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Phuket police and other government agencies have stepped up security measures for the annual Vegetarian Festival, with 350 personnel gathering for a briefing outside Phuket Town Police Station on the evening of October 8. The operation involved police officers, military personnel, district administration representatives, volunteers and staff from other agencies. The formation was inspected by Phuket Provincial Police Chief Major General Surachai Suksai. Mueang Phuket District

Phuket authorities have stepped up emergency preparedness as heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast across the province from October 9 to 13, 2026. Officials are warning of possible flash floods, sudden runoff from mountainous areas, mudslides and rough seas. The Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command announced the heightened readiness in response to a weather advisory issued by the Thai Meteorological Department. Relevant agencies have been instructed

A 57-year-old Filipino man died after a lorry struck his motorcycle from behind while he was stopped to let pedestrians cross at a zebra crossing on Thep Krasattri Road in Phuket on October 7. Thalang Police received a report of the accident at around 5pm. Officers arrived at the scene outside a Shell petrol station and found a damaged black-and-red Honda Click 125 motorcycle. The rider, identified as Filipino national Oscar Deladia, was lying beside the motorcycle and was st

Phuket has launched the Phuket Licence Lab, a new initiative designed to help small and medium-sized accommodation businesses address building and regulatory issues that have prevented them from obtaining the licences required to operate legally. Five organisations from the professional, academic and tourism sectors signed a memorandum of understanding for the project on October 5 at Phuket City Development Company (PKCD) in Mueang Phuket district. The initiative was created

A 17-year-old Russian tourist who was reported missing has been found in critical condition in a Phuket hospital after reportedly being involved in a road accident. The teenager’s family lost contact with him at around 3am on October 4 and began searching for him. He had reportedly been staying in Bang Tao and was planning to meet friends on Bangla Road in Patong. According to information provided by people involved in the search, the teenager left his accommodation but never

Phuket is preparing for the 2026 Vegetarian Festival, which will take place from October 9 to 18 and is expected to attract more than 140,000 visitors and generate at least 1.4 billion baht in economic activity across the province. Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksmeesangchan said the annual celebration, locally known as Jia Chai, remains an important cultural tradition reflecting the religious beliefs and heritage of Phuket’s Thai-Chinese community and other part

A British man has alleged that he was seriously assaulted, restrained and forced to transfer cryptocurrency during an incident involving two Polish men and a close friend at a condominium in Phuket. The incident reportedly took place at around 11pm on September 29 at a condominium in the Chalong area. The man later shared his account publicly, and the case was reported on October 6. According to his account, the British man drove from Kamala to Chalong to meet a childhood fri

A 50-year-old Vietnamese national wanted under an INTERPOL Red Notice over an alleged property sales scheme has been detained in Phuket. Tang Ngoc Nho was detained on October 6 during a joint operation involving Phuket Immigration, Tourist Police, Special Branch Police and INTERPOL. Vietnamese authorities allege that Tang was entrusted with selling land and other property connected to 10 projects with a combined value of about 80 billion Vietnamese dong, equivalent to around

A 32-year-old Russian national was arrested off Phuket on October 4 after Marine Police allegedly found him working as a tour guide on a tourist boat without a work permit. The case began after a tourist filed a complaint alleging that the Russian man, identified as Konstantin, was working illegally as a guide. According to the complaint, he had been providing information about tourist attractions to a group of passengers aboard the boat. The tourist also told police that Kon

A 35-year-old American tourist was found dead in a hotel room in Patong on October 4, the day he was due to check out. Police found no visible injuries at the scene, while the cause of death remains pending an autopsy. Patong Police officers were called to the hotel on Ratsada Uthit 200 Pi Road at around 2pm after the man was discovered unresponsive inside his room. He was later identified as American national Smith Gray Allen. According to police, Allen was found lying on th

Two US Navy vessels carrying a combined 5,109 personnel have arrived in Phuket for a six-day visit from October 4 to October 9, with security and transport arrangements in place around Phuket Deep Sea Port. The visiting ships are the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), carrying about 4,820 personnel, and the destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), with approximately 289 personnel on board. During the visit, US Navy personnel are expected to come ashore for rest

A 23-year-old delivery rider and amateur footballer has been arrested in connection with the alleged theft of more than 3.69 million baht in cash and valuables from the homes of two foreign residents in Phuket. The suspect, identified by police only as “A”, was detained at a checkpoint in Mai Khao, Thalang district, on October 2 as he was returning to Phuket. Police said the two theft cases were reported in Chalong on September 30. In the first case, 12 items, including a cam

A friendly football match between a team of US Navy sailors and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) team will take place on October 7 at Surakul Stadium. Admission will be free. The PPAO said the match will bring together the U.S. Navy Team (CVN-77) and the Phuket Team (PPAO). The American side will consist of sailors serving aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). With around 5,000 personnel aboard the carrier, assembli

Phuket authorities have extended heightened readiness for heavy rain, flash floods, landslides and rough sea conditions from October 4 through October 7, following a new forecast from Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD). The latest order covers another period of unsettled weather expected across Thailand from October 4 to 7, with thunderstorms, strong winds and locally heavy to very heavy rainfall. The southwest monsoon is also expected to continue affecting the Andama

Major General Surachai Suksai officially took over as commander of the Phuket Provincial Police on October 1, outlining public and tourist safety, the fight against drugs, transnational and cybercrime, and road safety among his main priorities. The formal handover took place at the Phuket Provincial Police headquarters. Former commander Major General Sinlert Sukhum handed the police flag to his successor, followed by a ceremony involving an honour guard. Sinlert was transferr

Three foreign nationals were arrested on October 1 after allegedly starting a fire on a public road and holding a party in the Bang Thao area of Thalang district, Phuket. The incident was recorded and shared on social media, drawing criticism over the potential risks to motorists, pedestrians and nearby properties. A video posted on social media on September 27 showed three or four foreigners gathered around a fire burning directly on the road. A woman in a revealing dress wa

The new season of the Tipi Jabrik’s Grom Patrol youth surfing series has begun in Khao Lak, with the opening competition held from September 25 to 27 at Pakarang Beach in Phang Nga province. The event brought together young surfers from Thailand and other parts of Asia. The series will conclude with the annual Grand Final in Bali next August. Qualification for the Bali final is the main prize offered at Grom Patrol events, including the Khao Lak round. Places are awarded to w

An investigation into Chabad House Phuket in Patong has so far found no irregularities in the financial transactions examined, while authorities continue to review possible nominee shareholding, imported products and building-use issues at the premises. The investigation is part of a wider examination of the centre’s business structure, permits and activities. Phuket authorities were previously instructed to look into the property following concerns related to building use, f

A foreign man has allegedly assaulted a Phuket tuk tuk driver with a beer bottle after refusing to pay the fare following a ride from Patong to a hotel in Kathu district. The alleged incident was reported on October 1, although initial reports did not specify when the assault took place. According to the driver's account, he picked up the foreign man and a woman on Bangla Road and drove them to a nearby hotel. After arriving, the man reportedly said he did not have any cash t

A Saudi Arabian tourist and his 14-year-old daughter were hospitalised after the jet ski they were riding collided with another watercraft near Naka Island off Phuket’s east coast on September 29. The incident took place at around 5:50pm in the waters off Naka Island in Paklok subdistrict, Thalang district. The injured tourists were identified as 35-year-old Saeed Abdullah S. Al-Sadiq and his 14-year-old daughter, Arij Faisal A. Al-Deifi. According to the reported account, th