Phuket News
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British tourist drowns at Phuket’s Freedom Beach
A 37 year old British tourist tragically drowned while swimming at Freedom Beach in Phuket late yesterday morning, November 29, as confirmed by Patong Police. The incident was reported at approximately 12.30pm, after beach guards were unable to revive the victim, identified as Jason Mark Lambert. Lambert had been visiting Phuket on holiday with his family since November 19 and…
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Foreign woman collapses on Bangla Road after consuming cannabis edible
A foreign woman collapsed on Bangla Road in Phuket last night, November 27, allegedly after consuming a cannabis-infused snack. Her boyfriend allegedly refused assistance from rescue workers. A business operator on Bangla Road contacted the Patong Development Foundation after seeing the woman collapse and lose consciousness. Rescue officials arrived to find the woman lying on the ground while Thai and foreign bystanders…
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3 foreign motorcyclists fined for running red light in Phuket after viral video
Phuket police fined three foreign motorcyclists for running a red light at Si Kor Intersection in the Kathu district on Tuesday, November 26. A Thai motorist recorded the moment the three foreigners violated the traffic signal and later shared the footage with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page. The page then published the video to highlight their behaviour. In the clip,…
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Phuket joins rescue push as floods devastate southern Thailand
Widespread flooding in southern Thailand has triggered a major relief effort, with Phuket organisations rallying to support affected communities across the region. The floods, some of the worst seen in decades, have hit provinces including Hat Yai in Songkhla, Mueang Songkhla, Phatthalung, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Satun, Surat Thani, Pattani and Yala. Water levels continue to rise, overwhelming low-lying communities…
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US man indicted for alleged sex crimes involving minors in Phuket
A grand jury in North Dakota, United States, has indicted a man on multiple charges related to alleged sexual offences involving minors during trips to Thailand. KYFT TV reported that Sean D. Snyder is facing seven federal charges, including allegations that he travelled to Phuket to engage in illegal sexual conduct with two underage individuals. According to court documents, four…
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Phuket tightens visa checks to curb ‘visa runners’ exploitation
Immigration officials in Phuket are implementing stringent screening measures as part of a national effort to curb ‘visa runners.’ This initiative aims to ensure that tourists entering Thailand on visa-free entries are genuine tourists and not exploiting the system for long-term stays or illegal activities. Phuket Immigration Chief Kriangkrai Ariyaying emphasised the focus on ensuring tourists using the visa-free programme…
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Patong rips up roads to bury cables in 224m baht revamp
Patong has begun a major infrastructure project to move power and telecom lines underground along five roads, aiming to improve safety and enhance the streetscape. The massive project, backed by a 224 million baht budget, will see power and telecom lines buried along five key roads: Bangla Road, Thaweewong Road, Sawatdirak Road, Ruam Jai Road, and Prachanukroh Road, covering a…
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Phuket to fast-track 21m baht tourism and infrastructure push
The government has approved four priority projects in Phuket to boost tourism, improve infrastructure and enhance local livelihoods, officials confirmed during a site visit. Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office Aree Krainara visited Phuket yesterday, November 21, to accelerate progress on the initiatives, which will be funded through central government reserves and agency budgets. His visit was part of…
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Wanted fraud suspect arrested on Bangkok–Phuket bus
Police arrested a wanted fraud suspect after tracking him to a Bangkok–Phuket bus, where the man was travelling under multiple outstanding warrants. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) confirmed the arrest of a 27 year old man identified only as Patinya, who was wanted for multiple charges, including online fraud, computer crime offences, and assault. Marine Police Division officers tracked him down…
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Tourist attacked on Bangla Road just metres from police box (video)
A tourist was assaulted near the beach end of Bangla Road in Patong, prompting police to arrest a Thai man who had been disturbing passersby in the area. The incident occurred around 5.10am today, November 21, near the beach end of Bangla Road, a bustling nightlife hotspot in Patong. Patong Police later confirmed the arrest of a Thai man accused…
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Phuket shop caught selling hookahs and booze near school
A food and drink shop in Kathu was raided after it was found illegally selling hookahs and alcohol near a school, prompting action from provincial officials. The food and beverage shop, operating near an unnamed educational institution in Kathu, was shut down during a surprise raid shortly after 8pm on Wednesday, November 19. The operation was led by Phuket Provincial…
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Former shipping company worker arrested for selling client data to scammers
Police in Phuket arrested a former shipping company employee yesterday, November 19, for allegedly stealing customer data and providing it to a scam operator involved in fraudulent parcel deliveries. Officers from Mueang Phuket Police Station raided a warehouse in the Ratsada sub-district on November 16 and arrested a 31 year old suspect, Khanapa “Mook” Mengsan, for her suspected involvement in…
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Second body found in Phuket’s Sarasin bridge suicide identified
A woman from Surat Thani died alongside her partner after their pickup plunged off Sarasin Bridge in Phuket, prompting an urgent recovery and investigation. The woman, identified as 39 year old Kan from Surat Thani province, South Thailand, has become the focus of a heartbreaking case after she and her partner were found dead when their pickup truck plunged off…
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Phuket MP demands action over forestland grab scandal
A Phuket MP has called on officials to investigate the illegal construction of buildings on protected forestland after claims of encroachment surfaced. Phuket’s forestland is under fresh scrutiny as Members of Parliament call for a full investigation into illegal construction encroaching on protected public land and animal pastures at Laem Phromthep. At a press conference held at Parliament yesterday, November…
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Phuket tattoo artist says Australian client skipped 15,000 baht bill
A tattoo artist in Patong, Phuket, has accused an Australian man of failing to pay for a completed tattoo session worth 15,000 baht, after making an initial deposit. The incident occurred on November 18 at Dragon Ink Patong Phuket tattoo studio. The artist shared photos of the man across multiple Facebook groups to warn other businesses in the area. In…
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Nigerian man arrested for selling cocaine at Patong Hospital
A Nigerian man was arrested in Patong after undercover police caught him selling cocaine during a sting operation in a hospital car park at night. Patong Police have arrested a 31 year old man following a sting operation that caught him red-handed selling cocaine in the parking lot of Patong Hospital yesterday, November 18. The operation was launched at 6.55pm…
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Volunteer divers stunned to find second body in pickup driven off Phuket bridge
Volunteer divers searching for a pickup truck in a suspected suicide of a Thai man at the Sarasin Bridge in Phuket today, November 18, found two bodies inside the vehicle, not just one as was initially anticipated. Officers from Tha Chatchai Police Station, together with rescuers from the Kusol Dham Foundation, were called to Sarasin Bridge in Thalang, Phuket, after…
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2 held at Phuket checkpoint for transporting illegal migrants
Two men were arrested at a Phuket checkpoint after police discovered they were transporting 20 illegal migrant workers in pickup trucks from another province. Two men from Chiang Rai were arrested early yesterday, November 17, after police intercepted two pickup trucks attempting to smuggle 20 illegal migrant workers into Phuket. The arrests occurred at approximately 8.30am at the inbound lane…
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Austrian man arrested at Phuket airport over fake stamps
A foreign national was arrested at Phuket Airport after immigration officers discovered forged passport stamps and a visa overstay during a departure check. A 41 year old Austrian man was arrested at Phuket International Airport after immigration officers discovered forged entry and exit stamps in his passport, and found he had overstayed his visa by a staggering 578 days. The…
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4 foreigners at large after stealing at Phuket shopping mall
A group of foreigners remain at large after allegedly stealing wallets and cardholders from a leather goods store in a shopping mall in Patong, Phuket. The owner of a leather goods store in The Botanica shopping mall in Patong shared CCTV footage of the theft with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page yesterday, November 17, to warn other business operators in…
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Phuket knife threat ends with man shot in leg during clash
A man was shot in the knee after allegedly threatening residents with a knife outside a home in Phuket, prompting a police response and investigation. The incident began around 5.10pm on Sunday, November 16, in front of a house in Thepkrasattri subdistrict, Phuket. Thalang Police received a report of the shooting at 5.40pm and rushed to the scene. Officers found…
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American man knocked out in Bangla Road fight
Phuket Tourist Police officers rushed to assist an American man who lost consciousness on Bangla Road after he got into a fight with another foreigner last night, November 16. The Phuket Times Facebook page reposted a video of the physical altercation between two foreign men on Bangla Road with a caption reading, “Bangla Stadium! Free great boxing show! One punch…
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Foreign man caught stealing 199-baht sunglasses in Phuket
A security camera footage capturing a foreign man stealing sunglasses from a shop in Phuket yesterday, November 16, was shared across social media. The employee of an accessory shop in Phuket shared the CCTV footage with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page in an attempt to identify and locate the foreign thief. According to the worker, the man tried on several…
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Phuket warehouse raid uncovers scam with 20,000 items seized
Police in Phuket have dismantled a large-scale fraudulent parcel operation, seizing more than 20,000 items believed to be used in a nationwide cash-on-delivery (COD) scam. Yesterday, November 16, Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum, commander of Phuket Provincial Police, led a team including officers from Mueang Phuket Police Station to inspect a commercial unit in Boat Plaza, Rassada subdistrict. The raid…
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Phuket gets new governor after record-short term ends
Phuket will welcome a new governor after the sudden departure of the former officeholder, marking a swift change in provincial leadership. Nirat Pongsitthaworn, the current Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), is scheduled to arrive in Phuket tomorrow, November 17, to take over as the new Governor of Phuket. His appointment was confirmed earlier this week through an…
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Royal order visits Phuket to back aid for the underprivileged
An international chivalric order met with Phuket officials to discuss new partnerships aimed at supporting social development and local communities. A delegation from the Order of Saint Stanislas, an international NGO with roots in European chivalric tradition, visited Phuket on Thursday, November 13, to explore community development partnerships and expand support for disadvantaged residents. The high-profile visit took place at…
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Drunk driver arrested after gun scare outside Patong Hospital
A man was arrested in Patong after allegedly using a blank gun to threaten two people while driving under the influence near a busy intersection. The incident unfolded near the Nam Sia Intersection on Phra Metta Road, when Patong Police were alerted around 10pm yesterday, November 13, to a suspicious pickup truck with obscured number plates threatening passers-by with what…
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Foreign motorcyclist flees after crashing into 3 vehicles in Phuket
A foreign motorcyclist fled the scene after colliding with a baht bus and two parked vehicles on a road in Phuket yesterday, November 13. The baht bus driver released CCTV footage of the incident to local news agency Newshawk Phuket in an effort to identify and locate the suspect. Neither the exact location nor the specific time of the crash…
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Foreign couple in Phuket warned after neighbours report loud sex until 4am
Phuket residents sought intervention from local administrative officials after a foreign couple had loud sex from 10pm to 4am every night. Officials from the local administrative office visited a village where locals complained about the noise yesterday, reporting that the foreign neighbour and his female partner made loud moaning noises each night, disturbing residents’ sleep. Upon arrival, officials met a middle-aged…
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Suspect arrested in Phuket for global hacking spree is Russian spy
A Russian man suspected of being a GRU military intelligence officer was arrested in Phuket by Thai cyber police for alleged involvement in global cyberattacks. A 35 year old foreign national arrested in Phuket earlier this week is believed to be GRU military intelligence officer Aleksey Lukashev, a suspected cybercriminal linked to high-profile global hacking campaigns, including attacks on US…
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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