Pattaya News
Welcome to The Thaiger’s Pattaya news page, your one-stop destination for the latest happenings in Thailand’s coastal town, AKA Sin City of the East! Our dedicated team delivers up-to-the-minute news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Pattaya, covering everything from local politics and business to entertainment and lifestyle. Stay informed about the city’s thriving tourism industry, expat community, and vibrant nightlife, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
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Sponsored Leap into English mastery with Green Valley's LEAP Programme
For many years, St. Andrews International School, Green Valley’s students who did not speak English as their first language have typically participated in English as an Additional Language (EAL) programmes to build proficiency. However, the school has recently introduced a...
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Motorbike and minivan collision injures three in Pattaya
A collision between a motorbike and a minivan in Pattaya led to injuries for three people, including two young women and a blind individual. The incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday, April 22, at 2.36am, near Pattaya School 7 on the inbound lane heading towards Sattahip. The motorbike, a Honda Scoopy I model, was ridden by 18 year…
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Pattaya panic: Grenade scare rattles resident
Panic spread through the Pattaya community yesterday following the discovery of an M26 grenade and live ammunition concealed in a residential area. Local authorities, including the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, were quickly alerted and dispatched to secure the area and defuse the potential threat. The grenade, a lethal M26 fragmentation hand grenade, was found in pristine condition, tucked under…
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Swiss expat critically injured in Pattaya scooter accident
An unfortunate accident in Pattaya left a Swiss expat critically injured after a car collided with his three-wheeled electric scooter. The incident occurred as the 73 year old man was en route to buy some medicine. It also sparked a call for justice from his wife, who alleges that the driver of the other vehicle has refused to accept responsibility. The…
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Pattaya taxi rider arrested for stealing from Chinese woman (video)
Police arrested a motorcycle taxi rider at his rental house in Pattaya yesterday after he stole belongings worth more than 67,000 baht from a Chinese woman on April 18. A Chinese woman, accompanied by two friends, filed a complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station on April 18, stating that a Thai taxi rider stole her shoulder bag when she and…
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Pattaya’s post-Songkran clean-up disposes 20 tonnes of trash
Pattaya witnessed a massive clean-up operation after the Wan Lai Day festivities, a grand culmination of the Songkran celebrations, left behind a staggering 20 tonnes of garbage. Pattaya Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai took to the city’s streets on the morning of April 20 to personally inspect the aftermath and to extend support to the Pattaya City Environment Office workers tasked…
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Motorbike taxi driver splash spat with tourist sparks row
A splash spat between a Thai Win motorbike taxi driver and an Indian tourist during Pattaya’s Songkran festivity ignited when the foreigner got drenched. The kerfuffle arose when the Win driver’s playful seven year old son soaked the tourist, triggering a heated altercation. The entire event took place on Pattaya Second Road towards Khao Phra Tamnak around 7pm on April…
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Dip in Pattaya hotel occupancy despite Songkran festivities
Pattaya’s hotels and those in neighbouring provinces have seen a dip in occupancy rates during the Wan Lai Songkran festival. This downturn has prompted hoteliers to critique the promotional strategy for the extended 21-day Songkran celebration. Morrakot Kuldilok, head of the eastern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), projected that the occupancy rate in Pattaya would touch 70% over…
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Thai tourist struck on the head at Sattahip temple
A Thai tourist hailing from Chiang Mai was assaulted at the Nong Chap Tao Temple in Sattahip, Chon Buri. The incident, which occurred on Thursday night, saw the man being struck on the head with the handle of a pistol. The victim, identified as Nakorn, was rushed to Wat Yan Hospital following the incident on April 18. He was reported…
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Songkran: Lost young girl reunited with family
A four year old girl found herself lost amidst the lively Songkran celebrations in Na Kluea on Thursday. Thanks to the swift and compassionate action of Pattaya police and local volunteers, she was safely reunited with her family. The bustling festivities around the Pattaya-Na Kluea Road proved to be too much for the young girl, who lost sight of her…
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Thai woman arrested for pickpocketing on Pattaya Walking Street
Pattaya Tourist Police arrested a pickpocket suspect on Pattaya’s Walking Street yesterday. The suspect, Sumalee Kima-rae, a 59 year old woman hailing from Phetchaboon province, was apprehended following the identification by a Chinese tourist couple. The suspect was caught for pickpocketing from the tourists who were engrossed in the festivities. Pattaya Tourist Police Inspector, Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyapong Ensan, detailed…
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Teen’s airsoft gun rampage sparks chaos at Songkran in Pattaya
Chaos erupted during the Songkran festivities as a teenager brandishing airsoft guns incited fear and panic in Soi 7, Central Pattaya, sending shockwaves through the crowd of over a thousand tourists on April 15. Pattaya police swiftly apprehended the 17 year old juvenile responsible for the terrorizing act, taking him to the police station for questioning. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thananon…
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Shaping traditions: Sand sculptors carve out cultural magic in Pattaya
In celebration of Thai cultural heritage, Wat Prachum Khongkha in Bang Lamung District held a sand sculpture competition, showcasing creativity and craftsmanship. Organised into two categories, beauty and creativity, the grand sand pagoda construction competition aimed to honour the time-honoured tradition synonymous with the festive spirit of the Songkran Festival. Under the Beauty Category, participants showcased their prowess in sand…
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Pattaya sees record tourist surge during Songkran
As the extended Songkran holiday wrapped up on Tuesday, tourists bid farewell to the sun-kissed islands surrounding Pattaya, turning the Bali Hai Pier area into a buzzing hub of activity. Local authorities ramped up services to cater to the influx, ensuring convenience for visitors throughout the holiday period. Officers stationed at the pier witnessed a remarkable influx of tourists from…
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Songkran festivities turn tragic with fatal shooting in Sattahip
A joyous Songkran celebration took a tragic turn in Sattahip, Chon Buri when four young individuals were caught in a hail of gunfire on April 16. The incident has left one person dead and has the police on a manhunt for the suspected gunman. The alarming event unfolded at 6pm during the Songkran festivities taking place on Soi Bon Kai…
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Thai man found dead in Sattahip residence, heatstroke suspected
A tragic event unfolded in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri when a 52 year old man was found lifeless in a village residence on Tuesday, April 16. The local authorities have proposed the possibility of a heatstroke being the cause of the man’s untimely demise. The scene of the incident was Eua Athon Village, located in the Na Jomtien…
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Vendors’ dispute escalates to violence at Pattaya’s Bali Hai Pier
A violent altercation erupted among vendors at the Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya yesterday morning, leaving four people wounded, one in grave condition. The dispute, which escalated to include the use of a knife, took place in the parking area of the pier in South Pattaya around 9.30am, yesterday, April 17. Rescue personnel were swiftly on the scene following reports…
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Nearly 100k return to Bangkok post-Songkran via public transport
The acting director and president of Transport Company Ltd made a public announcement yesterday, disclosing the substantial numbers of citizens returning to Bangkok after the Songkran festival. Between April 15 and 17, passenger logs recorded more than 99,995 individuals making their round trips using public buses and vans. The total number of trips during this period exceeded 6,689. Atthawit Rakchamroon…
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Water gun incident sparks foreign tourist dispute at Songkran event
The lively Thaweewong Road, on Patong Beach in Phuket, bore witness to a heated dispute between two foreign visitors at a Songkran event. This incident, occurring around 4.20pm on April 13, was sparked by a minor altercation involving a water gun. The Songkran event is renowned for its playful water fights, which are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Despite…
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Police checkpoint blitz targets helmetless riders in Pattaya
To curb the mayhem on Thailand’s roads during the Songkran Festival, Bang Lamung police have unleashed a blitz on helmetless riders. Setting up shop along Sukhumvit Road in Nong Prue Subdistrict on Thursday, officers aimed to tackle the notorious issue of motorcyclists without helmets, a leading cause of accidents, especially during festive times. Police Lieutenant Colonel Jakrit Chantakham, Traffic Inspector…
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Pattaya beachfront gets a makeover to enhance city image
A major makeover is unfolding along the 2.7-kilometre coastline of Pattaya Beach. Spearheaded by Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai the project is set to redefine the city’s landscape and will be completed ahead of the original deadline. Funded by a 166 million baht budget, this facelift aims to boost the city’s image and enhance amenities for residents and tourists alike. The…
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Bangkok’s Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024 kicks off
Bangkok witnessed the grand opening of the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024 on Thursday. The event, which is a highlight of Thai cultural celebrations, was inaugurated by the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, alongside other notable agencies. The festival, lasting until Monday, April 15, showcased 20 vibrant parades that marched through Ratchadamnoen Klang Road and Sanam Luang,…
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Pattaya mystery substance confirmed as harmless scrap metal
In Pattaya, local authorities recently allayed fears by announcing that the mysterious black substance discovered in bags near an excavation pit was harmless scrap metal, not the feared carcinogenic cadmium waste. Previously reported concerns revolved around multiple white bags found discarded near a pit in Moo 7, Pattaya. Locals grew anxious, suspecting that the bags could be harbouring the lost…
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Songkran sparks water wars in Pattaya’s beachfront bars
Water wars erupted on Pattaya’s Soi 7 and Soi 8 as Songkran festivities kicked off, transforming the beachfront bars into battlegrounds of fun and frolic. The spirited water play of Songkran burst into life on April 10, igniting the lively bar areas along Pattaya’s Soi 7 and Soi 8. This marked the eagerly anticipated start of the annual celebration, with…
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Bangsaen Beach restaurant platform collapses, injures three
In the coastal town of Bangsaen, Chon Buri, a sea-viewing concrete platform under construction at a restaurant suffered a structural failure, injuring three workers on Tuesday. The platform, located on Soi 18 in the Saen Suk Municipality, Saen Suk subdistrict, Mueang district, was intended to extend over the serene waters of the Bangsaen Sea, providing a panoramic view for the…
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Brutal assault on Jomtien Beach sparks police investigation
Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach became the site of a brutal assault recently, an event captured on video and circulated on social media, triggering a thorough investigation by the local police. The footage shows a group of six men violently attacking a young Thai man near a sidewalk. The video, posted by a Facebook user and soon went viral, reached the local…
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Tourist’s car wheel trapped in poorly covered sewer hole in Sattahip
A peculiar incident unfolded on Monday when an unsuspecting tourist found his car wheel ensnared in an inadequately covered sewer hole on Bang Saray Beach Road, in Sattahip, Chon Buri province. Local media outlets reported this event as it happened under the veil of the previous night. On arrival at the scene of the incident, emergency responders came across a…
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Chinese man arrested in Pattaya for illegal entry and employment
A 36 year old Chinese national was apprehended in Pattaya on April 8, following suspicions of illegal entry into Thailand and unauthorised employment as a guide. On the day of his arrest, Ke Pan was located inside a car, with the windows rolled down, appearing noticeably uneasy upon spotting the patrolling police vehicle, which consequently triggered his attempt to abscond.…
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Thai staff seek justice after German attack in Farang Bar, Pattaya
Another day in Thailand and yet another day where a foreigner behaves badly, ironically, this time in Pattaya’s Farang Bar. Two Thai female employees are seeking justice after a German man attacked them at a bar where they worked on Sunday, April 7. The German accused the bar of overcharging him. The two victims, 55 year old Anchisa Thongphuek and 39…
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Tourist van collides with truck on Pattaya motorway causing injuries
In the early hours of yesterday morning, a journey from Bangkok to Pattaya took a terrifying turn when a van ferrying four Chinese tourists collided with an 18-wheeler on the Pattaya motorway. The collision, which occurred around 1.30am on April 6, resulted in injuries for six occupants of the van, including four tourists. The accident happened on the 85+400-kilometre marker…
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Unidentified bodies discovered in Sattahip community water treatment pond
The tranquillity of the Sattahip district, Chon Buri, was disrupted on April 5 when two unidentified male bodies were discovered floating in a local water treatment pond. The pond, situated within the precincts of the Sattahip Waterworks Office, is a crucial resource, providing drinking water to the community. The grim discovery was made on April 5, around 3.30pm, when the…
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