Phuket News
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Police search for American student missing in Phuket surf
PHUKET: A search party of 20 Phuket Marine Police officers are scouring Patong Bay this morning in search of an American student who disappeared in the surf while swimming late last night.The 21-year-old student, whose name police have yet to release, disappeared at about 10pm while swimming with three friends in front of the Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa, where…
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Phuket raid uncovers illegal beach resort
PHUKET: Marine Office officials yesterday arrested nine Burmese workers who were found building a small resort on Tri Trang Beach, on the headland south of Patong.Although the officers, led by Phuket Marine Office chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut, could not determine the “owner” of the buildings, the workers were ordered to demolish the structures within 30 days.The buildings under construction included a…
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Phuket Governor petitioned to ’empower’ Coconut Island
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha was yesterday called on by villagers and at least one resort owner to instigate action in getting mains power to Koh Maphrao, better known as “Coconut Island”. Families on the island have to pay at least 3,600 baht a month for diesel to power generators, claim village representatives, while The Village Coconut Island resort has…
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Phuket blackout hits unsuspecting residents
PHUKET: The blackout that affected areas in Chalong for at least six hours yesterday was scheduled and should not have taken residents by surprise, the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority said today.“The Provincial Electricity Authority has been installing high-voltage power cables from the substation to the circuit-breaker system for Soi Yodsanae, so they had to temporarily cut off power supply to…
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Phuket officials scramble to stop surf drownings
PHUKET: Current dangerous surf conditions and a spate of drownings at Phuket beaches in recent weeks have prompted officials to introduce new safety measures to guard against tourists from drowning. New signs warning tourists in seven languages of the danger of swimming in Phuket during the treacherous monsoon season have been posted along Phuket’s southern beaches. Meanwhile, the Phuket Governor…
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Phuket Police investigate Australian tourist’s rape claim
PHUKET: Phuket Police are investigating reports that an Australian woman on holiday in Phuket was raped in an attack by three men in Patong early yesterday morning. “We are now investigating the case to make sure exactly what happened,” Phuket Provincial Commander Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangkul said today. The woman, aged in her early 20s, showed no prominent signs of…
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Phuket Police put drug gang on ‘ice’
PHUKET: A planned police operation that took place throughout Phuket last week resulted in the arrest of seven members of a drug gang and the seizure of thousands of ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and half a kilo of ya ice (crystal meth).The arrests were announced at a press conference on Saturday, organized by the Crime Suppression Unit of the Phuket…
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Patong Tunnel by 2017: EXAT Governor
PHUKET: The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) Governor, Aiyanat Tinapai, has announced that the Patong Tunnel project may see the light of day by 2017.The news came at a meeting with Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa and other high-ranking officials at Phuket Provincial Hall on Friday.Mr Aiyanat explained that Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan assigned EXAT to…
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Phuket Execution: Two suspects confess, one maintains innocence
PHUKET: Two of the three men arrested for the shooting execution of Sumittra Namfak in Phuket on Saturday have confessed to taking part in the murder. The third suspect continues to proclaim his innocence. Police today had the suspects stage a re-enactment of the crime at the victim’s house in Thung Thong. The house was empty during the re-enactment as…
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Phuket’s Soi Dogs launches “Trade of Shame’ campaign against dog-meat trade
PHUKET: The Phuket-based Soi Dog Foundation has launched a “Trade of Shame” campaign to raise awareness of the illicit dog meat trade in Asia. The Thai Veterinary Medical Association estimates that as many as 500,000 Thai dogs per year are transported to Vietnam and Southern China, where they are butchered for dog meat, the Soi Dog Foundation says. “The conditions…
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Phuket finishes seventh as Youth Games close
PHUKET: The 28th National Youth Games, dubbed the “Phuket Games”, officially closed yesterday with a full-scale closing ceremony at Surakul Stadium in Phuket Town.Thousands turned out to brave the wind and rain, which somehow miraculously mostly missed the venue, allowing the onlookers and performers to enjoy the event.Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, Maha Sarakham Governor Chuen Warin, Sports Authority of Thailand…
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Phuket PAD protests reconciliation bills
PHUKET: Phuket supporters of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), also known as the “yellow shirts”, burned effigies of 2006 coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in response to a red-shirt protest in Phuket on Friday. Rallying at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town on Saturday morning, the PAD members demanded that red-shirt supporters…
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Landslide fears prompt Phuket Governor to push for Patong Hill road repairs
PHUKET Governor Tri Augkaradacha is pressing the central government for an emergency 80-million-baht budget to shore up Phra Barami Road on Patong Hill, which is deemed at high risk of collapse from landslide due to heavy monsoon-season rain. A section of the road, just west of the Chinese shrine at the top of the hill, is already earmarked for repairs…
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Phuket monsoon surf batters sea wall to pieces
PHUKET: Constant battering by strong waves have demolished a seawall at Phuket’s Surin Beach, forcing local beach vendors to relocate.Under orders from the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), which built the sea wall to prevent coastal erosion, lifeguards have roped off the area as a safety precaution.“It has been broken since Wednesday, but we still haven’t heard anything from…
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Pickups spin out of control on major Phuket road
PHUKET: Two pickup trucks spun out of control and ended up on the median strip of Phuket’s busy Thepkrasattri Road in Koh Kaew last night after a third pickup truck screeched to halt after hitting a dog.Somchai Tankanya, 40, was driving in the right-hand lane when suddenly a pickup to his left, being driven by a 36-year-old who declined to…
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Suspects deny ‘execution’ of Phuket woman
PHUKET: The three men arrested for the shooting murder of 55-year-old Sumittra Namfak in Phuket yesterday have denied the charges. Ms Sumittra was shot in the head at close range at her home in Thung Thong, Phuket, yesterday afternoon. Savit Jongruk 28, Aroon Patan 28, and Sanguan Phu-]ngern 26, were arrested at Tah Chat Chai police checkpoint yesterday as they…
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Breaking news: Woman gunned down at Phuket home
PHUKET: Police are looking for two men wanted for the shooting of a 55-year-old woman in the head at her home near the See Kor Market in Thung Thong, Phuket, this afternoon.Witnesses told the Phuket Gazette that the two men were seen parking a bronze-silver pickup in front of the home of Sumittra Namfak in Soi Rakchart-Uthit.The men entered the…
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Phuket red shirts protest reconciliation bills
PHUKET: About 20 Phuket red-shirt supporters rallied at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to protest the Constitution Court ordering Parliament to stop the third reading of the hotly contested “reconciliation bills”. Coinciding with the red-shirt protests in front of Parliament in Bangkok that began on Thursday, and concluded yesterday, the Phuket contingent filed a letter of complaint to Phuket Vice Governor…
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Police to crackdown on Euro 2012 football gambling
PHUKET: Police will target “likely” venues in a crackdown on gambling in Phuket during the Euro 2012 football tournament, which kicked off last night and culminated in a 1-1 draw between Poland and Greece.“We received an order [from the Police Region 8 Headquarters] about two weeks ago instructing us to target those areas likely to be venues for gambling,” Phuket…
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Phuket homeless man found dead at Saphan Hin
PHUKET: Phuket Police suspect that a homeless man found dead at Saphan Hin Park this morning died as a result of consuming too much alcohol in an attempt to keep warm during the current wet weather. Phuket City Police Duty Officer Nanon Pitakkultorn received a 191 hotline report at 7:30am informing him of a deceased man laying next to Gymnasium…
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Phuket Sports: F1 – Behaving badly
PHUKET: Roll up, roll up for the Canadian GP at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The track, on a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River, is a series of straights held together with a few strange curves and a magnetic wall. It’s a power circuit, which has been dominated by Mercedes engines in recent years, so McLaren should do well.…
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Phuket “baraku’ bars still under the microscope
PHUKET: At a press conference held at Provincial Hall yesterday, Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada detailed the current state of affairs concerning the investigation into the island’s baraku bar business. During the meeting, V/Gov Chamroen stressed that all baraku bars – “baraku” being the Malay-derived word for hookah water pipes – could be adequately controlled using existing laws and regulations.…
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Phuket Gazette readership approaches 50,000 – new look, Property Review launched today
PHUKET: The launch of a series of new supplements and expansion of the Phuket Gazette‘s Andaman, Nationwide and Airline editions has driven the newspaper’s circulation to close to 50,000 readers a week. The Nationwide and Airline editions, both printed and distributed by Gazette partner newspaper The Nation, have kept pace with the rapid growth of the local Andaman edition here…
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Phuket sea gypsies get ID cards and water, but no new fishing rights
PHUKET: Some of the issues facing Phuket’s sea gypsy communities were resolved in a meeting yesterday, held in accordance with the Ministry of Culture’s plan to improve the quality of life of sea gypsies in all six of the Andaman provinces. The meeting follows more than 2,000 protesters, including sea gypsies and members of other landless communities from across the…
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International crime-fighters to meet in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket will host an international crime-fighting convention next month targeting money laundering and transfer of ownership of Phuket land to people or organizations overseas. The seminar, being organized by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), will feature experts from anti-money-laundering organizations such as the Ministry of Justice in Switzerland. Among them will be Peter Ritchie, senior adviser of the International…
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Phuket probe given 30 days to report on land clearing
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak has given local government 30 days to confirm whether or not the clearing of a plot of land in Srisoonthorn, Thalang District, was legal.The news follows V/Gov Somkiet’s inspection of the site yesterday, after a complaint was filed with the Phuket Governor’s Office.“The person who filed the complaint said he had previously filed a…
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Metered taxi co-op moves to boost fleet at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: The Phuket Taxi Meter (PTM) Service Co Ltd yesterday filed an official request to add 30 cars to their fleet of 80 metered taxis at Phuket International Airport. The move to boost the fleet at the airport comes as part of the company’s negotiations to renew its concession. PTM’s current concession is set to expire on September 30. PTM,…
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Phuket storm rips open school roof, children evacuated
PHUKET: Children at Phuket’s Kajonkietsuksa School on Chao Fa West Road, Wichit, were evacuated from the school this afternoon after strong winds tore open a section of roof, allowing the driving rain inside.Rattana Ketkul, financial manager at the school, confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that no children were injured in the incident, but the students were moved to another building.“We…
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Phuket lashed by storm, flash floods
PHUKET: Driving rain and strong winds continue to lash Phuket today as small flash floods blocked roads this morning, causing long traffic tailbacks across the island. In the 24 hours preceding 7am, the weather monitoring station in Phuket Town recorded 58.8mm of rainfall, while the monitoring station at Phuket International Airport recorded 56.0mm. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued…
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Phuket mother questions mental health care after screwdriver attack on 7-year-old son
PHUKET: The 7-year-old victim of a screwdriver attack by a mentally ill man in Phuket Town has recovered from his physical injuries, but his mother fears that the psychological trauma caused may take much longer to heal. Krittamet “Best” Kingsaiyut’s mother, Chareerat Naksri, was told by doctors that the stab wound to her son’s head was only two centimeters deep.…
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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