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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Water trucks asked not to cross Patong Hill on Songkran day
PHOTOS: Patong Municipality Water truck operators will be asked to stop delivering water by crossing the notorious Patong Hill on April 13 (Songkran Day). The announcement was issued by Patong Traffic Police Chief Lt Col Lert Pokhwang. The statement says, “April 13 will be Songkran Day. There will be many road users on that day which heightens the risk of…
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Sacred waters begin their journey to Bangkok for Royal Coronation
PHOTOS: Phuket – Kritsada Meuanawong Thailand’s 76 provinces have taken part in a nationwide ceremony to draw sacred water from 108 water sources to be used during the Coronation of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn on May 4. The ceremony began in all provinces at the same time of 11.52am. The only exception was Bangkok where the same ritual will be held on April 12 at the Haw Sastrakhom, inside…
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No foam parties for Songkran
by Suriya Patathayo, Jessada Chantharak Songkran foam parties are being banned this year in the interest of public safety. The announcement today from the national police deputy commissioner Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakan.Chalermkiat says there had been several deaths and injuries by electrocution at foam parties during previous Songkran festivals. Police have also been instructed to provide security at Songkran celebration…
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Russian tourist rescued off Patong Beach
PHOTOS: Patong Surf Life Saving A Russian tourist has been rescued after getting into difficulty while swimming at Patong Beach this morning. Patong Surf Life Saving report that around 10.45am at Patong Beach a Russian tourist was spotted in the water, choking and fighting to stay afloat after being hit by a breaking wave. Lifeguards dived in and brought him…
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False Killer Whales sighted of Koh Similans in Phang Nga – VIDEO
VIDEO: Wow Andaman About ten killer whales have been sited off Koh Similans in the Andaman off the Khao Lak coast this week. Thai Rath reports that tour guides from the Wow Andaman Tour were on a speedboat with tourists in the morning at Koh Similans this week. They say they sighted about ten False Killer Whales near the boat. The…
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Motorcyclist dies after slamming into power pole in Wichit – VIDEO
A male motorcyclist has died instantly after trying to overtake a minivan and colliding with a power pole in Witchit this morning. Wichit Police report that they were notified of the incident in Soi Thep Anusorn, Wichit at 5.45am this morning. Police and emergency responders arrived to find the body of a man who was later identified as 26 year…
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Man drowns after being washed off rocks in Rawai
A man’s body has been washed up on Nai Harn Beach today after going fishing near the windmill in Rawai. Chalong Police were notified at 10am this morning that the body of the man was found floating near Nai Harn Beach. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the body on the beach where lifeguards had already…
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Phuket launced GPS and ‘Bus Beam’ for local buses
The Phuket Land Transport Office has launched the Global Positioning System (GPS) and ‘Bus Beam’ application for local Phuket buses; Pink bus (Po Thong) and blue bus (Song Thaew). The Chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office Banyat Kantha says, “The Po Thong Bus is a Phuket symbol which was launched since 1967 (52 year ago). Many tourists still love…
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Motorbike driver dies after slamming into parked truck in Phuket
PHOTOS: Kusoldarm Foundation A motorbike driver has died at the scene of the collision in Mai Khao after slamming into the rear of an asphalt truck this morning. The Tha Chatchai Police were notified about the incident on Thepkrasattri Road, northbound in Mai Khao at 7.20am. Police and emergency responders arrived to find the body of a man who was…
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Luxury beachfront suites at The Bay & Beach Club
The Bay & Beach Club boasts luxurious beachfront accommodation in the heart of Patong. Situated right on the soft sands of the beach in an area lined with palm trees, the resort is just a few steps away from the clear waters of the Andaman Sea. The Bay & Beach Club offers luxurious accommodation all designed with the finest contemporary…
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16 Chinese nationals arrested in Phuket over stock market scam
16 Chinese nationals have been arrested in Chalong for allegedly operating an online speculative stock market scam. Their victims are also Chinese. Immigration Bureau Chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn came down from Bangkok to a house on Khwang Road in Chalong where officers arrested the 16 Chinese nationals. During the raid they seized 18 computers, 68 mobile phones, more than…
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Man drowns in Kathu lagoon, Phuket
PHOTOS: Kusoldharm Foundation A man has drowned while fishing in a lagoon in central Phuket yesterday. Kusoldharm rescue workers were notified of the incident at a lagoon in Kathu before noon. Rescue workers arrived to find a body of a man lying on the ground near the lagoon. There were no signs of a struggle on his body. The man was identified…
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Three suspects arrested with drugs in Patong
PHOTOS: Patong Police Patong Police have arrested three suspects with methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine in Patong. All three arrests happened yesterday. Patong Police report that they have arrested a 46 year old man. Police seized 261 methamphetamine pills. Police have als0 arrested a 46 year old woman with 30 methamphetamine pills. And in a third arrest police arrested another…
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Wastewater still flowing into Mudong Canal in Chalong
Officials from the Environment Office Region 15 in Phuket, along with Chalong municipal officials, have inspected the Mudong Canal. Water in the canal flows through villages and markets in Chalong and Wichit before getting to the open sea. Local villagers were complaining that the untreated water caused fish to die and that there was a bad odour all the time.…
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Patong tourist attackers remain in custody – investigation continues
PHOTO: Patong Police Six Patong taxi and tuk tuk driver suspects remain in custody following the assault of a middle eastern tourist. Two video clips of taxi drivers attacking the tourist in Patong went viral in social media last week. Read more about the attack HERE. Six suspects were arrested by Opting Police last week. Read more about their arrests HERE. Patong…
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Patong lifeguard wins first prize in the Thai lottery, 30 million baht
“I will continue doing my job as a lifeguard. I love my job and I am happy with it.” 32 year old Nara Nalack, Patong lifeguard, has won first prize in the bi-weekly national lottery, receiving a prize of 30 million baht. The Thai lottery is announced twice each month (the 1st and 16th of each month). The first prize ticket…
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Big Bike driver dies after slamming into cement truck in Thalang
PHOTOS: Kusoldharm Foundation A big bike driver has died after his bike crashed, at speed, into the back wheels of a cement truck over the weekend in Thalang. Emergency responders were notified of the accident on Thepkrasattri Road, northbound in Thalang at 4.30pm on Saturday. Emergency responders arrived to find the cement truck in the middle of the road. Near…
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Man arrested with 10,000 methamphetamine pills in Thalang checkpoint
A man who was driving a pickup truck has been stopped at a routine checkpoint in Thalang over the weekend where he was found with 11,110 methamphetamine pills along with a gun. Police have arrested 44 year old Pisak Rodpai from Trang, south of Phuket. Police seized 11,110 methamphetamine pills, a handgun and seven bullets from his vehicle. The arrest…
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Female motorbike driver dies in Bypass Road crash
PHOTOS: Kusoldharm Foundation A female motorbike driver has died in a motorbike crash on Chalerm Phrakiet Rama 9 Road (Bypass road) early this morning. Kusoldharm rescue workers headed to the accident scene on the Bypass road in Rassada at 3.30am today. At the scene they found a damaged motorbike. Nearby they found Wilai Jamjan lying on the road. She had…
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Kudo Beach Club in Patong charged after allowing under-age entry
A lawyer of a night club in Patong and a representative of an event organiser yesterday presented themselves to police to face charges after allowing customers younger than 20 years of age to enter the venue. The incident was highlighted by the Spotlight Thailand’ Facebook page. At Patong Police Station last night, the lawyer for the ‘Kudo Beach Club’ and…
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Will Young sells Brit Awards to raise money for Soi Dog Foundation
British singer Will Young sold two of his Brit Awards, highly-respected popular music awards for the British music industry, for a Phuket charity. But he says he only raised £800 (33,000 baht) for them. The singer told Chris Evans, a Virgin Radio Breakfast show presenter, he went through with his pledge to auction off the gongs after announcing he was…
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Roll out the water trucks – Phuket’s water runs low
by Salinee Prap Many areas of Phuket have suffered a shortage of tap water, with inconsistent or no flow, prompting business operators and residents to buy water from the private sector. Phuket as an island, is usually self-sufficient with its water supply, with three large catchments on the island serving locals, expats and the 12 million annual tourists. Phuket governor…
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70 year old Austrian man dies after jumping from 14th floor of Patong hotel
A 70 year old Austrian man has died after jumping from the 14th floor at a hotel in Patong today. At 11am today Patong Police were notified that a foreign man had fallen from a hotel in Patong. Police and emergency responders arrived to find the body of a man who was later identified as 70 year old Austrian man…
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Darasamuth Underpass closing this Saturday and Sunday night
The Darasamut Underpass (adjacent to Central Festival) will temporarily close tomorrow and Sunday from 9pm until 5am (overnight). The Phuket Highways Chief Somwang Lohanut says, “Both the northbound and southbound lanes through the underpass will be temporary closed at those times.” “Workers will be carrying out repairs and replacing light bulbs and fans as part of the normal scheduled maintenance.”…
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Patong Police investigate taxi drivers beating up a tourist – VIDEO
Patong Police are investigating an assault on tourists from a group of Patong taxi drivers. Two video clips of taxi drivers attacking tourist in Patong have gone viral in social media today. The incident happened at Malin Plaza Market at the south end of Patong last night at 11pm. A male middle eastern tourist was attacked by taxi drivers in…
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Event Round-Up – April 2019
by The Sponsorship Experts – Paul Poole (South East Asia) The first ever ASEAN Gastronomy Tourism Fair will kick off on April 9-10 at CW Tower Ratchadapisek Bangkok. Hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, it is the first time all 10 member states of ASEAN will come together to build a strong foundation for gastronomy tourism in the…
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Leopard cat found dumped in plastic box in Kathu
A leopard cat has been saved after being found dumped inside a plastic box in Kathu. The head of Khao Phra Thaeo Non-Hunting Area Study Centre Pongchart Chueahom says he had received the healthy leopard cat kitten from a local. “After that we went to the Thalang Police Station to file a report about the dumping of a protected animal.”…
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Bus driver fined after dropping oil on Patong Hill – VIDEO
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Kathu Police / Law Enforcement 201 / Newshawk Phuket A bus driver has been fined after his bus dropped oil onto the road as it was coming down from Patong Hill. Motorbike drivers had been been injured after slipping on the oil slick. The CCTV footage shows the incident when the bus was going down from Patong Hill, dropping…
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Phuket policeman shoots himself, dies in hospital
A Vichit policeman has shot himself at a house in Rassada early today. Police were notified about the incident just after midnight at a house in Rassada, east of Phuket Town on the island’s east coast. Police and emergency responders arrived to find the man on the floor of his bedroom surrounded by pools of blood. A bullet wound was…
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Motorbike passenger dies in accident with minivan in Thalang
A motorbike passenger has died after a motorbike, he was travelling as pillion, collided with a minivan in Thalang. The Thalang Police were notified of the incident at 5.20am yesterday on Paklok – Mueang Mai Road in Paklok, Thalang. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a motorbike crashed on the road. The motorbike driver, 26 year old Orrachun Kongkaew…
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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