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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British pensioner’s prized tricycle swiped in Northeast Thailand
An 81 year old British man in Udon Thani has been left heartbroken after thieves made off with his treasured tricycle motorcycle in a daring early-morning theft caught on CCTV. Wayne, a retired restaurateur from UK’s Liverpool, filed a report at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station yesterday, September 2, through a translator. He told officers the blue and bronze three-wheeler,…
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9 year old boy found walking with dog on 30km journey to find mother
A motorist yesterday, September 1, assisted a nine year old boy who had attempted to walk 30 kilometres to meet his mother in the eastern province of Rayong. The motorist noticed the boy trying to hitchhike, but no one stopped for him. He was spotted on Buraphaphat Road in the Map Ta Phut area of Rayong, accompanied by his black…
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Lottery luck: Unsold tickets win Nakhon Phanom vendor big
What started as a tough week of poor sales and stormy weather turned into pure fortune for a lottery vendor in Nakhon Phanom, after unsold tickets left her more than 250,000 baht richer. The lucky break occured yesterday, September 1, when the Thai Government Lottery Office announced the winning numbers. Among the winners was 44 year old Sariyaporn Nilsuang, a…
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Bangkok Airways plans 400-million-baht upgrade for Trat Airport
Bangkok Airways has unveiled plans to enhance Trat Airport, aiming to establish it as the East’s aviation hub and stimulate economic and tourism growth in the province. Bangkok Airways CEO Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth shared details of the project during a press briefing at Trat Airport yesterday, September 1. The airport, situated on 1,600 rai of land in Tha Som subdistrict, Khao…
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Surin father pleads for return of son taken for deportation
A devastated father in Surin has pleaded for the return of his Cambodian wife and 13 year old son after immigration police removed the boy from school and placed him in a shelter for deportation. The incident unfolded yesterday, August 29, in Bua Chet district when officers arrived at the school and escorted the boy away, citing a lack of…
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Thailand to slam the gate shut with Cambodia border wall
Thailand will construct its first permanent border fence with Cambodia this year. The project, confirmed by the Royal Thai Army (RTA), will begin near Aranyaprathet to address ongoing security concerns along the shared boundary. The permanent 10-kilometre fence along the Thai-Cambodian border, planned to rise near boundary markers 50 and 51 in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo province, comes after a joint…
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Thai army blasts sound cannons at Cambodian border clash
Thai security forces have turned to sound cannons to drive back Cambodians accused of storming a Thai border village, in a dramatic escalation of tensions in Sa Kaeo province. Deputy Defence Minister General Natthaphon Nakphanich said the 1st Army Region deployed long-range acoustic devices (LRADs) to prevent dozens of Cambodians from illegally entering Baan Nong Chan in Khok Sung district.…
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Footbridge collapses in East Thailand, crushes trucks (video)
Motorists on a busy Thai highway had a terrifying near-miss after a massive pedestrian bridge crashed down onto traffic, narrowly avoiding disaster. A 100-tonne concrete pedestrian bridge under construction dramatically collapsed onto two vehicles on Highway No.317 in Chanthaburi last night, August 22, causing severe property damage but no reported injuries. The incident occurred at around 10.20pm near Matai Market…
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Cockfighting champ: Korat rooster sold for 6.5 million baht
A record-breaking cockfight has rocked Thailand’s underground scene after a champion rooster, fresh off a multimillion-baht victory, was sold for a staggering 6.5 million baht. The feathered fighter, Fakhamram, earned his reputation on Sunday, August 17, after defeating rival bird Jao Kaotao in a high-profile showdown at the Kaew Khok Krot cockfighting stadium in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The prize pot?…
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Thai evacuees set to return as tensions with Cambodia ease
Thai officials are preparing to assist thousands of evacuees in returning home as tensions along the Cambodian border subside. Surin Governor Chamnan Chuentha confirmed that stability has returned to most border areas following Thursday’s General Border Committee meetings in Kuala Lumpur, where Thailand and Cambodia agreed on a 13-point ceasefire. Transportation arrangements are being coordinated with shelters and the Department…
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Ice cream raid: Cambodian sellers busted in Udon Thani
An illegal ice cream empire run by Cambodian migrants melted away yesterday after a dramatic raid in Udon Thani uncovered a secret stash of freezers and sidecar motorcycles. The suspects, who were hoping for a sweet escape from poverty, now face deportation. The raid took place at 1.40pm yesterday, July 31, in the Don Udom community, after District Chief Chawit…
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Rayong visa scam busted as 34 illegal workers nabbed on site
Tourist cops stormed a construction site in Rayong, unmasking a major visa scam that saw dozens of foreign nationals working illegally in Thailand. In a high-stakes operation led by the Tourist Police Bureau, 34 foreign workers—seven Chinese and 27 from Myanmar—were arrested at a site in the Nikhom Phatthana Industrial Estate. The workers had entered the country on tourist visas…
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Thailand evacuates 100,000 amid Cambodia border clashes
Over 100,000 civilians have been evacuated from the northeastern provinces of Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket, Surin, and Buriram due to escalating border clashes with Cambodia. Permanent Secretary Unsit Sampuntharat stated that evacuees are now housed in safety at 295 designated sites away from the conflict zones near the border. The evacuations were organised by local leaders, aided by village defence and…
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Thai king steps in as Thai-Cambodia border erupts
A royal lifeline has been thrown to victims of the violent Thai-Cambodian border clashes, with His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua pledging aid for the injured and support to rebuild shattered lives. As artillery fire rattled Thailand’s eastern provinces, the monarchy stepped in to assist those caught in the escalating conflict. The king extended royal patronage to all injured…
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5 more bodies recovered after deadly gas station strike
Amid flying shrapnel and live explosives, Thai bomb squads and rescue teams recovered five more bodies from the ruins of a PTT gas station in Sisaket province, after Cambodian shells obliterated a convenience store inside the complex. This brings the death toll to 11. The deadly strike occurred in Ban Phue, Mueang subdistrict of Kantharalak district, as part of escalating…
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Thailand blasts Cambodia for deadly border shelling
Thailand issued a scathing rebuke of Cambodia, calling on the international community to condemn what it describes as a “war-thirsty” and “inhumane” act of aggression following a series of deadly artillery strikes near the Thai-Cambodian border. At a press conference held at Government House at 12.30pm today, July 24, Government Spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap confirmed that Cambodia had fired first, using…
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Interior Minister denies interference in Khao Kradong land probe
Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai responded to accusations of meddling in a high-stakes investigation into the Department of Lands (DoL), insisting that he had no intention of influencing or intimidating officials. The probe centres on a 5,083-rai land plot in Khao Kradong, Buriram, which has long been mired in legal battles and political ties. The Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the land belongs…
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Buriram dad runs over baby daughter in tragic accident
A father’s morning routine turned into an unimaginable nightmare after he accidentally reversed over his baby daughter, killing her instantly. The heartbreaking incident unfolded yesterday, July 22, at a home in Phutthaisong district, Buriram province, as 37 year old air conditioning technician Yothin was leaving for work. What began as a normal day – loading his truck and preparing to…
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Sting operation gone wrong: Bees attack kids in Udon Thani class
In a scene that resembled a horror movie, a swarm of bees swooped and attacked primary school children while in class in Udon Thani, injuring several children. The incident, which occurred yesterday, July 22, at Ban Pa Khao School in Phaktop subdistrict, Nong Han district, saw emergency services, including Police Senior Sergeant Major Charern Chantrak, respond promptly to the scene at…
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Cabinet approves 6-month reprieve for Cambodian border workers
The Cabinet yesterday approved a six-month extension for Cambodian migrant workers employed in border provinces. This decision was prompted by changes in border checkpoint operating hours across seven provinces, affecting the movement of workers in the area. Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub stated that due to unrest along the Thai-Cambodian border and stricter border control measures being implemented, many Cambodian workers…
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Temple tension: RTA threatens shutdown over border clashes
A sacred tourist site on the Thai-Cambodian border is fast becoming a powder keg — and the Thai military is ready to shut it down if things get out of hand. Commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang issued a stern warning about managing tourism at the historic Ta Muen Thom Temple in Surin province’s Phanom Dong…
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Paetongtarn visits rangers hurt in Ubon border blast
What began as a routine patrol near the Thai-Cambodian border ended in a bloody blast, leaving one soldier without a leg and two others wounded. Now, Thailand’s Prime Minister and Culture Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is stepping in to deliver more than just sympathy—she’s promising action. Today, July 18, Paetongtarn travelled to Sapphasitprasong Camp Hospital in- Ubon Ratchathani province to visit…
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Udon Thani man found dead after financial collapse
A man was found dead outside his home in Udon Thani in a chilling scene that left neighbours and relatives shaken. The 54 year old, who reportedly lost millions and struggled with emotional despair after his divorce, left behind a haunting farewell note and five luxury watches. Police Lieutenant Sirichai Photichak from Udon Thani Police Station led officers and rescue…
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Thai man dies surrounded by over 100 beer bottles in Rayong home
A Thai man died in his home in the eastern province of Rayong, with over 100 empty beer bottles discovered in his bedroom. Reports suggest he turned to heavy drinking due to severe personal stress. Rescue workers from the Siam Rayong Foundation were called to a house in the Ban Chang district to assist the man, who was reportedly suffering…
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Family scoops 6 million baht jackpot in Thai lottery
The tranquil village of Ban Yang Noi in Surin province erupted in joyous celebration as news broke of a staggering 6 million baht lottery win that has forever altered the destiny of Ta Noi and Yai Phon and their loved ones. The air was thick with anticipation yesterday, July 16, as families across Thailand tuned in for the much-awaited government…
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Landmine blast injures 3 soldiers near Thai-Cambodian border
A border patrol mission turned into a nightmare after three Thai soldiers were injured in a landmine blast in a former conflict zone near Hill 481 in the Chong Bok area in Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province. Military sources say the men are lucky to be alive. At around 8pm yesterday, July 16, Lieutenant General Boonsin Phadklang, Commander of the…
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Thailand fights back as Myanmar pollution threatens health crisis
Thailand has launched an urgent crackdown on toxic cross-border pollution after dangerous levels of heavy metals were detected flowing into northern rivers from Myanmar, sparking fears of a looming health and environmental disaster. Yesterday, July 15, the Cabinet officially endorsed recommendations from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to protect communities along the Kok and Sai rivers, where contamination has…
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Thailand builds giant bridges to save wild elephants from roads
Thailand has launched two colossal new bridges to stop wild elephants from meeting a grisly end under speeding cars. Yesterday, July 15, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit declared open the towering structures built in Rayong’s Khao Chamao district and Chanthaburi’s Kaeng Hang Maew district—key corridors for elephant herds roaming the east. “These bridges will help wild elephants coexist with humans sustainably,”…
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RTA ready to fence Ta Muen Thom temple amid tensions
The commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region has declared the military’s readiness to erect a fence around the disputed Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province if the government and the Department of Fine Arts give the green light. Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang confirmed that, despite the simmering dispute, stability currently prevails along the border. He noted that while local…
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Anutin dismisses Khao Kradong land dispute investigation
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed a renewed investigation into the Khao Kradong land dispute in Buriram, asserting that all actions taken during his tenure as interior minister were lawful. The dispute involves land claimed by both the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and private individuals linked to Bhumjaithai. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the SRT,…
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