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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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Dog stuck in mud, rescued after storm in Phang Nga
A dog in Phang Nga has been pulled out from mud near a canal yesterday following rain on the weekend. It has been named ‘Pabuk’. Paweena Thongsap, a nurse, has reported to rescue workers that she found a weak dog in mud near a canal in Phang Nga city. Officers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phang Nga…
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Leather back turtle egg nest on Phang Nga beach safe after Pabuk
PHOTOS: DMCR The leather back sea turtle eggs found on a Phang Nga Beach in Tai Mueang a few weeks ago have been checked and they are safe after last Friday and Saturday’s bad weather. About 80-100 eggs were found after a leather back sea turtle laid eggs on the beach in Tai Mueang, Phang Nga last month. Read more about…
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Blacktip reef sharks found at Phuket seafood restaurant
PHOTO: Sunshine Sketcher There are now two reliable places you can see Blacktip Reef Sharks – off the shores of Maya Bay and hanging in front of a restaurant in Karon. Two blacktip reef sharks been discovered hanging in front of a seafood restaurant at Karon Beach. A facebook user name ‘Sunshine Sketcher’ today posted a photo with the message read…
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Tourists surge back to Chalong Pier and out to the islands
Chalong Pier has been back to normal today following the lifting of the ban on boats leaving port last night. The busy tourist pier this morning saw many travellers heading off to the islands again. Yesterday the Phuket Marine Office announced that after midnight (January 6) all boats were allowed to head back to sea after a ban on travel…
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City by the Bay – Laguna Phuket’s urbanisation
by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com If you were going to play a soundtrack to this story, perhaps it could be started off best with the 80’s hit “We Built This City”. If you toured the Laguna Phuket area in the year the song charted in 1985, the area was an eerie lunar landscape of a former tin mining domain. Today the…
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Overloaded pickup truck rolls off road into Rawai jungle
An overloaded pickup truck has rolled down into off-road jungle in Rawai today. The pickup driver sustained only minor injuries. The Chalong Police were notified of the incident on Patak Road in Soi Suksan 1, Rawai at 10.50am today. Patrol police and emergency responders arrived to find a damaged pickup truck head-long into a tree 10 metres from the roadside.…
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Pabuk: Floods and blackouts along southern Gulf coast as storm moves away
• Floods and blackouts have left nearly 30,000 people in evacuation shelters across southern Thailand • Relieved tourists stranded on islands further north were spared the worst and are now working on continuing their journeys • Pabuk packed winds of up to 75 kph (45 mph) and brought heavy rains and storm surges as it lashed the much of the southern…
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Pabuk: ‘War room’ set up to help tourists
The Sports and Tourism Ministry has set up a war room to assist the many tourists whose plans were thrown into confusion in the wake of tropical storm Pabuk. The Government and authorities took extra precautions, closing airports and marine tourism, in preparedness to minimise potential danger to tourists as Pabuk approached. Santi Pawai, deputy permanent-secretary of the Tourism and…
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Pabuk: Now sits over Andaman Sea, moving west
The south of Thailand awakes this morning to a wet and windy aftermath of tropical storm Pabuk. The storm centre has crossed the Peninsula and now sits west of Phang Nga province as it weakens and continues to move westerly away from the coast. Gale-force winds, storm surges and flash flooding are still predicted as the remnants of the weakening…
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Phuket Airport announces delayed or canceled flights – Pabuk
Sixteen flights from three airways heading to Phuket have been delayed or canceled due to storm ‘Pabuk’ today. Pilot Officer Thanee Chuangchoo, General Manager of Phuket International Airport, says, “There has been a total of 16 flights from Bangkok Airways, Juneyao Airlines and Hainan Airlines which have been either canceled or delayed.” The Bangkok Airways flights into Phuket were all scheduled…
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Pabuk: 2,000 tourists on Koh Phi Phi moved to Krabi mainland
PHOTOS: Krabi PR Office About 2,000 tourists on Phi Phi Island moved up on land. Some are Phuket tourists who are currently unable to return to the island due to the ban on boats leaving port. The Ao Nang Tourist Police say that lots of tourists from Phi Phi Island have been arriving at a pier in Krabi City as…
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120 foreign tourists being brought back from Koh Racha – Pabuk
PHOTOS: The Phuket PR Office A boat, organised by officials, is bringing back 120 foreign tourists who have been visiting Koh Racha. The Phuket Governor Governor Phakkaphong Tavipatana says, “Officials have been notified that 120 foreign tourists were stuck on Koh Racha. A boat from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Phuket Office was sent this morning to pick…
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Pabuk: Ships ‘must’ remain at shore – Phuket Governor
Phuket’s Governor Phakkaphong Tavipatana has issued an official warning that ships ‘must’ remain on shore in every district connecting to the Andaman Sea in Phuket. Governor Phakkaphong says, “The warning notifications are for controlling, taking care, precaution, reducing risk and preventing an avoidable disaster off the coast of Phuket.” “For maintaining national security, peace, life and property, Phuket applies the…
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Pabuk: Friday awakes with the storm surging up the Gulf coastline
30,000 people are estimated to have been evacuated from coastal districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat whilst some tourists are taking precautions of leaving the Gulf holiday islands, airports close, boats remain at mooring and schools are shut. Thailand’s southern Gulf coast prepares for winds up to 95kph, heavy downpours and floods. From Nakhon Si Thammarat up to Chumpon provinces, emergency…
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Krabi boats banned from leaving ports due to storm ‘Pabuk’
PHOTOS: Krabi PR Office Krabi ferries and tour boats are being banned from leaving port while some national parks are being closed for tourist safety with the approaching tropical storm ‘Pabuk’. The Krabi PR Office is reporting that the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Krabi Office has issued an order that bans fishing boats, passenger boats and speed boats…
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Pabuk: Koh Phi Phi travellers stranded
Koh Phi Phi officials have cancelled all ferry services to and from the island as of today as a precaution in light of the tropical storm Pabuk approaching the Malay Peninsula. Tourists who are now on Phi Phi will have to stay there until the boats are allowed to leave port again, probably Sunday. Krabi Tourist Police say that all…
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Pabuk: Phuket Airport, ready for the approaching storm
FILE PHOTO Travellers passing through Phuket International Airport in the next few days are being urged to check their flights. Phuket is bracing for some poor weather and heavy unseasonal rains brought on by tropical storm Pabuk. The storm is likely to make landfall in the Gulf island of Koh Samui before heading to Chumpon where it is likely to…
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No restriction on tourist numbers visiting Similan Island for three months
The Phuket Administrative Court has issued a temporary order for the Similan Islands. The order overturns a recent restriction on tourist numbers on the island for three months. Yesterday the Phuket Administrative Court ruled to temporarily stop the restriction of tourist numbers visiting the Similan Island from January 1 to March 31. The President of Similan Surin Tour Operators, Nipon…
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Phuket ‘Seven Days of Danger ‘ – final toll of six deaths
PHOTO: Sad death of a one month old in an accident on Thepkasttri Road, four days ago According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Phuket Office, the island registered 4 accidents, 5 injuries and zero deaths on the final day (January 2) of the annual seven day road and marine safety campaign – the Seven…
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PABUK: Latest information on the path of the storm across the Gulf
Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has designated six seaside districts of the central southern coast province as disaster zones and ordered the evacuation of residents by tonight. The evacuations are a safety precaution he said. He says that all schools in these districts will be closed today, while schools in the main city area of Nakhon Si Thammarat will…
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Power cuts scheduled for parts of Phuket
Power is scheduled to be shut-off in Phuket Town and in Thalang this week, according to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). A power outage is scheduled from 9am to 4.30pm on Saturday for part of Phuket Town on Phang Nga Road. Another power cut will be in Thalang this Friday from 9am to 4.30pm. Areas to be effected are Baan Thai…
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“Pabuk” heads towards southern provinces
An unseasonal, and quite unusual, tropical depression is heading towards southern shores including all Thai provinces south of Phetchaburi. The Thai Meteorological Department is issuing regular warnings about the storm’s progress from the South China Sea and into the southern Gulf of Thailand. “On 2 January 2019, tropical storm “PABUK” over the lower South China Sea located at latitude 6.0…
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Latvian tourist dies after falling from hotel in Karon
A female Latvian tourist has died after falling from the sixth floor of a hotel in Karon yesterday after returning from a New Year party. Karon Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the body of a 29 year old female KRISTINA RESETNIKOVA, a Latvian national, on the ground. Police found no signs of a struggle on…
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Two more dead in Phuket. Day Six “seven days of danger” – Toll reaches 6
According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office, the island registered 18 accidents, 16 injuries and two deaths on Day Six (January 1) of the annual road safety campaign. Total of the six days of the campaign in Phuket is now six dead, already three times last year’s total number of deaths over…
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Unseasonal storms predicted for the South
Southern provinces are under warnings from the Thai Meteorological Department following official notifications yesterday. They’re also predicting that other parts of Thailand will have cooler temperatures during the forecast period. “Downpours and waves up to four metres are expected in the Gulf of Thailand from Thursday, beginning with Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Krabi, Trang…
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Day Five Phuket – ‘seven days of danger’
PHOTO: Karon Police / Kritsada Mueanhawong According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office, the island registered seven accidents and one death on Day Five (December 31) of the annual road safety campaign. Total of the five days of the campaign in Phuket is four deaths. A motorbike driver has died at the scene…
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Happy New Year Thailand!
PHOTO: The Nation The Amazing Thailand Countdown 2019 was held at the new riverside shopping hub Iconsiam last night as a “New Year present” for Thais and tourists. It was a joint venture between the capital’s newest luxury shopping mall and the TAT. Large countdown crowds and fireworks kicked off 2019 at dozens of venues around Thailand, and a bright…
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National death toll rises to 236 – Day Four in the “seven dangerous days”
A total of 236 people have killed and 2,265 others injured in 2,194 road accidents after number were released for the first four days of the New Year holiday period’s “seven dangerous days”. The tally includes deaths and injuries from last Thursday up to Sunday night. Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima had the highest cumulative fatalities of 12 deaths each,…
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Big whale sighted off Phuket – VIDEO
A large whale has been sighted between Koh Racha and Koh Hey, south west of Phuket, yesterday. Specialist believe it might be a Baleen Whale (Bryde’s Whale or Omura Whale). A video clip of the three large mammals has been shared in a LINE group ‘Coral Restoration’ which is an Andaman Sea Conservation network with a message reading “At Koh…
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One death in Phuket on Day Four of ‘seven days of danger’ – Total death toll reaches 3
PHOTO: The Phuket PR Office According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office, the island registered seven accidents and one death on Day Four (December 30) of the annual road safety campaign. Total of the first fours day of the campaign in Phuket is now three deaths. The one death yesterday was an…
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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