Pattaya News
Welcome to The Thaiger’s Pattaya news page, your one-stop destination for the latest happenings in Thailand’s coastal town, AKA Sin City of the East! Our dedicated team delivers up-to-the-minute news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Pattaya, covering everything from local politics and business to entertainment and lifestyle. Stay informed about the city’s thriving tourism industry, expat community, and vibrant nightlife, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
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Working in Thailand: How expat health insurance protects your career and lifestyle
Starting a career in Thailand can be an exciting chapter, but it also brings unique challenges, especially when it comes to health and wellness. For expats, navigating Thailand’s healthcare system and meeting work permit requirements can be difficult. And while...
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Pattaya cops make a ‘clean sweep’ of ex-Dutch soldier’s drug stash
Pattaya police last night arrested a former Dutch soldier for illegal drug possession after raiding his condominium room. The 63 year old Simon Leonardus Petrus Sjerps was found with crystal methamphetamine and equipment allegedly used for producing date-rape drugs. The raid, led by Police Colonel Nawin Thirawit, Superintendent of the Pattaya Police Station, took place yesterday, August 4, at 5.36pm.…
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Chon Buri launches Nong Phlap festival to boost cultural tourism
Chon Buri province has launched the Scent of the Earth, Local Way of Nong Phlap festival to boost cultural tourism. The festival kicked off today at Wat Velluwanaram in Nong Phlap Village, Takian Tia sub-district, Banglamung district, with the Deputy Governor of Chon Buri, Prachaya Unpechwarakorn, presiding over the opening ceremony. The Chon Buri Provincial Cultural Office is behind this…
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Villagers flock to Pattaya for blessed amulets from revered monk
Excitement filled the air at Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Pattaya City today as villagers and amulet enthusiasts gathered to secure amulets from Luang Pu Buaket Pathumsiro, a revered monk from the eastern region. The Barami Pathumsiro model, believed to bestow blessings, attracted significant interest. This initiative aims to raise funds for Bang Lamung Hospital. Since early morning, parents, siblings, and…
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Pattaya rebranding as family-friendly destination to boost tourism
Pattaya’s tourism operators have put forth a proposal to the tourism minister, aiming to transform the city’s image into a family-friendly destination, distancing it from associations with sex tourism and illegal gambling. The Association of Chon Buri Tourism Federation (ACTF) recently convened with Tourism Minister Sermsak Pongpanit to discuss the initiative. The meeting also included insights from a workshop that…
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Pattaya cops stop brawl between Kuwaiti tourists & Thai bikers
Pattaya City police intervened to halt a confrontation involving Middle Eastern tourists, primarily from Kuwait, and young Thai men, many of whom were Bolt motorbike taxi app riders, in the early hours of yesterday. Captain Pansan Krongsit received the report at 5am, Saturday, August 3, leading officers to Soi Yen Sabai in Nongprue, where they discovered evidence of a conflict,…
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Gas shop operator killed in Sattahip road accident
A tragic accident on Sukhumvit Road in Sattahip, Chon Buri, resulted in the death of a local gas shop operator on August 2. At 5.50am, Sattahip police officers received a report of a collision between a sedan and a motorcycle with a sidecar. Upon arrival, rescue teams found the body of 58 year old Samniang lying in the middle of…
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Korean tourist vanishes with free rent and cash in Pattaya
A Pattaya rental room operator was left high and dry by a cunning Korean tourist. A 49 year old owner of a rental room on Soi Chaloem Phra Kiat 11, Pattaya 3 Road, shared his experience yesterday, August 1, to caution other rental operators. Arinthat provided CCTV footage showing the face of the elusive Korean man who swindled him. Arinthat…
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Pattaya minivan owner in despair after drain cover damages vehicle
A 39 year old minivan owner has been left in dire straits after a dislodged drain cover severely damaged his vehicle in Pattaya. On the evening of July 13, near the entrance of Soi Phothisarn on Sukhumvit Road, Kosol’s white Toyota van encountered the rogue cover, which flew up and wreaked havoc on the undercarriage, damaging the fuel tank and power…
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Pattaya City achieves 99.41 score in anti-corruption assessment
Pattaya City achieved a significant milestone by securing a score of 99.41 in the Integrity and Transparency Assessment (ITA) conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). This assessment evaluates ethical practices and transparency among local administrative organisations across Thailand. Pattaya Mayor Poramese Ngampichet proudly shared the results for the fiscal year 2024, highlighting the comprehensive evaluation by the NACC. A…
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Pattaya seeks public input on Red Line Monorail Project
Pattaya City held a public consultation to gather feedback on the proposed Red Line Monorail Project. The meeting featured presentations on environmental impact mitigation measures and the planned route. Residents attended the session to review the details and provide suggestions to ensure the project meets community needs. Local officials revealed that the Red Line Monorail will stretch from Dolphin Roundabout…
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Thai man denies role in alleged 700,000 baht extortion case
A Thai man has surrendered to Pattaya Police amid allegations of involvement in an extortion case where two police officers allegedly demanded 700,000 baht from a group of Chinese tourists. Despite turning himself in, he denies all charges. The suspect, identified as Worapon, arrived at Nongprue Police Station on Tuesday, July 30. He was questioned by Deputy Superintendent Police Lieutenant…
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Pattaya City launches nature restoration to enhance ecotourism
Pattaya City has embarked on a significant nature restoration project aimed at enhancing ecotourism and revitalising the ecosystem in the Na Kluea area. The initiative kicked off with a ceremony at Khlong Nok Yang in Na Kluea, attended by local officials, including Pattaya City Mayor Poramese Ngampiches, Pattaya City Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai, and the mayor’s secretary, Phumipat Kamolnat. The…
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South Korean man arrested in Pattaya for transnational drug trafficking
Police yesterday arrested a South Korean man in Pattaya for transnational drug trafficking after finding him smuggling drugs from Thailand to South Korea. The South Korean drug control division recently arrested Thai and South Korean drug smugglers at Incheon International Airport in Seoul, seizing 600 grammes of ketamine during the process. The suspects confessed that they had smuggled drugs into…
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Tour bus crash in Pattaya injures Chinese tourists and motorcyclist
A tour bus filled with Chinese tourists collided with a truck while en route to Pattaya last night, resulting in multiple injuries. The incident occurred at 4.30pm, July 30, on Route 36 (Katinglai-Rayong) in the Nong Plalai sub-district of Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Responding swiftly to the scene were Bang Lamung Police, reporters, and rescue workers from the…
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Pattaya City unveils Red Line monorail to boost economic growth
Pattaya City is gearing up to enhance its public transport with the introduction of a new monorail line, which promises to significantly boost the coastal city’s economic development. The Red Line, as it will be known, is set to include 10 stations and cover a distance of 17.37 kilometres. A recent feasibility study, presented during yesterday’s public hearing, confirmed the…
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Thai vendor denies assault, cites stress from poor sales
A Thai grilled squid vendor turned himself in and expressed remorse after allegedly striking a Pattaya city official who requested him to move his sidecar motorcycle from obstructing traffic. The vendor, however, denied the physical assault, citing stress from poor sales as the trigger for the incident. He claimed their encounter was limited to a verbal disagreement and a shirt…
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Pattaya’s sharp teens: Samurai swords land youngsters in hot water
Pattaya police arrested a group of teenagers, aged between 14 and 16 years, for possessing samurai swords and other weapons. The incident took place yesterday around 6pm near the Dongtan substation of Pattaya Police Station. Among the confiscated items were three samurai swords, each measuring between 30 and 50 centimetres, six pocket knives, and three brass knuckles. The teens, comprising…
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Heavy rain, strong winds wreak havoc in Pattaya and Na Kluea
Heavy rain and strong winds battered the coastal areas of Pattaya and Na Kluea today, causing significant damage to property and infrastructure. The Meteorological Department of Thailand predicted heavy rain in 80% of the area, focusing particularly on the Eastern region and Bangkok. Additionally, the Southern Andaman coast and the Gulf of Thailand were expected to experience waves up to…
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Thief caught on camera breaking into Pattaya apartments
A daring thief was caught on security cameras sneaking into an apartment building in Pattaya’s Soi Buakhao and breaking into unlocked rooms to steal valuables. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of July 20, was documented on security footage later released by the apartment owner to alert the public. Local reporters visited S.B. Apartments in Soi Buakhao after…
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Foreign tourists found safe after night search in Doi Nang Mo forest
San Kamphaeng police, forest officers, and other relevant agencies initiated a search at 8.30pm yesterday, July 28, for two missing foreign tourists who had become lost in the Doi Nang Mo forest area near the Mae Pha Nhaen Reservoir in Chiang Mai. The search was prompted by the coordinates sent by the tourists before their signal was lost. The dense…
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Pattaya restaurant owner urges police to catch serial thief
A restaurant owner in Pattaya is urging the police to apprehend a thief who has repeatedly targeted her business. Boonyarat, the 40 year old owner of Chill Out 84 restaurant in Soi 5, Nongprue sub-district, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province, reported the incidents to the local police. The restaurant has been hit three times within this month alone. On…
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Drunken Thai biker crashes into Chinese tourists in Jomtien
A night of leisure turned into a nightmare for two Chinese tourists in Jomtien when a drunken Thai biker crashed into their motorcycle, leaving both parties injured. The incident occurred on Thursday night, July 25, on Soi Boonkanjana 5. Rescue workers and police swiftly arrived at the scene, discovering two Thai men, visibly intoxicated and unresponsive, sprawled next to their…
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Pattaya: Major electrical system overhaul on Walking Street
To modernise Pattaya’s infrastructure, plans are underway for a significant electrical system upgrade in the bustling Walking Street area. The ambitious project, spearheaded by Mayor Poramet Ngampichet, aims to revitalise the city’s electrical grid and enhance public safety. At a recent City Hall meeting on Wednesday, July 24, Mayor Poramet and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) finalised the project details.…
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Thai police seize assets worth 23 million baht in drug crackdown
Thai law enforcement officials announced a significant crackdown on drug operations on Thursday, July 25, targeting 237 locations and seizing properties valued at over 23 million baht. The Thai Patrol and Special Operation Division (PSD), along with other relevant agencies, held a press conference at 1pm on Thursday to reveal the details of the extensive operation. Police aimed their efforts…
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Newborn pygmy hippo charms visitors at Khao Kheow Open Zoo
Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Sri Racha announced the arrival of a newborn female pygmy hippo. Born on July 10, the baby hippo was introduced to the public yesterday, July 25. The zoo’s director, Narongwit Chotchoy, confirmed the birth at 10.30am, noting that both the mother, 25 year old Jona, and father, 24 year old Tony are in good health, along…
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Burglar hits six homes in one night, Pattaya residents on alert
Two villages in Pattaya are on edge after a burglar broke into six homes in a single night. The incidents occurred yesterday, July 25, prompting The Pattaya News reporters to visit the affected areas near a motorway in the Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Residents lodged complaints about a burglar entering their homes at night and…
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Hong Kong policeman’s fatal fall from baht bus sparks safety outcry
Pattaya Tourist Police are offering comprehensive support to the widow of a Hong Kong policeman who tragically lost his life after falling off a baht bus on Pattaya Second Road on July 22. The shocking incident has catapulted road safety in Pattaya into the national spotlight. The grieving widow is receiving assistance from police to navigate the investigation and manage claims…
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Thai motorcycle taxi rider survives stabbing, robbery in Pattaya
A 60 year old motorcycle taxi rider managed to escape from an armed robber who posed as a passenger before stabbing him in the neck and an attempt to steal from him on Soi Thung Klom Tanman 13 in Pattaya. The motorcycle taxi rider, Sakchai, sought help from a rescue team in the early hours of yesterday, July 24, after…
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Sri Racha cleans up for King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s birthday
Sri Racha Municipality organised a large-scale cleaning initiative yesterday to honour the upcoming birthday of His Royal Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The event, led by Sri Racha Mayor Chatchai Timkrachang, took place at the municipal office and Sri Racha Park. Participants, including municipal officials, council members, teachers, students, the general public, and local volunteer groups, gathered yesterday morning, July 24,…
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Residents squeal in protest as pig farm stinks up Chon Buri canal
Hundreds of residents in Chon Buri‘s Phanat Nikhom district gathered yesterday to protest against a major pig farm, accusing it of polluting a local canal and causing a persistent foul odour for several years. The demonstration, which began at 11am, yesterday, July 24, saw villagers from Village 6, Village 9, and Village 10 coming together to voice their frustrations. The…
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