Phuket News
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Four arrested as police seize cocaine in Patong and Phuket airport
A joint operation in Phuket last night, February 17, led to the arrest of four foreign suspects and the seizure of more than 3.1 kilogrammes of cocaine, as police move to disrupt an alleged transnational drug network targeting tourists. The operation was led by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) under Lieutenant General Achayon Kraithong, along with Phuket Provincial Police commander…
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Russian tourist rescued after leg slips into drainage in Phuket
Police in Sakhu, Phuket, assisted a Russian tourist yesterday evening, February 17, after her leg slipped into a drainage opening at Naithon Beach, with officers and bystanders working together to free her. Sakhu Police said they were alerted at 5.45pm following a report that a Russian tourist had fallen into a drain in the Naithon Beach area. The response was led…
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Foreign women attend Phuket temple fair in bikinis, sparking online debate
An online debate ensued after two foreign women attended a Phuket temple fair in bikinis. Some netizens disapproved of the revealing clothes, while others criticised the Thai man for being rude in his video recording. The Thai man recorded the two women walking through the fair at Chalong Temple and shared the video with the local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News.…
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Phuket officials rules entry fee legal but condemn racist behaviour
Officials from the Phuket Provincial Commerce Office addressed public backlash after a souvenir shop owner was filmed making a racist gesture towards a Chinese tourist and charging an entry fee of 40 baht. The controversy erupted after a video of the owner of a ceramic and souvenir shop called “Positive Thinking” went viral on the Chinese social media platform Douyin.…
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Russian manager and Burmese worker held at Phuket illegal hookah bar
Police in Phuket raided a foreign-owned bar in Thalang district for operating without a permit, opening beyond permitted hours and providing hookah to customers, leading to the arrest of a Russian manager and a Burmese worker. Administrative officers carried out the raid at Safari Lounge Bar at 12.45am yesterday, February 15, after residents reported suspected illegal activity. The venue is…
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Taiwanese man arrested for unlicensed dental clinic in Phuket
Police raided an unlicensed dental clinic in Phuket yesterday, February 12, and arrested a Taiwanese man accused of providing treatment without permission. Wichit Police Station officers, working with the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, carried out the operation at 6.10pm at Sunrise Smile Dental Clinic, located on the second floor of a building behind a department store in Wichit sub-district, Mueang district,…
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Nine foreigners busted in Phuket luxury villa poker raid
Police in Phuket arrested nine foreign nationals at a luxury villa in Rawai on February 11 after uncovering an illegal poker operation promoted through Instagram that required players to pay 20,000 baht per session. Officers had received information that a group of foreigners were advertising poker games via an Instagram account named Poker Level. The promotional messages, written in Russian,…
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Oil spill from sunken cargo ship off Phuket not expected to threaten islands
Authorities say a refined oil spill from a cargo ship that sank near Phuket over the weekend is unlikely to threaten nearby islands or coral reefs, with the slick now drifting out to open waters. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) confirmed yesterday, February 10, that the latest oil spill modelling shows the refined petroleum is moving southwest, away from coastal…
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Calls for action after foreign motorcyclist confronts Phuket schoolgirl
A viral video showing a foreign motorcyclist aggressively threatening a young Thai student and her guardian in the Patong area of Phuket sparked public criticism and demands for deportation. The video was shared on Facebook on Friday, February 6, by Jeerawut Wangnurak, who condemned the foreigner’s behaviour. In his caption, Jeerawut wrote… “Have you ever seen Thai people without smiles?…
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Colombian man arrested over fatal shooting of Iraqi tourist in Phuket
Police arrested a Colombian national in connection with the fatal shooting of an Iraqi tourist in the Patong area of Phuket on Saturday, February 7. Officers confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody on Sunday, February 8, following an intensive manhunt led by Patong Police Station. The victim was identified as a 24 year old Iraqi man, Ameer Mundher Mahmood.…
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Phuket tightens motorcycle rental rules, targets tourist infractions
Phuket officials are increasing regulations on motorcycle rental businesses and addressing unlicensed and reckless riding by foreign tourists. This follows a multi-agency meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on February 6, which was chaired by Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn. The initiative aims to reduce road accidents while maintaining the province’s tourism appeal. The meeting included representatives from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Phuket…
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Iraqi tourist shot dead in Phuket; police hunt for gunman
A violent incident unfolded in Phuket when a helmeted assailant shot and killed an Iraqi tourist in a shocking attack that has raised serious concerns. The Patong Police Station is actively investigating the case apprehend the suspect. Yesterday, on February 7, Police Sub-Lieutenant Thapnatthon Meejeena of the Patong Police Station received a report of a shooting that occurred opposite the…
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Swedish man arrested in Phuket over alleged rape of fellow tourist
Police arrested a Swedish man at a hotel in Phuket for the alleged rape of a woman from the same country, following a complaint filed earlier this week. The arrest was confirmed on Wednesday, February 5, after officers from Patong Police Station tracked down the suspect at a hotel on Na Nai 8 Road in Kathu district, Phuket. The 32…
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Filipina woman arrested at Phuket over theft and forged documents
Police arrested a Filipina woman at the Phuket Immigration Office after discovering that she was wanted under an arrest warrant for theft and the use of forged documents while she was attempting to renew her visa. The incident occurred on Tuesday, February 3, when the woman visited the Phuket Immigration Office to apply for a visa renewal and extend her…
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Foreigner seen relaxing on SUV roof during Phuket traffic
A foreign man surprised onlookers on the road as he relaxed on the roof of a moving SUV, casually using his mobile phone while the vehicle crawled through heavy traffic on a busy road in Patong, Phuket. The incident, caught on video and shared by the PhuketTimes Facebook page today, February 5, shows the man lying face down on the…
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Russian runner protests Phuket race organiser, throws medal away
A Russian runner criticised the organiser of a running event in Phuket after being accused of following the wrong route and being disqualified, insisting that the mistake was caused by the organiser rather than by him. The Russian runner, Sergey Zyryanov, shared a video on social media showing himself throwing a medal from the Running@Wichit event into a rubbish bin.…
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French couple deported and blacklisted after sex on Phuket tuk tuk
A French couple are facing deportation and blacklisting from Thailand after being arrested for engaging in a sexual act while travelling on a tuk tuk in Phuket last month. The case came to light after a Thai motorist, who was driving behind a tuk tuk on Patong Hill in Phuket on January 29, noticed the inappropriate behaviour of a foreign…
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Phuket’s Big Buddha viewpoint set to reopen after renovations this month
The Big Buddha viewpoint, located between Chalong and Kata in Phuket, is anticipated to welcome visitors again this month, bringing cautious optimism to locals and tourism operators alike. Phra Khru Wisutkitiyaphon, abbot of Wat Kittisangkharam, has announced that the reopening will occur once renovations and cleaning are completed, with an exact date still pending confirmation. Temple officials continue to coordinate…
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Phuket man berates children in buffet, gets called out
A Facebook video went viral yesterday, January 29, after capturing a man shouting at two young brothers at a khanom jeen buffet in Phuket, shocking other diners. The clip, posted by the Facebook page อีซ้อขยี้ข่าว :อีซ้อ, shows the brothers, one in a striped shirt, the other in red, scooping food onto their plates. A man in a grey shirt behind them…
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Foreign couple caught on video getting frisky in Phuket tuk tuk
A foreign couple were caught engaging in sexual activity inside a tuk tuk while crossing Patong Hill in Phuket yesterday, January 29, openly disregarding passing traffic and other motorists on the busy route. The video, recorded by a driver following behind, quickly went viral after being shared by the Facebook page Phuket Times today, January 30. In the clip, the…
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Pakistani man caught and beaten for stealing cannabis in Phuket
Cannabis shop owners and witnesses in Phuket chased after and assaulted a Pakistani man after he stole a jar of cannabis from a store in Patong before handing him over to police. A female cannabis shop owner filed a complaint with officers at Patong Police Station yesterday, January 28, after a group of tourists, reported to be Pakistani nationals, stole…
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Turkish motorcyclist killed in crash with two vans in Phuket
A Turkish motorcyclist lost his life after colliding with two vans on Patak Road in Phuket in the early hours of today, January 28. Officers from Karon Police Station investigated the accident at the Le Meridien Hotel intersection on Patak Road in the Karon district at around 12.35am. Rescuers from Kusol Dham Phuket Foundation also rushed to the scene in…
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3 Frenchmen flee after attacking Phuket food vendor in parking row
Three Frenchmen escaped after gang attacking a Thai food vendor in Phuket on Sunday, January 25, following a dispute over parking. The owner of a roadside food stall on Soi Na Nai 3 in the Patong sub-district shared CCTV footage of the incident with the news Facebook page Newshawk Phuket yesterday. The video shows a foreign man wearing a white…
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Phuket hotel’s six-figure service charge stuns netizens
A Facebook post revealing high annual service charge payouts at a hotel in Phuket has drawn attention online, with the maximum amount reportedly reaching 111,889.45 baht (approximately US$3,589.82) per person in 2025. The post, shared by the Thailand Hotel Service Charge group, included images of what appeared to be internal figures from JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Marriott Vacation Club,…
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German man wanted for stealing 2,000 baht from Phuket spa
A foreign man, reportedly a German national, remains at large after stealing 2,000 baht in cash from a spa in Phuket yesterday, January 20. The theft occurred at around 5pm at a spa located on Ranong Road in the Talat Nuea sub-district. The suspect arrived with two companions, but was seen in the CCTV footage committing the crime alone. In…
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Russian fraud fugitive on Interpol list arrested in Phuket
Police arrested a Russian national wanted under an Interpol warrant yesterday, January 29, after locating him hiding in the city centre of Phuket. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office said they received an alert from the Foreign Affairs Division regarding the suspect, whose name was not disclosed. The Russian man was listed on an Interpol warrant after fleeing his…
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Phuket hotel worker in DJ room break-in case released on 50,000 baht bail
Phuket Provincial Court granted bail to the hotel security employee accused of attempting to break into a female DJ’s room, allowing his release on 50,000 baht yesterday, January 19. The attempted break-in at Holiday Inn Resort Surin Beach came to public attention after a Thai female DJ, Mirinda Malinrattanawadee, shared details of the incident on he Facebook account on Friday,…
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Foreign man seen rolling on Phuket street near EDC event
A video clip showing a foreign man rolling around in the middle of a busy road in Phuket was shared online today, January 19, quickly going viral on social media. The incident itself took place two nights earlier, on January 17, near the site of the EDC Thailand 2026 event, during heavy traffic. The 12-second video, originally posted by the…
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Thai man loses diamond ring in Phuket EDM festival, ruining proposal plan
A Thai man lost a diamond ring worth about 300,000 baht and multiple credit cards to a pickpocket at an EDM music festival in Phuket on Saturday, January 17, shattering his plan to propose to his girlfriend. The victim’s girlfriend shared details of the incident on her Facebook account, Acare Alice, yesterday, January 18. The theft reportedly occurred during the…
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Phuket hotel security guard arrested for attempted break-in of DJ’s room
Police arrested the head of a hotel’s security guards in Phuket on Saturday, January 18, after he attempted to break into the room of a female DJ late at night earlier this week. The victim, Thai DJ Mirinda Malinrattanawadee, took to her Facebook account to demand accountability from a hotel in Phuket after an unidentified man tried to enter her…
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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