Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
-
Sponsored Smooth travel to Belgium and the Netherlands: Visa tips & tricks!
Make Belgium and the Netherlands your next destination with the right visa in hand. Explore the iconic tulip fields, cruise through Amsterdam’s scenic canals, or stroll through the historic streets of Bruges. Don’t forget to enjoy some authentic Belgian chocolate...
-
Royal Thai Navy sinks three old battleships during “goodbye” ceremony
Royal Thai Navy sank three old battleships during a ceremony to say goodbye to the retired vessels. Phuket’s PR department says aiming it to be a marine ecosystem learning park, habitat for fish population and coral reef as well as a destination for divers visiting Phuket in the future. The suitable ways of disposing of old ships is still up…
-
Phuket taxi charged with death of Swiss tourist in motorbike crash
An accident in Phuket has left a Swiss tourist dead and a local taxi driver in custody being charged with his death. The crash took place Monday when taxi driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle and ploughed into the Swiss man who was driving by on his motorbike. The accident took place near Nai Harn in Rawai sub-district. Witnesses…
-
Fisherman’s body found by Saphan Hin Beach in Phuket
Rescue teams and the Royal Thai Navy found the body of a 60 year old fisherman by Saphan Hin Beach in Phuket who had drowned after a fishing boat capsized over the weekend. The boat sank at around 8pm on Saturday. The captain and another fisherman were able to swim to safety after hours in the water and got to…
-
Phuket police launch road safety campaign called “100% helmet”
Strap on your helmet. Motorbike drivers in Phuket are warned to wear helmets while driving. The Phuket Provincial Police have launched a new campaign called “100% helmet” with increasing fines for those who are repeatedly caught not wearing one. At the launch event yesterday, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Lt Col Sathit Nurit said that “this will help prevent and…
-
Anti-Corruption Commission ranked Phuket least corrupt province
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has ranked Phuket as the least corrupt of the 77 provinces in Thailand after evaluating government agencies. Phuket Vice Governor Piyapong Choowong was presented with a plaque at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to commemorate the achievement on International Anti-Corruption Day. Phuket made an impressive climb to the number one spot, having ranked 25th in last years…
-
PM praises public after Bangkok rating for best city in the world for a “workation”
Bangkok is the best city in the world for a so-called “workation.” At least that’s what Holidu, a website for vacation rentals says. The listing, which had Phuket and Chiang Mai both at number 10, was widely shared in Thai media and touted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. It even caught the attention of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha who is…
-
GoFlight resumes Indian flight to Phuket this week
India has relaunched direct flights to Phuket with budget airline GoFirst flying from Delhi to Phuket with 187 Indian tourists onboard its inaugural flight. The first flight landed on Saturday and marked the return of what had previously been Phuket’s fastest-growing tourist demographic before the Covid-19 pandemic. Airport staff met the arriving travellers with gift bags and a welcome banner.…
-
Motorbike catches fire while driving in Phuket before exploding
Phuket saw an unusual and spectacular accident when a motorbike caught fire while driving down the road. The accident took place last night on the main road in Pa Khlok around 8 pm and ended in a fiery explosion with the motorbike fully immersed in flames. Thalang Police responded to a call around 8:15 in the evening while local patrolling…
-
Thai Airways offering round trip Sydney-Phuket flights
To boost tourism and promote Phuket’s island quarantine “sandbox” scheme, Thai Airways will run round trip flights between Phuket and Australia with three flights a week starting on today. The flights will be offered until January 25. The flight from Phuket to Sydney is available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Flights depart from Phuket at 6:50pm and arrive at 7:30am.…
-
Phuket police arrest 32 after more than 3,500 venue raids since November
Phuket police say they have made 32 arrests after over 3,500 venue raids since November 1. The report released says those arrests were made in light of those breaking the provincial order of no alcohol sales and/or Covid regulations that prevent staff from having close contact with customers. The report says that last Saturday, alone, saw 142 venue inspections, resulting…
-
Maya Bay on hold, but preparations for an eventual reopening continue | VIDEOS
This week The Thaiger revealed that Maya Bay, on Koh Phi Phi Leh, may remain closed beyond its proposed January 1 reopening, following a groundswell of local support to keep the famous Bay closed. For a while anyway. This is partly spurred on by environmental concerns for the iconic bay which has been closed to visitors since July 2018, and…
-
Maya Bay reopening likely to be postponed | VIDEO
Maya Bay, on Koh Phi Phi Leh, in between Krabi and Phuket, was slated for a reopening on January 1. But now there’s a building swell of local support to keep the famous Bay closed, for a while anyway. A Line group used by the Marine National Park, along with tour operators and other stakeholders, has revealed a groundswell of…
-
Tourism officials welcome Czech movie filming in Phuket and Krabi
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is celebrating Thailand’s re-opening to international movie stardom once more. The southern provinces of Krabi and Phuket are being used as locations for a Czech movie currently being filmed in the kingdom. Nation Thailand reports that a film crew, consisting of 22 actors, directors, producers, and technicians are in Thailand to film a romantic comedy…
-
“Sandbox” stay shortened to 5 days for vaccinated travellers from overseas
The mandatory stay under the “sandbox” re-entry scheme has been shortened to 5 days for vaccinated travellers entering Thailand. At its general meeting on Friday chaired by the prime minister, the CCSA to cut the stay under “sandbox” regulations from 7 days down to 5. “Happy Quarantine,” as tourism officials call it, has also been cut to 5 days for…
-
Phuket gets approval for all-nighter New Year’s Eve party
Phuket is approved to allow New Year’s Eve celebrations to go on all night, along with alcohol sales. The notice was issued yesterday that states alcohol sales would be extended on NYE, from 11pm-6am. The order says usually it is forbidden to sell alcohol during those times, but notes that December 31 is an exception. The Phuket governor signed the…
-
An aquatic meal with Olga Belka – taking art to new depths
by Baz Daniel I am sitting at the edge of the gorgeous Kata Rocks infinity pool at sunset with the world’s only underwater portraitist, who as far as I can tell, is probably also a mermaid. Her name is Olga Belka and she is as gorgeous and exotic as you might expect of someone with such a gorgeous and exotic…
-
Phuket traffic police deny Facebook accusal of targeting tourists
After a Facebook post showing a motorbike checkpoint accused police of destroying tourism, the Phuket Provincial Police fired back. The post was made in Thai in the Phuket Sandbox – SHA Plus Facebook group on Sunday and went viral as it blamed traffic police for robbing foreigners now that tourists are returning. The post was accompanied by photos of a…
-
Phuket daily Covid infections rise over 100 again, cluster reported on Bangla Road
Covid infections in Phuket are creeping up again after 3 weeks of increased arrivals and a revival of nightspots and bars around the island, despite officially being illegal. Phuket’s Governor Narong Woonciew has confirmed that the number of new infections has been rising steadily over recent weeks. The island’s bars and nightlife have been keen to take advantage of the increase…
-
Covid-19 infections hit Phuket schools and Bangla Road
Phuket is struggling with 2 clusters of Covid-19 that have health authorities worried, with one in schools and one in the centre of tourism on Bangla Road in Patong. The Deputy Director of Vachira Phuket Hospital detailed the 2 main clusters and warned that infections are increasing on the island. Phuket had fallen from a time when daily infections were…
-
Tourism recovery in Phang Nga still sluggish
Thailand may have re-opened but there’s little sign yet of any significant recovery in the southern province of Phang Nga. The Bangkok Post reports that most businesses in the tourist area of Khao Lak are still suffering. Despite the coastal resort being open for over 3 weeks now, there are only a handful of tourists in the region. Chayabol Hirankanokkul…
-
The future of Thailand’s Maya Bay – Report #1 | VIDEO
Should Maya Bay reopen? Of course it probably will, at the start of 2022. But there are fears that, despite the best intentions, it will be back to mass tourism and ‘market forces rule’. Maya Bay is the Andaman region’s most popular tourist destination, based on interest generated from the 2000 Hollywood movie “The Beach” from the Alex Garland novel…
-
CCSA clarifies fines for ignoring mask mandate
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration released a reminder to the public that there is still a mask mandate in place that needs to be respected. But in response to concerns over the reported 20,000 baht fine for being caught without a mask, yesterday the CCSA assured the public that such a high fine would only be for repeat offenders…
-
Direct flight between Istanbul and Phuket reopens
A direct flight into Phuket operated by Turkish Airlines has just reopened. The first flight of this renewed Istanbul to Phuket route landed on Saturday, according to the Phuket News. This is the first flight directly from Istanbul Airport, historically a major travel hub, since the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown disrupted international air travel. The Turkish Airlines flight landed…
-
Phuket elections, alcohol ban scheduled for Sunday
This Sunday, local Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) elections are being held across the country. A nationwide alcohol ban is in effect for any communities that are holding OrBorTor elections, including a number of areas around Phuket. Voting will take place in Cherng Talay, Koh Kaew, Mai Khao, Sakhu, Thepkrasattri and Kamala. The alcohol ban for localities with an OrBorTor election…
-
19 year old claims Sinovac vaccine caused his hair to fall out
After getting 2 Sinovac vaccines, a 19 year old student in Phuket claims his hair began falling out in clumps, leaving him bald. The vocational school student is from Phang Nha but stays now in Chalong in order to study at school and told the press that a doctor had verified the condition. The man said he travelled to his…
-
Pangolin wanders out of jungle and is captured in Kamala, Phuket
The Phuket sub-district of Kamala in Kathu district had a shocking visitor recently as local residents spotted a pangolin, sometimes known as a scaly anteater, creeping out of the area jungle. The often trafficked animal was seen by the Water Production Plant in Kamala on Tuesday in the Khlong Nam area. The locals who spotted the pangolin notified the Kamala…
-
Phuket’s Bangla Road inspected by national and local health officials
Health officials went to Phuket’s Bangla Road, but not for a beer. The deputy director of Thailand’s Department of Health went to Phuket and inspect the famed walking street in person, reviewing Covid-19 prevention measures. While bars and nightclubs are ordered to be closed nationwide, photos from the provincial health office show bars are the street packed with people, and…
-
Thailand’s Maya Bay set to reopen in January
Maya Bay. Remember that breathtakingly pretty beach on Koh Phi Phi Leh off Krabi? Now, the beach that featured in “The Beach” is now poised to reopen. The iconic natural cove of limestone karsts, turquoise waters and THAT beach was one of Thailand’s most popular attractions for a decade with up to 6,000 visitors everyday. But in the end even…
-
Phuket to get 3 new tourist attractions
4 months after the launch of the Phuket Sandbox, a pilot reopening scheme that has now morphed into a country-wide reopening plan for international travellers, the local Phuket government are talking about spending 100 million baht on new landmarks to help attract tourists. The first of 3 landmark projects is a glass skywalk which would allow visitors to walk along…
-
Modern luxury cultivated in Thai tradition
Sponsored Article The Thailand International Boat Show is delighted to have the InterContinental Phuket Resort as one of its key exhibitors and sponsors. “It is quite an achievement for the island of Phuket to stage the Thailand International Boat Show 2022 in January as soon as tourism starts to assume normalcy,” says Bjorn Courage, the general manager of the Intercontinental…
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.