Phuket News
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Giant python captured in Phuket garden by British volunteer
In Chalong, Phuket, a 4.5-metre reticulated python was captured from a garden yesterday night, August 16. Residents had discovered the large snake concealed beneath a pallet. The incident occurred around 9pm, prompting a call for assistance to British volunteer first responder, 32 year old Vincent “Vinnie” Modell of the Kusoldharm Foundation’s Patong branch. Known locally as the Snake Guy in…
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Phuket boosts support for autistic and intellectually disabled residents
Phuket City Municipality is set to enhance support for autistic people and those with intellectual disabilities, focusing on equal opportunities and community integration. This initiative aligns with the Leaving No One Behind policy recently developed. Phuket Town mayor, Suphot La-ongphet, revealed that the plan follows the establishment of a comprehensive database identifying residents with autism or intellectual disabilities. “Everyone is…
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Karon Municipality ordered to clear Kata Beach chairs in 15 days
The National Anti-Corruption Commission’s (NACC) Phuket office has instructed Karon Municipality to remove all beach chairs from Kata Beach within 15 days; failure to comply will result in legal action. The directive was announced by Suwat Saowarat, Director of NACC Phuket, during a meeting with the Karon Mayor and local officials yesterday, August 15. Following the meeting, an inspection took…
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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 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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Suicide at Sarasin Bridge in Phuket allegedly linked to private photo leak
A Thai man, believed to be a former Studio 7 employee involved in a private photo leak case, committed suicide at Sarasin Bridge in Phuket yesterday, August 13. The Phuket Times Facebook page reported that the man was seen jumping from Sarasin Bridge at around 5.30pm. The Kuson Dham Phuket Rescue Foundation arrived at the scene about ten minutes later…
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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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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 after woman’s body found chained to dumbbells in canal
Police arrested a Thai man in Phuket on suspicion of killing a woman and abandoning her body in a canal in the southern province of Songkhla, with her neck chained to concrete dumbbells. The body of the woman was discovered floating in the Tha Yai Canal in Takua Thung district, Phang Nga province, on August 8. She was wearing a grey…
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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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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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Phuket jet ski blitz nets 38 illegal rides in safety push
Phuket’s rogue jet ski operators have been hit with a major crackdown, as police swooped on six locations and seized 38 illegally operated machines. The coordinated operation, led by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Phuket Marine Police, was launched to boost tourist safety and safeguard the island’s image. Officials said many operators were running jet ski services without…
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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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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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Jet ski heroes drag tourist from Phuket rip current (video)
A dramatic jet ski rescue unfolded off Phuket’s Bang Tao-Surin Beach on Wednesday when two quick-thinking lifeguards hauled an unconscious foreign tourist from a deadly rip current. Footage of the daring save, posted by Facebook user Witsarut Saman yesterday evening, August 7, shows the moment the lifeguards tore through pounding surf on a jet ski to reach the struggling swimmer.…
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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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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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Phuket copper thief caught red-handed stripping stolen wire
A Phuket man was caught red-handed slicing up stolen copper wire in what police say is part of a wider cable theft ring fuelling local drug habits. The suspect, identified only as 55 year old Somchai, was arrested on Monday, August 4, at a property in Village 3, Ratsada, where he was actively stripping insulation from a pile of stolen…
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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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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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Unidentified foreign woman’s body found on Kamala Beach, Phuket
The body of a foreign woman was found washed up on Kamala Beach, Phuket, on the evening of yesterday, August 4, prompting an investigation by local police and forensic officials. The identity of the woman has not yet been established. Kamala Police were informed of the incident at approximately 6.30pm. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanapop Rattanaburi, a forensic doctor from Vachira…
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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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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…
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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