Phuket News
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Mary Magdalene confirmed as woman who died in Patong fall
The woman who died after falling from a condominium in Patong last week has been identified. On December 12, international media confirmed she was the social media personality known as Mary Magdalene. The Daily Mail reported that the victim was 33 year old Mary Magdalene (real name Denise Ivonne Jarvis Gongora), a Mexican-Canadian national who rose to online fame for…
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Australian man dies after running into glass door at Phuket restaurant
An Australian man died after suffering severe blood loss when he reportedly ran into a glass door at a restaurant in the Karon area of Phuket last night, December 11. Officers from Karon Police Station were alerted to the incident at around 10.30pm and rushed to the restaurant to investigate reports of a disturbance involving a foreign man. However, the…
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Foreign motorcyclist goes viral for riding with cooking pot in Phuket
A foreign motorcyclist has gone viral on Thai social media after being spotted wearing a cooking pot instead of a helmet while riding along a road in Phuket. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared photos of the unusual rider on Tuesday, December 9, with a caption jokingly asking, “What kind of helmet he was wearing? This foreigner was heading to…
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Mixed reactions after foreign rider condemned for illegal U-turn in Phuket
Thai netizens shared mixed reactions after a Phuket driver condemned a foreign rider for making an illegal U-turn over a traffic island. The Thai driver posted dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account, Wongwit Sand. The clip was later reshared by Newshawk Phuket Facebook page, which supported Wongwit’s criticism writing… “Foreigner tries bringing death to himself, making a…
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Thai netizens demand probe after Chinese tourist catches fish in Phuket for fun
Thai netizens are questioning authorities after a viral video showed a Chinese tourist catching vibrant fish in the Phuket sea for fun, with many voicing concerns over animal abuse and suspicions that she may have travelled with an illegal Chinese-run tour operator. A Thai woman spotted the video on Douyin and forwarded it to well-known blogger Luijeen, who shared screenshots…
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Phuket on high alert for floods, landslides and strong waves
Phuket issued a warning for flash floods and landslides as heavy to very heavy rain is forecast across southern Thailand from December 11 to 16. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) announced that intense rainfall is expected throughout the South, prompting Phuket to order all relevant agencies to remain on full alert for floods, flash floods, landslides, and…
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Russian man arrested in Phuket with hundreds of illegal hookah products
Phuket police arrested a Russian man for possessing a large quantity of hookah products, known locally as baraku, during a raid in the Cherng Talay area yesterday, December 9. Officers from the Region 8 Special Operations Unit conducted the operation at a rented room in Soi Hua Tiew in the Choeng Thale sub-district of Thalang district. The suspect, identified as…
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Indian brothers behind deadly nightclub fire in Goa reportedly hide in Phuket
Two Indian brothers reportedly fled to Phuket to evade legal consequences after a fire at their nightclub in Goa, India, killed 25 people. BBC reported on Sunday, December 7, that the blaze erupted around midnight on Saturday, December 6, at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightclub on Baga Beach in Goa. The fire spread rapidly through the venue, leaving…
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Phuket businessman accuses Pakistani national of illegally running businesses on his land
A Thai businessman filed a police complaint accusing a Pakistani national of using Thai nominees to illegally run a hotel and restaurant on a property he legally purchased through a public auction in Phuket. Nitipon Ditthawiset, an executive of ASAF Holding Company, travelled to Patong Police Station on Friday, December 5, with his lawyer to request an investigation into the…
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Misunderstanding sparks fight between Thai and foreign women on Bangla Road
A physical altercation broke out between Thai and foreign women on Bangla Road in Phuket on Sunday, December 7, reportedly sparked by a misunderstanding. The Facebook page Phuket Times shared a screenshot from a video of the incident on Sunday morning, captioned, “Fighting between Thai and foreign women. The Thai women involved did not know each other but joined the…
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Thai man and Norwegian woman arrested in drug raid at Phuket luxury villa
Police arrested a Thai man and a Norwegian woman at a luxury villa in Phuket’s Cape Panwa area for drug dealing. Officers seized heroin, crystal meth, and methamphetamine (known locally as Yaba) during the raid. Wichit Police Station officers told the media that their ongoing crackdown on drug users and small-scale dealers led them to the pair, 54 year old…
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Patong roads close for Phuket Carnival parade on December 19
Patong Municipality has advised residents and visitors to steer clear of the main roads at the southern end of Patong and Thaweewong Road, also known as Patong Beach Road, on the evening of December 19. This request is due to the annual parade of the ‘Phuket Carnival‘ marking the official start of the tourism high season. The parade is scheduled…
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Foreign suspect flees after stabbing British man outside Phuket nightclub
A “large” foreign man is on the run after stabbing a British national outside a nightclub in the Choeng Talay area of Phuket in the early hours of yesterday, December 3. Choeng Talay Police Station officers and rescue workers were called to the road outside the entertainment venue at around 12.20am to investigate the stabbing and assist the victim, later…
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Indian tourist apologises for placing feet on seat of Trang-Phuket bus
An Indian man issued an apology after a video of him placing his feet on the backrest of a Trang-Phuket coach bus seat went viral on Thai social media. The video was first shared yesterday, December 2, by Facebook user Y’Not Seven, and later reposted by several news pages. In the clip, the Indian man is seen travelling with a…
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Austrian man dies in Phuket hotel, police rule out foul play
An Austrian man died in his hotel room in Kata, Phuket, yesterday morning, December 2. Police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. At around 7am yesterday, hotel staff contacted Karon Police Station about their discovery. Officers arrived and identified the deceased man as 62 year old Andreas Nemec. The tourist’s wife, 62 year old Hildegard Unterwieser, who is…
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Phuket villa scam leaves Thais and foreigners with over 100 million baht loss
Thai and foreign buyers lost more than 100 million baht to a Phuket property agent who duped them into purchasing luxury pool villas that were never completed. The victims claim their cases stalled because a well-known local politician is linked to the land involved. A group of victims travelled from Phuket to Nonthaburi on Monday, December 1, to seek help…
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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…
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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