Anyone considering a move abroad will inevitably make significant efforts to research and learn about their potential host country. The thing is, no matter how deep one digs through endless corners of the interwebs, there are bound to be things that catch you off guard or are just not quite what you expected. Some things may be positives, some negatives, and others just hard to comprehend until experienced in person.

Extreme Seasonality

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Most people carrying out research while considering making Phuket their new home will inevitably come across many mentions of “high” and “low” seasons. While they do loosely coincide with the actual climatic seasons of the island, they refer specifically to the busy tourist season and the far more tranquil tourism off-season. Anyone who has spent a year or more in Phuket has clearly witnessed the strong contrast between these times of year. 

The point is clearly seen when viewing in terms of numbers. Although data sources aren’t always consistent, Phuket saw around 11 million visitors in 2023. The vast majority of these visits were during the island’s high season from December to March. Hotels and resorts are most keenly aware of these seasonal variations with their prices sometimes increasing by a factor of 5-10 from the quietest months of August-September to the busiest in January-February. 

Diversity

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Another feature of Phuket that many may not realize until they’re on-island is the wide range of people in Phuket, and it’s not just expats A significant portion of the local population are transplants from all around Thailand, especially other southern provinces like Krabi, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, etc. You will also meet plenty of people from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and various cities around Isarn (the northeast). Even the folks that have been in Phuket for generations include the moken (sea gypsies, perhaps the original residents), Thai-Chinese (Peranakan), and more. 

When it comes to residents of Phuket who come from other countries, the list grows long. First, there are thousands of Burmese who immigrate here in search of better opportunities and can be found working in many industries, especially labor-intensive jobs like construction and restaurants. Most recently, the size of the Russian expat community has exponentially increased as a response to the huge increase in tourists coming from Eastern Europe. Other sizable expat groups include retirees from countries like the UK, Australia, France, Germany, and the United States.

Safety

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Something that is often discussed by island residents is the generally low crime rate. While not everything is safe – Thai roads are some of the most dangerous in the world – violent crime and theft are uncommon compared to the home countries of many of Phuket’s expats. Random violent crime is mostly unheard of. Violent crime is typically a byproduct of alcohol or drugs, feuds within families, or gang or mafia-related and not random.

Phuket expats are at much greater risk of some type of online fraud and, every once in a while, home break-ins or petty theft. The vast majority of petty thefts are crimes of opportunity where small, valuable items are easily snatched whether it’s cash, jewelry, or electronics. Keep these items in a safe and chances are miniscule that you will ever have an incident in Phuket.