South Thailand News
Southern Thailand news, Phuket news, Koh Samui news, and Krabi updates—stay informed on business, tourism, and local events from Trang, Songkhla, Yala, and beyond. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Southern Thailand news source.
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Hungry monkeys swarm Hat Yai park, snatching food from visitors
A group of tourists in Hat Yai complained today, March 9, that hungry monkeys are coming down from a nearby mountain to snatch food and, in some cases, try to bite people at Hat Yai Municipality Public Park in Songkhla province. The complaint was raised after visitors said a large troop of monkeys was targeting people carrying meals inside the…
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Three foreigners arrested on Koh Pha Ngan in drug crackdown
Three foreign nationals were arrested on Koh Pha Ngan, Surat Thani province, yesterday, March 8, after immigration officers expanded an investigation into suspected drug distribution to tourists on the island. The arrests followed an investigation that began after a Brazilian drug delivery suspect identified as Pedro was detained on Koh Pha Ngan on March 5 in a drug trafficking case.…
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Seven earthquakes shake Surat Thani, no damage reported
A series of small earthquakes was recorded in Khao Phang subdistrict, Ban Ta Khun district, Surat Thani province, yesterday, March 8, and into early today, March 9, with residents reporting the tremors were clearly felt near Rajjaprabha Dam. The tremors were recorded seven times in one day, with epicentres about one kilometre underground near Rajjaprabha Dam. Five of the earthquakes…
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Russian DJ arrested on Koh Pha Ngan after drug sales to tourists
Tourist police on Koh Pha Ngan arrested a Russian man described as a DJ on March 9 after uncovering an AI drug operation that allegedly arranged sales to tourists through an automated Telegram ordering system. Police received information from an informant that a foreign man living in the Koh Pha Ngan area, Surat Thani province, was selling several types of…
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Speeding stop leads to arrest of Russian man on Koh Pha Ngan
On February 25, tourist police arrested a Russian man with drugs on Koh Pha Ngan, Surat Thani, after stopping a speeding car and later searching his home, where multiple types of narcotics were found. The arrest followed patrols at about 7pm on February 25, where officers followed a car travelling at high speed in a community area. When the vehicle…
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Teenager stabs ex-girlfriend after she refuses to reconcile
A 16 year old Thai boy stabbed his ex-girlfriend in Songkhla province on Saturday, February 21, after she refused to reconcile following a break-up. The victim’s father, 49 year old Udomrat, said the attack happened at about 2.50pm at a teacher welfare residence where his daughter, Fai, was taking extra classes. He shared details of the case with news agencies,…
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South Korean man tragically drowns off Railay Beach, Krabi
A South Korean tourist tragically drowned while swimming with his child off Railay Beach in Krabi on Sunday, February 22. Rangers from Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park were alerted to the incident at about 3pm and recovered the man from the sea. He was later identified as 48 year old South Korean national, Lee Juhyun. Rangers and…
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Suspected cable thief breaks both legs after Trang Hospital chase
A man suspected of stealing property from Trang Hospital was injured last night, February 22, after crashing his motorcycle while fleeing hospital security guards in Mueang Trang district, Trang province. Police at Mueang Trang Police Station said they were notified at about 11pm that a suspect linked to a theft at Trang Hospital had been involved in a motorcycle accident…
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Thai man arrested for beating and burning Siberian Husky in Songkhla
Police in Songkhla arrested a Thai man for beating and burning a Siberian Husky on February 13. The suspect said he acted in retaliation after the dog attacked his rooster. The two year old female Husky, Molly, escaped from her home in Songkhla on February 12 along with another dog, Betsy. Their owners reviewed security camera footage and said the…
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Siberian Husky abused and burned in Songkhla after escaping home
A Thai man is seeking the attacker who abused and set his Siberian Husky on fire after the dog escaped from his home in Songkhla on February 12. The owner, 52 year old Somchai Chanawanno, shared details of the attack on his two year old female dog, Molly, with several media outlets and the Watchdog Thailand Foundation (WDT) as he…
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Songkhla teacher denies mistreating student as motive for fatal shooting
A male teacher denied claims that he mistreated the younger sister of an 18 year old gunman in a fatal shooting at Phatongprathan Kiriwat School in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, on Wednesday, February 11. The teenage suspect, Khemmanan, also known as Khem, entered the school at about 4pm and held students and teachers hostage before opening the fire. The principal,…
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Police seize M16 rifles and grenades in Nakhon Si Thammarat raid
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat arrested three men and seized military-grade weapons during a raid on a house in Thung Song district yesterday, February 12, as part of a crackdown on online arms trafficking. The announcement was made by Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police following an operation carried out under national policy directives to suppress crime involving firearms and explosives.…
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Overlapping score sheets seen again in Trang vote count footage
A viral video recorded in Kantang district, Trang province, appeared to show two election officials marking tallies behind overlapping score sheets, raising eyebrows regarding the transparency of the process. The footage, shared today, February 12, by the Facebook page “อีซ้อขยี้ข่าว อีซ้อ”, shows a similar setup to a previously circulated clip in which score sheets are placed over one another on a…
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Krabi installs heart-shaped traffic lights for Valentine’s Day
Krabi Municipality installed heart-shaped red traffic lights at major intersections in the city yesterday, February 11, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, later sharing photos on its official Facebook page. The unusual traffic lights, shaped like hearts instead of the standard circular red signal, were posted on the official Krabi Municipality Facebook page and quickly drew attention online. The decorative red signals…
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School shooting in Songkhla leaves principal dead, students injured
A young gunman stormed into Phatongprathan Kiriwat School in Hat Yai, Songkhla, yesterday afternoon, February 11, after seizing a police rifle, opening fire on staff and students, and taking hostages before eventually surrendering. Police were first alerted to the incident at 2.54pm after receiving reports of a young man armed with a machete in the Thung Lung area. Officers and…
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King cobras mate roadside in Krabi ahead of Valentine’s Day
Locals in Krabi were left stunned yesterday, February 5, after spotting two massive king cobras mating by the roadside in Khlong Thom district just days before Valentine’s Day. The rare encounter occurred in Khlong Thom Nuea subdistrict, where two king cobras, each measuring an estimated three to four metres long, were seen engaging in mating behaviour along Khlong Chamuang Road…
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German man arrested for political graffiti on Koh Pha Ngan
Police arrested a German man known locally as “Mr Spray” after he spray-painted political graffiti across multiple locations on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province. The suspect was arrested at a hotel in Bangkok on Tuesday, February 4. Residents and business operators on Koh Pha Ngan turned to social media to seek help identifying the foreign man, after numerous…
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15 year old boy arrested over 2.4 million baht gold theft in Hat Yai
Police arrested a 15 year old boy for a gold shop robbery at a supermarket in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, in which gold accessories worth more than 2.4 million baht were stolen. The robbery occurred at around 6.30pm inside a gold shop located within Lotus’s supermarket in Hat Yai. CCTV footage showed the suspect dressed entirely in black and…
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Israeli and El Salvadoran men rescued from Koh Pha Ngan forest
Tourist Police officers, together with local administrative officials, successfully rescued two foreign tourists, Israeli and Salvadoran men, who became lost in a forest on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province last night, February 4. According to authorities, Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received an emergency call via the tourist police hotline 1155 from two foreign men who reported that…
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Gunmen unleash over 20 shotgun rounds on Phatthalung home
Two armed assailants opened fire on a family home in Phaya Khan subdistrict, Phatthalung province, early today, February 4, damaging property and terrifying a family. Police investigators led by Police Lieutenant Wicha Nupeannoi from Mueang Phatthalung Police Station arrived at the scene shortly after 1.30am, accompanied by a forensics team. At the scene, officers recovered eight spent shotgun shells and…
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Thai family welcomes foreigners who mistake funeral feast for restaurant
A Thai family in Nakhon Si Thammarat province warmly welcomed and served food to two groups of foreigners who mistakenly believed that the family’s funeral event was a restaurant. The incident was shared online by a Thai man named Charantorn Chareomkiad, who posted videos from his family’s funeral ceremony held on Saturday, January 31, in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. In…
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‘Mr Spray’ wanted for defacing Koh Pha Ngan with political graffiti
Residents and local business operators on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province called on police to take action against “Mr Spay“, a foreign man who spray-painted political slogans on public and private property across the island. Residents told reporters that the man spray-painted messages such as “Save Gaza” and “Libre” on traffic signs, electricity poles, and walls belonging to…
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Foreign tourists’ pickup stuck in sand at Phang Nga beach
Two foreign tourists found themselves in a sticky situation yesterday evening, February 2, after their pickup truck became stuck in the sand at Na Tai Beach in Phang Nga province. The incident unfolded around 7pm on February 2 while a local woman, Wilawan, and her friends were camping and fishing along the shoreline in Khok Kloi subdistrict, Takua Thung district.…
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Owner demands justice after cat found dead outside neighbour’s home
A cat owner filed a complaint in Songkhla today, February 2, after his Persian cat was found dead inside a sack under suspicious circumstances, with conflicting accounts over whether the animal had been mauled by dogs or killed deliberately. The incident involves a nine month old Persian cat named Kitkat, whose owner, 20 year old Patchara, said the cat was…
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Stranded whale dies in Satun despite rescue attempts from locals
A young whale over five metres long died yesterday, January 27, after straying into shallow waters near a fishing community in Satun, despite repeated attempts by locals to guide it back to deeper sea. The incident took place in the coastal area of Baan Puyu, where residents discovered the weakened whale struggling near a boat dock in Moo 3 village.…
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Surat Thani nightclub sparks backlash over contemporary nora dance
A nightclub in Surat Thani province sparked online controversy after featuring a contemporary nora folk dance performance during its New Year celebration last year. A video of the performance circulated widely on Thai social media and was later reposted by the popular news Facebook page Jmoi V+. The footage showed three performers dressed in full traditional nora costumes dancing on…
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Nigerian drug dealer arrested on Koh Pha Ngan after skipping court
Police arrested a Nigerian drug dealer on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani on Wednesday, January 14, after he skipped court proceedings following an earlier arrest. Officers from the Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received a tip-off that the suspect, 38 year old Nigerian national Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, who was wanted in a drug case, was travelling along a road…
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Garage owner and cop exchange shots over noise complaints
A noise complaint turned into a late-night shootout in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Wednesday, January 14, after a police officer and a garage owner pulled guns on each other during an argument over after-hours car repairs. The incident took place around 11pm at a garage on Pak Nakhon Road in Tha Sak subdistrict, Mueang district. A police officer, reportedly intoxicated,…
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Truck crash in Phatthalung reveals suspected Rohingya smuggling
A road crash involving two trucks in Phatthalung yesterday, January 12, left multiple people injured and led police to uncover what they believe was the illegal transport of Rohingya migrants. The accident occurred on the southbound lane of the Asia Highway in Moo 1, Chamong subdistrict, Khuan Khanun district. Officers from Khuan Khanun Police Station responded to the scene alongside…
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Drug suspect escapes after police officer grants ‘farewell’ release
A police officer in Nakhon Si Thammarat was dismissed from government service after releasing his friend, a detained drug suspect, who later escaped from custody. The officer claimed the suspect deceived him by saying he wanted to say goodbye to his family before imprisonment. The suspect, Ekkaluck Datepalit, was arrested on Saturday, January 10, for possession of a Category 1…
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