The newest published stories from every Phuket Times category, ordered by publication date.
Severe Weather Forecast Tropical Storm Approaches Thailand is on high alert as a tropical storm intensifying in the Pacific Ocean threatens to bring heavy rain and strong winds from July 19 to July 24, 2025. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued warnings for northern and northeastern provinces, predicting severe weather conditions. Residents are urged
New Tax Policy Under Consideration Boosting Local EV Production Thailand’s Ministry of Finance is exploring a plan to increase excise taxes on imported electric vehicles (EVs) with low local content, aiming to strengthen the domestic automotive industry. The policy, still in development, targets vehicles like electric pickup trucks, which are seen as a growth area
Incident Disrupts Bangkok Rail Service Spray-Painting Causes Delays On July 13, 2025, a foreign tourist was arrested in Bangkok for spray-painting a southbound express train, damaging state property and causing significant travel disruptions. The vandalism targeted the locomotive and several carriages of the Bangkok-Sungai Kolok train No. 171, operated by the State Railway of Thailand
Economic Impact of Long Weekend Holiday Spending Reaches 2.8 Billion Baht Phuket welcomed a surge of visitors during the four-day religious holiday weekend of Khao Phansa, from July 10 to 13, 2025, generating approximately 2.8 billion baht in tourism revenue. Despite the economic boost, visitor numbers declined compared to the previous year, reflecting challenges in
Falling Short of Ambitious Goals Missing the 3-Trillion-Baht Target Thailand’s Tourism Authority (TAT) projects that tourism revenue for 2025 will reach 2.87 trillion baht, falling short of the 3-trillion-baht target set for the year. The shortfall is primarily attributed to a sluggish Chinese market and global uncertainties impacting travel confidence. Despite this, the TAT remains
Boosting Tourism with Streamlined Entry Welcoming Chinese Families Thailand has introduced fast-track immigration lanes at major airports to ease the arrival process for Chinese students and their families during the summer holiday season. Launched on July 13, 2025, these dedicated lanes aim to enhance the travel experience and boost tourism numbers. The initiative reflects Thailand’s
A New Wave of Independent Travelers Changing Patterns in Southern Thailand In Songkhla province, a noticeable shift in Malaysian tourist behavior is reshaping the local tourism industry. As of July 2025, more visitors from Malaysia are opting to travel to Hat Yai in private vehicles, bypassing traditional group tours that rely on local guides. This
Adapting to New Travel Trends Responding to Double-Track Rail Growth Thailand’s state-owned Transport Company, known as Bor Kor Sor, is overhauling its bus services to align with evolving travel preferences as double-track railway lines expand nationwide. With 4,845 kilometers of rail managed by the State Railway of Thailand, per 2025 data, the company aims to
Phrae Faces Heavy Flood Impact Song District Hit Hard Heavy overnight rains on July 12, 2025, triggered widespread flooding across northern Thailand, with Phrae’s Song district suffering significant damage as runoff inundated homes and farmland in tambon Daen Chumphon. Residents, caught off-guard, couldn’t save belongings from the deluge. With 70% of Thailand’s northern provinces facing
Heroic Response in Crisis Swift Action Restores Life On July 12, 2025, quick-thinking residents in Lop Buri saved a cyclist in his 50s who collapsed from a seizure on the Lop Buri-Wang Muang Road. Their immediate CPR intervention revived the man, who was later stabilized at Phra Narai Maharaj Hospital. With 80% of cardiac arrest
Heroic Rescue at Kata Beach Swift Action Saves Lives On July 11, 2025, a lifeguard at Kata Beach in Phuket heroically rescued two French children, aged 12, caught in a powerful rip current. Using a surfboard, the lifeguard navigated rough seas to bring the unsupervised boy and girl to safety. With Phuket welcoming 12 million
Wellness Economy Drives Change Adapting to Global Stress Thailand’s wellness tourism sector is booming, fueled by rising global stress and a shift toward holistic health, with the global wellness economy reaching $6.3 trillion in 2024, projected to hit $8.9 trillion by 2028. In Thailand, wellness tourism grew 28.4% from $5.6 billion in 2022 to $12.3
Protecting Local Industry Economic Risks of Imports Thai pig farmers, led by the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand, are urging the government to reject US pork imports as a trade concession to reduce the looming 36% tariff on Thai goods, effective August 1, 2025. Sittiphan Thanakiatpinyo, the association’s president, warns that such imports could devastate
Protest Ends with Renewed Plans Demonstrators Demand Policy Review On July 8, 2025, cannabis advocates from the Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future network concluded their two-day protest outside the Public Health Ministry in Nonthaburi but pledged to return on July 16 to challenge new cannabis regulations. The rally, sparked by concerns over restrictive policies, drew hundreds,
Strict New Regulations Enforced Medical-Only Focus Implemented Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is implementing stringent regulations to transform the country’s 18,000 cannabis dispensaries into medical clinics by the end of 2025, with only 2,000 expected to meet the new standards. Dr. Somlerk Jeungsmarn, head of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, predicts most
Urgent Weather Alert Issued DDPM Warns of Flood Risks On July 7, 2025, Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) issued a critical alert for 33 provinces, forecasting flash floods, landslides, and rising river levels from July 6 to 12. The warning, driven by heavy rainfall predictions, targets high-risk areas, particularly along the Mekong
Prolonged Rally in Nonthaburi Advocates Demand Policy Clarity On July 7, 2025, cannabis advocates from the Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network launched an extended protest outside the Public Health Ministry in Nonthaburi, opposing potential moves to recriminalize cannabis. The rally, drawing hundreds of supporters, reflects growing tensions since cannabis was decriminalized in 2022, with 10,000
Shift in Tourism Dynamics Malaysia Leads Visitor Numbers In the first half of 2025, Malaysia surpassed China to become Thailand’s largest source of international tourists, with 2.29 million arrivals compared to China’s 2.26 million, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry. This marks a significant shift, as Chinese visitors, once dominating with 11 million arrivals
