November 6, 2026

Phuket airport is closing overnight, fourteen times before Christmas

This week on the island

Your weekly briefing from Phuket Community

From the Island

Big one this week: Phuket International Airport shuts down overnight from November 11 to December 24 for runway resurfacing. Fourteen closures, each running roughly 11pm to 7am. If you are flying in or out during that window, check with your airline now.

The rains are not finished either. Another round of flooding hit Patong and Karon on November 2. Karon is now officially a disaster zone under Governor's Order No. 23/2026. This Sunday, Diwali celebrations are at Central Patong from 6pm.

Phuket's biggest annual trade event, the Gems, Wedding & Spa Expo, returns to Angsana Laguna November 10 to 13 with Queen Suthida presiding over the opening.

And ten brand-new electric buses just started running from the airport to Rawai. Fares from 40 baht. Free for students, seniors, and disabled passengers. A full week. Let's go.

Quick Island Pulse

🌡 Weather

Southwest monsoon still active. Heavy rain expected through mid-November. 24 to 32°C. Seas 1 to 2 metres, above 2m in storms. Avoid hillside roads during downpours: Patong Hill and Kamala Highway still have debris from last week's landslides.

🚗 Traffic

Post-flood debris cleanup continues along Patak Road in Karon. Patong Hill has partial lane restrictions. The new EV buses are running the airport to Rawai corridor.

💰 Baht

Mid-market rates, Nov 6: GBP ~43.20 · AUD ~23.60 · EUR ~37.50 · USD ~33.70 THB. Retail rates will differ.

🛂 Immigration

Blue Tree branch remains closed indefinitely. All services at Phuket Town main office. Online 90-day reporting works well: see the Life Hack section.

✈ Aviation

Overnight runway closures begin November 11. Check your flights. Luggage searches still apply to domestic departures: allow extra time at HKT security.

The Week in Stories

Airport runway closures: November 11 to December 24

Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) confirmed fourteen overnight closures of Phuket International Airport for runway resurfacing. Each closure runs roughly 11pm to 7am local time. The first closure is November 11.

Airlines are already adjusting. Late-night arrivals and early-morning departures are most at risk. If you have flights in that window, or visitors arriving for high season, check directly with the airline now. This is the only runway Phuket has.

What this means for residents:

• Check any flights between November 11 and December 24 against your carrier directly.
• Anyone collecting family for Christmas should not assume the flight time is what it was when they booked.
• Allow extra time at HKT for domestic departures: luggage searches are adding to security queues.

Karon declared a disaster zone. And then it flooded again.

Governor Sophon issued Order No. 23/2026 on October 29, formally declaring Karon a disaster area after the severe October 23 to 26 flooding that caused landslides on Patong Hill and around 100 million baht in damage across the west coast.

Then November 2 brought a fresh round. Heavy rain hit Patong, Karon, and Kata again: roads impassable, Patak Road still being cleared. The southwest monsoon is still active and TMD warnings remain in effect.

Emergency contacts: Karon disaster prevention 076-330-913 or 199 (24hr) · DDPM hotline 1784 · Municipal hotline 1132 (24hr)

Ten electric buses are now running. Airport to Rawai, from 40 baht.

Ten new electric buses launched on November 2 on a north to south route from Phuket International Airport to Rawai. Fares start at 40 baht depending on distance. Students, elderly passengers, and disabled passengers ride free.

This is the first island-wide public bus route with regular service: a gap the island has had for decades. Whether the schedule proves reliable remains to be seen, but the infrastructure is real and running. For more on getting around: the hop-on hop-off bus running 11 stops across the island.

The 450-baht tourist entry fee: where it stands

The proposed 450 baht entry fee for foreign visitors is still moving through Cabinet and is expected to roll out sometime in 2027. Work permit holders are explicitly exempt. Long-stay visa holders (retirement, Elite, LTR) remain undefined. The collection method has not been finalised.

Nothing changes until it is law. Worth tracking if you host visitors or run a tourism business.

Also This Week

⚠ Sirens, no emergency: Alarms sounded across Phuket Town, Rawai, Patong, and Kamala from 11pm on November 1 until around 2am on November 2. No emergency. No explanation given. Thaiger report.

👮 Airport cargo theft ring busted: Eight people arrested on November 4 for stealing electronics worth over 3 million baht from HKT's cargo warehouse. Police found evidence of at least eight prior thefts. Thaiger report.

🎆 Diwali at Central Patong: TAT Phuket is running "A Sunday of Flavour" from 6pm at Central Patong on November 8. The main organised event is there, not in Old Town.

🏊 Blue Tree waterpark closed: Through mid-November for maintenance. The immigration branch at the same site remains separately closed due to staff shortages.

👮 Gambling raid in Chalong: Police raided an unlicensed gambling den ahead of high season. Enforcement tends to increase at this time of year.

🏛 Soi Dog Foundation annual conference runs next week: animal welfare, adoption programmes, and TNR updates. Open to visitors.

🏆 Melbourne Cup: The annual charity screening and lunch happened at the Hilton this week. A staple for the Australian community.

🏨 Hotel closures: More than 200 Phuket hotels have reportedly closed or suspended operations this year, mostly smaller unlicensed properties affected by the guesthouse reform push. The market is consolidating.

The In-Between

Johnny Carter · weekly column

You Don’t Need to Know What’s Next

There is a difference between having no direction and not knowing the whole route.

We place enormous pressure on ourselves to know what comes next. Where will you live? What will you do? Is this relationship right? Is the business going to work? What happens after this chapter?

There are periods of life when the honest answer is simply: I do not know yet. That does not mean you are lost. You may know enough. Enough to make the phone call. Enough to get on the plane. Enough to take one sensible step and see what becomes visible from there.

Reflection for the week: What is the next clear move you already know, even if you cannot yet see what comes after it?

Catch up on Johnny’s column: Going Back Does Not Mean Going Backwards · When Doing More Stops Helping · When the Plan Stops Matching Reality

Out & About

Bisou Phuket · Cherngtalay

A modern French wine and cocktail bar on the Boat Avenue stretch in Cherng Talay. Share plates, a French-leaning drinks list, and a late-night kitchen: food until 11pm, drinks until 1am. Worth booking ahead as high season kicks in.

What to order: Truffle French Toast (390 THB), Wagyu Beef Tartare (590 THB), or the full occasion Beef Wellington with foie gras (2,790 THB). Budget 1,500 to 2,500 THB per person.

📍 Bisou Phuket on Google Maps →

More after-dark options: Nightlife, bars and beach clubs on Phuket

Property & Development Corner

Market moves this week

Nominee enforcement update. The Department of Special Investigation is now coordinating with Land Offices on nominee cases flagged through the governor's review. If you hold property through a Thai company, get legal advice now: the December 31 deadline for priority cases has not moved. Read our coverage: The nominee crackdown · How foreigners hold property · The Bang Tao land seizure

Bang Tao pricing: Land values in the Cherng Talay corridor have risen 23 to 29% since 2023. New condo entry points around 7 to 8 million baht. RHEA by Sansiri (Bang Tao): pool villas from 25 million baht. AYANA Heights (Kamala): hillside pool villas with Andaman views. ESSENCE by Harmony (Cherng Talay): resort condos from 5.9 million baht.

Advertised rental yields of 7 to 15% are developer projections, not audited returns. Ask for historical occupancy data and verify the ownership structure before signing anything.

Schools & Family Corner

This week on campus

Andaman Craft Bazaar this weekend: artisan market, local makers, food stalls. Family-friendly, free entry.

HeadStart International: Open day coming up. Contact them directly for dates if you are exploring options.

BISP: Campus visits by appointment. Missed last month's open house? Reach out directly.

Full guide: International schools in Phuket 2026

Resident Deals

Courtyard by Marriott, Phuket Town

Dining deals through Eatigo, up to 50% off food at off-peak hours.

Shanti Lodge, Phuket Town

Long-stay and monthly rates for residents. One of the few budget-friendly options in town for visitors between leases.

Patong dining via Eatigo

Multiple restaurants offering 20 to 50% off food at lunch and early dinner. Eatigo Phuket

What's On This Week

More on our events calendar. Running something? Hit the Submit an Event button on the calendar page: free and takes two minutes.

From the Archive

With airport disruptions ahead and high-season visitors landing, worth bookmarking:

Getting connected: internet, SIM and fibre in Phuket

Supermarkets on Phuket: the complete guide

Phuket Old Town: what has changed and what is worth your time

Dog-friendly Phuket: where to go with your dog

Tours and day trips for people who live here

List your business, share an event, or just say hello. Phuket Community is free, independent, and written by people who live here.

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See you next Friday. Stay curious, stay kind.

— Phuket Community