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 Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
-
Annual SEACAT 2016 to come to an end tomorrow
PHUKET: Navies from the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Malaysia will conclude their training and conference tomorrow, after spending two weeks at the Royal Thai Navy’s base in Phuket. The drills and conferences are part of the annual Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism 2016 (SEACAT16) and are being held at Cape Panwa. This year’s exercises…
-
Phuket International Hospital launches new services, expat card
PHUKET: Phuket International Hospital announced the launch of three new departments, as well as its ‘Expat Privilege Card’, last week. Wassana Tipayapongtada, chairwoman of the Provincial Red Cross Phuket Chapter, presided over the grand opening event, that was held under the theme ‘We’re Family’. BDMS Southern Group management and staff, Thai and foreign dignitaries, local authorities and local business representatives…
-
Thai Olympic medalists parade for the people
BANGKOK: Thai Olympic medalists are taking part in a parade today in Bangkok. The parade started at 3pm from Hua Mark Indoor Stadium and will go past Rama 9, Din Daeng and the Victory Monument before coming to an end at the Government House. Sukanya Srisurat and Sopita Tanasan won gold medals in the weightlifting competitions, Tawin Hanprab and Pimsiri…
-
Phuket biz: Save our Gov
PHUKET: Eight of the island’s local business organizations have appealed to the central government to reconsider moving the Phuket governor a month from now. The statement, issued in Thai language, was released on August 22 after the announcement to transfer Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada to Nakhon Sri Thammarat on October 1 (story here). The organizations issuing the plea to keep…
-
Misleading headline sends police on a mad scramble for explosives across the island
PHUKET: Provincial police are seeking to reassure residents of their safety after a popular Thai-language newspaper claimed that there were more than 30 bombs placed across the province on Tuesday. The front-page claim caused public panic as police scrambled to check possible bomb drops in hot spots around Phuket. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teerapol Thipjaroen confirmed with the Phuket Gazette…
-
Wichit marijuana dealer apprehended, bought stash through Facebook
PHUKET: Provincial police arrested a 28-year-old man yesterday after a raid of his home turned up 1.3 kilograms of marijuana. Nopparut Tongserikun was arrested after police found the category 5 drugs, along with drug paraphernalia at his house on Wirat Hong Yok Road in Wichit sub-district. Police received a tip from an informant that Mr Nopparut was allegedly selling marijuana…
-
Police recover bomb remnants from scene of Krabi fire
KRABI: Police in Ao Nang recovered two devices yesterday that they suspect were part of the incendiary bombs used to set fire to a souvenir shop in the tourist destination on August 12. Forensic Police Region 8 Colonel Surapol Jaisan said Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) personnel assisted in examining the wreckage of the Ao Nang shop for evidence linking the…
-
Police arrest six in another big krathom drug bust
PHANG NGA: Police arrested six members of an alleged krathom drug distribution network on Monday. The gang is charged with possession of 326 kilograms of the category 5 drug, which police estimate has a street value of 300,000 baht. A joint task force comprised of Thalang administrative officers, Khok Kloi police and civil defense volunteers reportedly detained two suspects after…
-
Floods paralyze Phuket
PHUKET: Flash flooding brought traffic to a standstill across the island this morning after hours of heavy rains, which began late last night, continued to pour down across the island as the morning rush hour began. Traffic ground to a halt along several stretches of Chao Fah West Road, the Bypass Road and several spots along Thepkrasattri Road, causing major…
-
Bombings in Pattani kill one, injure several and damage hotel
PATTANI: Three bombs rocked the southern province of Pattani last night, killing one and injuring dozens. The first bomb exploded in a parking space behind a bar in Muang District around 11pm but did not result in any loss of life. The second bomb, hidden inside a vehicle, blew up a short time later in front of the Southern View…
-
Bus driver flees after Chinese tourists injured in crash
PHUKET: More than 30 Chinese tourists were injured when their tour bus crashed into a temple at the bottom of Patong Hill last night. Police are hunting for the bus driver, who reportedly fled after ploughing into the wall of Wat Suwan Kiriwong, around 8:30pm. “There was a lot of broken glass all around. A car and a van were…
-
Four bodies wash ashore in Krabi
KRABI: Four bodies that have washed ashore in Krabi over the past two days could be those of crew members who went missing when their fishing boat sank more than a week ago. Officials are awaiting DNA test results, but believe the bodies belong to the missing crew of the Bumroong Thai Nawa fishing vessel, which sank on August 15…
-
Four electrocuted in hotel water treatment pond
SAMUI: One man was killed and three others were hospitalized on Saturday night after they were electrocuted while working in a wastewater retention pond at a hotel on Koh Samui. The men were using a pump to drain water from the pond at a hotel in Baan Cherng Mon, Bo Phut, when the pump became submerged in the water, electrocuting…
-
French tourist drowns at Nai Thon
PHUKET: A French woman drowned after swimming in a red-flag zone on Nai Thon Beach on Saturday afternoon. Anne Sophie Marie Torrijos-Faisant, 23, reportedly drowned as her friends looked on. They were unable to help as she was dragged out to sea by a rip current. “We were told that Ms Torrijos-Faisant was swimming with her friends when she was…
-
Phuket Vegetarian Festival dates announced
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Prajiad Aksornthammakul announced the dates of this year’s Vegetarian Festival, as well as a special prayer ceremony to honor HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, earlier this week. The nine-day festival is slated to take place from October 1-9. The event attracts thousands of visitors to Phuket to witness the festivities, which include fire-walking, bladed-ladder climbing, hundreds of…
-
Island-wide security center for foreign nationals promised
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police announced yesterday morning that new safety measures will be taken by Provincial Police to boost tourist “confidence” in light of the August 12 bombings. At a meeting of local officials and consular representatives, the police responded positively to the requests of 15 consuls to assign officers to a contact and information center in case of…
-
Visa-on-arrival fee to double from Sept 27
PHUKET: The fee for visa on arrival in Thailand, enjoyed by citizens of 18 countries around the world, will double from 1,000 to 2,000 baht, with effect from September 27. Visa on arrival is available at many points of entry throughout Thailand and is good for a single use. The 18 countries on the list are Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus,…
-
Four-year-old finds father hanging from tree
PHUKET: A four-year-old girl found her dead father hanging by his neck from a tree near the Tah Rua Temple this morning. The 43-year-old man, named Wirot Jadsang, used to work as a hotel cook. He reportedly died about two hours before his daughter found his body, on her way to school. Lt Col Sanich Nookon of Thalang Police arrived…
-
Another car mysteriously bursts into flames
PHUKET: The driver of a Honda Accord had to make an emergency stop when his car burst into flames last night. The car’s owner, Nantapol Saelim, 34, was driving from his house in Koh Kaew and heading into town about 10pm, when he smelled burning and promptly pulled in to the Merlin Hotel car park on Yaowarat Road, police told…
-
Phuket Town bars raided, managers charged
PHUKET: Proprietors of two bars in Phuket Town were charged yesterday morning for selling alcohol after-hours in raids conducted by police and public health officials. At 12:30am, the officers paid a visit to the venue Harem, located on Phang Nga Road in Talad Yai, where they found alcohol still being served to customers. Regulations allow entertainment venues to open until…
-
Samui money share dispute ends in murder-suicide
SAMUI: The manager of a popular bar near Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui reportedly shot dead his friend last night before turning the gun on himself after a shootout with police and a five-hour standoff. Bor Phut Police officers arrived at Bar Solo around 1:30am to find the body of Chulit Somakert lying on the floor. His alleged killer, Samroeng…
-
Israeli ambassador thanks gov for M’bala ban
PHUKET: Israeli Ambassador Simon Roded met with Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, where he thanked the governor for not allowing a controversial French comedian to take the stage in January this year. A performance by controversial comedian and hate-speech convict Dieudonne M’bala M’bala was scheduled to take place at the Illuzion night club in Phuket, but…
-
Sinkhole threatens to swallow road in Krabi Village
KRABI: A sinkhole that appeared overnight in a village in Krabi is threatening to swallow up a road and nearby houses if it gets any larger. District officials went to inspect the 3.5-meter deep hole that opened up on a roadside yesterday in Lam Tab district after heavy rainfall. After climbing down into the 1.5-meter-wide hole, inspectors discovered that it…
-
Thailand named ‘least miserable’ by Bloomberg
PHUKET: Thailand has been named the least miserable country in the world, according to the 2016 ‘Misery Index’ compiled by Bloomberg. A total of 74 countries were included in the survey. The index was first introduced in 1980 by American economist Arthur Okun and is determined by adding the inflation rate to the unemployment rate. Factors such as the strength…
-
Phuket’s top cop issues Pokemon Go warning
PHUKET: Phuket’s top cop is warning islanders to play Pokemon Go with caution. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teeraphol Thipjaroen expressed his concerns earlier this month, addressing both players and game developers. “As we all know, the game is played by connecting your smartphone with real time Google maps. As the game can be played in public places, players may trespass…
-
Five arrested with 400kg of kratom
PHUKET: Five suspects were arrested with 400 kilograms of kratom leaves during a raid in Rassada last night. Governor Chamroen Tippayapongtada revealed details of the arrests at a press conference held at the Phuket office of the Narcotics Control Board (NCB) this morning. The suspects were named as Sirichai Madlerdsak, 35, Chaisiri Sekpatan, 30, Usaman Mani, 25, Samlee Yapa, 25…
-
Search continues for missing fishing crew
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Navy resumed their search this morning for five fishing boat crew members still missing after their boat sank off southern Phuket in stormy conditions on Sunday. Four men were found floating in the sea on Tuesday, including the stricken vessel’s captain, who was later pronounced dead (story here). A fifth crew member was rescued by a…
-
Fifth missing crew member found
PHUKET: A fishing boat this morning picked up one of six crew members still lost at sea after their vessel sank off the south coast of Phuket yesterday. Four of the crew – comprising nine Burmese men and their Thai captain – were rescued by the Third Area Naval Command this morning (story here). The crew member was found floating…
-
Three rescued after boat sinks off Phuket, 6 still missing
PHUKET: A Royal Thai Navy search and rescue team this morning plucked four men from stormy seas after their fishing boat sank about two nautical miles off Promthep Cape. One of the men was pronounced dead on arrival. Six other crew members are still missing. The Third Naval Area Command responded to a call at 9:20pm yesterday from a person…
-
Mazda blows up in Krabi dentist’s driveway
KRABI: The driver of a Mazda 2 escaped serious injury last night when her three-year-old hatchback burst into flames as she pulled into her driveway. Nattira Phumchat, 27, a dentist at Krabi Hospital, was arriving home from the market in Krabi Town at around 8pm, when smoke began billowing out from under the car’s hood. “I stopped the car 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.
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.