Pufferfish

My husband and I are entertaing the though of expating (is that a word) to Thailand, specifically Phuket. Everything about the area, including the cost of living, seem to meet our expectation. I have heard one thing that disturbs me, and could be a show stopper. Is there reliable internet connectivity? Is it true that the water is turned off frequently and w/out prior warning? Is the electricity also unreliable? The area looks beautiful, and we would not make this decision lightly or w/out first visiting. However. being the American that I am, I take for granted these creature comforts. That said, I'm not sure that I could make the move if the aforementioned is accurate. Looking forward to some answers from you folks that have already taken the leap!