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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Crash course: Phuket cracks down on deadly Songkran road chaos
Phuket officials are racing to prevent road carnage ahead of the Songkran festival, launching a major crackdown to curb drink-driving, reckless rentals, and helmet-free bikers. At a high-stakes meeting yesterday, April 2, Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong led a panel of officials, including newly appointed disaster chief Wichit Sutthaso, to hammer out life-saving strategies. With thousands of revellers set to…
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Phuket parents face charges for children’s illegal street racing
In Phuket, the parents of 14 minors, apprehended during a police operation in Ao Yon, Wichit, on April 1 are facing legal action for permitting their children to partake in illegal street racing. Wichit Police Chief Somsak Thongkliang announced that the parents were brought to Wichit Police Station to be informed of the charges under Section 26(3) of the Child…
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Two killed in Phuket motorbike and van collision near airport
A horrific accident on the main road to Phuket International Airport claimed the lives of two people early yesterday morning, April 2. A motorbike with a sidecar collided with a commercial passenger van, leaving both victims with fatal injuries. The tragedy occurred around 9.30am on Route 4026, connecting Thepkrasattri Road to the airport. Emergency services rushed to the scene, where…
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Taps off: Phuket prepares for water supply disruptions tomorrow
Phuket residents, take note: water supply disruptions are set to affect parts of the island tomorrow, April 3, as the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA Phuket) carries out vital maintenance work. Two separate outages will hit areas in Srisoonthorn and Kathu, with residents urged to prepare for the disruption. The first outage will affect the Botanica Modern Loft housing estate in…
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Two arrested after 100k baht gold bracelet stolen in Wichit heist
Wichit Police have arrested two suspects involved in a daring gold shop robbery that saw a gold bracelet worth over 100,000 baht snatched from the CP Gold Master store. The theft took place just after 3.20pm on Monday, March 31, when the culprit, disguised in women’s clothing, grabbed the valuable piece of jewellery before fleeing the scene on a motorbike.…
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Phuket set for alcohol-free Songkran festival to boost tourism
Phuket will host its annual alcohol-free Songkran festival next Sunday, April 13, featuring traditional activities, cultural performances, live music, and a family-friendly environment. This event celebrates Songkran’s cultural significance while promoting tourism and local business. Phuket Deputy Governor Samawit Suphanphai recently shared details of the 11th annual Songkran No Alcohol Festival Phuket 2025. The festival involves the Phuket Provincial Administrative…
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Blood and sweat: Phuket red cross urges life-saving donations this Songkran
The Phuket Red Cross and the Blood Bank at Vachira Phuket Hospital are urging locals to consider blood donation as a life-saving gesture this April, coinciding with the Songkran holiday. Special blood donation events are being held to meet the demand for Rh-negative blood, predominantly donated by foreigners due to its rarity among Thai donors. The increase in tourism and…
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Phuket mayoral election sees fierce competition
Registration for mayoral and municipal council candidates in Phuket opened yesterday with an energetic and competitive atmosphere as multiple teams vied for leadership positions. The registration period will continue until April 4, with many candidates eager to secure their place on the ballot. Two prominent teams arrived at the Phuket City Municipality before the official opening at 8.30am, yesterday, March…
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Israeli man arrested at Phuket Airport for alleged rape on Koh Samui
Police arrested an Israeli man at Phuket International Airport for allegedly committing rape on Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Officers from the Surat Thani Provincial Immigration Bureau sought the cooperation of the Phuket Provincial Immigration Bureau to apprehend the Israeli suspect, a 37 year old man named David. He was accused of raping a…
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Russian man’s body severed in Phuket motorcycle crash
A Russian man died after crashing his motorcycle into an electricity pole on a road in Phuket in the early hours of this morning. His body was tragically cut in half due to the severe impact of the accident. Officers from Mueang Phuket Police Station investigated the fatal accident on Chaloem Phrakiat Rama 9 Road, also known as Bypass Road,…
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Phuket forum seeks input on draft national policy map
The Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning hosted a public forum in Phuket to gather feedback on the draft national policy map. The event engaged over 600 stakeholders from various sectors across southern Thailand. Held at The Pago Design Hotel in Ratsada, participants included government officials, representatives from local administrative organisations, NGOs, private sector leaders, experts, and…
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Phuket eyes jackpot as entertainment complex bill hits Parliament
Thailand’s long-debated entertainment complex bill is finally on the table, with Parliament expected to deliberate the high-stakes proposal by April 9, according to chief government whip Wisut Chainarun. The bill, greenlit by the Cabinet on March 27, is awaiting a confirmed submission date. If not ready for April 3, it will almost certainly be up for debate on April 9.…
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Quake rumbles Thailand but Phuket stands firm
Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat reassured residents and tourists that the island remains untouched by the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that rocked Myanmar and sent tremors through Bangkok. The quake, which struck Mandalay on Friday, March 28, was felt across northern Thailand, but Governor Sophon confirmed that Phuket, nearly 2,000 kilometres away, has seen no impact on its infrastructure or tourism industry.…
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Phuket boosts motorbike safety with 4 million baht funding
Phuket officials have secured over 4 million baht from the road safety fund to bolster accident prevention measures, with an emphasis on motorbike safety. This funding was confirmed during a meeting held at the Phuket Land Transport Office on March 25 to discuss road safety strategies for the 2025 fiscal year. The meeting was presided over by Adcha Buachan, the…
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PM cuts Phuket meeting to respond to Bangkok earthquake
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was forced to cut short a crucial meeting with Phuket officials yesterday after receiving urgent news of the devastating earthquake that struck Bangkok. At 12.30pm, March 28, the 38 year old Thai premier was in the middle of a high-level meeting in Phuket, reviewing the island’s development plans and tourism policies, when she received an emergency…
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Pickup truck crashes into Phuket monument, blocking traffic
A pickup truck driver caused chaos on the roads of Phuket early yesterday morning after crashing into the Heroines Monument, leaving traffic at a standstill. At 12.54am on March 28, Thalang Police were alerted to the incident and rushed to the scene, along with rescue workers from the Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation. Arriving at the scene, officers found the Toyota pickup…
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Phuket crackdown: Officials fish for illegal workers, net nothing
In a rigorous two-day operation, Phuket officials targeted communities and camps housing Myanmar workers, aiming to clamp down on illegal immigration and unlawful activities. Despite the intense scrutiny, not a single infraction was found. Phuket officials, including immigration personnel, focused their efforts on a community in front of the bustling Phuket Fishing Pier on Sri Suthat Road. Situated opposite the…
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Phuket goes high-tech with new heart care innovations
Phuket is stepping up as a global medical hub, this time with a focus on matters of the heart. On Tuesday, March 25, Bangkok Hospital Phuket officially launched a suite of high-tech innovations aimed at transforming cardiac care in Thailand, positioning itself as a leader in the advanced diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. The launch event, held at the…
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Fiery inferno: Phuket car audio shop blaze torches vehicles
A car audio shop went up in flames in Phuket this morning, sending thick smoke billowing into the air and reducing several vehicles to charred wrecks in a fiery inferno that brought Thepkrasattri Road to a standstill. The blaze broke out at Sound Technics Sapam, located opposite the Krungsri Bank branch in Ratsada, just after 8.20am today, March 27. Firefighters battled…
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Russian man arrested in Phuket for reckless driving with kids exposed
Phuket police arrested a Russian man for driving recklessly while intoxicated. The arrest on Tuesday, March 25, followed an incident where he endangered his family by allowing his children to hang out of his moving vehicle. Traffic police observed the vehicle, a red MG5 sedan, being driven precariously along the Kamala-Patong Road around 7.30pm. A child was seen sitting on…
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Police slam brakes on teen biker gang in Chalong crackdown
A gang of 11 teenagers were arrested early yesterday morning for causing a disturbance and loitering in Chalong, with six motorcycles seized during the operation. The arrests were made yesterday, March 26, under the supervision of Police Colonel Rungrit Rattanaphakdi, Superintendent of Chalong Police Station, after officers were alerted to a gathering of youths causing a nuisance near Soi Chao…
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Russian man’s Phuket cannabis empire goes up in smoke
Police in Phuket yesterday arrested a Russian man for illegally distributing dried cannabis flowers and vapes, seizing illegal items worth nearly 1 million baht from his accommodation. Local police officers, in collaboration with administrative officials, launched a crackdown on the illegal sale and use of cannabis and e-cigarettes in Phuket between 21 and 30 March. The arrest of the 24…
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Frenchman wanted for fatal prison break arrested in Phuket
Phuket police officers yesterday arrested a Frenchman wanted for aiding a prisoner’s escape and killing prison guards in France last year. The BBC reported last year that the French prisoner, 30 year old Mohamed Amra, also known as “The Fly,” managed to escape from custody while being transported back to prison after attending a court hearing. Amra had been arrested on…
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Phuket rolls out EV buses to boost tourism and reduce pollution
Phuket is set to introduce two new 18-seat open-top electric buses to enhance its tourism appeal. These environmentally friendly vehicles aim to tackle pollution and PM2.5 dust issues while serving as promotional tools for tourism, according to Saroj Angkanapilas, Mayor of Phuket municipality. The buses are adorned with illustrations of the area’s distinctive Sino-European architecture, highlighting the Old Town’s cultural…
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Patong police crackdown on drink driving nets multiple arrests
A late-night operation in Patong saw local traffic police set up a checkpoint at Laem Phet Monastery, where they tested drivers for alcohol consumption. The checkpoint, which ran from 12.30am to 2.30am today, March 26, revealed a disturbing number of intoxicated drivers on the road, said Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat, Superintendent of Patong Police Station. “The results of the checkpoint…
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Phuket’s ‘Pineapple Eyes’ boosts community security efforts
Phuket is stepping up its security game with a new initiative aimed at strengthening community surveillance against modern threats. The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 3 branch held a special training session on March 25 to empower residents, airport security staff, and civilian officers to detect and respond to potential risks. The initiative, Community Pineapple Eyes, aims to create…
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Missing Thai man found dead on Phuket mountain
Officials and rescuers yesterday found the dead body of a Thai man who had gone missing on Ket Nee Mountain in Phuket on Sunday, March 23. The missing man’s wife, 56 year old Tararat Payu, sought help from police officers and rescuers after she and her husband, 61 year old Surin Yadee, became separated while walking down Ket Nee Mountain…
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Robbers steal nearly 1 million baht from Phuket shop
Four robbers targeted a grocery store in a worker’s camp in Phuket, binding the shopkeeper and stealing nearly 1 million baht in cash and gold. The incident was reported to Police Lieutenant Anusat Klinkiew of Thalang Police Station at 12.30pm yesterday, March 25. Upon receiving the alert, Pol. Lt. Anusat informed Pol. Col. Nikorn Chuthong, chief of Thalang Police Station,…
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5 Ugandan women arrested in Phuket prostitution bust, deported
Phuket’s tourism industry has been rocked by a scandal involving five foreign women from Uganda, arrested for offering sex services in the heart of the island’s entertainment district. The women, caught engaging in illegal activities in Patong, were swiftly arrested and deported after a thorough investigation by Phuket Immigration officers. On March 23, officers from Phuket Immigration, led by Police…
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Phuket Bar Association denies covering up lawyer’s abuse scandal (video)
The Phuket Provincial Bar Association hit back at accusations that it failed to take action against a local lawyer accused of abusing his former girlfriend, borrowing 1.2 million baht from her, and threatening her when she demanded repayment. The case, which garnered national attention after the victim appeared on the TV programme Hon Krasae to expose the lawyer’s actions, sparked public…
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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