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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Gambling tops August arrests statistics
PHUKET: Statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police show that gambling once again topped the crime table, with 149 people arrested in August for the offense. Thirty-four cases involved the sale of illegal underground lottery tickets.Eight murders were reported during the month with four cases solved, resulting in the arrests of six people.There were six cases of attempted murder with no…
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Vegetarian Festival begins
PHUKET: Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival has begun with the raising of bamboo go teng poles at each participating temple. Gods are then invited down the poles to join in the celebrations. Shrines around the island performed the same ceremony at exactly 5:09 pm Sunday.Minister of Energy Viset Jupibal chaired the opening ceremony at Phuket City’s Jui Tui Shrine, with more than…
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New police chief asks for feedback
PHUKET: The new commander of Phuket Provincial Police has asked for more help and feedback from Thais and also from foreigners, both tourists and those who live here.Pol Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth, previously Deputy Commander of Phang Nga Provincial Police, took up his new post in Phuket today.Maj Gen Decha was at Phang Nga Provincial Police for a year, and…
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Patong-Kamala redevelopment to start this month
PHUKET: Work on the long-awaited Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) post-tsunami redevelopment projects for Patong and Kamala beaches will get under way in October, with first-phase landscaping work on both projects to be completed by the end of November, officials say.On June 13, the TAT received approval from the Budget Bureau of 194.7 million baht for the three-phase Patong project…
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“Public Point’ to ease pressure on govt services
PHUKET: The Department of Local Administration (DOLA) and the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) on Tuesday jointly opened a “Public Point” service center on the basement floor of Big C Supercenter on the bypass road.The center, open daily from 10 am to 8 pm, is connected to DOLA’s online system and offers most of the same basic services as a…
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Phuket “disaster academy’ opens
THALANG: The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Academy, Phuket Campus, opened on Monday at the old Phuket Provincial Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (ODPM) in Tambon Sri Soonthorn. It is one of six schools nationwide set up to help prevent disasters and minimize their effects.The plan for this scheme was approved by Cabinet in July last year and by the…
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Dead man found floating in canal
KOH SIREH: Local villagers yesterday morning found the body of an unidentified dead man floating in Klong Tha Chin, which separates Koh Sireh from Phuket.The body had 10 stab wounds to the neck and the base of the skull.The police believe that the victim, between 25 and 30 years of age, was killed more than two days before his body…
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Wind of change
PHUKET: The cool, wet and windy conditions Phuket is currently experiencing as a result of tropical storm Damrey will end tomorrow, when normal monsoon conditions will prevail, Chumnong Chitpukdee, Director of Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) Meteorological Department, has told the Gazette.He said that Phuket would likely not experience any more heavy rain from the system, but windy conditions could…
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Medium restraint during veg fest – Governor
PHUKET (Gazette, Kom Chad Luek): Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura has urged mediums at this year’s Vegetarian Festival not to be too extreme during the street parades that are to take place from October 3-11. At the same time the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Phuket believes the festival will attract more than 50,000 tourists.Gov Udomsak, said he ordered supervising officials…
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Tentative steps toward ending airport taxi deadlock
PHUKET: The Phuket Vehicle Service Co-operative and Confederation (PVSCC) has held its first meeting to try to solve the impasse between airport limousine drivers and meter taxi operators.The committee comprises members of the Airport Limousine and Business Service Co-operative, Phuket Taxi Service Co-operative (green license plate car service), Phuket Small Four-wheel Co-operative (tuk-tuk service), and Patong Motor Taxi Service. The…
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Anti-terrorist drill “a success’
AO MAKHAM: Although admitting that there were some “communication problems”, Phuket Provincial Administration Officer (Palad) Vichan Busapavanich hailed today’s anti-terrorist exercise at Phuket Deep Sea Port in Ao Makham as “a success”.The hypothetical scenario involved of a band of terrorists taking hostages in a building at the port, where they detonate an explosive device. In the exercise, the building was…
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Woman found dead on Koh Sireh
KOH SIREH: The body of a middle-aged Thai woman was discovered by locals on a Pae Ong Beach on Koh Sireh on Friday.Pol Lt Patrawut Onchuay, of Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette that the victim, Ampai Yothapakdee, 46, had been killed no more than eight hours before her body was discovered at 10 am.Customers at the nearby Wangkung…
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Soi Dog Foundation closed as ‘warning’
PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Livestock Office (PPLO) on September 16 ordered the Soi Dog Foundation (SDF) in Tambon Rassada to suspend operations on the grounds that it is not in compliance with Thai law because it is not registered under the name of a Thai veterinarian.PPLO Chief Sunart Wongchawalit told the Gazette that Phuket has up to 17 animal rescue…
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Samui property agent shot
KOH SAMUI: Samui property agent Gary Pearmain and his girlfriend, Sirinya Sansenao, 25, were shot and wounded by two gunmen at their house in Baan Thongkrud at about 8 pm on Thursday.Pol Maj Sompong Krutsuwan, Inspector of Samui Police Station, told the Gazette that Mr Pearmain, a British national, was shot in the left hand and chest, and K. Sirinya…
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Number plate auction hopes to top 8 million baht
PHUKET CITY: A total of 301 numbers will go on the block at Phuket’s second two-day auction of car license plates, starting at 8:30 am on October 15 and 16 at The Metropole Hotel Phuket.Theerayuth Prasertphol, Chief Technical Officer of the Phuket Provincial Transportation Office (PPTO), told the Gazette today that there will be a variety of categories of numbers…
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Tsunami memorial design competition opens
BANGKOK: Registration for the competition to design the national tsunami memorial opened on September 15. The competition is open until November 15, and the five shortlisted proposals will be displayed on December 26, 2005 at Khao Lak Lamru National Park.. The 1.5 billion baht-project – the cost of which has been mired in controversy – is due for completion by…
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Tourism picking up as high season approaches
PHUKET: A Singapore-based budget airline is to launch a four-times-a-week service to Phuket from October 25, and will be offering special low one-way fares (excluding taxes) of S$22 (520 baht) until December 15.The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes the flights by Jetstar Asia, an affiliate of Australia’s Qantas Airways, will attract many Singaporeans to Phuket during the high season.Suwalai…
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Gov urges police to work harder on drug cases
PHUKET: Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura has urged local police to concentrate their efforts in the war on drugs. He was speaking at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday.The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) reported to the meeting that most teenage drug cases involved two main drugs – ya bah (methamphetamine) and cannabis – and that most teenagers were able to…
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Miss Teen Phuket 2005
PHUKET: Aroonrat Sakulchit, 18, gracefully edged out 29 fellow contestants to win the “Miss Teen Phuket 2005” on September 17 at Central Festival.The beauty contest was overseen by Wilak Lohthong, Chairman of Miss Teen Thailand 2005, and Chairman of Miss Teen Phuket 2005, Pamuke Archariyachai.The 30 contenders modeled products from the One Tambon One Product (OTOP) project before the judges selected…
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Vicente blows in good news and bad
PHUKET: The skirts of Tropical Storm Vicente trailed good news and bad across Phuket over the weekend, topping up the Bang Wad Reservoir with badly needed supplies of water but, at the same time, sending mud pouring into seven homes in Phuket City.The heavy rain added 288,000 cubic meters of water to Phuket’s only major reservoir, enough to keep the…
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Gasohol in Phuket by Monday
PHUKET: Gasohol will available at all 14 PTT gas stations on the island by Monday, Vichitpong Cheanthongsub, PTT Oil Phuket Depot Manager, told the Gazette yesterday.“Gasohol became available throughout the South yesterday [on Thursday], but some PTT gas stations are still in the process of having the tanks installed. PTT gas stations in Phuket will have gasohol available for the…
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ATM cash thieves arrested in Phuket
BANGKOK (Kom Chad Luek): Crime Suppression Division detectives announced at a press conference in Bangkok yesterday the arrest in Phuket on Wednesday of two Krung Thai Bank employees who allegedly stole a massive 28.8 million baht from ATM machines in the capital.The suspects, identified as Chatchai Jongsirirat, 32, and Pichet Kraibutra, 29, were employed by Krung Thai Business Service Co.…
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Shrimp farmer and mule netted in ya bah sting
PHUKET CITY: A joint sting operation carried out yesterday between Phuket City Police Station and Phang Nga police officers netted 1,100 ya bah (methamphetamine) tablets and two alleged dealers.Phuket City Police Superintendent Col Paween Pongsirin told the Gazette that undercover officers met with shrimp farmer Sanan Pandej, 50, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, outside the Imperial 2 Hotel on Luang Por…
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Work continues on rebuilding Kamala
KAMALA: More than eight months after Kamala was hit by the December 26 tsunami, Kamala Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) is continuing to clean up the beachfront village.Jirachai Suebsod, Chief of OrBorTor Kamala’s Public Works department, told the Gazette that the Department of Local Administration has approved 42 million baht for Kamala OrBorTor to complete two main projects.“We are widening the…
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“Barbecued’ dolphin found on Karon Beach
KARON: The charred carcass of a male bottlenose dolphin, believed to have been dragged ashore by fishermen hoping to barbecue it, was found on Karon Beach on Tuesday.Kongkiat Kittiwattawong, a biologist at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) at Cape Panwa, told the Gazette that the dolphin was about 20-25 years old. It was 2.5 meters long and weighed about 80…
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Phuket Air cuts more routes after accident
BANGKOK: Phuket Air has canceled its services between Bangkok and Mae Sot, and Bangkok and Buri Ram, after one of its aircrft skidded off the runway at Tak Airport while landing the day before yesterday. None of the 30 passengers on board was injured.The decades-old Japanese YS-11 twin-turboprop aircraft, which can carry 64 passengers, barreled into the airport’s perimeter fence,…
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Crackdown on land officials imminent
BANGKOK (The Nation): The top money-laundering examiner yesterday sounded an alarm that rogue officials in Phuket, Phang Nga, Ranong and Krabi were behind scams to issue land-right documents unlawfully for plots overlapping forests.“From confidential investigations by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), [we have ascertained that] rogue officials in four southern provinces have abused their office to issue false documents for…
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Bad news for booze
PHUKET: The Excise Department’s tax increase on distilled spirits, which went into effect September 6, is gradually being reflected on store shelves across the island as retailers replace old stock with new. The increase, which ostensibly has the twofold goal of cutting down on alcohol consumption and boosting government revenue, applies to all distilled alcohol products including brandy, whisky, “special…
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Ticket scam suspect makes bail
PATONG: British national Jonathan Duncan, charged with selling fraudulently obtained air tickets to tourists, has been released on bail of 50,000 baht after spending five days locked up following his arrest.Duncan, 24, was arrested August 30 on charges of fraud, following complaints by people who had bought cheap air tickets from him. It is alleged that he bought them by…
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Bangkok resurrects casinos plan
BANGKOK (The Nation): The government has revived its plan to introduce casinos to Thailand as a way to boost the sagging tourism industry amid increased competition from rival Asian destinations, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Pracha Maleenont, said yesterday.K. Pracha said the “one region one casino” initiative was proposed in response to the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland this…
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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