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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Woman’s body found in suitcase with dumbbells in Rayong
A woman’s body was discovered inside a suitcase weighted down with dumbbells in Ban Chang district, Rayong province, yesterday, February 7. Local police were alerted by a fisherman near a golf course who noticed a foul odour emanating from the suitcase. Emergency services were called to the scene in Ban Chang subdistrict, where they found a large, locked black suitcase…
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South Thailand: Bomb attack injures four police officers in Pattani
A bomb attack occurred at the entrance of a village security post in Nong Chik district, Pattani province, injuring four police officers. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team is currently investigating the incident, which took place at 8am today, February 7. The attack was reported at the village security post located along the Don Yang-Hat Yai road. Initial reports confirm…
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Toddler mauled by vicious dog in Ranong, mother demands justice
A devastated mother is demanding justice after her three year old son was viciously attacked by a Bangkaew dog in the Kapoe district of Ranong, leaving him with a severe head injury. The shocking incident occurred on February 1 while little Thanawat Makmun was playing outside his home. Without warning, the dog, owned by local Pramote Sae-lo, lunged at the…
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American man and Thai wife lose 15.2 million baht in Hua Hin property fraud
An American man and his Thai wife are pursuing justice after being duped by a real estate firm into buying two plots of land and a house in Hua Hin, located in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, amounting to 15.2 million baht. Despite their investment, they have been unable to gain ownership of the property. The couple, Patrick…
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Thai cop killers on the run: Malaysia tightens borders amid manhunt
Malaysian police dismissed speculation that two fugitives wanted for the brutal murder of a senior Thai police officer and his son have fled to Malaysia. Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain confirmed that no formal requests had been received from Thai police regarding the suspects. “We are acting based on media reports as we do not want criminals…
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Fire in Trang car paint shop causes millions in damage
A fire broke out at a car paint shop in Trang province, destroying seven vehicles and causing extensive damage estimated at several million baht. The blaze erupted yesterday, February 3 at 9pm, prompting emergency services to rush to the scene and battle the flames for nearly two hours. Police Lieutenant Colonel Vechayan Hiranyasuwan, an investigator at Mueang Trang Police Station,…
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Thailand’s 34 billion baht railway plan to boost trade and tourism
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is pushing for an 80-million-baht budget to conduct a feasibility study for a new double-track railway linking Hat Yai in Songkhla to Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat. The massive 34.59 billion baht project aligns with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s policy to enhance railway efficiency, improve connectivity between Thailand and neighbouring countries, and stimulate border trade,…
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Russian man rescued after car crashes into tree, suspected drugs found
A Russian man crashed his sedan into a tree at the side of the road in the southern province of Phetchaburi, sustaining serious injuries. A packet of white powder, suspected to be a drug, was found in his possession. A video shared by Channel 8 shows rescuers, police officers, and residents in Phetchaburi attempting to retrieve the 38 year old…
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Illegal work hub: 17 foreigners arrested in island raids
Police in Surat Thani have swooped on illegal foreign workers across three of Thailand’s most popular tourist islands, arresting 17 foreign nationals and one Thai citizen in a sweeping immigration raid this week. Led by Surat Thani immigration officers, police, and local officials, the raids targeted Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Ko Tao, following reports of foreigners running unregistered…
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Thai man jailed for 2 months for killing neighbour’s Siberian Husky
A Thai man who beat his neighbour’s dog to death in December last year in the southern province of Songkhla faces two months in jail. In December last year, the owner of the light brown female Siberian Husky named Lucky checked a security camera in the community while searching for his missing dog. What he discovered was footage of his neighbour,…
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Illegal Russian, Estonian building workers arrested on Koh Pha Ngan
Thai Tourist Police officers arrested a Russian man and an Estonian man for illegally working at a construction site on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. The Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, Saksira Phueak-aum, recently launched a crackdown on illegal foreign workers on Koh Pha Ngan, leading to a thorough and continuous investigation of…
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New Thai team to tackle Deep South conflict amid growing violence
A new government team dedicated to peace negotiations will be formed to address the ongoing conflict in the Deep South, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Phumtham stated that the leader of the new team has yet to be decided. The choice could involve reappointing the previous team or opting for a new one, contingent on a comprehensive…
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Thai hotel owner returns wedding ring lost 5 years ago to Norwegian guest
A Thai hotel owner kept her promise and returned a wedding ring to a Norwegian guest who had forgotten it at her hotel in the southern province of Krabi five years ago. The Thai Facebook account สมศักดิ์ เตบบุตร (Somsak Tebboot) shared the story of his family member, Warunee Khundee, owner of Bliss Resort on Koh Wang Beach in Krabi, on Sunday,…
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Three suspects killed in Krong Pinang security operation
Today, January 27, a confrontation in Krong Pinang resulted in the deaths of three suspects following a security operation. At 4am, security personnel, in collaboration with the Yala provincial police, surrounded a house in the village of Jarae Kadong, Huai Krathing subdistrict, where three men were hiding. The suspects attempted to flee, opening fire on the officers, which led to…
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Thai police arrest migrants en route to Malaysia in smuggling bust
In Songkhla, police in Chana district apprehended 10 illegal migrants from Myanmar and two Thai drivers as they attempted to travel to Malaysia in search of employment. The arrests were made yesterday evening, January 25, by a team comprising immigration and highway police, who intercepted a Honda sedan and a Mitsubishi Pajero on a local road in tambon Taling Chan.…
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Thai woman arrested over online job scam in Pattani
A 22 year old Thai woman was arrested in Pattani province for her involvement in an online job scam yesterday, January 24. She claimed she was forced to open bank accounts by a Chinese criminal gang and detained in a casino. Police Major General Witthaya Sribunsroek, acting provincial police chief, ordered Police Colonel Phongpanot Chuakaew and Police Captain Kiattisak Boonthong…
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Russian man throws son overboard in Phang Nga, leaving boy dead
A Russian man allegedly threw his 13 year old half-Thai, half-Russian son out of a speedboat in the sea off the southern province of Phang Nga on Wednesday, January 22, resulting in the boy being struck by a propeller and subsequently losing his life. Workers on the speedboat alerted officers from Kuraburi Police Station to the pier in the Kuraburi…
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Heinous crime: Couple arrested for farmer’s murder in Phatthalung
Police have apprehended a couple suspected of murdering a prominent farmer in Phatthalung province after they fled to Mae Sai in Chiang Rai. CCTV footage captured them leaving the scene on a motorcycle around the time of the incident, leading to their arrest. The victim, 72 year old Phob, was an award-winning farmer and the owner of an agricultural learning centre…
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3 orangutans destined for Bangkok seized in smuggling bust
Three orangutans were seized in Chumphon’s Mueang district yesterday, January 22 while en route to Bangkok. These animals were discovered in a pickup truck driven by 63 year old Winai (surname withheld), with 45 year old Kalaya in the front passenger seat. The orangutans, classified as endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), were contained…
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Inmate escapes Chumphon prison, manhunt underway
An inmate serving a prison term for a drug-related offence has escaped from Huai Klung temporary prison in Wang Tako subdistrict, Lang Suan district, Chumphon province, sparking a search operation. The escape occurred around 3pm, yesterday, January 20, and seven hours later, the fugitive remains at large. Prison officials, alongside police from the Lang Suan Police Station, have mobilised to…
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Thai cop blames exhaustion after crashing into 2 motorcycles, injuring 3
A Thai police officer in the southern province of Narathiwat blamed work-related exhaustion after crashing his sedan car into two motorcycles, resulting in three injuries. One of the victims is in critical condition. The accident was reported to officers at Chanae Police Station at about 5.12am on Saturday, January 18. The suspect, who was wearing a police T-shirt, identified himself…
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Foreign cannabis thieves: Thai shop owner offers reward for information
A cannabis shop owner is offering a 2,000-baht reward for information about two foreign men who stole cannabis from a shop in the southern province of Krabi on Friday, January 17. The theft occurred at the Smok XXX shop in the Pu Dam Market, Krabi, at approximately 10pm. The two foreign thieves were captured on the store’s CCTV cameras. One…
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Southern Thai temple seeks UNESCO World Heritage status
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on is set to propose that Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat receive support to pursue UNESCO World Heritage status. The proposal is expected to be presented to the Cabinet next Tuesday, January 21. Apichat Sakdiset, the Minister’s adviser, revealed that the National Committee on the Convention Concerning the Protection of the…
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Drug-addicted Thai man steals pickup to impress teen crush
A drug-addicted Thai man stole a welfare pickup from an officer of the Public Works and Town & Country Planning Department in the southern province of Chum Phon to impress a woman he had a crush on. The official, Prasart Kraiwilat, filed a complaint at Mueang Chumphon Police Station after losing the car, which belonged to his workplace, the Department…
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PM perfects ‘Salaam’ greeting on helicopter to Muslim south
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra prepared for a visit to Thailand’s southern Muslim-majority provinces by practising the universal Islamic greeting, “as-salaam alaykum” (peace be upon you), aboard an air force helicopter. Assisted by Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, the PM repeated the greeting several times to perfect her pronunciation. “I practised this earlier too, but I want to get it just right.”…
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South Thailand unrest: Defence chief demands strategy overhaul
Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Minister of Defence Phumtham Wechayachai called for a bold rethink of Thailand’s southern border strategy following a recent motorcycle bomb attack in Pattani that left defence volunteers and civilians injured. In a scathing critique of current measures, Phumtham urged the National Security Council (NSC) to replace the ineffective cycle of lifting and reinstating emergency decrees with a more…
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Thai man demands 24 million baht from BMW driver who kills his wife and 2 kids
A Thai man is demanding 24 million baht in compensation from a BMW driver who was speeding when she crashed into his family’s motorcycle, killing his wife and two children on a road in the southern province of Chumphon in November last year. The 52 year old Thai mother, Yenjit, and her two children, Boonyanuch and Krittamate, lost their lives…
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PM Paetongtarn to visit southern provinces amid recent bombings
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will visit the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat tomorrow despite recent bombings in the region, as confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Phumtham, who is also with the defence ministry, yesterday, January 14, addressed two bomb incidents: one in Ano Ru subdistrict, Mueang district, Pattani, which injured six paramilitary rangers on Monday morning,…
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Forks of fury: Woman seeks justice after nightspot stabbing drama
A Thai woman is seeking justice after being accused by a group of nearly 10 women of pouring water over them before they attacked and stabbed her in the back with a fork at a nightclub in the southern province of Songkhla. The 24 year old victim, Tar, brought the matter to Channel 7 after the police failed to update…
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Hat Yai gears up for Chinese New Year with parades and contests
Hat Yai is pulling out all the stops for a dazzling Chinese New Year celebration, promising a week of vibrant festivities from January 28 to February 2. This iconic festival, a highlight for Thailand’s Chinese community, will take over Srinakorn Foundation School with parades, dragon and lion dances, fireworks, and breathtaking lantern sculptures. The festival is packed with activities to…
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