Phuket News
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Phuket bar raid uncovers underage trafficking, three arrested
Yesterday, August 14, police raided a well-known bar in Phuket, arresting three individuals for allegedly trafficking underage girls and a transgender teenager. The suspects face serious charges of human trafficking. Police Major General Songklod Krikkritaya, the commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD), directed the operation. The arrests took place at a bar located in Mueang district, Phuket province. The…
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Phuket district chief addresses viral altercation over rental motorcycle dispute
A district chief in Phuket clarified details about a physical altercation involving nearly 20 foreigners and two Thai men in a dispute over a rental motorcycle, promising to ensure justice for both parties. Kathu District Chief Akkaraphon Sutthirak, yesterday, August 14, addressed the viral incident between a group of foreigners and two Thai men, one of whom was the owner of…
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Phuket seeks special status to tackle infrastructure woes
Phuket is seeking a transformation into a special administrative area to address its significant infrastructure and environmental challenges, according to Governor Sophon Suwannarat. At a recent press conference, Sophon highlighted the province’s pressing issues, such as clean water shortages, inadequate wastewater management, waste disposal concerns, and road safety problems. Budget constraints are hampering large-scale improvements, with the administration’s current budget…
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Russian man arrested in Phuket over illegal possession of firearms
Police arrested a Russian man today, August 14, for illegally possessing firearms after he fled from an arrest in Bangkok and hid in Phuket. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Immigration Bureau apprehended the 27 year old Russian national, whose identity was withheld, following an arrest warrant issued by the Phra Khanong Criminal Court in Bangkok. The warrant, issued on July…
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Police seize 5 million meth pills in Sakon Nakhon warehouse raid
In Sakon Nakhon, police have confiscated five million methamphetamine pills from a pickup truck parked in a rented, closed warehouse in the Kham Ta Kla district of this northeastern province. Provincial Police Region 4 investigators executed a search warrant at a warehouse in Moo 16 village, tambon Kham Ta Kla, around 2pm yesterday, August 13. Inside a four-door Chevrolet pickup…
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Search underway for man who jumped from Sarasin Bridge, Phuket
Police and rescue teams in Phuket are actively searching for a young man who went missing after jumping from the Sarasin Bridge on the evening of yesterday, August 13. The incident was reported to the Tha Chatchai Police at 5.42pm by the Phuket Provincial Police 191 radio centre. The man reportedly jumped from the observation tower located on the Phang…
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Phuket netizens slam foreign cyclist for reckless lane change
Thai netizens condemned a foreign cyclist for cutting in front of a pickup on a main road in Phuket yesterday, August 12. The pickup driver, Pusana Ai Senrit, shared a dashcam footage of the incident in the Facebook group ขับรถแบบนี้ต้องประจาน ภูเก็ต (“Drivers like this must be exposed, Phuket”). In the caption, he wrote, “Uncle, you nearly lost your chance to…
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Nearly 20 foreigners attack Thai motorbike shop owner in Phuket
Nearly 20 foreigners attacked a Thai motorcycle rental shop owner in Phuket, along with another Thai victim, following a dispute over a fine for damages to a vehicle. A local news agency, Newshawk Phuket, reported the altercation on Tuesday, August 12, stating that the incident occurred at around 9.30pm on Monday, August 11. The report included footage of the assault.…
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Phuket man arrested for illegal high-interest loan operation
A 61 year old man has been apprehended by Wichit Police in Phuket for running an illicit high-interest loan operation. The arrest resulted in the confiscation of 12 motorcycles, five sedans, a pickup truck, and numerous related documents. Residents in Soi Charoenlap, Wichit, had reported unregistered vehicles parked for long periods along the roadside and motorcycles concealed under covers at…
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Police investigate unidentified man’s drowning at Kalim Beach, Phuket
Police are investigating the death of an unidentified man who drowned at Kalim Beach in Phuket on August 9. Patong police received notification of the incident at 12.06pm, prompting rescue workers from the Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation’s Patong branch and diving personnel to begin a search for the missing person. The man’s body was discovered washed ashore by waves around 2pm…
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Phuket prepares to host global green tourism summit
Phuket’s power players jetted to Fiji for a high-profile eco-tourism summit, returning with ideas, allies, and a mission to make next year’s event the island’s greenest showpiece yet. A high-level Phuket delegation has returned from Fiji after taking part in the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (GSTC) 2025—a key step in preparing the island to host the world-class event next year.…
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Phuket cops seize sunglasses stash from illegal Cambodian vendor
Phuket Immigration officers have launched a high-profile crackdown on illegal beach vendors following complaints from residents and business owners that Cambodian migrant workers were openly selling goods without permission. Locals claimed the activity was damaging the island’s tourism image and undercutting Thai vendors who operate legally. Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police Colonel Kriangkrai Ariyaying ordered Deputy Superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel…
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Patong fruit row turns bloody as vendor stabs tourist
A late-night fruit snack in Patong turned into a bloody street fight when a payment dispute ended with a tourist being stabbed in the stomach. Patong Police were called to the scene at 2.20am today, August 8, outside Patong Medical Clinic on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road. Police Lieutenant Colonel Somprasong Labaisat, Deputy Superintendent (Investigation) of Patong Police Station, led the…
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Thai monks busted at Phuket temple for meth use
A Phuket temple has been rocked by scandal after three monks and two workers were caught using methamphetamine (meth) during a surprise drug raid. Cherng Talay Police, acting on a formal complaint, swooped on Wat Cherng Talay in Thalang at 2pm yesterday, August 7, in a joint operation with the Phuket Provincial Office of Buddhism, Thalang district officials, public health…
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Motorcycle rider killed on Phuket’s deadly Coconut Grove curve
A Phuket motorcyclist has died after a high-speed crash at a notorious curve on Thepkasattri Road in Mai Khao, sparking renewed concerns over road safety in the area. The accident occurred yesterday evening, August 7, near the Coconut Grove Curve—a stretch long feared by local riders. Police say the 41 year old victim, later identified as Mai Khao resident Samreong…
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10 year old Canadian girl drowns off Kata Beach in Phuket
A rescue team yesterday, August 7, discovered the body of a Canadian girl who had drowned in the sea off Kata Beach in Phuket. Officers from Karon Police Station and rescuers from the Kuson Dham Foundation were called to Kata Beach after the 10 year old was swept away by waves while swimming with her family at around 4pm. The…
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Phuket police seize 10,000 meth pills, arrest drug suspects
Phuket officials have confirmed the arrest of two suspected drug traffickers and the seizure of 10,000 methamphetamine pills in an operation aimed at dismantling drug networks in Kathu. This initiative is part of the ongoing No Drugs, No Dealers campaign. The operation, involving the Phuket Provincial Administration and Thalang and Kathu district offices, is aligned with the Ministry of Interior’s…
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Foreigner arrested in Phuket for illegal work at bike rental
In Kathu, Phuket, a foreigner has been apprehended for illegally working at a motorcycle rental business, amid an ongoing effort by the Tourist Police to address unauthorised employment of foreigners. The Phuket Tourist Police reported that officers from Investigation Division 2 of the Tourist Police Bureau 3, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Pittaya Thepmuang, carried out a raid at ONE…
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Phuket police go high-tech to slash road chaos
Phuket police are going digital in a bold new bid to tackle the island’s growing traffic nightmare—and reckless drivers are firmly in the crosshairs. The Safer Road Connect initiative, launched yesterday, August 6, promises to revolutionise traffic enforcement in the province, using integrated vehicle data and real-time monitoring of road violations. The high-tech pilot programme was unveiled at The Pago…
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Foreign man arrested for running illegal motorcycle rental in Phuket
Police arrested a foreign man in Phuket for allegedly operating an illegal motorcycle rental service catering to foreign tourists. However, the suspect denied the accusation and attempted to shift the blame to a friend. Officers from Tourist Police Sub-division 3 launched a crackdown on illegal vehicle rental businesses operated by foreigners and identified one suspect in Kathu district, Phuket. The…
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Patong unites to support troops at Thai border
Locals in Phuket’s party capital are proving they’ve got more than just nightlife in their veins—they’ve got heart. In a powerful show of solidarity, Patong’s officials, business leaders and residents have come together to donate a haul of essential supplies and cash to support Thai citizens and military personnel affected by the ongoing Thai-Cambodian border conflict. The handover ceremony took…
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Teen arrested with pen gun after Phuket shooting scare
A Thai teen is in hot water after allegedly firing a shot outside a Phuket housing estate, sparking a swift police response—and ending in the discovery of a homemade pen gun hidden under a cloth. Police in Chalong arrested 19 year old Amonrat Thongphakdee yesterday, August 5, after responding to reports of gunfire in front of a home in the…
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Police probe cement truck crash near Phuket café
Police have concluded that unstable terrain was to blame for a truck crash behind a café in Kathu last week, after a fully loaded cement mixer tumbled down a hillside and landed just metres from a busy coffee shop. The incident occurred at around 12.30pm on Thursday, July 31, behind Coffee in Farm, a café across from the Tin Mining…
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Phuket man arrested for raping unconscious woman on video
A 40 year old man has been arrested in Phuket after he allegedly raped his girlfriend’s unconscious best friend and secretly filmed the assault. Police say the shocking incident occurred after a birthday party earlier this year. The suspect, Yotsaphan Wichetwarinwet, originally from Hat Yai, was apprehended by officers from Wichit Police Station while applying for a job at a…
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Phuket police arrest trio, seize over 6,000 meth pills
Thalang Police in Phuket have detained three people suspected of drug trafficking, confiscating more than 6,000 methamphetamine pills, known locally as ya bah, and over 300 grammes of crystal meth, referred to as ya ice, during a targeted operation against a local drug network. The apprehensions occurred yesterday, August 4, led by investigators from Thalang Police Station under Police Lieutenant…
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Phuket drug bust nets 6,000 pills and ‘Ice queen’ ringleader
Three suspected drug traffickers are behind bars after police seized more than 6,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills and over 300 grammes of crystal meth (Ice) in a major Phuket sting. Thalang Police moved in yesterday, August 4, targeting a known drug network operating in Thepkrasattri. Officers arrested 27 year old Bank, his 24 year old girlfriend Pop, and 29 year old…
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Truck driver charged after Phuket underpass carnage injures 3
A truck driver has been charged with reckless driving after a violent crash in Phuket’s Darasamut Underpass left three people injured and several vehicles smashed in a high-impact pile-up. The chaos unfolded last Friday, August 1, when the driver, behind the wheel of a palm oil truck, slammed into four vehicles while heading towards Chalong. Police say the trucker, who…
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Phuket intensifies drug crackdown with new phase of national campaign
Phuket Provincial Police have initiated the second phase of the national No Drugs, No Dealers campaign, intensifying their efforts to dismantle drug networks and promote drug-free communities on the island. This campaign aligns with a directive from Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is temporarily fulfilling the role of Prime Minister, to address the drug crisis as…
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Phuket fishing vessels cleared of forced labour, trafficking concerns
A comprehensive inspection of fishing vessels near Phuket has confirmed the absence of forced labour or human trafficking, according to officials. This development is considered a positive advancement for Thailand’s labour rights reputation within the marine industry. The inspection, conducted on July 31, was orchestrated by a multi-agency task force under the guidance of the Phuket Provincial Labour Protection and…
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Phuket sand fence project launched to combat coastal erosion
A stunning move to preserve Phuket’s natural beauty is underway, with a major investment to combat coastal erosion. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on has launched an ambitious project to combat the relentless coastal erosion threatening Phuket’s shores. Sirinat National Park has been tasked with the implementation of sand fences at Sai Kaew Beach in the Maikhao subdistrict 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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