Phuket News
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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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…
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Zimbabwean romance scammer escapes arrest from Phuket to Bangkok
Police arrested a Zimbabwean man at an apartment in Bangkok on Thursday, August 21, for operating a romance scam in Phuket and overstaying his visa. Multiple Thai women filed complaints against a Zimbabwean teacher, later identified as 37 year old Valentive Tandier, at Katu Police Station, saying they had been scammed out of valuables while in a relationship with the…
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Indian cooks busted for illegal work on Phuket luxury boat
A Phuket luxury boat outing turned sour when police swooped on Chalong Pier and arrested three Indian nationals caught illegally working as cooks on board. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) confirmed that officers from the Marine Police Division carried out the sting as part of a crackdown on illegal employment around the pier. The suspects, identified by police only as…
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Filipino crewman found hanged on gas tanker off Phuket
Police in Phuket are investigating the death of a Filipino crewman who was found hanged aboard a Singapore-flagged gas tanker anchored off Ao Makham. The body of 28 year old John Bernice Tio Brioso was discovered at around 5pm yesterday, August 25, aboard the Hoegh Gandria, which was moored off Wichit. The vessel’s captain, Nikolic Drasco, immediately alerted Thai police.…
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Phuket tourists ignore beach red flags, attacks lifeguards
Foreign tourists spat on and assaulted Thai lifeguards on Nai Han Beach in Phuket yesterday, August 25, after the guards warned them not to swim in the sea for their own safety. Witnesses filmed the attack and shared the video with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page to expose the tourists’ violent behaviour and demand action from local police and relevant…
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Dutch tourists attacked by foreigners outside Phuket hotel
Police in Phuket are investigating after two Dutch tourists were assaulted by two unidentified foreign men outside a hotel in Karon early on the morning of August 23. The incident took place around 12.15am on Kata Road, according to the Karon Police. The victims, identified as Maximilian and Michelle, reported to the police that they were approached by two male…
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Phuket taxi driver arrested over alleged rape of foreign teacher
Police today, August 25, arrested an app-based taxi driver in Phuket for allegedly raping a foreign teacher in a roadside forest, although the suspect denied the accusation. The 28 year old victim, reportedly an African national, filed a complaint with Thalang Police Station on Saturday, August 23, accusing the taxi driver of sexual assault. According to the victim, she and…
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Brazilian tourist detained after rooftop incident in Patong
In the early hours of August 23, police and rescue personnel in Patong responded to an incident involving a Brazilian tourist on the roof of a massage parlour on Thaweewong Road. The sight of the tourist caused safety concerns and alarmed residents. The Patong Police received the report at approximately 2.45am. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Chittawan Pengkaew, officers, along with…
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Tragedy as boy drowns on Phi Phi Island trip
An eight year old Chinese tourist tragically drowned while visiting Phi Phi Island with his father. Despite being unable to swim, he was allowed to enter the water without a life jacket. Emergency services responded but were unable to save him. Yesterday, August 23, at 8.39pm, the Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation rescue team was notified to collect the body of a…
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Beach alert: Deadly blue dragons invade Phuket shore
Beachgoers in Phuket are being warned to steer clear of venomous blue dragons after the toxic sea slugs washed up on Karon Beach. Local officials sounded the alarm after several sightings of blue dragon sea slugs (Glaucilla sp) were reported following recent rainfall. The creatures, though small and visually striking with their electric-blue appearance, pose a serious health risk to swimmers.…
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Late-night blaze: Inferno torches bikes in Phuket shop fire
Fire ripped through a Phuket motorbike shop in the dead of night, torching more than 10 motorcycles in a dramatic blaze. Kathu Police are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in the early hours yesterday, August 22, gutting parts of a motorcycle repair shop and destroying multiple vehicles. The alarm was raised at approximately 2am when officers…
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Prison shock: Myanmar woman hangs herself in Phuket cell
A Burmese woman detained for deportation was found dead in a Phuket immigration cell after hanging herself with her trousers. A 29 year old Myanmar woman took her own life while being held in an immigration detention room at the Phuket Immigration Office early yesterday morning, August 22. The woman, identified as Htike Darlee, was found dead at around 5.03am…
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Phuket car dealer takes legal action after Chinese man mocks him in viral video
A Thai owner of a second-hand car dealership in Phuket is pursuing legal action against a Chinese influencer for posting a video in which he mocked him in Chinese. The video gained traction among Thai netizens after it was reposted on the Facebook page ลุยจีน Luijeen on Wednesday, August 21. The page explained the situation and provided a translation of…
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Phuket on flood alert as Bang Yai Canal water levels surge
Officials in Phuket have issued a flood warning as continuous heavy rain and high tide threaten to overwhelm the Bang Yai Canal. Today, Friday, August 22, water levels surged in several areas, prompting Phuket City Mayor Suphachok Laongphet to inspect the Bang Yai Canal. He instructed officials to closely monitor the situation at key pumping stations and respond rapidly to…
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China eyes Phuket as Thailand’s next film hotspot
Phuket may soon be the next big-screen sensation as top Chinese film officials tour the island to explore its potential as an international filming destination. A senior delegation from China’s Hainan Province, led by Chen Jiyang, Deputy Minister of Public Relations and Secretary-General of the Hainan International Film Festival Organising Committee, visited Phuket on Wednesday, August 20. Their mission was…
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Russian man sacrifices life to save girlfriend in Phuket waters
A Russian man drowned after saving his girlfriend’s life during a late-night swim between Banana and Nai Thon beaches in Phuket yesterday, August 21. The Russian woman, 24 year old Kamila Sharipova, sought help at about 12.30am after her boyfriend, 35 year old Denis Nonenkov, disappeared into the dark waters at a Phuket beach. The incident occurred outside the Andaman…
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Phuket inmates trained to save lives behind bars
Prisoners in Phuket are learning how to save lives, starting with each other. Phuket Provincial Prison hosted a life-saving training event yesterday, August 20, under the Department of Corrections’ Sharing Happiness project, aiming to equip inmates and officers with emergency response skills in CPR, defibrillator use, and choking assistance. The training was formally launched at 1pm yesterday, where Air Chief…
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1 foreigner dead, another critical after drowning tragedy at Phuket’s Kata Beach
A foreigner drowned in the sea off Kata Beach in Phuket yesterday, August 21, while another foreigner survived but was left in a critical condition. Phuket Times Facebook page reported the incident in the evening, although it reportedly occurred earlier in the afternoon. Witnesses said locals managed to pull both foreigners from the water, but one had already died. The…
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Bitten by bravery: Cobra strikes back in Phuket
A Thai security guard in Phuket ended up needing hospital treatment after being bitten by a highly venomous king cobra moments after capturing it with his bare hands. The shocking encounter unfolded in Kamala yesterday afternoon, August 20, when the guard bravely bagged the enormous reptile. But his moment of triumph quickly turned sour when the cobra lashed out and…
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Media chiefs unite in Phuket to shape future broadcasts
Phuket has rolled out the red carpet for the world’s media chiefs, hosting the 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD). The three-day forum, which opened yesterday, August 19, at the Beyond Kata Hotel, has drawn more than 100 senior delegates from 24 countries under the banner Media Power: Building People, Creating Peace, and Forwarding…
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Foreign tourists involved in Patong assault await medical report for charges
Patong Police are currently awaiting a medical report before proceeding with charges against foreign tourists involved in a violent incident with a Thai motorbike rental operator in Patong. The assault, which occurred on August 10, involved six people identified as Arab. The suspects were reportedly arrested by August 14, following a video of the attack being shown to Nirat Phongsitthaworn,…
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Phuket masseuse claims Egyptian employer forces daily oral sex
A Thai masseuse in Phuket accused her former Egyptian employer of forcing her and other female workers to perform oral sex on him daily. The 36 year old masseuse urged the Phuket Times Facebook page to share her story publicly as a warning to women considering relocating to work in Phuket as she once did. She stated that she now has…
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Phuket restaurant accuses foreigners of stealing designer watch
A restaurant in Phuket is searching for a group of foreigners after one of them allegedly stole a watch from the premises on Friday, August 16. The restaurant owner shared brief details of the incident on the Phuket Times Facebook page yesterday, August 19, along with CCTV screenshots and a picture of the stolen watch. The owner stated… “A foreign…
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Patong police stalled as ‘Arab’ tourist gang walks free
Patong Police are under mounting scrutiny as they continue to delay charges against six foreign tourists, described in official reports as “Arab,” who were allegedly involved in the brutal beating of a Thai motorbike rental operator. The attack, which took place on August 10, left the victim hospitalised with a broken jaw and broken ribs. The case only gained traction…
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Thai man pulled to safety in Phuket racetrack drama (video)
Spectators were left horrified after a man casually wandered onto a racetrack in Phuket during the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Thailand 2025 event, in what could have ended in certain death. The shocking incident occurred yesterday, August 18, just after the high-octane races wrapped up at Saphan Hin Public Park, which had hosted the two-day event over the weekend on August…
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Phuket woman warns community after alleged theft by foreign man
A Thai woman accused a foreign man, believed to be a British national, of stealing her mobile phone and attempting to steal her car in the Thalang district of Phuket yesterday, August 18. The woman, Mewadi Dokmai, issued a warning about the man by sharing her story on several Facebook groups and through local news outlets. She said the incident…
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Close call: Foreign tourist plunges from Patong hotel
A foreign tourist was left fighting for his life last night after plunging from a hotel in Patong under baffling circumstances. The terrifying incident occurred at 6.36pm yesterday, August 18, when Patong Police were alerted to a man falling from a height at a hotel on Phra Mettha Road. Emergency responders from the Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation raced to the scene…
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Foreigners filmed chasing and beating Thai man in Phuket
Another viral video circulated on Thai social media yesterday, August 17, showing a group of foreigners attacking a Thai man outside a restaurant in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket. The Phuket Times Facebook page reported, “Phuket, again! A swaggering gang of foreigners beat up a Thai national until the victim had to hide under a table. They then chased after…
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Fatal collision on Phuket bypass road claims young motorcyclist
A tragic accident occurred today, August 18, when a motorcycle collided with the rear of an 18-wheeled cement truck, igniting a fire and resulting in a fatality. The incident took place on the inbound lane of the Phuket bypass road, near a shopping mall in Ratsada subdistrict, Mueang district, Phuket province. The crash involved a big bike with Phuket registration,…
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Thai trainer and Russian student injured in plane crash in Phuket
A small plane crashed into roadside woodland in the Paklok sub-district of Phuket yesterday, August 17, leaving two men injured, a Thai trainer and a Russian flying student. The plane, reportedly belonging to a private company, went down beside a road near a runway at around 4.30pm. The victims were identified as 40 year old Thai trainer Surasak Chana and…
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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