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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Thief says he needed money for sick son
PHUKET: A man caught stealing an air-conditioning compressor from a bus in Phuket Town yesterday morning told police that he needed money to pay for medical treatment for his son.Chaiwut Kongkhaoriab, 28, was caught in the act by mechanics at the garage where the bus was parked.Pramoun Jitpakdee, one of the mechanics, said he was fixing the bus when he…
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9 million baht Chalong Circle study underway
PHUKET: A 9-million baht pre-construction study on how to ease traffic congestion at Chalong Circle is underway, with companies considering seven options including several flyovers in addition to underpasses. The yearlong study will analyze traffic flow around Chalong Circle and potential effects of an underpass or flyover on the surrounding environment, said Director of the Phuket Highways Office Samak Luedwonghad.…
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Alleged extortionist re-elected to run Phuket taxi group
PHUKET: “Brother Pom” was re-elected to head the Central Festival Phuket taxi group yesterday, despite facing charges of extortion and using violence to force member-drivers to make payments. The election was part of a move to restructure the taxi rank at Central Festival, the latest step in a campaign to eradicate taxi mafia from Phuket which has the full support…
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Jaran’s hammer: 73-year-old beaten to death across the bay from Phuket
PHUKET: A man confessed to killing his wife with a hammer yesterday because she moved to Krabi to live with her daughter, leaving him alone in the Isarn province of Yasothon for about a year.Jaran Triphoom, 79, was found by police clutching a bouquet of flowers in a rubber plantation hours after the discovery of his wife’s body, said Adisak…
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Phuket flower-seller caught in drain
PHUKET: Heavy rains caused another accident yesterday when a Phuket flower vendor slipped on wet pavement and got his foot stuck in a drain.Unable to dislodge himself, Preecha Petpradab, 36, relied on rescue workers to free him.Mr Preecha was organizing the flowers in front of his shop on Pattana Thongtin Road in Wichit when he tumbled into the drain.Kusoldharm Rescue…
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Central Festival Phuket takes over taxi management
PHUKET: The campaign to eradicate taxi mafias from Phuket took another step yesterday as Central Festival Management agreed to take over the management of taxis at the shopping center. “We want Central Festival to be a model of taxi management for Phuket,” said Maj Natapol Ditsayatham, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Chief Investigator for Phuket. “We want every driver…
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Elephants rescue tourists stranded in Phang Nga jungle
PHUKET: A rescue party of four elephants was dispatched to safely recover 16 tourists stranded in the jungle north of Phuket yesterday after a landslide brought on by torrential rains cut off their return path and the elephants they were riding balked at taking another route.The tourists were on an elephant trek in the hills behind Baan Thung Kamin in…
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Phuket storm pulls down pine tree, power cables
PHUKET: Two women were injured when a pine tree toppled by high winds landed on them as they were riding a motorbike on the Phuket west coast road between Kamala and Cherng Talay yesterday.The tree took down a high-voltage cable as it fell, knocking out power to the nearby area but [the high-voltage cable did] not harming the women.Police responding…
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Phuket Police officer beaten in mass brawl as suspect resists arrest
PHUKET: Police in Cherng Talay are on the lookout for an unknown number of suspects after a senior officer was badly beaten and a squad of at least five other policemen suffered minor injuries while attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Monday. Cherng Talay Deputy Superintendent Sommai On-khum regained consciousness at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town on Monday…
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Phuket taxi cartel head arrested, denies extortion charges
PHUKET: The head of the group of taxis operating out of Central Festival Phuket and his brother have denied using physical violence to extort money from fellow taxi drivers operating at the renowned shopping mall. Pom Sukkasam, 42, and his brother Sern Sukkasam, 52, were arrested by Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers on Sunday and taken to Bangkok, where they…
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Corpse with distinctive tattoo washes up twice
PHUKET: The body of a man first spotted floating in the sea near Koh Taphao Yai on Sunday was recovered yesterday when it reappeared 25km away off Koh Racha Yai.Residents on Koh Taphao Island notified authorities when they saw the body, but after Marine Police arrived, they were unable to locate it. The body was seen again yesterday off the…
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Phuket staffer wanted for slashing manager at shopping mall
PHUKET: Chalong Police this morning are seeking an arrest warrant for a staffer at the popular expat shopping mall HomePro Village near Chalong Circle (map here) after he slashed his supervisor with a knife last night. The incident arose from an altercation between the employee and his supervisor at one of the stores in the mall, Chalong Police Lt Kraisorn…
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Si Racha’s Blue Marlins take a big bite out of Phuket FC
PHUKET: Every season since getting promoted to the Yamaha League One (YL1), Phuket FC has had a devastating off-day; in the 2011 season, it was their 7-0 away-loss to Buriram; last year, it happened twice on the road – in their 6-0 loss to PTT Rayong and 5-1 loss to Saraburi. Last Saturday the Islanders experienced another such day –…
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Phuket lifeguards ordered to pull down ‘unsightly’ beach station
PHUKET: Karon Municipality has decided to remove the Phuket lifeguard stand on Karon Beach on the grounds that it is unsightly and not fit for use.“Karon municipality officers led by Karon Deputy Mayor Ittiporn Singkaew have inspected the lifeguard station. It does not look nice and it is not well organized,” Karon Municipality Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Weerasak Anekwongsawat explained.“We…
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Phuket murder trial: Girlfriend recounts night Aldhouse stabbed US Marine Dashawn Longfellow
PHUKET: A witness in the Lee Aldhouse murder trial provided shocking testimony on Friday afternoon. Following the arrival in court, 10 minutes late, of a grim-faced Aldhouse, a female Thai witness explained that she was the girlfriend of the victim, US Marine Dashawn Longfellow, at the time of his death. She then gave her account of how a seemingly ordinary…
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Celebrity Thai designer dies after Phuket beach rescue
PHUKET: One of Thailand’s best-known graphic designers, Pharuephon “Tum” Mukdasanit, was pronounced dead at Bangkok Hospital Phuket this morning after being pulled from the surf by lifeguards at Kata Beach on Saturday. Mr Pharuephon, known to his many youthful fans by the moniker “Mamafaka”, was pronounced dead at 2:50am, a hospital medic told the Phuket Gazette. He was set to…
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Phuket town hit by flash flood after three-hour downpour
PHUKET: Many parts of Phuket Town were briefly underwater yesterday in the wake of a ferocious three-hour morning rainstorm.A number of roads were flooded and the Bang Yai Canal threatened to burst its banks.Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut and Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana led officials to inspect Bang Yai Canal’s alarming water levels near the Standard Chartered Intersection in the…
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Phuket beach safety hits tide of resistance
PHUKET: A move by the Phuket Marine Office to enforce a 5-knot speed limit for all boats in Phuket is meeting strong resistance from parasail operators at Patong Beach. Enforcement of the boat speed limit is aimed at boosting water safety in the wake of a Chinese honeymooner being rendered comatose in a collision between a parasail boat and the…
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Patong Beach water quality tests to take another two weeks
PHUKET: The results of water quality tests conducted on samples collected from Patong Bay amid an “algae bloom” on August 23 will not be available for at least another two weeks, the Phuket Gazette has been told. The news flies in the face of comments made by Phuket’s leading environment officer, Dr Pornsri Suthanaruk, director of the Phuket-based Regional Environmental…
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Phuket to push for higher taxi fares, despite Bangkok opposition
PHUKET: Phuket officials plan to ask for permission to raise the standard rates charged by metered taxis on the island despite the announcement by the Minister of Transport yesterday that no taxi fares would be raised anywhere in Thailand. “We believe that when Transport Minister Chatchart Sitthipan hears why we want to increase the fares, he may make an exception…
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Phuket officials, business figures unite to fight graft
PHUKET: A network of six influential private and government bodies this morning announced its intention to fight corruption throughout Phuket, amid concern over alarming levels of graft across the island.The network includes members of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, Phuket Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Federation of Thai Industries Phuket Chapter, Phuket Tourist Association, Thai Hotels Association (Southern Chapter)…
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Phuket Police close in on shooter of Russian tourist
PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Court has issued an arrest warrant for the man believed to have shot Russian tourist Maksim Klocskov in Rawai on August 17. “The suspect we are seeking is Narongsak Saelim, 21,” said Lt Col Jumroon Plaidoung of the Chalong Police. Mr Klockskov was shot in the back when a bullet aimed at the car he was riding…
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Patong tuk-tuk drivers lodge second complaint about illegal tuk-tuk drivers
PHUKET: Patong tuk-tuk drivers yesterday filed their second complaint with the governor about illegal tuk-tuks operating in Patong and stealing their jobs. The drivers asked for an update on the complaint they filed on June 26 (story here) and noted that the numbers of illegal drivers continues to increase. “On June 26, we filed a complaint to Governor Maitri Inthusut…
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Phuket Town parents protest planned closures at municipal school
PHUKET: More than 500 concerned parents have protested the proposed closure of the kindergarten and primary sections at Plookpanya School in the heart of Phuket Town. Phuket City Municipality is justifying the closures on the grounds that they are needed to streamline the area’s schooling. The first stop for the protesters, led by Plookpanya Parents Association President Teerapol Limchoo, was…
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DSI lands windfall in Phuket illegal taxi fines, no cars seized
PHUKET: Efforts to rein in illegal taxi drivers in Phuket has landed a windfall 868,000 baht in fines since the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) opened its anti-organized crime centers in Phuket on August 10.The fines were garnered when officers stopped and fined illegal taxi drivers 434 times at six checkpoints across the island from August 10-29, Lt Col Somboon…
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Phuket Prison officer busted for drugs in Bangkok
PHUKET: A Phuket Prison officer who taught inmates new life skills to use after their release was arrested for drug possession in Bangkok on Tuesday.Thanawit Puangnoi, 56, was arrested after Nonthaburi Provincial Police received a tip-off that a man would pick up drugs in the neighborhood around Jan Temple in Bang Kruai District.Officers staking out the neighborhood saw Mr Thanawit…
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Phuket Police on guard to face angry rubber farmers
PHUKET: Officers of the Phuket Police assisting local officers to guard the Surat Thani Airport against farmers protesting rubber prices say airport operations are continuing normally. A contingent of 155 Phuket police officers has been at the airport since Monday, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayuth Karachedi told the Phuket Gazette. “So far, no flights have been affected,” he said.…
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Australian tourist dies after severe asthma attack invokes seizure
PHUKET: A 51-year-old Australian woman found dead in her Phuket hotel room on Tuesday morning reportedly died after suffering a seizure brought on by a severe asthma attack, police have told the Phuket Gazette.Tracey Ann Walton from Australia was found dead in her guest room at a Patong Beach resort early yesterday morning. Hotel staff made the discovery and promptly…
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Phuket Police baffled over Bang Tao beach bar blaze
PHUKET: A small bar at Bang Tao beach was burned to the ground late on Tuesday, with no explanation thus far for the blaze.On hearing about the fire shortly before midnight, firefighters and police officers rushed to the scene.“When we arrived, we found the bar – which apparently had no name – ablaze. Despite the modest size of the bar,…
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Phuket Romance: Man stabbed to death in feud over girlfriend
PHUKET: A 20-year-old determined to hold on to his girlfriend was stabbed to death by his romantic rival in Cherng Talay on Tuesday evening.Police arrived at the scene to find a crowd of onlookers and a pool of blood; Autthapon “Adam” Kahapana, 19, had already been rushed to Thalang Hospital.Iyara “Rudy” Puttaraksa, 20, had fled, but was soon found by…
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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