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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Sponsored How one hospital visit in Thailand could cost more than your whole trip
Thailand is a favourite spot for travellers who want to enjoy more while spending less. From cheap street food to low-cost hotels and fun attractions, it’s easy to stretch your budget here. But there’s one thing many people don’t think...
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Sugar Crusher claims worker’s hand
31 year old Burmese worker Kyam Thu Aung has had a horrific accident this afternoon (Friday) losing his hand in a home sugar cane crusher. Kusoldham rescue volunteers arrived to find the man with parts of his left hand still inside the crusher. The hand had been destroyed in the crusher and almost completely separated from his forearm. The team…
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Don’t walk and talk. Woman gets stuck in drain.
A 26 year old woman has stepped on a drain and fallen in whilst walking in Vichit checking her mobile phone and not watching where she was going. The accident happened at the front of Muang Thai Leasing Office in Chao-fah East Road. Phuket Ruamchai and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the woman sitting on…
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Surfers shine @ Kata. Kata Krew Surf Contest at Kata Beach.
Last weekend past saw the first of five planned surf competitions for the region at Kata, one of the best surf beaches on the west coast of Phuket. The event was organised and hosted by Kata Krew and the Karon Provincial Office with major support from Hanuman World, Flying Hanuman, Banana Beach, Seven Marine and SurfHouse Boardriders. The event was…
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Boats collide off James Bond island (Koh Ta Poo). 16 injured.
Two boats have collided off James Bond Island. A tour boat carrying 20 passengers, including tour guides and crew, were heading back from Koh Ta Poo, better known as James Bond Island, to Koh Panyi for lunch yesterday (Monday, July 31). On the way the ‘Wararat’ crashed into what’s been described as a long tail boat carrying 12 Chinese tourists.…
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B300,000 of pirated goods confiscated in OTOP raid
PHUKET: A Patong vendor was apprehended, while two others escaped after police raided the ‘One Tambon, One Product’ (OTOP) market in Patong yesterday. Officers seized 458 pirated items valued at about 300,000 baht. “Due to the provincial policy of continuously fighting pirated goods, especially in Patong, we decided to inspect shops at the OTOP market, one of the high traffic…
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Russian stabbed in Phuket home
PHUKET: Police are searching for a ladyboy (transsexual) who is suspected of stabbing her Russian boyfriend in Phuket early yesterday morning. Gennadii Khlopotov, 31, works for a company based in Koh Kaew and lives in Rassada. So far, police know that he previously used to live with his Russian girlfriend in an apartment in Rassada, but then ended relations with…
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The global costs of human trafficking
PHUKET: Tomorrow is ‘World Day against Trafficking in Persons’ – a day where we give a voice to the many victims of trafficking who live among us, but have been forced into silence due to threats to their life, retaliation against their family, feelings of hopelessness, or being enslaved and physically unable to speak out. Human trafficking is big business.…
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Another Chinese tourist drowns in Phuket
PHUKET: A Chinese tourist died after she was overcome by strong waves that threw her off a rock and drew her into the sea at Kamala Beach this morning. Pan Ying, 32, reportedly fell in at about 11:30am. Rescue workers and lifeguards quickly took action to bring her back to shore. However, they were unable to resuscitate her and she…
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87-year-old escapes Phuket Town house fire
PHUKET: An 87-year-old lady is safe after her Phuket Town house caught fire last night, causing damages estimated at 100,000 baht. The house, which is located near the Government Savings Bank in Talad Yai, caught fire at about 8:20pm. Firefighters from Phuket City Municipality were called in to help. “A total of four fire trucks were at the scene doing…
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Red light jumper caught with gun, drugs
PHUKET: A man was arrested after running a red light in Karon, but later found to be in possession of illegal substances. Sen Sgt Maj Hatthaporn Thongkhaobua of the Karon Traffic Police was on duty at a traffic light in Karon when he saw a white Isuzu pick-up truck moving from Karon toward Chalong Circle. The driver cruised right through…
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Bail set at B1mn each for suspects in amulet fraud
PHUKET: Two of the accused in a ‘magic’ amulet fraud case presented themselves for questioning at Phuket Provincial Police Station, but denied all charges and are currently out on bail of 1 million baht each. Last week, more than 20 people filed a complaint at Chalong Police Station against Sumalee Lertwilai, claiming that she and her accomplices had cheated them…
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Phuket lifeguards come to tourists’ rescue
PHUKET: Lifeguards have once again strongly urged tourists to swim with caution and never disobey red-flags after four tourists were safely rescued from strong waves at Nai Harn Beach yesterday. The lifeguards believe them to be 20-30 years old. “We have clearly placed red flags in areas where the winds and waves are strong and we perceive that there is…
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Drug dealer busted at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint
PHUKET: A drug dealer was arrested with more than 4,000 pills of ya bah (methamphetamine) worth more than 400,000 baht at Tah Chat Chai checkpoint Sunday evening. Chaiwat Urairot, 28, was arrested while trying to enter Phuket from Songkhla at about 6pm. “We aim to thoroughly check every vehicle entering Phuket. During one of our routine checks, we found Mr…
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Canadian boxer found dead in rental home
PHUKET: Police are trying to identify the cause of death of a Canadian boxer whose body was discovered in his rental home in Patong yesterday morning. “The incident occurred at 50 Pi Road, where the victim, 27-year-old Matthew Darling Richardson, was staying. We found his body lying face down in the bathroom. He was dressed in black shorts and had…
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Tragedy averted after Phuket woman threatens to end her life
PHUKET: A Phuket woman is reportedly safe after widespread alarm was raised over a video clip she shared on Facebook last week announcing her intention to end her life. The woman, whose name her family has asked to withhold, said she was hurt by her boyfriend and no longer wished to continue living. “I love you, and when the time…
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Officials, volunteers team up to restore damaged coral
PHUKET: More than two dozen officials and volunteers came together to replace broken and damaged coral on Koh Khai Nai and Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga this weekend. A joint task force from the ‘Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation’ (OMCRC) in Phuket and Phang Nga, along with volunteers and representatives from tour companies, undertook the initiative. “Heavy…
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Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek 2017 underway
PHUKET: A busy day on the water yesterday saw some excellent competition, close calls and racing incidents which resulted in a busy evening later for the Protest Committee onshore. The sailors were happy to be back out on the water as a forecast-defying 8-10 knot breeze got the fleet underway on Day 2 of the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek…
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Two Phuket nightlife venues raided, charged with operating illegally
PHUKET: Officers from the Crime Suppression Division yesterday raided two nightlife venues in Phuket Town for providing services to underage customers and operating without a proper permit. “We found two illegal venues during the raid. The first one was ‘Room Bar and Restaurant’. The owner, Rattachat Phothong, was charged with operating a nightlife venue without permission,” said Phuket Provincial Police…
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Phuket gold thief identified, still on the run
PHUKET: Police have issued an arrest warrant for a suspect who stole a gold necklace from a jewelry shop in Thalang yesterday morning. “The ‘Jip Leng Hong’ gold shop, located beside Kasikorn Bank’s Tarua branch, got robbed of a gold necklace made of one baht of gold,” said Capt Warawut Sensop of Thalang Police. Police used CCTV footage to identify…
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Australian tourist attacked by stray dog in Khao Lak
PHUKET: A 68-year-old Australian tourist was attacked by a stray dog in Khao Lak yesterday afternoon. Janet Frances Heath was on her way back from Sairoong waterfall with her husband when the incident occurred. She was taken to Takuapa Hospital for treatment and given a rabies shot. Ms Heath is reportedly safe. “We have found more than five fierce strays…
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Turkish Airlines announces direct flights to Phuket
PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced the launch of new Turkish Airlines flights to Phuket this week. There are now four direct flights per week from Istanbul. “This new Istanbul-Phuket service is part of the collaboration between the TAT and Turkish Airlines to meet the growing demand for travel to Thailand from holiday-makers from Turkey, Europe and…
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Deceased tourists’ family awarded B6mn in compensation
PHUKET: The family of two Chinese tourists who were killed in an accident on Patong Hill was awarded a total of 6 million baht in compensation yesterday. Lyu Fei, 36, and his 10-year-old son were both killed on July 10 when the tour bus they were travelling on flipped over in the curve at the bottom of Patong Hill (story…
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Chinese tourist rescued from drowning by Patong lifeguard
PHUKET: A Patong lifeguard rescued yet another Chinese tourist who nearly drowned after being washed away by strong waves in a red-flagged zone at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon. The ‘Phuket Lifeguard Service’ posted an update of the incident on their Facebook page at about 1:30pm. It briefly read: ‘Another rescue at Patong Beach today. The lady is safe and on…
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Phuket residents express concerns about destruction of historic building
PHUKET: Residents of Phuket Town have raised concerns about the destruction of an abandoned 100-year-old building on Damrong Road in Talad Yai, which they say is of historic value to the island. The Phuket Treasury Office yesterday confirmed that they are just clearing out the landscape and did not aim to destroy the building. “We are beautifying the landscape by…
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Phuket locals complain after “magic amulet’ fails to deliver
PHUKET: A group of 20 locals yesterday filed a complaint at Chalong Police Station, claiming they were cheated into buying religious amulets worth more than 100 million baht. “They filed a complaint against Sumalee Lertwilai, claiming that they were cheated into investing in ‘magic’ amulets via Facebook,” said Col Vitoon Kongsutjai of Phuket Provincial Police. According to a representative of…
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Phuket Lobster Festival to be held next month
PHUKET: The ‘Phuket Lobster Festival’ is to be held from August 1-31 and is expected to generate revenue of 200 million baht for local businesses. Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong and Wirachai Pranveerapaibool, Managing Director of Pracharath Rak Samakkee (Social Enterprise) Co Ltd, Phuket, yesterday held a press conference at the Dibuka Cafe & Restaurant in Phuket Town. “I would like…
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Phuket under pressure as tourism growth exposes flaws in hotel sector
PHUKET: According to a new report released today by hospitality consulting group C9 Hotelworks, millions of travellers who visit Phuket each year could be staying in unlicensed – and effectively illegal – hotels. The report also states that less than a quarter of the hotels in Phuket (429 out of 1,724) are currently licensed. This issue was brought into sharp…
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Missing Chinese tourists’ bodies found at Phuket Beach
PHUKET: The bodies of two Chinese tourists who had been missing since they went swimming in a red-flagged zone at Freedom Beach on Sunday, were found this afternoon. Xidong Wang, 20, and Weijie Liu, 21, were on holiday in Phuket with another friend, Weijie Liu. Both men reportedly ignored the red flags and warning signs placed at the beach. Mr…
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Phuket Gov announces checkpoint as “temporary solution’ for accidents
PHUKET: The Phuker Governor has announced plans to build a checkpoint to inspect the condition of cars and drivers on Patong Hill in order to avoid accidents in that area. Governor Norraphat Plodthong held a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall with Patong Police officers and Patong Mayor Chalermluk Kebsup yesterday afternoon. “The sloping road of Patong Hill has been a…
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Major drug ring members arrested with 5 million baht worth of drugs
PHUKET: Two key members of a major drug dealing network were arrested in Phuket with about 7.5 kilograms of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and other drugs worth a total of more than 5 million baht. The suspects confessed to ordering more than 50kg of drugs each time from a dealer in the North in order to sell them in and…
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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