Phuket News
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Indian man found dead on Kalim Beach in Phuket
An Indian tourist died on Kalim Beach in Phuket this morning, March 12, right after having breakfast. The cause of his mysterious death remains under investigation. A hotel worker found the Indian man, 44 year old Gaurav Sethi, lying face down on the beach outside the accommodation at about 9am. The worker then informed Sethi’s wife, Vartika Bassi, and contacted…
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Air India Express plane stuck on runway after hard landing in Phuket
An Air India Express flight carrying 133 passengers made a hard landing at Phuket International Airport today, March 11, leaving the aircraft disabled on the runway and disrupting airport operations. No injuries were reported. Tourist police were notified at about 11.20am after an aircraft encountered a landing problem at the airport. The plane was identified as Air India Express flight IX938…
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Foreign couple criticised for kissing in Phuket temple
A foreign couple drew criticism online after sharing a photo of themselves kissing at Chalong Temple in Phuket, where complaints also focused on the woman’s revealing dress. Phuket Times posted the image yesterday, March 10, asking whether the behaviour was appropriate. Its caption said, “Appropriate or not? A foreign couple, with a woman in a revealing dress, shared a picture…
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Phuket restaurant owner defends refusal to serve Israeli man
A Phuket restaurant owner defended his decision to refuse service to an Israeli man, saying the foreigner provoked a confrontation by demanding he remove a Palestinian flag displayed inside the restaurant. The owner posted videos of the incident on Facebook on Monday, March 9. The footage showed him telling the man to leave, following him out of the premises and…
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6 injured after boat-towing truck crashes into tuk tuk and massage shop in Phuket
A pickup truck towing a speedboat crashed into a parked tuk tuk and a massage shop in Patong, Phuket, yesterday evening, March 9, injuring six people, with one reported to be in critical condition. The crash happened on Baan Morn Road in Patong sub-district, Kathu district. CCTV footage shared by the owner of a nearby noodle stall showed a red…
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2 Russian women caught on CCTV taking pet cat from Phuket man
A Thai man in Phuket accused two Russian women of stealing his pet cat from his home, while the women denied the accusation, saying they only carried it back to feed it before returning it. The cat’s owner, Veerapong Santanoon, posted a video on his Facebook account yesterday, March 8, showing him confronting one of the women and demanding the…
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Phuket tackles work permit delays for 130,000 foreign workers
Phuket‘s provincial officials are moving to address significant delays in renewing and issuing work permits for more than 130,000 foreign workers, following mounting complaints from employers about the backlog’s impact on businesses across the island. The issue was raised during a monthly meeting of labour agencies at the Phuket Provincial Labour Office on March 4, prompting Phuket Vice Governor Teeraphong…
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Israeli man allegedly assaults old foreigner over Middle East conflict argument
An Israeli man allegedly assaulted an old foreigner on Bangla Road in Phuket after an argument over the escalating conflict in the Middle Eastern countries. He also displayed aggressive behaviour toward a Thai police officer who intervened in the incident. The Phuket Times Facebook page reported the incident today, March 6. The page suggested it happened last night, March 5, but…
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Phuket van driver arrested after running over victim and fleeing
Police arrested a van driver who escaped after hitting and running over a man in Sakhu, Thalang district, Phuket, on Tuesday, March 3. CCTV footage of the Phuket hit-and-run circulated on Thai social media on the day of the incident. Several news agencies called on the driver to turn himself in and take responsibility for the injured Thai man, whose…
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Foreigner filmed leaving Phuket steakhouse without paying
A Phuket dine and dash was reported after a foreign man left a steakhouse in Choeng Talay through a back door without paying yesterday, March 3. The Phuket Times Facebook page posted about the incident today, March 4, saying it happened at about 9pm last night at a steak restaurant in the Choeng Talay area. The page did not name…
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Phuket drivers rush to fill tanks as fears of a fuel price rise spread
Phuket motorists rushed to refuel yesterday evening, March 3, with long queues forming at a Bangchak petrol station in Kathu as concerns grew that fuel costs could rise amid uncertainty in the Middle East. Vans and taxis running main routes such as Kathu to Patong were among those filling up, along with riders and other residents. The queue reportedly stretched beyond…
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Bangladeshi woman arrested in Phuket Airport with cocaine and fake documents
Police arrested a Bangladeshi woman at Phuket International Airport on Friday, February 27, after she was found with cocaine and counterfeit documents. Officers from Phuket Airport Immigration detained the 26 year old Bangladeshi woman, whose name was not released, at the international departures terminal on Friday as she was preparing to board a flight back to Bangladesh. According to a…
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Thai woman breaks down after hugging late mother’s lookalike in Phuket
A Thai woman drew a strong emotional response online after sharing a video of herself asking to hug a lottery vendor in Phuket who she said resembled her late mother. The content creator, Supatsara “Bam” Thongbor, is known for lifestyle videos based in Phuket. She completed her studies in Bangkok and later moved to Phuket for work before launching her…
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Phuket transwoman seeks justice after foreign man breaks iPhone
A Thai transwoman appealed for help on social media after accusing a foreign man of damaging her mobile phone, worth more than 43,000 baht, during an argument in Phuket. The woman, whose name was not disclosed, provided video footage and her account to the Phuket Times Facebook page. The page shared the clip publicly yesterday, February 25. In the video,…
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Foreign woman walks away calmly with stolen suitcase in Phuket
CCTV footage captured a foreign woman, believed to be an Indian national, stealing a suitcase from a luggage shop in Phuket yesterday, February 25. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared the security camera clip today, February 26. The footage showed a woman walking along a footpath in front of the luggage store before stopping outside. She was then seen taking…
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Patong police investigates death of Australian tourist in Phuket
Police in Phuket are investigating the death of an Australian man who died at a hospital late yesterday, February 25, after reportedly being assaulted earlier the same day in Patong. Patong Police were notified at about 11pm that a foreign tourist had died at Patong Hospital, prompting officers to attend and begin an investigation. The deceased was identified as 58…
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“Thai police love money,” TikToker under fire after police checkpoint advice video
A foreign man in Phuket drew criticism online after releasing a video in which he advised his followers how to avoid police checkpoints. Local outlet, Phuket Times, reposted a video from a foreign TikTok user yesterday, February 23, alongside a caption that read… “Foreign tourists in Phuket share their survival tips! They recommend wearing green delivery rider jackets to avoid…
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Thai fishermen rescue foreigner as unmanned boat spins off Phuket beach
Thai fishermen rescued a foreign tourist after he fell from his dinghy, causing the unmanned boat to spin in circles off Nai Yang Beach in Phuket yesterday, February 22. The incident was shared publicly after a police officer, Bandasak Silert from Ao Luek Police Station, recorded the scene on his mobile phone while spending time on the beach with his…
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Foreign woman alleges rude treatment in Thailand, sparking controversy
A foreign woman drew criticism online after posting a TikTok video claiming Thai people were rude to her by ignoring her questions due to language barriers. The foreign tourist, who identified herself as Farah, shared the video on her TikTok account @fdontcare on February 21. In the caption, she wrote, “So bad I love it here but be ready for…
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Woman arrested in Bangkok over Phuket crypto investment scam
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) today, February 20, arrested a woman in Bangkok, in connection with a crypto investment scam arrest case linked to a complaint in Phuket. CIB officers from the Special Operations division arrested 34 year old Haruethai at Mo Chit 2 bus terminal in Lat Yao, Chatuchak, under a December 27, 2022, arrest warrant issued by the…
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Ukrainian fraud suspect arrested in Phuket after US request
Thai cyber police said today, February 19, that they arrested a Ukrainian woman in Phuket under a Criminal Court warrant, following a cooperation request from US law enforcement in connection with an alleged large-scale fraud case. The arrest was announced at a briefing at the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) headquarters in Muang Thong Thani, after police said they acted…
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Four arrested as police seize cocaine in Patong and Phuket airport
A joint operation in Phuket last night, February 17, led to the arrest of four foreign suspects and the seizure of more than 3.1 kilogrammes of cocaine, as police move to disrupt an alleged transnational drug network targeting tourists. The operation was led by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) under Lieutenant General Achayon Kraithong, along with Phuket Provincial Police commander…
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Russian tourist rescued after leg slips into drainage in Phuket
Police in Sakhu, Phuket, assisted a Russian tourist yesterday evening, February 17, after her leg slipped into a drainage opening at Naithon Beach, with officers and bystanders working together to free her. Sakhu Police said they were alerted at 5.45pm following a report that a Russian tourist had fallen into a drain in the Naithon Beach area. The response was led…
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Foreign women attend Phuket temple fair in bikinis, sparking online debate
An online debate ensued after two foreign women attended a Phuket temple fair in bikinis. Some netizens disapproved of the revealing clothes, while others criticised the Thai man for being rude in his video recording. The Thai man recorded the two women walking through the fair at Chalong Temple and shared the video with the local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News.…
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Phuket shop owner criticised for racist gesture against Chinese tourist
An elderly shop owner in Phuket faces criticism for her racist behaviour toward a Chinese tourist in a viral video shared on the Douyin platform. The clip showed an elderly Thai woman, described as the shop owner, arguing with a Chinese woman. In the footage, the shop owner in a red dress is seen shouting and making gestures including sticking…
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Russian manager and Burmese worker held at Phuket illegal hookah bar
Police in Phuket raided a foreign-owned bar in Thalang district for operating without a permit, opening beyond permitted hours and providing hookah to customers, leading to the arrest of a Russian manager and a Burmese worker. Administrative officers carried out the raid at Safari Lounge Bar at 12.45am yesterday, February 15, after residents reported suspected illegal activity. The venue is…
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Taiwanese man arrested for unlicensed dental clinic in Phuket
Police raided an unlicensed dental clinic in Phuket yesterday, February 12, and arrested a Taiwanese man accused of providing treatment without permission. Wichit Police Station officers, working with the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, carried out the operation at 6.10pm at Sunrise Smile Dental Clinic, located on the second floor of a building behind a department store in Wichit sub-district, Mueang district,…
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Nine foreigners busted in Phuket luxury villa poker raid
Police in Phuket arrested nine foreign nationals at a luxury villa in Rawai on February 11 after uncovering an illegal poker operation promoted through Instagram that required players to pay 20,000 baht per session. Officers had received information that a group of foreigners were advertising poker games via an Instagram account named Poker Level. The promotional messages, written in Russian,…
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2 South Korean women wanted for swimwear theft in Phuket
Two South Korean women pretended to try on swimwear at a shop in Phuket before stealing the clothing before fleeing the scene yesterday, February 9. The incident occurred at Plaifah Beachwear yesterday. A shop employee later released CCTV footage of the theft on social media and appealed to the public for help in identifying the suspects. According to the staff…
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Calls for action after foreign motorcyclist confronts Phuket schoolgirl
A viral video showing a foreign motorcyclist aggressively threatening a young Thai student and her guardian in the Patong area of Phuket sparked public criticism and demands for deportation. The video was shared on Facebook on Friday, February 6, by Jeerawut Wangnurak, who condemned the foreigner’s behaviour. In his caption, Jeerawut wrote… “Have you ever seen Thai people without smiles?…
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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