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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Much ado about makeup
PHUKET TOWN: It was the case of the lipstick that ticked. A woman’s purse was lost on a bus, and was handed in to the Police Service Center in Tambon Witchit. Somehow it went astray again, turning up on a chair near the entrance to the Service Center – with spectacular results. Pol Maj Thanapong Mokthong, Inspector of Forensic Science,…
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Four busted in ya bah raids
PHUKET TOWN: Four men are being held at Phuket Town Police Station after police launched a series of ya bah (methamphetamine) raids. Officers from the local Drugs Suppression unit on Monday arrested Narakwan Hutem, 30, and Winit Chotepichit, 31, for dealing ya bah. Acting on a tip-off, officers raided a house in Tambon Taladyai where they found Narakwan with 42…
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Hunger protest brings help – and a problem
PHUKET TOWN: A hunger strike by a one-armed fisherman protesting at the death of his community’s fish stock has brought help from officers at Phuket Provincial Hall. But the protest also had a downside, with government officials saying that the fish farms, which are in tin mine lagoons near Wat Sean Suk, on the southeast edge of Phuket Town, may…
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Gov pushes for tougher work permit rules
PHUKET: In a meeting in Bangkok with the Parliamentary Committee on Labor, Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi last week proposed tougher rules for the issue of work permits. The Governor was invited to the meeting following a backlash from the Phuket and Pattaya Chambers of Commerce over the recent relaxation of permit rules. Speaking on 96.75 FM radio on Monday, Gov…
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Surasak barred from election
PATONG: The Phuket Provincial Court this morning upheld an order by former Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon instructing Patong Mayor Surasak Maneesri to quit his post as mayor because of conduct likely to bring the Patong Municipality into disrepute. It therefore barred K. Surasak from running in the Patong Mayoral election, due to take place on November 16 and 17. K.…
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Dane wins Tour of Thailand
BANGKOK: Peterson Solen from Denmark won the Tour of Thailand 2002 in Bangkok yesterday and his team, Giant Asian Racing, took the first four places. Solen was followed home by fellow team riders Iratov Damir from Uzbekistan and Sergey Derevyanov of Kazakstan. Another Uzbeki rider, Kahramon Mominov, crossed the line second on the day, but placed fourth overall in the…
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Phuket Prison to be closed
PHUKET TOWN: Manit Suthaporn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, has announced that the 100-year-old Phuket Provincial Prison will be closed, with inmates being relocated either to Bangkok or to a new jail in Thalang, on which construction has just begun. Speaking after an inspection of Phuket’s antiquated and overcrowded prison yesterday, K. Manit said, “It’s very crowded, especially…
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Phuket must diversify – Governor
PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi yesterday reiterated his view that Phuket must develop industries apart from tourism. “Tourism is vulnerable. It’s like a crystal. We should create real-sector businesses, or businesses related to the service sector,” he said. Speaking at a meeting of the International Business Association of Phuket (IBAP) on the theme of “Phuket Tomorrow”, he said that such…
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Phuket tourism “better after Christmas’
PHUKET: The Bali bombing has affected Phuket tourism but the situation will improve after Christmas, a leading figure in the industry said today. Opas Netraumpai, Vice President of the Thailand Incentive Convention Association (TICA) and Managing Director of Club Andaman Beach Resort, said there were three stages to reactions. The first, about a week after the bombing, left Phuket hotels…
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Officials move to bolster tourism
PHUKET: A large group led by Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi will go to Europe next week to promote tourism to Phuket. Their visit to the annual World Travel Market (WTM) in London, comes amid concern about tourism prospects in the wake of the Bali bombing, and following travel advisories from a number of governments, including Britain’s, warning travelers to be…
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Dead fish spark hunger strike
PHUKET TOWN: Komin Buanoon today went into the second day of a hunger strike to protest over pollution that he says has killed the stock in his fish farm and those of nine other villagers. The villagers, from around Wat Saen Suk, in the southeast corner of Phuket Town, protested at the Phuket Provincial Hall over pollution which, they say,…
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Smile, please
PATONG: The Club Andaman Beach Resort has organized a “Siam Smile Contest” on November 22 to celebrate Thai culture. Wandee Chang-Ngam, Assistant PR Director of Club Andaman Beach Resort, said today that the winners will be the people with the most impressive “wais” and smiles. The contest, which will be in the morning, will be in two parts, the first…
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Miss Andaman to win B1m
PHUKET: Kittiya Chaiyo, 17, from Cherng Talay is Phuket’s last hope in the Miss Andaman 2002 beauty contest, with competitors chasing a million-baht prize and the chance to spend a year promoting the Andaman region throughout Thailand. Sakda Sutthisathit, chairman of the pageant’s organizing committee, explained that the contest is a joint effort by the Chambers of Commerce of Ranong,…
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Lightning blamed for Customs boat blaze
AO MAKHAM: Lightning may have caused a fire aboard a 50-foot Customs inspection boat moored at the Deep Sea Port at about 10 pm on Sunday. Chanai Nakzsup, the Transportation Administrator at the Phuket Harbor Master’s Office, said, “I saw the top of the boat was on fire, and everybody was helping to put it out.” He added that it…
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Patong is safe, says Deputy PM
PATONG: Deputy Prime Minister Vishanu Krua-ngam officially launched the tourism high season last night and assured a throng of carnival-goers that Patong is a safe place. As Patong enjoyed the party, K. Vishanu said of his evening in the popular holiday town, “I didn’t see anything unusual that would cause worry either among tourists or organizers.” This year’s one-day season-opening…
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Smoking ban to be thoroughly enforced
PHUKET TOWN: The Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) confirmed yesterday that a sweeping new national law that bars smoking in most public places will be strictly enforced in Phuket from November 8. PPHO health expert Somboon Aiyarak told a conference at the Provincial Hall that, with few exceptions, smoking will be banned in most public places, including cinemas, schools, hospitals,…
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Loft antiques shop raided
PHUKET TOWN: The Loft, an antiques shop on Thalang Rd, was raided this morning by police officers and specialists from the Ministry of Culture. The raid came after allegations that the owners had no license to sell antiques, and that they had been selling antique Buddha images, which is illegal with or without a license. Official interest in the shop…
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Floating body a murder mystery
PHUKET: Police have few clues in the murder of a man whose body was found floating in the sea near Koh Maiton on Wednesday. The body – probably that of a fisherman – bore at least nine stab wounds on the back and stomach, and had been in the water about six days. It was clad only in a yellow…
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Illegal immigration arrests rise
PHUKET TOWN: The number of arrests for illegal immigration has risen, police statistics for October 1-25 reveal. In August, 195 people were arrested for illegal immigration, but the latest reported number was 239. There were 107 gambling raids, with 172 people arrested. The statistics show 79 narcotics cases with 81 people arrested, including 35 for offenses involving ya bah (methamphetamine).…
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Last chance to vie for Carnival Queen
PATONG: The organizers of tomorrow’s Patong carnival are still looking for more contestants – Thai or foreign – to compete for the title of “Queen of the Andaman”. Gifts will be provided for all contestants, as will costumes, with a choice of traditional Thai, colorful Hawaiian or “fancy”. Each of the 10 contestants who make the second round will earn…
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Bomb squad officers croaked
PHUKET TOWN: A bomb alert forced the closure of Yaowaraj Rd between Thalang Rd and Dibuk Rd for several hours last night. Rattana Ungtrakul, 47, called police after finding a package in the basket of her motorbike, which was parked outside her curtain shop. She explained that it was a well-wrapped white post-office-style parcel addressed to her shop, with the…
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Police set up Patong security center
PATONG: Sixty police officers from a variety of units met last night to coordinate security in the Patong area. The Kathu Police Station will become the Phuket Provincial Police Center in order to make the tourists feel more security at Patong beach. The meeting brought together officers from Phuket Immigration Police, Kathu Police, the Tourist Police, the Highway Police, the…
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Hotels urged to act on security
PHUKET TOWN: Thailand was a peaceful place but additional security measures were needed as a precaution, Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi told a special meeting of the Hospitality Club of Phuket today. He said he was satisfied with the measures in place for the 17th Patong Carnival, which marks the opening of the high season for Phuket tourism on Friday.…
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Black money scam busted
PATONG: Four West Africans were arrested last night after two were caught on videotape performing the classic “black money” scam. Sleweon Friday Emmanue, 29, and Camara Malam, 33, were charged with swindling while Leon D. Earley, 26, and Sailatee T. Toe, 19, were charged with entering Thailand illegally. All four are from Liberia. Pol Lt Col Jakawath Boontaweekulsawas, of Kathu…
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Deadline for local businesses
PHUKET: Businesses wishing to appear in the 2003 Gazette Guide, Phuket’s ‘yellow pages’, have until 5:30 pm this Thursday, 31 October, to enter (or update) their listings. Any entries made after the deadline will not appear in the hard-copy book until January 2004. Standard listings are free of charge, but they are limited to genuine businesses in Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi…
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Politician injured in hammer attack
PHUKET TOWN: Patong politician and lawyer Sarayuth Mullum was attacked by a hammer-wielding assailant yesterday, ending up in hospital with seven stitches in his scalp and his right arm in plaster. K. Sarayuth had just finished lunch with Phuket MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr and her husband at the Sala Muslim restaurant on Surin Rd when the assault took place. His attacker…
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Hunt is on for Jumbo Junior
CHERNG TALAY: A Jumbo Junior competition for children will be held next month as part of an ongoing project to raise money for mistreated elephants. The competition will not be only about physical size but also about having a larger-than-life personality, bouncing good health and super-sized intelligence and leadership abilities. Dusit Laguna Resort Phuket has organized activities on November 25…
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Plea for game fish to be protected
PHUKET: Swift action must be taken to control the number of sailfish being caught by commercial fishermen in Phuket waters, a game fishing advocate has told the Gazette. If action is not taken, a sport that brings millions of baht a year to Phuket will be at risk, said the game fishing advocate, who asked that his name be withheld.…
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Police pounce on bag snatchers
PATONG: Three bag snatchers were caught in Patong over the weekend soon after they ran off with gear belonging to a Russian couple on vacation in Phuket. The bag snatchers chose the wrong time to strike because police security was tight on Saturday as Pol Col Chalit Thintanee, Superintendent of Kathu police station, made the rounds of Patong’s beachfront with…
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Missing teacher found dead
PHANG NGA: The body of a teacher who went missing while on a fishing trip was found in a canal near the Sarasin Bridge on Friday. Sophol Paenklai, 48, who taught at a school in Tai Muang district, “went out to catch fish and fell into the water by accident,” said Apidaj Chuaykua, Pol Capt of Kok Kloy Police Station…
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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