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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Thai tour guide killed, 16 foreign tourists rescued after boat capsizes in Surat Thani dam
A boat capsized in the Rajjaprabha Dam, also known as Cheow Lan Dam, in the southern province of Surat Thani, claiming the life of a Thai tour guide. Sixteen foreign tourists were rescued safely. The Kusonsattha Surat Thani Rescue Foundation responded to an alert about the accident at 11.40am yesterday, July 20. The incident involved a longtail tour boat carrying…
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Thailand to send back stolen orangutans to Indonesia
Thailand is preparing to send four rescued orangutans back to Indonesia by the end of the year, marking a symbolic step in the fight against wildlife trafficking — and celebrating 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) confirmed that the orangutans were seized in two separate illegal wildlife…
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Man drowns after pickup plunges off Nakhon Si Thammarat bridge
A late-night shortcut turned fatal for one man in Nakhon Si Thammarat, when a routine drive ended in horror as his pickup truck plunged off an unfinished bridge, claiming his life in a freak drowning accident. The tragic incident unfolded around 8.30pm yesterday, July 17, when 51 year old Bamrung’s brown-black Isuzu pickup veered off a construction zone in Village…
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Contractor kills knife-wielding man in Trang shootout
A knife-wielding man was shot dead in broad daylight on a village road in Trang province, after reportedly terrorising locals in a drug-fuelled outburst. The gunman was identified as a local contractor who claimed he was acting in self-defence. The incident unfolded yesterday, July 17, in Huai Yot district, when 40 year old Pathompong, a contractor, fatally shot 32 year…
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Thailand booms as Hat Yai steals budget travel spotlight
Thailand continues to attract record-breaking numbers of tourists in 2025, with Chinese, Malaysian, and South Korean travellers leading the way. Meanwhile, Hat Yai is gaining traction as one of Asia’s most affordable and exciting travel hotspots. Agoda, one of Asia’s top digital travel platforms, has released fresh data showing Thailand continues to dominate regional tourism in the first half of…
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Mute Thai man arrested for selling porn featuring young boys
Police arrested a mute Thai man in the southern province of Phattalung for tricking young boys into engaging in sexual activities with him and secretly recording explicit videos to sell on the Telegram app. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) received a tip-off from the International Protection Alliance (IPA) that a 34 year old Thai man, Phuwadon, shared multiple…
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Buzzing: Thai motorcyclist’s bee TikTok video sparks lottery fever
A Thai TikToker attracted the attention of lottery enthusiasts after posting a buzzing video showing a swarm of bees building a hive on the side mirror of a motorcycle parked by the roadside in the southern province of Surat Thani. The TikTok user, @pimpitchayasornk, shared the video on July 10 with the caption, “Go all out! #Lottery @LuckyNumbers #AllTimeLuckyLotteryNumbers.” In…
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Bomb attack injures four rangers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district
A group of unidentified perpetrators orchestrated a bomb attack on a unit of rangers from the 3306 Task Force in Bannang Sata district, Yala province. The attack, which took place around 1.20pm, yesterday, July 15, left four rangers injured while on patrol in Moo 2, Ban Kue Da village. They were promptly transported to Bannang Sata hospital for urgent medical…
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Thai monk denies affair with foreign man’s wife in Phuket
A Thai monk in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat denied having an affair with a foreign man’s wife in Phuket, following an accusation made by the woman’s neighbour. A Thai man living in Phuket, Satsawat, accused his neighbour of allegedly engaging in an affair with a monk identified as Apichart Damjam, from Cha-uat district in Nakhon Si Thammarat.…
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Woman caught red-handed with 600 meth pills in Phang Nga
Police in Phang Nga have arrested a 33 year old woman who tried to hide a huge haul of methamphetamine pills along a quiet road in Takua Thung district. The bust unfolded at 1.50pm on Wednesday, July 9, when officers from the Special Operations Division of Provincial Police Region 8 swooped in as the suspect attempted to conceal the drugs.…
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Illegal logging racket busted in South Thailand
Underwater rescue teams from the Rom Sai Rescue Foundation in Satun province uncovered an illegal logging operation yesterday. Acting on a tip-off, they discovered submerged timber in Ban Thung Mai, Nam Phut subdistrict, La-ngu district, strategically hidden to evade detection. Although only remnants of the timber were found, the concealment was sophisticated. Previously, officials were alerted to illegal logging in…
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Former drug dealer shot dead at Nakhon Si Thammarat fruit shop
Two gunmen escaped after fatally shooting a former drug dealer in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. A torn gold necklace was found in the victim’s hand, allegedly placed there to mislead police about the true motive for the murder. Officers from Tha Sala Police Station were called to a house in Mokhalan sub-district, Tha Sala district, at around…
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Surat Thani train station horror: Guards beat man over nap
A family dinner ended in shocking violence for one Surat Thani man, who was brutally beaten by security guards at a train station simply for lying down to rest as he waited for his train home. The 57 year old man, identified only as Yutthaphon, was left with severe bruising across his face and body and a gaping head wound…
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Thai woman dies in attack by wild elephant in Surat Thani forest
A Thai woman lost her life in an attack by a wild elephant while travelling on a motorcycle with her son through a forest in the southern province of Surat Thani. Officers from Khirirat Nikhom Police Station, along with rangers and rescuers from the Kusol Sattha Foundation, rushed to Thap Nok Forest within the Khlong Yan Wildlife Sanctuary after being alerted…
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Thai man arrested for setting fire to ex-MP’s car in Songkhla
Police arrested a Thai man in the southern province of Songkhla for setting fire to the car of a former Member of Parliament on Saturday, July 5. The suspect’s father claimed his son acted due to mental illness. A former Democrat Party MP, Sirichok Sopha, shared a video showing his GWM Haval H6 PHEV electric car ablaze. He stated that the…
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Narathiwat unrest: suspicious sedan fire follows explosion
Chaos continues in Narathiwat as a suspicious sedan is set on fire in Rueso district, luring rangers to inspect the scene after a morning explosion. At 8.56pm yesterday, July 5, paramilitary rangers from Company 4608 were alerted by the village head of Moo 5, Bue Cho village, Sao subdistrict, Rueso district, Narathiwat province, about a sedan being set ablaze along…
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Ranong drug bust: Fishermen caught in boat crackdown
A sweeping crackdown on drugs among Ranong’s fishing fleet has exposed a troubling undercurrent of substance abuse, with nearly 40 workers testing positive in just four days. Yesterday, July 4, Marine Police in Ranong province joined forces with a network of agencies to root out drug use aboard local fishing boats. The coordinated operation, part of the so-called White Fishing…
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New marine protection zones established around Koh Phayam
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has introduced new marine and coastal protection zones around Koh Phayam in Ranong. The initiative aims to safeguard the area’s rich biodiversity from the growing environmental challenges posed by tourism, fishing, and coastal development. Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on declared the implementation of a fresh ministerial regulation for the region. Published in the Royal…
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South Thailand lends backdrop to latest ‘Jurassic World’ blockbuster
Today marks a day of excitement for fans of the Jurassic Park franchise as the latest instalment from the blockbuster is released. Jurassic World: Rebirth is out in cinemas across the globe today, July 3. The seventh instalment of the Jurassic Park franchise was filmed across three southern provinces: Krabi, Phang Nga and Trang. Production ran from June 13 to…
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Phang Nga James Bond museum shuts after one day, wastes 40m baht
A grand vision to lure tourists with the allure of James Bond has turned into a spectacular embarrassment, after a 40-million-baht museum in Phang Nga collapsed into decay barely 24 hours after opening. The so-called James Bond Museum, built to celebrate the 1974 film The Man with the Golden Gun, closed its doors on its very first day and has…
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Durian variety draws Malaysia, Singapore tourists to Yala’s Betong
The Musang King durian, renowned for its rich, creamy texture and distinctive flavour, has begun to bear fruit in Betong, Yala, attracting hordes of Malaysian and Singaporean tourists eager to indulge in this prized variety. The durian season is in full swing, with many visitors organising tours to the plantations in Ban Bon Nam Ron, Tanae Marae subdistrict, Betong district,…
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Hairy surprise: Thai woman finds pubic hair on ‘brand-new’ shaver
A Thai woman in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan took to social media to share her shocking online shopping experience after discovering what she suspected was pubic hair from an unidentified person on what was supposed to be a brand-new shaver. The 44 year old woman, Chompoonuch Wanchana, posted a video of the disturbing unboxing on her Facebook…
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Fire in Hat Yai destroys five houses, no injuries reported
A fire broke out in a community along the railway in Hat Yai, Songkhla, destroying five houses. Six fire trucks were deployed to tackle the blaze, but accessibility issues due to narrow roads complicated efforts. Local residents suspect the fire originated from burning rubbish. Yesterday, June 30, the Hat Yai municipal fire brigade was alerted to a fire in the…
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Giant king cobra invades Trang home, sparks lottery frenzy (video)
A giant king cobra caused panic in Trang province when it entered a home in search of prey, attacking a sizable cobra. Residents were alarmed by the incident and took note of the house number for lottery luck. Yesterday, June 27, Khajornkiat Kongkaew, known as “Nong Mew Bongla Trang” from the Bung Ya Bongla King network, was called to assist…
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Teacher busted with drugs, weapons, and wildlife in Phang Nga
A 53 year old school teacher in Kuraburi, Phang Nga, was arrested in a major crackdown on illegal activities following an operation aimed at suppressing drugs and wildlife crime in the region. Today, June 26, Governor Pairot Petchyuan ordered a security operation, which saw local officials, including District Chief Kittipong Maneesri, set up a checkpoint on Mae Yai Bridge Road. The…
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Unrest in Pattani as assailants target officials during rescue
Unidentified assailants caused unrest in two districts of Pattani province, aiming to harm officials during rescue operations. The incidents yesterday, June 25, at 9.30pm, took place in Sai Buri and Kapho districts, leading to multiple road closures. In Sai Buri district, arsonists set fire to a vehicle belonging to the Paen Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, resulting in significant damage. Emergency services…
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Earthquake swarm rattles Andaman amid tsunami rumblings
A flurry of undersea earthquakes off Thailand’s southern coast has put experts on high alert and locals are being urged to brush up on their evacuation plans, just in case. A popular Thai science page has warned that over 15 moderate tremors have rocked the Andaman Sea in the past few days, sparking fears of an underwater volcanic eruption —…
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Jurassic World: Rebirth to boost Thai tourism (video)
Thailand prepares to see a significant tourism boost thanks to the global release of Jurassic World: Rebirth, a major Hollywood blockbuster that chose the kingdom’s stunning landscapes as its backdrop. The film, which had its world premiere in London and New York, was primarily shot in Thailand, featuring breathtaking locations in Krabi, Phang Nga, and Trang. Not only will Jurassic World:…
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Old Thai man shoots 2 neighbours over stolen palm trees
A 79 year old Thai man shot two neighbours yesterday, June 22, in the southern province of Surat Thani, allegedly over a long-standing dispute involving stolen palm trees. Police from Kanchanadit Police Station were called to the scene in the Chang Sai subdistrict of Kanchanadit district at 8.46am. Inside one home, officers found 88 year old Angsri critically injured with…
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Border patrol officer kills family of 3 in Songkhla car accident
A border patrol police officer crashed his car into a motorcycle and killed a family of three in the southern province of Songkhla, leaving the couple’s eldest son orphaned. The tragic incident came to light after a Thai man, Chaiwat Meesanthan, sought justice for his late friend via a post on his Facebook account yesterday, June 22. In part of…
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