South Thailand News
Southern Thailand news, Phuket news, Koh Samui news, and Krabi updates—stay informed on business, tourism, and local events from Trang, Songkhla, Yala, and beyond. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Southern Thailand news source.
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How one hospital visit in Thailand could cost more than your whole trip
Thailand is a favourite spot for travellers who want to enjoy more while spending less. From cheap street food to low-cost hotels and fun attractions, it’s easy to stretch your budget here. But there’s one thing many people don’t think...
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Military officer killed in Narathiwat shooting and vehicle fire
A shocking and violent incident unfolded yesterday, December 31 in Narathiwat, when armed assailants opened fire on a military officer’s pickup truck, resulting in a tragic loss of life. The incident took place within a palm plantation in the Paluru subdistrict of Su-ngai Padi, leaving the vehicle engulfed in flames. The attack occurred at 6pm when individuals armed with firearms…
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South Korean man missing after boat capsizes near Koh Pha Ngan
A South Korean man remains missing after a long-tail boat capsized at around 3am yesterday, December 29, in the sea near Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. A boat driver was tested positive for drugs. The accident occurred on a long-tail boat named Phichitchai, which departed Rin Beach on Koh Pha Ngan and was…
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Yacht fleet breakfast: Thaksin and Thamanat’s island meet-up
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and ex-Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow made waves yesterday, December 26 as they were spotted enjoying a private breakfast on the picturesque Koh Lipe, Satun province. The political duo arrived in style, leading a fleet of six luxury yachts to the tropical getaway. Landing unannounced at the upscale Bulow Casa Grand View Resort, they dined from…
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Police vehicle attacked in Yala, one officer killed
An armoured police vehicle was severely damaged in an ambush involving a bomb and gunfire in Yala, Thailand, resulting in the death of one officer. In the evening yesterday, December 26, a violent incident occurred in Thanto, a district in Yala province. An explosive device was detonated by unidentified assailants targeting border patrol police officers, followed by gunfire. The officers…
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Bitch leaves behind puppies after fatal shooting in Songkhla
A bitch, believed to have been shot, struggled to return to her puppies to nurse them before succumbing to her injuries while they were still feeding. This tragic incident took place yesterday, December 25, in Songkhla province, adding a sad note to Christmas and prompting immediate action from local officials and animal welfare organisations. A video circulated online showed a…
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South Thailand: Schoolgirl attacks senior with knife at tourist spot
A shocking incident unfolded recently at a popular tourist spot in Nakhon Si Thammarat province when a third-year secondary school girl attacked a fifth-year student with a folding knife. The incident took place at Ban Wang Yao, Thon Hong subdistrict, Phrom Khiri district, on Christmas Eve, leaving the older student injured and raising concerns about youth violence. The head of…
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Suspect’s escape leads to soldier’s death in Pattani crash
A tragic incident unfolded yesterday, December 25, when a suspect involved in a security case seized control of a vehicle’s steering wheel, causing it to veer off the road into a fruit orchard. This action resulted in one soldier’s death and injuries to three others. The suspect managed to escape during the ensuing chaos. Police had been conducting a coordinated…
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Innocent Thai couple killed in shooting by military volunteer
A member of the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) opened fire at a restaurant in the southern province of Songkhla, killing an innocent Thai couple who were celebrating their son’s birthday. The shooting occurred at a restaurant on Nuan Kaew Uthit Road in the Hat Yai district of Songkhla on the night of Sunday, December 22. The two victims, 48 year…
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Supermodel recalls surviving 2004 tsunami after 20 years
Twenty years after surviving the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, supermodel Petra Nemcova revisited her harrowing experience in a recent Good Morning America interview with Diane Sawyer. Nemcova, now 45 years old, was vacationing at Thailand’s Khao Lak resort with her boyfriend, photographer Simon Atlee, when the tsunami struck on December 26, 2004. The massive waves, triggered by an undersea…
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Pipe bomb attack injures four officers at Narathiwat base
A brazen attack occurred yesterday, December 21, as assailants hurled a pipe bomb at the Border Patrol Police base in Narathiwat, leaving four officers with minor injuries. The incident, captured on CCTV, has prompted a manhunt ordered by local police. At approximately 6.37pm, the incident unfolded at the Border Patrol Police Operation Base 934, located in Bura Pue, Kokkien subdistrict,…
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Thai ONCB busts drug trafficking network in Songkhla waters
A significant drug trafficking network operating via maritime routes has been dismantled by police in Songkhla, following an extensive investigation and operation Swooping the Pirates: Suppressing the Seas EP.3. Eighteen people connected to the network were arrested, and assets valued at over 170 million baht were seized. The operation was initiated after a major bust on December 4, when police…
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Koh Pha Ngan drug bust: Italian, French, Russian men arrested
Immigration Bureau officers yesterday launched a major operation into foreign drug traffickers on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, resulting in the arrest of Italian, French, and Russian suspects. Officers from the Immigration Bureau yesterday, December 19 arrested Koh Pha Ngan’s leading drug dealer, reported to be a 36 year old Italian man named…
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Sacks found in Phatthalung canal are decomposed pork, not bodies
The mysterious discovery of two bloated sacks floating in a canal triggered a rapid response from the rescue services in Phatthalung province. Residents reported a strong stench emanating from the canal near Apai Borirak Road, leading to fears that the sacks might contain bodies. Rescue personnel arrived swiftly to investigate, only to find a surprising revelation. “The smell was unbearable,…
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Mysterious objects from sky leave Thai couple on cloud nine
A Thai couple in the southern province of Phatthalung claim that mysterious objects falling from the sky made them feel refreshed and healthier, both physically and mentally. The couple, Wichate Siriphuwadon and Maneerat Siriphuwadon, displayed several shiny black objects of varying sizes, with a total weight of around 20 kilogrammes, to various news agencies. They revealed that they discovered the…
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Severe floods in South Thailand claims 8 lives, impacts thousands
Severe flooding has engulfed five southern provinces of Thailand, devastating 47 districts and affecting more than 128,000 households. The death toll has tragically increased to eight as the region grapples with this natural disaster. The floods hit the Nakhon Si Thammarat and Koh Samui districts in Surat Thani the hardest yesterday, December 16. These areas are at the core of…
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Australian tourist escapes drowning amid South Thailand flooding
An Australian tourist had a narrow escape from drowning in South Thailand after his car plunged into a flooded ditch amidst severe flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The deluge has affected 21 districts, severing numerous roads and resulting in the tragic loss of four lives. As heavy rainfall continues to worsen the situation, rescue teams are tirelessly working to assist…
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Relentless flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat plunges city
Severe flooding has devastated Nakhon Si Thammarat as relentless rain continues to batter the province, submerging key city areas and causing another fatality, bringing the death toll to four. Residents have been urged to stay alert as the situation worsens. Heavy rain has persistently hit Nakhon Si Thammarat for several days. Although there was a brief reprieve yesterday morning, December…
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Deadly floods hit Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat
Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat have been hit hard by renewed flooding, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. Persistent heavy rain since December 12 has caused significant overflow from canals and other water sources, inundating agricultural areas, roads, and homes across these southern provinces. In Surat Thani, the districts of Mueang, Kanchanadit, and Don Sak experienced severe flooding…
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Former officer arrested after abducting wife in Surat Thani
A former police officer, under the influence of methamphetamine (meth), was apprehended after abducting his estranged wife in Surat Thani province. The dramatic chase unfolded over more than an hour, following a family dispute and divorce request. Police in Surat Thani arrested 27 year old Phasakorn Kheawphakdee after a tense highway pursuit. The incident began when Sutheemas, his 25 year…
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Father killed in motorbike crash with parked truck in Phatthalung
A devastating accident in Phatthalung province claimed the life of a 47 year old father who was hurrying home on his motorcycle with bread for his children. The incident occurred when he collided with the back of a pickup truck loaded with rubberwood logs. Suphat Khunnui, a deputy inspector at Mueang Phatthalung Police Station, was alerted to a fatal collision…
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Southern Thai man finally receives 10,000 baht government aid
A man from southern Thailand was overjoyed when the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) branch in Loei province finally tracked him down to ensure he received the government aid of 10,000 baht. The initiative was part of a final effort by the bank to help vulnerable groups secure their due benefits before the deadline. BAAC in Loei took…
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Gunmen attack soldiers aiding flood relief in Narathiwat
A tragic attack unfolded in Narathiwat, Thailand, yesterday, when gunmen ambushed military personnel repairing flood-damaged homes. The assailants, using M16 rifles, left one soldier dead and two others injured before fleeing on motorcycles. Police were alerted when Narawi Binwaearong, a local police officer, received reports of the violent incident involving paramilitary soldiers from the 4908th Ranger Company. The attack occurred…
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Six arrested in South Thailand for call centre scams and firearms
Police apprehended six people suspected of being involved in call centre scams and the illegal trade of firearms. The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) announced the arrest on Tuesday, December 10, indicating possible connections between the suspects and insurgency financing in Thailand’s southern regions. The arrests took place on December 10 in Songkhla and Yala provinces following numerous complaints related…
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Seven arrested in Songkhla for 2 million baht scam and gun trade
Seven young adults were arrested in Songkhla’s Mueang district for orchestrating a complex scam that defrauded victims of nearly 2 million baht (US$59,170) and subsequently funding the illegal production of firearms for sale. The arrests took place following an investigation into fraudulent activities conducted by a gang that targeted individuals through random calls, convincing them to invest in a scheme…
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2 Thai boys arrested for shooting girl, mistaking her for an enemy
Police arrested two Thai boys who mistakenly shot a 15 year old girl in the head on a road in the Phra Phrom district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province last night, December 9, believing her to be their rival. Officers from Phra Phrom Police Station launched an investigation into the attempted murder, which took place around midnight on Jang Hoon-Na Pru…
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Trang Airport project abandoned, contractor loses millions
The Airports Department has terminated its contract with Port and Marine Corporation (PAM) and confiscated a 53 million baht security deposit after the company failed to complete the construction of a new passenger terminal at Trang Airport in southern Thailand. Director General Danai Ruangsorn announced that Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri instructed the department to end the agreement and expedite…
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British man commits suicide, leaving sand messages for Thai wife
A British man left messages in the sand for his wife and children before taking his own life on Cha-am Beach in the southern province of Phetchaburi. He was reportedly distressed over two legal cases and a 400,000-baht loss to a friend. A Thai tourist discovered the lifeless body of the British man, later identified as 42 year old Antony…
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Thai woman finds rare Moonrat in southern Thailand canal (video)
A local angler in the southern province of Yala discovered a rare and endangered species known as the moonrat while fishing in a canal. She plans to return it to its natural habitat. The President of the Betong Animal Lover Club, Phatcharin Prathummek, contacted several news agencies to report her rare find. She later guided journalists to her house, where…
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Ukrainian woman found dead in Krabi hotel with suicide letter
A Ukrainian woman left a suicide note and took her own life at a hotel room in the southern province of Krabi, a few days before her body was discovered by a hotel maid yesterday, December 5. The maid, whose identity was not disclosed, alerted officers from Mueang Krabi Police Station to investigate the room on the fourth floor of…
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