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Authorities in Phuket have stepped up their campaign against unlicensed cannabis businesses, arresting a suspect and confiscating cannabis products worth more than 120,000 baht during an operation in Wichit. According to provincial officials, investigators received information about a cannabis shop allegedly operating without the required licence. Officers first carried out a controlled purchase before conducting a raid on the premises. A 22-year-old man was taken into custod

Phuket officials have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening public security, highlighting the expansion of the province’s AI-powered "Phuket Eye" surveillance network during a high-level meeting on national security policies. The Phuket Provincial Police Oversight Committee, chaired by Governor Chotinarin Kerdsom, met this week with senior police officers, committee members, and representatives from relevant government agencies to review progress on key security initia

A Saudi Arabian national was arrested in Phuket on July 22 after police allegedly discovered methamphetamine and cocaine during an anti-drug operation in Patong. The arrest was carried out as part of Operation 90 Days, an ongoing campaign led by Patong Police to combat drug-related crime. According to police, officers detained the suspect in the parking area outside a hotel in Patong, Kathu district. A subsequent search of his accommodation resulted in the seizure of addition

Police in Phuket are investigating the theft of more than 627,000 baht in cash from a currency exchange booth inside Central Phuket shopping mall. Investigators believe the suspect may have had inside assistance after CCTV footage showed him opening the safe using the correct access code. According to Wichit Police, the theft occurred at around 9:13pm on July 19 at an exchange counter located in the Central Festival Phuket section of the mall. Security footage captured a man

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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