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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Songkhla school director killed in hostage incident receives royal honour
Sasiphat Sinsamosorn, the former director of a school in Songkhla, has been posthumously granted the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand after sacrificing herself to protect teachers and students during a school shooting incident that led to a hostage situation. The Royal Gazette published the royal command yesterday, May 19, announcing the royal decoration for the deceased teacher.…
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Three arrested after 10-kilometre drug chase in Chumphon
Highway police arrested three suspects and seized more than 20,000 methamphetamine pills and crystal meth following a 10-kilometre car chase in Chumphon today, May 17. The suspects were identified as 33 year old Teerapong, 25 year old Suwapat, and 25 year old Pongsakorn. Police seized 20,200 methamphetamine pills and 52.13 grammes of crystal meth during the operation in Hat Phan…
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Officials say foreigners own only 6% of Koh Pha Ngan following locals’ concerns
The director of Thailand’s Land Department stated that foreign nationals own only six percent of land on Koh Pha Ngan, following growing concerns among residents about increasing foreign influence on the island. Concerns intensified in recent years as the number of long-stay foreign residents, particularly Israeli nationals, has increased on Koh Pha Ngan. Some locals fear the island could gradually…
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Koh Pha Ngan nominee raids target 32 suspected companies
More than 300 police officers raided 32 companies on Koh Pha Ngan this morning, May 13, as part of a crackdown on suspected foreign nominee businesses allegedly using Thai nationals to hold land on behalf of foreigners. Deputy national police chief Samran Nualma led the operation at 9am alongside officers from multiple police units, including the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau,…
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Krabi official registers marriage for drug suspect before arrest
A district chief in Krabi allowed a suspected drug dealer to register his marriage before the man was sent to prison following his drug arrest yesterday, May 11. Officials in Mueang Krabi district said the suspect, known as “Dome Koh Klang,” was arrested during an operation targeting small-scale drug dealers in Khlong Prasong subdistrict. Officers allegedly found 399 methamphetamine pills in his…
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Koh Pha Ngan resort crackdown probes nominee ownership claims
Officials inspected four resorts in Sri Thanu on Koh Pha Ngan yesterday, May 9, arresting three hotel operators over alleged unlicensed hotel businesses as part of a wider probe into foreign-linked companies and possible nominee ownership. The operation involved officers from the Department of Provincial Administration, Surat Thani Immigration Bureau, and Koh Pha Ngan police. Sri Thanu, in Koh Pha…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat theft suspect consumes 25 meth pills before arrest
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat arrested a theft suspect today, May 8, after he allegedly stole 40,000 baht, used part of the money to buy methamphetamine, and consumed 25 pills in less than 24 hours. Police identified the suspect as 39 year old Arin from Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district. He was arrested at a rented house in Tha Sala district…
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Malaysian man possible blacklisted for damaging Hat Yai police wheel clamp
A Malaysian man faces a 3,000 baht fine and possible blacklisting from Thailand after damaging a police wheel clamp in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, on May 4. A traffic police officer from Hat Yai Police Station had placed the clamp on a black Mercedes-Benz registered in Malaysia after it was parked in a prohibited area on Prachathipat Road. A traffic…
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Koh Pha Ngan raid exposes illegal school, unregistered foreign teachers
A Koh Pha Ngan childcare centre was raided on May 1 after officials found it was allegedly operating outside the scope of its licence with unregistered foreign teachers and 163 children enrolled. Surat Thani Immigration police, Koh Pha Ngan police, district officials, and Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 officers inspected the property. The centre was licensed as a childcare facility operated…
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Phatthalung police accused of deceiving mentally ill man into gambling
Parents accused a police officer in Phatthalung of deceiving their mentally ill son into gambling, leading to losses of around 120,000 baht. The parents, 46 year old Yupaporn and 53 year old Thanasak, sought help from a local journalist, claiming their 20 year old son Peerasak was targeted by a police senior sergeant major identified as Suea, who serves under…
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Thai couple allegedly kills man after swindling his money using AI generated profile
A Thai couple allegedly operated a romance scam using artificial intelligence (AI) to create a social media profile, and murdered a victim in Surat Thani after their criminal action was caught. The victim, 61 year old Wichit Chompong, was found with more than 10 gunshot wounds in a roadside plantation in Son Sak district. His mobile phone was damaged and…
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Shooting at Nakhon Si Thammarat wedding leaves six injured
Six people were injured in a wedding shooting in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, April 28, after a dispute between guests from the bride’s and groom’s sides escalated into gunfire. Police were called to the scene in Tha Sala at around 3.30am following reports of a shooting, with multiple injuries, at the event. Rescue workers had already taken the injured to…
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Thai woman found dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat hotel after meeting her ex
A Thai woman was found dead in a hotel room in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, April 22, after arriving with her ex-boyfriend, who told staff that the woman had fainted and left the scene. Officers from Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat Police Station were called to the hotel at around 9pm. The woman, later identified as 31 year old Kimyong, was…
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Family honours man’s final wish with funeral dancers
Three dancers were hired to perform in front of a coffin during a funeral on April 20 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, after the family said they were honouring the deceased man’s final wish. The funeral took place on the final night for 59 year old Winit at his home in Ron Phibun district, Nakhon Si Thammarat. A Facebook page livestreamed…
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Woman catches, punches peeping tom filming in Surat Thani toilet
A woman punched a man after catching him filming her inside a toilet at a petrol station in Surat Thani on April 16, before police were called. The incident took place at a petrol station in Baan Na Doem district after a group of women were returning from Songkran celebrations and heading back to Khian Sa district. They stopped at…
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Thai man helps thieves steal gold from nephew-in-law
A man in Ranong province admitted to assisting thieves in stealing a gold bar worth more than 2.5 million baht from his nephew-in-law, claiming he acted out of frustration over the victim’s repeated displays of wealth. The theft took place on April 10 at a car garage in Mueang district. The victim later shared CCTV footage of the incident on…
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British man apologises after drifting car near Songkran event
Police are seeking to revoke the driving licence of a British man who was caught drifting a car during Songkran celebrations in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province on April 12. Viral footage shared on Thai social media showed a red vehicle drifting on a concrete area near the Songkran event site close to Black Bridge in Hat Yai district.…
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More than 80 undocumented Myanmar migrants found in Songkhla
More than 80 Myanmar migrants were found hiding in a forested area at the foot of a hill in Songkhla, yesterday, April 9, as officials investigated a suspected migrant smuggling operation. Officials acted after village and subdistrict leaders reported a large group hiding in the area. District officers, police and Songkhla immigration officers were then sent to inspect the site.…
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Mercedes driver doges petrol bill, station worker forced to cover costs
A woman driving a white Mercedes-Benz allegedly left a petrol station in Thung Yai, Hat Yai, Songkhla, with a 1,000 baht fuel bill unpaid on April 6, leaving the employee to cover the cost himself. The incident occurred at 2.42pm when a woman aged around 30 to 35 arrived in a white Mercedes-Benz and asked to fill benzine 95 worth…
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US military aircraft presence at Krabi Airport raises questions
Residents in Krabi have raised questions after multiple United States military aircraft were seen operating at Krabi International Airport yesterday, April 7, with frequent take-offs and landings reported throughout the day and night. Videos shared widely on social media showed several aircraft, including C-130, MV-22 Osprey and H-60 Seahawk, flying at low altitude and producing loud noise. Witnesses said the…
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Songkhla orders probe after 100,000 litres of diesel found
Officials in Songkhla found 100,000 litres of diesel stored at a company’s international truck yard in Sadao district yesterday, April 4, after no documents were produced to back earlier claims that the site had a valid fuel storage permit. The case emerged after social media posts alleged that a Malaysian transport operator with a trailer yard for cross-border runs between…
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Yala tightens security after reports of insurgent group movement
Security agencies in Yala raised security measures to the highest level today, April 2, after detecting movement by violent groups believed to be preparing attacks in urban areas and economic zones. Units were told to tighten surveillance in high-risk areas, particularly around town centres and key commercial zones. Officers also stepped up screening at checkpoints, focusing on cars and motorcycles…
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Koh Pha Ngan to revoke visas of American-Israeli tourists
Officials on Koh Pha Ngan agreed on March 31 to revoke the tourist visas of three Israeli visitors, including one described as an American national of Israeli ethnicity, after a review found their behaviour could affect public order and security. The district-level committee met at 3pm at the Koh Pha Ngan District Office in Surat Thani. It was set up…
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Two killed after attackers open fire on pickup in Narathiwat
Two people, including a district official, were shot dead early this morning, April 1, after attackers opened fire on their pickup in Dusongyo subdistrict, Chanae district, Narathiwat province. Police were alerted at about 1am to an ambush shooting involving a pickup truck. Officers coordinated with relevant units before going to the scene. Upon arrival, police found a black, four-door Toyota…
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Thai couple alleges peeping incident at Koh Lipe resort
A Thai couple warned others on TikTok after a woman said an alleged resort worker spied on her while she was changing inside a bungalow on Koh Lipe in Satun province. The woman, identified only as Anna, shared details on her TikTok account @arnabarbie on Saturday, March 28. She said the incident happened at a resort on Koh Lipe where…
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Thai truck driver found dead after alleged 10-hour refuelling queue
A Thai truck driver was found dead inside his vehicle at a petrol station in Prachuap Khiri Khan yesterday, March 25, allegedly after he had been waiting in a refuelling queue for more than 10 hours. The driver, 51 year old Phut Nutchabut, was reported missing after the owner of his trucking company was unable to contact him by phone.…
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Pickup driver and companion flee with 100 litres of diesel
A pickup truck driver and a companion stole 100 litres of diesel worth 3,081 baht from a PTT petrol station in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, with the station owner urging the suspects to return and pay before a police complaint is filed. The owner of the PTT station, Jiraporn Khunnam, posted CCTV footage of the incident on her Facebook…
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Czech influencer and MMA fighter killed in Koh Samui crash
A Czech influencer and MMA fighter died on March 17 after her scooter was hit by a lorry on Koh Samui, Surat Thani, while she was on her way to a Muay Thai training session in Thailand. The woman was identified as 23 year old Dominika Elischerova, who was known online as Mina. She was taken to hospital with serious…
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Koh Samui permits reviewed over suspected forged paperwork
Koh Samui City Municipality in Surat Thani is investigating suspected irregularities in construction permits after a municipal legal officer urged owners yesterday, March 21, to recheck their paperwork and report anything unusual, as officials move to identify those responsible. Yesterday, Pallop Meepian, a legal officer at Koh Samui City Municipality, posted on social media asking owners of villas and other…
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Phatthalung psychiatric patient kidnaps nurse at knifepoint
A psychiatric patient allegedly threatened a nurse with a knife and forced her into a car before fleeing from Srinakarin Hospital in Phatthalung, yesterday, March 18, before leaving her by the roadside. Police at Srinagarindra Police Station were alerted by the hospital that a patient showing psychiatric symptoms linked to drug use had been brought in for treatment. While staff were preparing…
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