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.
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Phuket to strengthen marine tourism relations with Indonesia
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong welcomed the Indonesian Tourism Minister to discuss strengthening of marine tourism relations between the two countries. The governor met Arief Yahya from The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism at the Phuket Boat Lagoon on Thursday. “Indonesia has just revealed their plans to run a special campaign between Nov 8 and Dec 5 that will assist tourists…
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Phuket officials plan walking street, gated entrance at Surin
PHUKET: A year after the demolition of the last remaining buildings along Surin Beach, and nine months after plans were announced to convert the beach into ‘Rajabhakti Park’, officials are still waiting for approval for the more than 800-million-baht project to be built in its place. The plans, which have been revised several times, were submitted by the Cherng Talay…
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Hair professionals reveal latest trends
PHUKET: Salon owners and hair stylists from all over Thailand gathered together in Phuket for the ‘Essential Looks Spring/Summer 2017 Hair Trends’ conference by Dr Somsak Chalachol, one of the most influential hair professionals in Thailand. The seminar was conducted earlier this week at the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa and sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional. Dr Somsak, Asia Pacific Hair…
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Young Thai killed in collision with Korean expat
PHUKET: A young Thai man was killed last night after smashing into a Korean expat’s pick-up truck in Phuket Town. Maj Nattaya Suwanpong of Phuket City Police received reports of the incident at about 11pm. It had occurred at the Thepkrasattri-Nakhon road junction near Phuket Wittayalai School. “The motorcyclist, Siraphan Sampaorat, 20, was lying in a pool of blood on…
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Meter-long lizard causes scare at Phuket beach
PHUKET: Lifeguards caught a ‘massive’ lizard that scared several locals and tourists at Nai Harn Beach yesterday. Pictures of the lizard taking a stroll on the beach and a triumphant lifeguard appeared on a Facebook page named ‘Phuket Lifeguard Service’ with the caption “Nai Harn has a guest today. We had to take it off the beach.” The lizard was…
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Park officials urge public to stop hornbill trading
PHANG NGA: Ao Phang Nga National Park officials this morning issued a statement urging the public to stop hornbill trading after a post by a Koh Yao Noi preservation group went viral on social media. Last week, an unidentified suspect stole three preserved hornbill birds – an adult female and two chicks. The mother was found dead at the scene…
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Public, media partnerships vital for Phuket, says ISOC chief
PHUKET: Officials from the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in Bangkok visited Phuket yesterday to talk about building better partnerships between the government and local media organizations. The meeting was led by Col Chan Sittichai of ISOC and held at the Phuket Provincial Operations Center. “I am very happy with the work being done by ISOC in Phuket. Mass media…
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Krabi cop and ladyboy embroiled in road rage
KRABI: A police officer and a ladyboy buried the hatchet yesterday after video clips of the two went viral on social media. In the clips, the pair are seen arguing over a minor road accident in Krabi Town, across the bay from Phuket. On Tuesday, Facebook user Napat Sara Malaisanan uploaded two videos with the caption: “You want my friend…
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Foreign tourists wrongfully arrested for fraud in Phuket
PHUKET: Two Chinese tourists were arrested and subsequently released yesterday after officers in Phuket received a warning from officials in Bangkok about their alleged involvement in credit card fraud. “Mr Jun Jie Ju and Ms Jia Xin Chen were arrested at a Cherng Talay hotel at about 3pm,” said Lt Col Tianchai Chompoo of Phuket Immigration Police. The colonel said…
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Krabi locals complain as new factory dumps waste into canal
KRABI: More than 60 Krabi Town locals yesterday urged Krabi Dhamrongtham Center representatives to look into the activities of a factory releasing waste into a nearby canal. At about 11:30am, the locals presented clear pictures of the palm oil factory draining wastewater directly into the water body, which has reportedly caused it to stink over the past year. “The factory…
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Phuket man streams live video of his suicide and murder of his baby daughter
PHUKET: A young father and his 11-month-old baby were found hanging at an abandoned construction site for a hotel in an apparent murder-suicide in Nai Thon last night. Thalang Police were contacted by 21-year-old Jiranuch Trirat earlier in the evening asking for help to find her husband and daughter, who had both disappeared from their house in Baan Mood Dok…
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10-year-old Russian tourist injured in Phuket parasailing accident
PHUKET: A 10-year-old Russian tourist was injured after he fell from a height of 2.5 meters while parasailing at Karon Beach this afternoon. Rescue workers and police received reports of the incident from lifeguards at Karon Beach at about noon. The victim, Timur Gadylshin, received first aid on the spot and was then taken to Patong Hospital where he was…
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Phuket durian to be upgraded as GI product
PHUKET: A campaign to promote durian has been launched in Kamala, roughly nine months after pineapples with a price tag of 1,500 baht hit the markets in Phuket last year (story here). “Following an announcement by the Ministry of Commerce, committee members came to Phuket to ‘inspect’ local durians in Kamala,” said Kamala subdistrict chief Kamnan Yuttasak Yayee. “Each tree…
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PEA responds to high electricity demand with new office on Phi Phi
PHUKET: The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) on Saturday opened a new office on Koh Phi Phi, a month after finishing a 600-million-baht underwater cable project that began in April 2013. Both projects were initiated in response to the high demand for electricity on the island, totaling about seven megawatts per year. The grand opening was chaired by PEA Governor Sermsakul…
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‘Inexperienced’ Chinese tourist drowns in Phuket
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist snorkeling for the first time in his life drowned at Koh Racha Yai yesterday afternoon. The victim, Hangseng Chen, 62, was on a day trip with the ‘Jaiyun Travel Group Co Ltd’. “Suthee Maliwan, the tour guide, told us that at about 11:40am, he made a stop to let the tourists snorkel off the island. He…
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First priority is to beautify Phuket, says Gov Norraphat
PHUKET: Newly-appointed Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong says his first priority is to beautify Phuket. Earlier this week, the governor held his first ‘media meet’ since his arrival on the island on April 10, to lay out his plans for Phuket. On April 4, ex-Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan was transferred out after six months on the job, with Gov Norraphat –…
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DMCR continues coral growing initiatives off Phuket
PHUKET: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) led an initiative to plant 1,600 pieces of live natural coral on an artificial (concrete) reef at Koh Mai Thon and Koh Racha Yai earlier this week. “This is part of an ongoing project to sustain and improve our ecosystems and natural environment,” said Suchat Rattanaruengsri of the DMCR. A total…
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Ex-military among those arrested for criminal association in Krabi
KRABI: Krabi Provincial Police yesterday arrested 16 ex-military and other security personnel with nine rifles, 10 shotguns, bullets and an array of other paraphernalia. The arrest occurred in a palm plantation in Krabi Town that, until last year, was in possession of United Palm Oil Industry Public Company Limited (UPOIC). Chettha Kaew-In, 43, was the main suspect, while the rest…
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‘Mentally ill’ Phuket man blows half his head off
PHUKET: A Mai Khao resident believed to be suffering from a mental illness reportedly shot himself in his home this morning in what turned out to be one of the worst scenes Phuket police say they have encountered recently. Lt Col Watcharin Jirattikanwiwat of Tah Chat Chai Police received reports of the incident at about 8:45am. “The house was located…
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Unidentified foreign tourist’s body recovered from Phuket beach
PHUKET: Lifeguards and police officers have recovered the body of an unidentified foreign tourist from the water at Patong Beach. The man was reported to have disappeared this morning, Local vendors informed lifeguards of his disappearance at about 9am, saying that he simply never returned after going into the water. Lifeguards hopped onto their jet-skis to search the sea. Patong…
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Samui Airport officials discuss noise pollution solution
SAMUI: Bangkok Airways higher-ups and government officials discussed yesterday the environmental impact of Samui Airport’s ever-increasing air traffic. A vice president of the airline, Narongchai Tanadchangsaeng, and his team met at the Samui Palm Beach Resort, during which Rangsan Tongyad, deputy chief administrator of Samui municipality, explained that he will work together with airport staff to figure out a solution.…
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Former tour company staff member wanted for deceiving Malaysian travellers
KRABI: Police are hunting for a former employee of a tour company who escaped after allegedly scamming 23 Malaysian tourists in Krabi. Yesterday, a team of officers from the Krabi Tourist Police, led by Sub Lt Suwan Tuamsri, helped temporarily accommodate a teacher and 22 university students after their tour agent disappeared upon their arrival in Krabi on Tuesday. “The…
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Video: Two arrested for dragging woman behind motorbike during botched robbery attempt
SAMUI: Two motorcyclists who dragged a woman behind their motorbike while attempting to steal her bag at Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui last week were arrested early yesterday morning. The CCTV footage of the incident, which featured Kanitta Krawwer, 32, being dragged by her bag’s shoulder strap as the two men attempted to steal it from around her neck, went…
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“Illegally-planted’ coconut trees found on disputed Naka Noi land
PHUKET: Royal Forestry Department officers yesterday responded to a complaint regarding a plantation of coconut trees on public land at Naka Noi island, the ownership of which the Land Department had already revoked last year. The land dispute on the island first began in December 2015, when the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) responded to a complaint alleging the land’s…
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Songkran ends with four dead, 70 injured in Phuket
PHUKET: The annual Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign during Songkran ended last night with a total of 67 accidents injuring 70 and killing four. The first death was on Saturday, when 37-year-old Bussaba Banviset fell from a tri-motorbike in Cherng Talay. She was riding without a helmet, and pronounced dead at Thalang Hospital. Yesterday, however, three were killed in…
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Special Report: Phuket hospitals facing huge losses from uninsured patients
PHUKET: There is no lack of evidence about the alarming number of tourist deaths in the ‘Land of Smiles’. According to the ‘Bureau of Prevention and Assistance in Tourist Fraud’, there was a whopping 54 per cent increase in tourist deaths in 2015 (latest data available) as compared to 2014. This figure includes tourists only. The actual number including expats…
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Little Phuket girl rewarded for returning bag full of cash and gold
PHUKET: A nine-year-old girl received a reward for returning a bag containing 130,000 baht in cash and 90 grams of gold yesterday afternoon. Piyarat Boonkek and her parents met with 55-year-old Nukhlia Sangkaew, the owner of the bag at Kamala Police Station to return it. Ms Nukhlia told Police officers that at about 2:30pm she withdrew the cash from the…
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Samui Taxi driver wins 30 million baht lottery
SAMUI: A taxi driver yesterday won 30 million baht in lottery winnings in Koh Samui. Sittichai Samthong, 40, was surrounded by friends and family to celebrate his good fortune. “I was confused at first because I did not expect to win. I have now notified Samui Police,” Mr Sittichai told the Phuket Gazette. “I will continue to drive my taxi…
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Suspect crashes into motorbike, injures one and shoots at cops
SAMUI: Police in Koh Samui are hunting for a hit and run suspect who injured a motorcyclist and shot at police officers before escaping last night. Lt Col Denduang Thongsrisook of Bor Put Police said traffic police officers were in the area and went to check. “A golden brown pick-up truck crashed into a motorbike in Chaweng at about 11:50pm,…
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Foreigners, local arrested in Krabi credit card scam
KRABI: Police in Krabi arrested five suspects and are looking for two more involved in alleged credit card fraud to purchase a hotel this weekend. “Last Wednesday, staff of a Bangkok Bank branch in Ao Nang notified us that three men and two women were attempting to purchase the 700 million baht Krabi Heritage Hotel on a 300mn baht contract…
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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