Phuket’s Biggest Stories From the Past Week: Songkran Seven Days Road Safety Campaign, and More

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, April 8th to April 14th, 2024.

  1. A Russian man was arrested in Koh Kaew, Phuket City after he was found to have overstayed his legal visa by 351 days.

A Pakistani man was arrested in Patong after he was found to have overstayed his legal visa by 398 days.

A Pakistani man was arrested in Patong after he was found to have overstayed his legal visa by 337 days.

Immigration has vowed to continue to crack down on everyone overstaying their legal visa.

2. In a notable case of extortion involving cryptocurrency, the Phuket Provincial Court has sentenced five Russian nationals to two years of imprisonment. The individuals were convicted of threatening a fellow Russian couple and coercing them into transferring 30 million baht in cryptocurrency.

The case has drawn attention to the emerging challenges posed by digital currencies and the need for robust legal frameworks to address such transgressions.

3. In a recent development concerning the high-profile assault case involving a local doctor and a Swiss Expat, Phuket Governor Mr. Sophon Suwannarat has issued a clarifying statement.

The update comes amid circulating rumors that an individual had attempted to influence the case’s outcome through financial means.

4. An intoxicated American man was charged after he hit a sedan glass window with a rock in Wichit.

He was charged with damaging property belonging to someone else. He is now in custody and the case will be sent to the court.

5. Phuket has announced a total of four road accidents and four injuries on the first day of the seven days (April 11th, 2024 to April 17th, 2024) of the ‘Songkran Road Safety Campaign 2024′.

Stay safe out there!

6. Thai social media posted a viral video of two foreigners having a dispute after one became upset after being sprayed with a water gun on Thaweewong Road, Patong Beach, Phuket.

They were not charged and neither filed a police report against the other.

That’s it for this week. Be safe!

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for more than four years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.