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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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Bangkok-Yala Express Train crashes into pickup killing mother and child
PHOTO: Coconuts A mother and son have died after a Bangkok-Yala express train hit their pick up this morning on a road between Ban Tham Khao Chawala and Ban Tham Namthip Villages in Surat Thani, southern Thailand. The victims were identified as 39 year old Weerawal Semrod and her 10 year old son Manoonsak. The incident occurred at a level…
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HM the King expresses concern for people affected by unrest in the Deep South
(Quoted directly from the Government’s Public Relations Department) His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun has been deeply concerned about the people and officials affected by unrest in the southern border provinces. His Majesty on January 21, 2019 assigned Privy Councilor General Paiboon Koomchaya to present baskets of various items given by His Majesty to relatives of the monks killed in…
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Mother and son killed after train collided with their pickup truck in Surat Thani
PHOTOS: fm91bkk A mother and a son have been killed after a train collided with a pickup truck in Surat Thani this morning. FM 91 Bangkok is reporting that the Tha Chana Police in Surat Thani were notified of the incident at a railway in Tha Chana. Police and rescue workers arrived at the scene where there were no barriers for…
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Attacks in Thailand’s deep south – International coverage
Thailand’s southern insurgency, a long, protracted border and religious ‘war’, continues to rage with recent attacks getting more attention. This is partly due to the new targets with local schools getting caught in cross-fire and last Friday night’s killing of a temple abbot and another monk during prayers. The international media is now starting to provide greater coverage of one…
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UPDATE: 4000 villagers attend funeral rites for slain monks in Narathiwat
Over 4,000 villagers, including more than 300 monks from several temples in southern provinces and border provinces of Malaysia, have attended a bathing ritual for the two monks slain by gunmen who stormed Wat Rattananuparb in Narathiwat on Friday night. Read more about the raid HERE. The bathing rites for Phra Khru Prachote Rattananurak, the abbot of Wat Rattananuparb, and…
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UPDATE: Narathiwat temple murders – Security increased while PM condemns shooting
PHOTO: Slain Abbot Phra Khru Prachote Rattanarak The national police chief is ordering police regional units in Narathiwat to ramp up security in the province to hunt down the culprits behind last night’s deadly attack at a temple. Police spokesman Pol Lt General Piya Uthayoh says the motive behind the attack on monks at Rattananuparb Temple in Sungai Padi district…
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Human Rights Watch condemn Narathiwat temple murders as a war crime
PHOTOS: The Nation The cold-blooded attack on a Narathiwat temple, where two monks were gunned down last night, was “inhumane and barbaric”. Spokesman for the Defence Ministry, Lt General Kongcheep Tantrawanich, says that those behind the attack at Wat Rattananuparb in Sungai Padi district “showed no mercy”. “They prefer to use violence to make people fear for their own benefits…
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Two monks killed in temple shooting at Narathiwat
PHOTO: The Nation “We believe that at least six assailants were involved in the shooting and are at large,” – police spokesman in the Su-ngai Padi district. Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has condemned the latest violence in southern province Narathiwat where two monks were gunned down and others injured last night (Friday). Narathiwat is Thailand’s southern-most province. Government spokesman Puttipong Bunnakun…
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Chumphon woman, working in Phuket, wins first prize in lottery
A woman from Chumphon, who helps out her sister in Phuket, returned to her hometown last week where she bought a lottery ticket. The ticket won her the first prize in the lottery. 38 year old Thai woman Chonrada Laimer from Chumphon went to Chalong Police Station yesterday with the first prize lottery ticket number 197079. The weekly lottery numbers…
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More dead whales along the southern Gulf coast
Two young Omura whales have been separately found on Songkhla’s beaches. They were probably from the same herd. The bodies had already started decomposing when they were found. Pak Tae Ra villagers in Ranote district alerted a regional maritime research centre that a big whale was found on the beach. The centre’s chief Suthep Juela-ong found the remains of an Omura…
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Burmese human-trafficking suspect escapes from Songkhla police cell
PHOTOS: The Nation A Burmese suspect has broken free from a detention room at a police station in Songkhla today where he was detained pending a human trafficking investigation. Police say 27 year old Zaw Win somehow unlocked the padlock on the detention cell at the Bang Klam police station in Bang Klam district at about 7am this morning. A…
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Six metre king cobra caught by rescue workers in Trang – VIDEO
VIDEO/PHOTOS: หน่วยกู้ภัยบรรเทาวังวิเศษ A 20 kilogram, 6 metres king cobra has been caught in Trang by rescue workers. 77 Kaoded news reports that Sikao Police in Trang were notified of the incident at a house at 4.45pm yesterday. Police decided it wasn’t quite in their work contract and contacted rescue workers who headed to the house. Sawai Kaewjuea, a rescue worker, led his…
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Couple murdered in Yala. Police believe political motives.
FILE PHOTO Police are hunting a group of gunmen in Yala after a home invasion and shooting when they shot dead an election candidate and his wife. Investigators suspect political motives at this stage. The couple’s two children narrowly escaped and are the only witnesses to the incident. Warin Saengchan a local politician preparing his campaign to run for office…
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23 Filipino tourists escape serious injury in Bangkok – Phuket bus accident in Chumphon
PHOTOS: หน่วยกู้ภัยมูลนิธิชุมพร //บางหมาก 02 / MulnithiChumphrKarKuslSngKheaaH 23 Filipino tourists have escaped serious injury in a tour bus crash in Chumphon early this morning. The bus was travelling from Bangkok to Phuket. Chumphon rescue workers were notified of the incident on Phetkasem Road, southbound, at 4.30am this morning. Rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the Bangkok – Phuket tour bus in…
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170K meth pills and 2 kg crystal meth seized in Hat Yai
PHOTOS: Hat Yai Police A man has been arrested with 170,000 methamphetamine pills and two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in Hat Yai, Songkhla. A team from Hat Yai Police last week arrested 31 year old Watcharaphon ‘Pom’ Srinuanput at a rented room in Hat Yai. He was found with 170,000 methamphetamine pills and two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine inside his…
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Omura whale found dead on Chumphon beach
PHOTO: DMCR A young Omura whale has been discovered dead along the Chumpon coastline. Experts believe it died as a result of an infection. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resource (DMCR) was notified about the whale that was found dead near shores Sawee, Chumphon last week. The DMCR is reporting that the female Omura whale was nearly 5 metres…
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Eight days in southern Thailand
mtv.co.uk have visited Thailand recently and come up with their own short, cool, stays in the southern region. If you have a spare eight days, here is their guide for a quick southern beach holiday. Phuket: 2 nights How to get there It’s time to switch it up and head to the Southern region of Thailand. The easiest way is…
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Pabuk: Tax refunds for home and car repairs
The Thai Cabinet has approved a tax refund for people who need to repair damage to their home or car following tropical storm Pabuk hitting the southern Gulf coastline a week ago. Pinsai Surasawadi, principal adviser on strategic tax administration for Finance and Banking, who is also a spokesman for the Revenue Department, said that home repairs costing less than…
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Thai preparedness limits Pabuk damage
Just a week ago the tropical storm Pabuk was poised to make landfall on the southern Thailand Gulf coast after days of predictions, warnings and anticipation. Now the entire event can be assessed in hindsight and lessons learned for next time. Reliefweb.int has issued a compiled report on Pabuk. “Early warning and early action helped ensure that tropical storm Pabuk,…
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UPDATE: Four defence volunteers killed at school by militants
PHOTOS: The Nation | Thai PBS Disguising themselves as army troops, suspected militants surprised a unit of defence volunteers this morning when they opened fire on them at a school in Yarang district, Pattani. They killed four volunteers and taking away their assault rifles. The violent incident occurred in the compound of Ban Pukoh school in Village 5, Tambon Prachan,…
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Suspects are denying involvement in Tuesday’s Songkhla bomb attack
PHOTOS: The Nation Three suspects, arrested in connection with Tuesday’s murder and car-bomb attack in Songkhla, have denied any involvement in the incidents. Eight border patrol police members, including five women, were injured when a bomb, placed in a pickup truck, exploded at about 5.50am on a rural road near a knockdown structure used by border patrol police. The pickup used…
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Insurgents murder teacher and use his vehicle as a car bomb
by Somchai Samart & Supitcha Rattana A car bomb explosion in Songkhla’s Thepa district yesterday has shocked locals after insurgents are suspected of killing a 62 year old school teacher and stealing his pickup to be used in the the attack. Security officials collecting evidence at the scene of the explosion checked the totally destroyed vehicle and found that it…
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28 year old ranger injured in Pattani bomb attack outside school
After a spate of unrest leading up to New Year, another random bombing in the South. A ranger guarding a school in Pattani’s Yarang district has been injured after insurgents detonated a homemade bomb this morning. 28 year old Private First Class Sarawut Ahmamool, from the 22nd Ranger Regiment was severely injured in the 8am explosion about 100 metres from…
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Bottlenose dolphin found dead on Nakhon Si Thammarat beach
PHOTO: DMCR Following Sunday’s discovery of a dead porpoise on Sunday, a bottlenose dolphin has been found dead on a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat as well following last Friday’s storm. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) reports that they were informed yesterday by Vachirapong Sakunrat who found the dead dolphin at Nadan Beach in Khanom, Nakhon Si…
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Southern rail services back to normal
Rail services suspended in the South following after recent flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat are back in full service again. The good news from the State Railway of Thailand acting governor Worwaut Mala. The rail line to the South was partially flooded and damaged after storm Pabuk unleashed heavy rains in the area last Friday afternoon and evening. Workers had…
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Finless porpoise found dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat after Pabuk
PHOTO: DMCR A Finless porpoise found dead on a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat over the weekend following last Friday’s storm. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) is reporting that they were informed by Vachirapong Sakunrat who found the dead dolphin at Nadan Beach in Khanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat. DMCR Officials found that it was a female Finless…
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Marine scientist fears impact to marine life from Pabuk
Marine scientist and vice dean of the Faculty of Fisheries of Kasetsaart University Thon Thamrongnawasawat has posted his concerns about the massive amount of fresh water pouring into the Gulf from rivers in the wake of the Pabuk storm. “Besides damages inflicted on properties, live stocks and farmlands by tropical storm Pabuk, the storm is likely to have caused extensive…
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Paralyzed American teacher heads home to US after GoFundMe raises $76,000
Guillain-Barre Syndrome affects an estimated one in 100,000 people and can cause widespread paralysis Bradner’s family started a GoFundMe account to raise funds to cover her medical care in Thailand, transportation home and rehabilitation in the US Caroline Bradner woke up on the morning of December 22 in Thailand. She couldn’t move and found herself paralyzed from the neck down.…
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Pabuk: One crew dead, another remains missing – trawler sinks off Pattani
A boat crew has drowned with another still missing after a fishing trawler with six crew sank in rough seas off Pattani earlier today. The body of 47 year old Pramote Wongsuwan washed ashore around 11am. Another crewman, 51 year old Chalong Chanthana, is still missing. The four remaining captain and crew, aged between 34 and 41, were rescued after…
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Pabuk makes landfall as it swirls across the Malay Peninsula
PHOTO: The National The Meteorological Department is reporting that the outer arms of tropical storm Pabuk made landfall at 12.45 pm along the coast of Pak Phanang, district of Nakhon Si Thammarat today. The storm is weakening as it moves towards neighboring province Surat Thani to the north, moving at around 18 kilometers per hour, with maximum wind speeds of…
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