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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Sponsored Infinito helps hotels in Thailand with revenue management
Maximising revenue and profit–isn’t that the ultimate goal for every business in the hospitality industry? If you run a hotel, you might have heard that revenue management is an effective way to boost your top-line revenue. It involves using data...
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“Saijai Aid’ launched to aid burn victim
PHUKET: People wanting to make direct donations to aid the recovery of burn victim Saijai Phromdaen, who was set on fire by an itinerant glue addict at Patong Beach on February 13, can now do so via the Internet or by visiting Vachira Phuket Hospital. Dr Jerry Hoss, who is organizing the aid drive, told the Gazette that K. Saijai…
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Patong hotel owner shot
PHUKET CITY: Suppakon “Ko Yin” Ektaweechot, owner of the Hyton Leelavadee Resort in Patong, was shot in the back with a shotgun on Sunday evening as he was eating dinner at Ban Panun Restaurant on Rassada Anusorn Rd in Phuket City.He is now recovering at Vachira Phuket Hospital and reported to be in a stable condition.Lt Col Ampolwat Seangraung, Investigating…
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More people register as living in Phuket
PHUKET: Between January 31 and February 20, 3,203 people registered with the government as living in Phuket, bringing the island’s official population to 312,074.Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Piya Bharatasilpin reported the increase to Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit on Tuesday.The registrations are in response to the Governor calling for island residents to register as living in Phuket so that the…
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Traffic safety spurs Central Festival access restriction
PHUKET CITY: From March 15 access to and egress from Central Festival Phuket from Wichit Songkhram Rd will be restricted.In an effort to reduce traffic tailbacks and the high number of accidents at the location, Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampetch has ordered that the center line along Wichit Songkhram Rd where traffic stops to enter Central Festival Phuket…
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Kamala OrBorTor President removed over corruption allegations
KAMALA: Jaral Sararak, President of Kamala Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), has been dismissed over allegations of rampant corruption.The order removing him from office, signed February 23 by Kathu District Chief Khantee Silapa, followed an investigation requested by Sorranun Sane, Chairman of the OrBorTor Board.K. Khantee told the Gazette, “We have investigated Jaral many times for a lack of transparency in…
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Gov gets tough on bars, violence and encroachment
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit has ordered police to continue their crackdown on bars in Patong opening after hours, saying that there were no exceptions in the law for “tourist provinces”.At the Phuket Provincial Security Committee’s monthly meeting at the Thavorn Grand Plaza Hotel on Tuesday, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth asked the Governor to clarify…
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Killer of Phang Nga politician arrested
PHANG NGA: Police in Surat Thani on February 15 arrested one of the killers of Phang Nga Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Anan “Ko Daeng” Boonrak, who was shot dead in December 2004.The suspect, 38-year-old Chusak “Muek Chumporn” Numluemkid, was #2 on the Royal Thai Police Crime Suppression Division’s Top 50 Most Wanted Gunmen for 2005. His three accomplices in…
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Four arrested for Nongnuch murder
KAMALA: Police have arrested four suspects for the shooting murder of Nongnuch Kongpleum, who was gunned down in front of the The Club restaurant on the main road through Kamala around 7:30 pm Friday.Lt Col Monsak Suebsuwan, Duty Inspector at Kamala Police Station, told the Gazette that the victim, 42, was the partner of Dutch property developer Harry Tawando, 72,…
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Swede run over by 10-wheel truck
KARON: A Swedish man was killed instantly on Patak Rd on Friday afternoon after he fell off his motorbike and was run over by a 10-wheel truck.Tommy Leif Jonsson, 50, was driving a Yamaha Nouvo over the hills between Kata and Chalong when he apparently lost control and fell off the bike near the Plub Pla Resort, Lt Col Anek Mongkol of the…
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Taking Phuket on the road
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit announced on Friday that to promote Phuket to foreign tourist markets the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) and hotels and hospitals yet to be selected will be going on a 14-country roadshow.The TAT, OrBorJor, Gov Niran and selected hotels will begin their tour in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and…
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Father murdered in Chalong
CHALONG: Four men were arrested this morning after gunning down 44-year-old construction contractor Phichai Wanlayapetch in broad daylight after he dropped his young child off at a day care center in Chalong.The men arrested are Sangkom “Kom” Anukul, 46, Watcharin “Kai” Janya, 35, and Somkanay “Lek” Sriphan, 36, all from Surat Thani; and Suchart “Neung” or “Bao” Sornsang, 33, from…
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Leatherback turtle eggs hatch
KARON: Seventy-six leatherback turtles have hatched so far out of the 103 eggs laid on Karon Beach in December.Before December, leatherbacks had not laid eggs on Karon Beach for more than 10 years. If the turtles are lucky at least 1% of the hatchlings will survive to adulthood and return to lay eggs.Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) Veterinarian Sontaya Manawattana…
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Old Phuket Festival draws huge crowds
PHUKET CITY: About 1,000 people turned out to enjoy the first day of the 9th Old Phuket Festival yesterday on Phang Nga Rd, Thalang Rd and Soi Rommanee.Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasupana led the Old Phuket parade through the city’s old quarter, followed by hundreds of people dressed in traditional costumes, such as the local baba and yaya dress.Long drums…
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Man dies after mid-flight heart attack
THALANG: An Indian businessman on a private flight from India to Singapore died early this morning after suffering breathing difficulties mid-flight, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing at Phuket International Airport (PIA).Lt Col Somkid Khaosang, Duty Inspector at Tah Chat Chai Police Station, named the man as Ram Calani Kusiram, 67.“The man’s 27-year-old son, Calani Nares Kusiram, told…
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81 Burmese arrested at Wat Chalong Fair
PHUKET: Immigration officers arrested 81 Burmese workers who broke the 8 pm curfew so they could attend the Wat Chalong Fair between February 16 and 22.In December a provincial order was issued banning Burmese workers from leaving their homes after 8 pm without their employer. They are also not allowed to drive vehicles or possess mobile phones.Pol Col Ittipon Atchariyapradit,…
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Asian invasion overwhelms airport immigration
PHUKET: The Phuket holidays of about 2,200 East Asian tourists got off to a slow start early this morning, when they were forced to wait hours to clear Immigration at Phuket International Airport (PIA).Twelve flights landed in little over an hour, overwhelming the Immigration officers on duty. It took officials until past 4 am, some three-and-a half hours after the…
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Couple attacked on bypass road
RASSADA: A Phuket man was beaten and blasted by a shotgun when he and his wife were attacked by a motorbike gang on the bypass road early on Monday morning. K. Chatchai Chuenjitsoonthorn, 26, was taken to Vachira Hospital where he is still recovering from his injuries. His condition is reported as not life threatening.Lt Theeradet Jiraksa, Duty Officer at Phuket City Police…
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Swiss swindler arrested after stabbing policeman
THALANG: Swiss national Carlos Minnig, 39, yesterday stabbed a Tourist Police officer while resisting arrest for extorting “protection money” from a fellow Swiss national.The arrest followed complaints from Swiss businessman Rene Langansand, 42, that Minnig claimed to be an Interpol agent and offered protection services for Mr Langansand’s Koh Lanta business – for a fee.According to a Tourist Police press…
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Koh Yao villagers stage pier protest
PHANG NGA: About 30 protestors have been camping out for over a month on Klong Son Beach on Koh Yao Yai, demanding the government scrap plans for a pier to be built there by a large land developer.The protesters comprise poor Muslim residents of Village 3 and representatives from non-governmental organizations supporting their cause. The villagers see the project, which…
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Valentine’s Day crackdown sees nine club owners charged
PATONG: The operators of nine clubs and bars in Patong, including Night Station Discotheque and Safari Pub, were arrested early Thursday morning for violating the mandatory closing time of 2 am.Officers from Phuket Provincial Police Special Task Force and Kathu District Police Station, led by Lt Col Sermphan Sirikong, raided the entertainment hotspots at 4 am February 15, kicking out…
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Police to crack down on foreign labor
PHUKET: Police have been ordered to crack down on alien laborers using mobile phones or found on the streets after 8 pm, Phuket Vice-Governor Vorapot Rattasima said this morning.At a meeting at Provincial Hall, V/Gov Worapot said that he had received reports that alien laborers were leaving their registered place of abode after 8 pm and freely using mobile phones,…
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A lovely day at the District Office
PHUKET: A total of 202 couples chose Valentine’s Day to officially tie the knot, with 134 couples registering their marriages yesterday at Muang District office alone.The number of couples wed at Muang District Office was somewhat lower than last year, when 142 couples took the plunge, but still far more than the office’s daily average of about 10.Phuket Chief Administrative…
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Two killed in head-on smash
SAMKONG: A Finnish man and a Thai tuk-tuk driver were killed in a head-on collision between a tuk-tuk and a pickup truck shortly after 1 pm yesterday. A Finnish woman and Thai man traveling in the tuk-tuk were also injured in the accident.The Finns were in the back of a tuk-tuk driving northbound past Steak Samkong restaurant on Yaowarat Rd…
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Island CCTV up and running
PHUKET: The next time you are having a night out on the town in Patong, Kata-Karon or Phuket City be sure to keep a smile on your face: you might be on TV.Pol Col Peerayuth Karachedi, Superintendent for Administrative Affairs at Phuket Provincial Police Station, told the Gazette that a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system has been fully tested and is…
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Teenage murder suspects still at large
PHUKET: Four teenagers of the nine suspects in the murder of transsexual and glue addict Keittirat Longnawa remain at large while police try to learn all of their full names so that a single warrant for their arrest can be requested from the court.Lt Col Adul Niraphai, an Investigating Inspector at Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that he…
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Grand Tropicana declared clear of Legionnaires’ disease
PHUKET: Breaking the silence regarding the reported outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at the hotel in January, Phuket Grand Tropicana General Manager Apichart Asa announced that the hotel has been declared free from the bacteria and that all water fixtures in the hotel have been cleaned from top to bottom.Dr Wiwat Sritamanod, Civil Service Level C-9 of the Phuket Provincial Health…
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Phuket student wins national IMPAC award
BANGKOK (Nation): Waranya Nawaluck has taken her personal experience from the 2004 tsunami and turned it into opportunity. The 17-year-old Kathu Wittaya School student yesterday was awarded the National 3rd Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for Thailand. The theme for the essay was “A Tale of Thai Grace and Compassion”.K. Waranya’s essay revolves around the impact that the disaster…
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SIPA to launch online payments portal
PHUKET: The Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) will launch its “One Click Finish All: One Stop Services” initiative through the www.thaionestop.org website on Saturday.The website, for now in Thai only, will accept online payments for water, electricity and telephone bills, but users must have an account with Bank of Ayudhya.The portal initially will be able to make payments to the…
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Gambling, prostitution top January arrests
PHUKET: From January 1 to 20, police arrested 208 people for gambling and 115 people for prostitution in Phuket, according to the latest crime statistics from the Phuket Provincial Police.Cases involving ya bah (methamphetamine) totaled 99, with 108 arrests made and 5,681 pills seized.Thirteen people were arrested for sniffing glue or paint thinners, 25 for possession of marijuana and three…
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Local aid raised for Southern temples
PHUKET CITY: The Seu See Khao (White Media for Peace) Club and Kanlayanamitr Club have been soliciting donations of food and money for Buddhist monks in the Deep South who are unable to collect food alms themselves due to fear of attacks by extremists.Food offerings were collected by 109 monks from Phuket who walked a path through Saphan Hin yesterday…
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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