South Thailand News

Stay updated with the latest Southern Thailand news at The Thaiger, your ultimate source for regional information. Keep informed on local events, business developments, and lifestyle stories in popular locations beyond Phuket, Koh Samui, and Krabi. We’ve got reports of the latest goings on in Trang, Songkhla, Yala, and more.

Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, The Thaiger’s Southern Thailand news page is your essential guide to exploring this stunning tropical region. Dive into the vibrant community and rich culture with our expertly curated content, designed to keep you connected and well-informed.

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  • Bangladeshi nationals disguised as monks arrested in Thailand

    Seven Bangladeshi nationals, masquerading as Buddhist monks to bypass immigration scrutiny, were apprehended yesterday in the southern province of Songkhla, Thailand. The arrest was a collaborative operation between Songkhla immigration officers and Hat Yai tourist police, following an anonymous tip-off. The men, who had shaven their heads and donned monk robes in their attempts to blend in and evade the…

  • Thai woman issues warning after naked woman breaks into her house in Krabi to watch TV (video)

    A Thai woman issued a warning to residents of Ao Luek district in the southern province of Krabi after a naked woman broke into her house to watch television. The homeowner, a 47 year old woman named Romla Saiwaree, shared a video of the naked woman with Channel 7 yesterday. In the video, Romla and another man are seen entering…

  • Spider senses tarantula tingling: Arachnologists spin a web of discovery in Thailand

    If you go down in the Thailand woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise, but it’s almost guaranteed there’ll be no Teddy Bears’ picnic, as arachnologists found while discovering a new species of tarantula. Arachnologists discovered the new species of tarantula deep in a mangrove forest in Phang Nga province, on the southwestern coast of Thailand. They stumbled upon…

  • Chaiya Pier 60m baht investment to boost Surat Thani tourism

    A significant boost to Chaiya district’s tourism is on the horizon as provincial authorities of Surat Thani have earmarked a budget of 60 million baht for the construction of a new pier. The announcement came from Surat Thani governor, Witchawut Jinto, who confirmed that construction will commence shortly. The construction is said to be positioned near a public park in…

  • Southern gem: Thailand’s newest international airport set for maiden flight

    Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport, situated in southern Thailand, is poised to start a trial run of its state-of-the-art international passenger terminal, valued at 1.4 billion baht, on September 19. This development marks an eagerly anticipated step towards its recognition as Thailand’s latest international airport. Originally designed primarily for domestic flights, the airport has responded to the escalating demand for international…

  • Southern Thai community shaken by drug-infused gay sex scandal involving abbot

    A startling revelation has ruffled the robes of both locals and monks alike in the tranquil southern province of Phattalung after a sinning abbot had been dealing in more than just sermons, he was caught offering drugs to men in the community in exchange for gay sex, leaving the community in disbelief. A woman who lives near the temple told…

  • Koh Samui tourism seeks extended stays for European travellers amidst water crisis

    Koh Samui’s tourism sector called for the government to extend stays for European travellers, arguing that the proposed visa-free travel for Chinese tourists will not significantly benefit the island. This comes from Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, the president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, who noted that Chinese nationals only make up a small percentage (10%) of the island’s foreign tourist…

  • Laos-link drug bust: Thai police seize 100,000 illicit tablets in holy heist

    Police today swooped to arrest a group of drug traffickers operating between Thailand and Laos and confiscated over 100,000 tablets of illicit substances. The operation unveiled a drug trafficking route originating from neighbouring Laos, with deliveries strategically timed before Buddhist holy days, as Laotians traditionally abstain from immoral activities on such sacred occasions. The arrest operation, led by Rutthaphon Naowarat,…

  • A woman looking for calm on meditation retreat finds chaos after abbot sexually harassed her

    A 20 year old Thai woman announced yesterday that an abbot sexually harassed her at a temple in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat while on a meditation retreat. The abbot denied the allegations and accused the woman of blackmailing him for money. The woman recounted the incident with Channel 7 yesterday. She asserted that the abbot subjected her…

  • Search intensifies for culprits in deadly Pattani ambush as police take action

    Royal Thai Police are on a manhunt for assailants responsible for a deadly ambush in Yarang district, Pattani, that resulted in three fatalities and five injuries. The ambush, which took place in front of the Yarang municipal office on the Yarang-Mayo Road, occurred at approximately 10.50pm yesterday. The attackers, armed with assault rifles and grenades, left a chilling scene. Over 100…

  • Emergency decree against insurgency extended in Deep South

    While emergency decrees over the Covid-19 pandemic situation are finally a thing of the past, the continuously troubled Deep South region of Thailand has been operating under an ongoing emergency decree aimed at protecting citizens from the threat of the long-term insurgency constant in the area. The three southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, are a buffer between…

  • Pha Ngan businesses raise awareness of Full Moon Party’s weeklong events

    August hosts a rare occurrence, two full moons in one month. In Thailand that can only mean two Full Moon Parties, with the second on August 31. Now a group of local businesses have banded together to spread awareness that full moon festivities have grown from a single one-night party to a week of events at venues all over the…

  • Miraculous plunge: Singaporean man survives fifth-floor fall from Krabi hotel

    A Singaporean man on Saturday survived a terrifying life-threatening fall from the fifth floor of the Krabi Seabass Hotel. Krabi Pitak Pracha rescuers were called to the hotel on Takuapa Road in the southern province of Karabi to help the 37 year old Singaporean man called Brian. Remarkably, Brian emerged from the fall with only minor injuries, a testament to his…

  • Man arrested for theft of valuables worth 10 million baht from friend’s home

    A suspected thief has been arrested by police, following the alleged theft of 10 million baht worth of valuables from a friend’s house. The suspect was taken into custody today. The arrest came after a complaint lodged by 39 year old Trairat, a motorcycle shop owner from Phatthalung province. Trairat met 30 year old Suphanarin several years ago while working…

  • Thai woman sexually harassed by motorcycle rider on road in Yala

    A 17 year old woman faced a perverted man on the road in the southern province of Yala. The degenerate cut her motorcycle off and sexually harassed her. The teenage victim, Nam, shared a video of the incident on social media to warn others on Siroros Road. Nam, who was on a motorcycle, was seen engaging in a conversation with…

  • Pressing matters: News reporter grilled by police over social media scoop on gambling den robbery

    Khao Chaison Police Station in the southern province of Phattalung summoned a news reporter for further questioning after he posted a story on social media about a robbery that occurred at a gambling den. On August 15, the unnamed news reporter took to Facebook to share information about a robbery at the gambling den. “Robbery at a gambling den in…

  • Train drivers prevent disaster, stopping just metres from man on tracks

    The near-death experience of an unidentified man was shared by a train driver on the Captain in Train Facebook page. The video showed a mysterious man standing on the train tracks, apparently hoping to be hit. The driver, Choonya Sathiranon and his colleague Thepnurak Choochuai, working in the Hat Yai district, Songkhla, South Thailand were operating express train number 169…

  • Ex-army officer arrested for exploiting underage girls in Thai karaoke bar

    A retired military officer has been arrested by Thailand’s Crime Suppression Division (CSD) for running a karaoke bar where he was allegedly exploiting underage girls. The ex-lieutenant, identified only as 59 year old Ratwut, was apprehended earlier today at one of his establishments in the southern province of Chumphon. Ratwut, also known as “Uncle Odd,” is accused of profiting from…

  • Yaba ordeal: Mother seeks aid as son’s dark turn targets family cat

    A Thai mother reached out to a non-profit organisation for help after her 10 year old son was exposed to methamphetamine, commonly known as Yaba, and attempted to kill the family’s pet cat. The woman told the Paveena Foundation for Women and Children that her son’s personality had changed for the worse during the past month. The boy is out…

  • ATM theft: Police nab debt-driven man who stole 400,000 baht

    Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat successfully apprehended a lone desperate man responsible for the theft of a Krungthai bank ATM. The incident took place in front of the Rajaprajanukroh 8 School, a secluded area in the Ban Na Thap community. The arrest was made following an investigation into the theft from August 16, where the culprit made away with almost 400,000 baht.…

  • Runway cracks resolved: Phuket Airport gets back on smooth flight path

    Airports of Thailand’s Phuket branch, responsible for managing Phuket International Airport, confirmed yesterday, that the runway cracks which led to multiple flight delays and one diversion to Krabi have been addressed and rectified. The announcement was initially made via state-run Radio Thailand Phuket last night. It was also announced by the National News Bureau of Thailand’s national platform but it…

  • Phuket braces for rain havoc: Urgent weather alert signals flood risk

    The southern province of Phuket has been included in an urgent weather notification that advocates for all hands on deck amid the risk of flash floods possibly instigated by heavy, persistent rain forecasted to batter the Andaman coast starting from Sunday, August 20. This alert was issued yesterday by Boonsom Cholpitakwong, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of National Water…

  • Cash caper: Thieves on the run after snatching 400,000 baht from Krung Thai Bank ATM

    Thieves remain at large after stealing about 400,000 baht from a Krung Thai Bank ATM in front of Prachanukroh School in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The deputy manager of the Krung Thai Bank, Janjira Saelim, yesterday lodged a complaint at Tha Sala Police Station complaining that thieves had stolen money from the ATM in the early hours…

  • Two wanted insurgents killed in Pattani as Thai military thwarts regional violence

    In a clash between the Thai military and militant insurgents today, two suspects were gunned down in Pattani Province. The suspects had been spotted by locals hiding out in a household in Nong Chik District and were subsequently cornered by a joint force of 50 military personnel led by Colonel Sathiraphong Atharn and Lieutenant Colonel Sittisak Chenbanchong. Upon reaching the…

  • Wild elephant captured after 22 days of disruption

    Perhaps only in Thailand can an elephant be avoiding a court order for disturbing the peace. After 22 days on the lam, a wild elephant has been successfully captured in the Nop Phi Tham district of the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The “elephant arrest” was made to comply with a court order issued to relocate it due to…

  • Hospital theft: loot stolen by men posing as relatives recovered from sewer

    Two individuals, notorious for their thefts within hospitals, were arrested in a rented room in Trang province after trying to flush the evidence. The suspects are accused of a series of thefts carried out in various hospitals, impersonating patients’ relatives. Upon arrest today by officers from the Thung Song police station in Nakhon Si Thammarat, they were caught with some…

  • Police arrest savage suspect after 17 years on the run

    A man known for his ferocity, who had been on the police’s most-wanted list, was arrested yesterday after 17 years on the run from a homicide case in Satun province. The suspect, previously involved in a nasty public brawl, was detained at his residence in the province’s Lang Suan district. Today, Police Colonel Montri Theskan ordered Police Lieutenant Colonel Phongoanot…

  • Road of sorrow: Scottish man becomes latest victim of Thailand’s perilous roads

    A sombre chapter was added to the tragic toll of Thailand’s perilous roads today, as a 48 year old Scottish man became yet another victim. The unfortunate incident unfolded when Robert Griffin, a shipping officer from Fife, lost control of his white Honda Click motorbike, resulting in a head-on collision with another motorcyclist in Krabi, a province in southern Thailand.…

  • TikTok ticking bomb: Soldier’s daring disposal and life philosophy go viral

    A disarming every-second-counts video of a soldier removing a bomb at the Phra Viharn border became a TikTok sensation after he said, “No expectation of how long I can live but want to make the most of my life.” The high-risk bomb disposal video footage was posted on TikTok by Warongkorn Sringam, an experienced Military K9 official with the Bomb…

  • Explosion in Yala and Sungai Kolok districts results in two injuries

    In an explosion that shook the districts of Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat and Mueang in Yala on Saturday night, Royal Thai Police (RTP) are currently on the hunt for the individuals behind the incident that left two innocent bystanders injured. The explosion in Sungai Kolok resulted in no causalities, whilst its counterpart in Yala left two innocent bystanders injured, reported…