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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Phinij to open clinic for gay men
PATONG: Public Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat will tomorrow preside over the official opening of Patong Hospital’s “Sabaidee Clinic”, which will cater to the medical needs of gay men, whether residents or tourists. The ceremony will take place at the auspicious time of 7:09 am.The hospital’s Deputy-Director, Padungkiet Utokasenee, told the Gazette that the clinic, part of a network known as…
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Hundreds get the blues
KARON: A bit of rain and blustery winds couldn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds of people who turned up for first night of the two-day Phuket Blues Festival 2005, in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Arcadia Resort and Spa yesterday. The event kicked off with the all-Thai Blue on Blue band from Bangkok, followed by Phuket’s own Big…
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Tour boat sinks; all aboard saved
PHANG NGA BAY: Twenty-two passengers and crew are safely back on dry land after the Armitis, a tour boat, sprung a leak and sank in heavy seas yesterday in Phang Nga Bay.Pol Lt Col Prasert Srikunnarat, Inspector of Phuket Marine Police Region 5 told the Gazette that he received a distress call saying that the boat, captained by Chamrus Tohmok,…
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B2bn boost for Blue Canyon Country Club
MAI KHAO: Even the deafening barrage of fireworks, set to the strains of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture to mark Blue Canyon Country Club’s (BCCC) 15th anniversary on Wednesday night, could not eclipse an announcement beforehand of a 2-billion-baht investment in the golf club.The investment comes as part of a “strategic partnership” between RREEF Global Opportunities Fund II – an investment fund…
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Tsunami memorial finalists chosen
KHAO LAK: Design teams from Finland, the US, Spain, China and Australia have made it into the finals of the competition to design a tsunami memorial, which will be erected on Lek Beach in Khao Lak Lamru National Park.The five teams that made the cut are Anu Puustinen and Ville Hara, from Avanto Architects of Finland; Raveevarn Choksombatchai and William…
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Reservoir 70pc full
KATHU: Despite unusually high rainfall during a month that traditionally marks the onset of the dry season, Phuket’s only reservoir is still far from full – and has only enough water to meet demand until the end of April.Isara Anukul, Chief of the Water Allocation Division of the Phuket Irrigation Office (PIO), told the Gazette yesterday that there is now…
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Blues Festival moves indoors
KARON: After a night of squalls and heavy rain the organizers of the Phuket Blues Festival – which opens tonight – have decided to move the two-day event indoors, into the ballroom of the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa.The overnight storms blew down tents set up for the festival, shredding some of them, and turned the outdoor venue into…
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Poor response to tsunami free visits offer
PHUKET: Only 180 hotels rooms in Phuket have been reserved thus far under a government plan to subsidize accommodation for tsunami victims and their relatives coming to attend memorial services to mark the first anniversary of the disaster, it was revealed at the CEO Governor’s meeting on Wednesday.Lack of interest in the plan – the number is less than 2%…
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Brox set for big blues blowout
KARON: British Blues legend Victor Brox, who arrived on the island yesterday for the Phuket Blues Festival tomorrow and Saturday, says that island-based musicians proficient in playing blues are welcome to join him on stage.Asked about his reputation for jamming with a lot of people, Brox said, “There’s a Welsh guitarist on the island [Rob Davies] that I’m going to…
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Khao Lak skeleton is TTVI Phuket’s last case
PHUKET: A skeleton discovered in Khao Lak last week became the final case to be dealt with in Phuket by the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification unit (TTVI) which closed its doors on Monday in preparation for opening new premises in Bangkok on January 4 next year.Pol Col Khemmarin Hassiri, Superintendent of the TTVI’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) unit, told the…
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Tsunami alarm test mix-up scares 6 provinces
PHUKET: Tsunami warning towers in the six tsunami-affected provinces sounded a false alarm at noon today because of a mix-up at the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC).Adm Thaweesak Daengchai, Adviser to the National Disaster Warning Center, told the Gazette, “Radiance International Co was testing the tsunami warning system and the towers to confirm they will be ready for the test…
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Court issues warrant for Jeab murder suspect
PATTAYA: The Pattaya Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of fugitive murder suspect Sam Van Treeck, who fled to his native Belgium in October, 2004, after his release on bail the previous month. Van Treeck was 24 years old when he was arrested for the brutal stabbing murder of Phuket-based dive instructor Chompoonut “Jeab” Kobram in October, 2004.…
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Tsunami warning towers test on December 16
PHUKET: The 15 operational tsunami warning towers on Phuket will be tested in conjunction with the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) on December 16 at 1:30 pm. The government has also assigned the NDWC to run tests in Ranong, Phang Nga, Trang, Krabi, and Satun Provinces, again at at 1:30 pm.Boonchai Somjai, head of the Phuket Provincial Office of Disaster…
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Gov vows to help with little Solitaire
PHUKET: Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura has assigned a team to help Sascha and Patchara “Riem” Meissmer investigate the identity and whereabouts of the Eurasian-looking girl in a photograph posted on the Internet.The Meissmers believe the girl in the picture may be their daughter, Solitaire, who was identified as having died in last year’s tsunami.The Governor told a news conference this morning,…
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Boat show rated a success
KOH KAEW: As the Phuket International Marine Exhibition (PIMEX) 2005 closed on Sunday, exhibitors were in an excellent mood. At least 12 boats were sold during the show at the Boat Lagoon, and initial estimates of solid sales achieved amount to approximately US$4 million (160 million baht).Dealers and brokers all reported new contacts made and strong leads to follow up…
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Top golf gals heading for Phuket
PHUKET: Ninety-four professional players are scheduled to compete in the Phuket Thailand Ladies Masters (PTLM) tournament from tomorrow until Saturday (December 14 to 17). The tournament will gather top women golfers from 16 countries or regions: Thailand, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Finland, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan and Wales. The line-up includes 32-year-old…
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Task force formed to blitz illegal labor
PHUKET: A task force of about 50 officers has been set up to crack down on illegal labor in Phuket.Phuket Provincial Employment Services Office (PESO) Chief Boonchock Maneechot announced the crackdown following a closed meeting last Thursday with Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura and new the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office (PPIO) Superintendent, Pol Col Prayut Chommalee.K. Boonchock cited poor sanitary conditions…
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Parents still hope to find daughter alive
PHUKET: Sascha and Patchara “Riem” Meissmer have new hope of being reunited with their five-year-old daughter, Solitaire, who was presumed lost in the tsunami in Phang Nga nearly a year ago. Since friends in Germany alerted them last week to an Internet photo showing a young, Eurasian-looking girl they thought resembled Solitaire, the Meissmers have been trying to determine the…
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Layan Marina construction to start next month
PHUKET: Construction of the 1.7-billion baht Layan Marina project will begin next month.The Managing Director of Layan Marina Co, Nathaphut Na Pathalung, confirmed today that the project, on 51 rai of land at the north end of Bang Tao Beach, is still going ahead.He noted, however, that the start date has been put back in light of developments on neighboring…
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Drumstick wins King’s Cup
PHUKET: Ray Roberts’ Drumstick Quantum Racing this morning beat Neil Pryde’s Hi Fi by nearly three minutes to win the final race of the Racing class and clinch this year’s King’s Cup.Drumstick‘s consistent good performance saw the crew amass 7 points for the series, two points clear of Hi Fi.Nick Burns’ Mandrake, despite finishing sixth this morning, came third in…
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Airport Immigration chief hopes to up staffing
PHUKET: Pol Col Chirdchai Rattanametanon, the new Superintendent of the Immigration Office at Phuket International Airport, has applied for more officers in order to reduce tiresome delays in processing tourists.Col Chirdchai told the Gazette, “I understand that there are not enough Immigration officers at the airport to process the volume of tourists, but I have already applied to my superior…
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Home stay project aims to provide tsunami relief
PHUKET: The Employer’s Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) will launch a “home stay” pilot project this month in a bid to help tsunami sufferers get long-term income. “The project will be launched on Koh Lone and at Cape Panwa, Ao Makham, Khao Khat and Baan Bo Rae. The idea is that local people will welcome foreigners into their homes so the…
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Free surgery offered at Patong Hospital
PATONG: Volunteer surgeons and nurses from the US are coming to Patong Hospital to offer a range of surgical procedures free of charge from February 11 to February 15 next year. The medical team will be available to treat ailments such as harelips, cleft palates, hernias, hemorrhoids, gynecological problems and inflamed tonsils. This will be the second time Patong Hospital…
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King’s Cup sees fast racing and collisions
PHUKET: Strong winds gusting up to 20 knots sent boats flying across the water from Kata out to Koh Racha and back in today’s racing in the King’s Cup Regatta.The hefty gusts saw two collisions, happily with no injuries. The lovely 100-year-old Eveline was retired after her stern was damaged when was she clipped by Lady M, a 104-foot superyacht.Platu…
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Drumstick tastes victory
PHUKET: Ray Roberts’ Drumstick Quantum Racing set a clear lead in the Racing class of this year’s King’s Cup Regatta by pipping Neil Pryde’s Hi Fi on corrected time to win all three of today’s International Racing Class (IRC) races. Although Hi Fi crossed the finish line first in all three races, making amends for yesterday’s fifth-place result, Drumstick won…
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Eight venues get “white’ approval
PHUKET: Eight businesses in Phuket have received “white entertainment venue” certificates, indicating that they are scrupulous about following the law.The eight are The Green Man Pub in Chalong; Zanzibar at the Royal Phuket City Hotel and the Walk In Pub in Phuket City; Phuket Bar, Baan Lai Mai and Crocodile Discotheque in Patong; and Surin Beer Garden and Koy Karaoke…
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Still time to register mobile phones
PHUKET: The deadline for registration of mobile phones using prepaid cards is officially over, but the Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Sora-at Klinprathum, has announced on the Ministry’s website that phone users may still register at network service centers, by bringing their phones and ID card or passport with them.Some 80% of Thailand’s 400,000 prepaid SIM card users…
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Mystery surrounds death of Yasothorn woman
RASSADA: Police are investigating the violent death of a woman from Yasothorn Province who was found with her throat slashed on the morning of December 4. Pol Lt Col Amponwat Sangrueng of the Phuket City Police identified the victim as Nittaya Weruwanarak, 30, from Tambon Phai, Saimoon District, Yasothorn. Her body was found at about 6:15 am at an unnumbered…
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Aussies dominate triathlon
CHERNG TALAY: Australians swept the top three places in the 12th annual Thai Airways International Laguna Phuket Triathlon yesterday. Winner Greg Bennett overtook compatriot and two-time winner Craig Alexander at the 6-kilometer marker on the run course and never looked back, winning in 2:31:40 and earning US$3,000 (120,000 baht) in prize money. Less than a minute behind, Alexander claimed second…
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Gov cool to idea of twinning with Denpasar
PHUKET: Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura was noncommittal about a proposal by the Indonesian Ambassador to Thailand that Phuket City and the Balinese capital of Denpasar become “sister cities”, saying he would first have to raise the idea with local tourism industry associations.The idea of twinning the two cities was proposed by Indonesian Ambassador Ibrahim Yusuf during a December 2 courtesy call…
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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