This week's Phuket Community newsletter is brought to you by
Curated Phuket freehold property, independently assessed.
🌍 From the Island
18 September 2026
Phuket got its flyover. The +5.5 billion Koh Kaew Elevated Flyover is now formally locked into the 2026 Budget Act. Ten kilometres of elevated highway that will bypass the Thepkrasattri Road chokepoint from Pa Khlok to Kathu. Not a promise. A budget line. Full story below.
ED visa fix. Staff resignations inside the Provincial Education Office caused accidental overstays for legitimate international students. The province has now mandated a digital tracking system. If you are on an ED visa, ask your school for your reference number.
Property visa fight. Local business groups are pushing back on the +3 million property visa threshold, arguing it is too low. If you are a buyer or long-stayer, this debate matters for what comes next.
Turtle watch. An Olive Ridley sea turtle was rescued from Nai Yang Beach by DMCR teams. If you live on the west coast, save 1362 in your phone. It is the 24-hour Forest Protect Hotline that covers marine emergencies.
📖 Story of the Week
The 2026 Phuket restaurants shortlist is live.
We just published our curated shortlist of the restaurants residents actually cross the island for. Cuisine by cuisine, area by area.
Wilsons and Bartels for your local. Raya, One Chun and Kopitiam by Wilai for the Sino-Portuguese heritage kitchens in Old Town. Kan Eang at Chalong Pier for the show-off Thai. Hana Ramen and Little Edo for Japanese. Tandoori Nights for Indian. PRU and Suay for the special occasions.
Written by residents, for residents. Opinionated where we have earned the right to be, honest about the gaps we are still filling.
Your favourite not on the list? We want to hear it. Submit at phuketcommunity.com/submit and it goes into the running for the next update.
If the shortlist has you thinking about where the food actually comes from, our recent piece Inside Phuket's farm-to-table movement goes deeper on the chefs, the farms, and the closed-loop kitchens quietly rewriting how the island eats.
👋 Welcome to the newest members of the community
A quick welcome to the businesses that joined Phuket Community over the last couple of weeks. If you know them or use them, they would love a follow.
• Somos Cafe - new cafe joining the community.
• The Beach Cuisine - restaurant joining the community.
• Chalong Fishing Park - family fishing park in Chalong.
• Cafe Delight - breakfast, brunch, and dinner cafe and restaurant in Phuket Old Town.
If your business belongs on Phuket Community, the free community listing takes about five minutes to set up at phuketcommunity.com/join.
⚡ Quick Island Pulse
🌊 West coast seas.
Southwest monsoon winds at 20-35 km/h are pushing 2-metre swells across Patong, Karon, Kata, Kamala, and Bang Tao. Check localised marine forecasts before any water activity. Swells surge higher during afternoon thundershowers.
🛑 Patong: stay alert.
Police presence on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road remains elevated following last week's demonstrations. Central Patong is calm but watchful. Give it space if you do not need to be there.
🏭 This weekend.
Ganesh Chaturthi wraps up today with the Visarjan beach procession at Rawai (free, public). Naka Weekend Market opens Saturday and Sunday from 4pm at Chao Fah West Road. Sunday Walking Street on Thalang Road from 4pm.
🔌 Ratsada power works.
PEA is burying 4.8km of overhead power lines across Ratsadanusorn, Pracha Samakkee, and Srisuthat roads. Expect intermittent short outages during works. The upside: storm blackouts in those corridors should become a lot rarer once it is done.
🏠 Project Spotlight
The Modeva Bang Tao, Phuket
From Hawook's independent property research
Five hundred metres from Bang Tao Beach, The Modeva is one of the more ambitious low-rise condominium launches this part of Phuket has seen. Prices start at +4,495,000 for a 29 sqm one-bedroom and rise to +24,568,000 for a 148 sqm three-bedroom duplex, at +152,000 to +178,000 per sqm depending on building and floor. Handover targeted Q4 2027. Foreign freehold available under the standard 49% quota.
Why it stands out
The developer joint venture holds up. Rhom Bho has delivered completed projects in Phuket under The Title brand. AssetWise is SET-listed in Bangkok, which brings a level of financial governance not universal in the Phuket development market. EIA approval is in place. That combination materially reduces the pre-construction risk that catches out most Phuket buyers committing during pre-sales.
The 59 curated facility zones (33 outdoor, 26 indoor) rival resort hotels in the area: onsen, golf simulator, coworking lounge, kids' club, dedicated pet park and grooming salon in Building B. The 1BR Large at 41 sqm in Buildings A, C, and D at around +154,000 to +165,000 per sqm is where the value case is most persuasive: enough size to command a meaningful nightly rate, efficient enough to produce a realistic net yield.
Honest trade-offs
This is residential-zoned, not hotel-licensed. Projects like Canvas Cherngtalay and Siamese Bang Tao can offer structured yield guarantees backed by hospitality operators. The Modeva cannot replicate that. Short-term rentals operate in a legal grey area under Thai hotel law, and while enforcement against individual owners in Bang Tao is rare in practice, the regulatory picture has not been resolved.
At 859 units, the internal rental supply question is real. Once handover begins and owners activate rental programmes simultaneously, the project competes with itself. Target floor, view, and building combinations that differentiate: higher floors with pool-facing aspects, or Building B for the genuine pet-owner niche.
✓ Right for
Lifestyle buyers who want quality Bang Tao living without beachfront pricing, investors comfortable self-managing or using a trusted local company, digital nomads drawn to the coworking facilities and walkable beach access, families and pet owners.
✗ Not right for
Buyers seeking a quieter, more residential feel (central Bang Tao is lively and traffic-affected in high season), buyers who need the certainty of a structured yield guarantee from a hotel operator, anyone expecting sea views.
Editorial disclosure: this property analysis is sponsored content from Hawook, part of the Phuket Community group of businesses. It reflects Hawook's independent developer research, not a Phuket Community editorial recommendation.
📰 The Week in Stories
⭐ Infrastructure
The +5.5 billion Koh Kaew Flyover just became real.
Highway authorities have formally confirmed that the Koh Kaew Elevated Flyover is the only elevated relief project going ahead on Thepkrasattri Road, and it has been integrated into the 2026 Budget Act. The Heroines Underpass proposal is dead.
The project spans 10 kilometres, connecting Pa Khlok directly to Phra Phuket Kaew Road in Kathu. The budget breaks down as +4.5 billion for land acquisition and +989 million for construction. Three major bottlenecks - Tha Ruea, Koh Kaew intersection, and the Heroines Monument roundabout - are bypassed entirely at elevated level.
For context: +4.5 billion in land acquisition on that corridor is not trivial. The route runs through some of the island's most congested and commercially active land. That budget item alone signals this is a serious engineering commitment, not a slide in a presentation.
Land acquisition and construction procurement will take time. This is a multi-year project. The decision is made, the funds are allocated, and the north-south relief Phuket has needed for a decade is on the books. Full details via The Phuket News.
What this means for residents
If you commute Phuket Town to the airport or north: Thepkrasattri Road remains your daily reality for a few more years. The exit ramp is now funded. Plan accordingly and watch for land acquisition notices along the corridor.
If you own or are buying property near Pa Khlok or Koh Kaew: An elevated bypass connecting your area to Kathu changes accessibility calculus significantly. Factor this into long-term valuations.
If you had any hopes for the Heroines Underpass: Officially cancelled. One project, one corridor, concentrated budget. The flyover is it.
🧾 Also This Week
✈️ Aviation
TransNusa launched direct Bali to Phuket service - 174 passengers on the inaugural flight, four times weekly, scaling to daily. The four-hour connection cuts out the KL or Jakarta layover that made the island hop more effort than it was worth.
🚒 Public Safety
The Save Phuket network marched 500 protesters along Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road last week, citing concerns about foreign land acquisition. A Rosh Hashanah gathering at Chabad House was cancelled on organisers' security advice despite over 50 officers deployed. Provincial administrators did not ban private religious gatherings - organisers made the call themselves.
🛂 Immigration
ED visa processing has been digitised after backlog problems from Provincial Education Office staff resignations left legitimate students accidentally overstaying. Provincial Order No. 9040/2569 now mandates a digital submission portal, automated tracking dashboard, and standardised checklists. If you are on an ED visa, ask your school for your tracking reference number.
🏗️ Infrastructure
The +165.8 million conversion of Phuket Town's 120-year-old Damrong Road prison into a public green space is 80% complete. Pagoda, community pavilions, children's playground, shaded zones, dedicated parking to take pressure off the Old Town.
🏭 Policy Watch
The Phuket Tourist Association is lobbying to raise the +3 million property purchase threshold that qualifies buyers for a one-year long-stay visa. Their argument: the floor is too low, it is inflating local housing prices, and it is being used as a route to short-term rental operations. A higher threshold would change who qualifies.
🌊 Marine
DMCR and Sirinat National Park teams rescued a 33kg adult female Olive Ridley sea turtle from Nai Yang Beach on 12 September - emaciated, barnacle-infested, and now in care at the Cape Panwa rescue centre. If you find a stranded marine animal anywhere on the west coast, call the 24-hour Forest Protect Hotline: 1362.
☕ Welcome a new voice
The In-Between
We are welcoming Phuket Community's first regular contributor.
Johnny Carter is starting a weekly column called The In-Between. It is about the periods when something is shifting but the next chapter is not yet clear. Careers, countries, relationships, identities, old plans and whatever comes next.
He draws on lived experience in business, travel, and starting again, plus years of practice in meditation, communication, mediation, NLP and the practical psychology of navigating change.
His first proper column runs in next Friday's newsletter, and will land on the site the same day.
🍜 Out & About
Black Ginger, The Slate - Nai Yang
Southern Thai heritage cuisine in a lagoon you access by raft
Black Ginger is the kind of place you take someone who thinks they have seen everything Phuket has to offer. The restaurant sits on a lake inside The Slate resort. You get there by pulling a raft across the water. It is theatrical without being self-conscious about it.
The menu is serious Southern Thai heritage cooking. Multi-course tasting menus built around regional recipes that most tourist-facing restaurants do not go near. The Black Ginger Experience degustation runs around +1,800 to +3,500 per person. Order it. This is not a pad thai situation.
Monsoon season is one of the best times to go. The lagoon setting in the rain has a different kind of atmosphere to high season crowds. Book ahead.
Before: sundowner at Catch Beach Club, Bang Tao (20 minutes drive).
After: night cap at The Slate's onsite bar. You are already there.
🏗️ Property & Development Corner
Market moves this week
Market context: +176.5 billion launched in 2026.
AREA data puts new Phuket residential inventory at +176.5 billion this year, ahead of Chonburi and Rayong. Prime condos along the west coast run +120,000 to +200,000 per sqm. Mid-tier pool villas in Cherng Talay +13.6 million to +35 million. Entry-level townhouses +3.2 million to +6.5 million.
⚖️ Legal Watch
The DSI has issued a third summons to Phuket MP Somchat Techathaworacharoen over alleged nominee shareholding in local property firms. Active audits of Thai corporate nominee structures used to hold landed property are ongoing. If you are using a Thai company structure to hold a villa, get a legal review. The compliance window is narrowing.
💡 Island Life Hack
Eat like a guest. Pay like a resident.
Phuket's five-star hotel restaurants cannot fill every cover during monsoon season. So they run yield management the same way airlines sell last-minute seats cheap. During specific afternoon and late-evening windows, they cut food bills by 50% via the Eatigo app. The slots are real. The discounts are real. Most residents have no idea.
Download Eatigo, filter by your area (Patong, Nai Yang, Kata, Nai Harn have the most active listings this month), and check the 14:00-16:00 and 21:00 windows.
This week's picks, all 50% off food:
• Indiagate - Patong. Butter chicken, tandoori, the works. On Thaveewong Road, about as central as it gets.
• Mama's Kitchen - Phuket Marriott, Nai Yang. Five-star resort kitchen at half price for a late dinner. The 21:00 slot fills quickly.
• Twilight Sky Bar - The SIS Resort, Kata. Elevated bar with sea views, 14:00-16:00 afternoon window. Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday.
• Terrace Grill - Dewa Resort, Nai Yang. A la carte at 15:00 and 18:00. Long lunch or early dinner before sunset.
• Oceano Kitchen - Nai Harn Beach. 15:00-15:30 reservation slot only. At that price, this is a strong argument for the drive south.
📅 What Is On Next Week
Fri 18 Sept
• BOA Presents: Banjuka | BOA, Patong, from 21:00
• NIBZ | BOA, Patong, 21:00 to late
• Chus & Ceballos | Cafe del Mar, Kamala, from 22:00
Sat 19 Sept
• Sabai - Shelter After Party | Illuzion, Patong, from 21:00
• MALIVE | Cafe del Mar, Kamala, from 22:00
Sun 20 Sept
• GAIA Mediterranean Pool Affair | Fira Beach Club, Karon, from noon
• Pilates & Plunge | Fira Recovery Club, Karon, from 21:00
Thu 24 Sept
• The Martinez Brothers | Illuzion, Patong, from 21:00. Big-name booking. If you are into house, this is the week's marquee event.
• NAKADIA | Cafe del Mar, Kamala, from 22:00
Fri 25 Sept
• The House Party 3 | BOA, Patong, from 21:00
Sat 26 Sept
• Full Moon Festival - Moon Rise Beach Party | Paradise Beach Patong, from 19:00. Monsoon full moon on the beach.
• White Party | Catch Beach Club, Thalang, from 21:00
• COLLE | Cafe del Mar, Kamala, from 22:00
Sun 27 Sept
• Drip & Dip | Fira Recovery Club, Karon, from 21:00
Submit your event: phuketcommunity.com/submit
📢 Community Notice
🦍 Ganesh Chaturthi - Visarjan finale today.
The 2nd Annual Ganesh Chaturthi Festival closes today (18 September) with the Visarjan immersion ceremony at Rawai Beach. The procession finale of five days of cultural events at the Shrimant Ganpati Temple. Open to the public, free to attend. A warm event.
🌊 Patong beach cleanup - every Saturday.
Monsoon swells are pushing significant debris onto Patong Promenade. Environmental volunteers are running community cleanups every Saturday from 08:00 to 10:00. No registration, no fee. Just show up.
📬 Got an event, tip, or opening to share?
We reach a growing community of residents, long-stayers, and Phuket-curious every Friday. If it is worth knowing about, we want to hear it.
Submit here →That is a week with a bit of everything. A genuinely big infrastructure commitment, a new flight connection that makes the Bali hop effortless, some political tension in Patong worth watching, and the quieter stuff that shapes daily life here: the ED visa fix, the turtle rescue, the restaurant deals. And our own 2026 restaurants shortlist is now live - if your favourite is not on it, tell us.
Warm welcome also to Johnny Carter and The In-Between. Phuket is full of people in the middle of something. It deserves its own space.
Sabai sabai. See you next Friday, 25 September.
Made in Phuket. Weekly.
