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 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
-
Police hunt for Kamala rapist
KAMALA: Kamala police are searching for a Thai man accused of raping a 23-year-old French tourist in the early hours of December 7. Police declined to release the name of the suspect.Pol Maj Monsak Srisuwan, the Duty Inspector at Kamala Police Station, said that the woman, a waitress in France who was in Phuket on holiday, told police that about…
-
Gov launches New Year road-safety campaign
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit held a meeting of provincial office chiefs yesterday to officially launch the provincial government’s road-safety campaign for the New Year holiday period from December 28 to January 3.As part of the campaign, the Phuket Provincial Office of Disaster and Mitigation (ODPM) has set a target of no more than three deaths and 39 people injured…
-
Police trace DNA in Friendship Beach murder
RAWAI: The case originally described by police as a daylight rape-murder at Friendship Beach is being reexamined, as police found no trace of a struggle near the body of motorbike taxi driver Tada Sa-nguansak.Police report that they have sent DNA samples found at the scene to Bangkok for DNA tests against potential suspects. So far two suspects have been cleared.K.…
-
TAT announces Tsunami Day memorial services
PATONG: The Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced the following program of events that will be held at Patong Beach on December 26 in remembrance of the tsunami.9:30 am Visitors and guests assemble at Loma Park, Patong Beach.9:45 am Address by Patong Mayor Pian Keesin.9:50 am Tsunami Day memorial service, a merit-making ceremony for guests to…
-
Teenage gang arrested for highway robbery
PHUKET CITY: Phuket City Police have arrested nine teens aged between 13 and 18, including two females, for armed robbery.The youths, allegedly members of a violent gang, are accused of using weapons to threaten 12 motorbike drivers to hand over their vehicles and valuables late at night.The teens allegedly used machetes and axes to rob drivers in Phuket City, Chalong,…
-
Dane released after road rampage
CHALONG: Lars Anders Olov Persson, 45, from Denmark, has been released on bail after being charged with auto theft, reckless driving and destruction of government and private property caused during a road rampage in a stolen a pickup truck last Wednesday morning.Persson hit more than a dozen motorcycles, a number of pedestrians and caused extensive damage to other vehicles.He was…
-
Minimum wage raised
PHUKET: The Ministry of Labor has announced a five-baht increase in the minimum wage in Phuket, from 181 baht to 186 baht a day, with effect from January 1.Dacha Praikpatanarak, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Labor Office (PPLO), said the Ministry of Labor announced the new minimum wage rates for all provinces and Bangkok on October 30.The ruling was issued…
-
Brit drowns off Kata beach
KATA: David Jeremy Cowen, 34, from the UK, drowned while snorkeling off Kata Beach on December 10.His body was found by a fisherman at 9:50 pm, who brought him to shore and contacted the police.Pol Lt Col Chokechai Suthimek, of Chalong Police Station, said that police presume that Cowen was knocked unconscious after being thrown onto rocks by waves while…
-
Tourists suffer Immigration delays at airport
MAI KHAO: Despite having 60 Immigration officers stationed at Phuket International Airport, travelers landing on the island are having to suffer lengthy delays in being cleared through Immigration.Pol Col Surasak Authapanyawanich, Superintendent of Immigration at PIA, explained to the Gazette that the long delays are the result of a surge in the number of passengers from 3,000 a day this…
-
Footballer beaten to death in Rawai
RAWAI: A fisherman and promising amateur footballer was beaten to death by a gang of young men while he was on his way home from a party in Rawai early yesterday morning.Police named the victim as 21-year-old Santi Naunyai, known locally as “Ai Boy”, who had gained a reputation in the local soccer league as a promising young player.Pol Lt…
-
Fraud on the rise in Phuket
PHUKET: While gambling remains Phuket’s top vice, white-collar crime seems to be on the rise with 14 cases of fraud reported with five arrests made, and 10 cases of embezzlement with two arrests made.From November 1 to 30, 188 people were arrested for gambling offenses with 39 of those coming from the sale of illegal lottery tickets.Three murders were reported,…
-
El Nino increases risk of Phuket forest fires
PHUKET: The Phuket Environmental Health Center has issued a warning that global weather changes resulting from El Nino and increased global pollution will increase the risk of forest fires on the island during the coming dry season.Ongart Chanacharnmongkol, Director of the Phuket Environmental Health Center, said, “We will be at the greatest risk of forest fires than we have been…
-
Four undersea volcanoes discovered off Phuket
PHUKET (The Nation): A team of Thai and German marine geologists have discovered four volcanoes under the sea about 200 kilometers from Phuket, the team leader announced yesterday.Dr Anon Sanitwong na Ayutthaya of Chulalongkorn University headed a 15-day survey that ended on December 6. It was conducted with support from the German government and from the National Marine Geology Institute…
-
Drumstick wins King’s Cup after protest
KATA: After five days of racing, Toby O’Connell’s Dhevatara Drumstick won the 20th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta today after a protest.Three-time King’s Cup winner Neil Pryde protested against the race committee after the wrong flag was put on one of the marks on the course as the Racing 1 class results went down to the wire.Pryde’s boat Hi Fi finished…
-
PIMEX back on show at Boat Lagoon
KOH KAEW: The 2006 Phuket International Marine Expo (PIMEX) is underway at Phuket Boat Lagoon marina.PIMEX, which this year has already attracted 4,000 visitors, boasts more than 50 boats, including 20 berthed in the water, from more than 100 international boating brands. The boats range in price from US$10,000, for a rigid inflatable, to US$50,000 for a small run-about, to US$1 million for…
-
Officials buoyant about tsunami buoy test success
CAPE PANWA: The Deep-Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis II (DART2) tsunami-detection buoy – now anchored about 1,100 kilometers off the the west of Phuket, near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands – has been tested and found to be functioning properly, broadcasting readings of seabed water pressure to research centers onshore.MV Seafdec, the Royal Thai Navy vessel responsible for deploying…
-
Island matriarch passes away
PHUKET: Khunying Kanchana Na Ranong died about 1 pm yesterday after suffering a heart attack at a Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok. She was 84.A well-known and much-respected figure on the island, Khunying Kanchana was Chairwoman of the Pearl Group of Companies, which includes the Indigo Pearl resort at Nai Yang, Toyota Pearl Co and the Pearl Hotel in Phuket City.She…
-
87 Burmese arrested off Koh Racha Yai
PHUKET: Marine Police have arrested 87 Burmese nationals who were discovered in the hold of an old wooden boat about eight nautical miles west of Koh Racha Yai.Police said that they believe the Burmese, several of whom were in their early teens, were on their way to find work in Phuket’s fishing industry.Following a tip-off, Marine Police patrol vessel Tor…
-
Phang Nga politician escapes Phuket assassination attempt
RASSADA: A Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President from Phang Nga survived what appeared to be a bungled attempt on his life on December 2, after he wrestled the gun away from his would-be assassin at the Phuket Rajabhat University campus.Pol Maj Sarit Butnongsang told the Gazette that 41-year-old Sunit Vorakit, President of OrBorTor Tai Muang, reported to Phuket City Police…
-
TAT blamed for inaction on illegal Korean guides
PHUKET: An angry crowd of some 25 Thai tour guides and travel agents marched on Phuket Provincial Hall on November 30, demanding government action over Korean tour guides working illegally in the province.Some members of the group carried signs demanding that Suwalai Pinpradab, Director of Tourism Authority of Thaliand’s Southern Region 4 office, step down to take responsibility for the…
-
Durian set to dump deluge on Phuket
PHUKET: The Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) today warned that Tropical Depression Durian is likely to cause heavy rain in Phang Nga and Ranong, with lesser rain in Phuket and other nearby provinces. The center has urged people in “at-risk” areas – those areas prone to flooding and landslides – to prepare for the deluge.The statement, released by the center…
-
Regatta fleet pays homage to HM The King with spectacular sail-past
KATA: There was a spectacular start to the second day of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta today when the record fleet of 101 yachts lined up and sailed past the Royal Thai Navy starting boat to pay tribute to His Majesty the King of Thailand – the regatta’s Royal patron – on his 79th birthday before the start of the…
-
Jelik draws first blood in King’s Cup
PHUKET: Frank Pong of China skippered his 75-foot yacht Jelik to first place overall in the hotly-contested Racing class in the opening race of the 20th King’s Cup Regatta today. “We had a great day and crossed the line well in front of the rest of our class, but even with our heavy handicap we managed a first place on…
-
Special panel to probe Chalong explosions
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Niran Kanlayanamit has appointed a special committee to investigate the November 28 bombing of three new homes on disputed land in Chalong.During a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Security Council, Gov Niran said he would like to see the police track down and arrest the people responsible for the blasts as soon as possible.The three improvised…
-
Man dies during Laguna Phuket Triathlon
CHERNG TALAY: The Gazette has confirmed reports that a man died of a heart attack during the Laguna Phuket Triathlon this morning.Laguna has yet to release details of the incident as relatives of the deceased have yet to be notified of the man’s death.Some 1,400 athletes from 40 countries competed individually or in teams in the international event, which has…
-
Bill Clinton commends Phuket sea gypsies
MAI KHAO: Former US President Bill Clinton today visited the small sea gypsy village Hin Look Diow as one of his last acts as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery.Clinton planted a mangrove tree and commended the villagers on their environmentally-friendly practices. The mangrove tree was planted as a part of a Mangroves for the Future initiative…
-
Tsunami buoy on way to deployment site
CAPE PANWA: A ceremony was held yesterday morning to commemorate the launch of the first US-built Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis II (“DART-2”) tsunami-detection system, now aboard the Royal Thai Navy’s MV Seafdec on its way to be deployed at a location in the middle of the Indian Ocean in a few days’ time.The detection system, built by the…
-
Bloody day on Phuket’s roads
PHUKET: Four people, including three 11-year-old boys, were killed in two separate road accidents on Monday.The first accident occurred about 7:30 pm, when three boys on a motorcycle and a sedan collided head-on in front of Andavana Spa, on Thepprathan Rd, Koh Sireh.The driver, Channarong Sadimin, and one of his passengers, Suriyapong Premjaroen, died at the scene.The third boy, Piyapong…
-
Kathu woman brutally slain
KATHU: A 40-year-old woman died of multiple stab wounds to the body, head and throat, inflicted by an intruder who forced his way into her home near Tung Tong Market early Monday morning.Pol Lt Col Passakorn Sonthikul of Tung Tong Police Station said that the murder was reported about 8 am on Monday by Thavorn “Pae Lian” Kajkla, who identified…
-
New Phuket Vice-Governors appointed
PHUKET CITY: Two new Vice-Governors will take up their posts on the island on December 4. On the same day, current Phuket Vice-Governor Pongsak Plaivaj will be transferred to Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, where he will serve as a Vice-Governor.The two new Vice-Governors will be Tri Augkaradacha, promoted from Roi-Et Provincial Chief Administrative Officer, and Smith Palawatvichai, currently serving as…
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.