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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Paramilitary volunteer arrested for fatal Songkran stabbing
A Songkran celebration turned deadly in the southern province of Trang after a violent clash led to the fatal stabbing of a teenager — and now a 22 year old paramilitary volunteer is behind bars. Benjaphong, a paramilitary volunteer, was arrested today, April 19, following a dramatic police operation after being accused of fatally stabbing a teenager during a brawl…
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Ceiling panels crush driver in fatal Phatthalung truck crash
A trailer truck driver was killed in a horror crash in Phatthalung province, southern Thailand, after his cargo of ceiling panels crushed him to death. The accident occurred at around 10.30pm yesterday, April 18, along Highway 15 in Ban Pabak, Thung Nari subdistrict, Pa Bon district. The driver, 59 year old Manop, was found dead at the scene, buried under…
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Thailand prepares final strategy for Deep South peace
Is peace finally within reach for Thailand’s conflict-hit Deep South? A high-stakes mission next week may mark the turning point in ending decades of unrest in the southern border provinces. Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has announced plans to visit Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat on April 26 and 27, in what could be the final round of consultations before a formal…
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Drunk pickup driver crashes into family and blocks medical aid
A 70 year old drunk Thai man crashed his pickup into a motorcycle carrying a family of four on a road in the southern province of Phatthalung and obstructed rescue workers from providing medical assistance to the injured. The Phatthalung Rescue Foundation responded promptly to the incident, which occurred on Manora Road in the Kuan Maphrao district on the night…
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Ex-councillor wins 90 million baht lottery jackpot in Chumphon
A former local councillor and shrimp farm owner in Chumphon struck lucky this Songkran festival by winning first prize in the lottery, securing a substantial sum of 90 million baht. This remarkable win was publicised by DJ Wongwattana Matchimasatit, a well-known radio host and former secretary to the mayor of Hat Sairee subdistrict. He shared his congratulations on Facebook, celebrating…
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Teen injured in Narathiwat after bomb explodes in hand
An incident involving a young man and a bomb in Narathiwat province has sparked nationwide discussions online. The 18 year old was preparing to throw a ping pong bomb at an adversary during a confrontation in Su-ngai Kolok district on April 15 at 11pm when it exploded, severely injuring his hand. The explosion left his wrist severely damaged, with him…
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Thai-Scottish park ranger resigns after row with racist foreigner
A renowned half-Thai, half-Scottish park ranger announced his resignation following a conflict with an allegedly racist foreigner in the sea off Krabi in southern Thailand. The Thai-Scottish park ranger, 29 year old Siranudh “Sai” Scott, better known on social media as Sai Merman, made headlines in February after an argument with an Italian tourist. The Italian man reportedly violated a national…
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Thai police seize 12kg of meth worth 500,000 baht in Trang
Officers from the Border Patrol Police Division 43, in collaboration with Division 435, seized 12 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine on Phetkasem Road in Mueang district, Trang province, yesterday, April 16. Police Major General Rungroj Thakoonpunyasiri, Deputy Commissioner of the Border Patrol Police, and Police Major General Narong Thananantakul, Commissioner of Border Patrol Police Region 4, received a report on the…
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German couple seriously injured in crash on Phang Nga zebra crossing
A Thai baht bus driver crashed into a German couple on a zebra crossing in the southern province of Phang Nga, leaving the victims with serious injuries. Fortunately, their one year old child was unharmed. The President of the Phang Nga Tourism Business Association, Lertsak Ponklin, shared dashcam footage of the incident along with a message criticising the driver’s recklessness.…
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Down but not out: 2 year old boy trapped in Trang pit rescued
A toddler in Trang gave rescuers the fright of their lives after plunging into a deep, narrow pit next to a well, with the nail-biting rescue operation lasting several hours. The dramatic ordeal unfolded today, April 16 in Moo 1, Wang Maprang Nuea subdistrict, Wang Wiset district, when residents raised the alarm after hearing cries from beneath the ground. The…
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Tourist boat fire injures two near Koh Kut, southeast Thailand
A tourist boat carrying a family of four caught fire near Koh Kut in Trat province, injuring at least two people yesterday, April 11. Provincial officials were notified to assist at approximately 11.40am, as the Aor Subpiti was engulfed in flames, with initial reports mentioning one injured person on board. The boat held a family of four tourists and a…
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Lost in the woods: Italian tourists rescued on Koh Pha Ngan
Police on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province successfully located two Italian tourists lost in the forest for over three hours yesterday, April 11. The incident was reported by Police Lieutenant Vinij Bunchit after coordination with the Italian embassy, leading to the activation of local search and rescue teams. The two tourists, Maria Florencia Abaca and Linda Rattero, found…
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Malaysian man wanted for 6.9 million baht gold theft in Songkhla
Police are hunting for a Malaysian man who stole gold accessories worth over 6.9 million baht from a shop in the Hat Yai district of the southern province of Songkhla. The thief arrived at the gold shop on Montri 1 Road in Hat Yai district yesterday, April 8, wearing white trousers, a dark blue-grey polo shirt, and a hat. He…
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Songkhla couple extorted of 8.2m baht for son’s jail release
A couple has engaged a lawyer to report a gang for allegedly extorting 8.2 million baht by claiming connections with ministers, MPs, and senators to secure their son’s release from prison. The accused also falsely claimed a position as an advisor to a parliamentary committee. Yesterday, April 7, lawyer Chatchawan Bamrungwong accompanied 64 year old Sunaiya, a Songkhla resident, to…
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Trat city opposes Koh Chang expressway, fears economic impact
Residents and business owners in Trat city have expressed strong opposition to a proposed 5.9-kilometre expressway connecting Laem Ngob district to Koh Chang. They contend that this new route, which bypasses the city, could adversely affect the local economy. A second public consultation for the expressway project took place at Trat City Hotel in Mueang district on Wednesday, April 2.…
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Chinese construction firm raises safety fears at Songkhla Hospital
Concerns have emerged over the safety of a new outpatient building being constructed at Songkhla Hospital, with fears exacerbated by the involvement of a Chinese company previously linked to a collapsed building. The 426 million baht project, managed by China Railway No. 10, is under scrutiny after the firm’s involvement in a tragic incident at the Office of the Auditor…
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Thai Cabinet approves 721m baht for Islamic teachers’ salary boost
To enhance peace-building efforts in Thailand’s Deep South, the Cabinet has approved a hefty 721 million baht to boost the salaries of Islamic school teachers. The decision aims to support educators in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and Satun, along with specific districts in Songkhla. Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukul Prueksanusak announced the funding allocation yesterday, April 1, revealing…
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Thai man physically assaults mother over inheritance dispute
A Thai man physically assaulted his mother over an inheritance dispute, accusing her of squandering the family’s assets with her new husband following their father’s death. A Thai mother took to social media to share videos showing her son attacking her outside her home in the southern province of Surat Thani. “I have been caring for my children for 34 years,…
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British boxer dies after first Muay Thai fight on Koh Samui
A British boxer died last week after his first Muay Thai fight on Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Bor Phut Police Station officers were alerted to the death of the British man, 30 year old Joseph Itai Rinomhota, at 12.03pm on March 29. Rinomhota died at Thai International Hospital on Koh Samui after being…
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2.1 million Yaba pills, 210kg of crystal meth found in crashed car
Police discovered 2.1 million tablets of methamphetamine, also known as Yaba, and 210 kilogrammes of crystal meth in a car involved in an accident on a road in the southern province of Phatthalung. Four suspects who were in the car successfully fled the scene. A motorist and residents near the accident site called officers from Nakhayat Police Station to investigate…
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Funeral woe turns to joy as Thai parents realise ‘dead’ son is alive
Thai parents held a three-day funeral for their son before discovering that he was still alive and undergoing treatment at a hospital in the southern province of Phatthalung. Amarawadee Datekhao shared the case of mistaken identity that her family experienced with ThaiRath yesterday, March 26. She explained that her 17 year old son, Pongsaphak Thaneerat, and his friend were rushed…
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Thai boys post video when killing 33 year old man on social media
Police arrested two Thai boys after they filmed themselves brutally murdering a 33 year old man in a rubber plantation in Trang and posted the shocking footage on social media. Esor News reported the shocking murder by the young offenders in Trang yesterday, March 25. The page stated that the 14 year old boys took revenge by killing a 33…
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Ugandan man caught smuggling 16.5kg of cocaine into Thailand
Immigration Bureau officers yesterday arrested a Ugandan man in the southern province of Songkhla for smuggling 16.5 kilogrammes of cocaine from Malaysia into Thailand. Songkhla Provincial Immigration Bureau officers yesterday, March 25, received a tip-off about a suspicious Ugandan national, 29 year old Kasim, and closely monitored him while he was staying at a hotel in the Hat Yai district of…
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Thai woman dies in car crash after van driver abandons her mid-trip
A drunk Thai woman met a tragic end after being dumped mid-journey by a van driver in Surat Thani. The driver allegedly kicked her out for annoying other passengers—only for her to be killed in a horrific car crash moments later. Officers from Tha Chi Police Station were alerted to the woman’s death on Highway 41 in the Ban Na…
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Thailand plans 1 trillion baht land bridge to boost trade efficiency
The Ministry of Transport has introduced draft legislation for establishing a Southern Economic Zone, facilitating a substantial Land Bridge transport project to connect the Andaman Sea with the Gulf of Thailand. This bill proposes a commission to expedite the Southern Economic Corridor’s development across Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit expressed hopes for the…
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Masked killers fatally shoot cattle farmer in Pattani
A chilling murder in the southern province of Pattani has left a community reeling, as four masked assailants ruthlessly gunned down a local cattle farmer in a brutal execution-style shooting. The killers escaped on two motorcycles, leaving the police scrambling to uncover the motive behind the cold-blooded attack. The horrific shooting unfolded in Ban Klang subdistrict, Panare district, Pattani province…
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Loco antics: Drugged-up drama as man halts Hat Yai express
Pandemonium erupted in Hat Yai when a Thai man under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs turned the railway tracks into his personal stage, causing a train to come to a screeching halt. The bizarre incident, captured on video, saw the man standing, lying, and even walking towards the moving train, sparking chaos at the station. It all unfolded yesterday, March…
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Pipe bomb attack injures five at Pattani police checkpoint
Two people disguised as Muslim women threw a pipe bomb at a police checkpoint in Pattani province, injuring five residents, including a family of five. The incident occurred at 5.40pm, yesterday, March 19, when officers from the Sai Buri District Police Station were alerted to the attack at the Wat Lieb checkpoint in Taluban subdistrict. The explosion affected passersby, prompting…
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2 German models steal from Koh Pha Ngan shop twice in one day
The Thai owner of a handcrafted home goods store on Koh Pha Ngan in the southern province of Surat Thani refused to compromise with two German male models who stole products from her store twice on the same day yesterday, March 18. The owner of the Sprout store, Ploy, took to Facebook and Instagram to expose the two German thieves after…
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Irishman killed in high-speed crash in Phang Nga’s Khao Lak
A tragic accident claimed the life of a 54 year old Irishman when he was struck by a speeding car in Khao Lak last night. The victim, identified as Neil Christopher More Oferrall, was killed instantly when a black Ford Everest hit him on Phetkasem Road, in front of the Sangsawan Resort, around 9pm yesterday, March 17. Police quickly arrived…
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