The latest sequel of the ‘Fast and Furious’ movie franchise will partly be filmed in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani next month.

Yesterday Piya Petonji, the film’s production manager, met with Krabi Governor M.L. Kitibadee Prawit at the Krabi City Hall before the cast arrives and filming begins.

The filming will be from July 1-27 in locations around Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani. It is estimated the production will bring a 340 million baht benefit to Thailand and the local film industry.

The Krabi Governor says this is a good opportunity for Thailand to present its beautiful nature, culture and history to the world through the film. There has been no announcement of when filming may be taking place around Phuket’s roads.

The Thaiger recommends the plot of the film as a race between a visa-run passenger van and a Chinese Tour Bus to the Malaysian border, with a feature muay thai face-off on Maya Bay beach between Vin Diesel and Leonardo DiCaprio (though the 45 year old might have to get some training in before returning to ‘The Beach’).

Here’s our Top Ten movies made around Phuket and Thailand.

Leonardo in Phuket last year during a quick break

An injured dolphin is being cared for after being rescued along Tai Mueang beach in Phang Nga, southern Thailand.

National park and marine officials were notified from locals that the dolphin was found on the Tai Mueang beach.

Scratches were found on the bottlenose dolphin. The dolphin measured 10 centimetres wide and 180 centimetres long.

The dolphin was unable to go flop back into the sea because of strong winds and onshore waves, and it became too weak. The dolphin is now being cared for at the Phang Nga Aquaculture Research and Development Centre for some love and treatment before being released back to the Andaman Sea.

An isolated Saturday night storm cell off Phang Nga capsized a fishing trawler. The entire crew, about 30 or so people, were rescued soon after.

The kamnan of Lam Kaen tambon in Tai Muang district, Umakorn Phaeyai, said this morning the mishap occurred 20 nautical miles offshore.

She said the crew of the 53 tonne Thanakorn 1 waited for rescue in the water or atop the partially submerged hull.