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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Thai housemaid’s 100 million baht fortune hits a legal snag
A Thai housemaid on Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, is unable to claim a 100-million-baht estate left to her by her deceased French employer due to illegal actions surrounding the foreigner’s business. The 59 year old French businesswoman, Catherine Delacote, took her own life on April 29 of this year by shooting herself at her…
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DoRR sets its sights on a ‘lake’ of possibilities for Songkhla travel
The Department of Rural Roads (DoRR) is currently exploring the possibility of establishing a new route over Songkhla Lake, aiming to ease travel between Mueang and Singha Nakhon districts. This initiative, which could potentially result in the construction of a bridge or tunnel, is being examined through a feasibility study, with preliminary results expected to be available next month. Weeradej…
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French tourist missing after boat capsizes in Surat Thani
A French tourist has been reported missing following the capsizing of a tour boat in Surat Thani’s Rajjaprabha Dam reservoir. The incident occurred yesterday, November 23, when strong winds and high waves overturned the vessel carrying 13 people, including 10 French tourists, a tour guide, a caregiver, and the boat operator. Rene Mary Corre, whose age remains unknown, was part…
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Caterpillar outbreak devastates Songkhla’s coconut plantations
A significant outbreak of black-headed caterpillars has severely impacted coconut plantations across four districts in Songkhla, causing extensive damage to the crops. Local agricultural officials are responding by deploying parasitic wasps and chemical agents to combat the infestation. Agricultural experts have reported that the black-headed caterpillar infestation is affecting coconut trees in the Sathing Phra Peninsula and other areas of…
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Phatthalung declared disaster zone amid severe flooding
Severe flooding has hit several areas in the southern province of Phatthalung, prompting officials to declare disaster zones across four districts, affecting 15 subdistricts, 57 villages, and 12 communities. The heavy rainfall has led to both flood and wind disaster declarations, with urgent evacuations underway to move residents to safer areas. Kongsakul Jantrach, acting governor of Phatthalung, convened a meeting…
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Trang monk defrocked after alcohol-fueled disturbance
A monk, involved in a public disturbance while allegedly drunk, insisted on his innocence, claiming he only consumed alcohol and did not use any illegal substances. The incident unfolded near a child development centre in Trang province, raising concerns among the local community. Law enforcement received a report about a monk and a layperson causing a commotion. Upon arrival, officers…
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Hat Yai water meter thief falls through roof during police chase
A man responsible for stealing water meters in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, found himself in a sticky situation when he attempted to flee from the police. The incident unfolded yesterday, November 21 in the bustling area of Hat Yai, where residents had been repeatedly victimised by the theft of water meters from their homes. Local police, led by Anuwat Rittichai,…
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Interior ministry allocates 56 million baht for Surat Thani marshland
Thailand’s Ministry of Interior approved a budget of over 56 million baht for the fiscal year 2025 to develop the Khlong Khwai marshland, aiming to create a new green space for the people of Surat Thani province. Kanisini Opasrangsank, a Member of Parliament for Constituency 1 in Surat Thani and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Thai Nation Party, along with…
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Drug-addicted Thai man murders former employer in plantation
A drug-addicted Thai man fatally attacked his former female employer at a palm plantation in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat on Tuesday after she and her girlfriend unexpectedly terminated his employment. Officers from Chang Klang Police Station were called to a house in the palm plantation in the Chawang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat on Tuesday, November 19,…
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Phanom district grows kitchen gardens for food security boost
Local cuisine serves as a captivating cultural heritage, embodying the essence of each community. A new initiative in Phanom district in the southern province of Surat Thani embodies this spirit by utilising the vacant space in front of the district office to cultivate kitchen gardens, promoting food security. The District Chief of Phanom, Suchau Tumosik, in collaboration with local leaders…
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Grenade attack at Songkhla construction site injures three
A construction workers’ camp was attacked with an M79 grenade launcher, leading to a fire and injuring three people. The assault occurred in a private company’s restricted area in Thepha district, Songkhla, early this morning. Police are actively investigating the incident. The unexpected attack took place at approximately 6am, targeting the workers’ accommodation within a large Guan Yin statue construction…
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Trat: Man punches woman unconscious due to sarcastic remarks
A violent altercation occurred last night when a man repeatedly punched a woman until she lost consciousness, leaving her with a swollen face. The incident took place in a rented room in Trat province, following a drinking session where the woman reportedly made several sarcastic remarks. Despite warnings, the man lost patience, resulting in the assault. Trat City Police received…
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Thailand to repatriate 900 seized lemurs and turtles to Madagascar
Thailand is set to return over 900 lemurs and rare turtles to Madagascar, following a significant seizure from the illegal wildlife trade, as stated by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). The DNP announced that 963 animals, including ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, spider tortoises, and radiated tortoises, are currently under the care of officials. These animals…
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Fisheries department seize 200k baht shellfish in smuggling bust
Thai police intercepted a foreign fishing vessel attempting to smuggle marine goods into Thailand, seizing a significant haul of shellfish. The operation highlights the nation’s commitment to combating illegal fishing and protecting its maritime resources. The Department of Fisheries, led by Banchao Sukkaeo, played a pivotal role in the recent operation that took place on Sunday, November 17. The team,…
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Pattani pair ‘checkout’ with million-baht heist
Two thieves remain at large after stealing 1.2 million baht from the manager of a convenience store in the southern province of Pattani. Officers from Mayo Police Station are searching for the male suspects involved in the theft, which occurred at around 2.30pm, yesterday, November 18. The victim was the manager of a convenience store, who was on her way…
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American arrested for alleged sexual assault of Chinese woman
Hat Yai police have arrested a 39 year old American man following serious allegations of sexual assault against a 35 year old Chinese woman. The case unfolded after the victim, known publicly as Chang, bravely came forward to report the distressing incident. The drama began on November 2 when Chang and the suspect, identified as Christian, first crossed paths at…
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Tourists in Trang thrilled by rare dugong sighting near Koh Libong
Tourists in Trang were thrilled to encounter a fully grown dugong grazing on seagrass, a sight not witnessed for several months. The boat operator quickly launched a drone to capture the memorable moment, creating a buzz among the visitors. At Ban Phrang Pier in the Koh Libong area of Kantang district, Trang province, Anon Kingkoyao, a tour operator on Koh…
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Motorbike bomb attack injures five police officers in Pattani
An explosive attack targeted a police truck in Pattani yesterday, injuring five officers when a bomb planted on a motorcycle was detonated remotely. The incident occurred at 2.40pm, yesterday, November 14, near the Tanyong Dalo Bridge in Yaring district. Police Colonel Teerapot Yindi, head of Yaring Police Station in Pattani, was alerted to the attack, which left the police truck…
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Bridge over troubled water: Cops probe grim find in murder mystery
Police are hunting for suspects after the dead body of a Thai man, with his arms tied and two gunshot wounds, was found under a bridge in the southern province of Narathiwat on Tuesday. The body, believed to belong to a man aged between 20 and 30 years, was discovered under a bridge on Tuesday, November 12, in the Ra-ngae…
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Paramilitary rangers ambushed in Yala rubber plantation attack
Gunfire erupted in Bannang Sata as armed assailants ambushed paramilitary rangers, leaving one officer injured in a rubber plantation near a local community and school. The incident unfolded in the afternoon, sparking an immediate response from police. The confrontation occurred at 3pm yesterday, November 13, when an unidentified group launched an assault on a unit of paramilitary rangers from Ranger…
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Thai woman arrested for acid attack on Vietnamese love rival 9 years ago
Police arrested a Thai woman in the southern province of Songkhla yesterday for an acid attack on a Vietnamese woman motivated by jealousy after she had evaded arrest for more than nine years. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) apprehended the suspect, 59 year old Nitsata, in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, yesterday, November 12, on a charge of attempted…
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Coconut prices crack open a fortune for farmers in Trang
Coconut farmers in Trang province are celebrating as prices soar, with coconuts now fetching as much as 20 baht each, doubling previous prices. This lucrative market shift promises earnings exceeding 30,000 baht, drawing significant interest from traders eager to purchase entire plantations. At the integrated agricultural garden owned by 64 year old Suthep Wattanavatchara, located in the village of Khao…
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Thai woman’s daring car cling ends in roadside heartbreak (video)
A Thai woman desperately tried to stop her husband from fleeing with his mistress by clinging onto his car, only to be savagely attacked and left abandoned by him on a roadside in Phatthalung, a southern province. The 48 year old woman, Bee, called officers from Mueang Phatthalung Police Station to pick her up from the side of Aphai Borrirak…
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Lifeless body of Indian man found after Koh Samui waterfall stumble
Thai officials discovered the body of a 29 year old Indian man yesterday after he accidentally fell from the cliff at Na Mueang 2 Waterfall on Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Over 30 officials from Koh Samui Police Station, rescue teams, the local administrative office, and the Royal Forest Department participated in the search…
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Thai pervert harasses schoolgirl, pretends to trip to kiss victim (video)
Schoolgirls in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat become the target of a perverted man who pretended to trip and sway to kiss a schoolgirl yesterday, November 7. The male Facebook user, Thanakorn Suthin, shared details of the sexual assault on the Facebook group || ประเทศคอน || (meaning Nakhon country) yesterday, including a video and a picture of the…
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Narathiwat mayor fatally gunned down at garment factory
In a shocking daylight assassination, the popular two-time mayor of the Rueso subdistrict in the southern province of Narathiwat was brutally shot dead at his garment factory. The 55 year old mayor, Wichet Thaithongnum, known by locals as Mayor Arm, was gunned down by a group of men wielding war weapons in an audacious attack that has left the community…
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Locals reel in Thai man stranded at sea for 2-hours near Koh Samui (video)
Locals on Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, came to the aid of a Thai man who accidentally fell into the sea yesterday and was stranded, treading water for two hours. Samui Association Rescue Volunteers were alerted by locals at around 9am yesterday, November 6, that the Thai man, later identified as 34 year old Sanadate,…
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Dugong numbers in Andaman Sea may drop 70% in four years
Dugong populations in the Andaman Sea face a potential 70% decline within the next four years, primarily due to a shrinking supply of seagrass, their main food source. This alarming prediction was made by a marine biologist, emphasising the urgent need for conservation efforts to save this vulnerable marine mammal. Thon Thamrongnawasawat highlighted the crisis in seagrass reserves, stressing the…
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Rare albino fish caught in Satun canal sparks ethical debate
A young man fishing along a canal in Satun province caught five fish but it was the last one that left him astonished. The unusual fish had an albino-like body shimmering in the sunlight, prompting questions about whether it should be kept or released into the wild. News emerged yesterday, November 4, of a young man who had set out to…
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Pattani police officer survives ambush after brave retaliation
Gunmen ambushed and shot a 52 year old police officer from Mayo Police Station in Pattani while he was riding his motorcycle home after prayers. The attack occurred in the evening but Abdulhadi, despite sustaining injuries, managed to return fire, causing the assailants to flee. The incident unfolded yesterday, November 4 around 8.30pm on a village road in Moo 1,…
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