Phuket News
Phuket news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s top island destination. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Phuket news source.
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Visa villains nabbed in Phuket immigration crackdown
Phuket’s Immigration officers are cracking down hard on visa overstays, hauling in four foreign nationals in a high-profile sweep as part of a nationwide effort to stamp out illegal immigration. In an operation launched on Monday, May 19, Phuket Immigration, in coordination with local agencies, arrested four men who had overstayed their legal permission to remain in Thailand. The arrests…
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Thai motorcyclist and Italian passenger seriously injured in Phuket crash
A dramatic day unfolded on the roads of Phuket yesterday, when a Thai motorcyclist and his Italian passenger made a swift getaway after smashing into a van. Their escape, however, was short-lived as they later collided with an SUV, leaving both with serious injuries. Officers from Patong Police Station responded to the accident near Phra Baramee Soi 5 on Phra…
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Phuket Covid surge: Island ranks 3rd in Thailand
Phuket’s picture-perfect beaches may be drawing tourists in droves but the island is quietly battling a Covid-19 surge that places it among the top three provinces for infection rates in Thailand this year, though remarkably, not a single death has been reported. According to the Department of Disease Control, from January 1 to May 10, 2025, Phuket recorded 1,287 cumulative…
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Phuket thief busted with 18 stolen gadgets including smartphones
A high-tech thief’s lucky streak came to a crashing halt after police caught the light-fingered 26 year old man red-handed with a stash of stolen electronics, including iPads and smartphones, allegedly taken from multiple shops across Phuket’s popular Kata-Karon area. Somwang ‘Jay’ Phonpradit was arrested at around 8pm yesterday, May 19, at a rental room on Mueang Thong–Khao Khad Road…
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Body of Myanmar man missing after drowning in Phuket pond
What began as a relaxing day off ended in heartbreak when a young Myanmar man drowned while swimming with friends in Phuket. The 20 year old man vanished beneath the surface in front of his horrified mates, sparking a desperate search by local rescue teams. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, May 18, in Srisoonthorn, Thalang district. At around 6.30pm, officers from Thalang…
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Runaway van slams into 4 taxis outside Phuket Airport
A chaotic crash unfolded outside Phuket International Airport’s international arrivals terminal yesterday afternoon when a van’s accelerator reportedly jammed, setting off a domino-effect collision involving four taxis. The incident happened around 12.50pm yesterday, May 19, right on the first-floor platform. Despite the heavy impact, no injuries were reported. Witnesses were left stunned as the Toyota Commuter van, bearing the distinctive…
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Phuket lawyer accused of misconduct and affair with client’s girlfriend
A Thai man accused a lawyer in Phuket of letting him down both professionally and personally by failing to represent him properly in the court and having an affair with his girlfriend. The 29 year old man, a resident of the Kathu district in Phuket, shared his story with the media to expose the lawyer‘s alleged misconduct. He claims to have…
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Phuket set to host City Pride 2025 parade in June
Phuket City Municipality is set to host Phuket City Pride 2025 on June 28, featuring a pride parade and a day of celebrations. The event aims to highlight diversity, advocate for equal rights, and support both tourism and the local economy. The municipality is collaborating with government agencies, private enterprises, and community groups to organise the event. Chalermporn Piyanarongroj, Chief…
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Chalong wire thieves nabbed in Phuket raid
Phuket’s Chalong area has been plagued by a string of bold electrical wire thefts — until police launched a daring night operation that ended with thieves crashing into a squad car and landing behind bars. Earlier this month, police intensified efforts to combat a rising wave of electrical wire thefts in Chalong, tracking suspects and gathering crucial evidence. Their persistence…
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Phuket reclaims Surin Beach from illegal occupiers
Phuket’s popular Surin Beach is finally being reclaimed after days of tense confrontations as officials crack down on illegal occupants blocking public access. On Thursday, May 15, Phuket officials worked tirelessly from 9am to 2pm to remove buildings, belongings, and items from intruders who had illegally occupied public areas at Surin Beach, Village No. 3, Cherng Talay subdistrict. The clearance operation…
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Phuket gears up with sandbags ahead of rainy season
Phuket is bracing for the rainy season with a full-scale flood battle plan ready to roll out, as officials warn locals to stay alert and keep canals clear of rubbish. Yesterday, May 16, Chalermporn Piyanarongroj, Permanent Secretary of Phuket City Municipality, acting as Mayor, announced preparations following the Meteorological Department (TMD)’s declaration that Thailand’s rainy season officially began on May…
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Phuket driver forces wife into boot to make room for tourists
Netizens and taxi drivers in Phuket criticised a hatchback driver for illegally offering transport services to foreign tourists and for carrying his wife while on duty, resulting in the vehicle being overloaded. The Facebook page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต (meaning Phuket is so brutal) shared a video of the overloaded grey hatchback on May 15, with a caption reading “I appreciated the…
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Shots and shocks: Drunk man’s gun rampage terrifies Chalong
Residents in a quiet Chalong neighbourhood were left rattled yesterday after a drunk man unleashed a barrage of gunfire into the sky, sparking panic and drawing a heavy police response. At around 3.55pm yesterday, May 15, police were called to Village 3 in Soi Palai after terrified locals reported hearing more than 10 gunshots echoing through the residential area. Fearing…
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Illegal beach bars bulldozed in Phuket tourist crackdown
Phuket officials have swooped in on Surin Beach, tearing down makeshift beach bars and restaurants in a two-day operation to reclaim public land from illegal businesses cashing in on tourist traffic. Under the watchful eye of Phuket Governor Sophon Suwanrat, Thalang district authorities, backed by a small army of police, soldiers, forestry officers, and local enforcers, began dismantling the illegal…
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Phuket motorcycle taxi rider steals dropped cash of foreign couple
Dashcam footage captured a Thai motorcycle taxi rider stealing cash that was accidentally dropped by a foreign couple in Phuket yesterday, May 14. Phuket Times shared the dashcam video on its Facebook page today, May 15, with a caption condemning the rider’s behaviour. An excerpt from the caption read… “Can’t stand this! It tarnishes Phuket’s image! This Thai taxi rider…
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Van crash causes Phuket transformer explosion, driver electrocuted
A van lost control and crashed into a power pole, causing a transformer explosion, which resulted in the driver being electrocuted at the wheel. The accident, which had no other vehicles involved, is suspected to have been caused by the driver falling asleep. At 1.20am today, May 15, Police Lieutenant Fonthip Kaewsaen, an investigator at Wichit Police Station, received a…
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Phuket soaked and stranded as downpours drench tourist zones
Phuket was left waterlogged today as torrential rain battered the island, turning major roads into canals and sparking travel chaos across popular tourist zones. From the early hours of this morning, May 14, relentless downpours lashed the districts of Mueang and Kathu, triggering flash floods in seaside subdistricts including Patong, Chalong and Rawai, three of the island’s busiest areas for…
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Five test positive for meth in Phuket migrant worker camp inspection
In Phuket, an inspection of migrant worker camps in Thalang District resulted in five people testing positive for methamphetamine, according to officials in Thalang. The operation, conducted from 5pm to 7pm yesterday, May 13, involved a team comprising the Thalang District Office Special Operations Unit, Phuket Immigration Police, Phuket Provincial Employment Office, Sakhu Police, public health officers, and local community…
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Message in the sand: Nepali tailor found dead on Phuket beach
A mystery death on one of Phuket’s most popular beaches has left locals and tourists shaken, after a Nepali tailor was found hanged with a chilling message written in the sand beside him. The body of the man, later identified as Marike, was discovered beneath a pandanus tree on Kata Beach in the early hours of yesterday morning, May 13,…
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Phuket red mist: Daft foreign tourist climbs traffic light to go green
A hapless foreign tourist in Phuket sparked outrage after climbing a traffic light pole in the middle of the night, in a bizarre bid to turn it green. The impatient biker, riding through the Samkong intersection at 1.20am, today, May 14, decided he’d had enough of waiting at a red light. So, in a moment of madness, he ditched his…
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China slump no drag-on for Phuket, says property tycoon
Fears that China’s economic slowdown could batter Thailand’s tourist trade have been brushed aside by a luxury property boss, who insists Phuket is still booming thanks to big spenders from elsewhere. Phuket’s posh property scene is still sizzling despite fewer Chinese tourists hitting the island and one property mogul reckons it’s all just a blip. Allan Zeman, chairman of the…
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Drunk taxi driver tees off in Phuket road rage meltdown
A booze-fuelled drunk taxi driver sparked chaos on a busy Phuket road after allegedly smashing into a parked car, then battering the other driver with a golf club in a shocking midday meltdown. The unhinged attack, caught on video and now circulating widely online, took place around 12.19pm, yesterday, May 12, outside a 7-Eleven in the Baan Lipon area of…
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Mud, sweat and tiers: Probe into fatal Phuket landslide stuck in dirt
A deadly landslide that claimed 13 lives in Phuket last August remains mired in red tape, as police refuse to move forward without expert proof that dodgy construction played a part in the tragedy. Nearly a year after killer landslides tore through forest land in Kata, Karon police say their investigation is still on hold, with no charges laid and…
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Hanging by a thread: Phuket rocked by third tragic suicide in a week
Phuket has been plunged into fresh heartbreak after a woman was found dead in her home, the third suspected suicide on the island in just seven days. A 42 year old woman was discovered hanged inside her house in Kathu, Phuket, in what police believe to be a suicide, marking the latest in a string of grim discoveries to shake…
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Woman killed, man injured in Phuket pickup truck crash
A woman lost her life and a man sustained injuries following an accident involving a pickup truck that veered off the road and collided with a streetlight in Thalang, Phuket, on the morning of yesterday, May 11. Police were informed of the incident at approximately 7am and promptly arrived at the site on Don Chom Tao Road in Thepkrasattri. The…
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Two men arrested in Phuket after high-speed meth pursuit
Two men were apprehended in Phuket following a high-speed pursuit with police, resulting in the confiscation of 65 grammes of crystal meth. The incident occurred previously at approximately 2.15pm on May 10, when officers from Phuket City Police Station responded to a report of a suspicious grey Toyota parked on Sri Suthat Road, Ratsada. Upon approaching the vehicle, the driver…
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Family of three perish in tragic Phuket motorcycle crash
Three family members, including a father, daughter, and mother-in-law, tragically died in a motorcycle accident in Phuket. The incident occurred yesterday, May 10, at 5pm when a motorcycle lost control and crashed into a streetlight on Sakdidet Road in the district of Mueang, Phuket province. Police Major Chonlathit Kheaw-on from the Wichit Police Station received the report, leading officers and…
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Phuket cops nab meth dealers after traffic stop tip-off
Phuket police arrested four men for drug dealing in the Wichit area in an operation on Wednesday. On May 7, police set up a traffic discipline checkpoint at the Darasamutr Intersection underpass in Wichit, as part of an ongoing crime crackdown spearheaded by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum. It was here that officers pulled over 39…
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Phuket nominee crackdown: 23 guilty, 60 firms busted
A massive web of illegal nominee businesses in Phuket has finally unravelled, with 23 people and more than 60 companies found guilty of using fake Thai ownership to skirt the country’s business laws. The Department of Business Development (DBD) dropped the bombshell yesterday, May 9, confirming that the Criminal Court ruled against the offenders in a major case under Red…
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Malaysian tourist dies after hotel balcony plunge in Patong
Holidaymakers in Phuket were left stunned when a Malaysian tourist reportedly “acting crazy” leapt from a hotel balcony in the early hours of yesterday, later dying from his injuries in hospital. The incident happened around 1.30am yesterday, May 9, when Patong Police were alerted by Patong Hospital that a foreign man had fallen from a hotel building and had tragically succumbed…
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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