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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  • Body of missing Belarus swimmer found at Nai Thon Beach, Phuket | Thaiger

    Body of missing Belarus swimmer found at Nai Thon Beach, Phuket

    PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews The body of the missing Belarus man has finally been found at Nai Thon Beach, Phuket, after going missing four days ago. The body of a 31 year old Belarusian, Shchartsou Makin, was found washed ashore on the rocks of Nai Thon Beach’s southern cape yesterday, after being reported missing a few days ago. On October 30,…

  • Sea turtles saved at Phuket’s Naithon Beach | Thaiger

    Sea turtles saved at Phuket’s Naithon Beach

    PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Two sea turtles have been saved at Naithon Beach on Phuket’s west coast. Today (November 2), at 8am, the Chief of Sirinath National Park, Nathawat Nuisiram, along with research officials, rescued two sea turtles at Naithon Beach. The team received a report from local villagers and headed to the beach to investigate the reports and check out…

  • Top 10 must-see things to do in Phuket | Thaiger

    Top 10 must-see things to do in Phuket

    Phuket is now a sophisticated tourist destination with so much to see and enjoy on just about any budget. Despite its reputation as a tropical paradise or the infamous Patong nightlife, there is a lot more to enjoy in Phuket these days. The popular Patong Beach is just a tiny proportion of the island’s landmass (about 80% the size of…

  • Tourist missing, presumed drowned, off Nai Thon Beach, Phuket | Thaiger

    Tourist missing, presumed drowned, off Nai Thon Beach, Phuket

    PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews A 29 year old tourist is still missing after going swimming off Nai Thon Beach in northern Phuket on Wednesday night, (October 30). Local Saku police received a report about the tourist who disappeared whilst swimming off the southern end of Nai Thon Beach, in Thalang District, around 7pm. At the beach, police found distraught 29 year…

  • Phuket burglar dies after jump in Thalang | Thaiger

    Phuket burglar dies after jump in Thalang

    PHOTO: Bangkok Post “The unidentified man, aged around 30-40, was found lying in a pool of blood on the roof of the shop on Thepkasattri Road.” A man fell to his death after jumping from an apartment onto the awning of a shop below in Phuket’s Thalang district after breaking into an apartment early yesterday morning, October 29. The unidentified…

  • Phuket to get new tourist attraction theme park – Carnival Magic | Thaiger

    Phuket to get new tourist attraction theme park – Carnival Magic

    From next year, Phuket will have a new tourist attraction, in the form of a theme park called Carnival Magic. The forthcoming attraction, which will be located in Kamala (where Phuket FantaSea has been operating for 21 years), has been confirmed by Phuket FantaSea’s chairman Pin Kewkacha. “Carnival Magic is a theme park that showcases Thai culture through technology and lighting.…

  • Phuket hosts massive “Kao Kon La Kao” charity run featuring Toon | Thaiger

    Phuket hosts massive “Kao Kon La Kao” charity run featuring Toon

    PHOTO: Mega beach party held out the front of XANA Beach Club along Layan Beach last Sunday – Laguna Phuket 13,000 people flocked to Layan Beach last Sunday for the “Kao Kon La Kao – Southern Series”. Led by the Kao Foundation’s Founder, marathon runner and hugely popular Tha rock star, Artiwara (Toon) Kongmalai, crowds of runners flocked to the…

  • Police arrest human trafficking gang forcing kids to sell flowers in Patong | Thaiger

    Police arrest human trafficking gang forcing kids to sell flowers in Patong

    PHOTO: Khaosod Police have arrested people behind a human trafficking gang who were forcing children to sell flowers in Patong. On October 25 Phuket Immigration Police held a press conference to report the arrest of a 24 year old Cambodian woman, Kimhang, who they alleged was a member of a human trafficking gang operating on Patong Beach. The gang were…

  • Phuket police arrest meth dealer, discover drugs valued at 15 million baht | Thaiger

    Phuket police arrest meth dealer, discover drugs valued at 15 million baht

    PHOTO: Newshawk Phuket Drugs valued at 15 million baht have been seized in a drug crackdown in Phuket. On October 22, Phuket police, along with Phuket Governor Pakkapong Tawipat, reported to the media about a drug crackdown that ended up with a total seizure valued around 15 million baht. Earlier, the police received a report from an undercover agent that…

  • 30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands | Thaiger

    30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands

    Tourists were treated to the sight of a school of dolphins in the Similan Islands off the Phang Nga coast on Sunday. Tour organisers said that around 30 dolphins swam close to the boat six or seven miles offshore, creating excitement for passengers. It was the first time dolphins had been seen in the vicinity since October 15. The Similan…

  • Phuket hotels slashing the price of rooms | Thaiger

    Phuket hotels slashing the price of rooms

    by Sophie Deviller Hotels on Thailand’s most popular holiday island are being forced to slash prices, with rooms left vacant and beaches sparse as Thailand’s tourism chiefs struggle with a plunge in Chinese visitors caused by the US trade war and a stronger baht. Phuket was the most visited destination in the country last year, after Bangkok, and a good gauge of…

  • The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners | Thaiger

    The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners

    4,000 runners from Thailand and overseas took part in the 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Half Marathon 2019 yesterday, starting from the Phuket Gateway. The event is expected to raise 700,000 baht for the charity, now in its 15th year. The money raised goes towards to The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, which is committed to protecting…

  • Thalang Police arrest local Phuket drug dealer with amphetamine pills | Thaiger

    Thalang Police arrest local Phuket drug dealer with amphetamine pills

    PHOTOS: เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket Thalang Police have arrested a local drug dealer with more than 192 amphetamine pills. Thalang police in Phuket arrested 29 year old Wimon Songkong from Nakhon Si Thammarat with 192 amphetamine pills that he was carrying when they nabbed him in front of a 7-Eleven store inside a PTT gas station on Thepkasattri Road, in…

  • Southern Thailand braces for rough weather and rain | Thaiger

    Southern Thailand braces for rough weather and rain

    The Thailand Meteorological Department issued a weather warning for southern Thailand with torrential rain forecast to hit the region throughout the weekend. The heavy monsoon over the Gulf of Thailand and south of the country is being blamed for the rough weather, with the TMD predicting flash flooding in many areas. (Phuket, Hat Yai and Hua Hin’s forecast below) “Waves are…

  • Now you see him, now you don’t… Patong Police hunt foreigner over $30k theft | Thaiger

    Now you see him, now you don’t… Patong Police hunt foreigner over $30k theft

    PHOTO: Patong Police Patong Police have yet to develop any tangible leads tracking down a foreigner who made off with US$30,000 in cash from a currency exchange booth in Kalim, north of Patong in Phuket, last Tuesday. The man is about 168 centimetres tall with grey hair and around 60 years old, Patong police told The Phuket News. “We have…

  • Mystery surrounds security guard found dead in his Phuket room | Thaiger

    Mystery surrounds security guard found dead in his Phuket room

    PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News The security guard of a hotel in Nai Yang, northern Phuket, 52 year old Yingyot Butsabong, from Maha Sarakham province, was found dead yesterday (October 16) in his room. Police remain mystified how the man came to grief. A woman named Supattra received a call from the hotel he worked at and was informed that he…

  • The world’s fastest growing tourist destinations | Thaiger

    The world’s fastest growing tourist destinations

    PHOTO: Hello Phuket – destined for huge tourist growth in the next six years – fodors.com In 2018, international tourist arrival traffic grew by 6% to reach a total of 1.4 billion world tourists, according to research by UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. And there’s a lot more to come with international travel predicted to increase by a massive 35% over the…

  • Policeman falls asleep behind the wheel and crashes into roadside pole in Phang Nga | Thaiger

    Policeman falls asleep behind the wheel and crashes into roadside pole in Phang Nga

    SCREENSHOT: Newshawk Phuket On October 12, a pick-up truck was involved in a horrific road incident on Ban Dok Daeng – Ban Bangsai, Takuapa, in Phang Nga. Luckily the driver, a local policeman, survived but was trapped inside the vehicle while emergency responders figured out how to get him out. The vehicles was in such bad shape that the rescue…

  • Rawai beachfront water shut-off tomorrow for mains works | Thaiger

    Rawai beachfront water shut-off tomorrow for mains works

    The Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority says Rawai’s mains water supply will be shut off tomorrow (Tuesday, October 15) as new water pipes are fitted in front of The Title Beach Front condo resort complex on the town’s beachfront. The mains water supply will be shut off from 9am until 4:30pm along the beachfront strip. The PWA says the areas affected…

  • Phuket Town – In CNN Travel’s “Asia’s most picturesque towns” | Thaiger

    Phuket Town – In CNN Travel’s “Asia’s most picturesque towns”

    “Though most famous for its beaches, the Thai island of Phuket offers ample opportunities for cultural immersion as well.” Phuket’s Old Town was listed as one of Asia’s 13 most picturesque towns by CNN Travel. The article mentioned, that whilst the island is renowned for its world-class beaches and leisure, offshore and adventure tourism activities, Phuket Town delivers on romance, history…

  • Phuket motorcycle crash leaves one tourist dead, another injured | Thaiger

    Phuket motorcycle crash leaves one tourist dead, another injured

    PHOTO: Kamala Police The Phuket News reports that an Indian woman has been killed, and her male companion injured, following a motorcycle accident in Patong. The accident happened last night on the Patong to Kamala road. When police arrived on the scene shortly after 8.00pm, they found the tourists trapped under an SUV, with the 23 year old driver, Worachat…

  • Phuket drug dealer arrested in Chalong with half a kilo of ice | Thaiger

    Phuket drug dealer arrested in Chalong with half a kilo of ice

    PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News A 35 year old Phuket man, Suwat Kaewtaworn, is currently in custody after being arrested yesterday with 521 grams (half a kilogram) of crystal methamphetamine. Suwat was arrested in front of a pharmacy on Chao Fah West Road in Chalong. Police found three bags of crystal methamphetamine (ice), two of them weighing 10 grams each and…

  • Study shows Phuket has highest number of tourists per square mile | Thaiger

    Study shows Phuket has highest number of tourists per square mile

    PHOTO: Bao Menglong (Unsplash.com) A study published by Travel Daily News reveals that Phuket has the highest number of tourists per square mile, with 5,090. The research was carried out by Columbus Direct, who examined visitor numbers in the world’s most popular places. With over 9 million visitors a year, Thailand’s largest island has ten times more tourists per square…

  • Last night of Phuket vegetarian festival was a blast – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Last night of Phuket vegetarian festival was a blast – VIDEO

    Last night (October 7), Phuket local shrines gathered for the final day parades of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, which took place from September 29 to October 7. Almost all of the Chinese shrines in Phuket had their Mah Song walking around the city with members of the shrine holding palanquins adorned with Chinese gods for blessing people lining the streets…

  • Fire in Phuket house kills two, injures two | Thaiger

    Fire in Phuket house kills two, injures two

    PHOTO: Phuket Hot News This morning around 3am the Ratsada Municipality fire fighters received a report about a fire at a house in Srisuchart Grand Ville village. The incident killed a two women as well as injuring two of the house owners. The team brought two fire trucks to the scene along with an extra truck from Phuket municipality. It was…

  • Phuket lawyer to sue his client for defamation and unpaid bills of 100 million baht | Thaiger

    Phuket lawyer to sue his client for defamation and unpaid bills of 100 million baht

    PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News On September 30, Narongrit Netikietiwong, the lawyer of Chanwit Kitlertsiriwattana, Managing Director of Phukhaohokluk Company, who claims to own the land on Naka Noi Island, went to Phuket Media Association to file an official complaint against his client. This follows a report that Chanwit made to the police, accusing the lawyer of “defrauding him”. Narongrit explained…

  • 21st dugong found dead in fish nets off Phang Nga | Thaiger

    21st dugong found dead in fish nets off Phang Nga

    Another dugong, the 21st this year, has been found dead, trapped in fish net in the sea off Khura Buri district in Phang Nga. Khura Buri is north of Khao Lak. Marine biologist and vice dean of the Fisheries Faculty at Kasetsart University, Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, reported today that 21 deaths was the highest number recorded in one year for…

  • Mah Songs parade through Phuket Town exciting tourists and locals | Thaiger

    Mah Songs parade through Phuket Town exciting tourists and locals

    PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News Today, the Sapam and Bangku Shrines started their Mah Song parade, also known as ‘Lew Geng’ around the the main city of Phuket, in Phuket Town on the island’s east coast. The parades in the annual vegetarian festival are are feature of the 10 day event and attract thousands of tourists to the island in increasing…

  • Phuket Vegetarian Festival events 2019 – schedule and history | Thaiger

    Phuket Vegetarian Festival events 2019 – schedule and history

    The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival, aka. ‘Nine Emperor Gods Festival’, always runs during the ninth lunar month. For expats and tourist ‘newbies’ the Vegetarian Festival is a lot to do with parades, firecrackers, bizarre ceremonies and spiritual mystiques piecing themselves, and little to do with vegetarian food. Whilst we’ve tried to provide a program here, any time schedule at individual…

  • Phuket encroacher is handed down 10 year sentence | Thaiger

    Phuket encroacher is handed down 10 year sentence

    PHOTO: Nai Yang Beach, just part of the coastal land along Phuket’s north-west coastline The Department of Special Investigation have successfully prosecuted an encroachment case involving land on Phuket’s north-west coast. The Criminal Court handed down a 10 year sentence to Anek Lipracha, a prime suspect in a case involving encroachment of 93 rai of coastal land in Sirinat Marine National…

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.