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Thailand's Deputy Interior Minister Polapi Suwanachawi has continued a high-profile inspection tour of Phuket, focusing on disputed land use and illegal business operations as part of the government's ongoing campaign to restore order in the province. The visit marks the second inspection by senior officials from Bangkok in less than a month. Accompanying the deputy minister were Ronnarong Thepsiri, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA)

Phuket's long-awaited Kathu–Patong tunnel remains one of the island's highest-priority transport projects, but revised plans have pushed it back to an earlier stage of the approval process, requiring a new review by Thailand's Cabinet. The change became public during a recent visit to Phuket by Deputy Transport Minister Sapphasit Boonyamanee, who confirmed that the project had been modified and must now be resubmitted to the Cabinet. If approved, officials expect the proposal

Phuket will host another auction of Thailand’s highly sought-after special vehicle registration plates this weekend, giving motorists the opportunity to bid on lucky number combinations while supporting road safety initiatives across the country. Unlike in many countries, the sale of premium license plates in Thailand is conducted through an official government auction. The proceeds are directed to the Road Safety Fund, which finances traffic safety projects and provides assi

Authorities in Phuket have begun enforcing a Supreme Court ruling ordering the demolition of a hotel development found to have illegally occupied protected land within Sirinat National Park. According to the Phuket Provincial Public Relations Office, the action forms part of the government's "Phuket Model", a province-wide initiative aimed at reclaiming protected land, accelerating legal proceedings involving encroachment, and revoking unlawfully issued land documents. Offici

A 16-year-old musician from Phuket has captured international attention after earning unanimous approval from the judges during her audition on America’s Got Talent, moving one step closer to her ambition of becoming a globally recognized artist. Rattikarn "Praew" Amloy, who performs under the stage name Nene Royal, is well known to visitors of Naka Night Market, where she regularly plays with her rock band, Ozone. The group has become a familiar attraction for both Thai resi

Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has arrested a foreign national accused of using Thai nominees to unlawfully operate a luxury villa rental business in Phuket. The suspect, identified only as Mr. Ajid, was taken into custody on July 8 by officers from the DSI’s Surveillance and Intelligence Center in cooperation with Immigration Police at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The arrest was made under a warrant issued by the Criminal Court on April 21, 2026. According to

Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has concluded that there is sufficient evidence to pursue criminal and disciplinary proceedings against six suspects, including five police officers, over the alleged extortion of 6 million baht from British fugitive Ritesh Patel. Patel, who was wanted in the United Kingdom on alleged drug trafficking charges, fled first to Dubai before arriving in Thailand in June 2022. Immigration authorities later arrested him in Phuket

Two Russian nationals have been arrested in Phuket after police seized more than 5.4 million baht during coordinated raids connected to an investigation into mule accounts allegedly used by call centre scam networks. The operation took place on July 8 after the Anti-Cyber Scam Centre alerted officers from Provincial Police Region 8 and Phuket Provincial Police to suspicious banking activity. Investigators had identified Russian nationals repeatedly withdrawing large sums of c

Phuket authorities have formally launched the nationwide anti-drug campaign “Operation 90 Days,” although enforcement activities and the first arrests under the initiative had already begun on the island last week. The official opening ceremony took place on July 7 in front of Phuket Provincial Hall, where provincial agencies held a briefing followed by a symbolic deployment of officers assigned to the operation. The event was led by Governor Chotnarin Kerdsom, who recently a

A dispute over compensation for damaged jet skis ended in violence on Patong Beach, where a foreign tourist allegedly assaulted a local jet ski operator after refusing to pay for the damage. The incident occurred on July 8. The victim, Nattawut Date-iam, filed a complaint with Patong Police Station, stating that he suffered serious injuries during the confrontation. He also provided officers with video footage, photographs, and other evidence that he says identifies the forei

A 21-year-old Belgian woman was arrested at Phuket International Airport after authorities discovered more than 31 kilograms of cannabis concealed in her luggage during a security inspection before departure on July 7. Customs and airport officers selected two suitcases belonging to Salma El Khnati for additional screening after identifying them as suspicious. One was a white-and-green suitcase, while the second was black. During the inspection, officers found 12 vacuum-seale

Emirates has expanded its Thailand network by introducing a third daily service between Dubai and Phuket, increasing its schedule on the route to 21 flights per week. According to the airline's announcement on July 6, the additional service operates under flight numbers EK390 and EK391. The Dubai–Phuket route is now served by a combination of Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 aircraft. The new EK390 flight departs Dubai at 10:40 p.m. and arrives in Phuket at 8:10 a.m. the following

Phuket authorities have ordered the removal of illegal structures at Freedom Beach, giving occupants until August 5 to vacate the area and demolish 22 unauthorized buildings. The official notices and enforcement order from Thailand’s Royal Forest Department (RFD) were posted at the beach and in the surrounding forest on July 6. A similar order, with a July 9 deadline, was previously issued for Nui Beach. According to the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Ph

Police in Patong have arrested a Moroccan woman on drug and immigration charges as part of Phuket's ongoing Operation 90 Days campaign targeting narcotics-related offenses. According to Patong Police, officers detained 27-year-old Fatima, a Moroccan national, during an operation at a residence on Phra Metta Road. During the search, police seized a packet containing approximately 1.38 grams of cocaine. The substance was confiscated as evidence. The suspect has been charged wit

Two people were injured after a house caught fire in a residential estate in Wichit, Phuket, late on the night of July 5, 2026. Emergency services received reports of the blaze at approximately 11:16 p.m., triggering a large-scale response from local authorities. The operation was overseen by Wichit Mayor Kreetha Chotivichphipat, who coordinated firefighters, disaster prevention and mitigation personnel, public safety officials, rescue volunteers, and officers from Wichit Pol

Primary school students at Kajonkiet Thalang School in Phuket took part in a safety training exercise focused on emergency response procedures, including how to react if an armed attacker enters the school. The exercise was organized by the school, with support from officers of the Cherng Talay Police Station, who also shared information about the event on social media. According to the school, the training was designed to help students understand the basic steps they should

A 22-year-old Myanmar national has been arrested on Phuket’s Bangla Road after police allegedly found him carrying an illegal homemade firearm. According to a brief statement published by Patong Police, the arrest took place on July 4 during routine patrols in the island’s popular nightlife district. Officers reportedly seized a homemade pistol designed to fire .38-caliber ammunition, along with a single live round. The suspect was taken into custody on charges of illegally p

A man wanted for the murder of his wife nearly two decades ago has been arrested in Phuket, bringing an end to a long-running manhunt just months before the case was due to reach its statute of limitations. Officers from Thailand's Crime Suppression Division (CSD) detained 65-year-old Mr. Sawai on Sri Suthat Road in Phuket Town after tracking his movements across several provinces. He was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Court in 2006

A foreign driver escaped without injury after his Ford sedan caught fire in Phuket on July 4, with flames rapidly engulfing the vehicle on Phra Phuket Kaew Road in Kathu District. Police at Kathu Police Station received a report of the incident at approximately 5:50 p.m. after emergency services were alerted to a vehicle fire at a U-turn on the inbound side of the road. When officers arrived, they found a black Ford sedan already heavily damaged by fire. Firefighters quickly

Vietnam Airlines has officially launched direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Phuket, marking the airline's debut on the route. The inaugural flight, VN621, landed at Phuket International Airport on the evening of July 2 with 152 passengers on board, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The aircraft arrived at 5:50 p.m., where passengers were welcomed with a ceremonial reception attended by senior representatives from TAT, Vietnam Airlines, Phuket Inte