Koh Samui News
Koh Samui news, tourism, business, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, local events, and expat insights from Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted island news source.
-
Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
-
Two arrested on human trafficking charges in Koh Samui
Two suspects have been arrested on human-trafficking charges for allegedly prostituting girls under the age of 18 on Koh Samui, under the guise of operating a karaoke bar. 18 year old ‘ladyboy’ Chaiyasit Nijkham and 28 year old Sukanya Phadaeng were arrested in a raid when undercover officers visited the bar as customers. While at the bar, the officers were…
-
Two arrested on human trafficking charges in Koh Samui
Two suspects have been arrested on human-trafficking charges for allegedly prostituting girls under the age of 18 on Koh Samui, under the guise of operating a karaoke bar. 18 year old ‘ladyboy’ Chaiyasit Nijkham and 28 year old Sukanya Phadaeng were arrested in a raid when undercover officers visited the bar as customers. While at the bar, the officers were…
-
Blacklisted Russian gets fake passport, returns to Thailand as Romanian, caught again
The case of the Russian who was blacklisted, deported from Thailand, then flies back to Thailand as a Romanian and moves to Koh Pha Ngan. It all seemed so clever, but was easily detected. The new chief of the Immigration Bureau, Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang, announced the arrest of the man yesterday. Sergey Milentiy was previously based on the southern Gulf of…
-
Day 3 of 2019 Samui Regatta, Thailand
Back racing! After a brief delay with the AP raised onshore, at 09:05 it was lowered and the sailors headed out to the startline where breeze awaited on the Nora Buri & Nora Beach Race Day. Looking to get as many races on the scorecard as possible and make up for yesterday’s wind no-show, Ross Chisholm and team got three…
-
Stellar fleet line-up on Day 1 of Samui Regatta, Thailand
Samui Regatta is a highlight event on the regional regatta circuit that attracts a high calibre fleet of boats and sailors from around Asia to enjoy some top racing off the tropical island, followed by nightly prize-givings on the beach. “Regattas don’t get much better than this” was the consensus at last night’s official opening of the 18th Samui Regatta,…
-
Banyan Tree Samui goes ‘retro’ with the new Tuk-Tuk Bar
Banyan Tree Samui resort has opened what might be the quirkiest if not the cutest bar in Thailand, a cocktail caravan remodelled from a classic 1960s tuk-tuk. The MP4 Midget is virtually unseen on the streets of Thailand these days. But once upon a time, the “frogs”, as they were commonly nicknamed, were everywhere. Thousands of these 12 HP 350cc…
-
Samui Regatta welcomes Synergy Samui Resort as new home
“Early entries are looking good with a strong line-up of boats and crew from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Thailand.” The “Tropical Island Regatta” is set to return to Koh Samui’s shores from May 25 to June 1 on Chaweng Beach and this year will be at a new venue, Synergy Samui Resort. Samui Regatta is popular with sailors from…
-
Koh Pha Ngan rapist participates in reenactment of rape of Norwegian tourist
PHOTOS: ThaiRath Police have held a bizarre reenactment of the rape of a 26 year old Norwegian tourist after a 33 year old Thai man was arrested for the crime soon after it was reported on Sunday night on Koh Pha Ngan. Rewat “Moss” Hansuwan says had offered the victim to help her find her lost wallet but ended up…
-
Former prisoner arrested over rape of Norwegian tourist on Koh Pha Ngan
33 year old Rewat Harnsuwan, a resident of Nakhon Si Thammarat, has been arrested over the alleged rape of a Norwegian woman on Koh Pha Ngan off the coast of Surat Thani last Sunday. He was arrested at a motorcycle repair shop in Tambon Koh Pha Ngan at 8pm last night. It has been revealed that he had been released from…
-
Suspect arrested over alleged Norwegian tourist rape at Koh Pha Ngan
Police have arrested a suspect who allegedly raped a Norwegian tourist at Koh Pha Ngan after the weekend’s Half Moon Party. The tourist filed a complaint with the Pha Ngan police station on Sunday morning, telling the officers that she had been raped by a motorcyclist. Read more about her report HERE. Police launched an immediate search for the suspect…
-
Police looking for Thai man who raped Norwegian tourist after Full Moon Party
PHOTO: M-THAI Police on Koh Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand off Koh Samui are launching a manhunt for a Thai man who has allegedly raped a Norwegian tourist. The incident is said to have happened during the monthly Half Moon party late Saturday night. The national police chief had instructed the Surat Thani police head office to speed…
-
French man nabbed on suspicion of operating a taxi
PHOTO: Manager Online Koh Samui police interviewed a foreign man who had been accepting money after taking tourists to the port on Koh Samui. The man denied he had been running a taxi service saying he was just helping friends. Thai operators, particularly taxi services on Samui, are claiming that foreigners were increasingly taking jobs reserved for Thais. Locals say Europeans,…
-
Boat carrying a Bangkok school group sinks at Chumpon pier
A boat carrying up to 40 schoolchildren has sunk after hitting underwater rocks next to a pier in Chumpon province last Monday. The vessel “Mattha” was carrying around 50 people, including the group from a school in Bangkok on a snorkelling day trip around the nearby islands. But when the boat returned later in the day, the tide was out…
-
Raid on 18 foreign-owned Koh Samui hotels, owners arrested
FILE PHOTO Army, police and municipal officials have raided 18 hotels on Koh Samui claiming that they are illegally owned by foreigners. The hotels in questions are on a mountainside on the Gulf island, the second largest island in Thailand. Officials carried out the search and raids on Chaweng Noi Mountain in Moo 6 village in Tambon Bophut and found…
-
Massive fire at Koh Samui incinerator – VIDEO
PHOTOS/VIDEO: The Government Public Relation Department Region 5 An incinerator caught fire on Koh Samui, off the coast of Surat Thani last night. “That’s what incinerators are meant to do,” we hear you cry. But this one was totally out of control destroying the entire structure. The Government Public Relation Department Region 5 reports that the fire started at the…
-
The ‘Fun Police’ crackdown on posting ‘lewd’ Songkran pics and video
The Thai police have become Thailand’s fun police today as they warn Songkran revellers against posting photos of scantily clad people, or ‘invitations’ to consume alcohol’… pretty much everything you see during the madness of Songkran festivities in the main tourist hot spots. “No photos, video clips of live broadcasts of nudity, lewd acts or inviting consumption of alcohol should…
-
Koh Phangan and Koh Tao try to shake off monthly boom and bust
by Bill Barnett Thailand’s idyllic Koh Phangan island is renowned globally for its marque Full Moon parties. On the heels of soaring demand for the big event, visitor numbers surpassed the one million ceiling two years ago and over a five-year period registered compound annual growth rate of 17%. While the numbers are impressive, the reality for resorts on the…
-
Russian arrested on Samui for theft, drugs and overstaying visa
A Russian man has been arrested for stealing a digital camera as well as taking drugs and overstaying his visa. The incident happed on Koh Samui yesterday, (Sunday). Police from Bophut station arrested 31 year old Kiirti Svami after a digital camera store in one of the island’s major malls caught him returning to their store after already being caught…
-
Government considers blanket alcohol bans on April 13
There’s a 24 hour ban on alcohol on the weekend preceding AND the actual election weekend this month. And next month is Songkran with the Government mooting possible blanket bans on Songkran day, April 13. This year the Government says they want an alcohol ban on the biggest annual holiday for Thais. It’s also part of the week when there…
-
31 year old British man stuck in Koh Samui hospital
by Jane Tyler – Birmingham Mail PHOTOS: Facebook/Liam Workman Liam Workman, who bought a one-way ticket to Thailand to “start a new life” last December is now critically ill in a Samui hospital with brain injuries following an alleged a hit-and-run motorcycle crash. Now relatives of Liam are desperate to raise at least £3,000 (125,000 baht) for medical treatment and fly…
-
Enthusiastic Dutch lover gets his marching orders in Koh Samui
SCREENSAVE: Channel Seven News A Dutch man, who fell fell in love with a Thai female staffer at the resort where he was staying in Koh Samui, wouldn’t take no for an answer. The incident is reported to have happened at the Lamai Hill Villa. Channel Seven news says the issue became an obsession for him, convinced his good looks would…
-
Bangkok Airways spending 3 billion on new planes, airports
PHOTO: A Bangkok Airways ATR 72-600 dwarfed by a Thai Airways ‘jumbo’ Bangkok Airways is putting aside 3 billion baht to finance two new aircraft to support their growing passenger numbers. The local airline is forecasting a 3% growth in bums-on-seats this year to over 6 million passengers. The airline’s CEO says they hope to purchase two new ATR 72-600…
-
The Koh Samui tunnel – “it definitely had all the proper documentation”
The 84 metre tunnel, rediscovered last week by a foreign tourist visiting the north of Koh Samui, is starting to reveal more of its secrets. This week island authorities announced they would prosecute the builders of the tunnel because they were unable to find any supporting documentation or permissions for the construction. The Koh Samui land office could, however, confirm…
-
Landowners could face jail – Koh Samui ‘mystery tunnel’ case
PHOTOS: Manager Online Koh Samui authorities are planning to pursue a case against the landowners on either side of a tunnel that was allegedly constructed without permission. The tunnel connects the beach at Ban Tai with a private road and undeveloped piece of forest land two hundred metres from the island’s main ring road in the Mae Nam district. It was earlier…
-
Tourist finds old tunnel on Koh Samui
PHOTOS: Sanook Authorities are investigating a 100 meters long, 3.5 meters wide and 5 meters high tunnel that had been contstructed from one side of Ban Tai hill to the other. The tunnel was found in the Mae Nam area. After local Samui authorities dug into their paperwork they determined that the area was private land bought by a developer from a…
-
Luxury hotel raided in Koh Samui over alleged money laundering
PHOTO: Oriental Lodge Koh Samui A luxury hotel in the south of Koh Samui was raided yesterday in an international money laundering probe. The raid was conduced by the Department of Special Investigation officers and Ministry of the Interior officials. The Komchadluek website reports that investigators allege that 100 million baht has been funneled through illegal activities at the Oriental Lodge…
-
Koh Samui: “Awash with drugs”, ONB News
ONB News is reporting that Koh Samui is “awash with drugs” and that the local prison was crammed full of prisoners convicted on drugs charges. They were making the assessment following the latest arrest of a Thai woman and her Thai husband on drugs charges on the popular holiday island. ‘Ice’ or crystal methamphetamine was found at her home in…
-
Stunning new Lux Neo villas at Chaweng, Koh Samui
Sun, sea, new, views, pool villa, Samui. All the words you want to hear. Lux Neo is now available, combining stunning sea views and outstanding modern design. Lux Neo is the newest award winning project by the “Neo” team with critiqued unique villa design and award winning styling. Click HERE to read more about the Neo design team and some…
-
Alleged ‘sex cult’ yoga retreat on Koh Phangan operating again
PHOTO: Narcis Tarcau, aka. Swami Vivekananda Saraswati – South China Morning Post The world’s “biggest tantric yoga school” has reopened on Koh Phangan with the accused leader back in charge amid accusations that management suppressed an investigation into the alleged abuse. The centre closed last September after 14 women alleged rape and sexual assault and made official complaints. At the…
-
Updated marine rules – Koh Tao, Ko Phangan, Koh Samui
PHOTOS: DMCR The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has issued updated, published rules for marine activities on the three main islands in Surat Thani province – Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao… 1. Boats are strictly prohibited from using anchors in coral reef areas. Existing mooring buoys must be used when accessing the site. 2. The disposal…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.