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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Call for Phuket tourism businesses to go “green’
PHUKET: A Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) seminar held at The Metropole hotel on Tuesday brought together academics and members of the tourism sector to discuss global warming effects in Phuket, where an estimated 344 million tonnes of greenhouse gases are produced every year, said Nisanat Sathirakul, deputy secretary general at the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and…
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Local crew heads for Platu world championships
PHUKET: Local sailor Australian Scott Duncanson, better known in Phuket as owner and skipper of Somtam Express, which won Phuket Raceweek regatta last month, has compiled a crew to defend the title of National Platu champion at the national finals in Pattaya on August 13 and 14.The crew are using the national Platu finals as a springboard for training for…
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Registered population keeps rising
PHUKET: The island’s official population climbed by 2,146 to 323,660 from June 21 to July 20, but the figure still under-represents the number of Thais calling Phuket home – not including the number of expats and low-wage laborers from abroad who have migrated here in recent years.The rise is slightly lower than during the previous reporting period, when a gain…
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Tsunami evacuation drill “hit and miss’
PHUKET: Andaman Wave 007, the first regional testing of the 79 National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) tsunami warning towers along the Andaman Coast, was conducted at 9:45 this morning, with mixed results in Phuket.While impressive mock evacuation and emergency response drills were being staged for the media on the beach at the foot of Soi Bangla in Patong, residents in…
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Tsunami evacuation drills tomorrow
PHUKET: All residents of coastal areas should be reminded that the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) tomorrow morning will conduct the first full-scale regional testing of its 79 tsunami warning sirens along the Andaman Coast, including 19 towers in Phuket. Evacuation drills in tsunami-risk areas will be conducted by local administrative bodies working together with district offices and members of…
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New bus station planned near Supercheap
RASSADA: The Phuket Provincial Transport Office (PPTO) has agreed to buy 10 rai of land near Supercheap on Thepkrasattri Rd to build a new inter-provincial bus station.The existing bus station, on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket City, will be used for only local buses, vans and songtaew, most of which now leave from Ranong Rd.PPTO chief Chatchawarn Ngarmtup told the Gazette…
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Somtam Express wins Phuket Raceweek
AO CHALONG: After four days of racing in and around Chalong Bay, Scott Duncanson’s Somtam Express has won the IRC 1 class in this year’s Phuket Raceweek regatta.Shifting winds played havoc with the start of the final race in the regatta yesterday and the fleet waited four hours for it to swing around to allow the race to start.Once underway,…
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Somtam Express extends lead in Phuket Raceweek
AO CHALONG: Scott Duncanson’s Somtam Express today secured yet another win to stretch their lead to five points in the IRC 1 class of the fourth annual Phuket Raceweek regatta being raced in and around Chalong Bay and the surrounding islands. Peter Ahern’s Yo! 2 finished three minutes behind Somtam Express on corrected time to hold onto second place overall…
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Somtam Express takes Raceweek lead
AO CHALONG: Scott Duncanson’s Somtam Express moved into first place in the IRC 1 class of the Phuket Raceweek regatta after finishing first and second in the two races for the class today. Peter Ahern’s Yo! 2 was relegated to second place overall in the class after finishing third and fourth in today’s races. Jim Poulsen’s Vino holds steady in…
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Extortion racket taken down in “sting’
PATONG: Kathu Police on Wednesday night arrested four men for allegedly attempting to extort 100,000 baht from the Thai-Nepalese owner of a tailor shop.The four suspects were presented to the media at a press conference at Kathu Police Station at 3 pm yesterday. They were identified as 40-year-old Burmese national Chom “Johnnie Lek” Bunyawej, the ringleader, and his three accomplices:…
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Yo! 2 leads Phuket Raceweek
AO CHALONG: Peter Ahern and his crew on Yo! 2 are in first place overall in the IRC 1 class in the fourth annual Phuket Raceweek regatta, being held in and around Chalong Bay until Sunday. Phuket-built Somtam Express drew first blood, winning Race 1 after a midday start in light conditions that teased crews with breezes of two to…
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Rawai resident drowns at Nai Harn
NAI HARN: John Chatteris, founder of Atsumi Healing Center in Rawai, drowned while swimming at Nai Harn Beach late yesterday afternoon.Ian Lenton, who works at the center, told the Gazette that Mr Chatteris, 61, went to the beach with his family at about 5 pm.Although red flags were posted at the beach, indicating that the surf was unsafe for swimming,…
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Locals “uninformed’ about Ao Phuket project
PHUKET CITY: A public opinion survey conducted by researchers from the Prince of Songkla University (PSU) found that 86% of people who stand to be affected by the proposed Ao Phuket development plan said they knew little or nothing about the project drawn up by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB).After being brought up to…
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All-English radio launches in Phuket
PHUKET CITY: Phuket now has its first all-English radio station, 90.5 Phuket Gold FM, broadcasting from the Radio Thailand office near Phuket Rajabhat University.The launch was announced at a press conference at the China Inn restaurant in downtown Phuket City this morning.90.5 Phuket Gold FM is managed jointly by Bangkok-based KOOL…EST Co Ltd and monthly lifestyle magazine Phuket Bulletin.A press…
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Chalong Marina plans under review
CHALONG: Plans for the second phase of construction of the Chalong Marina Project may be revised by the Marine Department’s Technical and Planning division after a bitter dispute with local residents and workers.The first phase of construction of the controversial marina, which involves building 44 of the originally-planned 210 yacht slips, will be completed by September 30 at a cost…
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Royal Lighthouse escapes break-in
LAEM PROMTHEP: Kanchanaphisek Lighthouse, built in 1996 at Laem Phromthep to celebrate the 50th anniversary of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s ascension to the throne, was the scene of an attempted robbery on Thursday.The would-be thieves, who smashed through one of the glass panels at the entrance to the lighthouse about 9 pm in order to get to a donation box,…
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Three die in Rawai smash
RAWAI: An accident on Wiset Rd left a father, his daughter and his niece dead, and his wife seriously injured after the motorbike they were riding and a car collided on Sunday evening.Chalong Police were alerted to the accident in front of Baan Haad Rawai Bungalow about 8 pm. Pol Lt Col Peeraphan Meemak, inspector of Chalong Police Station, told the…
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Frenchman, 30, dies from “heart failure’
CHALONG: French tourist Sylvain Hervieux reportedly died of heart failure on Sunday evening. An ambulance from Phuket International Hospital responded to an emergency call, but arrived to find that Hervieux had been dead for about 20 minutes.Mr Hervieux had been staying with his mother, Claudine Denis, at a Thai friend’s house in Chalong.Lt Col Peeraphan Meemak, Inspector of Chalong Police…
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Singaporean tourist drowns
PATONG (Nation, TNA): A Singaporean tourist drowned after he and a friend ignored red warning flags and went swimming in rough, monsoon-season seas at Patong Beach yesterday.Chua Holk Beng, 34, was found dead just before 3 pm.His friend, identified as Edwardgos Tingtos, 34, was rescued by members of the Phuket Provincial Administration (OrBorJor) beach guard.He was taken to Patong Hospital,…
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Russian tourists say “yes’ to Phuket
PHUKET: Russian tourists now account for the fourth largest group of foreign holidaymakers visiting Phuket behind Sweden, the UK and Australia, said Anoma Wongyai, assistant director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) South Region 4 Office in Phuket.K. Anoma attributed the boost, which nudges China down to fifth place, to the success of the TAT-organized “Leisure 2006” roadshow to…
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New incinerator for Phuket “on hold’
PHUKET CITY: Proposed plans for a new incinerator on Phuket were put on hold this week despite Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasuppana insisting that the island’s garbage problem is too big to wait.The proposal came after large quantities of fish were killed in waters polluted by leaked toxins from the island’s sole incinerator in Saphan Hin.The incinerator, which can burn…
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Students charged over roadside beating
RASSADA: Two second-year university students were arrested after allegedly assaulting a man at an accident scene on Soi Phaneang on July 2.When Phuket City police arrived at the scene, they found the two students, named by police as “Wit”, 22, and “Karine”, 23, both from Pattani province, beating 30-year-old Jaroonsak Khongjit, an employee of Phuket Adventure company.Pol Capt Atthapol Wannasaengthong…
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Man surrenders over road rage shootings
PHUKET CITY: After a four-day manhunt, a Patong man wanted in connection with the shooting murder of two youths in front of Kaset Market, the fresh market near Robinson department store, turned himself in to police early yesterday morning.The suspect, 33-year-old building contractor Sukkasem Charoenrat, has denied the charges.Police say they have testimonies confirming that Sukkasem was pulling his Honda Phantom…
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Woman’s remains identified
THALANG: Police believe they have identified the woman whose remains were found in a wooded area in Tambon Thepkrasattri last Wednesday evening.A cousin of Anutch Maneekwan has come forward, saying that K. Anutch, 40, had not been seen since June 27.The cousin reported that K. Anutch was living in a rented room near Super Cheap, where she worked.“On June 27 she…
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German to be deported over no work permit
PHUKET CITY: German architect Frank Witzel is awaiting deportation following his arrest on June 22 by Immigration officials. He had been arrested in February as well, for working without a work permit while on a building site in Patong, and for performing work prohibited to foreigners. Witzel had pleaded guilty to the charges in court in February. He was fined 1,000 baht and handed a one-month…
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Gambling a sure bet in Phuket
PHUKET: Gambling has topped the latest crime statistics released by Phuket Provincial Police with 205 arrests made from June 1 to June 30.There were 125 people arrested in drug-related cases, of which 61 involved ya bah (methamphetamine): five for selling, 30 for possession with intent to sell, 14 for possession and 12 for use. A total of 7,821 pills were…
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TTVI staff pay delayed
PHANG NGA (Kom Chad Luek, Gazette): Thailand Tsunami Victims Identification (TTVI) officers working at Bang Maruan cemetery, where 400 bodies remain unidentified, worked without pay for two months because of red tape that prohibited the new TTVI boss from authorizing their salaries. The problems began after former TTVI chief Pol Col Khemmarin Hassiri was transferred to an inactive post in…
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Weerapoj and Suwat win Patong by-election
PATONG: Weerapoj Iamsup of the Sor Tor Kaow Mai Party and Suwat Somnam of the Patong Gao-na Party were elected to Patong Municipal Council in the resort town by-election on Saturday.Boonsong Nawarak, acting chief administrative officer at Patong Municipality, told the Gazette that K. Weerapoj drew 898 votes, K. Suwat 646 votes, Somkiat Kuru 637 votes, Wig Tonghom 587 votes,…
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Phuket wins To Be Number One prizes
PHUKET: Phuket province was honored with two prizes in this year’s To Be Number One competition, held at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nontaburi on June 25: one for committed support of the competition and another for dedicated participation.The competition recognizes community projects put forward to tackle drug abuse by local youths.Phuket, Yasotorn and Khon Kaen provinces were each awarded…
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Police nab Patong ya bah dealer
PATONG: Phuket City Police seized more than 220 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and arrested two men and one woman in a series of drugs raids on Thursday.Pol Maj Chalermchai Hernsawat posed as a buyer and arranged to buy ya bah pills from Apiwat “Tee” Sumetheentikul at Sainamyen Soi 1 at 11:30 am.At the rendezvous, police found Apiwat in possession of…
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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