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The 30th edition of Phuket Bike Week officially began on April 12, 2026, bringing together motorcycle enthusiasts from Thailand and abroad for a three-day event that runs through April 14. The traditional gathering point for the festival remains Loma Park in Patong. This year’s opening ceremony took place near the Tha Chatchai checkpoint in Mai Khao. Instead of using the checkpoint itself, organizers hosted the welcome event at a nearby site intended to become the future base

Phuket authorities have introduced an emergency assistance zone as firefighters continue battling a persistent blaze at the municipal landfill near Saphan Hin, which has now been burning for two days. Governor Nirut Phongsitthithavorn, together with senior provincial officials and the Phuket City mayor, visited the site at approximately 8:00 p.m. to oversee the ongoing response. The emergency designation allows for quicker deployment of resources and additional support for re

Authorities in Phuket have called for a temporary halt to waste deliveries across the province following a fire at the main landfill site. Phuket City Municipality announced that all local administrative bodies and private waste operators are being asked to suspend the transportation of solid waste to the Phuket Provincial Waste Disposal Center from April 11 to April 19, 2026. The decision comes after a fire broke out at the facility on April 11 at approximately 3:00 p.m. Off

Two fatal road accidents were recorded in Phuket on April 11, according to data from the Thai Road Safety Center (ThaiRSC). However, detailed information is available for only one of the incidents, which drew significant media attention due to its severity. The first deadly crash occurred at around 3:00 a.m. on Thepkrasattri Road in Koh Kaew subdistrict. According to a police report, the motorcyclist lost control of the vehicle for unknown reasons and fell onto the roadway. M

Authorities in Phuket have detained two French tourists following a widely shared incident on Laem Lai Beach in Kamala that sparked public outrage online. According to Kamala Police, officers tracked down the suspects on April 10 at around 9:00 p.m. after the video of the incident began circulating on social media. The couple was located at a hotel in Patong, within Kathu district. The individuals, identified as 24-year-old Halan and 24-year-old Nadia, were accused of engagin

A fatal road accident occurred in Phuket’s Thalang district on the first day of the Songkran “Seven Dangerous Days,” after a ride-hailing driver reportedly fell asleep behind the wheel. According to police, the crash took place early Friday morning on the Pa Khlok–Monument Road, near the Pa Khlok U-turn area. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found multiple damaged motorcycles and a white Suzuki Swift with Phuket license plates. Several bikes had been knocked over as

A fatal road accident in Koh Kaew during the early hours of the morning resulted in the death of a motorcyclist and the complete destruction of a car by fire. According to Phuket City Police, officers were called to the scene at around 3:00 a.m. following reports of a serious crash near the Muslim Koh Kaew School in Koh Kaew subdistrict. Upon arrival, they discovered a damaged motorcycle on the road and the body of its rider nearby, who had suffered fatal injuries after being

Phuket has rolled out an intensified road safety campaign ahead of the Songkran holiday, traditionally known as the “Seven Dangerous Days.” This year, the monitoring period runs from April 10 to 16, although the familiar name was notably absent from official announcements. On April 8, provincial authorities conducted a formal inspection of emergency services and launched an operational center dedicated to transport safety across both land and sea. While official communication

A Swedish national listed under an Interpol Red Notice has been apprehended in Phuket, marking another step in Thailand’s intensified efforts to target foreign criminals. The arrest took place on April 9, when Phuket Provincial Police, in coordination with international partners, detained a suspect identified as Boran. He is wanted in Sweden on multiple serious charges, including murder, illegal possession of firearms, and involvement in drug trafficking. The operation was co

A French national wanted in connection with dozens of criminal offences has been detained in Phuket after attempting to evade justice by fleeing abroad. Thai authorities, acting on a request from French law enforcement, instructed Phuket immigration officers to track down the suspect, a 50-year-old man identified as Ani. He is accused of involvement in more than 30 crimes, primarily related to drug trafficking and money laundering. According to investigators, the man left Fra

Authorities in Phuket have uncovered an illegal tourism operation involving a foreign nominee, as part of a broader crackdown on unlawful business practices in the sector. The Department of Tourism, together with the Tourist Police, carried out coordinated inspections targeting tour operators across the island. The operation focused on identifying companies using Thai nationals as proxy shareholders to bypass foreign ownership restrictions. During the investigation, officials

Phuket International Airport conducted a large-scale emergency exercise under the PEMEX 2026 program, simulating a complex aircraft accident at sea to test its crisis response capabilities. The drill began at 2:00 p.m. and was officially opened by Teerapong Chuaychu, Deputy Governor of Ranong Province. The event brought together senior airport management, government representatives, emergency medical teams, and safety units from both public and private sectors. Designed as a

Police in Phuket have arrested a man who opened fire on his colleague at a warehouse in Ratsada, bringing a swift end to a manhunt launched after the incident. The suspect, 50-year-old Prakit Pannarai, was taken into custody on the evening of April 7 at a local hotel. He is accused of shooting his co-worker, 40-year-old Wirat Nawadate, a day earlier at a warehouse belonging to a retail business. According to investigators, Prakit fired three shots during the confrontation, hi

Tuk-tuk and taxi drivers in Phuket are facing a deepening financial crisis, with many warning that the traditional transport sector could collapse without urgent government support. Drivers across the island say their daily earnings have dropped sharply as tourist habits change and competition from modern ride-hailing services intensifies. Many now work long hours, from early morning until late at night, yet struggle to earn enough to cover even basic expenses. On some days,

Police in Phuket have launched a manhunt after a suspect fled the scene of a shooting at a warehouse on April 6, leaving a colleague seriously injured. Officers from Mueang Phuket Police Station were alerted to the incident by staff at Mission Hospital Phuket, where the victim had been taken for treatment. The injured man, identified as 40-year-old Wirut, sustained gunshot wounds to his body and leg. He was conscious upon arrival but remained in critical condition. According

Police in Phuket have detained a local van driver following the alleged rape of a 20-year-old Ukrainian tourist on April 6. The victim reported the incident to Patong Police Station early in the morning, around 5:30am. According to her statement, a Thai man forced her into a vehicle and assaulted her in Phuket Town. Authorities later identified and arrested the suspect, a 43-year-old man known as Sukan. The woman explained that she had arranged a ride via a motorcycle taxi ap

Three sculptures created for the Thailand Biennale 2025 and displayed along the Saphan Hin waterfront have officially been handed over to the Phuket Town Municipality. The ceremonial transfer took place on April 5. The event was held under the theme “Phuket Legacy 2025.” As it coincided with the Peranakan Festival, the program featured performances by cultural groups visiting Phuket from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Phuket Town Mayor Saphachok La-ongphet symbo

Air quality in Phuket continues to stay within the “moderate” (yellow) range, even as Thailand faces an ongoing wildfire and smog season affecting several regions. Over the past weekend, authorities in three northern provinces declared large areas disaster zones due to forest fires. As of April 6, this status remained in seven districts of Chiang Mai, eight in Lamphun, and nine in Phayao. Air quality readings in some northern monitoring stations exceeded 200 AQI last week, in

Authorities in Phuket swiftly responded to a fire that broke out on a speedboat at Ao Makham’s deep-sea port late Monday morning, preventing it from spreading to nearby vessels. According to local officials, the Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office received an emergency alert at around 10:50 a.m. on April 6 reporting that a speedboat had caught fire at the busy port. Emergency responders from Wichit Municipality, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Org

Authorities in Phuket have dismantled a large-scale methamphetamine supply network that used household appliances to smuggle drugs onto the island. Nearly 200,000 meth pills were seized, and two suspects were taken into custody. At a press briefing on April 4, Provincial Police Commander Sinlert Sukhum revealed that the investigation began after officers intercepted a shipment of 19,892 pills in Satun province on March 30. The drugs had been concealed inside evaporative air c