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The Thai government is accelerating emergency assistance and insurance compensation for residents affected by heavy rainfall and flooding in Phuket province. Response teams have been deployed to support affected communities, remove debris and help restore areas damaged by floodwater. Authorities are also working to ensure that eligible residents can access financial assistance as quickly as possible. Initial insurance payments of 10,000 baht Under the National Catastrophe Ins

Continuous heavy rain in Patong triggered a landslide and rockfall that blocked Soi Na Nai 3 on Wednesday, disrupting traffic and prompting local authorities to order the evacuation of residents from high-risk areas. Patong Mayor Lalita Maneesri said municipal officials and personnel from several agencies had been deployed to help residents in affected areas. People living in vulnerable locations were instructed to evacuate immediately and move to designated shelters. Shuttle

Authorities in Phuket have been instructed to accelerate flood relief efforts and develop long-term measures to address recurring flooding in Kamala subdistrict, Kathu district. The directives followed an inspection of the area near Phuket FantaSea, where drainage problems have contributed to flooding and affected the surrounding community. Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasit instructed the local Highway District Office and Kamala Subdistrict Administrative Organizat

A 25-year-old Russian man reported a road rage incident in Phuket after a pickup truck driver allegedly struck his arm with a metal bar during a confrontation in Thalang district on October 26. The incident took place at approximately 6.30pm on the Mueang Mai–Pa Khlok Road in Si Sunthon subdistrict, shortly before the entrance to Niramit Housing Estate, where the Russian man was heading. The victim, identified as Misliakov, reported the incident to Thalang Police Station at a

The Phuket office of Thailand’s Marine Department has issued a warning to boat operators amid unfavourable weather conditions. Vessels measuring less than seven metres are prohibited from leaving coastal waters and entering the open sea until October 28, inclusive. The order was published on October 26 and also calls on captains and operators to exercise heightened caution, avoid areas affected by thunderstorms and refrain from travelling far from shore whenever possible. Sma

Heavy rainfall combined with a high tide caused flooding in Patong and surrounding areas of Phuket early on October 26. Water reached depths of approximately 20–30 centimetres in some locations, damaging parked vehicles and disrupting traffic. The rain fell mainly between 1am and 2am, inundating several roads in Patong, Kathu and central Phuket. Some parked cars were damaged, while motorcycles were knocked over or carried away by the floodwater. Several roads in Patong affect

Phuket authorities have inspected two properties in Patong and Ratsada suspected of renting out rooms by the day without hotel licences. The inspections took place two days after the province proposed changes to make hotel licensing requirements easier to meet. The operation was conducted on October 21 and led by Deputy Governor Romdon Hajiawae. Officials from the Mueang Phuket and Kathu district administrations, police and other government agencies also took part. According

Authorities in Phuket are investigating reports of an allegedly unauthorised checkpoint set up behind Prince of Songkla University’s Phuket campus on October 24, 2026. Social media posts claimed that individuals operating the checkpoint planted drugs and demanded money in exchange for avoiding arrest. Wichit Police Station has confirmed that the individuals shown in the circulating reports are not officers from the station. Investigators are focusing on two people dressed in

Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Watcharaphon Khaokham, has inspected three plots managed by the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO) at Paradise Beach in Patong, Kathu District, Phuket, to review compliance with land-use regulations and consider possible changes to the relevant legislation. The inspection focused on four key areas: the legality of lease agreements and approval procedures, whether businesses were operating within their authorised

The immigration office at Blue Tree Phuket has closed indefinitely because of staff shortages, forcing foreign residents and visitors to use the main immigration office in Phuket Town, where the number of visitors has increased significantly. The closure took effect on October 19, with officers reassigned to the main office. As a result, the workload at Service Counter 101 has roughly doubled. Phuket Immigration Superintendent Police Colonel Khemchat Wattananapakasem said two

Phuket has begun training government employees, hospitality professionals and local business representatives ahead of the InterPride General Meeting and World Conference 2026, which will be the first event of its kind held in Asia. The training programme began on October 21, ahead of the conference scheduled for October 29 to November 1. Additional pre-conference activities are planned for October 28, according to InterPride’s published schedule. The event is expected to brin

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

Provincial and district officials in Phuket conducted nighttime inspections at two private karaoke establishments in Soi Phunphon, Muang Phuket District, on October 21 as part of ongoing efforts to improve public safety and maintain social order. The operation was carried out under the direction of Phuket Governor Chotinrin Koedsom by the security unit of the Phuket Provincial Administration Office and Muang Phuket District officials. Deputy Governor Romdon Hayiarwae and Acti

A 40-year-old French national wanted by Belgium over alleged drug trafficking has been detained in Phuket after immigration officers traced him to Patong on October 20. The man, identified by the pseudonym Brahim, was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice relating to the alleged illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Following his identification, Thai immigration authorities revoked his permission to remain in the country. Phuket Immigration receiv

The Phuket Land Protection Group (PLPG) and several allied organisations are preparing another protest against Chabad House Patong. The rally, titled “Take Back Our Country”, is scheduled for October 31 at Saphan Hin in Phuket Town, as opposition to the Jewish religious centre continues. The demonstration is expected to take place from 4pm to 10pm. Organisers include PLPG, Reclaim Thailand and around 20 other networks, with participants expected to arrive from Phuket and neig

Phuket is seeking changes to five areas of legislation that complicate the process of obtaining hotel licences. The proposed reforms aim to help accommodation businesses operate legally, improve safety standards and reduce opportunities for corruption. The proposals cover building regulations, town planning, land allocation, condominium rentals and environmental requirements. They were presented by Phuket Deputy Governor Romdon Hajiawae at an anti-corruption meeting at Govern

Phuket welcomed more than 10.25 million visitors between January and September 2026, generating almost 400 billion baht in tourism revenue, according to figures presented by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office. The data was shared at the monthly provincial meeting in October. The island recorded 10,251,244 visitors during the first nine months of the year, representing a 1.57% decrease compared with the same period in 2025. Thai visitors accounted for 2,647,

Five people, including two young German children, were injured when a car struck a roadside food vendor and pedestrians in the Karon area of Phuket on October 19. Karon Police Station received a report of the accident at around 3:50pm. The collision occurred on Luang Phor Chuan Road, outside Orchid Hotel and a massage shop in Karon subdistrict. Officers arriving at the scene found a white Toyota Corolla Cross on the roadside pavement. The vehicle was registered in Bangkok and

Five Omura’s whales were spotted in the waters of Mu Ko Surin National Park on October 16, just one day after the island group reopened to tourists. Park officials reported the sighting and released video footage recorded by Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) staff during a patrol. The whales were seen near Ao Sai En Bay, off the eastern coast of North Surin Island, also known as Ko Surin Nuea. According to the patrol team, the animals appeare

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