Phuket News
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Phuket braces for floods as storm lashes Andaman coast
Phuket officials have warned residents to prepare for flash floods, heavy rain, and strong winds as a powerful monsoon system moves across the island. Phuket Governor Saransak Srikruanetra has issued an urgent public warning as intensified southwesterly monsoon winds fuel extreme weather across the Andaman coast. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts continuous rainfall from November 5 to 10, with…
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Patong tunnel will be built, says transport minister amid backlash
Thailand’s transport minister has confirmed a long-delayed tunnel project will proceed as planned, following public backlash and confusion over recent changes. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn moved swiftly to calm the storm, releasing multiple statements through Phuket’s Public Relations Department late Sunday, November 2, to reassure residents and business leaders that the government remains committed to the…
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Foreign man threatens Phuket hotel staff after being denied entry with cat
A foreign man allegedly threatened to stab and shoot a hotel employee in Phuket yesterday, November 6, after being refused permission to bring a cat into the accommodation. The victim shared details of the violent behaviour with the Phuket Times Facebook page, which also released CCTV footage capturing part of the incident. In the video, the foreign man, dressed in…
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Phuket bosses demand action on Kathu-Patong tunnel plan
Business leaders in Phuket are urging the government to move forward with a vital tunnel project, warning that proposed changes could cause costly delays. At a recent press conference, 24 private-sector organisations joined forces to urge the Transport Ministry to move forward without further alterations or delays. The 3.98-kilometre tunnel, approved by the Cabinet on August 26, comes with a…
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Brazen Russian gang plasters Phuket with drug-selling QR codes
Chalermpong Saengdee, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Phuket (Zone 2) from the People’s Party, has warned of a new form of drug trafficking spreading across the island via a post on his personal Facebook page. Chalermpong revealed that foreigners are placing QR code stickers in tourist attractions and public areas throughout the province. These stickers link to online drug…
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Double tragedy: Russian and Burmese drown off Nai Thon Beach
Two foreign men drowned in separate incidents while swimming at Nai Thon Beach, Phuket, as rough seas and strong currents created deadly conditions. One of the victims was identified as 31 year old Dmitrii Zakutskii, a Russian man who had been missing since Monday, November 3. Witnesses told police he was pulled under by a powerful wave and never resurfaced.…
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Patong man found dead with lawnmower in suspected accident
A man was found dead beside a shed in Patong with injuries to his neck and face while holding a lawnmower, prompting a police investigation into the cause. Officers were alerted at 8.50pm yesterday, November 3, to a possible fatality on Soi Som Kwai Yai. When they arrived at the scene, accompanied by Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation rescue volunteers, they found…
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Tuk tuk driver killed in Patong knife fight over passengers
A late-night fight between two tuk tuk drivers outside a busy Patong shopping mall ended with one man dead and another injured, police have confirmed. The violent altercation unfolded in front of the Jungceylon shopping mall on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road at around 11.10pm on Sunday, November 2, where witnesses say a long-standing rivalry between two drivers spiralled out of…
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Phuket governor hails success of U-turn safety project
Phuket Governor Saransak Srikruanetra says no serious accidents have occurred at locations where the new U-turn barriers were installed, marking a significant improvement on what was previously one of the island’s most dangerous road sections. Speaking during the October provincial committee meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall, Governor Saransak said the U-turns had significantly reduced traffic accidents and fatalities. The meeting…
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Two drown at Bang Tao Beach, Phuket, despite red flag warnings
A man and his teenage nephew drowned at Bang Tao Beach in Phuket after being pulled out to sea while swimming on Saturday, November 1. Their bodies were recovered late the following night, according to Thalang District officials. The victims were identified as 42 year old Phumisak Chantajaem and his 13 year old nephew Natthawipa Sriprasit, both from Baan Phru…
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Australian man caught stealing phone and football jerseys from Phuket mall
Police arrested an Australian man for allegedly stealing football jerseys and a mobile phone at a shopping mall in Phuket yesterday, November 2. Officers from the Special Service Division responded to an immediate theft case while on patrol at the Central Phuket shopping mall. The owner of a mobile phone shop in the mall discovered a missing product and reviewed…
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Phuket transforms into open-air gallery for art biennale
Phuket is finalising preparations to host Thailand’s largest international art festival, which will feature global artists and run for several months. Officials confirmed that the Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025 is now over 90% ready, with the grand opening set for November 29 at Saphan Hin Park. The announcement came following a high-level planning meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall on…
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Phuket gambling kingpin arrested in 60 million baht cybercrime raid
Police in Phuket arrested three suspects during a raid on a luxury home linked to an illegal online gambling site with over 60 million baht in transactions. Region 8 Police, led by senior commanders, swooped on a two-storey property on Chao Fa East Road in Wichit yesterday, October 30, uncovering a major cybercrime operation with cash flows topping 60 million…
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Tree and power pole fall cuts traffic on Patong Hill road
Traffic on Patong Hill was reduced to one lane after a tree and a power pole fell onto a main road during the early hours, prompting an emergency response. The incident occurred at approximately 4.18am today, October 31, when a motorist alerted Patong Police to the fallen debris on Phra Barami Road, near the notorious landslide curve on Patong Hill.…
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Phuket city faces water cut tomorrow, November 1 for pipe repairs
Water supply in parts of Phuket will be temporarily shut off as city officials carry out essential pipe works to improve infrastructure and service reliability. Phuket City Municipality has announced that water supply will be suspended tomorrow, November 1, from 10am to 3pm, while engineers carry out essential pipe connection works at the Khao Rang Intersection. The shutdown is expected…
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American tourist found dead at Phuket Muay Thai camp
An overweight American tourist was found dead in his Phuket hotel room after travelling to join a Muay Thai fitness camp aimed at improving his health. The 33 year old Lithuanian-born American tourist, who reportedly weighed nearly 200 kilogrammes, had checked into the hotel on Soi Ta-iad in Chalong about a week earlier to begin boxing and fitness training aimed…
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Patong villa thief caught after CCTV exposes cash heist
A Vietnamese man has been arrested in connection with a brazen cash theft from a private pool villa in Patong, after police traced him through CCTV footage and a distinctive motorbike. Patong Police, led by Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat and his investigation team, swooped in on a hotel on Phra Metta Road at around 4pm yesterday, October 29, where the…
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74 year old tuk tuk driver swings knife at official’s pickup in Phuket
A 74 year old Thai tuk tuk driver smashed a window of a welfare vehicle belonging to the Phuket Provincial Office of the Attorney General following an accident yesterday, October 29. Phuket Hotnews reported that the elderly tuk tuk driver, identified only as Kit, displayed violent behaviour at an intersection on Saphan Hin Road in Khlong Yai district. Officers from…
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Phuket man caught trying to rip wires from abandoned building
A man was caught attempting to steal electrical wires from an abandoned building in Phuket, prompting police to arrest him at the scene during the act. Officers from Wichit Police Station arrested a 39 year old man, identified only as Chindanai, after he was found dismantling electrical fittings and attempting to remove wires from a derelict structure on Chao Fa…
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Phuket’s veggie fest ends with sacred send-off to the gods
Phuket marked the final day of its annual vegetarian festival with a sacred Buddha procession through the city, drawing crowds despite rainy conditions. The final day of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2025 concluded with a sacred ceremony steeped in tradition, as worshippers gathered for the revered Iu Keng ritual, a spiritual procession believed to carry away misfortune and bestow blessings…
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Burmese worker dies after fall from moving garbage truck in Kathu
A Myanmar worker died after falling from a moving garbage truck in Kathu district, Phuket, while transporting waste, prompting a police investigation into the fatal accident. The incident occurred around 2.20pm yesterday, October 28, near the Kathu Social Security Office on Phra Phuket Kaew Road. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a six-wheeled private garbage truck parked at the…
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Holiday tragedy: Kiwi tourist found dead in Kata hotel
A New Zealand tourist was found dead in her hotel room near Kata Beach, prompting police to launch an investigation into the circumstances. Officers from Karon Police Station were called to the scene at around 2.45pm after hotel staff reported that a guest had been found unresponsive. Police Lieutenant Phirawat Yodtor said forensic investigators and a doctor were immediately dispatched.…
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Phuket mourns Queen Mother with island-wide tributes
Phuket fell into quiet mourning as locals and tourists joined together to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, with solemn tributes and ceremonial blessings across the island. The public is invited to take part in water blessing ceremonies and sign official books of condolences in memory of Her Majesty, whose lifelong devotion to the Thai people is being…
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Phuket ramps up anti-drug drive with united front
Phuket is doubling down on its war against drugs, bringing together police, health officials and government leaders in a full-force push to wipe out narcotics. A high-level meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall saw top provincial figures join forces under the government’s national Quick Big Win anti-drug policy, which demands urgent, integrated action to tackle drug issues within four months.…
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Frenchman and Thai transwoman arrested in Phuket for selling crystal meth
Patong police arrested a Frenchman and a Thai transwoman at a hotel in Patong, Phuket, on Saturday, October 25, after discovering approximately 43 grammes of crystal meth in their possession. Officers from Patong Police Station conducted a raid on a hotel room on Sirirat Road, Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket. The suspects were identified as a 46 year old Frenchman…
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Phuket’s old prison site set for 165.8 million baht park revamp by mid 2026
Construction work on the site of the former Phuket Provincial Prison in Phuket Town is on track for completion by June next year, confirmed Rewat Arfeerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO). Rewat explained that the site has been cleared and construction is progressing, with the project now halfway through. He expressed hopes for completion next year. Once…
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Rain can’t stop Phuket Vegetarian Festival’s wildest parade
Thousands gathered in Phuket Town to witness sacred processions, where spirit mediums braved rain and rituals during the Vegetarian Festival. Thousands of devotees, spirit mediums, and curious onlookers lined the streets of Phuket Town today, October 25, to witness the powerful Iw Keng processions from the Tha Ruea and Jeng Ong shrines, two of the most revered events in the…
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Phuket raids target foreigners in illegal business crackdown
Phuket Immigration officers launched a coordinated crackdown on five businesses in Patong, targeting alleged illegal foreign operations as part of a nationwide campaign to tighten control over foreign nationals working or investing unlawfully in Thailand. The raids, carried out on Thursday, October 23, followed a directive from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, instructing officials to step up efforts to monitor foreign…
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Divers missing off Koh Racha found clinging to seaside rocks
Two tourists went missing during a dive near Koh Racha Noi and were rescued hours later after a coordinated search by Thai naval and rescue teams. The alarm was raised around 3pm yesterday, October 23, when staff at The Racha Hotel on nearby Koh Racha Yai reported that two tourists, a Thai national and a German, had failed to return…
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Foreign man goes viral for swimming in floodwater on Bangla Road, Phuket
A foreign man went viral on Thai social media after a video showed him sitting on a rubber ring and enjoying the floodwater on Bangla Road in Phuket. A Thai man filmed the foreigner floating in the middle of the flooded road and shared the video on his Facebook account yesterday, October 23, with a caption reading, “#NewSwimmingPoolNearMe #Happiness #BanglaPatong.”…
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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