Phuket News
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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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Phuket preps for global art splash at Thailand Biennale
Phuket is making final preparations for a major international art festival set to boost tourism, as culture officials inspect venues and installation progress. Culture Minister Sabida Thaiseth arrived on the island yesterday, November 21, to oversee preparations for the international contemporary art festival. She was joined by top Ministry of Culture officials, including Permanent Secretary Prasop Riangngen, Office of Contemporary…
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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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Foreign man caught stealing shoes and umbrella outside Phuket salon
A foreign man was caught on CCTV footage stealing shoes and an umbrella left outside a salon in Phuket yesterday, November 19. The owner of a salon in the Ratsada sub-district of Phuket shared the security camera footage of the theft with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page. The salon owner had temporarily closed the shop to run a personal errand…
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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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Flash floods swamp Patong again, traffic brought to standstill
Patong was flooded again after sudden downpours caused severe traffic disruption, prompting police to respond and issue warnings across the tourist hotspot. Yesterday, November 18 at 4.30pm, Patong Police released a statement warning motorists to steer clear of several waterlogged zones. Officers were dispatched to monitor flood levels and assist in managing traffic as major intersections became submerged. The operation…
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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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Thai man dies in suspected suicide after driving pickup off bridge in Phuket
A Thai man died after driving his pickup off the Sarasin Bridge into the sea in Phuket early this morning, November 18, in what police believe was a suicide. At around 3am, 30 year old fisherman Nattawut Wongnui called officers at Tha Chatchai Police Station to report that a pickup travelling at high speed had crashed through the bridge barrier…
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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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Second Russian man arrested over drug sale QR code stickers in Phuket
Police arrested another Russian drug dealer on Friday, November 14, following an extended investigation into drug sale QR code stickers placed on utility poles across Phuket. The investigation was expanded after a Russian man was arrested on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province earlier in November for promoting drug sales via QR codes. The suspect was found placing QR code…
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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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Phuket police hunt motorbike taxi driver for robbing Kazakh tourist
An 18 year old Kazakh tourist was allegedly robbed by a motorcycle taxi driver outside a hotel in Kathu, prompting a police investigation. Kathu Police are searching for a motorcycle rider who allegedly robbed Kazakh national Sofiya Paskul outside a hotel near the Andamanda Phuket waterpark in the early hours of today. The incident occurred at 3.54am, today, November 14,…
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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…
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Foreign man spits on couple in Phuket restaurant without provocation
A Phuket restaurant owner condemned a foreign man after he spat on another foreign couple who were dining at his establishment, without any provocation or prior conflict. The restaurant owner shared CCTV footage of the incident with the Phuket Times Facebook page, where it was made public today, November 14. The owner did not reveal to the media the exact…
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Drunk Russian tourist hauled off Patong street after outburst
A Russian tourist was arrested in Patong after police responded to reports of public intoxication and disorderly behaviour near a busy roadside canal. The incident unfolded around 10.30am today, November 13, when officers from Patong Police Station were called to Sai Nam Yen Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district. The 43 year old man was found near a canal adjacent…
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Phuket drug dealer arrested in late-night narcotics crackdown
Officers in Phuket arrested a suspected drug dealer during a late-night raid as part of a new 120-day crackdown on narcotics and organised crime. Phuket has launched a hardline law enforcement campaign dubbed Phuket 120 Days Nonstop, aimed at stamping out crime, drugs, and vice across the province. The operation, part of a wider Ministry of Interior policy, is focused…
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Phuket bus loses power, slams into car and shop on steep hill
A passenger bus on a steep Phuket road lost power and rolled backwards, crashing into parked vehicles and a shop, causing damage and minor injuries. The incident occurred around 12.30pm today, November 12, at the Tom Yum Kung intersection on Khok Tonod–Rawai Road. According to Karon Police, the EV passenger bus, travelling the Airport–Rawai route and bearing the registration number…
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Police arrest foreign rider for dangerous stunts in Phuket
Police arrested a foreign motorcyclist yesterday, November 11, for dangerous riding, where he was captured on video performing wheelies on a road in Thalang district, Phuket. A Thai man recorded the act and shared the footage in the Facebook group แบบนี้ต้องประจาน ภูเก็ต (This kind of actions must be exposed – Phuket), captioning it… “This occurred near Nai Yang Beach. I have…
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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