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.

  • Sponsored

    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...

  • Elderly rice farmer dies in field blaze in Udon Thani

    Elderly rice farmer dies in field blaze in Udon Thani

    A tragic incident occurred yesterday in Udon Thani province where a 73 year old rice farmer perished in a blaze that swept through his field. Police Deputy Inspector Niwat Jaengkrathok of Huai Luang Police Station, alongside medical personnel from Udon Thani Hospital Center and the Sawang Metha Tham rescue team, responded to the distress call at Ban Naklong, in the…

  • 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…

  • Frosty fright: Ammonia leak chills Bang Lamung district

    Frosty fright: Ammonia leak chills Bang Lamung district

    An ice factory in Nong Prue, a tambon of Bang Lamung district, experienced an ammonia leak early this morning, affecting nearly 100 people within its 1-kilometre vicinity. The incident at Banglamung Ice Plant was reported to the district chief, Weekit Manarotekit, shortly before midnight yesterday, April 17. Emergency rescue teams quickly arrived at the scene, discovering that the leaked ammonia…

  • Man’s ear nearly cut off during Songkran celebration in Chon Buri

    Man’s ear nearly cut off during Songkran celebration in Chon Buri

    A man’s ear was nearly cut off during a violent altercation that took place yesterday evening in Chon Buri province, resulting in an emergency response from local rescuers. The incident, which occurred during the Songkran festivities, reportedly began over a disagreement about the man’s singing abilities. At approximately 7pm, yesterday April 16, the emergency services of Thammarat Manee Rat Rescue…

  • Two pickup trucks collide in fatal crash in Buriram

    Two pickup trucks collide in fatal crash in Buriram

    Tragedy struck on the festive return home during Songkran as two pickup trucks collided head-on, resulting in both vehicles being crumpled and three people killed instantly. The accident occurred at 11pm yesterday in Buriram province where a six year old girl was among four others injured. Responding swiftly to the crash site in the Donmont Subdistrict, Buriram province, police and…

  • Chanthaburi ignites night-time Songkran with spirited water fights

    Chanthaburi ignites night-time Songkran with spirited water fights

    Chanthaburi’s Khao Thip Road was awash with festivities as the first night-time Songkran celebration in Thailand commenced at 8pm yesterday. Tens of thousands of tourists flocked to engage in the water-splashing merriments, marking the start of the country’s traditional New Year. The event, taking place along the Tha Chalaeb Road and encircling the public park lake of Somdet Phra Chao…

  • Army private drowns in reservoir during Songkran festivities

    Army private drowns in reservoir during Songkran festivities

    Tragedy struck a family during the joyous period of Songkran, as a 22 year old army private who was returning home for the festivities drowned in a reservoir in Nakhon Ratchasima. The incident occurred yesterday at approximately 3.50pm, when Anuchit, visiting his girlfriend’s family, decided to cool off from the heat by swimming across the Huay Yang reservoir in Pak…

  • Homeless man’s reign of terror sparks concern in Sattahip

    Homeless man’s reign of terror sparks concern in Sattahip

    In a corner near the junction of Highway 332 and J-Intersection-Kasemphop Road, Bang Saray, Sattahip, a temporary abode has been claimed by a violent 55 year old homeless man. Responding to distress calls, law enforcement officers swooped in to confront the unidentified vagabond, after reports flooded in of his erratic and alarming behaviour. Witnesses recounted harrowing tales of the man…

  • Koh Chang durian prices soar to 250 baht amid production drop

    Koh Chang durian prices soar to 250 baht amid production drop

    A surge in demand for the famed Chanee Koh Chang durian from Trat Province has seen prices starting at 250 baht per kilogramme. With a reported production drop of 30% due to unpredictable weather, local farmers are busy selling the highly sought-after fruit both in-store and online. Phuttiphong Phothipanich, an agricultural officer from Koh Chang, Trat Province, inspected the first…

  • Chon Buri childcare center shock: Police probe guard’s death

    Chon Buri childcare center shock: Police probe guard’s death

    A 52 year old security guard was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a childcare centre in Chon Buri Province, sparking an immediate police investigation. The distressing scene, discovered early this morning, included the guard’s body with multiple injuries and torn clothes scattered across the area, raising suspicions of foul play. Upon receiving a distress call around 5am today, April…

  • Northeast Thailand tackles drug trafficking

    Northeast Thailand tackles drug trafficking

    War against drug trafficking is underway in Northeast Thailand. Police Lieutenant General Sarayut Sa-nguanphokai, the Commander of Provincial Police Region 4 unveiled the details of this ambitious operation named “No Place for Drugs” during a press conference held on Thursday. The operation’s primary goal is to dismantle the local drug trade, focusing on 87 known hotspots under the jurisdiction of…

  • Udon Thani luxury home ransacked by thieves

    Udon Thani luxury home ransacked by thieves

    A Udon Thani homeowner was left in shock yesterday when he returned to find his luxury home ransacked by a brazen thief. Among the stolen objects are parts from a cherished Rolls-Royce inherited from the homeowner’s grandparents. The incident, which took place in the Soi Jintakam area, is currently under police investigation. Udon Thani police were alerted to a burglary…

  • Rayong police investigate Facebook gold scam

    Rayong police investigate Facebook gold scam

    Victims of a fraudulent gold instalment scheme reported their case to the police, claiming to have been deceived by a scammer posing as a renowned gold shop in Rayong. Police Lieutenant Anuphong Phuangpee from the Klaeng District Police Station in Rayong Province received complaints from three victims, including 46 year old Suladda, Pornpawee, and Sasithorn. They were duped into making…

  • Man’s fiery folly: Smoking while filling petrol bottles leads to fire

    Man’s fiery folly: Smoking while filling petrol bottles leads to fire

    An absentminded Thai man inadvertently triggered a catastrophic blaze by smoking while filling up petrol bottles leading to a catastrophic blaze that engulfed his house and caused moderate injuries in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri. On Wednesday, April 3, a man inadvertently triggered a catastrophic blaze by smoking while filling up petrol bottles. The resulting fire engulfed his house and…

  • Teen gang fatally shoots boy in Udon Thani province

    Teen gang fatally shoots boy in Udon Thani province

    A group of teenagers ruthlessly chased down and fatally shot a 14 year old boy in the Nong Han District, Udon Thani province, leaving two of his peers severely injured. The horrific incident occurred on the evening of March 31, in the village of Ban Yang. Captured by CCTV, five youths on two motorcycles pursued the group to a dead-end…

  • Khon Kaen parents forced to pay ‘tea money’ for student admission

    Khon Kaen parents forced to pay ‘tea money’ for student admission

    Eight secondary schools in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen found themselves in hot water as officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) launched an investigation into alleged corruption practices. Parents have lodged complaints, accusing decision-makers within these schools of demanding exorbitant “tea money” sums, reaching up to 100,000 baht, from families whose children failed the entrance examination. Thirat Bangpetch,…

  • Michelin Guide makes a tasty debut in Thailand culinary hotspot

    Michelin Guide makes a tasty debut in Thailand culinary hotspot

    Representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), government officials, media personalities, and distinguished guests converged at the Okura Prestige Bangkok hotel yesterday for a high-profile press conference for the revelation of Chon Buri as the New City Debut for the Michelin Guide Thailand 2025 edition. Chon Buri, nestled on the eastern coast of Thailand, emerges as the perfect canvas…

  • Police nab knife-wielding teenagers in Nakhon Ratchasima

    Police nab knife-wielding teenagers in Nakhon Ratchasima

    A gang of teenagers brandishing knives and causing late-night disturbances with firecrackers in Nakhon Ratchasima province has been apprehended by the police. The group, comprising of both boys and girls, reportedly terrorised the local community with their threatening behaviour. Law enforcement officers from Pak Chong Police Station, led by Police Colonel Veerapol Rabiapthoh, and his team, in collaboration with local…

  • Counterfeit 1,000-baht notes found in central and east provinces

    Counterfeit 1,000-baht notes found in central and east provinces

    Counterfeit 1,000-baht notes have hit businesses hard in two provinces, with shop owners in Samut Songkhram and Ratchaburi reeling from the circulation of fake currency. A warning has been issued to the community, along with guidance on how to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit banknotes. This follows a social media alert in Samut Songkhram Province about the spread of fake…

  • British man dies after bathroom fall at Chon Buri residence

    British man dies after bathroom fall at Chon Buri residence

    A British businessman met a fatal end today at 7.10am after slipping and falling onto a glass sliding door in the bathroom at his Chon Buri residence, resulting in glass impaling his chest. Police Lieutenant Colonel Surasingh Sukmak, the deputy investigator, was notified of the incident which involved 54 year old British national, Gareth John Wilson. The accident took place…

  • Industrial Commission exposes Chinese steel mill’s law violations

    Industrial Commission exposes Chinese steel mill’s law violations

    The Industrial Commission in Thailand has exposed law violations on the back of a Chinese steel mill crane collapsing in Rayong. This mill, as it turns out, is under Chinese ownership. The revelation led by Industrial Commission Chairman Akaradej Wongpitakroj has brought to the surface allegations of multiple Thai law violations by these Chinese investors. The commission informed the public…

  • Workers get million-baht compensation for Rayong crane accident

    Workers get million-baht compensation for Rayong crane accident

    Following a harrowing crane collapse tragedy in Rayong’s Pluak Daeng district where seven lives were lost, negotiations between workers and authorities have culminated in a million-baht compensation deal. The predominantly Myanmar workforce reluctantly reopened the site this morning only after the construction firm, under pressure, agreed to a compensation package amounting to 1.6 million baht for each fatality. The turmoil…

  • Rayong fishing groups sue Star Petroleum over oil spill devastation

    Rayong fishing groups sue Star Petroleum over oil spill devastation

    A class action lawsuit has been initiated by 14 individuals from Rayong, representing fishing groups and local businesses. They are suing Star Petroleum Refining Company (SPRC), the owner of an underwater oil pipeline that ruptured in 2022, claiming that the subsequent major oil spill has devastated their livelihoods. These individuals are part of a local fishing community known as Pak…

  • Fishing net tragedy claims life in Sa Kaeo

    Fishing net tragedy claims life in Sa Kaeo

    A local fishing enthusiast tragically lost his life in Sa Kaeo Province. His body was found entangled in a fishing net in a large pond. The 42 year old man, identified only by his first name, Bannarot, had been missing for a day before his body was discovered today, revealing a poignant scene as his older brother performed a spirit-calling…

  • Massive turnout for sacred coin giveaway at Surin temple event

    Massive turnout for sacred coin giveaway at Surin temple event

    Thousands gathered at a temple in Surin Province, eagerly awaiting the distribution of sacred coins and other charitable gifts by the revered monk Luang Pu Heng, known as the god of fortune in southern Isaan. The event, also known as Wat Ban Dan Chong Jom, saw the distribution of 3,000 kilogrammes of rice and 200,000 baht in cash, drawing a…

  • Robot arm crushes worker to death in Chon Buri (video)

    Robot arm crushes worker to death in Chon Buri (video)

    In a heart-wrenching incident at the Vandapac factory in Chon Buri province on Wednesday, a routine day turned fatal when a robotic arm struck a worker, crushing him to death. The unsuspecting worker was going about his duties, laying out sheets of material, when tragedy struck most unexpectedly. Unsettling CCTV footage reveals the horrifying sequence of events, as the massive…

  • Buriram celebrates BLACKPINK Lisa’s 27th birthday

    Buriram celebrates BLACKPINK Lisa’s 27th birthday

    Buriram celebrated BLACKPINK Lisa’s 27th birthday with a feast of meatball consumption and the unveiling of themed pants. Buriram came alive as it threw a grand celebration to mark the 27th birthday of Lalisa Manobal, better known as Lisa from the globally renowned girl group BLACKPINK. The event included the launch of Buriram’s special standing meatball consumption pants. Lisa, born…

  • Surin ex-headman’s incense ritual unveils lucky lottery numbers

    Surin ex-headman’s incense ritual unveils lucky lottery numbers

    A revered former village headman ignited incense sticks that revealed auspicious numbers in Surin province yesterday, continuing a streak of providing winning lottery numbers over several draws. The ex-village headman, 61 year old Bai Kannula, led relatives and his family in a ritual to honor the household spirits at his residence, No. 52 in Ban Ka, Nong Khawaw sub-district, Sikhoraphum district,…

  • Surin man travels 2,589 kilometres to witness snow in China

    Surin man travels 2,589 kilometres to witness snow in China

    A young man from Surin Province completed a daring journey from Thailand to China, spanning a staggering 2,589 kilometres. Riding a Honda Wave motorcycle through rugged terrain, the man embarked on this adventure to fulfil his dream of riding through snow, a quest that took seven days to complete, starting on March 17. The man who goes by the name…