Phuket

  • Phuket NewsPolice say Phuket school won’t be charged for employing foreign teachers without a work permit

    Police say Phuket school won’t be charged for employing foreign teachers without a work permit

    An international school in Phuket is not facing charges for employing foreign teachers without a work permit, police told the Phuket News. Back in November, 2 British nationals were arrested at the Palm House International School in Rawai in a raid by Phuket Immigration officers, acting on a tip that teachers were working at the school without a work permit.…

  • Thailand NewsTower Of Babble – Have your say on The Thaiger | VIDEO

    Tower Of Babble – Have your say on The Thaiger | VIDEO

    Tower of Babble is where we read some of your comments to The Thaiger YouTube videos. Some are insightful, some are interesting, some need to be shared! And some are just plain funny. If you leave a comment under any of our videos it may be shared on our Tower of Babble each day. Go to our YouTube channel and…

  • Thailand NewsTower Of Babble – Have your say on The Thaiger| VIDEO

    Tower Of Babble – Have your say on The Thaiger| VIDEO

    Tower of Babble is where we read some of your comments to The Thaiger YouTube videos. Some are insightful, some are interesting, some need to be shared! And some are just plain funny. If you leave a comment under any of our videos it may be shared on our Tower of Babble each day.

  • Phuket NewsPhuket health chief urges “red zone” travellers to abide by quarantine measures

    Phuket health chief urges “red zone” travellers to abide by quarantine measures

    With Phuket’s new disease control measures requiring those travelling from high risk areas to quarantine, the province’s public health chief is now saying those at alternative state quarantine hotels won’t be locked up in their rooms throughout their 14 day stay in isolation. He says guests can wander through certain areas of the hotel to have meals and do other…

  • Phuket NewsScreening measures to enter Phuket, travellers from “red zone” provinces to self-quarantine

    Screening measures to enter Phuket, travellers from “red zone” provinces to self-quarantine

    Phuket authorities have announced screening measures for those entering the island province, which includes requiring those travelling from 20 “red zone” provinces to self-quarantine for 14 days. Those travelling from “hotspot” and “high risk” areas are required to do a swab test. While measures were put into effect over the weekend, some people say nothing has changed. The “required” self-quarantine,…

  • Covid-19 NewsLate-night alcohol ban in Phuket, bars to close at midnight

    Late-night alcohol ban in Phuket, bars to close at midnight

    Bars and other entertainment venues in Phuket must close at midnight, according to an order imposed by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Restaurants can stay open late, but are ordered to stop selling alcohol at midnight. The order is effective today until January 20, but could be extended further if the Covid-19 situation does not improve.…

  • Phuket NewsCan Phuket survive? Interview with Bill Barnett | VIDEO

    Can Phuket survive? Interview with Bill Barnett | VIDEO

    Interview with Bill Barnett from c9Hotelworks. Phuket has now been hit with a 3rd major crisis, each one more profound than the long-term effects from the 2004 tsunami. Now the island has new restrictions imposed on arrivals on the southern island, imposed by the Phuket Provincial Authority.

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket is hit with a triple Covid crisis | VIDEO

    Phuket is hit with a triple Covid crisis | VIDEO

    Phuket has had a triple hit over the past 12 months. Firstly with the original Covid-19 outbreak and lockdowns back in April and May in 2020, then again just before Christmas and New Year when the new clusters emerged in Samut Sakhon and the eastern coastal provinces, further dampening even local traveller traffic to the island, then some further restrictions…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket governor announces new restrictions for travel to Phuket, effective now

    Phuket governor announces new restrictions for travel to Phuket, effective now

    Travelling to Phuket? You need to be aware of the changed circumstances for arrivals, depending where you’re travelling from. A 3 page announcement was released by the Phuket PR department this afternoon with the new restrictions for arrivals on the island. The announcement splits up travellers into 5 potential groups. All arrivals from the “highest-risk” areas within the ‘red zone’…

  • Phuket NewsUp to 20,000 baht fine for not wearing a mask in Phuket

    Up to 20,000 baht fine for not wearing a mask in Phuket

    Wear a mask or pay a hefty fine… and possibly even go to jail. Phuket governor Narong Woonciew issued an immediate order requiring people in the island province to wear a face mask while in public to control the spread of Covid-19. Those who violate the order could face a 20,000 baht fine. Those who breach the order can also…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | 305 infections, No happy ending for massages, Phuket quarantine mooted | Jan 7

    Thailand News Today | 305 infections, No happy ending for massages, Phuket quarantine mooted | Jan 7

    Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon says his recent claim that there are no illegal gambling dens in Bangkok was all a misunderstanding. The nation’s favourite watch collector was forced to backtrack after the public scoffed at his claims. The Minister of Misunderstandings said… “I didn’t mean that gambling dens do not exist. We all know that there are gambling dens, but…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket government plans to require quarantine for “red zone” arrivals

    Phuket government plans to require quarantine for “red zone” arrivals

    People travelling to Phuket from a province classified as a “red zone” for a high risk of Covid-19 will face a 14 day quarantine, either at a facility or at a resident’s home, according to Phuket governor Narong Woonciew. A provincial order has not been issued yet and people can still enter Phuket without a required quarantine. Travellers coming from…

  • Thailand NewsNE Monsoon in South – warnings of heavy rain and flash floods

    NE Monsoon in South – warnings of heavy rain and flash floods

    South of Thailand is expected to face the northeast monsoon that is expected to bring in heavy rain that may cause flash floods. With the prevailing monsoon in the upper and the lower part of the Gulf of Thailand, some southern provinces, including Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat are likely to be affected by strong winds and waves that…

  • Covid-19 NewsNo lockdown in Phuket, governor calls for more disease control measures

    No lockdown in Phuket, governor calls for more disease control measures

    There’s no lockdown in Phuket, the provincial governor says, but protective measures are in place to prevent the spread of the Covid-19. The province currently has 3 confirmed Covid-19 cases, classifying it as a “yellow zone,” a high surveillance area. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew says Phuket’s borders are still open to outside visitors, but all of them must be screened…

  • OpinionLike a rolling stone (2 decades and counting). My home, Phuket.

    Like a rolling stone (2 decades and counting). My home, Phuket.

    by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Driving down a seemingly endless winding road on the warm tropical island of Phuket, I glance up and see a sign indicating a left turn, shouting out in big bold letters ‘Welcome to Days of Future Past.’ Reading between the lines, let me state that we have landed headfirst like crash test dummies into the…

  • Tourism NewsNew Year holiday draws homegrown tourists to Phuket, Koh Samui

    New Year holiday draws homegrown tourists to Phuket, Koh Samui

    With the vast majority of foreign holidaymakers still steering clear of Thailand, or simply unable to get a visa at the moment, the country has become almost completely reliant on homegrown tourists. The New Year holiday has brought some slight relief to islands like Phuket and Koh Samui, as visitors from other parts of the country arrived to welcome in…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | Rayong cluster, Samut Sakhon Gov Covid+, flights ‘quiet’ | Dec 28

    Thailand News Today | Rayong cluster, Samut Sakhon Gov Covid+, flights ‘quiet’ | Dec 28

    The CCSA has reported 144 new Covid-19 infections today – 115 local infections, 14 migrant workers and 15 quarantined arrivals. The total number of cases in Thailand, since February is 6,285. 2,045 people are currently receiving medical treatment in Thailand for the coronavirus. The local infections are all linked to the cluster in Samut Sakhon 10 days ago. The current…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket Governor warns face mask price gougers

    Phuket Governor warns face mask price gougers

    Phuket’s Governor is warning profiteers against face mask price-gouging after news of a second wave of Covid-19 has rattled Thais. There has been 1 new case of Covid-19 reported this week. Governor Narong Woonciew says violators could face a fine of up to 100,000 baht or up to 5 years imprisonment. Narong issued the order just a week after news…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | Covid outbreak update, migrant workers ‘dumped’, Phuket’s fake cases | Dec 23

    Thailand News Today | Covid outbreak update, migrant workers ‘dumped’, Phuket’s fake cases | Dec 23

    Before we get started today just a quick note about the comments section in YouTube. Like any other news source we get our fair share of trolls, haters and whackos. We also get plenty of interesting comments, and from time to time, some important corrections. During these times when facts matter, and times here in Thailand when protesters are addressing…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s Covid High Season Crisis | VIDEO

    Phuket’s Covid High Season Crisis | VIDEO

    https://youtu.be/hK_j52xMwnU We visited Phuket 3 months ago and found the west coast tourist towns empty and devoid of people. Businesses had closed, vendors headed back to their home towns, shops shuttered and streets very, very quiet. The island’s east coast was still busy with the locals and many expats getting on with their daily lives, getting used to the ‘new…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket panics after fake Covid news posted on social media

    Phuket panics after fake Covid news posted on social media

    Whilst the touristy west coast of Phuket has been very, very quiet since April when the airport closed (especially the tourist towns like Surin, Kamala, Patong, Kata and Karon), now the east coast has gone quiet this morning. The east coast, where many of the locals and families live, has been buzzing along since Phuket’s lockdowns were lifted at the…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket primary school reports parent tests positive for Covid-19

    Phuket primary school reports parent tests positive for Covid-19

    A primary school in Phuket made a brief announcement that a student’s parent tested positive for Covid-19. The Kajonkiet School Group made a post on its Facebook page, which was taken down within an hour, saying they were “unofficially” notified by the province’s public health office about the recent case and they are awaiting results from the second test to…

  • Tourism NewsPossibility of an “end of year travel boost” has been shattered

    Possibility of an “end of year travel boost” has been shattered

    As if things weren’t already bad enough for Thailand’s tourism sector, the events in Samut Sakhon in the past week have just made them a lot worse. Just as the few hotels open in Thailand’s major tourist hot spots were hoping for a bounce in traffic over Christmas and New Year, the hopes have been largely dashed by the outbreak…

  • Covid-19 NewsLockdown could be final straw for tourism in Thailand

    Lockdown could be final straw for tourism in Thailand

    The President of the Phuket Hotels Association has described another potential lockdown as a nail in the coffin for tourism in the province. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, Anthony Lark says a nationwide lockdown, or restrictions on domestic travel, would finish off many tourism-related businesses. “Everyone’s losing money and just trying to break even. If the government can’t control the…

  • Phuket NewsForeign flagged yacht docks and completes quarantine in Phuket

    Foreign flagged yacht docks and completes quarantine in Phuket

    The following is a statement from Asia Pacific Superyachts. The new Special Tourist Visa scheme allows tourists and crew members on foreign yachts to dock in Thailand and depart after an onboard quarantine. “The first Asia Pacific Superyachts (APS) Phuket foreign-flagged superyacht client has now completed quarantining aboard in Phuket”, reports APS co-founder, Jojo Tanyuta Singmanee (Jojo), adding: “All aboard…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket sets goal for New Years: Zero road deaths during “7 dangerous days”

    Phuket sets goal for New Years: Zero road deaths during “7 dangerous days”

    Zero road deaths during the “7 dangerous days.” That’s the goal Phuket officials set for the New Year’s holiday week from December 29 to January 4. They’ve launched a road safety campaign to prevent fatal traffic incidents, Phuket vice governor Vikrom Jakthee announced yesterday. “During the New Year holidays, many people like to travel to other provinces, bringing greater risk…

  • Phuket NewsCheaper flights to Phuket a possibility to help revive the tourism industry

    Cheaper flights to Phuket a possibility to help revive the tourism industry

    Some say cheaper flights to Phuket will entice people to visit the island and get the once booming tourist destination back on its feet. Along with talk of lowering the price of tickets, those at a stakeholder meeting at the Thai Airways International headquarters in Bangkok say more direct international flights to the island also need to be reinstated. The…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | 45 day tourist visa, Cher campaign for gorilla, Pattani arrests | Dec 11

    Thailand News Today | 45 day tourist visa, Cher campaign for gorilla, Pattani arrests | Dec 11

    Last day of the week and the middle of the long of a 4 day long weekend for Thailand. Be safe on the roads and we’ll see you on Monday. All the latest news will continue on thethaiger.com. 45 day tourist visa exemption proposal to be presented to Cabinet After the prime minister told officials to hurry up and relax…

  • Phuket NewsPet wildcat lost in Phuket, Russian family offers 50,000 baht reward

    Pet wildcat lost in Phuket, Russian family offers 50,000 baht reward

    Be on the lookout for an African wildcat in Phuket. A Russian family’s pet serval cat “Julie” is missing and they’re offering a 50,000 baht reward to anyone with information that leads to the cat’s return. The cat is large with markings that resemble a cheetah. Julie was last seen in the Surin Beach area. The cat’s owner, Aliona Lissone,…

  • EventsThe 2020 Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon has been run and won, despite all the challenges

    The 2020 Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon has been run and won, despite all the challenges

    Signs of life, combined with a determined event organiser and keen participants. And so the Laguna Phuket Marathon was staged in Phuket this weekend, despite all the challenges. An 8,000 strong field turned out to Run Paradise in Phuket this weekend at the 15th Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon. Held on December 5 and 6, the ‘new normal’ edition combined stringent…