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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

Phuket officials are exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve tourist safety by identifying potential threats, issuing early warnings and helping government agencies respond more quickly to emergencies. The proposal was discussed on October 17, but no budget or implementation date has been announced. Phuket Governor Chotnarin Kerdsom met with researchers from Walailak University to discuss the proposed system, which would combine AI with large-scale data a

Virgin Atlantic has launched its first route to Thailand, introducing direct seasonal flights between London Heathrow and Phuket on October 18, just as the island enters its high tourism season. The airline marked the inaugural service in a post on its official Facebook page. Photographs showed crew members holding Thai flags alongside performers wearing traditional Thai khon costumes. The new route operates three times a week. Flights from London depart on Wednesdays, Friday

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

Police officers in Phuket and across Thailand are marking National Police Day on October 17. The observance was previously held on October 13 during the reign of King Rama IX before being moved to its current date. Phuket Provincial Police held its main commemorative activities a day earlier, on October 16. The ceremony began at 8:30am at the provincial police headquarters and was presided over by Major General Surachai Suksai, who took charge of the provincial force earlier

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

A 55-year-old Chinese man was arrested in Phuket on October 14 after immigration officers discovered that he had overstayed his permission to remain in Thailand by 1,793 days — nearly five years. Officers also seized passports belonging to other people, mobile phones and knives during the operation. The suspect, identified only as Wang, was detained at around 11am in Karon after officials received information about a Chinese national suspected of violating immigration regulat

Officials from the Phuket special operations unit of Thailand’s Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) arrested a suspected drug dealer and seized several types of illegal substances during a raid near Rama IX Park, also known as Suan Luang, in Phuket Town on October 13. The operation followed complaints received by authorities about suspected drug dealing in the area. The arrest took place at around 8pm and involved DOPA special operations officers from Mueang Phuket

Phuket authorities have introduced electric public buses to improve transport options for residents and visitors during the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival. The initiative is being implemented by the provincial administration in cooperation with the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) as part of wider efforts to modernize public transport, reduce pollution and support the island’s Green City and Smart City goals. The launch ceremony took place in front of P

Phuket authorities have resumed work on a proposed sea taxi service connecting Phuket International Airport with beaches along the island’s west coast. Nearly ten months after the project’s first test run, officials are again addressing practical arrangements, including passenger information and ticket counters at the airport and possible exemptions from fees at Sirinat National Park. The Phuket Provincial Public Relations Office, known as PR Phuket, announced the renewed dis

A Portuguese woman was arrested at a restaurant in Phuket on October 13 after immigration officers discovered that she had remained in Thailand for 1,807 days beyond her permitted stay — nearly five years. The operation took place at around 1.30pm at a restaurant in Ko Kaeo, in Mueang Phuket district. Immigration officers were conducting checks on foreign nationals suspected of violating immigration regulations when they encountered the woman taking a cooking lesson. When ask

An ambulance caught fire outside Vachira Phuket Hospital early on Sunday morning, October 11, prompting an emergency response from firefighters. According to reports from the scene, the fire started at the front of the vehicle before rapidly spreading and engulfing the ambulance within minutes. Fire crews arrived promptly and worked to extinguish the flames. Authorities confirmed that nobody was inside the ambulance when the fire broke out. No injuries had been reported at th

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

Three Thai fishermen were rescued off Phuket’s eastern coast overnight on October 10–11 after their boat’s engine failed, leaving the vessel drifting at sea. Heavy rain, strong winds and rough waves complicated the rescue, forcing the first boat dispatched to assist them to abandon its attempt. Details of the operation were released by the Third Naval Area’s Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai-MECC 3), which coordinated the response. According to the agency’s repor

Two foreign tourists described as a couple have been accused of shoplifting at a convenience store in Patong, Phuket. They have also been linked on social media to a separate alleged theft at a clothing shop in Rawai, where a pair of trousers worth 1,595 baht was reportedly taken. The claims first circulated through social media, including a post on The Phuket Times Facebook page that shared an account from a Thai woman who said she witnessed suspicious behaviour at a conveni

Thailand’s Meteorological Department has issued its ninth warning for a period of unsettled weather expected to bring heavy and very heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong wind gusts, hail and lightning between October 11 and 13. The alert covers several regions, including Bangkok and Chonburi, with the affected area expected to narrow to the South on October 12 and 13. Warning No. 9 (255/2026) took effect at 5am on October 11. It was signed by Deputy Director-General Nattawut Dan

A man was arrested during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival after district officials determined that shooting and balloon-dart games offering prizes in exchange for paid attempts constituted gambling without a licence. Officials inspected the festival area in Mueang Phuket district at around 10:20pm on October 10 following complaints about suspected gambling activities operating alongside festival attractions. During the inspection, they found shooting and balloon-dart games in

Phuket police detained seven minors suspected of taking part in illegal motorcycle races on public roads and setting off fireworks while recording social media content on October 11. Officers seized eight motorcycles and 50 fireworks and firecrackers. The parents of all seven teenagers are also facing legal action. The group, known as the “Bang Khonthi” gang, came under investigation following complaints about motorcycle racing and loud fireworks disturbing residents across P