Phuket News
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Unidentified foreigner drowns at sunset off Karon Beach
A foreign man drowned while swimming off a Phuket beach at sunset, prompting police to investigate his identity and the circumstances surrounding his death. A foreign man, believed to be around 60 years old, was pronounced dead last night after being pulled from the water off Karon Beach. His identity and nationality remain unknown. The incident occurred around sunset yesterday,…
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Phuket pickup truck sex: Russian man banned and Thai woman arrested
Police yesterday, September 25, arrested a Thai woman who was caught having sex with a Russian man in the back of a moving pickup truck on a road in Phuket. She claimed the foreign man threatened her into making the video and paid her 1,000 baht. An explicit video of the Russian national, 23 year old Georgii, and the 42…
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Phuket boat captain dies in 500kg meth bust at sea
A massive haul of meth was seized from a tourist boat in Phuket after a late-night raid, leaving one crew member dead while trying to escape arrest. More than 500 kilogrammes of crystal meth were seized from a tourist dive boat anchored in Chalong Bay, Phuket, during a late-night police operation. The vessel’s captain, a 61 year old Myanmar national…
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Russian man arrested over viral Phuket pickup sex video
Police arrested a Russian man at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok after he was caught in a viral video having sex on a moving pickup truck in Phuket. A Thai motorist who witnessed the explicit act filmed the couple and shared the footage on social media. The pair were seen engaging in sexual activity on the back of the pickup…
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Gold necklace swiped in late-night burglary in Phuket’s Wichit
Police are investigating a burglary at a housing estate in Wichit, where a gold necklace worth over 170,000 baht was reported stolen during the early hours. The break-in occurred during the early hours of today, September 25, prompting a call to Wichit Police Station at 1.37am. The report was made by Sujittra Phummuang, the homeowner, who discovered signs of forced…
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Hooked turtle rescued in Phuket as another dies from net injury
Marine officers in Phuket rescued an injured sea turtle found with a fishhook in its mouth, while another died after being entangled in a discarded net. At around 6.45pm yesterday, September 24, Cherng Talay Police received a report of a stranded turtle near Leypang Beach. Police Lieutenant Suwarin Mueat Muang, a patrol officer from Layan, was dispatched to the scene,…
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Foreign couple filmed having sex on moving pickup in Phuket
Police are searching for a foreign couple, believed to be Russian nationals, after they were caught having sex in the back of a moving pickup truck on a road in Phuket. The footage appears to have been recorded along the Phuket Bypass Road. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) Explicit images and…
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Drunk Norwegian woman found on Phuket street returned safely to hotel
Police last night, September 23, escorted a Norwegian woman safely back to her hotel after she was found drunk and lying on a footpath in Phuket alongside an Israeli man she had met earlier at an entertainment venue. Her husband was reportedly panicking at the hotel. Police officers and volunteers were patrolling along Rat Uthit 200 Years Road when they…
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Phuket pushes 300km pipeline plan to secure water future
Phuket officials met with consultants to discuss a proposed 300km pipeline project aimed at securing long-term water supplies for the island and nearby provinces. The Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) Phuket Branch and Team Consulting Engineering and Management Public Co Ltd met Governor Sophon Suwannarat yesterday, September 23, to present updated findings from a feasibility study on the ambitious project. According…
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Phuket underpass chaos as 15-car crash halts traffic
A multi-car crash in a Phuket underpass left one person injured and caused hours of traffic disruption as police and rescue teams rushed to the scene. The crash happened at around midday yesterday, September 22, in the Darasamutr Intersection underpass, prompting a large police and emergency response. Wichit Police confirmed that 15 vehicles were damaged in the collision, though no…
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Bhumjaithai bets big on Phuket with 3 fresh candidates
The Bhumjaithai Party has announced three candidates who will contest Phuket constituencies in the next general election as it targets seats in the South. The move is part of the party’s ambitious drive to capture 30 seats across South Thailand. At a press conference yesterday, September 22, senior party figure Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn joined Supachai Jaisamut, Bhumjaithai’s legal team leader, to…
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Naked foreign man causes chaos in Phuket and attacks police
A foreign man walked naked through the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket yesterday, September 22, and allegedly attacked a police officer who intervened in his indecent behaviour. A viral video shared on the Phuket Times Facebook page showed the man walking unclothed along a busy road in Patong. The street was crowded with vehicles and tourists, both Thai and international, and lined…
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Bahraini tourist missing after ignoring red flags at Phuket beach
A man is missing and presumed drowned after he and his brothers entered the sea during dangerous surf conditions at Karon Beach in Phuket on Friday evening, September 21. Karon Police were alerted to the incident at around 6.30pm. Three Bahraini men had entered the water despite red warning flags being clearly posted along the shoreline. All three were swept…
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Phuket’s fuel consumption soars over 1 million litres daily
Phuket’s residents are consuming over a million litres of fuel daily, with expectations for this figure to rise, according to Rattakorn Klinchan, Chief of the Ministry of Energy Phuket Office. Last year, fuel expenditure in Phuket reached 13.7 billion baht, averaging 37.534 million baht daily. This accounts for 37.5% of the nation’s total fuel purchases. Rattakorn emphasised the need for…
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Patong denies approval of Jewish New Year event on public beach
Patong municipality has refuted claims of approving a public Jewish New Year celebration on Patong Beach, initially reported to occur tomorrow, between September 22 and 23. In a statement released on Saturday, the municipality clarified that no authorisation had been given for conducting religious activities on public property, due to the issue’s sensitivity. This announcement followed a letter from the…
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Phuket plans wind power hub and eco-tourism at Phromthep
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) unveiled plans in Phuket to build new wind turbines at Phromthep Cape, aiming to expand renewable energy and create an eco-tourism and learning hub. The proposal was presented this week at Provincial Hall in a meeting chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat. Attendees included Rawai Mayor Thames Kraitat, officials from the Phuket Provincial…
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Phuket ramps up rehab plan in fresh anti-drug crackdown
Officials in Phuket held a meeting to discuss plans for expanding and accrediting drug rehab centres as part of efforts to improve the island’s treatment system. A working group convened yesterday, September 19, to review plans for expanding services and setting national-standard accreditation criteria for rehabilitation facilities. The meeting was chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Samawit Suphanphai and held at…
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Chinese fugitive caught in Phuket after 272-day overstay
A Chinese man wanted for embezzlement was arrested in Phuket after being tracked to a restaurant by immigration officers for overstaying his visa in Thailand. The 37 year old man, identified only as Peng, was arrested by Phuket Immigration officers on Wednesday, September 17, after investigators tracked him to a Chinese restaurant in the Wichit area. Peng was wanted in…
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4 Brits arrested after robbing American lawyer in Phuket heist
Police in Phuket arrested four British nationals after an American tourist was ambushed on his motorbike and robbed of a luxury watch worth millions of baht. The violent attack, which was caught on dashcam and widely shared on social media, took place on Layan Soi 7 in Cherng Talay district, Thalang. A blue car struck the victim’s motorcycle before two…
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American tourist rammed off bike and robbed in Phuket attack
An American tourist was attacked on a Phuket road when two men rammed his motorbike with an SUV before robbing him of a luxury watch and fleeing the scene. The assault happened at about 4.20pm yesterday, September 18, on Soi Layan Soi 7, heading towards Ban Phru Somphan, when a blue Ford Everest SUV struck the tourist’s red Honda motorbike…
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Phuket cracks down on illegal restaurants in protected park
Officials in Phuket inspected Mai Khao Beach and confirmed that restaurants are operating illegally inside Sirinat National Park, prompting a renewed crackdown. The joint inspection took place yesterday, September 17, in Villages 3 and 4 of Mai Khao, where officers confirmed that several operators continue to run beachfront businesses despite the area being legally designated as part of the national…
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Hunt on for driver after car smashes Phuket U-turn barrier
Police in Phuket are searching for a driver who fled after crashing into a newly built U-turn barrier in Thalang, an incident caught on video and shared online. The crash happened late on Tuesday, September 16, near the Thalang power station in Baan Lipon, Srisoonthorn. The impact, captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows a sedan slamming…
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French tourist drowns after late-night swim at Patong
A French tourist drowned on Patong Beach after being swept away by strong currents during a late-night swim, despite red warning flags along the shore. Patong Police confirmed the victim as 53 year old Laurent Simon, who had arrived on the island just a day earlier with his brother, sister and brother-in-law. The family reportedly entered the water behind the…
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Patong lifeguards warn as venomous bluebottles wash up
Lifeguards at Patong Beach have issued a warning after venomous Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish washed ashore, urging tourists to stay cautious in the water. Lifeguards raised the alarm after several of the creatures were found along the sand. Patong Surf Life Saving urged beachgoers not to touch or play with them, stressing that anyone stung should immediately seek assistance…
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Phuket airport skips memorial for deadly One-Two-Go crash
Eighteen years after the One-Two-Go crash killed 90 people in Phuket, no memorial was held again, as Phuket International Airport instead staged dance shows. The crash of One-Two-Go flight OG269 on September 16, 2007, claimed 90 lives, yet Airports of Thailand (AoT) and its staff at Phuket airport have never held a memorial. No service was held in the days…
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Phuket hotel mystery: Young woman found dead in room
A 26 year old woman was found dead in her hotel room in Phuket, prompting police and forensic teams to investigate the cause of her unexplained death. Police in Cherng Talay are investigating the death of a young woman who was found lifeless in her hotel room within a resort complex yesterday afternoon. Cherng Talay Police received notification of the…
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Phuket shines a light on Islamic roots with weekend festival
A cultural event in Phuket celebrated Islamic heritage, bringing residents and officials together to promote unity, awareness, and community engagement. The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) hosted a vibrant two-day event aimed at celebrating the island’s Islamic roots and promoting unity across communities. Titled Retracing the History of Islam in Phuket Province, the event took place on Saturday and Sunday,…
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Justice Minister vows tougher anti-drug measures in Phuket’s Sea Gypsy Village
Justice Minister Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong has pledged stronger action to tackle persistent drug problems in the Sea Gypsy Village in Rawai, Phuket, while also addressing broader community challenges such as land disputes, flooding, and youth vulnerability. Pol. Col. Thawee visited the village on September 13, joined by officials from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, Corrections Department, Phuket…
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Phuket’s long-awaited boat taxi project finally sets sail
Phuket is moving ahead with plans for a boat taxi service along its west coast, as key officials signed an agreement to improve coastal transport options. Phuket is one step closer to launching its long-discussed boat taxi service along the island’s popular west coast, as key officials gathered to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday, September 12. Atthaphon Charoenchansa,…
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Man found dead in Phuket dorm after family argument
A man was found dead in a Phuket dormitory bathroom after a family dispute, prompting police and medical teams to investigate the cause of death. Police in Kathu, Phuket, were alerted to the incident at 8.40am yesterday, September 11. Officers from Kathu Police Station, accompanied by a forensic doctor from Vachira Phuket Hospital and Phuket Kusontham Foundation responders, arrived promptly…
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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