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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    A healthy tomorrow starts today: Celebrate the great American Smokeout day

    The Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 17, is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to take their first steps towards a smoke-free life. If you’re an expat in Thailand, this day could be a timely reminder to...

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

    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

    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…

  • Nightclub shooting: Man accidentally fires gun into his own leg

    Nightclub shooting: Man accidentally fires gun into his own leg

    Most nightclub shootings involve some sort of fight or commotion with a melee of people, but not always. A sudden gunshot incident in a popular nightclub in Hat Yai left a man nursing a self-inflicted leg injury, causing considerable alarm among the hundreds of patrons. The nightclub had to cease operations today for immediate investigation. Hat Yai Police were notified…

  • Wild elephant captured after 22 days of disruption

    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…

  • Police arrest savage suspect after 17 years on the run

    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

    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.…

  • Malaysian tourist influx remains steady despite uncertainty in Thailand’s south

    Malaysian tourist influx remains steady despite uncertainty in Thailand’s south

    Malaysians are still streaming into Songkhla, despite safety concerns and uncertainties following the recent fireworks warehouse explosion and a car bombing in Narathiwat. The blasts brought ensuing speculation over safety concerns across Thailand’s southernmost provinces. But an average of 10,000 Malaysian tourists each day are visiting Southern Thailand anyway. Songchai Mungprasithichai, spearheading the Songkhla Tourism Promotion Association, expressed that the…

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

    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…

  • BREAKING: Bombshell details emerge in Koh Pha Ngan murder

    BREAKING: Bombshell details emerge in Koh Pha Ngan murder

    BREAKING NEWS: In Koh Pha Ngan, after 29 year old rising star Spanish chef Daniel Sancho Bronchalo brutally murdered and carved up his alleged lover, 44 year old Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, the missing top half of his body has now been recovered. Further details of the motive have been revealed but not confirmed. The torso and head of the murdered…

  • UPDATE: Kayak found as Spanish chef admits disposing body of lover off coast

    UPDATE: Kayak found as Spanish chef admits disposing body of lover off coast

    In an update in the ongoing murder investigation, a kayak, speculated to be used by a Spanish chef to dispose of his former Colombian surgeon lover’s dismembered body parts, was discovered on Saturday off the coast of Koh Pha Ngan, stated the police. The chef, 29 year old Daniel Sancho Bronchalo is the descendant of several prominent Spanish actors, is…

  • Spanish chef brutally murders Colombian partner in Thai island horror

    Spanish chef brutally murders Colombian partner in Thai island horror

    On the island of Koh Pha Ngan, located in the southern province of Surat Thani, a horrifying crime unwrapped as a Spanish chef confessed to the brutal murder and dismemberment of his Colombian partner. The crime was alleged to have taken place before the culprit dumped the body fragments in trash bags discovered in a local landfill and into the…

  • Car bomb shock in Narathiwat: No casualties as police close district (video)

    Car bomb shock in Narathiwat: No casualties as police close district (video)

    In Narathiwat, a car bomb detonation led to the temporary closure of a region surrounding the location of a police base situated in Sungai Kolok district. The blast last night fortunately did not result in any injuries or deaths. The incident took place close to Orakan intersection, in proximity to both a rail route and the ad hoc police stronghold…

  • A young boy’s plea to King for rooftop repairs gets heartwarming response

    A young boy’s plea to King for rooftop repairs gets heartwarming response

    In Nakhon Si Thammarat, a young boy from a destitute family has successfully received aid to restore the dilapidated rooftop of his home after his plea to His Majesty the King was met with a positive response. Nine-year-old, Thirat Thongphet lives in a modest village within Khuntalay, a section of the Lan Saka district. The youngster penned a plea on…

  • Student abandons newborn after giving birth in petrol station during field trip

    Student abandons newborn after giving birth in petrol station during field trip

    A seventh grade student from Narathiwat gave birth in a petrol station toilet during a school outing in the southern province of Pattalung and abandoned her newborn baby girl. Officials were alerted to the case at around 9.30am today. Investigation of CCTV footage from the station led to the student being identified and located. The incident took place at a…

  • Juicy bust: Thai police squeeze illicit kratom factory

    Juicy bust: Thai police squeeze illicit kratom factory

    A substantial operation by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) yesterday, culminated in the seizure of an illicit factory manufacturing kratom leaf juice. The raid led to the confiscation of around 3000 bottles of cough syrup, three guns, and the arrest of one suspect. The RTP stormed into the clandestine factory situated along Khlong Toei-Khlong Ple Road nearby the Kho Hong…

  • Southern Thailand police seize 12,000 meth tablets, 2 key figures arrested linked to notorious drug ring

    Southern Thailand police seize 12,000 meth tablets, 2 key figures arrested linked to notorious drug ring

    Police officers from the suppression division apprehended two individuals implicated in a notorious drug network known as Jing Kantang, which has been causing alarm throughout the southern region of Thailand. According to reports, these individuals had been evading capture until they were finally caught in the Songkhla today. Police Lieutenant Colonel Montri Theskhan, in command of the Suppression Division, gave orders…

  • Full Moon Party faces Buddha Days, water shortages this month

    Full Moon Party faces Buddha Days, water shortages this month

    Local party and event organisers have scrambled to host the infamous Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach in Koh Pha Ngan this week while facing a number of setbacks. The country is seeing a surge in tourism due to the super-extended six-day holiday weekend, but that brings a downside for the partygoers on the island. Normally the week of…

  • Koh Tao sees record-breaking one-day tourist influx

    Koh Tao sees record-breaking one-day tourist influx

    The island of Koh Tao has seen a record-breaking number of tourists reported to have landed on July 28. The Surat Thani Provincial Governor, Wichuwat Jinto, shared the good news earlier today. Koh Tao, the smallest of the three main southern gulf islands, welcomed a staggering 3,106 visitors, all of whom arrived via boat on the same day. This influx…

  • Firework warehouse explosion kills 12, damages 292 homes

    Firework warehouse explosion kills 12, damages 292 homes

    In the Sungai Kolok district of the Deep South province of Narathiwat, a devastating explosion in a firework warehouse claimed 12 lives and injured another 121 injuries yesterday. The explosion also resulted in significant damage to the surrounding area with 292 houses reported to be damaged or entirely obliterated, as announced by the provincial public relations office on their Facebook…

  • Radical imagery paraded at school event called child exploitation

    Radical imagery paraded at school event called child exploitation

    In light of a controversial incident at a recent sports day event in the Panare district of the deep south province of Pattani, the Internal Security Operations Command’s (ISOC) Region 4 Forward Command is reportedly preparing to take legal action. This follows the child exploitation allegations as children were paraded holding images of deceased insurgents. The sight has sparked social…

  • Ex-Hat Yai mayor handed 9-year prison sentence and heft fine over monument funds misuse

    Ex-Hat Yai mayor handed 9-year prison sentence and heft fine over monument funds misuse

    In a long-standing case spanning over 18 years, the former mayor of Hat Yai City in Songkhla province has been handed a nine-year prison sentence and a fine of 12.4 million baht by the Supreme Court. The verdict came yesterday, related to accusations dating back to between February 1 and February 4, 2005. Prai Pattano was accused of misspending funds…

  • Herb collector saved in 16-hour daring mountain rescue operation in southern Thailand

    Herb collector saved in 16-hour daring mountain rescue operation in southern Thailand

    A high-intensity rescue operation managed to save the life of a 55 year old man from a precarious mountain fall in the Chao Pra Mountain, located in Trang province in southern Thailand. This formidable rescue mission, which spanned 16 hours, was carried out by more than 30 expert rescue workers who found the injured man within a crevice on the…

  • Massive Hat Yai raid seizes 5,000+ illicit cigarette packs, 2 arrested

    Massive Hat Yai raid seizes 5,000+ illicit cigarette packs, 2 arrested

    A major raid took place today in southern Thailand, where police, Songkhla administrative officials, and officers from the Excise Office raided a large illicit cigarette shop. The officials seized a considerable amount of contraband alongside a hefty sum of cash. The incident took place in the city of Hat Yai in Songkhla province. The operation was headed by Chavakij Suwankiri,…

  • Chumphon durian farmer fatally shot: Locals feared regular gunfire

    Chumphon durian farmer fatally shot: Locals feared regular gunfire

    Police are on the hunt for a gunman who shot dead a 63 year old durian farm owner in his backyard. Locals reported frequent gunfire from the victim’s farm, causing anxiety amidst fears of stray shots. The incident occurred at around 4.30pm today when the police received a report of a fatal shooting in a durian orchard in southern Thailand.…

  • Southern Thailand calamity: Lorry crash kills retired school director, triggers village blackout

    Southern Thailand calamity: Lorry crash kills retired school director, triggers village blackout

    A lorry plunged into a house and hit a retired school director who was out for a walk, causing fatal injuries, in a village in southern Thailand. The mishap also caused damage to a residence and a high-voltage power pole and left three motorcycles damaged. Lieutenant Bundit Prasert, deputy investigator of Betong Police Station, today rushed to the scene at…

  • Thai woman detained over fraudulent number plates and illegal cigarettes haul

    Thai woman detained over fraudulent number plates and illegal cigarettes haul

    The Highway Police detained a Thai woman over fraudulent number plates attached to her vehicle. This follows a report from a man who received a speeding ticket, despite never having driven in the area where the offence was allegedly committed. After an investigation by the police, the suspect was tracked down. The search also revealed an additional case with numerous…

  • Storm hits Trang, uprooted tree traps bedridden woman in her home

    Storm hits Trang, uprooted tree traps bedridden woman in her home

    As storms lashed the district of Kantang in the southern Trang province last night, emergency services were called to rescue a 78 year old bedridden woman and her family. The disastrous weather resulted in a 100 year old banyan tree falling on their residence and trapping them inside. The rescue operation was coordinated with local authorities under the leadership of…

  • Scorpions found in Longkong fruit: Thai mother stung in southern Thailand

    Scorpions found in Longkong fruit: Thai mother stung in southern Thailand

    A woman needed medical attention after getting stung by a scorpion after the deadly creature made a nest in some Longkong fruit in southern Thailand. A Thai man alerted fellow netizens after finding four of these deadly creatures hiding within 2 kilogrammes of the fruit bought for his mother. The shocking incident led to an outpouring of similar experiences from the…

  • Ex-military man turns himself in for fatal case of mistaken identity in milk trailer shoot-out

    Ex-military man turns himself in for fatal case of mistaken identity in milk trailer shoot-out

    In a shocking turn of events, a woman who drove a milk transport trailer was brutally gunned down in a tragic case of mistaken identity. An ex-military personnel, assigned to the Thung Song area in Nakhon Si Thammarat, turned himself in and confessed to being the gunman, in lieu of a mercenary fee. However, he had targeted the wrong person. The…

  • Songkhla temple encourages solar cell donations, not traditional wax candles, for Lent

    Songkhla temple encourages solar cell donations, not traditional wax candles, for Lent

    A temple in Songkhla province put up a clear sign requesting that instead of offering traditional wax candles for the upcoming Buddhist Lent, supporters should donate solar cells. The use of local language on the signage has added a touch of levity and sparked conversation amongst the community. Lieb Temple has grabbed attention with its unique request showcased on banners…