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Buddhist temples across Phuket have begun holding annual Kathin ceremonies, during which laypeople present new saffron robes and other offerings to monks following the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat, known as Vassa. Vassa is a three-month period during the rainy season when monks traditionally remain in one place and devote themselves to religious practice. The Kathin season begins after the retreat ends, with each temple holding its ceremony once a year. The first Kathin

With weather conditions on Phuket gradually improving, Patong Beach is preparing to host the three-day Phuket Beach Life 2026 festival from October 30 to November 1. The event will feature live music, sporting competitions, creative workshops, water sports and a range of beachside activities. Admission is free. Phuket Beach Life is part of the Amazing Multi-Racing Festival 2026, a Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) initiative taking place in three coastal destinations. Songk

Vachira Phuket Hospital’s blood bank and Limelight Phuket shopping centre are organising a special blood donation drive to honour Queen Mother Sirikit on the first anniversary of her death. The wife of King Rama IX passed away on October 24, 2025. Thailand remains in an official period of mourning, with the cremation ceremony for the widely revered Queen Mother scheduled for December. The donation event will take place at Limelight Phuket on Saturday, October 24, from 10am to

Patong is preparing to host an additional beach festival as Phuket enters the high tourism season. The Phuket Beach Life 2026 event will take place at Loma Park from October 30 to November 1, offering concerts, market stalls, water sports and entertainment. The event was announced by Patong Municipality on October 19. Unlike the traditional carnival held later in the year to celebrate the tourism season, the new festival will not feature a parade. Instead, its programme will

Phuket residents and visitors gathered for the traditional ceremony marking the end of the 2026 Vegetarian Festival, one of the island’s most significant annual religious and cultural events. The closing ritual, commonly known as the ceremony of “sending the gods back”, brought crowds to shrine grounds and surrounding streets to take part in the final observances. The ceremony symbolises the farewell to deities believed to have visited Phuket to protect and bless the island t

More than 2,000 spirit mediums took part in a major procession organised by Jui Tui Tao Bo Keng Shrine on October 16, the seventh day of Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival. The event was among the largest and longest processions of this year’s celebrations. The parade began early in the morning at the shrine, locally known as an aum, and continued through Phuket Town towards Hin Bridge. Jui Tui Tao Bo Keng is one of the island’s oldest Chinese shrines and plays a prominent r

The Guan Yu Nabon Shrine will hold another major street procession on the morning of October 17 as part of Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival. The iu keng procession, dedicated to the Chinese deity Guan Yu, will pass through Chalong and Wichit, with much of the route following Chao Fa East Road. The procession is scheduled to begin at 6:45am. Unlike the October 13 parade, which passed through Kata and Karon, this event will remain within Chalong and Wichit. The shrine has pu

Phuket’s 2026 Vegetarian Festival featured an unusually large nighttime procession, bringing together more than 40 Chinese shrines and over 1,000 spirit mediums in the streets of Phuket Town. Tens of thousands of residents and international visitors gathered along the route to witness the annual religious celebration. The procession transformed the provincial capital into a scene of incense smoke, ceremonial flags, drums and firecrackers. Sacred images were carried through th

Phuket is preparing to host an unprecedented cultural event: the island’s first nighttime procession of deities, known locally as “แหมสี อิ้วเก้ง” (Am Ming Si Iu Keng), meaning a procession held at night. Organized by the Phuket Shrine Association, the event is expected to bring together representatives of 40 shrines from across the island The procession is scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2026, beginning at 8pm at Saphan Hin. From there, participants will move through Phuke

Phuket authorities have stepped up emergency preparedness as heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast across the province from October 9 to 13, 2026. Officials are warning of possible flash floods, sudden runoff from mountainous areas, mudslides and rough seas. The Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command announced the heightened readiness in response to a weather advisory issued by the Thai Meteorological Department. Relevant agencies have been instructed

Phuket is preparing for the 2026 Vegetarian Festival, which will take place from October 9 to 18 and is expected to attract more than 140,000 visitors and generate at least 1.4 billion baht in economic activity across the province. Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksmeesangchan said the annual celebration, locally known as Jia Chai, remains an important cultural tradition reflecting the religious beliefs and heritage of Phuket’s Thai-Chinese community and other part

A friendly football match between a team of US Navy sailors and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) team will take place on October 7 at Surakul Stadium. Admission will be free. The PPAO said the match will bring together the U.S. Navy Team (CVN-77) and the Phuket Team (PPAO). The American side will consist of sailors serving aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). With around 5,000 personnel aboard the carrier, assembli

Phuket authorities have extended heightened readiness for heavy rain, flash floods, landslides and rough sea conditions from October 4 through October 7, following a new forecast from Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD). The latest order covers another period of unsettled weather expected across Thailand from October 4 to 7, with thunderstorms, strong winds and locally heavy to very heavy rainfall. The southwest monsoon is also expected to continue affecting the Andama

The new season of the Tipi Jabrik’s Grom Patrol youth surfing series has begun in Khao Lak, with the opening competition held from September 25 to 27 at Pakarang Beach in Phang Nga province. The event brought together young surfers from Thailand and other parts of Asia. The series will conclude with the annual Grand Final in Bali next August. Qualification for the Bali final is the main prize offered at Grom Patrol events, including the Khao Lak round. Places are awarded to w

Thailand marked National Flag Day on September 28 with official ceremonies held across the country, including several events in Phuket. The main ceremony in Phuket took place in the morning at Phuket Provincial Hall and was led by newly appointed Phuket Governor Chotnarin Kerdsom. A separate ceremony was held at the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO), led by its president Rewat Areerob. Local authorities, government agencies and public institutions also orga

Phuket officially welcomed home America’s Got Talent 2026 champion Rattikarn “Nene Royal” Amloy and her family on September 27, following her victory in the international talent show. The official reception was held at the Khaw Sim Bee Meeting Hall of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO). Phuket Governor Chotnarin Kerdsom led the ceremony, which was also attended by PPAO President Rewat Areerob. During the event, the Governor presented a royal portrait of

Thailand remains under a heavy rain alert through September 27, with Bangkok, surrounding provinces and several parts of central and eastern Thailand facing the risk of very heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The Thai Meteorological Department said a strong low-pressure area over lower central Thailand and Bangkok, combined with an increasingly active southwest monsoon, is expected to keep rainfall widespread across the country. Areas being closely monitored on September 26 i

Phuket has been named the top wellness destination by Canadian travellers in the 2026 Travellers’ Top Picks Awards, organised by Air Canada Vacations. The result was announced on September 25 by Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploythalay Laksamisaengchan. Phuket received the highest number of votes in the Wellness category following a public vote that attracted more than 1.3 million votes across all 10 award categories. The award was presented during the Air Canada Vacations T

Sixteen-year-old singer and guitarist Nene Royal from Phuket has won America’s Got Talent 2026, becoming the first contestant from Thailand to claim the title in the history of the US talent show. The result was announced by host Terry Crews during the live Season 21 finale on NBC on September 23. The broadcast took place on the morning of September 24 in Thailand. Nene, whose real name is Rattikan “Praew” Amloy, received the highest number of votes from eligible viewers in t

Thai fans are preparing to follow Phuket singer and guitarist Nene Royal as she takes the stage in the live final of America’s Got Talent Season 21. The 16-year-old performer, whose real name is Praew Rattikarn Amloy, is one of 10 finalists competing for the Season 21 title and the programme’s US$1 million prize. When to watch the AGT 2026 final The first part of the two-night finale will air live on NBC on Tuesday, September 22, from 9pm to 11pm Eastern Time. In Thailand, th