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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Koh Pha Ngan shopkeeper’s laughing gas caper goes up in smoke
A Koh Pha Ngan shopkeeper has been caught red-handed peddling balloons stuffed with nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas, without a licence, and it’s no laughing matter! Rangsiman Jaisamer was busted by police in his Haad Rin shop early today, August 22, where officers discovered two cylinders of the giggly gas and a stash of balloons ready for sale.…
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Forest ranger killed in Phatthalung after motorcycle hits truck
A forest ranger tragically died after his motorcycle collided with the back of a 22-wheel truck loaded with palm oil, dragging him for over 1 kilometre. The incident occurred at approximately 1.30am today, August 21, on a road in Phatthalung province. The accident involved Sumet Khemdam, a 32 year old forest ranger, who was riding a Honda Click motorcycle. His…
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Trang manhunt after fatal shooting over family dispute
A tragic shooting incident occurred in Trang, resulting in the death of a 56 year old Thai man. The man was allegedly shot over a perceived insult to the perpetrator’s dignity. Police launched a manhunt for the suspect. Police officers, led by Deputy Inspector Vechan Hiranyasuwan from Mueang Trang Police Station, were alerted to a shooting at house number 21/5…
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Swiss man paws for thought after dog bites on Thai beach (video)
A Swiss man sought a sustainable solution after he and more than 10 other Thais and foreign beach dwellers, were bitten by dogs belonging to an unidentified foreign man on Ban Suan Luang Beach in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The latest victim, a 76 year old Swiss man named Rolf Weber, told Naewna that one of the…
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Thai man stabs transgender girlfriend to death in Koh Samui
A Thai man fatally stabbed his transgender girlfriend at a shopping mall on Koh Samui Island in the southern province of Surat Thani. He said he stabbed her to death because she insulted and belittled him. Officers from Bor Phut Police Station rushed to the shopping mall after receiving a stabbing report. The injured victim, 23 year old Rinlada, was taken to…
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Terminal confusion: Trang Airport’s billion-baht project still up in the air
Residents demanded clarification after the new 1.2 billion baht passenger terminal at Trang International Airport in southern Thailand missed its opening deadline and remains unfinished and in disrepair. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) received a complaint from locals in the southern province of Trang, stating that the unfinished airport caused them to lose potential opportunities from the tourism industry. Many…
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Naked foreign man gored by cow after alleged sexual abuse
A foreign man refused medical treatment after being gored by a cow in the southern province of Surat Thani. Rescuers suspected that the foreigner attempted to sexually abuse the animal. Officers from Ban Naderm Police Station and the Ban Naderm Rescue Foundation were called to a roadside forest along Highway 44 (Surat Thani-Krabi Road) to assist the foreign man, who…
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Suspicious car linked to Pattani bombing found abandoned in Yala
Police discovered a suspicious car linked to the recent car bomb incident in Pattani, abandoned in a rubber plantation in Yala. The vehicle, a Nissan Almera, showed signs of attempted arson and had its licence plates removed. A bomb exploded near the entrance to the fish market bridge next to the Provincial Police Division in Pattani on August 9. Following…
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Surat Thani police seize 404,000 meth pills after car chase
Police in Surat Thani arrested two men and seized 404,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills following a dramatic car chase. The suspects, 31 year old Suriyen, and 25 year old Sitthipong, were apprehended after attempting to flee from the police. Surat Thani Governor Jetsada Jitrat, who also serves as the Director of the Provincial Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), directed the operation.…
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Fake Thai monk arrested after trying to deceive police in Hua Hin
A fake Thai monk was arrested yesterday after visiting Hua Hin Police Station in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan and attempting to deceive officers. The fake monk, 29 year old Wichai Praisingh, arrived at the police station at around 4pm, yesterday, August 13, and asked officers to donate to a monastery in the Sam Roi Yot district of…
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Pipe bomb attack at Batu checkpoint injures volunteer in Narathiwat
Two assailants hurled pipe bombs at the Batu checkpoint in Narathiwat, injuring one paramilitary volunteer and damaging property. CCTV footage captured the incident, showing the suspects approaching the checkpoint on foot before throwing the explosives. The southern border province of Narathiwat has been plagued by unrest, and the recent attack at the Batu checkpoint is a stark reminder of ongoing…
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Hat Yai in southern Thailand hailed Asia’s most affordable travel destination
One of the globe’s most popular online travel platforms hailed Hat Yai district in the southern province of Songkhla as the most affordable travel destination in Asia. Agoda released a ranking of cities that offer the most affordable stays in Asia, providing suggestions for users seeking budget-friendly holidays or those wishing to extend their trips within a limited budget. The…
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Russian-Canadian arrested for overstaying, begging on Koh Pha Ngan
Residents on Koh Pha Ngan island in the southern province of Surat Thani alerted the Tourist Police to a Russian-Canadian man found overstaying his visa and begging for food from locals. Residents on the island reported to the Tourist Police that they witnessed a foreign man begging for food from various households and sleeping on a footpath. The foreigner’s begging…
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Thailand’s ‘call’ for scam help at Mekong meeting
The Government of Thailand will leverage the upcoming Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) meeting to seek regional support in tackling call centre scam gangs. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin tasked Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa with addressing this issue during the meeting and exploring effective strategies to combat cross-border crimes, including these scams. The 9th MLC meeting is set for Thursday and Friday in…
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Dugong to the rescue: Calf gets a nursery boost after Krabi solo act
A young dugong calf, found alone near Koh Poda in Krabi, has been transferred to a nursery in Trang for care and medical attention. Tourists discovered the calf yesterday and promptly notified officials from the Andaman Sea Lower Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre. Pinsak Suraswadi, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, confirmed the incident and detailed…
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Teen shot dead in Yala amid rising gang violence
Yala witnessed a tragic incident when two teenagers on a motorcycle shot at another group of youths, resulting in one fatality and one severe injury. The police have been struggling to control frequent gang-related violence in the area. Yala City Police Station yesterday, August 8, received a report of a shooting at the entrance of Banogo Tuen Ngor Alley in…
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Khao Sok National Park to sue travel agency after fatal cave death
Khao Sok National Park in the southern province of Surat Thani plans to sue a travel agency after two Thai tour guides violated safety rules and took 22 foreign tourists to Nam Talu Cave during its closure, resulting in the death of one guide in the flash flood on Tuesday, August 6. National park rangers and rescuers saved the other…
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Laotian man arrested for secret filming in public restrooms
A Laotian man has been arrested for secretly filming women, particularly young girls, in public restrooms and selling the footage to private groups. The suspect, identified as a 31 year old man confessed to the crime, which generated hundreds of thousands of baht. Yesterday, August 7, law enforcement officials, including Pattarawit Keetamotaneeyakul, the Trang Provincial Police Commissioner, along with Rattakhon…
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Three insurgents killed in Pattani clash with security forces
Security forces in Thailand’s southern province of Pattani engaged in a fierce clash with a group of insurgents in the Khlong Chang area, resulting in three insurgents being killed. This incident follows a sequence of violent events linked to the insurgents over several years. The confrontation occurred during a law enforcement operation in Khlong Chang, Naket subdistrict, Khok Pho district,…
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Nam Talu Cave flash flood: Thai guide dead, 22 foreigners saved
Khao Sok National Park rangers and rescuers saved a Thai tour guide and 22 foreign tourists from a flash flood while they were exploring Nam Talu Cave in the southern province of Surat Thani. Another Thai tour guide was initially reported missing but was later found dead in the cave. National park rangers were alerted to the flash flood on…
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Wild elephant found dead from electrocution in Ranong sanctuary
A wild elephant was found dead from electrocution at the radar hill in the Thungraya-Nasak Wildlife Sanctuary in Ranong province. The elephant, believed to have pulled down a tree that fell on high-voltage power lines, was discovered by local government officials who are now working to protect the remaining five elephants in the area. Chawakun Sithisak, deputy inspector of Muang…
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Thai man attacked and threatened with M16 rifle after road row
A Thai man sought help from non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after an influential person in the southern province of Phang Nga after being physically assaulted and threatened with an M16 rifle following a row on the road. The 23 year old victim, Kiattiphum, shared with Saimai Survive that his rival attempted to kill him. The row between them began after…
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12 year old girl seeks justice after gang rape by 13 men in Thailand
A 12 year old Thai girl fled the southern province of Narathiwat for help in the central province of Nonthaburi after a gang rape by 13 men, including her older brother’s friends and relatives. The 12 year old victim was accompanied by her 20 year old sister to seek help from social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet after the young…
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Thai woman arrested in Hat Yai for online fraud
Police in Songkhla apprehended a Thai woman linked to an online fraud network, where victims were conned into transferring money for goods they never received. The suspect, already facing four arrest warrants, was detained in Hat Yai. Police teams from three units collaborated to arrest 31 year old Wichuda, the owner of a mule account, in the Suthiphatra alley within…
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Community chief ends life after shooting ex-girlfriend in Phetchaburi
A Thai community chief in the southern province of Phetchaburi committed suicide after shooting his ex-girlfriend at her beauty salon. Fortunately, the woman survived the shooting but remains in a critical condition. A Thai man, Luechai, rushed to his girlfriend’s beauty salon in the Banlat district of Phetchaburi after hearing two gunshots while talking to her on the phone. Upon…
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Belgian thief’s key to crime: Unlocking 200,000 baht (video)
Songkhla Provincial Immigration Police yesterday arrested a Belgian man after he stole hotel key cards from Thai and Malaysian victims and robbed them of 200,000 baht. Police arrested the 26 year old Belgian thief, Abdelali, at a hotel in the Hat Yai district of Songkhla province yesterday, August 1, after the Thai and Malaysian victims filed a theft complaint with…
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Phatthalung named agricultural product development hub
Phatthalung has been designated as the southern hub for an agricultural product development initiative by the Thailand Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trade of Thailand, and the Provincial Chamber of Commerce. This decision aims to bolster the agricultural sector by showcasing and distributing quality local products nationwide. At least eight agricultural products from Phatthalung have received the government’s Product…
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Hapless Thai thieves arrested after showing off ill-gotten wealth
Two hapless Thai thieves were arrested after showing off their ill-gotten wealth to neighbours in the southern province of Songkhla. A 67 year old homeowner and victim, Itsaree, filed a complaint with Mueang Songkhla Police Station after a long list of valuables disappeared from her home on Saiburi Road in Songkhla. The theft took place at about 8pm on July…
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Thai woman killed by stray bullet after neighbours’ dog dispute
Two Thai men engaged in a heated argument over a dog which led to the shooting and death of a 61 year old neighbour at a rented room in the southern province of Trang. A 64 year old Thai man, Samran, was charged with intentional murder, attempted murder, and illegal possession of a gun after the death of a 61…
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Neighbours come together for peace in Myanmar conflict
Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa called on Myanmar’s neighbouring countries to strengthen their cooperation in encouraging all parties involved in Myanmar’s civil war to halt the ongoing conflict since the 2021 military coup. Maris spoke to Kyodo News and Thai media in Vientiane yesterday, July 29, noting that he had informal discussions with his counterparts from Myanmar and India concerning the…
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