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.

The Thaiger is your essential guide to navigating Pattaya’s dynamic landscape. To stay connected with the most trusted news source in town, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.

  • Sponsored

    The 5 best luxury villa rentals in Koh Samui by The Luxury Signature 

    Koh Samui has long been known as one of the world’s finest luxury travel destinations. Its pristine beaches, lush landscapes, and crystal-clear waters create an idyllic setting that attracts travellers seeking an escape from the everyday grind. And opting to...

  • Foreigner causing disturbance on Sukhumvit Road arrested by Pattaya City police

    Foreigner causing disturbance on Sukhumvit Road arrested by Pattaya City police

    An incident that caught the public’s attention unfolded on the bustling Sukhumvit Road, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri, at around 9.30pm on March 29. A foreign individual, whose identity was not disclosed, was reported to be under the influence of drugs and causing a disturbance among the locals. Upon receipt of the report, the Pattaya City police were promptly dispatched to…

  • Pattaya Port Authority prepares 700 speedboats for Songkran

    Pattaya Port Authority prepares 700 speedboats for Songkran

    As the Songkran Festival looms closer, Pattaya Port Authority prepares for an influx of travellers with an initiative to ensure safety and convenience. From April 11 to 17, they are set to facilitate seamless water travel between Koh Larn and Pattaya. To cater to the needs of both locals and tourists, the authority has orchestrated a fleet comprising 60 passenger…

  • Korean call centre kingpin arrested in Thailand

    Korean call centre kingpin arrested in Thailand

    Immigration police arrested a 51 year old South Korean fugitive wanted for orchestrating a call centre scam that drained victims of millions. Operating from China, the South Korean national, known as Oh, masterminded a sophisticated operation, manipulating phone calls and text messages to deceive unsuspecting South Koreans. Under various guises, he coerced victims into transferring substantial sums, amassing a staggering…

  • Sutin visits China for submarine acquisition talks

    Sutin visits China for submarine acquisition talks

    Sutin Klungsang, the Minister of Defence, along with other related agencies, embarked on a trip to China on Thursday to discuss with the Chinese private sectors and other concerned agencies regarding the anticipated acquisition of a submarine for Thailand. The meetings were held to assess whether the procurement process should proceed or be abandoned and to comprehend its potential implications.…

  • Thai national arrested in Pattaya after attempted assault on officer

    Thai national arrested in Pattaya after attempted assault on officer

    A Thai national was apprehended in Pattaya in the small hours of this morning, following reports of his erratic behaviour and an attempted assault on a local officer. The incident was reported to the Pattaya City Special Affairs Radio Centre at six minutes past midnight, leading to the immediate dispatch of officers to the scene, located at the entrance of…

  • Chiang Mai tourism expects rebound despite hotel booking slump

    Chiang Mai tourism expects rebound despite hotel booking slump

    Chiang Mai, once bustling with tourists, has been grappling with a slump in hotel bookings as recorded on Wednesday. The Northern Thai Hotels Association advisor, La-iad Bungsrithong, disclosed that the reservations were only 30% full compared to the beginning of April last year. However, she projected a silver lining in the looming clouds of despair. The occupancy would bounce back…

  • Koh Samui sees tourism surge as summer heats up

    Koh Samui sees tourism surge as summer heats up

    Foreign tourists have been descending in droves on Koh Samui, Surat Thani, with local media reporting that the island’s tranquil environment and idyllic beaches are proving irresistible to visitors. Wednesday saw Bangkok Airways completely booked for 43 flights throughout the month, suggesting a daily influx of over 4,500 individuals to the popular island. Koh Samui, known for its relaxing atmosphere,…

  • Youth gang violence in Pattaya escalates over jeans

    Youth gang violence in Pattaya escalates over jeans

    Violence erupted in Pattaya South at Laem Bali Hai Pier when a gang of approximately 30 youths descended on the area, wielding knives and seeking retribution over a pair of jeans. The confrontation left two young men injured, with one unconscious and the other with a severe head wound, prompting an urgent response from rescue services and local officials. Upon…

  • Pollution plagues Pattaya’s Na Kluea Canal

    Pollution plagues Pattaya’s Na Kluea Canal

    Pattaya City is under scrutiny as officials launch an investigation into the polluted waters of the Na Kluea Canal, following complaints from residents. Reports flooded in, accompanied by damning video evidence, revealing a grim reality of garbage-strewn waters and lifeless fish floating on the surface. Allegations point fingers at industrial estates in the vicinity, accused of negligently allowing toxic substances…

  • Pattaya ditches power poles for a wireless city

    Pattaya ditches power poles for a wireless city

    To revolutionise its urban landscape, Pattaya is making strides towards becoming a wireless city. Following the removal of overhead power lines along Walking Street, the city is now embarking on a new project to rid South Pattaya Road of unsightly power poles. Pattaya City, in collaboration with the Provincial Electricity Authority Pattaya branch, started the removal process yesterday, March 27.…

  • Japanese Embassy’s medical vans transform Thailand healthcare

    Japanese Embassy’s medical vans transform Thailand healthcare

    The Japanese Embassy has stepped up to bolster health and human rights initiatives by presenting four vehicles to the SWING Foundation. These vehicles are slated to revolutionise crucial services, ranging from HIV/AIDS testing to food aid, targeting service workers and homeless individuals in Bangkok and Pattaya. The SWING Foundation, renowned for its unwavering commitment to the welfare of service workers,…

  • Pattaya’s waste revolution: MOI Waste Bank Week

    Pattaya’s waste revolution: MOI Waste Bank Week

    The MOI Waste Bank Week event held at Wat Chong Lom Temple Community in Pattaya signals the establishment of waste banks by local government bodies. This eco-friendly drive, spurred by directives from the Chon Buri Provincial Administration, mandated the simultaneous launch of recyclable waste banks on January 1. Spearheaded by Pattaya’s Natural Resources and Environment Office on March 25, the…

  • Koh Larn wind energy project under scrutiny for misuse of funds

    Koh Larn wind energy project under scrutiny for misuse of funds

    The dream of harnessing wind energy to provide a sustainable power source for Koh Larn in Pattaya has sputtered to a halt, amidst allegations that the turbines stand broken and idle due to insufficient funds for repair. The wind turbine project, situated on Khao Nom Sao mountain near Samae Beach, was conceived back in 2006. With a hefty budget of…

  • Pattaya halts national ID card issuance due to card shortage

    Pattaya halts national ID card issuance due to card shortage

    Pattaya City Registration Office has been forced to slam the brakes on issuing national ID cards to Thai citizens due to a shortage of blank cards. Bunchaya Charoenphot, the astute Manager of the Registration and ID Card Operations Office, revealed that the scarcity of cards from the Provincial Registration Center in Chon Buri province has thrown a wrench into their…

  • Luxury vans intentionally crash in Pattaya pub drama

    Luxury vans intentionally crash in Pattaya pub drama

    Local police in Pattaya are unravelling a startling incident involving luxury vans carrying Chinese tourists intentionally crashing into each other outside a secretive pub early yesterday morning. Police Colonel Nawin Theerawit, Pattaya’s police chief, revealed that the perpetrators could face charges of physical assault causing serious injury and attempted murder. According to the police chief, drivers purposefully collided with each…

  • Brazen thieves swipe electrical wire in daring daylight raid

    Brazen thieves swipe electrical wire in daring daylight raid

    Two audacious thieves brazenly snatched electrical wire from a residence in Bo Win, Chon Buri, sparking concern among locals. The victim, Prasong Tankratok, a hardworking contractor who often spends long hours away from home, found himself at the mercy of the thieves’ calculated strike. Upon returning from work on Monday, Prasong was met with the disturbing scene of his ransacked…

  • Beachside business caught red-handed with Pattaya city floats

    Beachside business caught red-handed with Pattaya city floats

    Pattaya officials swooped in on a beachside entrepreneur’s operation, seizing floats that were allegedly repurposed from government property for commercial gain. Residents raised eyebrows at the brazen use of what appeared to be city-owned pontoons for private enterprise on Krating Lai Beach in north Pattaya. The Deputy Mayor of Pattaya City, Manot Nongyai, spearheaded a team of city officials yesterday…

  • Thailand second in Asia’s most appealing investment locations

    Thailand second in Asia’s most appealing investment locations

    Thailand has been recognised as the second most appealing investment location amongst emerging and developing countries in Asia, according to the latest Global Opportunity Index (GOI) 2024. This ranking has been assigned by the renowned Milken Institute, which annually conducts this comprehensive index. The GOI aims to provide invaluable insights to investors who are exploring opportunities beyond their domestic markets.…

  • 3 Mongolian men arrested for pickpocketing tourists in Thailand

    3 Mongolian men arrested for pickpocketing tourists in Thailand

    Thai police arrested three Mongolian men on March 23 for pickpocketing foreign tourists at popular attractions in Pattaya, Chon Buri, and Bangkok. Officers from the Tourist and Immigration Police in Chon Buri and Pattaya detained five Mongolian men at a hotel in the On Nut neighbourhood of Bangkok on March 23. Among them, three were suspects wanted for multiple pickpocketing…

  • Pattaya: Ditched cables spark public uproar

    Pattaya: Ditched cables spark public uproar

    A wave of public outcry has surged on the official Facebook page of Mayor Direct Line, as citizens express alarm over the abandoned cables strewn across various locations in Pattaya. The outcry follows the commencement of demolition and restructuring of communication lines along South Pattaya Road by the Public Utility Division of the Pattaya Municipal Electrical Engineering Office, the Provincial…

  • Teenagers’ pellet gun rampage ends in arrests in East Pattaya

    Teenagers’ pellet gun rampage ends in arrests in East Pattaya

    A quiet neighbourhood in East Pattaya erupted into chaos as a gang of 10 teenagers unleashed a pellet gun frenzy, with one resident narrowly escaping serious injury. A group of ten teenagers stormed a residence nestled in Soi S.R., Nong Pla Lai Sub-district, east Pattaya, on March 17, firing a pellet gun indiscriminately. The 22 year old Anuchit Chaijarung had…

  • 7-Eleven stores to get police reporting points for tourist safety

    7-Eleven stores to get police reporting points for tourist safety

    The Tourist Police Bureau, in partnership with CP All Public Company Limited, is rolling out a new initiative to boost tourist safety with the help of 7-Eleven convenience stores. This project will establish incident reporting points in 7-Eleven convenience stores across 20 major tourist hotspots in the country. This move is part of a broader strategy to promote Thailand’s tourism image and…

  • Thai woman denies stealing from Chinese man, accuses him of rape attempt

    Thai woman denies stealing from Chinese man, accuses him of rape attempt

    A Thai woman denied stealing credit cards from a Chinese man and accused him of attempting to rape her at his BBQ restaurant in Pattaya. The 33 year old Chinese man, Dihui Wu Dihui, filed a complaint at Bang Lamung Police Station in Pattaya on March 13, accusing a Thai woman he met on a dating app of stealing his…

  • Pattaya business owners petition against one-way traffic rule

    Pattaya business owners petition against one-way traffic rule

    Pattaya recently saw over 200 business owners on Jomtien Beach Road petitioning the deputy mayor to revoke a one-way traffic rule that had been put into place. This rule, implemented on March 1, pertains to a stretch of Jomtien Beach Road from Dongtan Curve to the Chaiyapruek Intersection. The one-way traffic rule is one aspect of a larger project, which…

  • Triple murder rocks quiet town of Phatthana Nikhom

    Triple murder rocks quiet town of Phatthana Nikhom

    A triple murder rocked the quiet town of Phatthana Nikhom in Lopburi province when three men were shot dead late last night. The Manao Wan Police Station received the distress call at 8.30pm, reporting a violent shooting incident at a residential property. Responding to the call, Phatthana Nikhom emergency services along with the local law enforcement authorities arrived at the…

  • Bali Hai Pier roof construction to be completed before Songkran

    Bali Hai Pier roof construction to be completed before Songkran

    Ensuring the safety and comfort of locals and tourists, Pattaya Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai has pledged to complete the roof construction at Bali Hai Pier before the Songkran festival. Manoch, along with city council members, personally inspected the ongoing project at the pier on Tuesday, March 19. The construction project at Bali Hai Pier entails two fundamental components. One is…

  • Thailand police foil illegal immigration operation, 66 nabbed

    Thailand police foil illegal immigration operation, 66 nabbed

    Kanchanaburi‘s Thong Pha Phum police, along with immigration officers and relevant agencies, successfully thwarted an illegal immigration smuggling operation in Thailand. The operation yesterday, March 20, led to the apprehension of 66 individuals and the confiscation of four vehicles, marking a significant breakthrough in the fight against illegal immigration in Thailand. The report from the police highlighted that the officers…

  • Thai woman targeted by ex’s crew at Pattaya pub

    Thai woman targeted by ex’s crew at Pattaya pub

    A 34 year old Thai woman recounted a horrifying assault outside a Pattaya pub, leaving her battered and bruised. Apasara Sritampawa, speaking to reporters, detailed the horrifying ordeal she endured at the hands of a group of tomboys and boys in the early hours of March 16. She shared how a seemingly innocent night turned into a nightmare, with her…

  • Thai man in Pattaya tries to reunite Russian woman with family (video)

    Thai man in Pattaya tries to reunite Russian woman with family (video)

    A Thai man in Pattaya attempted to help a Russian woman reportedly suffering from a mental illness to reunite with her family. The foreign woman did not trust anyone after she was scammed and lost her travel budget. The Thai man, Payu Phochai, posted pictures and videos of the Russian woman on Facebook yesterday, March 18, asking his followers to contact…

  • Rescue foundation appeals for help after theft of marble benches

    Rescue foundation appeals for help after theft of marble benches

    Pattaya’s Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Foundation suffered a loss after a string of thefts left them without their marble benches. Wisut Thong-u, the head of the rescue team, made an official report to the Banglamung police and the media on the day following the incident. The theft happened late in the night, with the culprits managing to sneak into the…