Phuket News / Island’s Latest Updates

Phuket always boasted one of the cruising grounds that land-bound weekender sailors dreamed about visiting - gentle breezes, azure skies, warm weather, easy swimming and diving in pristine aqua colored water. Now, three years after the devastating tsunami which ravaged the area, the local villagers are working to retain the beauty and naturalness of their home - to the benefit of visiting yachts. Read the rest of this entry …

Stylish apartments and penthouses are now available for rent at Phuket’s luxury lifestyle yachting community, Royal Phuket Marina. Visitors and holiday-makers can now rent luxury waterside apartments for a romantic getaway, a long weekend among friends or family vacations at Asia’s most unique maritime resort from US$250 a night. Read the rest of this entry …

Cautious holidaymakers are taking shorter trips, choosing cheaper options and even canceling long-distance overseas travel plans, as the economic crisis forces them to tighten their purse strings. Travel companies have monitored a spike in domestic travel and short-haul flights to regions including Asia and the Pacific, as domestic travelers seek to get the best value for money. Experts say travelers are being cautious and the current economic climate is forcing them to choose shorter breaks and evaluate how much they spend on accommodation. Read the rest of this entry …

Developers pursuing visions of expanding property market of Phuket into neighboring Phang Nga and Krabi have run into regulatory problems that impede large hotel developments in Phang Nga, says Ramesh K. Hamal, CEO of Green Heritage Group, the developer and marketer of the Serenity Terraces project on the island. Read the rest of this entry …

Kimi Raikkonens usual high speed antics took a turn for the slow lane recently, as he took time out to unwind in his new Phuket villa. After a podium finish at the Japanese Grand Prix, Kimi and his friends stayed at the newly completed ocean front pad and enjoyed the celebrations of the phase one completion of Serenity Terraces Resort Condominiums and Villas in Rawai. Read the rest of this entry …

Formula 1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen joined real estate agents, investors and fellow purchasers of Phuket villas at Outrigger Serenity Terraces Resort Phuket in Thailand on October 4 to celebrate completion of phase I of the property. Raikkonen has purchased an absolute beach front pool villa at Serenity Terraces, which is on Rawai beach in the quiet southeast corner of the island. Read the rest of this entry …

Phuket’s appeal to Hong Kong residents extends beyond holidaymakers and purchasers of upscale villas, with large-scale investors now establishing themselves on the resort island. Among them is the hotel management company Langham Hotels International, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Great Eagle Holding Limited. After successfully launching Langham Place Eco Resort and Spa on Lanta Yai island in Krabi, the company is now getting ready to manage new developments on Phuket itself. One of these is a hotel in the Kalim Bay area, where an Irish construction company is currently building a project with a residential ownership component, but the developers will be keeping the major portion of the inventory for themselves. The second development will only be a condo hotel. Read the rest of this entry …

The staffing crisis at Patong hospital in Phuket has worsened with the resignations of two of the remaining three doctors. Of the 12 doctors originally assigned to the hospital only the director, Tawisak Netwong, remains. Dr Tawisak earlier also expressed his intention to quit, but his resignation letter was put on hold by the public health permanent secretary. Read the rest of this entry …

Vegetarianism is on the increase in the UK and it’s now rare to find a restaurant that doesn’t serve a veggie option or two. A lot of reasons are given for this dietary choice – environmental, moral or personal taste are the most common - but many see it as a recent fad.

Although it’s becoming more popular in Britain, typically vegetarians are more common in Asian countries and some, such as Thailand, hold an annual vegetarian festival where everybody joins in. Read the rest of this entry …

International media reports fuel fears. The blockades of Phuket and Hat Yai international airports by the People Alliance for Democracy (PAD) dealt a serious blow to the regional economy. Arrivals dropped by a half, according to local tourism industry organizations. The representatives of the Phuket tourism industry organizations yesterday held a joint press conference to draw attention to their economic plight caused by the recent political unrest. The conference said the airport blockade, from Aug 29 to Aug 31, resulted in the cancellation of many hotel bookings and other travel plans to the world-famous resort island. Read the rest of this entry …