Phuket News
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Phuket shop seeks foreign woman caught swapping price tags
A clothes shop owner in Phuket is offering a reward of 6,000 baht to anyone with information about a foreign woman who secretly swapped a price tag in order to pay less for an item. The shop owner shared CCTV footage of the incident with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page yesterday, September 4, seeking help from the online community to…
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Phuket blood centre issues urgent appeal as type O runs low
The Phuket Red Cross Blood Centre (PRBC) has issued an urgent call for blood donors as supplies of type O blood remain at dangerously low levels. As of 9.30am yesterday, September 4, the National Blood Service in Phuket reported a daily demand of 390 units: 200 units of type O, 100 of type A, 70 of type AB, and 20…
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Phuket taxi drivers face threats in clash over illegal ride-hailing service
A group of taxi drivers in Phuket reported receiving threats from an alleged illegal taxi driver after one of them photographed the suspect in an attempt to expose his violation of the law. The taxi drivers, who operate in the Kata Beach area, shared details of the threat with local news outlet Neshawk Phuket yesterday, September 4. They also released…
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Scotsman’s Thailand trip cut short after ex cancels passport
A Scottish holidaymaker’s dream trip to Thailand turned into a nightmare when his ex-partner cancelled his passport, leading to his detention at the airport and subsequent deportation back to the UK. William Barr, from Inverkeithing, Fife, was detained by immigration officers as soon as he arrived in Phuket, and ultimately deported back to the UK before his holiday even began. “I…
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Thailand and Malaysia boost cooperation on border security issues
Thailand and Malaysia have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing border security and regional stability at the 117th Thai-Malaysian Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting, held yesterday at the Angsana Laguna Phuket Hotel. The high-level meeting yesterday, September 3, co-chaired by Major General Apinan Chaemchaeng, Commander of the 5th Infantry Division, and Maj. Gen. Dato’ Hj Fazal bin Hj Abdul Rahman, Commander…
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New non-stop Mumbai to Phuket flight opens doors for tourists
Mumbai, India’s bustling financial capital, is now directly connected to one of Thailand’s most coveted tourist destinations, Phuket, thanks to the launch of a new flight route by Akasa Air planned for September 20. This non-stop service promises to revolutionise travel between India and Thailand, offering an efficient and seamless journey, leaving behind the long layovers and connecting flights that…
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Phuket’s Patong Tunnel greenlit with 11-billion-baht budget
Phuket’s much-anticipated Patong Tunnel project has been given the green light, but with a hefty price tag of 11 billion baht and a new set of roadblocks ahead. On August 26, the Cabinet approved a major shift in the project’s investment model, paving the way for the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) to take direct control of the construction. The…
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Phuket tuk tuks set to go electric in new pilot project
Phuket’s famous tuk tuks are about to get a green makeover as the island becomes the testing ground for Thailand’s first project to switch small passenger vehicles from petrol to electric power. Akaradej Wongpitakroj, MP for Ratchaburi and chairman of the House Industrial Committee, confirmed on a recent visit that Phuket will spearhead the conversion drive. The lessons learned here…
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Phuket man wanted after stabbing wife in domestic row
Police in Phuket are hunting a man who allegedly stabbed his wife with a pair of scissors during a row at a motorcycle repair shop in Thalang. The attack happened at around 7pm yesterday, September 2, opposite the Thai Watsadu store in Srisoonthorn. The victim, 38 year old Pornpana Manhan, was stabbed in the back and rushed to Thalang Hospital…
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Phuket Airport stages emergency drill as safety test Friday
Passengers flying through Phuket International Airport this Friday morning can expect to see chaos, but only as part of a full-scale emergency drill. Airport officials confirmed that the exercise, scheduled for 9am on Friday, September 5, will simulate a major incident under the Airport Contingency Plan. The goal is to sharpen safety standards and ensure staff are fully prepared to…
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Phuket man sets ex-girlfriend’s car on fire, blames anger and impulse
A Thai man in Phuket confessed to setting his ex-girlfriend’s car on fire two months after their relationship ended, admitting he acted on a foolish impulse and now regrets his actions. Officers from Wichit Police Station launched an urgent search for the suspect after the red hatchback belonging to 49 year old Thitipha Suppasamran was torched outside her home on…
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Phuket’s pricey new night market flop shut in 2 months
Phuket’s newest night market has turned into a multimillion-baht flop, shutting its doors just two months after opening in a blaze of publicity. The 30 million baht Plern Pao Night Market, near Surin Circle’s clocktower roundabout, closed abruptly this week. Organiser Plern Pao Co Ltd issued a notice on Monday, September 1, confirming the shutdown and instructing vendors to collect…
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Film crew blasted for rolling up Thai flag at Phuket viewpoint (video)
It was meant to be just another day of shooting at a scenic Phuket viewpoint, but when a filming crew rolled up the Thai national flag, social media erupted with criticism. The 58-second clip, filmed at Black Rock Viewpoint (Pha Hin Dam) in Rawai at the southern tip of the island, shows a woman believed to be part of a…
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Tourist surge in Phuket drives revenue into the billions
Phuket’s tourism industry is riding a wave of recovery, welcoming millions of visitors and raking in staggering revenue in just seven months. According to the Provincial Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Office in Phuket, more than 7.6 million tourists arrived between January and July this year. The influx generated 290 billion baht for the island’s economy, reinforcing Phuket’s status as…
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Phuket police arrest foreigner caught drifting pickup in viral video
Police arrested a foreign driver, caught on a viral video drifting his pickup truck outside a convenience store in Phuket, and seized the vehicle. The footage, showing a white pickup repeatedly drifting in the car park of a 7-Eleven store in the Bang Tao area, spread rapidly across Thai social media. Both the driver and passenger were reported to be…
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Phuket landlord finds rental room trashed by tenant
A landlord in Phuket expressed her dismay after discovering her rental room abandoned in a poor state, with substantial rubbish left behind by a tenant. The tenant, who had rented the room for three months, reportedly fell behind on rent and complained of financial difficulties. Nan, the landlord, shared that problems began after the first month, with the tenant failing…
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Police seek French tourist after Patong hotel altercation with Australian
An altercation between an Australian tourist and a French tourist occurred inside a hotel in Patong yesterday morning, August 31, leading the police to search for the Frenchman who left the scene. Patong Police responded to a report of a violent incident on Nanai Road, Patong, at approximately 9.35am. Hotel staff reported a fight between two foreign guests. Police arrived…
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Phuket expats unite for life-saving blood donation drive
Foreign residents and local organisations in Phuket have come together to encourage life-saving blood donations as the island braces for its busy tourist season. The Australian Consulate-General in Phuket teamed up with Phuket Has Been Good To Us, the British Honorary Consul and the Phuket Veterans for a blood drive at Vachira Phuket Hospital this week. The event aimed to…
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Gun stunt in forest exposes Phuket drug kingpin
A Burmese drug dealer has been arrested in Phuket after a video of him firing a gun in a mangrove forest went viral, leading police straight to his stash of meth, cash and weapons. The suspect, identified as 34 year old Nge Htwe Don, known by the alias Mr Screw, was caught after posting a video of himself practising with…
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Aussie found dead on Phuket hotel bed with weed and Viagra
A 36 year old Australian man has been found dead in his hotel room in Phuket, with police investigating whether a suspected drug overdose was the cause. Chalong Police were called to the scene at a hotel on Soi Ta-iad at around 2.30pm on Wednesday, August 27, after staff reported discovering the man lying motionless on his bed. Police Lieutenant…
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Outta control: Runaway truck ploughs into Patong ditch
A Bangkok-registered six-wheeled truck caused a stir in Patong yesterday after careering off Phra Barami Road and crashing into a roadside ditch, just metres away from a local temple. The dramatic accident occurred around 11.10am yesterday, August 28, when the driver reportedly suffered brake failure while descending the notoriously steep Patong Hill. The truck lost control at the dangerous Pla…
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NACC swoops on shady Phuket land works in corruption blitz
Corruption busters are getting their boots dirty in Phuket as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) zeroes in on suspicious land excavation and filling projects across the island. The NACC Phuket office, led by Chief Suwat Saowarat, launched a new initiative titled Pinning Areas at Risk of Corruption, targeting projects carried out by local administrations. The inspections, which took place from…
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Financial stress linked to body found hanging at Phuket shrine
Worshippers arriving at Phuket’s famous Jui Tui Shrine this morning were confronted with a grim discovery: a man had died by hanging before dawn. Phuket City Police reported that they were alerted at 7.55am today, August 28, to the death of 56 year old Montree Jongthirawong. Rescue workers and forensic doctors were dispatched to the shrine, located in Phuket Town,…
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Police hunt violent youth gang for shooting teen on Phuket road
A quiet Phuket road turned into a shooting scene when a teenager was gunned down by a gang member riding past on a motorbike. The incident occurred on the evening of August 24 along Muang Thong-Khao Khad Road near Muang Thong Market in Wichit subdistrict, Mueang district. The victim, identified as 18 year old Thanwa, was shot in the back while…
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‘Pearl of Phuket’: Thai-Cambodian beauty dazzles in pageant
The “Pearl of Phuket” stole the show on Saturday night, dazzling the crowd and clinching a top-three finish at Miss Universe Thailand 2025. The glamorous Miss Universe Thailand 2025 pageant lit up Bangkok on Saturday, August 23, with 23 year old Naruemol “Adele” Phimphakdee stealing the spotlight as she secured a coveted place in the top three. Representing Phuket, the Thai-Cambodian…
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Foreign tourists go viral for clothes swap challenge at Phuket airport
A group of foreign tourists went viral among Thai netizens for their clothes exchange challenge at Phuket International Airport. A Thai woman shared a video of the foreign tourists taking part in the challenge on her TikTok account, @babiesbamm, on Monday, August 25. The clip showed the foreign men swapping outfits, donning comical clothing, and staging a fashion show inside…
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Phuket locals demand action after foreigners drift pickup outside convenience store
Locals called for legal action against two foreigners after a pickup truck was filmed drifting in the car park of a convenience store in the Bang Thao neighbourhood of Phuket. The video, which circulated widely on Thai social media yesterday, August 26, showed a white pickup drifting in front of a 7-Eleven in Bang Tao. The driver was reported to…
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AI takeover: Phuket trains officials for smart city revolution
Phuket has kicked off a new chapter in its smart city push with a training programme designed to help government officials understand and apply artificial intelligence (AI) in day-to-day administration. The initiative, titled Enhancing Knowledge on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Government Administration, was held at Phuket Vocational College yesterday, August 26, with Governor Sophon Suwannarat presiding over the…
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Caught on camera: Patong burglar snared with 300k baht loot
Patong Police have arrested a 28 year old man from Phuket after linking him to a series of burglaries worth 300,000 baht. The suspect, Kittipong Boonchuay, was caught yesterday, August 26, at a rented house in Patong after CCTV evidence allegedly tied him to late-night thefts, where police say he used a motorbike to make quick getaways. Police estimate the…
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Foreign man caught using app to attempt car theft in Phuket
A foreign man attempted to steal a Thai woman’s car in Phuket on August 24. He appeared to have unlocked the vehicle via his mobile phone, as captured by CCTV. The car owner shared details of the attempted theft with the Phuket Times Facebook page to warn other motorists. She explained that she parked her vehicle on the roadside near…
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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