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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Teenager comatose after being shot in the head
PHUKET: A Phuket youth has been left comatose after being shot in the head as he rode his motorcycle at Saphan Hin early Monday morning.Police have yet to identify a suspect or determine the motive for the shooting.Jakkrid “Dong” Chukamchang was watching football and drinking at a friend’s house on Sunday night.Lt Col Somkid Boonyarat, an Investigating Inspector at Phuket…
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Phuket ready “To Be Number One’ province
PHUKET CITY: Phuket is one of two provinces in the South to compete in the To Be Number One Province finals, to be held on June 22 at the IMPACT Arena in Muang Thong Thani, in suburban Bangkok.Phuket will also be represented in the To Be Number One Community, by Baan Lipon Khao Lan; and in the To Be Number…
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West Sands to build water park
MAI KHAO: Central & City Developments has announced it will build Phuket’s first “water park” as part of its six-billion-baht West Sands Resort and villa project.The 150-million-baht park will cover 6,400 square meters and feature state-of-the-art water rides, all to be designed and built by Canadian water park design specialist WhiteWater through its office in Korea.West Sands Sales and Marketing…
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Only one Songkran road death in Phuket so far
PHUKET: With tomorrow the last day of the official Songkran holidays, the Phuket Provincial Office for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (ODPM) has announced that there has been just one road accident death in Phuket since April 11.ODPM Chief Aroon Kerdsom told the Gazette, “We have the total number of deaths from road accidents from April 11 to 15 – and…
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Teens injured in drive-by shooting
PHUKET CITY: Two teenagers were injured in a drive-by shooting in Rassada in the early hours of April 10.Maj Rassada Kluengwong, Duty Inspector at Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that Apichai Thongsa-art, 17, and Somkuan Petsanun, 18, were sitting drinking with friends outside a house in the Saphan Ruam area in Rassada when a gang of about seven…
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Valentino faces encroachment charges
BANGKOK (The Nation): Malaysian national Tan Teik Hai, better known known as Phuket’s former honorary consul to Morocco “Valentino”, 56, is facing charges involving encroachment on more than 1,000 rai on Koh Yao Yai. After completing its investigation into a development project on Koh Yao Yai, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) recommended prosecution against Tan and his in-laws Bunlert…
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Seven “zones’ for Songkran sanook
PHUKET: Tawichart Intararit, Chief of the Phuket Provincial “Cultural Office” (PPCO), has asked people to restrict water-throwing festivities to seven zones in Phuket during the Songkran holiday, which is expected to begin in earnest on Friday.K. Tawichart defined the zones as: Saphan Hin in Phuket City; Rawai Beach; Laem Promthep; Karon Beach, Nai Yang Beach; Surin Beach and Patong Beach.Having “water-play”…
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THAI to add 20 flights for Songkran
BANGKOK (The Nation): Thai Airways International (THAI) has announced it will add 20 special flights on domestic routes to Chiang Mai and Phuket from Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports, numbering 5,200 seats, in order to serve passengers traveling during the Songkran holiday.THAI President Apinan Sumanaseni said THAI would add 11 domestic flights between Suvarnabhumi and both Chiang Mai and Phuket,…
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Songkran blessings
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit poured lustral water over the hands of some 100 top provincial officials during a Songkran ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on Narisorn Rd on Tuesday morning.Phuket Vice-Governors Worapoj Rattasima, Tri Augkaradacha and Smith Palawatvichai all took part in the traditional ceremony, along with Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampetch and many other…
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Tata Young in Phuket
PATONG: More than 1,000 people from the Tata Young Fan Club traveled to Phuket to enjoy Tata Young’s live concert last night, held to mark the grand opening of Jungceylon. Tata, a 26-year-old Thai-American, became a superstar in Thailand at the age of 15 and launched a successful international career with the release of her first English-language album I Believe…
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Four arrested in pirate DVD sting
PATONG: About 13,000 pirate DVDs were confiscated and four vendors were arrested in raids by police at Jintana Plaza Market around 6 pm on April 4.After Capt Nikom Tienhao, an Inspector at the Children, Juveniles and Woman Division’s Sub-Division 3, led the sting on the vendors, officers moved in and confiscated 13,000 DVDs, including 139 pornographic movies.Sub Lt Naruewat Phutthawiro,…
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Violent crime rises by 130%
PHUKET: Crime statistics for March 1 to March 31 released by Phuket Provincial Police show that reports of violent crime in Phuket rose by 130% compared with the same period last year.Three murders and nine attempted murders were reported, with two and eight arrests made respectively. There were 27 reports of assault with 16 arrests made and eight reports of…
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Kamala OrBorTor installs temporary President
KAMALA: Karoon Seeden has been installed as Acting President of Kamala Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) after a vote by the council’s 11 other members.K. Karoon was installed after a vote of seven to four in his favor. Three councilors voted for Prajak Yayee, and one councilor abstained.He replaces Jaral Sararak, who was removed from office by Kathu District Chief Khantee…
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Gang rivalry blamed for violent death
WICHIT: Police suspect gang rivalry as the motive behind the killing of a young Thalang man whose body was found riddled with bullets early on Saturday. Pol Lt Col Sompong Boonrat, a Deputy Inspector at the Phuket City Police Station, identified the victim as Pongsakorn “Kho” Naksuk, 24.Pongsakorn was shot several times in the upper arms, head and back with a…
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Dam dirty dealings in Chalong
PHUKET: The Irrigation Department has almost completed negotiations to acquire all of the land needed to build the Klong Krata Reservoir in Chalong, but the project now faces an unexpected new hurdle because some landowners have been excavating and trucking away topsoil from the project site.Theerachart Sangkaha, the Irrigation Department official in charge of the project, informed Governor Niran Kalayanamit…
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Daily tsunami warning tests deferred
PHUKET: Testing of the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) tsunami warning system, scheduled for this morning, was canceled by the agency out of fear that it could create a public panic in areas where the public had not been adequately informed.Dr Smith Dharmasaroja, who heads the Nonthaburi-based NDWC, told the Gazette this morning that a comprehensive system test will take…
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Tsunami warning tower daily tests start tomorrow
PHUKET: The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) has announced that about 9 am each day – starting tomorrow – it will audibly test its 79 tsunami warning towers along the Andaman Coast.NDWC staff hydrologist Jumleang Chutab told the Gazette that the siren towers have been regularly tested since their construction, but only on a “silent” basis.Under the new testing the…
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Dugong dies in illegal trap
PA KHLOK: A 126-kilogram male dugong was found dead in an illegal fish trap in Pa Khlok Bay on Monday.The discovery was reported to the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Office (MCRC) by Juroon Rachaphol, a local conservation activist, at 7:30 pm.A 20-strong team of MCRC officers and volunteers were led to the site. They found the animal stuck…
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B100,000 reward offered for Karon murder suspect
KARON: A 100,000-baht reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Suban Pon-iamsaen, 40, the prime suspect in the murder of Mala Peng-iam, who was gunned down in her Mala Seafood beachfront restaurant on March 27.Suban owns the restaurant next door to Mala Seafood.Police believe that the killing was the climax of a long-running feud between the…
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Water mains fiasco stalls Chalong roadworks
PHUKET: Work on widening Chao Fa West Rd has been further delayed due to a dispute over moving water pipes and the expiration of the contract with the company assigned to carry out the work.The Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) is still unable to give a completion date for the project, which began in 2005.PPHO Chief Supphasak Nunsang told the…
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Songkran road toll targets set
PHUKET: Phuket officials have declared that they want no more than three deaths, 34 accidents and 53 injuries during the Songkran holiday period from April 11 to 17.Last year’s Songkran holidays, from April 7 to 16, and saw six deaths and 99 accidents, with 96 accident victims requiring hospital care.A meeting to discuss the targets for this year’s Songkran was…
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Marine Department allows late jet-ski registrations
PHUKET: The Marine Department is continuing to accept registration applications for new jet-skis replacing old or broken ones despite the one-month grace period expiring on Saturday. Surin Theerakulpisut, Chief of Phuket Marine Office, which oversees the use and registration of jet-skis on and around Phuket, told the Gazette that the owners of unregistered jet-skis being used in Phuket waters will…
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Driver charged over fatal Samkong accident
PHUKET CITY: Lanju Saechiw, the driver of a pickup truck involved in a fatal head-on collision with a tuk-tuk in Samkong on February 14, has been charged with reckless driving resulting in a death.Tuk-tuk driver Payao Junjue and passenger Eero Untamo Malim, from Finland, died in the collision in front of the popular Steak Samkong restaurant on Yaowarat Rd.Two other…
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OrBorJor extends school MoUs
PHUKET: The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreements between the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) and seven Phuket schools have been extended for three years, effectively allowing the OrBorJor to continue providing support for the schools through to 2009.The seven schools are Baan Maireab, Kathu Wittaya, Cherng Talay Wittayakom, Muang Phuket, Baan Talad Neua, Thalang Pranangsang and Baan Nabon.OrBorJor President Anchalee…
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Chalong bomber investigation stalls
CHALONG: After hearing that the police investigation into the November bombing of three houses in Chalong had stalled, Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima ordered police to step up efforts to catch the person or persons responsible.The three homemade bombs, described as “fertilizer bombs”, detonated at about 2:30 am on November 28 on Soi Songkun, about one kilometer off Chao Fa East…
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Russian “sister city’ delegation visits Phuket
PHUKET: Mayor Kolyadin Oleg Genyadierich, Deputy Mayor Serganor Oleg L’voich and other officials from Nakhodka, Phuket’s “sister city” in the Russian Far East, met Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanimit and other top provincial officials earlier this week, agreeing to cooperate in a range of areas, including fisheries, education, tourism and sports.Gov Niran visited Nakhodka last September, when the two cities were…
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1,881 more people register as living in Phuket
PHUKET: Between February 21 and March 20, 1,881 people registered with the government as living in Phuket, bringing the island’s official population to 313,955.Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Piya Bharatasilpin reported the increase to Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima yesterday.Part of the increase is thought to be in response to the Governor calling for island residents to register themselves on Phuket…
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Rock City co-owner dies after heart attack
PATONG: Swedish national Carl Essler, 47, one of the investors in the popular Rock City nightclub in Patong, died after suffering a heart attack early on Wednesday.He was rushed to Patong Hospital after suffering chest pains in the early hours of the morning and was later pronounced dead.Fredrik Klingvall, Managing Director of Rock City, told the Gazette, “It has come…
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Slum dwellers of Phuket unite
PHUKET CITY: About 300 angry villagers representing more than 20 slum communities from around Phuket protested noisily outside Phuket Provincial Hall Thursday morning, demanding that Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit help alleviate their poverty.A protest leader, Supat Nunkhao, from Pla Katak Pattana community on Koh Sireh, told the Gazette that the villagers want the provincial authorities to develop their homes and…
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Vietnamese couple busted with heroin
PATONG: Kathu Police arrested a Vietnamese couple on March 25 for possession of heroin with intent to sell, seizing about 40 grams of the drug.Acting on information provided by an informant, a team of Kathu Police led by Investigations Inspector Lt Col Serm Kwannimit at 3 pm approached a single-room flat on the second floor of an apartment block on…
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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