The Phuket News
Window on Phuket Phuket News TV Phuket Live 89.5 Where to Eat
The Phuket News Novosti Phuket Khao Phuket

Login | Create Account | Search

Window on Phuket
Phuket News TV
The Phuket News
Where to Eat
Phuket Live 89.5
Login | Create Account      The Phuket News Novosti Phuket Khao Phuket
Poll | Currency | Weather | Facebook | Youtube | Search
Step by Step: Why clarity is crucial for Phuket’s economic future
Step by Step: Why clarity is crucial for Phuket’s economic future
Sunday 22 June 2025 09:00 AM
OPINION: Phuket, a key economic driver for Thailand, finds itself at a critical juncture. Years of robust foreign investment and a booming tourism industry have fuelled its growth, but a recent ‘nominee clampdown’ – aimed at regularizing foreign ownership structures – has introduced uncertainty. This article, the third and final in the series ‘Thailand’s Shifting Sands: Navigating the Nominee Clampdown and Leasehold Uncertainty for Expats’, delves into the intricate balance between ensuring legal compliance and sustaining the island’s appeal to foreign capital. As the Thai government proposes significant reforms, including 99-year land leases and increased foreign condo ownership, the pressing question remains: can these changes provide the clarity and security necessary to secure Phuket’s future as a vibrant international hub?
Step by Step: Business Ventures ‒ Operating Legally in a Restricted Landscape
Step by Step: Business Ventures ‒ Operating Legally in a Restricted Landscape
Sunday 15 June 2025 09:00 AM
OPINION: Thailand’s dynamic economic landscape, long a beacon for foreign investment and expatriate ventures, is undergoing a significant recalibration. For years, the allure of the ‘Land of Smiles’ coupled with what some perceived as regulatory ambiguities, fostered a fertile ground for diverse foreign-led businesses. However, beneath the surface of vibrant markets and burgeoning tourism, deeper structural concerns have prompted Bangkok to assert greater control over its economic destiny.
Step by Step: The ‘Nominee Clampdown’ state of play
Step by Step: The ‘Nominee Clampdown’ state of play
Sunday 8 June 2025 06:00 PM
OPINION: Thailand, long a beacon for foreign investors and lifestyle seekers, is currently navigating a period of significant legal and economic recalibration. The country’s  vibrant economy, heavily reliant on tourism and foreign capital, finds itself at a crossroads as Thai authorities intensify their crackdown on “nominee” arrangements and clarify long-standing ambiguities in property lease laws.
Step by Step: Phuket’s Property Market – A Looming Correction?
Step by Step: Phuket’s Property Market – A Looming Correction?
Sunday 11 May 2025 09:00 AM
OPINION: Phuket’s real estate sector has long attracted foreign investors and holidaymakers, experiencing a significant boom in the post-pandemic era, driven by a resurgence in tourism. However, beneath this surface of vigorous growth, substantial concerns are emerging that could destabilise the market.
Step by Step: Phuket's Paradise Lost? Resale market faces Bangkok's condo conundrum
Step by Step: Phuket's Paradise Lost? Resale market faces Bangkok's condo conundrum
Sunday 20 April 2025 09:00 AM
OPINION: The familiar thrum of the car tyres on the long drive from Phuket to Bangkok over Songkran usually fills me with a sense of anticipation. Swapping the frenetic beach parties of the island for the equally chaotic, yet somehow different, energy of the capital has become a tradition.
Step by Step: Phuket's 90-year lease mirage ‒ Legal reality bites hard on tropical shores
Step by Step: Phuket's 90-year lease mirage ‒ Legal reality bites hard on tropical shores
Sunday 6 April 2025 09:00 AM
OPINION: The allure of a 90-year lease has long been a siren song for foreign investors drawn to Phuket’s tropical shores. Developers, promising a near-century of secure ownership, have successfully lured buyers with the seemingly ironclad 30+30+30 lease structure. However, a recent Thai Supreme Court ruling has shattered this illusion, revealing the inherent fragility of these agreements and plunging countless homeowners into a legal quagmire.
Step by Step: Phuket’s property panic ‒ Thai lease ruling rocks expat community
Step by Step: Phuket’s property panic ‒ Thai lease ruling rocks expat community
Sunday 16 March 2025 09:00 AM
OPINION: A recent Thai court ruling, invalidating the automatic renewal of 30-year property leases, has sent tremors through Phuket’s expat community, shattering the illusion of long-term security. While the legal ambiguity surrounding lease renewals has lingered for years, the court’s decisive stance has transformed abstract concern into palpable panic.
Step by Step: Is it time to look beyond tourism?
Step by Step: Is it time to look beyond tourism?
Sunday 10 November 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: Bangkok is expected to clinch the title of most visited city in the world in 2024, a title it held in 2023 and has consistently featured in the top 10 list for the last few years. Despite these accolades, the government relentlessly pushes for increased tourism targets in an effort to boost the now flailing Thai economy. 
Step by Step: The Great Phuket Wellness Scam?
Step by Step: The Great Phuket Wellness Scam?
Sunday 3 November 2024 09:30 AM
OPINION: Phuket, a luxury holiday destination for decades a renowned retreat from everyday life for most holiday makers, is witnessing a new phenomenon: the rise of wellness centres. These establishments, seemingly sprouting like mushrooms after a downpour, particularly in areas like Cherng Talay, promise a panacea for various ailments and a shortcut to eternal youth. But beneath the glossy facades and alluring promises, one can't help but wonder: is this burgeoning wellness industry in Phuket a scam, a hoax, full of more quacks than a Peking duck restaurant?
Step by Step: Why Phuket is far from the ’Pearl of the Andaman Riviera’
Step by Step: Why Phuket is far from the ’Pearl of the Andaman Riviera’
Sunday 27 October 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of traversing the Andaman coastline, not just as a casual observer, but as a dedicated follower of Phuket Andaman FC. My journeys with the team have taken me far beyond the familiar streets of Phuket, through the winding roads and bustling towns of Satun, Trang, Krabi, Phang Nga and Khao Lak. These trips, often punctuated by pit stops at every 7-Eleven and Amazon Café along the way, have offered a unique perspective on the region, particularly in light of the upcoming ‘Andaman Riviera’ project.
Step by Step: Paradise at a crossroads? The island's fight to remain a top tourist destination
Step by Step: Paradise at a crossroads? The island's fight to remain a top tourist destination
Sunday 20 October 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: Phuket, the pearl of the Andaman Sea, has long been a magnet for travellers seeking stunning landscapes, vibrant culture and a taste of tropical life. But beneath the surface of this popular destination lies a growing concern: is Phuket losing its allure? A confluence of factors threatens to tarnish its image, potentially stripping the island of its coveted ‘destination status’.
Step by Step: The Massification of Phuket
Step by Step: The Massification of Phuket
Sunday 13 October 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: Phuket has recently hit the headlines as amongst the top 10 overcrowded places on the planet to visit in 2023. Despite the faulty fundamental premise of the key report inspiring those headline-making stories, it is undeniable that Phuket in some areas is suffering from overtourism issues ‒ and the label promoted by such stories is an unwelcome distinction for an island that has long sought to prioritise quality tourism over quantity.
Step by Step: Phuket's restaurant reckoning, a recipe for disaster?
Step by Step: Phuket's restaurant reckoning, a recipe for disaster?
Sunday 6 October 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: The ‘for sale’ sign hanging outside the once-heralded ‘Fire & Smoke’ restaurant in Cherng Talay is a stark reminder of the harsh realities facing Phuket’s food scene. This isn’t an isolated incident. Across the island, restaurants are struggling, and many are shuttering their doors for good. With over 600,000 closures across Thailand in the past three years, the industry is undeniably in crisis, and Phuket, despite its tourist appeal, is no exception.
Step by Step: Phuket property, is the boom turning to bust?
Step by Step: Phuket property, is the boom turning to bust?
Sunday 29 September 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: There's a growing fear that the Phuket property market is teetering on the edge of a slump, with the very real possibility of a crash looming large. While the rest of Thailand is already grappling with a downturn, Phuket has managed to remain somewhat insulated, but cracks are starting to show.
Step by Step: Thailand’s new tax law a double-edged sword for expats
Step by Step: Thailand’s new tax law a double-edged sword for expats
Sunday 22 September 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: There is a tremor of worry growing amongst expats in Thailand, with the growing fear of the new tax laws coming into practise. Thailand has long been a haven for expatriates seeking a tropical paradise with a low cost of living, laid back culture and welcoming atmosphere. However, a new tax law currently under consideration by the Thai Revenue Department is causing significant concern among the expat community.
Step by Step: The electric vehicle surge and Thailand's plastic curse
Step by Step: The electric vehicle surge and Thailand's plastic curse
Sunday 15 September 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: The streets of Phuket, and indeed across Thailand, are undergoing a quiet transformation. The subtle hum of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids is becoming increasingly familiar, marking a change welcomed by many. However, this shift isn't fueled by a sudden wave of environmental consciousness among Thais and expats. Instead, it's a matter of market dynamics: these vehicles are now affordably priced, offer attractive credit and undeniably fashionable.
Step by Step: The Fehr verdict, a wake-up call for Thailand's justice system
Step by Step: The Fehr verdict, a wake-up call for Thailand's justice system
Sunday 8 September 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: The recent acquittal of Swiss national Urs Fehr has sent ripples across Thailand, reigniting a critical debate about the delicate balance between justice, public opinion and the rule of law.
Step by Step: A call for construction compliance
Step by Step: A call for construction compliance
Sunday 1 September 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: Phuket's real estate boom has cast a harsh light on a troubling reality: a construction industry plagued by a disregard for worker welfare and safety. The recent landslide in Karon, which tragically claimed lives in a buried workers' camp, underscores the devastating consequences of this negligence. It's time for a change, and we can find a model for this transformation in an industry that has long prioritised compliance and ethical practices: the textile industry.
Step by Step: Phuket's property agents out of control
Step by Step: Phuket's property agents out of control
Sunday 25 August 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: In the hallowed halls of Western real estate lore, agents have long borne the ignominious reputation of “snake oil salesmen”, slick charlatans peddling dreams and sweet-talking their way to a commission.
Step by Step: Phuket's concrete jungle, the price of ‘progress’
Step by Step: Phuket's concrete jungle, the price of ‘progress’
Sunday 18 August 2024 09:00 AM
OPINION: The current monsoon season has once again brought Phuket to its knees, not just with its torrential rains but also with the devastating floods that followed. While flooding is an annual occurrence on the island, this year's damage seems to have hit harder and wider than before. Homes that had never seen a drop of water in decades were submerged, businesses were shuttered, and lives were disrupted. The question on everyone's lips is, ‘Why?’

Cached