Phuket News
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Etihad flight rocked by turbulence ahead of Phuket landing
An Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi experienced severe turbulence shortly before landing in Phuket on January 14, prompting an emergency response on the ground. All passengers and crew members were confirmed safe. Flight EY416, which was en route to Phuket International Airport, reportedly encountered turbulence at around 11.30am while descending. The aircraft, carrying passengers and crew, landed safely at…
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6 boat workers at Chalong Bay Pier in Phuket tested positive for drugs
Phuket Tourist Police intensified safety measures at Chalong Bay Pier following a fatal speedboat accident involving a drug-fuelled driver, with random drug tests revealing that six boat workers tested positive for illegal substances. Officers from Phuket Tourist Police, Marine Police, Chalong Police Station, and Marine Department Region 5 jointly announced stricter controls targeting drug use among workers in the tourism…
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Russian drug dealers arrested during ‘mushroom temple’ raid in Phuket
Police arrested two Russian men and seized around 10 kilogrammes of magic mushrooms during a raid on a property dubbed the “Mushroom Temple” in the Rawai district of Phuket today, January 13. A Russian woman managed to escape from the arrest. Officers from Chalong Police Station launched the operation after receiving complaints that Russian nationals were illegally selling magic mushrooms…
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Egyptian man arrested for illegally working as barber in Phuket
Police arrested an Egyptian man in Phuket yesterday, January 12, for illegally working as a barber after he was caught providing services to a foreign customer. Officers from Patong Police Station acted on a complaint from a local resident who reported that a foreign national was operating a barbershop on Phang Mueang Sai Kor Road in the Patong sub-district of…
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Uzbek man detained after alleged assault on teenage girl in Phuket
An Uzbek national was taken into custody in Phuket last night, January 11, after allegedly assaulting a teenage girl inside a restaurant in the Mai Khao area. The incident reportedly occurred around 10.20pm at the Golden Cat Restaurant on Soi Mai Khao 5 in Moo 4 of Mai Khao Subdistrict. Police from Tha Chatchai Police Station confirmed that the suspect,…
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British man arrested for traffic island stunt, indecency, and Yaba use
Phuket police arrested a British national after a viral video showed him driving on a traffic island, using methamphetamine (Yaba), and urinating on road. The 24 year old British national, Lee Terry Obrien, was arrested yesterday, Sunday, January 11, after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media. The video, originally shared by local news outlet Newshawk Phuket, showed the…
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British-Australian man found dead on yacht off Phuket coast
A man holding both British and Australian citizenship was found dead aboard his private yacht anchored off Khao Khad beach in Phuket yesterday, January 11, with the cause of death still under investigation. The discovery was made around 12.30pm when a German friend, 54 year old Matthias Lepke, who had been moored nearby, became concerned after not seeing the man…
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Phuket police tighten drug checks for Electric Daisy Carnival
Phuket police are set to intensify their measures to prevent drug entry at the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) concert, in response to two fatalities at last year’s event. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Sinlert Sukhum announced that more than 200 officers will be deployed to safeguard the venue, with stringent drug checks at all entry points. Authorities stressed that these checks…
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Russian man arrested in Phuket for illegally working as tour guide
Thai police arrested a Russian man illegally working as a tour guide at a pier in Phuket yesterday, January 7, just moments before escorting tourists on an Andaman Sea excursion. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) said officers from the Phuket Marine Police arrested 33 year old Lapa at a pier in Phuket province and charged him with working without a…
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Saudi tourist fined, deported over public indecency in Phuket
A Saudi Arabian tourist has been fined and is set to be deported following an incident of public indecency in Patong, Phuket. The tourist, identified only as Alharbbi, was seen in a video recorded on Soi Paradise, Kathu district, engaging in inappropriate behaviour with another foreign man. The incident reportedly occurred around 5am on January 4. Locals who witnessed the…
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Phuket taxi drivers threaten strike over illegal app-based drivers
Taxi drivers in Phuket threatened to stage a strike on January 15, demanding government action against illegal taxi drivers who operate without official registration, especially ones on ride-hailing applications. The local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News reported today, January 7, that a group of taxi drivers in the province is planning to protest and has asked the media to…
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Fire damages at least 10 speedboats at Chalong Bay in Phuket
A fire broke out in the early hours of today, January 7, damaging at least 10 speedboats docked at Chalong Bay in Phuket province. Officers from Chalong Police Station were alerted to the incident at around 4am and coordinated with firefighters to investigate and control the blaze. Upon arrival, police reported that flames and thick smoke covered the bay and…
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Foreign motorcyclist slammed for revving engine, causing smoke in Phuket
Thai netizens condemned a foreign motorcyclist after a video showed him repeatedly revving his motorcycle engine on a road in Phuket on Saturday night, January 3. The incident came to light after a Thai witness filmed the foreigner’s actions and shared the footage online. The video was later reposted by several local news outlets. The exact time and location of…
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Tourists filmed in public lewd act in Phuket renew visa-free concerns
Two foreign tourists were caught on camera engaging in a lewd act on a public street in Patong, Phuket, prompting online criticism and renewed debate over Thailand’s visa-free entry policy. The incident occurred in a nightlife area near Bangla Road. According to initial reports from the Phuket Times, the individuals, identified by the page and eyewitnesses as men of Middle…
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Green sea turtle Phuket Karon beach nesting event
A rare and encouraging marine conservation event unfolded on Karon Beach in Phuket on Friday, when an adult female green sea turtle came ashore and laid a large clutch of eggs, drawing attention from both tourists and local officials. The nesting occurred at around 11am on January 3, 2026, along Karon Beach in Karon sub district, Muang district. Thai and…
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Phuket records four road deaths during New Year ‘Seven Days of Danger’
Phuket recorded four road deaths and 39 accidents between December 30 and January 2 during the annual ‘Seven Days of Danger’ New Year road safety campaign, according to the Phuket Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Operations Centre. Two fatalities occurred in Mueang Phuket district and two in Thalang district, while no deaths were reported in Kathu. Mueang Phuket recorded the…
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Patong restaurant fires staff after telling customer to “Wash the pot yourself”
PHUKET — A heated online controversy involving a popular restaurant in Patong has concluded with the immediate termination of a staff member. The employee had sparked outrage after challenging a customer to “wash the pot yourself” if she wished to be served. The incident, which went viral on TikTok, occurred at the “Sam Chor Chern Chuan Chim” restaurant (Patong Branch),…
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2 Phuket men pose as police and extort foreigners with fake donation
Police arrested two Thai men for allegedly posing as police and extorting foreigners in Phuket through a fake donation campaign claiming to support police and soldiers stationed at the Thailand–Cambodia border. Officers from Chalong Police Station announced the arrests on their official Facebook page yesterday, December 29. The suspects, identified as Pariphat and Suriya, targeted foreign residents and tourists in the Rawai…
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Boat taxi from Phuket Airport to Patong tested again in congestion relief plan
Phuket launched another trial run of a boat taxi service linking Phuket International Airport and Patong Beach yesterday, December 29, as part of efforts to ease traffic congestion across the province. The boat taxi project has been discussed by Phuket officials for years. Officials believe the service could significantly reduce travel time between the airport and Patong Beach, cutting journeys…
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Thai motorcyclist injured in Phuket road dispute, foreign suspect flees scene
A Thai man turned to the online community for help in identifying a foreign man who allegedly assaulted him during a road dispute in Phuket before fleeing the scene. The incident was reported by local news outlet Newshawk Phuket on its Facebook page yesterday, December 29. The post included a video showing the injured Thai man wearing a white T-shirt,…
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Patong sidewalk upgrades on track, says Mayor Lalita
Mayor Lalita Maneesri of Patong has assured both residents and visitors that ongoing efforts to enhance sidewalks along Patong’s beachfront and major roads are proceeding as scheduled. These improvements aim to ensure safe pedestrian access in this bustling tourist area. Mayor Lalita acknowledged the receipt of complaints regarding the condition of footpaths on Thaweewong Road, a location currently undergoing significant…
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Chaos erupts on Phuket road after foreign man allegedly slaps Thai woman
A foreign man allegedly slapped a Thai woman in the face, prompting her to fight back and triggering chaos on a street in the Patong area of Phuket yesterday morning, December 23. The incident was first brought to public attention by a Thai witness, Jeerawut Wangnurak, who shared video footage of the altercation on his Facebook account at around 6.30am.…
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Phuket van driver dies after shooting himself at shooting range
A Thai van driver died after shooting himself at a shooting range in Phuket yesterday, December 23. The incident occurred in front of a staff member and was captured on CCTV footage. Officers from Sakhu Police Station were notified of the incident at around 6pm and rushed to a shooting range located in the Sakhu sub-district of Thalang district. Upon…
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Chinese gold mine owner arrested in Phuket over deadly flooding case
Thai police arrested a Chinese businessman and his wife in Phuket after they fled China to avoid legal responsibility following a deadly flooding incident at a gold mine. Officers from Immigration Bureau Division 1 were contacted by Chinese officials requesting assistance in locating a wanted suspect, 56 year old Liu Hongbo. Liu was reported to be the owner of a…
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Phuket boy calls police after drunk father allegedly shoots mother
A young boy in Phuket called the police yesterday, December 21, after his father allegedly became drunk, fired gunshots into the air, and then shot the boy’s mother at their home in Thalang district. Officers from Thalang Police Station responded to an emergency call from the boy, who reported that his father, identified as 41 year old Thattaphong, had been…
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Phuket van driver faces fine and licence suspension for striking foreigner
A Thai van driver faced a fine of 1,000 baht and had his public transport driving licence suspended after he struck a foreign woman on the head with a plastic bottle outside Phuket International Airport during a dispute over rubbish left in his vehicle. The incident took place last week and quickly went viral on social media. The van driver,…
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Phuket launches ‘One District, One Creative Space’ for cultural growth
Phuket officials have designated three districts as pilot sites for the ‘One District, One Creative Space’ initiative, a cultural development project aimed at creating new community spaces to generate income and enhance local identity. The chosen locations were confirmed during a working group meeting, led by Phuket Deputy Governor Suwit Phansengiam at the Phuket Provincial Hall earlier in the week.…
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Canadian mother arrested in Phuket for assaulting her two children
Chalong Police in Phuket are investigating an assault that occurred early yesterday morning in Rawai, resulting in injuries to two Canadian children, allegedly inflicted by their mother, who was later found with self-inflicted injuries. The incident took place in a house on Soi Saiyuan 11, Moo 7, Rawai, around 12.30am. A neighbour alerted the police after a teenage boy was…
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Phuket Tourist Police help British woman in mental health crisis
Phuket Tourist Police officers shared their successful operation in which they helped calm and support a British woman who was suffering from stress and mental health issues at a hotel in the Patong area. The officers shared photos of the incident on the official Phuket Tourist Police Facebook page on Tuesday, December 16. In the post, they included the message…
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French tourists allegedly fabricate bad boat trip experience in Phuket for refund
French tourists allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to edit photos from a boat trip in Phuket in an attempt to claim refunds by portraying their experience as poor. The accusation was reported today, December 18, by the Facebook page Phuket Times. According to the page, a group of French tourists joined a boat tour in Phuket and took photographs of…
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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