Phuket News
-
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...
-
Phuket’s power shift: New governor steps in
Phuket is bracing for a major leadership change. From October 1, Saransak Srikruaneth will take the reins as governor, replacing Sophon Suwannarat, who bows out after a turbulent two-year term. The Cabinet confirmed Saransak’s appointment on Monday, August 18, following his transfer from the Ministry of Interior’s Inspector General’s office. For Sophon, whose retirement begins on September 30, the end…
-
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,…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Phuket fights against HIV: Bold plan to end AIDS by 2030
Phuket has declared an all-out war on HIV/AIDS with the launch of a high-powered workshop aimed at making the island Thailand’s first Province of Ending AIDS by 2030. The two-day event, which opened today, August 19, at the Bukitta Hotel in Phuket Town, gathered 50 representatives from health, government, and community groups. It was chaired by Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Thai flying trainer dies after Phuket glider crash with Russian student
A Thai flying trainer died in hospital today, August 18, after he and his Russian student crashed a glider on the side of a road in the Thalang district of Phuket yesterday, August 17. The accident occurred at around 4.30pm along the Mueang Mai–Paklok Road near Phuket Airpark in the Paklok sub-district. Two people were injured, 40 year old Thai…
-
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,…
-
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 drug raids: Suspects arrested, meth seized in major crackdown
Officials from the Special Operations Unit of the Phuket Provincial Defense Office have apprehended suspected drug dealers and confiscated methamphetamine (ya bah) and crystal meth (ya ice) in coordinated operations across all three districts of the island. The raids, which took place from August 14 to August 17 as part of the No Drugs, No Dealers campaign, were spearheaded by…
-
Phuket boosts support for autistic and intellectually disabled residents
Phuket City Municipality is set to enhance support for autistic people and those with intellectual disabilities, focusing on equal opportunities and community integration. This initiative aligns with the Leaving No One Behind policy recently developed. Phuket Town mayor, Suphot La-ongphet, revealed that the plan follows the establishment of a comprehensive database identifying residents with autism or intellectual disabilities. “Everyone is…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Russian man arrested in Phuket over illegal possession of firearms
Police arrested a Russian man today, August 14, for illegally possessing firearms after he fled from an arrest in Bangkok and hid in Phuket. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Immigration Bureau apprehended the 27 year old Russian national, whose identity was withheld, following an arrest warrant issued by the Phra Khanong Criminal Court in Bangkok. The warrant, issued on July…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Nearly 20 foreigners attack Thai motorbike shop owner in Phuket
Nearly 20 foreigners attacked a Thai motorcycle rental shop owner in Phuket, along with another Thai victim, following a dispute over a fine for damages to a vehicle. A local news agency, Newshawk Phuket, reported the altercation on Tuesday, August 12, stating that the incident occurred at around 9.30pm on Monday, August 11. The report included footage of the assault.…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Phuket cops seize sunglasses stash from illegal Cambodian vendor
Phuket Immigration officers have launched a high-profile crackdown on illegal beach vendors following complaints from residents and business owners that Cambodian migrant workers were openly selling goods without permission. Locals claimed the activity was damaging the island’s tourism image and undercutting Thai vendors who operate legally. Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police Colonel Kriangkrai Ariyaying ordered Deputy Superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
10 year old Canadian girl drowns off Kata Beach in Phuket
A rescue team yesterday, August 7, discovered the body of a Canadian girl who had drowned in the sea off Kata Beach in Phuket. Officers from Karon Police Station and rescuers from the Kuson Dham Foundation were called to Kata Beach after the 10 year old was swept away by waves while swimming with her family at around 4pm. The…
-
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.…
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.
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.