The following is our weekly feature in which we highlight the top local stories in our area of Phuket from the past week. The number of stories differs from week to week.
These are chosen and curated by our editorial team and are designed for our readers to get a quick “catch-up” of important stories they may have missed. We publish many stories daily and it is easy to lose track of important events or changes in our area. We do national recaps in a separate article, this is only the top local stories in Phuket.
They are in no particular order of importance but roughly in order of publishing. These are from Monday, Monday February 17th to Sunday February 23rd, 2024.
1. A French man was arrested in Patong for illegally selling nitrous oxide (laughing gas).
Seized from him were 23 buckets of nitrous oxide weighing 2,100 grams each.
2. Over a span of seven days, from February 10th to February 16th, Phuket Immigration officials arrested a total of 1,625 foreigners for breaking traffic laws.
Phuket Law Enforcement Reports Arrests of 1,625 Foreigners for Traffic Violations in Just Seven Days
In 2024, a total of 32,172 foreigners have been recently arrested for traffic violations.
3. A British man was arrested at the Phuket International Airport with cocaine.
He was arrested at the international arrival terminal in the airport. Seized from him were 4.11 grams of cocaine. He also evidently acted strangely during the arrest, leading to viral videos of him lying on the airport floor screaming and crying.
4. A fire broke out at the Krating Cape in Rawai, Mueang Phuket at night.
The fire did not spread to nor effect nearby hotels. The Phuket Express noted that forest fires occur almost annually at this time of the year.
5. An Australian couple were arrested after they snatched a mobile phone and a bag from French and Russian victims in Rawai.
Australian Couple Arrested after Snatching Bags in Rawai, Phuket from Other Foreign Tourists – VIDEO
They are expected to face significant legal charges and eventual deportation and blacklisting.
That’s it for this week. Be safe!
