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A university student has filed a police complaint after allegedly being assaulted by a chef while completing an internship at a hotel in Phuket. The incident has drawn widespread attention after CCTV footage was shared with local media and circulated across Thai social media platforms. The student, identified only as Bee, 20, reported the incident to Patong Police Station. She said she is enrolled at a university in Nakhon Si Thammarat and began her internship at the Phuket h

Thailand has stepped up enforcement of its cannabis regulations as part of a nationwide effort to ensure the plant is used strictly for medical purposes. As part of the campaign, authorities inspected cannabis dispensaries across Phuket and identified hundreds of businesses with licensing issues. Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploythalay Lucksameesaengchan announced on July 19 that officials are intensifying inspections of cannabis cultivation and retail businesses to prevent

A nationwide survey conducted by Thailand’s National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) has found that most Thais believe corruption within the state system is the primary reason illegal foreign businesses are able to operate in the country. The poll, titled "Illegal Foreigners", was conducted by telephone between July 13 and 15 and included respondents from across Thailand representing different regions, age groups, professions and educational backgrounds. The fi

Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau officers have arrested a 26-year-old suspect in Phuket accused of carrying out online fraud and attempting to hack police systems to erase his own criminal records. Investigators say the man, despite having only a primary school education, learned advanced hacking techniques by using AI-powered chatbots and other artificial intelligence tools. According to Cyber Police, the suspect, identified only as Sahachat, admitted that his original goal

Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Sukhumbhand Chomklin, has instructed the Department of Forestry to continue taking firm action against illegal occupation of protected forest land in Phuket after rejecting an appeal submitted by investors accused of encroachment. The dispute involves an area within the Naka Kerd mountain range, close to Nui Beach, where authorities say private investors built 39 structures inside a national reserved forest. Earlier, t

Police in Phuket have arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of carrying out a series of unusual thefts involving men's and women's underwear, along with a range of other personal belongings. According to Thalang Police, the suspect, identified only as Mr. Jang, was taken into custody following an investigation launched after residents reported repeated thefts in the district. Detectives from Thalang Police Station, working under the supervision of Phuket Provincial Police, tra

A tourist has been fined after driving a car onto Layan Beach in Phuket, prompting authorities to remind visitors that vehicles are prohibited on the island's public beaches. According to Cherng Talay Police, the driver was charged with causing a nuisance or disturbance in a public place, an offence punishable by a fine of up to 10,000 baht. The incident attracted attention after beachgoers saw the vehicle travelling across the sand in an area intended for pedestrians and lei

Authorities in Phuket have intensified inspections of jet ski operators, resulting in action against 23 illegally operated watercraft as part of a campaign to improve safety standards in the island's marine tourism sector. The enforcement operation was carried out by the Phuket Regional Marine Office following instructions from Deputy Transport Minister Sornphet Boonyamanee, who recently visited the province and called for stricter supervision of maritime tourism businesses.

Tourist Police in Phuket have arrested a Myanmar national accused of illegally working as a motorcycle food delivery rider during an operation targeting unauthorized foreign employment. The arrest took place at approximately 2:10 p.m. on July 15 as part of an ongoing campaign to identify foreign nationals working in occupations that are restricted under Thai law. According to police, the suspect was employed as a food delivery driver using a motorcycle, despite not having aut

A nine-year-old student from Phuket has earned international recognition after winning two first-place awards at the International STEM Olympiad & Coding Olympiad – Grand Final 2026 in Rome, Italy. Pavin "Pace" Pattanavekin, a Grade 3 student at True Coding School Phuket, achieved the outstanding result while competing against students significantly older than himself. The school announced his success on July 12, and the achievement has since attracted widespread attention ac

Firefighters from Chalong Municipality extinguished a blaze at an abandoned building on Soi Suki in Chalong on July 14, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby properties. According to Chalong Municipality, the fire broke out on the second floor of the vacant building. Preliminary findings suggest the blaze may have started after a pile of rubbish inside the structure was deliberately set alight. Two fire engines from the Chalong branch of the Department of Disaster Prev

A two-day auction of Phuket’s special “lucky” vehicle registration plates has generated 45,018,586 baht for Thailand’s Road Safety Fund, with overall proceeds surpassing last year’s total despite lower sales for the newest plate series. The auction was held on July 11–12 at Royal Phuket City Hotel in Phuket Town, with bidders able to participate both in person and online. The Phuket Office of the Department of Land Transport (DLT Phuket) confirmed the final revenue down to th

An Australian national is alleged to have fled the scene after assaulting another foreign motorcyclist following a traffic collision and compensation dispute in Phuket's Rawai area on July 14. The incident was reported by the Phuket Times Facebook page, which published photographs showing the injured victim. The exact time of the incident was not disclosed. According to the report, the Australian rider and another foreign motorcyclist were involved in a minor collision before

Thailand's Cabinet has approved a revised framework for the country's visa-free entry programme, paving the way for a return to the standard 30-day visa exemption instead of the current 60-day stay. However, the new rules have not yet entered into force, and no implementation date has been announced. The decision was approved on July 14, nearly two months after the Cabinet endorsed the initial proposal. During that period, a government committee refined the draft before prese

The Phuket Parkland & MusicFest will return to Mai Khao later this month, bringing three days of live music, local food, shopping and family-friendly entertainment to the island’s northern district. The festival will take place from July 24 to 26 at Phuket Gateway, also known as Phuket City Gate, one of the island’s newest event venues. Plans for this year’s event were officially unveiled on July 5 during a press conference at Limelight Phuket, attended by Phuket Provincial A

Phuket authorities have intensified inspections of hotels applying to renew their operating licences as part of a broader effort to improve safety, service quality and legal compliance across the island's hospitality sector. Governor Chotnarin Kerdsom has instructed Deputy Governor Romdon Hayiawa and inspection teams to begin reviewing hotels undergoing the licence renewal process. The latest inspections covered six hotels in Karon. According to Deputy Governor Romdon, the pr

Phuket authorities have ordered a province-wide inspection of businesses and public venues following the deadly fire at a restaurant and entertainment venue in Bangkok that claimed dozens of lives. On July 13, Phuket Governor Chotnarin Kerdsom said the tragedy, which occurred the previous night on Soi Lat Phrao 1 in Bangkok, should serve as an important warning for all provinces, including Phuket. Although the incident did not occur on the island, the governor stressed that e

Teenage musician Rattikan "Nene Royal" Amlai from Phuket has received official recognition from the Thai government as she prepares to compete in the next round of America's Got Talent (AGT). On the morning of July 14, Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports, Surasak Phancharoenworakul, introduced the young performer to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during a meeting at Government House in Bangkok. The gathering highlighted the government's intention to support talented

Two British tourists are recovering after Phuket lifeguards rescued them from the sea at Nai Thon Beach in Thalang district on July 11, following a near-drowning incident. Lifeguards alerted officers from Sakhu Police Station after pulling the two men from the water. Both were reportedly unconscious when they were brought ashore, prompting an immediate response from police and emergency medical teams. The tourists were later identified as 34-year-old Samuel Ernest Preston and

Authorities in Phuket have arrested the operators of two cannabis dispensaries accused of continuing to sell cannabis despite having their business licences suspended. The coordinated operation took place on July 11 and involved officers from the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), the Phuket Provincial Administration, the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, Thalang District officials, and other relevant agencies. The inspections focused on cannabis shops in T