Phuket News
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HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana passes away
BANGKOK (Nation): After months of receiving treatment for cancer, HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana’s condition deteriorated last night and she passed away 2.54 am this morning. She was 84.The Princess had been receiving treatment for cancer at Siriraj Hospital for months. Well-wishers had flocked to the hospital since the news spread that she was admitted.The Princess is the elder sister of…
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Phuket holiday road toll: 5 dead in 4 days
PHUKET: Figures issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) for the first four days of the “seven days of danger” holiday road-safety campaign put the death toll from accidents in Phuket at five, including two foreigners.A total of 43 accidents were reported during the period that ended at midnight last night, with 48 people suffering injuries requiring…
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Protesters rally against third Tesco
WICHIT: Some 50 protesters gathered at Phuket Provincial Office on December 26 to protest the construction of a new Tesco-Lotus branch on Chao Fa East Rd, which if completed would become the retail juggernaut’s third branch on the island.The protesters, some of whom are vendors at the Moom Muang market near the proposed project site, converged at Provincial Hall about…
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Tossaporn’s win under investigation
PHUKET: The Election Commission (EC) in Bangkok has accepted for investigation one complaint of electoral fraud against Tossaporn Thepabutr, one of the two Democrat Party candidates elected to represent Phuket in parliament in a landslide win in the December 23 general election. Phuket Election Committee (PEC) investigation officer Ratchapon Thongnuengarm confirmed yesterday that the EC had ordered him to collect…
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Windsurfers prepare for Phuket championship
PHUKET: The Eastern Windsurfing Club (EWC) is teaming up with the Windsurfing Association of Thailand and the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand to present Thailand’s first international windsurfing rally championship from January 15 to 20.Competitors will race along the west coast of Phuket.The first day of racing, January 16, will take place from Nai Yang Beach to Surin Beach. On the second day,…
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Wife comatose after severe beating
PATONG: A 37-year-old woman is clinging to life at Vachira Phuket Hospital after her enraged husband of 20 years allegedly beat her over the head with a dumbbell early yesterday morning.Pol Lt Col Serm Kwannimit identified the victim as Dawan Harnsena, a native of Nongkhai and long-time Patong resident.After questioning the victim’s younger sister, police learned that Dawan’s likely assailant…
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“No water shortage in 2008,’ says Phuket waterworks chief
PHUKET CITY: An unusually wet December has kept Bang Wad reservoir in Kathu filled to capacity, while forecasts for continuing rainfall through March mean there is little reason to worry about water shortages in 2008, the head of the provincial waterworks authority said yesterday.Reporting to Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit at the monthly Phuket Provincial Security Council meeting at the Katina…
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Chef scorched in Patong gas explosion
PATONG: The chef at a newly opened restaurant on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd suffered first- and second-degree burns to 40% of his body after a cooking gas cylinder exploded on Wednesday morning.Pol Capt Jongserm Preecha of the Kathu Police told the Gazette that he received a report at 8 am that there was an explosion at Patong Corner Restaurant, on…
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Corpse washes up at Tah Chat Chai
TAH CHAT CHAI: Police are trying to identify a body that washed up on Tah Chat Chai Beach about 2:30 pm yesterday.Pol Lt Damrong Songchuoy, of Tah Chat Chai Police Station, said the body, now at Thalang Hospital, appears to be that of an Asian man, probably in his 40s.“There were no wounds or abrasions to indicate the man had…
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Tsunami victims remembered
PATONG: About 200 people took part in a memorial service at Loma Park this morning to mark the third anniversary of the 2004 tsunami disaster.The event, which began at 10 am, included a food and alms offering to 108 monks who spent an hour praying for those who perished.Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha opened the service, which was organized jointly by…
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Two die in bypass junction smash
PHUKET CITY: Two people have died after a high-speed collision between a motorbike and a pickup truck at the Tesco-Lotus intersection on the bypass road this morning.Patthama Jiewluan, a high-school student at Phuket Wittayalai School in Phuket City, died at the scene.Jirapan Chanchaivej, the driver of the pickup, died later at hospital.Lt Theeradet Jiraksa of Phuket City Police Station, who…
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Work begins on new retail center on bypass road
WICHIT: Amid rumors that a new shopping mall is under construction opposite Central Festival Phuket on the bypass road, the Gazette has learned that a new branch of homeWorks, a complete home decoration and building supplies subsidiary of retailing giant Central, is slated for the site.Work began recently on the large plot behind Darasamuth School, with trucks working day and…
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Democrats cruise to Phuket victory
PHUKET CITY: On a day when over 74% of registered voters in the province made it to the polls, official results from yesteday’s general election saw Democrat Party candidates Rewat Areerob and Tossaporn Thepabutr winning both of Phuket’s two constituency MP seats by huge margins. Also, two-time constituency MP Chalermlak Kebsup-Democrat will likely return to parliament as a party list…
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Security guard, 26, murdered in Kamala
KAMALA: Police are investigating the murder of a security guard found beaten and shot to death outside a room at an apartment building in Kamala on Saturday afternoon.Duty Officer Pol Lt Chaiyapong Thamasurin of the Kamala Police identified the victim as 26-year-old Jirasak Khundamri, who was employed as a security guard by a private firm in Cherng Talay. He was…
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Democrats file complaint against smear campaign
PHUKET CITY: On the eve of the national general election yesterday, Democrat Party MP candidates for Phuket Tossaporn Thepabutr and Rewat Areerob on Saturday handed a petition to the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) complaining that leaflets attacking them have been distributed around the island in violation of election law.The pair of political hopefuls handed the complaint and a copy of…
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Luangpoo Supha, 114, blesses “safe teddies’
CHALONG: Phuket Vice-Governor Tri Augkaradacha traveled to Wat Luang Phu Supha Saturday morning to present 2,000 “Nong Prodpai” (“safe sister bear”) teddy bears for blessing by revered monk Luangpoo Supha.The teddy bears are to be distributed to motorists at police checkpoints during the “seven days of danger” period, from December 28 to January 3.Luangpoo Supha, who is reputed to be…
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Phuket welcomes first Estonia charter flight
MAI KHAO: The first charter flight from Tallinn in the Republic of Estonia to Phuket touched down at Phuket International Airport on December 19.At 8 pm, a group of 220 Finnish and Estonian tourists arrived in Phuket aboard a Boeing 757-200 operated by Air Finland.The tourists were welcomed by members of the local press, Phuket International Airport Deputy Director Yutthana…
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DDPM-Phuket announces road-safety campaign
PHUKET CITY: In its annual attempt to limit road carnage over the holiday period, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) will once again organize a multi-agency effort to promote safe driving during the “seven days of danger” period, from December 28 to January 3.DDPM-Phuket Chief Chotenarin Kerdsom said in an official DDPM-Phuket press release the annual migration of…
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Ya bah bust in Thalang
THALANG: During a sting operation near the Heroines’ Monument yesterday, Phuket Provincial Police special investigations unit arrested a Thalang man for possession of 400 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills with intent to sell.Lt Anukul Nukate of Thalang Police explained that undercover police arranged to meet Surachai Maimad, 29, at 3 pm on Srisoonthorn Rd [Route 4025] to buy the pills for…
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Couple arrested, 2000 pills seized in ya bah bust
THALANG: Thalang Police made two arrests and confiscated about 2,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills on December 13, said Maj Anukul Nuket of Thalang Police Station.The arrests were made after an undercover police officer posing as a buyer arranged to buy 400 ya bah pills for 90,000 baht from Sitthichai Prasit, 20, a native of Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province, and Kanjana…
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Strong turnout for absentee vote
PHUKET: There was a strong voter turnout in advance polling for the December 23 general election, with 25,956 voters from around the country making their way to Phuket Community Hall on December 15 and 16 to cast absentee ballots in their home constituencies. Phuket Election Commission (PEC) Director Supap Akkam told the Gazette that the turnout exceeded 85% of the…
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Tsunami memorial services
PHUKET-PHANG NGA: To mark the third anniversary of the Asian tsunami on December 26, a number of services will be held throughout the region. In Patong, there will a merit-making ceremony at Loma Park involving 108 Buddhist monks, along with speeches and a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims, from 10 am to 10:30 am.Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit…
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Woman dies in cliff-side tumble
THALANG (Kom Chad Luek, Gazette): Police have ruled as accidental the death of a 20-year-old woman who fell 20 meters down a seaside cliff near Nai Thon Beach yesterday morning while she was on a motorcycle tour of the island with friends.Lt Col Somkid Khaosang of Tah Chat Chai police station identified the deceased as Savittree Pinmuang, from Nong Bua…
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Land acquisition funds approved for Chalong dam
CHALONG: Some 160 million baht for the final land acquisition for the Klong Krata reservoir project has been approved and landowners will receive compensation payments within two months.News that the funding had been made available under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives was reported during a project update meeting chaired by Phuket Vice-Governor Smith Palawatwichai at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday…
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Frenchman dies in mystery fall
PATONG: A Frenchman died at Patong Hospital in the early hours of this morning after falling off a bar stool and banging his head early last night.Kathu Police Superintendent Pol Col Grissak Songmoonnark identified the deceased as Gros Laurent, who had been drinking happily with friends at Tiger Entertainment Complex on Soi Bangla. After consuming two beers at the venue,…
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Supreme Court upholds SorPorKor ruling
PHUKET CITY: (Nation/Gazette): The Supreme Court yesterday confirmed an appellate decision to evict members of the Tantiwit family from a 69-rai plot designated for landless farmers in Kathu.“The national-land-reform [SorPorKor] program is reserved for farmers. Non-farming individuals are not qualified to utilize land-reform plots,” the High Court said in its verdict, read out at the Phuket Provincial Court Building.The Supreme…
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Gambling tops crime stats
PHUKET: Gambling topped the latest crime statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police, with 228 arrests in November.Drug-related cases accounted for 109 arrests, of which 49 involved ya bah (methamphetamine) with a total of 3,170.5 pills seized.Twenty-seven people were arrested for the use of cannabis, with 9.2 kilograms confiscated. There were 15 arrests for inhalant abuse and nine for possession of…
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Three years on: Phuket marks tsunami anniversary
PATONG: Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) is organizing Light Up Phuket on December 26 to mark the third anniversary of the tsunami tragedy in 2004.More than 100,000 candles will be lit along the three-kilometer stretch of sand at Patong Beach.At 10:50 am, 108 monks will pray during a ceremony at Loma Park, Patong.Candles will be placed in the sand on…
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Democrats hit back
PHUKET: A lawyer representing the two Democrat Party candidates running in the December 23 general election has filed a complaint with the Phuket Election Commission (PEC) against a local Thai-language newspaper Siang Tai and several opposition candidates.Alleging numerous violations of the 2007 Election Act, the lawyer has asked the PEC to ban three candidates from political activities for one year…
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Home blaze in Koh Kaew
KOH KAEW: A house near Muslim Wittaya Phuket School in Koh Kaew caught fire early in the evening of December 9, causing damages estimated at 500,000 baht. No injuries were reported.Phuket City Police Duty OfficerPol Lt Somchai Noobun described the gutted dwelling as a one-story property in a small soi near the school. He identified the homeowner as Amarin Phinyo,…
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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