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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A healthy tomorrow starts today: Celebrate the great American Smokeout day
The Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 17, is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to take their first steps towards a smoke-free life. If you’re an expat in Thailand, this day could be a timely reminder to...
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Ex-Pattaya mayor faces arrest over decade-old condo scandal
The former Pattaya mayor and culture minister faces an arrest warrant after failing to appear for his arraignment over charges from a decade-old condo development scandal in Pattaya. Itthiphol Kunplome’s current location remains undisclosed. Neither his house nor his political faction’s office in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri saw any sign of him yesterday. The properties were markedly…
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Singer files complaint against man for unwanted kiss at Pattaya bar
A Thai singer recently filed a formal complaint against a man who reportedly sexually harassed her at an entertainment venue in Pattaya. The victim, Toey, shared a video of the incident from a security camera on Facebook to seek justice and expose the unacceptable behaviour of the alleged perpetrator. The singer revealed in the caption… “I did not slap him…
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Former Pattaya mayor faces arrest, 10 years in jail for illegal building permit
An arrest warrant was issued yesterday for Itthipol Khunpluem, a former Culture Minister and ex-mayor of Pattaya, by the Corruption and Misconduct Case Court (Region 2) in Rayong. Itthipol is accused of misconduct related to granting a building permit to a company on September 10, 2008, for the Waterfront project near the hill of the royal palace in Pattaya, Chon…
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Pattaya Central Tunnel to install CCTV to deter motorcycle riders
Pattaya’s Central Tunnel, a vital shortcut for local commuters, has been the centre of a heated debate involving the city’s Mayor, Poramase Ngampiches, and the persistent motorcycle riders who choose to ignore established safety regulations. Despite a standing prohibition, an estimated 5,000 motorcycles continue to navigate the tunnel every month, leading to the proposal of a new deterrent – the…
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Teenager severely burnt in Molotov cocktail attack in Pattaya
In a sudden and brutal attack, a 16 year old teenager in Pattaya was the victim of a Molotov cocktail assault. The incident occurred in the wee hours of today, resulting in severe burns for the young boy. The location of the attack was Soi Khao Noi, situated in the Nong Prue sub-district, Banglamung district, within the province of Chon…
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Teenage symphony disrupted: Sattahip police operation strikes a chord, arrests 52 and seizes drugs
Sattahip was the scene of a police operation that resulted in the arrest of 52 teenagers and the seizure of illicit drugs. The operation was initiated following complaints from residents about loud music and an abundance of parked vehicles disrupting the tranquillity and traffic flow in the area. The inconsiderate parking had even blocked some residents’ driveways, leading to heightened…
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Pattaya’s iconic tamarind tree stirs public outcry over trimming concerns
In the heart of South Pattaya, on the bustling Walking Street, stands a majestic tamarind tree. Over 80 years old, the tree holds a significant place in Pattaya’s local heritage and has been a part of the landscape since the early days of Walking Street in the 70s and 80s. The tree, however, recently came under the spotlight when some…
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13 Vietnamese men arrested in Pattaya for operating gambling website
The Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (IDMB) arrested 13 Vietnamese suspects operating a gambling website based in Pattaya. The gang was circulating 300,000 baht daily within their illicit operations. This arrest came in the wake of a theft incident involving a Vietnamese victim on August 21. IDMB officers diligently traced the Vietnamese suspects, ultimately revealing their involvement in…
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Thailand’s September sizzle: Festivals, art, sports, and much more
A vibrant array of festivals and events await visitors in Thailand this September. The calendar is packed with religious festivities, art and craft exhibitions, and a variety of sports events. Among these, the Tenth Lunar Month Festival, Ko Lae Boat Racing, Long-boat Racing, Cross-Region Travel Fair, and several marathons and half marathons stand out as key events, promising an exciting…
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Dine, dash, and deceive: Crafty customer feasts and flees without paying the bill at Pattaya eatery
A deceitful customer dined and dashed from a local Pattaya restaurant without paying after ordering an abundance of food and three bottles of beer. The man left behind a mobile phone and cigarette, claiming he needed to pick up a friend. It was later revealed that the phone was a decoy, and the same individual had previously impersonated an assistant…
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Pattaya’s perfect crime: Fake cops fleece shop owners in cunning scam
The bustling city of Pattaya recently fell prey to a scam that saw numerous shop owners tricked into parting with large sums of money by a group of fraudsters, cunningly disguised as fake cops. The fake police officers coerced their unsuspecting victims in Pattaya into paying substantial amounts to avoid what was falsely presented as an impending arrest. The scammers…
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Ring of legends: Buakaw and Saenchai to face off in unique BKFC Thai boxing match
Legendary Thai boxers and best friends Sombat “Buakaw” Banchamek and Supachai “Saenchai” Saepong are set to step into the ring under a special rule for the 5th Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) Thailand – Legend of Siam. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 4, at Royal Cliff Hotel Group in Pattaya. BKFC ASIA officially announced that…
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Foul play: Noxious scent unveils grim discovery of dead Finnish man in Pattaya
An unpleasant odour seeping from a residence in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya has led to the discovery of the dead body of a Finnish man inside. According to SiamRath, residents in Pattaya detected a foul smell from the house of a foreign man. In response, they enlisted the aid of a rescue team at the stroke of midnight…
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Youth gang clash turns Pattaya beach into battleground: One shot, one stabbed
A chaotic brawl erupted on Pattaya beach as two rival youth gangs clashed, resulting in one teenager being shot in the leg and another stabbed multiple times. The incident, which occurred late last night, left tourists fleeing in panic, as officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station rushed to the scene. The beachfront, located approximately 100 metres from the Mueang Pattaya…
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Brawl over boat pricing to Koh Larn erupts at Laem Bali Hai pier
Tourists were left in shock as a group of people herding guests aboard a boat to Koh Larn erupted into a brawl over pricing at the Laem Bali Hai pier in Chon Buri province. The video clip of the incident, which transpired yesterday, was released a day later and showed the two groups engaged in a heated and violent confrontation.…
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Prominent politician’s alleged son causes chaos at Pattaya rental villa
A teenager, purporting to be the offspring of a prominent local politician, and his associates stand accused of wreaking havoc on a rental villa in Nongprue, Banglamung. They are said to have threatened the villa’s owner. The villa is situated in a residential complex in M.12. Cattleya Jularat, who is 44 years old rented out her villa through an agency…
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18-wheeler truck overturns and catches fire on Sri Racha motorway
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, an 18-wheeler lorry dramatically overturned on a motorway in Sri Racha, Chon Buri province. The incident took place around 7.30am on August 22. The driver, a Thai national, reportedly dozed off at the wheel, causing the truck to crash and subsequently burst into flames. Emergency services were immediately alerted and dispatched to the scene…
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Pattaya’s Walking Street gets facelift with removal of power poles
The renowned Walking Street in Pattaya has been given a contemporary makeover as unsightly power poles have been removed. The inspection of the upgraded tourist attraction was conducted by Mayor Poramase Ngampiches yesterday. Along with him, other city officials marked the successful completion of the major project, which involved the dismantling of utility poles on the street. Over the past…
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Double trouble: Bali lounge Pattaya hit by second burglary in a month, deja vu for devastated owners
The Bali Lounge Bar & Restaurant, nestled on Pattaya’s lively Third Road, was subjected to a second burglary in less than a month. The first theft saw the establishment losing a staggering over 1 million baht worth of assets. The second incident unfolded at 6pm on Wednesday, August 23. A 32 year old man, Worawut, happened to be on the…
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Pattaya roadwork hazards exposed as woman flips car in early morning accident
A woman driver lost control of her vehicle, collided with a barrier, causing the car to overturn on a road in Chon Buri. The roadworks accident occurred around 4am today when Pattaya was undergoing widespread road surface drilling. Chonlawit Athipansi, Deputy Inspector (Investigator) of Pattaya City Police Station, and his team were informed of the car accident on Sukhumvit Road,…
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American-Thai couple arrested for running Thailand’s largest online escort service
A significant breakthrough in the fight against online prostitution rings came to light last Friday when Thai Police revealed the capture of an American-Thai couple. The authorities believe they were the brains behind Thailand’s most extensive online escort service and sex agency website, tailormade to cater to an international clientele. The website, which was revealed in a joint press briefing…
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Transformer explosion in Pattaya destroys six motorbikes
A power transformer located near Pattaya Beach Road met with an unfortunate incident in the early hours of yesterday when it exploded during a heavy rain shower. The blast resulted in the destruction of six motorbikes parked beneath it. However, in a stroke of luck, no casualties were reported. The Pattaya Fire Department received the report of the explosion at…
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Pattaya taxi turf war leaves four ride-share drivers severely injured
An otherwise quiet alleyway in Pattaya erupted in violence at around 2.30am today when an eruption of animosity between rival motorbike taxi groups led to a serious altercation. The stand-off which unfolded nearby a popular tourist spot, Central Mall, and within a stone’s throw of the Pattaya Police Station, involved traditional orange-vested motorbike taxi riders, known as Win, and ride-sharing…
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Thai couple detained for alleged unauthorised infant burial near Pattaya
A Thai couple was taken into custody following an alleged infant burial attempt near the Huai Chak Nok Reservoir, neighbouring Pattaya in the province of Chon Buri. Their arrest on Wednesday, August 16, was undertaken by the coordinated efforts of the Huay Yai Police and their counterparts in Pattaya. Acting on a tip-off from public-spirited locals, who had concerns about…
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Condo technician dives into irony: A lifesaver’s plunge in Pattaya pool becomes his last
A condominium technician unervingly drowned in the same swimming pool where he tried to save the life of a tourist in the heart of Pattaya. The incident occurred at 1am today when the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Center in Pattaya, received a distress call from a condo in Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri province. The call reported…
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Arabian tourist killed and two others injured in late-night Pattaya road crash
A shocking road incident occurred along Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya late last night resulting in the death of an Arabian tourist and serious injuries to two others. The accident, which involved two high-powered motorcycles, adds to the recent tally of life-threatening incidents in the region. On receipt of the unfortunate news around midnight, Pattaya Police Station’s duty officer, Akarapong Saenputawong, spearheaded…
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Calamari calamity: Squid vendor cart-wiped on Pattaya street by pickup truck
In an unfortunate event spurring questions about road safety, a squid vendor riding her food cart was struck by a speeding pickup truck on a bustling street of Pattaya on Tuesday night. The pickup truck implicated in the incident did not stop at the site, leaving the vendor and her companion with minor injuries and raising concerning questions about road…
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Unsettling find: Tragic discovery of newborn baby on South Pattaya Road
In the late hours of Monday evening, a deeply unsettling discovery of a newborn baby was made on South Pattaya Road, Pattaya. The lifeless body of the newborn baby girl was found on a mound of waste, left to the mercy of fate. The details of this harrowing incident were disclosed by local police who received a distress call at…
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Kuwaiti rider’s downhill dash leads to street spectacle in Pattaya
A Kuwaiti motorcycle rider’s recklessness turned into a dramatic scene on the streets of Pattaya, Thailand, as he lost control of his bike while speeding down a slope, resulting in an accident and injuries. The incident unfolded as the Sawang Borriboon Meaung Pattaya Rescue team was summoned to the scene after receiving a distress call from a concerned local. Upon…
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Goodbye Family Mart, hello Tops: Thailand’s retail favorite gets a fresh aisle
The well-known Family Mart stores, a cornerstone of the local retail landscape for over 30 years, are set to be rebranded as Tops Daily in the heart of Thailand. The decision made by the Central Retail Corporation PLC (CRC) projected completion by the end of this year will bring an end to an era as it follows a decision to…
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