Phuket News
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German thief arrested after trying to return stolen cash to Phuket spa
A German tourist attempted to return stolen cash to a spa in Phuket in an apparent bid to avoid legal consequences, but the spa owner refused to drop the case and called police to have him arrested yesterday, January 20. The incident took place at THAN Spa & Massage, located on Ranong Road in Phuket’s Talat Nuea sub-district. An employee…
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German man wanted for stealing 2,000 baht from Phuket spa
A foreign man, reportedly a German national, remains at large after stealing 2,000 baht in cash from a spa in Phuket yesterday, January 20. The theft occurred at around 5pm at a spa located on Ranong Road in the Talat Nuea sub-district. The suspect arrived with two companions, but was seen in the CCTV footage committing the crime alone. In…
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Russian fraud fugitive on Interpol list arrested in Phuket
Police arrested a Russian national wanted under an Interpol warrant yesterday, January 29, after locating him hiding in the city centre of Phuket. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office said they received an alert from the Foreign Affairs Division regarding the suspect, whose name was not disclosed. The Russian man was listed on an Interpol warrant after fleeing his…
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Phuket hotel worker in DJ room break-in case released on 50,000 baht bail
Phuket Provincial Court granted bail to the hotel security employee accused of attempting to break into a female DJ’s room, allowing his release on 50,000 baht yesterday, January 19. The attempted break-in at Holiday Inn Resort Surin Beach came to public attention after a Thai female DJ, Mirinda Malinrattanawadee, shared details of the incident on he Facebook account on Friday,…
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Danish woman breaks arm and leg while hiking in Phuket
A Danish couple sought assistance from rescuers after the woman suffered broken bones to her arm and leg during a hiking trip along the Ton Sai–Bang Pae route in Phuket. Rescuers from Guardians of Life Medical & Rescue received a distress call from the foreign couple on Friday, January 16, reporting an accident on the popular hiking trail. The incident…
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Thai man loses diamond ring in Phuket EDM festival, ruining proposal plan
A Thai man lost a diamond ring worth about 300,000 baht and multiple credit cards to a pickpocket at an EDM music festival in Phuket on Saturday, January 17, shattering his plan to propose to his girlfriend. The victim’s girlfriend shared details of the incident on her Facebook account, Acare Alice, yesterday, January 18. The theft reportedly occurred during the…
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Phuket hotel security guard arrested for attempted break-in of DJ’s room
Police arrested the head of a hotel’s security guards in Phuket on Saturday, January 18, after he attempted to break into the room of a female DJ late at night earlier this week. The victim, Thai DJ Mirinda Malinrattanawadee, took to her Facebook account to demand accountability from a hotel in Phuket after an unidentified man tried to enter her…
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Phuket to enhance marine safety after fatal collision and fire
Phuket is set to introduce comprehensive marine safety measures following a lethal speedboat collision near Phi Phi Island and a significant fire that destroyed numerous tour boats in Chalong Bay within a week. These incidents have highlighted systemic issues in Phuket’s marine tourism sector. On January 11, a tragic tour speedboat collision occurred near Phi Phi Island, resulting in the…
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Phuket hotel staff issued key to intruder targeting female guest’s room
Phuket hotel admits a staff member issued a Master Key to an intruder caught on video trying to enter a female guest’s room. Police are investigating the security breach. PHUKET – A female tourist staying at a hotel in Phuket experienced a severe security breach after an intruder attempted to enter her room using an unauthorized key card. The events…
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Steel bar dropped from condo crane pierces through Phuket home
A steel bar reportedly fell from a crane at a high-rise condominium construction site and pierced through a home near Surin Beach in Phuket on the night of Wednesday, January 14. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, despite the close call. The female homeowner shared a video of the shocking incident on social media, showing a long steel bar embedded through…
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Phuket unveils ‘Dheveena’ sea goddess sculpture as new landmark
Phuket unveiled a new landmark, “Dheveena,” a large-scale public sculpture installed along the seafront at Saphan Hin Park in the Wichit sub-district, as part of the Thailand Biennale 2025. The fourth edition of the Thailand Biennale returned to Phuket on November 29 last year and will run for five months until April 30 this year. Under the theme “Eternal Kalpa,”…
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Etihad flight rocked by turbulence ahead of Phuket landing
An Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi experienced severe turbulence shortly before landing in Phuket on January 14, prompting an emergency response on the ground. All passengers and crew members were confirmed safe. Flight EY416, which was en route to Phuket International Airport, reportedly encountered turbulence at around 11.30am while descending. The aircraft, carrying passengers and crew, landed safely at…
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Russian drug dealers arrested during ‘mushroom temple’ raid in Phuket
Police arrested two Russian men and seized around 10 kilogrammes of magic mushrooms during a raid on a property dubbed the “Mushroom Temple” in the Rawai district of Phuket today, January 13. A Russian woman managed to escape from the arrest. Officers from Chalong Police Station launched the operation after receiving complaints that Russian nationals were illegally selling magic mushrooms…
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Egyptian man arrested for illegally working as barber in Phuket
Police arrested an Egyptian man in Phuket yesterday, January 12, for illegally working as a barber after he was caught providing services to a foreign customer. Officers from Patong Police Station acted on a complaint from a local resident who reported that a foreign national was operating a barbershop on Phang Mueang Sai Kor Road in the Patong sub-district of…
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Foreign man exposes himself to Thai woman in Phuket car park
A Thai woman exposed a foreign man after he exposed his genitals in front of her in the Kamala area of Phuket yesterday, January 11. The woman shared photos of the foreign suspect with the Phuket Times Facebook page. In the images, the man was seen wearing a light blue Hawaiian shirt left unbuttoned and white shorts. He was standing…
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Uzbek man detained after alleged assault on teenage girl in Phuket
An Uzbek national was taken into custody in Phuket last night, January 11, after allegedly assaulting a teenage girl inside a restaurant in the Mai Khao area. The incident reportedly occurred around 10.20pm at the Golden Cat Restaurant on Soi Mai Khao 5 in Moo 4 of Mai Khao Subdistrict. Police from Tha Chatchai Police Station confirmed that the suspect,…
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British-Australian man found dead on yacht off Phuket coast
A man holding both British and Australian citizenship was found dead aboard his private yacht anchored off Khao Khad beach in Phuket yesterday, January 11, with the cause of death still under investigation. The discovery was made around 12.30pm when a German friend, 54 year old Matthias Lepke, who had been moored nearby, became concerned after not seeing the man…
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Phuket police tighten drug checks for Electric Daisy Carnival
Phuket police are set to intensify their measures to prevent drug entry at the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) concert, in response to two fatalities at last year’s event. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Sinlert Sukhum announced that more than 200 officers will be deployed to safeguard the venue, with stringent drug checks at all entry points. Authorities stressed that these checks…
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Tourists warned: Monkey bites pose rabies risk in Phuket
A British volunteer in Phuket, Vinnie Modell, who founded the Rescue Team Volunteers Phuket, is urging tourists to exercise caution around local monkeys due to risks of injury and potential rabies transmission from bites. Modell reported that at least ten tourists received treatment for monkey bites during the recent Christmas and New Year holiday period. These incidents underscore ongoing risky…
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Russian man arrested in Phuket for illegally working as tour guide
Thai police arrested a Russian man illegally working as a tour guide at a pier in Phuket yesterday, January 7, just moments before escorting tourists on an Andaman Sea excursion. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) said officers from the Phuket Marine Police arrested 33 year old Lapa at a pier in Phuket province and charged him with working without a…
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Phuket taxi drivers threaten strike over illegal app-based drivers
Taxi drivers in Phuket threatened to stage a strike on January 15, demanding government action against illegal taxi drivers who operate without official registration, especially ones on ride-hailing applications. The local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News reported today, January 7, that a group of taxi drivers in the province is planning to protest and has asked the media to…
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Fire damages at least 10 speedboats at Chalong Bay in Phuket
A fire broke out in the early hours of today, January 7, damaging at least 10 speedboats docked at Chalong Bay in Phuket province. Officers from Chalong Police Station were alerted to the incident at around 4am and coordinated with firefighters to investigate and control the blaze. Upon arrival, police reported that flames and thick smoke covered the bay and…
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Phuket entertainment venue operators demand probe into alleged bribery
A group of entertainment venue operators in Phuket called for an investigation into government officials after rumours circulated online alleging that some officials sought bribes from business operators. The vice president of the Patong Beach Entertainment Venue Association, Apichet Phulsong, together with around 30 association members, met the Phuket governor to submit an official petition requesting an investigation into the…
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Foreign motorcyclist slammed for revving engine, causing smoke in Phuket
Thai netizens condemned a foreign motorcyclist after a video showed him repeatedly revving his motorcycle engine on a road in Phuket on Saturday night, January 3. The incident came to light after a Thai witness filmed the foreigner’s actions and shared the footage online. The video was later reposted by several local news outlets. The exact time and location of…
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Green sea turtle Phuket Karon beach nesting event
A rare and encouraging marine conservation event unfolded on Karon Beach in Phuket on Friday, when an adult female green sea turtle came ashore and laid a large clutch of eggs, drawing attention from both tourists and local officials. The nesting occurred at around 11am on January 3, 2026, along Karon Beach in Karon sub district, Muang district. Thai and…
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Phuket records four road deaths during New Year ‘Seven Days of Danger’
Phuket recorded four road deaths and 39 accidents between December 30 and January 2 during the annual ‘Seven Days of Danger’ New Year road safety campaign, according to the Phuket Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Operations Centre. Two fatalities occurred in Mueang Phuket district and two in Thalang district, while no deaths were reported in Kathu. Mueang Phuket recorded the…
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Sea of Trash: Garbage covers Patong beach after New Year countdown
PHUKET — The morning sun on the first day of the year revealed a grim scene at Patong Beach, one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations. Instead of pristine white sands, a mountain of garbage buried the shoreline following the previous night’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. Images shared by the local news page “แรงจัง ภูเก็ต” exposed the extent of…
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Patong restaurant fires staff after telling customer to “Wash the pot yourself”
PHUKET — A heated online controversy involving a popular restaurant in Patong has concluded with the immediate termination of a staff member. The employee had sparked outrage after challenging a customer to “wash the pot yourself” if she wished to be served. The incident, which went viral on TikTok, occurred at the “Sam Chor Chern Chuan Chim” restaurant (Patong Branch),…
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Boat taxi from Phuket Airport to Patong tested again in congestion relief plan
Phuket launched another trial run of a boat taxi service linking Phuket International Airport and Patong Beach yesterday, December 29, as part of efforts to ease traffic congestion across the province. The boat taxi project has been discussed by Phuket officials for years. Officials believe the service could significantly reduce travel time between the airport and Patong Beach, cutting journeys…
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Thai motorcyclist injured in Phuket road dispute, foreign suspect flees scene
A Thai man turned to the online community for help in identifying a foreign man who allegedly assaulted him during a road dispute in Phuket before fleeing the scene. The incident was reported by local news outlet Newshawk Phuket on its Facebook page yesterday, December 29. The post included a video showing the injured Thai man wearing a white T-shirt,…
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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