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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  • Throttle down: Patong police clamp down on reckless riders

    Throttle down: Patong police clamp down on reckless riders

    In a bid to curb chaos on the streets of Phuket, Patong police launched a major crackdown on reckless driving by foreign tourists, resulting in over ten motorbike rental operators facing fines. The operation, which swung into action on Saturday, February 15, saw the capture of numerous vehicles, with operators penalised for renting bikes to tourists without checking for valid…

  • Burmese man arrested after attempted rape in Phuket

    Burmese man arrested after attempted rape in Phuket

    A Myanmar national has been arrested for the attempted rape of a 57 year old woman in Wichit after her son’s sudden arrival forced the attacker to flee. The horrifying incident unfolded at around 1pm on Saturday, February 15, when the victim, identified as Kai, was asleep in her home. The suspect, Soe Aung, allegedly broke in, restrained her, and…

  • Boatload of change: Phuket makes waves with water transport plan

    Boatload of change: Phuket makes waves with water transport plan

    Phuket is set to make a splash with an innovative plan to tackle its notorious traffic woes—by taking to the water. In a bid to ease the island’s increasing congestion, local officials gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall’s Smart Operations Center yesterday, February 17, to explore the integration of water transport systems, with a focus on a pioneering ‘Boat Taxi’ project.…

  • Tragic Phuket crash: Man killed as car overturns

    Tragic Phuket crash: Man killed as car overturns

    A 30 year old man lost his life in a horrific late-night crash after his car flipped and smashed into a roadside barrier in Wichit, Phuket, early yesterday morning. Wichit Police were alerted to the accident at around 2.30am, yesterday, February 17, near the Bangchak petrol station on Mueang Chaofa Road, a key route linking Prince of Songkla University’s Phuket campus…

  • Last laugh: Frenchman arrested for laughing gas sale in Phuket

    Last laugh: Frenchman arrested for laughing gas sale in Phuket

    Police arrested a Frenchman at a house in the Patong sub-district, Kathu district, Phuket, yesterday, February 16, for selling nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas. Officers from Patong Police Station posed as customers and ordered laughing gas from the 30 year old Frenchman, whose name has not been disclosed. The suspect directed the officers to collect the item from…

  • Filipina woman arrested in Phuket over Bangkok fraud charges

    Filipina woman arrested in Phuket over Bangkok fraud charges

    A 45 year old Filipina woman was arrested in Phuket on Friday after immigration officers discovered an outstanding fraud warrant issued by the Criminal Court in Bangkok in 2020. The suspect, identified as Brenda (surname withheld), was taken into custody while attempting to extend her visa at the Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town. A background check through the Immigration…

  • Phuket police impound 20 bikes over reckless tourist driving

    Phuket police impound 20 bikes over reckless tourist driving

    Phuket’s Patong police impounded 20 motorbikes and addressed the issue of foreign tourists driving recklessly during a late-night operation intended to enhance road safety. Yesterday, February 15, at 12.30am, Patong Police officers carried out an inspection near Kasikorn Bank on Prachanukroh Road, located at the southern end of Patong. The operation focused on identifying and addressing reckless driving and other…

  • Russian, Thai nationals arrested in Phuket over wire fraud charges

    Russian, Thai nationals arrested in Phuket over wire fraud charges

    A Russian national and three Thai citizens have been detained in Phuket in separate operations. The Russian, Egor Nikolaevich Glebov, is wanted by US police for wire fraud charges. Phuket Immigration officers and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) carried out the raids. Glebov, a 38 year old Russian national, was apprehended at a residence in Supalai Palm Springs, Srisoonthorn.…

  • Phuket motorcycle taxi feud turns bloody in street stabbing

    Phuket motorcycle taxi feud turns bloody in street stabbing

    A long-standing rivalry between two motorcycle taxi drivers erupted into a brutal knife fight outside Vachira Phuket Hospital last night, leaving one man seriously injured. The violent altercation, which unfolded at around 9pm yesterday, February 13, saw the men stab each other in a heated dispute over passengers. Phuket City Police, led by Deputy Chief of Investigation Police Captain Pawinut…

  • Over 100 couples tie the knot in Phuket on Valentine’s Day

    Over 100 couples tie the knot in Phuket on Valentine’s Day

    Romance filled the air in Phuket Town today as more than 100 couples gathered at the Mueang District Office to register their marriages in a joyful Valentine’s Day celebration. The event, which embraced love in all forms, saw couples from all backgrounds, including LGBTQIA+ partners, formalising their unions in a special ceremony. The festivities were led by Phuket District Chief…

  • Drunken tourist brawl erupts in Phuket, sparks online outrage (video)

    Drunken tourist brawl erupts in Phuket, sparks online outrage (video)

    A wild street brawl involving foreign tourists outside Cafe del Mar in Kamala has set social media ablaze, reigniting debates over the type of visitors Phuket is attracting. The 1-minute, 37-second clip, shared by the โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต Facebook page today, February 14, captures the chaotic fight, with drunk tourists trading punches as stunned onlookers watched. The altercation began outside the…

  • Phuket forest fire sparks panic before firefighters contain blaze

    Phuket forest fire sparks panic before firefighters contain blaze

    A raging forest fire in Thepkrasattri subdistrict, Phuket, sent firefighters and locals scrambling to contain the fast-spreading blaze yesterday, February 13. The fire engulfed over 6 rai of land in Khao Kluay, Baan Pak Pli, before emergency crews managed to bring it under control after a tense four-hour battle. The Thepkrasattri Subdistrict Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) first reported the incident, which…

  • Nigerian man arrested in Phuket for selling cocaine to tourists

    Nigerian man arrested in Phuket for selling cocaine to tourists

    Phuket Immigration officers detained a 37 year old Nigerian man in the Thepkrasattri subdistrict for possessing cocaine with the intention to sell. The individual, identified as John Paul, was arrested at a rented residence in Village 11, Thepkrasattri yesterday morning, February 13. The operation was a joint effort by Phuket Immigration and officers from Thalang Police Station. During the arrest,…

  • Turkish man’s visa revoked in Phuket over Interpol notice

    Turkish man’s visa revoked in Phuket over Interpol notice

    Phuket Immigration has withdrawn the visa of a 32 year old Turkish national due to an Interpol Red Notice. The notice was issued for alleged offences involving illegal firearms and unauthorised sharing of personal data. The Republic of Turkey’s arrest warrant accused the Turkish national, Taskin, of possessing firearms and ammunition unlawfully and disseminating personal information without permission. This led…

  • Shocking discovery: Thai man found dead in Phuket resort room

    Shocking discovery: Thai man found dead in Phuket resort room

    Police are investigating the mysterious death of a 59 year old Thai man whose lifeless body was discovered in a Phuket resort room last night, February 12. The cause of death remains unknown, with no immediate signs of foul play. The police were alerted at around 9.30pm and arrived at the Kamala resort with a medical examiner from Vachira Phuket…

  • Driver trapped as car crashes into Phuket’s Seahorse Circle

    Driver trapped as car crashes into Phuket’s Seahorse Circle

    A young driver was left trapped and seriously injured after losing control of his car and crashing into a power pole at Phuket’s infamous Nimit Traffic Circle, also known as Seahorse Circle, in the early hours of yesterday morning. Rescue workers from the Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation arrived at the scene at around 3am, yesterday, February 12, to find a wrecked…

  • Phuket cybercrime bust: Six arrested in online gambling crackdown

    Phuket cybercrime bust: Six arrested in online gambling crackdown

    A significant operation against international cybercrime in Phuket has led to the arrest of six people, including three Taiwanese nationals, connected to a complex online gambling and money laundering scheme. This was part of an initiative by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB). The arrests were publicised yesterday, February 11, at the CCIB headquarters in Bangkok. The operation, named Hunting…

  • Fare play: Bolt driver warns after Indian couple scams free airport ride

    Fare play: Bolt driver warns after Indian couple scams free airport ride

    A Thai Bolt driver took to social media to issue a warning to others after an Indian couple tricked him into providing them with a free ride to Phuket International Airport. The driver urged the Facebook news page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต (which translates to Phuket is brutal) to share his story and warn others not to fall victim to similar fraudulent…

  • Black water crisis: Pollution hits Kamala Beach again

    Black water crisis: Pollution hits Kamala Beach again

    Phuket’s paradise image is once again under threat as black wastewater was seen gushing onto Kamala Beach, where unsuspecting tourists and locals swim. Despite repeated promises of urgent action, pollution continues to plague the island’s beaches, raising serious health concerns. Following public outrage, Pollution Control Department (PCD) Director General Preeyaporn Suwannaket ordered an urgent investigation into the foul-smelling wastewater contaminating…

  • Canadian man found dead in car near Phuket beach

    Canadian man found dead in car near Phuket beach

    Police have launched an investigation after a Canadian man was found dead inside a parked car near Nui Beach in Karon yesterday morning, leaving officers puzzled over the circumstances of his death. Karon Police were alerted to the scene at approximately 9.15am yesterday, February 10, where they found the man’s body inside a Mitsubishi Xpander with Phuket registration. His lifeless…

  • Russian woman arrested for smoking in Phuket shopping mall

    Russian woman arrested for smoking in Phuket shopping mall

    Phuket police officers arrested a Russian woman who fled without paying for a haircut and smoked a cigarette inside a shopping mall despite a warning from security guards. The news Facebook page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต (which translates to Phuket is so brutal) shared the video of the foreign woman yesterday, February 10, with a caption that read… “What drugs are you high…

  • 4 foreign hackers behind 560 million baht malware scam arrested in Phuket

    4 foreign hackers behind 560 million baht malware scam arrested in Phuket

    Royal Thai Police (RTP) arrested four foreign hackers who fled Switzerland to evade arrest warrants to hide in Phuket after operating a malware scam that defrauded more than 1,000 victims, causing total losses of over US$16 million, or approximately 560 million baht. Swiss officials sought cooperation from the RTP to extradite the four malware scammers back to Switzerland for further legal…

  • Witnesses overturn car to save motorcyclist who later dies in hospital

    Witnesses overturn car to save motorcyclist who later dies in hospital

    Nearly 20 Thai, Burmese, and foreign witnesses worked together to overturn a sedan to save a motorcyclist who was trapped beneath the vehicle on a road in Phuket yesterday, February 9. They successfully retrieved the rider but he later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The Phuket Times shared a touching video showing a group of people working hard to…

  • 5 foreigners, 2 Thais arrested at illegal nurseries and Muay Thai gym

    5 foreigners, 2 Thais arrested at illegal nurseries and Muay Thai gym

    Police arrested five foreigners and two Thai citizens at illegal nurseries and a Muay Thai training gym in Phuket on Friday, February 7. Phuket Provincial Police officers raided three suspicious businesses in the province on Friday, including two nurseries in the Thalang district and a Muay Thai training gym in the Mueang district. At the first nursery, police encountered 10…

  • Phuket Airport staff under scrutiny for corruption but no formal probe yet

    Phuket Airport staff under scrutiny for corruption but no formal probe yet

    The National Anti-Corruption Commission‘s Phuket office clarified that no formal investigation has started regarding four Airports of Thailand management staff at Phuket International Airport, despite acknowledgements of corrupt conduct by the organisation. The NACC is still in the evidence-collection phase, with the staff in question retaining their positions. In late November last year, central NACC officials from Bangkok visited the…

  • Furious Phuket residents demand action as gridlock worsens

    Furious Phuket residents demand action as gridlock worsens

    Phuket’s once-idyllic Cherng Talay is now a gridlocked nightmare, with frustrated residents demanding urgent action as worsening traffic congestion grinds daily life to a halt. Residents and local officials, including Cherng Talay Subdistrict Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) Chief Manoch Panchalad, are calling for immediate solutions to ease the never-ending traffic tailbacks plaguing the area. “Every day, I see private cars clogging…

  • Baby turtles hatch on Phuket beach, but not all survive

    Baby turtles hatch on Phuket beach, but not all survive

    A magical moment unfolded on Kata Noi Beach as around 70 baby sea turtles hatched and made their way into the Andaman Sea yesterday, February 6. However, not all survived the journey, with officials discovering several lifeless hatchlings and one struggling to survive. The Andaman Sea Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center was first alerted to the hatching by a…

  • Foreign man steals iPhone worth nearly 60,000 baht from Phuket shop

    Foreign man steals iPhone worth nearly 60,000 baht from Phuket shop

    A foreign man remains at large after stealing an iPhone worth nearly 60,000 baht from a local shop near Chalong Intersection in Phuket. A Thai man took to social media in an attempt to track down the foreign thief who stole from his younger sister’s mobile phone shop near Chalong Intersection on Wednesday, February 5. He shared CCTV footage of the…

  • Trafficking crackdown: Officials inspect Phuket fishing boats

    Trafficking crackdown: Officials inspect Phuket fishing boats

    Phuket Vice Governor Ronnarong Thipsiri led a thorough inspection of several commercial fishing boats in Phuket yesterday, February 6, aiming to prevent human trafficking and ensure adherence to labour laws. The inspections took place at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute Pier at Cape Panwa and involved officials from over 14 agencies. The primary focus…

  • Waste no time: Phuket fast-tracks trash tech near city centre

    Waste no time: Phuket fast-tracks trash tech near city centre

    A ticking time bomb lurks in the heart of Phuket’s beautiful landscape but not one you would expect. Phuket City Municipality is racing against the clock to establish a state-of-the-art solid waste sorting facility at the waste disposal centre in Saphan Hin, a stone’s throw from bustling Phuket City centre. Deputy Mayor Suphachok La-ongphet revealed that by the end 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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