Phuket News
Discover the latest news and updates from Thailand’s most famous and beautiful island, The Thaiger’s hometown, having previously operated as the Phuket Gazette.
Our team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Phuket, covering everything from local politics and business to lifestyle and tourism. Learn about the island’s stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving expat community, as well as keeping updated on events, and attractions.
The Thaiger is your ultimate guide to staying connected with Phuket’s ever-evolving landscape. To keep up with the most reliable news source on the island, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
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Phuket booze ban begins as election showdown heats up
Thailand’s nationwide alcohol ban kicks in at 6pm today, leaving Phuket tourists dry for 24 hours as the country gears up for the Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO) elections tomorrow, February 1. Under Thai election law, the sale of alcohol is strictly prohibited during voting periods. Those caught flouting the rule face harsh penalties, including fines of up to 10,000 baht,…
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Uzbek man nabbed at Phuket Airport for overstaying visa
A 21 year old Uzbek national found himself in hot water after being arrested at Phuket International Airport for overstaying his visa by six days. The arrest took place on Wednesday morning, January 29 at around 10.30am, as immigration officers and local police swooped in on the suspect at the international passenger terminal. The operation was led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Akkaraphon Kaewkiattiyot of the Suppression…
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5 Frenchmen arrested for running police checkpoint in Phuket
Police arrested five Frenchmen for running a police checkpoint while riding their motorcycles on the Kamala-Patong Road in Phuket at 1.15am on Sunday, January 26. A Thai motorist, Yuttaphon Naluck, shared dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account on January 27, showing the foreign motorcyclists ignoring the checkpoint and speeding away in front of Thai police. He captioned…
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Phuket’s booming job market: Officials report 99% employment rate
Phuket’s job market is thriving, with 99.15% of registered residents employed, according to the latest report from the Phuket Subcommittee on Labour Development and Provincial Vocational Training Coordination (SVTC). The figures were unveiled during a meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Ronnarong Thipsiri at the Phuket Skill Development Institute 21 yesterday, January 29, where officials reviewed the province’s labour situation and…
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Phuket schoolgirls honoured for heroic life-saving rescue
Two high school students from Cherng Talay Wittayakhom School have been hailed local heroines after their quick-thinking actions saved a man’s life earlier this month. Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat personally recognised Benchawan Kanphai aka Rinda and Siriporn Ditsawan, both Grade 12 students, in a special ceremony at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, January 29, awarding them certificates of appreciation for their courage…
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Reckless pickup vs 18-wheeler in Phuket near-disaster
A reckless pickup driver narrowly avoided disaster after trying to cut in front of an 18-wheeler hauling a crane, causing a low-speed but dangerous collision near Cherng Talay Police Station. Cherng Talay Police released CCTV footage of the shocking incident, which took place on Monday, January 27. The video shows the workman’s pickup truck attempting a risky manoeuvre, only to be swept up by the…
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Phuket: Construction worker slits man’s throat in motorbike dispute
A construction site in Phuket turned into a bloodbath this morning, January 29, when a heated argument over a motorbike accident ended in cold-blooded murder. Police were called to a construction site in Soi Phu Yai Din, Village 4, Srisoonthorn, just before 8.30am, where they found 28 year old Ka Aye lying lifeless on a steel cutting machine, his throat brutally slit. The deep wound on the right…
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Firecrackers and red envelopes: Phuket’s CNY extravaganza
Phuket Old Town burst into life this morning, January 29, as Chinese Thais welcomed the Chinese New Year with vibrant celebrations, cultural traditions, and colourful altars. From Thalang Road to Phang Nga Road and Phuket Road, families and businesses set up beautifully adorned altars brimming with offerings, embracing the festive spirit with renewed enthusiasm. Compared to recent years, this year’s…
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Russian couple accused of dining and dashing at many Phuket restaurants
A Russian couple reportedly dined and dashed at multiple restaurants in Phuket, sparking an online debate over the visa-free scheme, which some online users claim attracts low-quality foreign visitors. A restaurant owner in Patong, Phuket, shared his experience with the foreign couple, believed to be Russian nationals, via the news Facebook page Phuket Times ภูเก็ตไทม์ today, January 28. He warned…
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Phuket’s burning ban: Violators face 20 years amid smog crisis
Phuket has joined the nationwide crackdown on burning as the country battles severe smog and PM2.5 pollution. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul ordered all provinces to implement burning bans, prompting Phuket officials to issue their strict measures last week. Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong announced the ban last Friday, January 24, which prohibits all agricultural burning…
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Tourist brawl in Phuket sparks debate on visa policy (video)
A video depicting an altercation between Italian and Indian tourists in Phuket’s Patong area has sparked significant social media discussion. The incident, captured in a 1.04-minute clip shared by the Facebook page Speednews Phuket, occurred yesterday, January 27, at the end of Bangla Road, Kathu district, Phuket. The video shows the tourists engaged in a fierce brawl, surrounded by onlookers…
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Rogue riders spark outrage as Phuket police face backlash
Kamala Police are feeling the heat after a viral video exposed a group of foreign motorcyclists speeding past a checkpoint without stopping. The 1-minute-and-17-second clip, widely shared on platforms like Phuket Hod Jang’s Facebook page, shows reckless riders blatantly ignoring traffic officers on the Patong-Kamala Road. The video reveals one motorcyclist weaving past officers before accelerating towards Patong. Moments later,…
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South Korean man allegedly tricked into smuggling drugs from Phuket to France
A South Korean man narrowly avoided arrest after being tricked by a foreign man in Phuket into smuggling drugs from Thailand to France. He sought help from the Thai police just in time. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea contacted officers from Thalang Police Station to investigate the luggage of 65 year old South Korean man, Park Sukhee, at…
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Cement truck crash causes power outage in Cherng Talay
A cement truck en route to The Aqua project in Cherng Talay collided with a power pole early on January 25, causing a power and internet outage for residents. Cherng Talay Police responded to the incident near the Samnak Pathipatham Luang Pho Sompharong temple on Cherng Talay-Baan Don Road at approximately 6.15am. The driver, 31 year old Chanchai Daengphrom from…
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Foreign motorcyclist leaves 4,000 baht for injured Phuket man, then flees
A Thai mother is calling for justice after a foreign motorcyclist collided with her son’s motorcycle on a road in Phuket and fled the scene, leaving only 4,000 baht in compensation. The Thai victim sustained injuries, and his motorcycle was damaged in the incident. The mother reached out to the Facebook news page Phuket Times to seek justice for her…
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Phuket to use AI for traffic congestion relief amid road projects
Traffic Police in Phuket are looking to implement AI technology to alleviate congestion on the island until the completion of several major road projects. This initiative aims to optimise traffic flow through adaptive traffic control, similar to systems already in use in Bangkok. Phuket Provincial Police Commander, Major General Sinlert Sukhum, updated Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on the island’s traffic…
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Russian tourist dies in Phuket motorcycle accident
A Russian tourist lost his life when his motorcycle crashed into a roadside barrier in Srisoonthorn, Phuket, during the early hours of yesterday, January 24. Police responded to the incident on Srisoonthorn Road, located behind the Thai Watsadu store in Village 3, Srisoonthorn, around 12.10am. Thalang Police reported that the 35 year old man was riding a motorcycle registered in…
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Phuket’s future: Seminar tackles bold new environmental rules
Phuket’s business leaders and environmental experts gathered yesterday, January 23 at the Royal Phuket City Hotel for a pivotal seminar titled Unlocking the Phuket Environment: Crisis or Opportunity? Organised by the Phuket Chamber of Commerce and presided over by Chamber President Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, the event focused on the sweeping new environmental regulations announced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and…
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Chinese duo nabbed in Phuket café lion cub photo scam
Two Chinese nationals were arrested in Phuket after allegedly using lion cubs to lure tourists to The Glass House Cafe and Space, charging them for photo sessions with the animals. The café, located on Ratsada-Anusorn Road in Ratsada, has a history of similar wildlife abuse scandals, including last year’s notorious incident involving a cub named Nong Kiwi. Armed with a…
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Phuket hosts landmark event for equal marriage registrations
Phuket hosted a groundbreaking event yesterday, January 23, marking a significant advance in the recognition of equal marriage registrations in Thailand. This event was part of the nationwide initiative, DOPA-Day One: Beating the Gong to Win All Love, and was held at the Bay Arena in Jungceylon shopping mall, Patong. The event saw 24 couples, including seven male-male and 14…
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British tourist busted in Patong for cocaine possession
A 20 year old British man was arrested on Tuesday night, January 21, in Patong for possession of cocaine, as police crack down on drug-related offences in Phuket’s popular tourist hotspots. The arrest occurred near Yona Pier on Thawewong Road, commonly known as the Beach Road, around 10.45pm. Patong Police confirmed the man, whose identity remains undisclosed, was found carrying…
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Phuket party hub: Top official targets crime in Bangla Rd crackdown
Bangla Road in Patong was under scrutiny last night, January 22 as the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), Chaiwat Junthiraphong, led a high-profile inspection to tackle crime and ensure public safety in Phuket’s nightlife hotspot. The initiative is part of a broader campaign to address critical issues threatening the province’s stability and tourism sector. The inspection focused…
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€100,000 reward offered in Dutchman’s mysterious death in Phuket
The chilling mystery surrounding the death of Dutch national Stephan Buczynski in Phuket 12 years ago has taken a dramatic turn, as the Peter R. de Vries Foundation announced a €100,000 reward (around 3.5 million baht) for any information leading to justice. Buczynski, only 26 years old at the time, was found dead in the waters off Patong Beach on…
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Russian tourist shot with rubber bullet in Phuket knife drama
Chaos erupted in Nai Yang, Phuket yesterday, January 21, as police resorted to using a rubber bullet to disarm a knife-wielding Russian woman in a bid to prevent self-harm. The shocking incident unfolded near Soi Nai Yang 16, sparking alarm among locals and tourists. The commotion began around 4pm when Sakhu Police received a call about a 55 year old…
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2 Canadian men found supplying drugs to Phuket music festival goers
Phuket police officers discovered that the two Canadian men, who fled a police checkpoint claiming to escape from a physical assault, had been offering drugs to partygoers at the Electric Daisy Carnival Thailand 2025 (EDC Thailand 2025) music festival. Officers from Karon Police Station stopped the two Canadian men, travelling in a black Ford Raptor pickup, on Patak Road on…
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Fiery destruction in Phuket leaves 29 homeless: Safety warning
A fire in Phuket’s Mueang district destroyed six rental homes and left 29 residents in urgent need of temporary shelter. The fire, which broke out yesterday, January 20, prompted the provincial governor to call for increased vigilance during the Chinese New Year festivities. Emergency services, including the Phuket Municipality’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, responded swiftly to the fire…
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Foreign motorcycle rider crashes on dangerous curve in Phuket
A foreign motorcycle rider lost control of the vehicle last night at a curve along Kalim Beach in Phuket, cutting off a Thai man’s car before crashing into a barrier and parked motorcycles. A Thai motorist shared a dash cam video of the accident yesterday, January 20, on Facebook account Mai All Star, with a caption that read… “A foreigner…
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3 foreigners arrested for drugs at Phuket EDC music festival
Police arrested three foreigners, a Japanese man, a Malaysian man, and a Burmese man, at the Electric Daisy Carnival Thailand 2025 (EDC Thailand 2025) in Phuket for possessing illegal drugs. The three-day music festival, EDC Thailand 2025, was held at the Boat Avenue Lakefront in the Choeng Thale district of Phuket, concluding on Sunday. While many partygoers and locals praised…
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Phuket van driver caught with meth pills after police chase
Crime Suppression Division officers stationed at the Phuket City Police Station yesterday stumbled upon a drug stash on a routine patrol landing a van driver in hot water in a nail-biting escapade. The clock had barely ticked past 5.30pm, yesterday, January 19, when officers on routine patrol caught sight of a man behaving suspiciously near a red booth, clutching something…
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Canadian pickup artist leaves Phuket in a tailspin
A Canadian man in a pickup truck yesterday led police on a dramatic, wild high-speed chase across Phuket, leaving a trail of damaged vehicles in his wake before being nabbed in Karon. The chaos kicked off at 4.45pm, yesterday, January 19, when Patong police were alerted to a fracas outside the Patong Condo Hotel. But just as they arrived on…
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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