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Sawadee krap/ka, Phuket people! 🌺
Easter weekend here, Songkran ten days out, island running full throttle. But first - one story every long-stayer needs to read: Thailand is moving to cut visa-free stays from 60 days to 30. Not done yet, but Phuket was specifically named as the reason why.
Also this week: fire jellyfish hitting the beaches, Deborah De Luca tonight, a new Vietnam Airlines route, a 120M baht hotel comeback, and a Color Run covered in powder paint. Let's get into it. 👇
Expect consistent heat and sun all week! Temperatures will peak at 35°C with lows staying around 27°C. Don't forget your sunscreen. ☀️🌡️
Hot, dry, and stubborn. Bang Wad reservoir is at 15% capacity - emergency water deliveries are running in Kamala and Kathu. Stay very hydrated. If you're in a location that runs dry, make sure your water delivery man hasn't changed his number.
Long queue photos went viral. Immigration says: computer slowdown, no paid fast lane. Also: departure fees jump 53% from June 20. Book outbound tickets before then if you can.
Thailand's Foreign Minister wants to cut visa-exempt stays from 60 to 30 days - and cited Phuket as the flashpoint. Still 60 days for now. Could change by June. See Expat Corner.
Deborah De Luca at Armania tonight. Color Run Saturday. Free farm market at Tri Vananda. Easter lunch at JAMPA's farm. Thailand Biennale final month - 19 venues, free. Scroll down. 👇
See a Side of Phuket Most Tourists Entirely Miss
If you've never tried scuba diving, here's some good news: you don't need to be super fit, fearless, or an ocean expert. You just need Andy's Scuba Diving. 🤿
Andy's is a boutique, low-volume PADI dive centre in the Rawai / Nai Harn area. Small groups mean more attention, more support, and a calmer experience. No rushing. No pressure.
They offer try dives, Open Water courses, advanced training, and fun dives, plus free hotel transfers. Seeing Phuket from underwater — coral, colourful fish, a quiet peaceful world — is something special.
Phuket bonus: If you're nervous, tell your instructor. Good dive pros are basically underwater confidence coaches (with fins).
Thailand Is Cutting Your 60-Day Visa. Here's What to Do.
On March 20, Thailand's Foreign Affairs Minister announced his ministry is submitting a formal proposal to shorten visa-free stays from 60 to 30 days. The reason? He'd just been to Phuket. Tourism operators here raised alarm about foreigners using long visa-free stretches to work illegally or run unlicensed businesses. Our island is the poster child.
Tourism operators on the island have been raising the alarm about foreigners using long visa-free stretches to work illegally or run unlicensed businesses. Phuket was specifically named by the minister as the flashpoint. Our island has - rather inconveniently - become the poster child for overstay and grey-market work concerns.
As of April 1, the 60-day rule remains in place for 93 eligible nationalities. One 30-day extension still available for 1,900 THB. But a change could land as early as June 2026 - with no grace period.
This isn't panic time - it's plan-ahead time. Get proper documentation sorted while you still have breathing room.
Read the full visa update →
New nonstop service launched April 2. Four flights weekly on an A321. Phuket now connects direct to ~60 international destinations. More →
Closed since March 2020, the 122-room Patong property is back fully gutted - new bathrooms, furniture, 55-inch QLED TVs, 46 Wi-Fi points, and an "Oceanic Tranquility" redesign. Management says it feels like a different building. They're right. Read more →
AOT raises the international passenger charge from 730 to 1,120 THB per person. Applies to tickets issued on or after June 20. Built into airfares. A family of four pays 1,560 THB more collectively. Details →
Portuguese man-o-war swarming off Koh Aeo in northern Phuket and Nai Harn in the south - up to 100 per sqm reported March 30. Safety alerts active for Nai Yang, Nai Harn and nearby beaches. Rashguard + vinegar if you're heading north.
The 3.98km expressway project including a 1.85km tunnel under Nakkerd mountain moves forward this year, targeting 2029. Handed to the Department of Highways - so no toll. Anyone who has sat on Patong Hill in Songkran traffic knows what this means. Full story →
An Irish and British motorcyclist arrested March 25 after viral Facebook video. Police are using dashcam footage and social posts to ID offenders. With Bike Week and Songkran overlapping in under two weeks, the message is clear.
30th anniversary at Loma Park, Patong. One of the island's most beloved expat events. Note: Songkran begins April 13 - overlap with Bike Week's final day will be glorious chaos. Plan your exit. Event listing →
We reach 4,000+ readers every Friday. If it's happening on the island, we want to know about it.
Submit here →Phuket's Fine Dining Revolution
The 2026 Michelin Guide Thailand added new Phuket entries - a real shift toward hyperlocal, Andaman-sourced cuisine. Here's where to spend your end-of-high-season baht.
PRU Restaurant (adjacent to Trisara, Nai Thon) - Phuket's only Michelin Star plus Green Star. Chef Jimmy's tasting menus use rare Thai varietals and hyper-local ingredients. Lunch from ~3,000 THB. Quiet, serious, exceptional.
Zuma Phuket at Anantara Layan has extended through April. Japanese robata grill, brunch from 3,900 THB.
Tamarind Restaurant at Pullman Panwa has reinvented under Chef Nok - "Innovative Thai Culinary Artistry" with proper plating and a south-coast view. April is peak time: tables easier, kitchens at full form, west coast sunset still free.
Explore more on phuketcommunity.com →Grab Is Official at HKT - But Walk 100m Outside First
Grab is now officially authorised at HKT. Use the designated pickup zones inside the terminal for transparent pricing. That's the safe, easy move.
The bonus trick: walk ~100m outside the main terminal gate. App-based drivers restricted from the official curb often wait there - fully legal, no terminal surcharge. Two extra minutes of walking, several hundred baht saved.
No paid fast lane exists. Viral queue photos were from a computer slowdown.
Complete your TDAC at tdac.immigration.go.th within 72 hours before arrival. Free. Replaces the paper TM6.
Carry proof of onward travel and 10,000 THB per person. Phuket officers are thorough.
📣 Community Notice
Keep pets safely indoors during water fights April 12-15. Stray animals on busy roads are at high risk. Volunteer at the Gill Dalley Sanctuary in Thalang, Mon-Fri.
www.soidog.org →8th Annual PHAB fundraising Gala Dinner, themed PHAB Infinity. Every baht funds scholarships for local students. More info →
Closes April 30. Old Town art trail: walkable, free, excellent. Don't leave it too late. Event info →
Khao Man Gai (Thai-style Hainanese Chicken Rice) 🍚
⭐ Kota Khao Mun Kai · Hainanese Chicken Rice · Phuket Town
There’s a point in the afternoon when Phuket slows down… and your appetite suddenly wakes up again.
That’s where Kota Khao Mun Kai comes in. No fuss, no frills, just a plate that does exactly what it’s meant to do. Tender poached chicken, glossy skin, rice rich with chicken fat, and a sharp ginger-chilli sauce that pulls everything together. Simple, yes. But when it’s done right, it hits every time.
It’s the kind of place locals swing by without thinking twice. Quick, satisfying, and somehow exactly what you needed.
And at around 50–70 baht, it might be the best-value late-night meal on the island.
After: A slow walk home through the Phuket streets, or a wander through the night market.
Some meals shout. This one just quietly delivers.
📍 Find Kota Khao Mun Kai on Google Maps →Property Updates in Phuket
Reduced transfer fee (2% to 0.01%) and mortgage registration fee (1% to 0.01%) for properties up to 7M THB end June 30, 2026. Factor this into your purchase timeline.
Median condo: ~144,000 THB/sqm. West coast (Bang Tao, Surin): 170k-350k. Inland: 70k-120k.
Yields: Short-term 8-15%/yr. Long-term 6-8%. Rawai and Bang Tao remain hotspots.
Ownership: 49% freehold condo quota cap. Nominee land structures under scrutiny. 30+30+30 leasehold remains standard.
26 billion THB expansion, 40% larger footprint. Floresta luxury zone doubles by Q4 2026. Festival wing adds 250+ brands by Q1 2028. Biggest dining destination outside Bangkok.
170-key boutique resort for Nai Yang Beach. Target opening 2030.
Targeting late 2026 or early 2027. Game-changer for expats in Bang Tao, Cherng Talay, and Nai Yang.
Beachfront wellness retreat on Ko Lon off Chalong Bay, by boat from Chalong Pier. Yoga salas, spa, infinity pool, fire-pit lounge. Open April 2026.
Get more Phuket property intel →
| Date | Event | Venue | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 3 Apr | Deborah De Luca | Armania | Ticketed |
| Fri 3 Apr | Grow Boating Evening | Boat Lagoon | Free |
| Fri 3 Apr | SAM SHURE - Club Room | Cafe del Mar, Kamala | 400 THB |
| Sat 4 Apr | Local Roots - Summer in Color | Tri Vananda, Thalang | Free |
| Sat 4 Apr | Thanyapura Color Run | Thanyapura, Thalang | Ticketed |
| Sat-Sun 4-5 Apr | Easter on the Farm - JAMPA | HiDEAWAY, Thalang | 3,500 THB |
| Sun 5 Apr | Sunday Walking Street | Old Phuket Town | Free |
| Sun 5 Apr | Easter Brunch at Cosmo Restaurant (The Nai Harn) | Cosmo Restaurant, Rawai | 2,750 THB |
| Sun 5 Apr | Easter Family Brunch at Dusit Thani Laguna | La Trattoria, Laguna | 1,800 THB |
| Daily to 30 Apr | Thailand Biennale Phuket | 19 venues island-wide | Free |
| Fri 11 Apr | Laguna Sunset Run | Xana Beach Club | Registration req. |
| Sat-Mon 12-14 Apr | Phuket Bike Week 30th | Loma Park, Patong | Free |
| Mon-Wed 13-15 Apr | 🎊 SONGKRAN | Island-wide | Free |
Full calendar: phuketcommunity.com/events - Submit events: Google forms
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This Week's Question: Should Phuket's visa-free stay go back to 30 days? 🛂
Local officials say the shorter stay will help curb 'visa misuse,' but will it hurt the local economy instead? We want to hear your take on the rollback.
Got an event, opening, or story? Tag @phuketcommunity_com or submit here → We feature the best submissions every edition.
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Phuket Community is a free weekly newsletter for locals, expats, and travellers. We're on the island, we're independent, and we're here to help you live it better.
Stay sabai, stay connected. See you next Friday!
— The Phuket Community Team 🇹🇭
Next edition drops Friday, April 10, 2026
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