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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Fugitive caught after 16 years, taunting police on social media
Sixteen years on the run ended abruptly for a fugitive wanted for attempted murder after he taunted police on social media. On June 1, a team led by Montri Teshkan, Police Major General, arrested 35 year old Wuttichai, also known as Kay,in Chumphon’s Lang Suan district. Authorities had been searching for Wuttichai following an incident on April 10, 2008. That…
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Two shot dead while gathering intelligence in Songkhla
Two people were shot dead while gathering information in Thepa, Songkhla yesterday. Ponnchai Kwanpanya, the head of Huai Pling Police Station in Songkhla, received a report of a shooting incident yesterday at 5.30pm. The attack occurred on a road in Ban Huai Pling, Moo 2, Tham Wang Subdistrict, Thepa District, Songkhla Province. Authorities, including military forces from Songkhla Special Task…
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Kazakhstan’s first direct flight lands in Surat Thani
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Scat Airlines today celebrated the inaugural direct flight from Almaty, Kazakhstan to Surat Thani. The flight carrying 212 passengers, landed at Surat Thani International Airport this morning at 7.30am. The Thai Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Chatchawan Sakornsinsuwan, accompanied the flight, along with Kazakhstani travel operators and media, receiving a warm welcome from local officials.…
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Fugitive suspect arrested for killing boyfriend in Nonthaburi condo
Police today arrested a fugitive suspected of killing his boyfriend at a condominium in Nonthaburi province before fleeing to the southern province of Chumphon. Local police officers in Chumphon arrested the 27 year old Thai man, Phurinat, at a house in the Mueang district of the province at about 1pm today, May 31. He is the prime suspect in the…
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Cabinet’s coastal crusade: 3 notifications to protect Andaman Sea
The Cabinet approved three ministerial notifications aimed at protecting the environment in Phang Nga, Krabi, and Ranong, three coastal provinces along the Andaman Sea. Deputy Prime Minister and Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Police General Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, announced yesterday, May 29, that two notifications from his ministry had received approval during a meeting held yesterday. The approved notifications focus on…
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Record meth seizures in Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle
In a recent report released yesterday, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) disclosed that East and Southeast Asia are currently grappling with an unprecedented influx of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs. This surge is largely sourced from the Golden Triangle, an area where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos converge. Historically recognised for opium cultivation and…
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Derailed heist: Thieves steal railway crossings equipment in Songkhla
Thieves have stolen signal poles, barrier arms, and other equipment from 17 railway crossings in Songkhla, putting passengers, pedestrians, and motorists at risk. The thefts occurred in the Khuan Niang, Hat Yai, and Sadao districts, focusing primarily on the Hat Yai-Padang Besar route in the Sadao district. Equipment was stolen from nine out of the 10 crossings in this area.…
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World Otter Day highlights conservation efforts in Thailand
Today marks World Otter Day, an initiative aimed to raise awareness about the protection of otters, classified as endangered wildlife. The International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) designated the last Wednesday of May each year to highlight the threats facing otters, such as habitat destruction, illegal fur trade, pollution, and poaching. Otters, members of the weasel family, are the largest animals in…
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Commerce Ministry investigates oil palm price drop
The Commerce Ministry directed the Internal Trade Department to investigate the recent drop in oil palm prices by visiting provinces known for palm plantations. This initiative follows complaints from growers about reduced purchase prices. Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai instructed Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, to assess the situation in Phang-Nga, Krabi, and Surat Thani provinces. The goal…
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Satun’s Khao Khom cave recognised as new prehistoric site
The Fine Arts Department of Thailand has officially recognised Khao Khom cave in Satun province as a new prehistoric archaeological site, revealing that the cave’s discoveries could date back as far as 6,000 years. Fine Arts Department Director-General Phanombut Chantarachot confirmed that a recent study was conducted on human skeletons and pottery remains found in the cave. This preliminary research…
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Civil war in Myanmar sees increase in drug trafficking into Thailand
In a worrying development, the trafficking of methamphetamine, commonly known as Yaba, from Myanmar into Thailand has witnessed a significant increase in recent weeks. According to Thai military sources, this surge is attributed to the pressing financial requirements of anti-junta ethnic forces in Myanmar. A coordinated effort by Thai military, police, and anti-narcotics officials yesterday resulted in the seizure of…
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Bomb attack injures six security officers in Narathiwat patrol
A bomb attack injured six members of a local security unit in Cho Airong District, Narathiwat Province, while they were on patrol to protect teachers. The assailants fled after a brief exchange of gunfire with the authorities. Reports indicate that the incident occurred when the security team, riding motorcycles, was patrolling to ensure the safety of teachers, only 400 metres…
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Policewoman arrested for role in kidnapping of Indonesian man
Police arrested a policewoman on May 19 for her alleged involvement in the kidnapping and ransom of an Indonesian man in the southern province of Phatthalung on May 11. The 29 year old Indonesian victim, Syawana, was rescued from a house in Phatthalung province on May 15 by officers from the Mueang Phatthalung Police Station after he was kidnapped and…
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Southern Thailand: Locals unite to halt Land Bridge project
People’s networks from Ranong and Chumphon provinces rallied yesterday in front of the Lang Suan district office, vehemently opposing the controversial multi-billion baht Land Bridge project planned for their region. Protesters issued a powerful statement demanding the immediate cancellation of the project, arguing it would deplete vital resources better preserved for future generations. “Our children and grandchildren deserve a sustainable…
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Ancient human remains and tools found in Satun’s Khao Khom Cave
Human remains and ancient tools, estimated to date back over 10,000 years, have been unearthed inside Khao Khom Cave in Satun’s Khuan Kalong district. This discovery emerged from a project spearheaded by Kamponsak Sassadee, a renowned cave explorer, who aimed to delve into one of the province’s longest and most ecologically diverse caves. Kamponsak’s team initially discovered signs of ancient…
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Trang man wins 72 million baht lottery jackpot
A man from Trang struck it rich after scooping 72 million baht in the latest lottery draw. He also won additional prizes, making his total winnings even more substantial. The Government Lottery Office announced the results of the lottery draw this afternoon. The winning number for the first prize was 205690. The three-digit front prizes were 885 and 747, while…
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Dead body with stab and gunshot wounds identified as Indian man
Police successfully identified the nationality of a foreign man found dead in the southern province of Phang Nga as an Indian clothes seller. The identity of the murderer remains unknown. A Thai resident found the dead body of a foreign man on the side of Ban Na Road yesterday, May 15 and reported the discovery to Khok Kloi Police Station.…
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Suspected drug agent flees sting operation, leaving kids in Sadao
A 30 year old suspected drug agent narrowly escaped a sting operation by security forces, leaving behind her two young daughters amid chaos. The incident unfolded today, May 15, when a combined military and administrative task force initiated a series of raids targeting drug trafficking in the Sadao district of Songkhla Province. The suspect, known as Kanjana or Khom, managed…
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Resident finds lifeless body of foreign man in southern Thailand
A resident today stumbled upon the lifeless body of an unidentified foreign man on a roadside in the Takua Thung district in the southern province of Phang Nga. Sub-District Chief Yutthanakorn Juanjenkit filed a complaint with officers at Khok Kloi Police Station after a local in the area discovered the dead body. The body was found on the side of…
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3 Thai man arrested for kidnapping Indonesian man for ransom
Police arrested three Thai men for kidnapping an Indonesian man, detaining him in a residence in the southern province of Phatthalung, and demanding a ransom of 2.3 million baht from the victim’s family. The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia sought assistance from officers of Mueang Phatthalung Police Station after receiving a report about the kidnapping of a 29 year…
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Thai chief insists viral sexual yoga video was not shot in Thailand (video)
A district chief on Koh Pha Ngan island in the southern province of Surat Thani insisted that a viral video of sexual yoga on Thai social media took place in Bali, Indonesia, not in Thailand. The video, shared widely on social media yesterday, May 13, showed three foreign couples engaging in unusual explicit acts, initially claimed to have taken place…
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Maya Bay ranks 5th in world’s best beaches for 2024 (video)
Maya Bay, located on the idyllic Phi Phi Islands in Krabi province, has been named the 5th-best beach in the world for 2024 by Beach Atlas, a website based in the United Kingdom. This prestigious recognition places Maya Bay at the top of the list not only in Thailand but also as the number one beach across the ASEAN region.…
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Hat Yai man ranks fourth in police exams after seven-year struggle
A young man’s relentless pursuit of his dream to become a police officer has paid off after seven years of steadfast determination, culminating in his high-ranking success in the police entrance examination. A department store employee’s unwavering dedication to achieving his dream has finally borne fruit after a gruelling seven-year journey. The young man, who hails from Hat Yai in…
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Former Thai police officer arrested in murders of 2 men 9 years ago
Special Service Division (SSD) officers yesterday arrested a former police officer at his home in the southern province of Narathiwat in connection with the murders of two Thai men nine years ago in 2015. The SSD officers, also known as Commando Police, apprehended the 39 year old former Police Sergeant Komkrit at his home in the Cho-airong district of Narathiwat…
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Community leaders killed in Pattani shooting at local football field
A brazen shooting at a football field in the Pattani Province has resulted in the tragic loss of two community leaders. At around 6.30pm yesterday, gunmen opened fire, killing a subdistrict administrative organisation clerk and a village headman. Two bystanders, including a government official and a meatball vendor, were also injured in the incident. The attack occurred at a football…
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Police deputy inspector found dead with gunshot wound in Krabi
In a tragic turn of events, a 55 year old police deputy inspector was found dead with a gunshot wound inside his car outside a police flat in Krabi province. The case, initially suspected to be driven by personal stress, has shocked the local community. At 4.30pm, a distressing scene unfolded at a police residential complex in Khao Phanom, Krabi.…
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Narathiwat checkpoint bombing injures four amid security concerns
A motorcycle rigged with explosives was detonated yesterday at 9.35pm, at a safety zone checkpoint in Tha Phraya Sai, Narathiwat province, injuring four individuals including two volunteer defence corps members and two civilian women caught in the bombing radius. Deputy Investigator Itthiphol Malikul of Mueng Narathiwat Police Station received the report of the explosion, which occurred in front of the…
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Summer storm wreaks havoc in Hat Yai, southern Thailand
The city of Hat Yai in Songkhla was hit by a severe summer storm yesterday, resulting in significant damage to public infrastructure. Billboards and electricity poles were toppled by the powerful gale. The incident occurred at 3pm, yesterday, May 5, and was covered by local media. Remarkably, despite the storm’s intensity, no injuries or fatalities were reported. The destructive storm…
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Pattani shootout ends with two suspects dead, one officer injured
A deadly confrontation unfolded in Thung Yang Daeng district, Pattani, southern Thailand, where a four-hour gunfight resulted in the deaths of two suspects and left one officer injured. This violent exchange occurred yesterday, May 1, at a rented house under surveillance for harbouring individuals wanted by the law. The incident concluded with the discovery of two deceased, identified as Masobree…
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Influenza outbreak in Thailand prison infects over 3,000 inmates
A devastating influenza outbreak at Nakhon Si Thammarat prison in Thailand has infected almost 3,500 inmates, leading to two fatalities, as reported by public health officials. The prison in Phra Phom district was inspected by a team led by Dr Kittisak Aksornwong, the Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health, who confirmed the outbreak. From April 19 to April 28, 3,442…
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