League by crushing the below-strength Welsh side 5-0 at Anfield yesterday. Swansea manager Michael Laudrup rested a host of regular starters with next weekend’s Capital One (League) Cup final…
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VIDEO: This Week Today from the Phuket Gazette
PHUKET: This Week Today from the Phuket Gazette features top news, sports and events from around the Pearl of the Andaman. Anchorman Isaac Stone Simonelli, the Gazette‘s managing news editor, introduces the top stories from the island, brought to you by PGTV. In this week’s round-up: – DSI investigates foreign businesses in Cherng Talay – PMBC introduces jellyfish warning signs…
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Swiss man dies allegedly avoiding police checkpoint
PHUKET: A Swiss visitor allegedly trying to avoid a police checkpoint in Chalong died early this morning after his car hit a shelter in Rawai, on Phuket’s south coast, flipped and landed in the sea below.The 46-year-old was driving with a female companion when he hit the shelter at the sea gypsy village in Rawai.“We got the report at about…
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Toilets run dry in Rassada despite well endowed reservoirs
PHUKET: Despite the assurance that water supplies were going to keep taps in Phuket wet (see here), the Phuket Gazette received a report on February 14 that a resident of Baan Rockgarden 5 in Rassada had been without water for three days. The Gazette relayed the information to Mr Pisak and learned that a water pipe had broken, preventing water…
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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