Phuket Tourist Police deploy 100 officers for high season

The Phuket Tourist Police operation for the 2026 high season has put more than 100 officers and support staff on duty across the island, with a launch ceremony held at the Bangla Police Box in Patong on the evening of Tuesday, November 10. The Phuket News reported the deployment on Wednesday, saying it aims to boost visitor safety and confidence during the busy year-end period.

The ceremony was led by Pol Lt Gen Pongsayam Meekhanthong, commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau. The wider operation is being overseen by Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul.

It brings together state agencies, police units, volunteers and people from the tourism industry, according to an official report of the launch cited by the newspaper.

What the Phuket Tourist Police campaign will focus on

Pol Lt Gen Pongsayam said the mobilisation showed that the authorities were ready for the season and were working with other sectors to keep tourists safe. The plan covers four main areas of work:

• Proactive patrols in busy tourist zones
• Watching for and preventing criminal activity
• Giving direct help to visitors who need it
• Coordinating fast responses when incidents happen

These tasks will run through the year-end travel period, when hotels, beaches and nightlife areas on the island are at their busiest.

After the formal part of the evening, officers walked along Soi Bangla, the main nightlife and entertainment street in Patong. They stopped to talk with both Thai and foreign visitors as part of a public reassurance effort.

For many holidaymakers, Bangla Road is the first place they experience Phuket after dark. A visible police presence there is meant to show that help is close by if something goes wrong.

New beach flags to warn swimmers

Beach safety was also part of the launch. The commissioner handed red flags to lifeguards so they can mark dangerous stretches of water and areas where swimming is not allowed.

Lifeguards also received red-and-yellow flags to show where swimming is considered safe. The Phuket News said the flags are designed to give beachgoers clearer warnings and help prevent drownings and other swimming accidents.

The move is also intended to strengthen links between the authorities and the island's maritime safety networks.

Visitors who are new to Phuket's west coast beaches should take the flags seriously. Conditions can change quickly, and lifeguards have had to pull swimmers from rough water before, as our report on a Kata Beach rip current rescue showed.

Arrivals are rising as high season starts

The deployment comes as more foreign visitors arrive in Thailand. Figures cited by the Tourist Police Bureau show the country welcomed 636,432 international visitors between November 1 and 7.

That was 18.15% more than the week before. From January 1 to November 7, total international arrivals reached 26.10 million, bringing in more than 1.27 trillion baht in tourism revenue.

Those numbers matter for Phuket, where much of the local economy depends on foreign tourists. Safety concerns can affect travel choices, and recent data has shown some markets wavering. Our coverage of falling Chinese tourist arrivals looks at one of those trends.

How visitors can get help

Tourists who need assistance or want to report a problem can call the Tourist Police hotline on 1155. The line is open 24 hours a day.

Visitors may want to use it for problems such as lost belongings, disputes with vendors or drivers, road accidents or suspected scams. Saving the number in your phone before going out at night is a simple step that can save time in an emergency.

It also helps to keep a photo of your passport and visa page, note the name and address of your hotel, and know roughly where you are if you need to ask for help. These small steps make it easier for officers to respond quickly.

Travellers can find more practical advice in our guide to common Phuket tourist scams and how to avoid them.

The original report was published by The Phuket News.

Image: Bangla Road in Patong at sunset, the nightlife street where the Phuket Tourist Police high-season campaign was launched. Photo by Karelj via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.