Phuket News
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2 suspected drug dealers nabbed in Bangla Road raids
Tourists out for a wild night on Patong’s Bangla Road were unknowingly partying alongside drug dealers, until a swift crackdown by local officials brought the party to a halt. Two suspected dealers were arrested in separate sting operations on Monday, July 28, as part of Phuket’s aggressive No Drugs, No Dealers campaign, a sweeping initiative aimed at clearing narcotics from nightlife…
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Malaysian woman reunited with lost cash thanks to New Zealand tourists
Two New Zealand tourists found a bundle of Malaysian ringgit in Phuket and sought assistance from local police officers to return it to the rightful Malaysian owner. The tourists discovered several 100-ringgit banknotes at the Chartered Bank Intersection yesterday, July 28, and brought the cash to the Phuket Tourist Police office. The exact amount was not disclosed in the official…
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Search continues for missing jet-ski operator off Phuket coast
Efforts continue to search for a 22 year old jet-ski operator who fell into the sea off Naka Yai Island on July 27. The man, Chetthawut Hom from Pa Khlok, went missing after the incident. Chetthawut was reported missing at 7.10pm, having fallen overboard while operating a jet-ski near Naka Yai Island, located off the east coast of Phuket. At…
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Private photos leaked after phone repair at Phuket shopping mall
A Thai woman accused six employees at Studio 7 in Central Phuket of allegedly stealing private photos from her phone and distributing them via the Telegram application. The 22 year old victim shared the details of her case on the Facebook page Rose to Universe to raise public awareness in the hope of obtaining justice. The incident reportedly took place…
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Phuket motorcyclist killed in crash with drunk driver on Thepkrasattri Road
A 19 year old motorcyclist lost his life in a collision on Thepkrasattri Road, Phuket, on July 25. The accident occurred when a drunk driver lost control of her sedan, crossed the central median, and collided head-on with the teenager’s motorbike. Thalang Police were informed of the incident at 12.10am, and upon arrival at Moo 3, Srisoonthorn, they discovered a…
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Phuket drug raids intensify, over 40 arrests made in crackdown
Phuket’s intensified drug raids continue under the national No Drugs, No Dealers policy, with several arrests made and drugs seized across the island. Efforts spearheaded by local authorities aim to eliminate drugs from every village within three months. The campaign, led by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat and Provincial Police Commander Sinlert Sukhum, involves collaboration between police, administrative officers, and defence…
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Saudi tourist found dead after Bang Tao Beach disappearance
A 22 year old Saudi tourist, Dhaher Suhayb Mohammed S, who went missing while swimming at Bang Tao Beach on July 26, was found dead near Layan Beach in Cherng Talay today, July 28. Lifeguards discovered his body early in the morning near the southern end of Sirinat National Park, wearing only swimming trunks. Cherng Talay Police, along with rescue…
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Van crash in Phuket leaves driver seriously injured
A 25 year old van driver sustained serious injuries after his vehicle collided with a power pole in Koh Kaew, Phuket, during the early hours of July 26. He remained trapped in the wreck for nearly 30 minutes. The incident occurred around 3.30am on Thepkrasattri Road near the Bangkok Bank Koh Kaew branch, heading towards Phuket Town. The Narendhara Andaman…
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Phuket police arrest 43 in anti-drug raids across 26 sites
Phuket law enforcement agencies have apprehended 43 people following a series of coordinated raids across 26 sites on the island over the past week. These actions are part of the ongoing NO Drugs NO Dealers campaign aimed at eradicating drug-related activities in the province. Between July 22 and July 25, police arrested 24 people for serious drug offences and 19…
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Phuket invests 50 million baht in underpass lighting upgrades
The Phuket Highways Office has announced plans to enhance visibility in the Darasamut Underpass with the installation of new lighting. The underpass has been identified by police as the most accident-prone on the island, with three to four accidents occurring monthly. Police Lieutenant Colonel Wutthiwat Liangboonjinda, Deputy Superintendent of Traffic at Wichit Police Station, located approximately 1 kilometre from the…
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Artists flock to Phuket for Asia’s biggest sketch fest
Phuket is gearing up to welcome an international crowd of artists, art lovers and cultural travellers for the Asialink Sketch Walk Phuket 2025, a major arts event aimed at boosting creative tourism and rebranding the island as a year-round cultural hotspot. Scheduled for August 14–17, the event was officially announced at a press conference held at Limelight Avenue Phuket, led…
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Weed stench driving tourists away, claims Phuket MP
A Phuket MP has lit up controversy by claiming that the smell of cannabis on local beaches is driving away big-spending tourists and damaging the island’s reputation. Yesterday, July 25, Chalermpong Saengdee, an MP for Phuket from the People’s Party, issued a fiery statement slamming the lack of cannabis regulation and the government’s “careless” visa-free policy, warning that Thailand’s top…
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Phuket unshaken by border conflict fears
As artillery fire shakes the Thai–Cambodian border, Phuket officials have stepped forward to squash growing fears that the island’s world-famous tourism is at risk. In a rare bilingual statement issued yesterday, July 24, Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat reassured tourists and locals that the island remains “safe, calm, and completely unaffected” by the ongoing military conflict hundreds of miles away. “Phuket…
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Phuket Fortuner thieves busted with GPS jammer
Two women who posed as tourists to steal a Phuket-registered Toyota Fortuner were arrested in Prachuap Khiri Khan after attempting to drive the stolen vehicle across Thailand undetected. The suspects, identified as Supaporn and Khemnan, were intercepted at the Nong Phai Intersection red light on Highway No. 37, in Thap Tai subdistrict, Hua Hin district, following a tip-off from the…
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Vodka vroom: Drunk Russian wrecks Thai woman’s car in Phuket
A Thai woman is seeking accountability from a Russian man who crashed his car into her two parked vehicles while driving under the influence in Phuket on Tuesday, July 22. The victim, Atiya Sharon, took to social media to request assistance from netizens in locating the Russian suspect. She posted details of the drink-driving incident along with CCTV footage showing…
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AC unit blamed for fire scare at Karon hotel spa
A fire broke out last night at the Karon Phunaka Resort & Spa in Phuket, sending staff into emergency mode just before guests were due to arrive. The blaze, which erupted in the spa lounge’s reception area, is believed to have been sparked by a faulty air conditioning unit. Police were alerted to the incident around 6.30pm yesterday, July 23,…
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2 year old Thai girl loses life in motorcycle accident in Phuket
A two year old Thai girl tragically lost her life in a motorcycle accident on a mountain road in the Thalang district of Phuket. Three other victims sustained injuries in the incident. The accident was reported to Thalang Police Station at approximately 12pm yesterday, July 23. It occurred on a steep section of Khao Lad Mountain in Thalang. The four…
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Phuket police crackdown: 18 teens arrested, 14 bikes seized in raid
In the early hours of this morning, police in Phuket apprehended 18 underage people and confiscated 14 modified motorbikes during a crackdown on street racing and activities causing public disturbances in the Laem Dinso area of Wichit. The operation was carried out under the leadership of Wichit Police Station, directed by Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang, beginning at 1.30am, today, July…
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Phuket heartbreak as young Aussie tourist found dead in hotel
A 21 year old Australian man has been found dead in a Phuket hotel room, just five days after an accused rapist from Down Under was also discovered lifeless on the same Thai island. Police in Thalang, northern Phuket, are investigating the sudden death of a young Aussie traveller who was found dead in his hotel room yesterday, July 23,…
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Phuket-bound Air India Express flight aborts after 16 minutes
Air India makes the headlines again as Air India Express is involved in the latest aviation mishap, where a tropical holiday turned into a mid-air nightmare after a Phuket-bound Air India Express flight was forced to return to Hyderabad just 16 minutes after take-off—leaving frustrated passengers fuming. Flight IX110, operated by a Boeing 737 Max 8, was scheduled to land…
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2 foreign men arrested for riding stolen rental motorcycles from Krabi to Phuket
Police successfully recovered two rental motorcycles from a shop owner in Krabi after two foreign men failed to return the vehicles on time and were suspected of riding them to Phuket. The official Facebook page of Choeng Thale Police Station posted images of the two foreign men and urged the public to assist officers by reporting any sightings. Police stated…
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Patong’s wave rave! Sirens to sound as tsunami drill hits beach strip
Tourists in bikinis and beach bums sipping cocktails in Patong got a surprise dose of civic duty this week, as town hall chiefs hit the streets to warn about a tsunami drill set to rock the resort next Tuesday. Mayor Lalita Maneesri led the charge on Monday, July 21, flanked by councillors, civil defence bosses and hi-vis-clad disaster response teams.…
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Phuket camp inferno sparks fear as migrant scandal probe heats up
A fire tore through a migrant workers’ camp in Phuket yesterday morning, just hours before a bombshell corruption complaint involving foreign labourers rocked officials in Bangkok. Flames ripped through the Wasi M&E Co compound in Moo 4, Srisoonthorn, at 8.19am yesterday, July 22, damaging around 10 rooms and destroying the personal belongings of the camp’s Myanmar residents. Thankfully, no one…
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Phuket woman hunts for foreign motorcyclist in hit-and-run
A Thai woman took to social media in a bid to track down a foreign motorcyclist involved in a hit-and-run on a beach road in Phuket. The Thai motorcyclist appealed to netizens for help identifying the foreign man who collided with her motorcycle at 7.53am yesterday, July 21. She posted brief details of the incident, along with video footage, to…
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Homes wrecked, power poles downed in Thalang storm chaos
Fierce winds and torrential rain turned northern Phuket into a storm zone, leaving a trail of destruction across Thalang district. The Thalang District Office confirmed extensive damage throughout the area, with multiple subdistricts hit hard as the tropical squall ripped through homes, felled trees, and toppled power poles. In Pa Khlok, nine houses near Soi Na Yao in Village 8…
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Tourist tragedies rock Phuket and Krabi amid wild weather
Thailand’s popular southern beach provinces turned deadly over the weekend as wild weather claimed the lives of two Chinese tourists in separate incidents in Phuket and Krabi. A relaxing beach holiday ended in horror on Sunday, July 20, when 53 year old Wang Yang was killed after a massive tree branch collapsed on her during a violent thunderstorm at Koh…
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Phuket woman runs from Grab rider after fake cash promise
A Grab motorcycle rider in Phuket shared a bizarre experience with the online community, claiming that his female passenger unexpectedly ran away from him to avoid paying the fare. The app-based motorcycle taxi rider recounted the incident to the Phuket Times yesterday, July 21, along with a video of the passenger running away. The page published the post with a…
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Gale warning! Phuket reels as freak storm rocks island (video)
Phuket was left battered and on edge after a violent tropical storm tore across the island, killing one and injuring another, with officials warning the danger isn’t over yet. Governor Sophon Suwannarat urged residents, tourists and boat operators to stay on high alert after the Sunday downpour unleashed chaos across all three districts, Mueang, Thalang and Kathu, smashing into 17…
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Two men injured as motorbike crashes into Thailand canal
Two young men in Thailand were injured after their motorbike veered off an unlit, narrow road and fell into a canal in Wichit late on the Saturday night, July 19. Emergency services from the Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation responded to the incident in Soi Thida at approximately 11.45pm. Upon arrival, they found the two men in a canal about 4 metres…
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Five rescued from drifting boat off Phuket amid severe weather
Five people were successfully rescued after a longtail fishing boat experienced engine failure and drifted off the coast of Phuket in challenging sea conditions yesterday, July 20. At the time of the incident, none of the passengers were equipped with life jackets. The rescue operation commenced following a distress call received at 4pm by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre…
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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