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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Next 2 weeks in Phuket will decide the fate of other sandbox areas: Tourism Ministry
Thailand’s Tourism Minister says the first 14 days of the Phuket sandbox will determine if other tourist destinations can re-open as planned from July 15. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn acknowledges there were some hiccups with the re-opening: some of the 500 tourists expected to arrive yesterday ended up postponing because of delays getting a Certificate of Entry. The Bangkok Post reports that…
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3 planes arrive in Phuket; 25 on 1st flight, 400 expected today
The first 3 flights have now arrived in Phuket for the Sandbox reopening, with details emerging from the first arrival this morning, an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi. A total of 25 passengers, down from yesterday’s estimate of 37, were the first to be welcomed back to Phuket with fanfare and celebration. A total of 400 international travellers are…
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Phuket reopens but botched preparation limits travellers
So Phuket is finally reopened with today marking the start of the Phuket Sandbox and the welcoming of international travellers without quarantine. But the days leading up to the launch saw a precipitous drop in expected arrivals as constant changes, lack of preparation, delays in implementation, and overall chaos marred the Phuket rollout and damaged tourist confidence in the scheme.…
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Phuket police to patrol bridges for Covid carriers
Police in Phuket have been ordered to patrol the bridges to be on the lookout for anyone not adhering to Covid protection measures. However, it is not just the police that will be monitoring the bridges, soldiers and navy personnel will also monitor the bridges. The news came at a general assembly earlier this week. Region 8 Police Commander Kitrat…
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Small businesses fear Phuket Sandbox will leave them behind
With the Phuket Sandbox reopening just hours away, many businesses in the tourist-reliant province hopefully await the return of foreign travellers and the restart of the economy. But while businesses that had the financial means to weather the long-term closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic prepare excitedly, many smaller businesses that lacked the funding to revive themselves are not nearly…
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New details in the Phuket Sandbox Royal Gazette publication
By now we’ve all read (and re-read and re-read) the general rules of the Phuket Sandbox reopening tomorrow. If you haven’t, one of our numerous previous stories has the full text in English released by Phuket’s governor. But with the Royal Gazette finally publishing the reopening, making it legal and 100% approved just 1 day before the opening, a few…
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Police officer that allegedly drunkenly shot noodle seller changes plea to not guilty
The (former) Phuket police officer that allegedly drunkenly shot Aroon Thongplab, a 25 year noodle seller, is now pleading not guilty. He plans to see his day in court, instead. Pornthep Channarong allegedly shot Aroon in the stomach last Febrraury as Aroon was retrieving a noodle bowl from a customer. Pornthep was soon relieved of duty and currently faces charges…
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Phuket announces it had 5 new cases of Covid yesterday and 1 death
Yesterday, Phuket announced it had 5 new Covid infections and its 7th death, a 72 year old man. Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon the chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) corroborated the news that Phuket had 5 new Covid infections as well as the 7th death. Dr Kusak spoke in a live broadcast this morning where he was joined…
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Phuket notches 14th infection since last week
Since last week, Phuket has had 14 Covid infections. Their vaccination rate is now 80% (over the threshold sought for herd immunity). Yesterday, the Phuket Provincial public Heath Office state they had 3 covid infections on the island. Since April, there have been 723 confirmed Covid cases. The CCSA has also outlined its criteria for its Phuket Sandbox “contingency plan“.…
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Phuket re-opens Thursday, hotels ready and waiting to welcome foreign guests
As the southern island of Phuket gets ready to re-open to vaccinated foreign tourists on Thursday, hotel operators say they’re well prepared. A Bangkok Post report takes a look at the measures in place for the imminent launch of the Phuket “sandbox scheme”. Yesterday, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha highlighted the need for robust measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. At…
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Welcome back home: Phuket’s message to the world, echoes its X-Factor, its people
“As the countdown to the Sandbox hits seven days, resort island pays tribute to its real-life tourism attraction.” OPINION by Bill Barnett, c9hotelworks.com Tourism eyes around the world are focused on a resort island in Thailand this week for the reopening of international, vaccinated travel to the Phuket Sandbox. A key emerging storyline from the island’s frenzied runaway to July…
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Covid UPDATE: 4,161 new infections, 51 deaths, provincial totals
Today the public health department announced 51 deaths and 4,161 new infections of Covid-19. Only 72 were related to detections in Thai prisons, a further drop in prisoners testing positive for the coronavirus. Here is Saturday’s announcement of Provincial cases announced in the past 24 hours. Notably Chon Buri added a whopping 320 new infections to today’s total. Phuket, ready…
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Covid UPDATE Saturday: 4,161 new infections, 51 deaths
For Saturday, the trend of new infections, and deaths, from Covid-related disease, remains on the rise. Today the public health department announced 51 deaths and 4,161 new infections of Covid-19. Only 72 were related to detections in Thai prisons, a further drop in prisoners testing positive for the coronavirus. As the Thai government is faced with its worst week of…
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Must you be married to share a room in the Phuket Sandbox?
In an attempt to clarify without actually clarifying the issue, the Phuket Tourist Association was compelled to release a follow-up statement in response to an off-the-cuff remark by an official that implied that only legally married couples could share a room in the Phuket Sandbox rollout. Apparently, the grapevine went like this… During a Zoom meeting with the Association of…
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A Korean restaurant catches fire at a Phuket shopping centre
Yesterday afternoon in Kathu, Phuket, a fire erupted in a Korean restaurant that is part of the Central shopping centre. Thai media speculates that the fire broke out in the kitchen of the Sukishi Charcoal Grill Restaurant on the 3rd floor of the shopping centre. Witnesses told police they saw smoke emerging from the restaurant. Chatri Chuwichian of the Wichit police…
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Phuket officials in last-minute scramble to fix sandbox hiccups
The president of the Phuket Tourist Association says clarity is needed around a number of issues if the island’s July 1 re-opening is to proceed smoothly. According to a report in the Bangkok Post, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam says confusion over tracking apps and vaccine certificates are just 2 of the issues that need to be sorted out. The sandbox scheme was…
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Power outages coming to Kathu, again
Electricity will be temporarily cut in parts of Kathu, Phuket tomorrow, announced the Provincial Electricity Authority. Further work is being done to install high voltage cables. Affected areas the westbound section of Phra Phuketkaew Rd, from Kathu intersection to Si Kor intersection. The power will only be out from 9 am to pm. The PEA apologises for any inconvenience not…
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Phuket police raids nab suspects for allegedly having guns, drugs, kratom
Yesterday, a raid in Phuket grabbed 5 alleged drug dealers. They confiscated over 1,000 Yaba pills (meth), crystal meth, guns and ammunition. One man was also arrested for allegedly having kratom leaves. According to the police report 33 year old Theerasat ‘Jack’ Onrat was arrested for allegedly possessing 940 yaba pills. Police confiscated his mobile phone and his pickup truck…
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Phuket governor outlines plans to track and trace foreign arrivals
The governor of Phuket says the authorities and provincial officials are creating a command centre for the purpose of tracking and tracing foreign tourists under the island’s sandbox scheme. The island re-opens in 1 week’s time to vaccinated tourists from low to medium-risk countries. According to a Pattaya News report, governor Narong Woonciew says a meeting was held yesterday between…
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Flight traffic to Phuket expected to increase by 6% next month
The state agency Aeronautical Radio of Thailand says it expects a 6% uptick in traffic to Phuket International Airport, once the southern island re-opens in a week’s time. Spokesman Tinnakorn Chuwong says the airport is ready to welcome foreign tourists under the sandbox scheme, which has now been given the go-ahead by Cabinet. The Bangkok Post reports that, while overall…
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CCSA gives details on “Phuket Sandbox” and “Samui Plus” travel schemes
The “Phuket Sandbox” and “Samui Plus” travel schemes were approved by the Thai Cabinet yesterday, allowing the islands to reopen to travellers who are vaccinated against Covid-19. Phuket is set to reopen on July 1 while the trio of islands in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao, is set to reopen on July 15.…
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Sandbox could be revised, cancelled if Covid-19 outbreaks occur
With Phuket scheduled to reopen to international travellers next Friday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has put together a “Plan B” for closing the Sandbox in case of outbreaks. Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information Natapanu Nopakun, who also acts as the Deputy Spokesman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, outlines possible scenarios in an English address during the…
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It’s happening: Phuket sandbox approved by Cabinet
It’s been talked about until the buffalo came home – and then some. It was on, it was off, it was delayed, then it wasn’t. Finally, it’s been confirmed. After being closed to foreign tourists for over a year, the southern island of Phuket is set to re-open on July 1. Yesterday, the sandbox scheme, which will see the island…
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Power outages coming to Kathu
Electricity will be temporarily cut in parts of Kathu, Phuket tomorrow, announced the Provincial Electricity Authority. Further work is being done to install high voltage cables. The power will only be shut off from 9 am to 4:30 pm in the Kathua area on the Wichit Songkram Road, and between the Kathu Wittaya School to the intersection with the Kathu-Koh…
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Restrictions loosen in Phuket, alcohol allowed in restaurants
Restrictions in Phuket have loosened, allowing restaurants to resume selling alcohol and certain venues to open under normal hours. The Phuket Governor signed the provincial order allowing restrictions to be lifted as preparation for reopening the island province under the “Phuket Sandbox” travel model, which will allow travellers from overseas, who are vaccinated against Covid-19, to enter without undergoing a…
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Phuket reports sixth Covid-19 death in current outbreak
The southern island of Phuket, just days away from launching its pilot re-opening scheme, has recorded a sixth death from Covid-19. The death has been reported in the Phuket News this morning, following an announcement from the island’s Provincial Public Health Office. The patient is the fourth Phuket person to die of Covid-19 in the last 3 weeks. Officials have…
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KLM to increase flights to Middle-East, Asia as border restrictions ease
The Dutch carrier KLM plans to increase its flights to Asian and Middle-Eastern destinations as countries plan for a re-opening of their borders. According to TTR Weekly, the airline’s summer network is almost the same as in 2019, but with a reduction in the number of flights on offer as a result of the pandemic. The airline plans to introduce…
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Officials predict 600,000 tourists to Phuket following reopening
Despite recent predictions lowering expectations to between 9,000 and 10,000 international arrivals in July, and about 7,000 tickets booked in the latest available statistics, officials announced they expect more than 600,000 tourists to arrive between July and September after the reopening of Phuket. The ambitious prediction comes with an expectation of about 15 billion baht in revenue for the financially…
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Reopening guidelines for Phuket and Samui
In a press release, the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently sought to lay out and clarify guidelines for how Thailand’s reopening will begin. The Phuket Sandbox plan rolls out first on July 1 (awaiting final approval), followed by a proposal for Surat Thani province reopening Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao on a sealed route July 15. Here’s the…
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Covid UPDATE: 3,682 new cases, 20 covid-related deaths, provincial totals
Today the CCSA have confirmed 3,682 new infections of Covid-19 and 20 new deaths. 578 of today’s announced infections are from the Thai prison system. Today’s figures continue a slow rise in the daily case detections over this week. The median age of the people that died in the past 24 hours was 66. Over the past 24 hours, 2,401…
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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