Phuket after ten years: what changed, what residents say

Many Russian-, Polish- and English-speaking buyers start their search for a home in Asia on Phuket. Ten years is long enough to tell a trend from a season, so this article sets public data for 2014-2026 next to what long-term residents have written about the island. It is informational, not advice, and some figures come from a single secondary source; we say so where that is the case.

How we researched this

We used public sources only: provincial tourism statistics of the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports as compiled by a statistics site, airport and infrastructure reporting, a market review of international schools, and two public texts by long-term residents that we opened in full. We did not invent or combine people. Texts by developers, hotel groups and short-stay bloggers were set aside. We found only a few first-hand accounts by people who state eight or more years on Phuket, and the two below are what remained.

What changed in ten years

• Visitors. Phuket recorded about 11.96 million visitors in 2014, of whom 8.46 million were foreign. In 2024 the figures were 14.51 million and 11.07 million, in 2025 14.25 million and 10.75 million. That is roughly a fifth more visitors in total and almost a third more foreign ones over ten years. The series counts tourists plus same-day visitors and is compiled from ministry data by phukettravels.com. The pandemic cut 2020 to about 4.03 million, and 2024 only returned to the pre-pandemic level of 14.58 million (2019), so the recovery is a return, not a new peak.
• Airport. Phuket airport is reported to have handled about 16.4 million passengers in fiscal 2024, roughly 9.9 million of them international. The airport director has said it has been overcrowded since 2019, and an expansion of the international terminal from 12.5 to 18 million passengers a year is planned, with 2029 reported as the target year (Thaiger). Treat the date as unconfirmed.
• Population. The registered population rose from about 361,000 (2012) to about 387,000 (2015) and about 419,000 (2021), according to Department of Provincial Administration figures as quoted in public references. Registered numbers miss many foreign residents and migrant workers, so the real population is higher.
• Schools. A market review by C9 Hotelworks counts 18 international schools with 5,075 students by August 2026 and says the market grew 51% in three years (C9 Hotelworks). Other directories count more schools, up to 25, depending on definitions.
• Healthcare. Large private hospitals on the island report international JCI accreditation on their own websites. We did not find an independent count of facilities, so we give no number.
• Roads. The island still depends on a few main roads. The Kathu-Patong tunnel (just under 4 km, of which 1.85 km underground) has about 99% of its land acquired and is expected to return to the Cabinet in the fourth quarter of 2026, with construction possibly from 2027 and opening around 2031 (Real Life Phuket, July 2026). The light rail has been reported to slip to construction from 2028 and operation around 2031.
• Rules. A five-year Destination Thailand Visa for remote workers and similar categories opened for applications in July 2024; check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs e-visa portal for current terms. From 15 September 2026 the 60-day visa exemption was replaced by 30 days for 60 countries and territories, published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 (TAT Newsroom). Check whether your nationality is on the list.

What long-term residents report

A Russian-speaking woman who runs a family tourism business, on Phuket since about 2010. She came for a two-week holiday in 2009 and stayed. In an interview in September 2020 she described the early years as clean beaches and striking nature with little tourist infrastructure, and the island since as much more developed yet calmer than Pattaya. Her difficulties are practical: visas that need regular renewal and sometimes border runs, a ban on foreigners working as tour guides with loopholes that risk deportation, humidity that means constant house maintenance and pest control, extreme heat and seasonal flooding, and a language barrier that remained after more than ten years. She listed running costs, for example about USD 2,300 a year for visas and work permits for the family and about USD 4,000 a year for medical insurance. The interview is six years old, and she works in tourism herself. Source: T-Zh (Tinkoff Journal), 25 September 2020.

The founder of an English-language Phuket guide website, on the island since 1994. The "About us" page recalls a time when some beaches were linked only by dirt roads, Kamala was a fishing village of wooden houses, Patong was small and quiet, Bangla Road was a handful of beer bars, and many Sino-Portuguese shophouses in the old town stood abandoned. The page says the author still lives there. The page lists no difficulties, and the site is commercial, so read it as testimony about how much the place has changed, not as a balanced review. Source: Phuket 101, "About us", read 17 October 2026, undated.

What did not change or got harder

• Getting around. Big road and rail projects are still on paper or in approval, so the same few roads carry the visitors. Do not assume that a tunnel or tram will exist when you need it.
• Visas. The shorter visa exemption from September 2026 makes planning more important, and the resident above names visas as a standing burden.
• Plateau. Visitor numbers in 2025 were slightly below 2024 and close to 2019, so the last six years brought recovery rather than growth.
• Climate and upkeep. Heat, humidity, pests and flooding come up in the one detailed account we have.
• Ownership rules for foreigners are a separate subject; see our articles on leasehold and land and the 49 percent condo quota.

What newcomers can take from this

• Treat 14-14.5 million visitors a year as the current normal level, not as a trend that must continue.
• Check how a specific location connects to the main roads and which of the planned projects, if any, would change that.
• Plan visas for your own nationality after 15 September 2026, and read our visa overview.
• Budget for humidity, pest control, insurance and permits; see total cost of ownership abroad.
• Visit in the rainy season as well as the high season, and plan the trip using our viewing-trip guide. For a first impression of the island read Phuket: what impresses on a first visit.
• Compare areas in where to buy on Phuket and browse listings in Thailand.

FAQ

Has Phuket become more crowded? By the ministry series, total visitors were about 21% higher in 2024 than in 2014 and foreign visitors about 31% higher. Crowding is felt locally, mostly on the roads.

Are there enough international schools for a family? The market review counts 18 schools and 5,075 students in 2026. Quality, fees and places differ by school, so visit and ask for current availability.

Will the tunnel and light rail fix traffic? We cannot say. Dates have slipped before and the tunnel awaits Cabinet approval, so we make no prediction.

Do I need a visa for a long stay? Probably, since the visa-free stay is 30 days for listed countries from 15 September 2026. Check your own nationality on the official sources above.

Why are there so few personal accounts here? Many texts are written by developers, agents or people who stayed a few months. We used only accounts from residents who state long tenure, which left two.

How we help

We are a trilingual platform (Russian, Polish, English) that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice, and rules and figures change, so verify current terms with official sources and your own advisers before deciding.