Eastern Thailand News

Eastern Thailand news, Pattaya news, Isaan news, Rayong updates, and Chonburi developments—stay informed on local events, business, tourism, and culture, including attractions like the Sanctuary of Truth and Koh Samet. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Eastern Thailand news source.

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    5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)

    Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...

  • Thousands rally to greet Thaksin in Korat homecoming

    Thousands rally to greet Thaksin in Korat homecoming

    The red shirts are rolling out the red carpet for Thaksin Shinawatra, as the paroled former prime minister prepares for his first visit to the northeastern province in almost two decades today. Kowit Khorhenklang, a fervent supporter of Thaksin, anticipates a crowd of 3,000 to join him at Wat Sangkha Chinaram in Sida district this afternoon. Thaksin will attend the…

  • Northeast Thailand: Wildlife officer mauled by bear survives attack

    Northeast Thailand: Wildlife officer mauled by bear survives attack

    A brave wildlife officer narrowly escaped death after being mauled by a ferocious bear while patrolling a remote mountain in northeast Thailand. Danai, a 39 year old officer from the Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum province, was conducting a routine patrol through dense woodland last Friday, May 17 when an Asian black bear emerged, attacking Danai with its powerful…

  • Record sea temperatures devastate coral reefs and marine life

    Record sea temperatures devastate coral reefs and marine life

    Record sea surface temperatures in Thailand’s eastern gulf coast are causing severe damage to the region’s aquatic life, raising concerns among scientists and local communities. Coral reefs that were once vibrant and colourful, situated about 5 metres underwater, have turned white due to coral bleaching. This phenomenon indicates deteriorating health caused by elevated water temperatures. Data reveals that sea surface…

  • Rocket near-miss with aircraft prompts safety concerns in Surin

    Rocket near-miss with aircraft prompts safety concerns in Surin

    Rocket fireworks narrowly missed an aircraft in Surin province on Sunday, prompting officials to urge pilots to navigate around them. The district chief denied the incident occurred in his area, highlighting a lack of clarity about the event’s location. Local reporters were alerted to illegal gambling activities at the Boon Bang Fai rocket festival behind a temple in Ban Jang…

  • Cambodian worker in Thailand wins 12 million baht in lottery

    Cambodian worker in Thailand wins 12 million baht in lottery

    A Cambodian woman working as a labourer in Nakhon Ratchasima has become a millionaire after winning 12 million baht in the lottery. She shared the emotional moment of realising she had won, celebrating with her partner. Reports emerged that a foreign worker had won the first prize in the lottery, amounting to 12 million baht, at Ban Khok Na Klang,…

  • Torrential May downpour turns Bang Saray into river

    Torrential May downpour turns Bang Saray into river

    Relentless rain wreaked havoc across Bang Saray, transforming streets into rivers and causing chaos for locals. Since the crack of dawn yesterday, unyielding rain transformed Bang Saray in Sattahip District into a watery maze, inundating Sukhumvit Road and nearby areas. The deluge overwhelmed drainage systems, plunging streets into chaos and triggering severe traffic snarls. The downpour hit Sukhumvit Road hardest,…

  • Rayong residents demand action after fire raises safety fears

    Rayong residents demand action after fire raises safety fears

    A demand for immediate action echoed from Rayong residents following a factory fire last month that has heightened concerns over chemical safety. Community members, deeply troubled by the incident, mobilised a protest to present their case to provincial governor Traiphop Wongtrairat. The villagers convened at Wat Nong Phawa in the Ban Khai district to voice their concerns before proceeding to…

  • Surin temple’s Buddha statue event sparks lottery buzz

    Surin temple’s Buddha statue event sparks lottery buzz

    A revered wooden Buddha statue’s head-raising ceremony at Nong Khu Pattana Temple in Surin province has become the talk of the town, as the auspicious numbers divined in the ritual matched the age of the temple’s abbot. The event yesterday drew a large crowd of devotees and lottery enthusiasts eager to witness the traditional ceremony and perhaps gain insight into…

  • Nakhon Ratchasima farmer earns big with sweetleaf bush

    Nakhon Ratchasima farmer earns big with sweetleaf bush

    In a remarkable agricultural venture in Nakhon Ratchasima, a Thai farmer transformed a 1-acre plot of land into a thriving sweetleaf bush plantation, with a yield that commands an impressive price of 200 baht per kilogramme. The 63 year old farmer, Aatthakorn Kaewmorakot, resides in Chan Kho, Mu 3, Rang Ka Yai Sub-district, Phimai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and is…

  • Reeling in profits: Nakhon Ratchasima villagers cash in on low water levels

    Reeling in profits: Nakhon Ratchasima villagers cash in on low water levels

    Villagers in Nakhon Ratchasima flocked to buy fishing permits, taking advantage of the reduced water levels in a natural canal to catch fish for both consumption and sale, thereby boosting their income. The funds raised from selling the permits are earmarked for village development. Reporters noted that hundreds of residents from the Phimai district, in Nakhon Ratchasima province, gathered at…

  • Rayong warehouse disaster: Government ramps up aid

    Rayong warehouse disaster: Government ramps up aid

    A fiery inferno engulfed Rayong’s Map Ta Phut Industrial Park, leaving death and devastation in its wake. The government springs into action, accelerating aid to affected victims and locals. The catastrophic blaze ignited around 10.30am when a colossal pyrolysis gasoline (pygas) storage tank exploded at Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal. SCG Chemicals Plc, a vital petrochemical subsidiary of Siam Cement…

  • Rayong tourism suffers after industrial area explosion

    Rayong tourism suffers after industrial area explosion

    Tourism in Rayong has suffered a setback after a pyrolysis gasoline tank in the Map Ta Phut industrial area exploded on Thursday, resulting in one death and four injuries. The incident led to a flurry of tour cancellations at several fruit farms in the area, despite being located 40 to 50 kilometres away from the site of the explosion. The…

  • Massive drug bust: Heroin seized in river smuggling operation

    Massive drug bust: Heroin seized in river smuggling operation

    Local officers from Na Ngiew Police Station and border patrol police swooped down on Phukhao Thong village in Ban Mueang subdistrict, uncovering a labyrinthine web of drug smuggling. Nestled in the Sangkhom district of Nong Khai province, this clandestine operation bordered Laos. Upon arrival, the officers stumbled upon four shadowy figures ferrying cardboard boxes into a nondescript house. Police Lieutenant…

  • Lucky in lottery: Religious ceremony in Udon Thani promises wealth

    Lucky in lottery: Religious ceremony in Udon Thani promises wealth

    At a revered ritual site in Udon Thani, a large crowd gathered for a ceremony believed to unlock wealth and prosperity. Participants fixated on numbers they hoped would bring luck in the next lottery draw on May 16. In the serene precincts of the Naga King’s land at Ban Non-Mueang in Udon Thani, a grand ceremony took place yesterday, invoking…

  • Map Ta Phut fire: Company hero’s selfless act ends in tragic death

    Map Ta Phut fire: Company hero’s selfless act ends in tragic death

    A selfless act of bravery by a 36 year old company employee attempting to close a valve on a tank moments before a gasoline explosion has tragically cost him his life. The incident occurred during a fire at the Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal in the town of Map Ta Phut, Rayong province, resulting in one fatality and several injuries.…

  • School van driver confesses to murder of woman in Roi Et

    School van driver confesses to murder of woman in Roi Et

    Investigations concluded yesterday as police made a definitive arrest of a school van driver for the murder of a 23 year old woman whose body was found handcuffed, abandoned in a scrubland by the Chi River in Roi Et province. After a meticulous search, authorities apprehended a 67 year old school van driver, named Ken, from the same village as…

  • Teen dies after brutal assault at Nakhon Phanom temple

    Teen dies after brutal assault at Nakhon Phanom temple

    A 16 year old boy fell victim to a brutal assault by a group of eight teenagers after helping out at a temple in Phon Sawan, Nakhon Phanom. The culprits, aged between 16 and 18, were later apprehended by the police. The victim and a friend were returning from their temple duties at Wat Phra That Phon Sawan when they encountered…

  • Ubon Ratchathani storm left homes damaged and child deceased

    Ubon Ratchathani storm left homes damaged and child deceased

    A devastating summer storm swept through several areas of Ubon Ratchathani province last night, causing damage to over 1,000 homes and resulting in the death of a young child. The young girl succumbed to her injuries in the hospital after the storm had subsided. Most affected were the area of Nong Song Hong, Yang Yo Phap sub-district, and Mueng Sam…

  • Si Racha grapples with severe flooding after torrential rains

    Si Racha grapples with severe flooding after torrential rains

    Torrential rains have battered Si Racha, a district in the province of Chon Buri, causing widespread flooding and damage. The downpour, which lasted for hours, overwhelmed drainage systems and caused water levels to rise rapidly, inundating homes and submerging vehicles. The deluge struck at 10am today, catching many residents off-guard. Cars and motorcycles were seen partially submerged, and numerous electrical…

  • Thai monks implicated in illicit wildlife sanctuary encroachment

    Thai monks implicated in illicit wildlife sanctuary encroachment

    Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary officers yesterday unveiled a case of alleged illicit encroachment involving monks from a highly revered temple in Chaiyaphum. The monks and their accomplices are suspected of violating the sanctity of the wildlife sanctuary’s protected grounds. The Suomi NPP satellite pinpointed 14 hotspots in a forest located in Nong Bua Daeng, Chaiyaphum on Tuesday. Responding swiftly, the…

  • Ammonia leak in Udon Thani ice factory prompts evacuation

    Ammonia leak in Udon Thani ice factory prompts evacuation

    An ammonia gas leak at an ice factory near a fresh market in Udon Thani caused panic and led to the evacuation of approximately 20 homes in the vicinity. With temperatures soaring to 44 degrees Celsius, it is suspected that the heat and outdated equipment contributed to the incident, which occurred early in the morning. Chaos ensued when an ice…

  • Summer storm unroofs homes in Chaiyaphum

    Summer storm unroofs homes in Chaiyaphum

    A devastating summer storm recently struck the Chaiyaphum province, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The community of Ban Na Sao was hit by a severe storm yesterday, resulting in significant damage to over 10 houses. The powerful storm, characterised by strong winds, caused widespread blackouts throughout the village, tearing roofs off houses and granaries with alarming ease.…

  • Supachai Phosu found guilty of serious ethical misconduct

    Supachai Phosu found guilty of serious ethical misconduct

    The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) of Thailand declared former Deputy Agriculture Minister Supachai Phosu, culpable of serious ethical misconduct. The charges stem from his unlawful occupation of a forest reserve in Nakhon Phanom province. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, the NACC spokesman, declared that the case will be forwarded to the Supreme Court for political office holders to determine the final verdict. Investigations…

  • Thai gold shop owner saves parents hundreds on student uniforms

    Thai gold shop owner saves parents hundreds on student uniforms

    A gold shop owner in Roi Et province has become a local hero by offering a unique solution to parents struggling with the cost of student uniforms. Wimol Archasantisuk, the brains behind this heartening initiative, turned heads with his generosity. Wimol, the compassionate owner, embarked on a mission to ease the financial burden on parents gearing up for the new…

  • Boxing camp owner murdered in Buriram

    Boxing camp owner murdered in Buriram

    A boxing camp owner known by many as Sia Dam was brutally murdered at a religious celebration in Buriram. Sia Dam, whose real name is being withheld, was a 56 year old boxing camp owner from Surin Province. The incident occurred yesterday when an unknown assailant shot him in the head and neck, leading to his death in his Hyundai…

  • Prachin Buri villagers flock to submerged Takian tree for luck

    Prachin Buri villagers flock to submerged Takian tree for luck

    Prachin Buri province has become the focal point of local excitement and speculation as villagers claim to have witnessed a sacred Takian tree yearning to emerge from the water. This mysterious occurrence was first noticed by a fisherman and has since attracted scores of lottery enthusiasts seeking blessings and lucky numbers. Today, April 23, reports emerged from Prachin Buri, where…

  • Debt woes: Woman found dead in pond in Nong Bua Lamphu

    Debt woes: Woman found dead in pond in Nong Bua Lamphu

    A 57 year old woman was found dead in a pond in Nong Bua Lamphu province, following a period of severe stress due to her tenants failing to pay three months’ worth of rent. Children playing nearby initially spotted the body floating in the water and alerted adults yesterday. The deceased, later identified as Sumalee, had expressed to her mother…

  • Chemical warehouse fire causes evacuation in Ban Khai district

    Chemical warehouse fire causes evacuation in Ban Khai district

    A fire broke out at a chemical warehouse in the tambon Bang But area of Ban Khai district, leading to a series of explosions and prompting the evacuation of residents. The blaze, originating from the industrial waste warehouse owned by Win Process Co, ignited at approximately 9am today, April 22. The response was immediate, with 16 fire engines, eight ambulances,…

  • Thai Cyber Police bust major online gambling ring in Chanthaburi

    Thai Cyber Police bust major online gambling ring in Chanthaburi

    The Thai Cyber Police dismantled a prominent online gambling ring operating under the name texas147, with an estimated turnover of 300 million baht. The raid involved searches at two locations in the Khlong district of Chanthaburi province, resulting in the seizure of computers and luxury vehicles. The operation, led by high-ranking officers from the Cyber Police and Immigration Bureau, along…

  • Five dead in Nakhon Phanom road accident

    Five dead in Nakhon Phanom road accident

    A road accident claimed the lives of five family members when their Isuzu D-Max pickup truck veered off the road and collided with an electricity pole in Nakhon Phanom province. The incident, which occurred at 12.30pm yesterday, involved a vehicle carrying six relatives from Amnat Charoen province. The driver, 42 year old Kanchai Sarakun was among the deceased. The latest…