Phuket News
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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 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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Thai MECC rescues stranded fishermen after two days at sea
Three fishermen were rescued by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3 (Thai MECC 3) after being stranded at sea for two days due to an engine failure. The rescue operation took place yesterday, August 3. A distress call received at approximately midday through the department’s 1465 hotline prompted Thai MECC 3 to take action. Pratakorn, who made the…
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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…
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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