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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Sponsored 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...
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Parcel worker shot dead in Ranong over alleged affair
A shooting incident occurred yesterday evening, July 5, behind a market in Ranong, leaving a private parcel delivery employee dead and his family in mourning. Witnesses reported a physical altercation between the victim and a man in black before shots were fired. Police received the distress call around 6.42pm and immediately dispatched officers and medical personnel to the scene. The…
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Thai police arrest man for stealing motorcycles to fund drug use
Police officers from Division 5 of the Crime Suppression Division raided a house and arrested a 25 year old Thai man for stealing motorcycles over three consecutive nights. The stolen motorcycles were sold to buy methamphetamine and for leisure activities. On July 5, police officers led by Phattawut Onchuay, Hatthaphon Thongkham, and Kitiphum Sriphaeo executed a warrant issued by the…
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Police reshuffle in Yala after car bomb kills one, injures 34
A significant reshuffling of police personnel followed a devastating car bomb attack on the Bannang Sata police flats in Yala province, which resulted in one fatality and injured 34 others. This incident occurred yesterday and led to a series of transfers within the police force. Police Colonel Ranon Surawit has been reassigned to the Southern Border Provinces Investigation Division as…
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Vietnamese trawler detained for illegal fishing in Thai waters
A Vietnamese trawler with four crewmen was detained yesterday for illegally fishing in Thai territorial waters, according to the Thai navy. The incident took place south of Koh Kra, yesterday, July 4, where the Second Naval Area Command, led by deputy commander Phichit Srirungruang, ordered the HTMS Sattahip to conduct a patrol following intelligence reports of unauthorised fishing activities. The…
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Songkhla police arrest illegal workers in Koh Pha Ngan crackdown
Police in Songkhla launched an operation targeting illegal foreign workers, arresting six Myanmar nationals and one Thai employer for working outside their permitted rights in Koh Pha Ngan. This action follows complaints from local leaders and residents. The operation was ordered by Sak Sira, the Commissioner of Tourist Police, and executed by Winich Boonchit, a senior officer in the Tourist…
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Teen dies, two injured in Songkhla knife attack leading to crash
A 15 year old boy riding with two friends was attacked by three 14 year olds armed with knives, resulting in a crash that left one dead and two seriously injured. Police are coordinating with the guardians for the suspects to surrender. Investigators at Hat Yai Police Station, Songkhla province, led by Phum Balthip and Dusit Phromsin detained three 14…
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Blackchin tilapia fish threatens Songkhla Lake
The Songkhla provincial fisheries office is urging the public to report any sightings of the invasive blackchin tilapia in local waterways. This predatory fish, originally from Africa, poses a severe threat to the delicate balance of Songkhla’s aquatic ecosystems. Sightings of the blackchin tilapia have been confirmed in several canals within the Ranot district, which are directly connected to Songkhla…
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Woman arrested for selling kratom tea to teens in Songkhla
Police in Rattaphum, Songkhla, arrested a woman for openly selling kratom leaf tea, with teenagers reportedly becoming addicted. The operation seized 500 bottled kratom teas, sold around the clock. Rattaphum District Chief Wilailak Rueangphon ordered Sub-Lieutenant Surasak Chanakit to lead a team, including local health officers, to apprehend a vendor selling kratom leaf tea from a rented house. The house,…
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26 drug addicts escape Krabi rehab, 11 recaptured by police
Royal Thai Police (RTP) reported yesterday that 26 recovering drug addicts escaped from a rehabilitation foundation in Mueang, Krabi. The group allegedly stole a long-tail boat to make their way to Mueang Krabi, with some escapees later seen walking along Hemthanon Road. After nearly an hour, police managed to capture 11 of the escapees. The police negotiated with the 11…
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Car bomb near Yala police flat kills one, injures several (video)
A car bomb detonated near a police flat in Bannang Sata, Yala, causing multiple injuries and one fatality. The explosion occurred around 10.30am today, close to the district office and only a few hundred metres from the local police station. The powerful blast happened in front of the police officers’ residential building, situated within the Bannang Sata Municipality. Initial reports…
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Python surprise: Slippery situation at Phang Nga Police Station
A large python was found in the engine compartment of a confiscated pickup truck at the Thap Put Police Station in Phang Nga, causing quite a commotion. Police officers managed to safely extract the snake after a resident discovered it and reported the incident. The discovery of a sizable python in a confiscated Isuzu pickup truck disrupted the routine training…
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Volcanic durian from southern Thailand creates year-long waitlist
A surge in demand has led to a year-long waitlist for the unique volcanic durian grown exclusively in southern Thailand, which boasts a GAP certification ensuring its safety and quality. This particular variety is reported to be twice as delicious as the commonly known Monthong durian. At the heart of this phenomenon is Saiyut Jannsawang’s orchard in Na Khao Sia…
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Stinging situation as Bluebottles sighted around Racha Islands
The Thai authorities issued a warning about the presence of Portuguese Man o’ War, also known as bluebottles, at the Racha Islands, located south of Phuket, following an incident where a tour boat staff member was stung yesterday. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has identified bluebottles at Ao La, Ao Tu, and Racha Yai Islands. Tourists and…
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Fire at Hat Yai hotel sparks chaos, guests evacuated
A fire erupted in the ventilation shaft of a prominent hotel in downtown Hat Yai, leading to chaotic scenes as staff and guests scrambled to evacuate. Officials are investigating the incident, initially suspected to be caused by an electrical short circuit. At 7.30pm yesterday, emergency services were alerted to a fire at a well-known hotel on Sanehanusorn Road, within the…
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Minor earthquake in Phang Nga prompts safety inspections
An earthquake with a magnitude of 2.2 struck the Bang Toei area in Phang Nga Province, prompting officials to inspect for potential damage. It was confirmed that an earthquake occurred in Bang Toei, Mueang District, Phang Nga Province. The incident occurred in the early hours of today, June 26, as reported by the Earthquake Surveillance Division of the Thai Meteorological…
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Police officer accused of assaulting man in Phatthalung
A 23 year old man from Khuan Khanun District, Phatthalung Province, filed a complaint against a police officer who allegedly assaulted him in his home. The incident occurred at 6.46pm yesterday while the man was cleaning his dog’s kennel. Yanason (surname withheld) reported that while he was cleaning, Chakraphan (surname withheld), a police sergeant from Raman Police Station in Yala,…
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Italian arrested for cocaine sales and illegal business on Samui
Police in Surat Thani arrested an Italian man allegedly involved in selling cocaine and operating a motorbike rental business illegally on Samui Island. The arrest, made on June 18, followed an investigation by Surat Thani Immigration based on tips from concerned locals. Officers identified the suspect as 39 year old Mattio who was apprehended on Lamai Beach Road in the…
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Southern Thailand popular for Malaysian polygamous marriages
Southern Thailand has emerged as a preferred destination for Malaysian men seeking ceremonial polygamous marriages. Each month, at least 30 couples from Malaysia undergo marriage ceremonies at the Narathiwat Islamic Religious Council, according to a report by the Bernama news agency. These couples primarily hail from the neighbouring states of Kelantan and Terengganu, though some travel from as far as…
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Missing contraband diesel vessels found near Malaysian waters
Three vessels carrying 330,000 litres of contraband diesel that vanished from a police pier in Chon Buri have been located near Malaysian waters, police confirmed. Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew, Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, announced that the three boats disappeared from the marine police pier in Sattahip district of Chon Buri last week. After travelling through Cambodian…
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Koh Samui steals spotlight: Readers rave over four island getaways
Readers of the popular American travel magazine Travel+Leisure voted four accommodations in Koh Samui as winners in the Beach+Island Resort category. Travel+Leisure released its 2024 Luxury Awards Asia Pacific ranking, allowing readers to nominate and vote for outstanding accommodations in various categories, including five-star urban escapes, private-island beach resorts, innovative spas, Instagram-worthy swimming pools, awesome airlines and airports, cruises, and…
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Twinning triumph: Thailand to launch second border bridge to Malaysia
Thailand is set to break ground on a monumental project that will transform the region. The Twin Bridge, a massive construction project in Rantau Panjang-Sungai Golok, is expected to begin in April 2025. Narathiwat Province Governor Trakul Thotham announced that before construction starts, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) must be conducted. The EIA survey is scheduled to kick off next…
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Fake police officer causes uproar in Songkhla snooker hall
A man claiming to be a police officer caused a scene after parking his car in the middle of the road in Songkhla Province, boasting about his rank and causing a disturbance in a snooker hall. The incident led to a formal complaint against him. The incident occurred yesterday when a Facebook user posted about a troubling encounter in the…
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Employee shot dead in Pattani ambush
A shocking incident occurred in Pattani, where an unidentified assailant ambushed and shot dead an employee of the Kolotanyong Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (SAO) while he was riding his motorcycle to work. The police are urgently investigating the motive behind the attack. Officers yesterday received a report from Nong Chik Police Station’s radio centre about the fatal shooting of an employee…
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Ruff rescue: Abandoned pit bull in Hat Yai finds new home
A pit bull was found abandoned in the heart of Hat Yai, dehydrated, weak, and unable to move. Rescuers discovered it infested with ticks and emaciated. Fortunately, a kind-hearted individual has already come forward to offer the dog a new home. Residents found the pit bull, weighing about 50 kilogrammes, left in Soi 6, Rat Uthit area, yesterday, June 11.…
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South Thailand: Woman evading arrest as a nun caught
Thai police apprehended a woman who had been evading arrest by becoming a nun in Nakhon Si Thammarat over the past ten months. Believing she had escaped justice, the woman was finally captured following a police investigation. Law enforcement officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking Division, in cooperation with local police units from Damnoen Saduak in Ratchaburi and Tha Sala in…
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Reeling trouble: Illegal fishing devices net controversy in Songkhla
Illegal fishing tools continue to cause problems in Songkhla, particularly the use of Pongpang fishing devices in Songkhla Lake. Despite efforts by authorities to enforce the law, the situation remains unresolved as fisherfolk persist in using these prohibited tools. The Pongpang devices are installed in the navigable channel between Hua Phaya Nak and the new fishing pier in Mueang Songkhla…
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Over 80 patients flee Krabi drug rehab centre over alleged abuses
More than 80 patients escaped from a drug rehabilitation centre on Koh Sriboya, an island in the southern province of Krabi, over alleged abuses by the Thai authorities. A community leader on Sriboya Island reached out to officers from Khlong Kanan Police Station for assistance, as residents grew concerned about approximately 80 patients who had absconded from a drug rehabilitation…
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Cyber police nab key administrator of major gambling site in Thailand
Cyber police apprehended the key administrator of a major gambling site, slotking77, which had a financial turnover exceeding 180 million baht. The arrest occurred after the individual absconded following a bail release at the prosecutor level today. Phumipat Phattharasriwongchai, Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau 5, along with Ukrit Srinitivorawong, Chief of News Analysis and Special Tools Division, led…
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Cave tragedy: Thai man’s final journey into the depths of despair
A man reportedly committed suicide inside the sacred Khao Khun Panom cave in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, allegedly motivated by a serious illness. A monk from Khao Khun Panom Temple, where the cave was situated, discovered the lifeless body of a man while entering the cave for his daily meditation. Subsequently, the monk contacted officers from the…
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Songkhla pushes for cruise terminal to boost tourism
The Songkhla Tourism Association is calling for government intervention to boost tourism by constructing a cruise ship terminal and introducing direct flights from Chinese cities to Hat Yai. President of the Songkhla Tourism Promotion Association Songchai Mungprasithichai announced plans to seek government support for direct flights to Hat Yai, proposing routes such as Kunming-Hat Yai to attract more Chinese tourists…
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