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Police in Phuket are investigating a fatal road accident that occurred late at night on May 24 along the province’s main highway. A woman from Chiang Mai died after crashing her motorcycle into a parked truck. According to a police report, officers from Thalang Police Station received notification of the accident at approximately 2:30 a.m. near a 7-Eleven convenience store opposite the Srisoonthorn Municipality office. By the time police and rescue workers arrived at the scen

Private sector representatives in Phuket have expressed support for the Thai government’s decision to cancel the 60-day visa-free entry scheme for travelers from 93 countries and return to country-specific entry rules, which in most cases allow stays of around 30 days. Phumikit Raktaengam, President of the Sustainable Tourism Development Foundation, said the Cabinet’s decision followed lengthy discussions with tourism industry stakeholders and local business operators. Accord

Thailand’s Royal Forestry Department has ordered the urgent demolition of 11 unauthorized structures built inside the protected forest zone at Nui Beach in Phuket. The directive was signed on May 20 by Royal Forestry Department Director-General Bikorn Sirirojananan under Section 25 of the National Reserved Forest Act of 1964. The order requires all occupants and related parties to vacate the Nak Kerd Mountain Reserved Forest area and remove the illegal constructions by June 5

Officials at Khao Lampi–Thai Mueang National Park received encouraging news at the start of the rainy season after a massive leatherback sea turtle came ashore to nest on Thai Mueang Beach, widely known as “Turtle Beach.” The rare visit from a leatherback turtle, scientifically classified as Dermochelys coriacea, was recorded shortly after midnight on May 22. Images released by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) showed marine specialists successfully locati

Two men and a woman were hospitalized following a serious road accident on the morning of March 23 on Srisoonthorn Road, the main highway connecting Bang Tao Beach with central Phuket. According to a police report, the crash occurred near the construction site of The Title Villa Kirara project and the Nature’s Rest showroom. Officers from Thalang Police Station received the emergency call at approximately 9 a.m. A witness identified as Pitpichi Pipatadit told police she was d

Police in Phuket are investigating the death of an Australian tourist whose body was discovered inside a condominium in Karon on the evening of May 20. Officers responding to the scene reportedly found a plate containing white powder near the deceased man. Karon Police Station received a report about the incident at approximately 7:30 p.m. After arriving at the condominium, officers entered the room and found the body of 27-year-old Australian national Christopher Kazantzidis

Residents in Phuket are demanding an official investigation after a foreign woman posted photos and videos online showing herself wearing clothing resembling a Thai police uniform. Images shared by the Phuket Times Facebook page on May 21 quickly sparked debate across Thai social media. In the photos, the woman appeared wearing a black vest displaying a Thai flag and a Royal Thai Police patch. She was also seen wearing a cap marked “Police” and carrying a badge holder featuri

Immigration police in Phuket have revoked the visa of an Austrian tourist and are preparing to deport him after a series of public disturbances in Rawai that drew widespread attention online. Videos of the man’s behaviour began circulating on Thai social media on May 19. Authorities later identified him as 39-year-old Austrian national Raphael. In the footage, Raphael appeared shirtless and wearing shorts printed with the Thai word “เฉิดฉาย,” which translates as “shining.” Ac

Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has dismantled a major heroin trafficking network that was allegedly supplying narcotics to Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket. One of the suspects was arrested moments before boarding transport to Phuket while allegedly carrying 16 kilograms of heroin intended for distribution on the island. According to information released by CIB officials during a press conference on May 19, police arrested a Nigerian national identified as Chiadika

Authorities in Phuket have intervened to ease tensions following a dispute between a local shop owner and Chinese tourists in Phuket Old Town that recently went viral on social media. The incident attracted widespread attention after video footage showed a heated argument between an elderly shopkeeper and a group of visiting Chinese tourists on Yaowarat Road in Talat Yai subdistrict. The clip quickly spread online, triggering criticism and concerns that the confrontation coul

Thailand’s Department of Provincial Administration has ordered the temporary transfer of five senior Phuket officials following growing allegations of extortion and misconduct connected to entertainment venue licensing in Patong. The order was issued on Wednesday, May 20, by Department Director-General Naruetcha Khosasivilai after complaints from nightlife business operators escalated into a public protest on Bangla Road. According to the official directive, the transfers wil

Patong is preparing to host the Phuket Pride Festival 2026, which will take place from June 1 to June 7, immediately following the Buddhist holiday of Visakha Bucha. The festival dates were officially confirmed during a press conference held on May 19 at Jungceylon shopping center in Patong. Representatives from both government agencies and the private sector attended the announcement event. Among them were Porntep Ruayrin, director of the Southern Office of the Thailand Conv

A 30-year-old man has been arrested in Phuket after allegedly shooting his neighbor following a late-night argument linked to alcohol consumption. According to Wichit Police, officers received reports of gunfire at a residence in Wichit subdistrict, Mueang Phuket, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Monday, May 18. When police arrived at the scene, they found a 53-year-old man with a minor gunshot wound to his arm. Emergency responders provided assistance before the victim was take

Meteorologists have warned that heavy rain across Phuket is expected to continue through May 21, increasing the risk of localized flooding and dangerous sea conditions around the island. The current wave of bad weather arrived in Phuket last week as the southwest monsoon strengthened across the Andaman region. Phuket’s meteorological center, Phuket Met, initially issued a weather warning covering the period from May 14 to May 18 before later extending the advisory through Wed

A Russian man was arrested at Phuket’s Tha Chatchai checkpoint after police allegedly discovered a large quantity of illegal drugs hidden inside his luggage during a routine inspection of an interprovincial bus arriving from Pattaya. According to officers from Tha Chatchai Police Station, the suspect was identified as 29-year-old Mr. Gorskii, a Russian national traveling on a Phuket–Pattaya bus route. Police said officers became suspicious after noticing the man behaving nerv

The annual Phuket Baba Wedding Festival transformed Phuket Old Town into a celebration of Peranakan heritage on May 17, bringing together couples, locals, and visitors for traditional Chinese-style wedding ceremonies rooted in centuries of cultural history. This year marked the 13th edition of the event since Phuket’s Peranakan community launched the festival as both a cultural preservation initiative and a tourism attraction. The 2026 theme, translated as “Fragments of a Glo

Police in Phuket detained four foreign teenagers after they allegedly stole and damaged decorative property outside a local resident’s home in Phuket Old Town. The incident came to public attention after the Phuket Times Facebook page published CCTV footage showing the group on Phang Nga Road, one of the main streets in the historic district of Phuket Town. According to the footage, one of the teenagers removed a decorative lamp shade hanging outside a house before walking aw

A body believed to belong to a missing police officer was discovered on Nai Thon Beach in Phuket this morning, May 17, two days after the man reportedly disappeared in rough sea conditions. The incident began on May 15 when the man went swimming at Nai Thon Beach in Sakhu subdistrict during strong winds and waves estimated at more than two metres high. Witnesses said he was pulled offshore by powerful currents and vanished in the water. Lifeguards attempted to rescue him but

A recently installed underwater statue of Hanuman near Racha Yai Island off Phuket has suffered serious structural damage after the arrival of the southwest monsoon and worsening sea conditions. The incident was reported on May 16 by Phuket’s branch of Radio Thailand, which operates under Thailand’s Public Relations Department. Officials warned that part of the structure had collapsed due to strong underwater currents and wave activity associated with the beginning of the rai

Police in Phuket have arrested a 38-year-old woman accused of involvement in multiple online fraud operations linked to so-called “horse accounts” used by scammers to receive stolen funds. Authorities said the suspect, identified as Ms. Kochamon, was wanted under three separate warrants issued by the Phuket Provincial Court, Chiang Mai Provincial Court, and Thanyaburi Provincial Court. She faces allegations including assisting public fraud, entering false information into com