Koh Samet

  • Thailand News

    Whale of a time: Thai tourist’s video reels in awe with rare shark sighting near Koh Samet (video)

    A fin-tastic encounter unfolded yesterday as a Thai tourist shared a video capturing the rare moment when a whale shark made a splash near Koh Samet beach in the eastern province of Rayong. A Facebook account, Tanakorn Boontaram, shared a video of a whale shark making a surprise appearance near Koh Samet beach in the eastern province of Rayong, yesterday,…

  • Thailand News

    Chinese tourist drowns on Rayong’s Koh Samet

    A Chinese tourist drowned at Ao Tubtim, Koh Samet, Rayong at 5pm on on January 27. Phe police officers rushed to the accident scene following a report of a Chinese tourist drowning. Local rescue and Rayong medical teams were also dispatched. Clad in a blue swimsuit, the 46 year old Chinese tourist lay lifeless. Despite the immediate deployment of first…

  • Thailand News

    National Park officers in Koh Samet accused of extortion

    A member of Parliament accused Mu Koh Samet National Park officers of extorting nearly 2 million baht per year from public transport drivers and business owners on Samet Island in the eastern province of Rayong. Khaosod reported yesterday, that Okas Thai Party MP (or Thai Opportunity Party), Damrong Pichate, recently gave an interview to a news programme about money extortion…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand’s 5 national parks raise entry fees for foreigners by 100%

    Thailand’s five national parks announced new entry fees to their attractions and they’re stinging foreigners in the pocket, increasing entrance costs by 100%. Entry fees for Thai people remain the same. The Department of National Park, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Facebook page posted a two-page document about the new entry fees last Friday, September 30. Khao Yai National Park in…

  • Environment News

    Rayong officials say no contaminated seafood found following crude oil leak

    Officials in the eastern province of Rayong continue to test seafood from the surrounding waters amid contamination concerns but so far, all’s good. So says Rayong’s public health chief, Dr Soonthorn Rianphoomkarnkit. Concerns were raised following a devastating oil spill on January 25 that has affected the surrounding waters. The crude oil leak, from an undersea pipeline owned by Star…

  • Environment News

    Rayong officials say clean-up of Mae Ram Phueng beach done, focus on Koh Samet

    Following the leaking of thousands of litres of crude oil into the waters around the eastern province of Rayong, the clean-up of Mae Ram Phueng beach has been completed. According to a Thai PBS World report, satellite imagery yesterday showed no traces of oil on the beach and officials are now turning their attention to Koh Samet and in particular,…

  • Environment News

    Thailand’s Rayong province declares emergency as oil slick reaches beach

    Attempts since last Tuesday morning have failed to avert the oil spill reaching the Gulf of Thailand’s east coast beaches. Yesterday the oil started washing up on the Mae Ramphueng beach in Rayong, an hour’s drive south of Pattaya. Up to 200 people were patrolling the stricken beach using back hoes to try and scoop up the oil. Other volunteers…

  • Thailand video news

    Thailand News Today | Another pedestrian killed on zebra crossing

    another pedestrian on a zebra crossing has been killed by a speeding motorist. Meanwhile, Rayong is all hands on deck in preventing an oil spill from reaching its beach, and how to get a year’s supply of free condoms. That’s all coming up in today’s program. You’re watching Thailand News Today, bringing you the top headlines in Thailand and beyond.…

  • Environment News

    Race against time to prevent Rayong oil spill reaching the shore, 3 kilometres away

    Officials in Rayong are pulling out all the stops to protect the eastern province’s beaches from an oil spill 3 kilometres off-shore. According to a Nation Thailand report, provincial governor Channa Iamsaeng says the crude oil is currently headed for the beaches of Mae Rampueng and Khao Laemya. Workers have placed a “beach boom”, or barrier line, in the sea,…

  • Thailand video news

    Thailand News Today | Officials unable to extradite Red Bull heir

    Prosecutors say time is running out to prosecute fugitive Red Bull heir, Vorayuth Yoovidhya, and that they’re unable to extradite him…because they don’t know what address to write down in the extradition warrant. The heir to the Red Bull energy drink empire was charged on 2 counts in the death of a Bangkok police officer killed in a hit-and-run collision…

  • Environment News

    Oil spill threatening tourism recovery on Thailand’s Koh Samet

    Koh Samet’s fragile tourism sector, already battered by the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, now faces another threat from an oil spill heading for the island’s, and nearby, beaches. Sarinthip Tupmongkholsup from the Tourism Association of Koh Samet is reminded of a 2013 oil spill at the island’s Ao Phrao and is desperate to avoid a repeat scenario. “We…

  • Thailand video news

    Thailand News Today | 9 cases of Omicron BA.2 subvariant found in Thailand

    Thailand has detected nine cases of the new Omicron subvariant BA-two. The subvariant is spreading across the globe with at least 40 countries reporting the mutated strain, while infections in Thailand involve both Thais and travelers from overseas. When it comes to the severity of symptoms and transmissibility, ศุภกิจ ศิริลักษณ์ from Thailand’s Department of Medical Sciences says researchers have not…

  • Covid-19 News

    Koh Samet marks 100% success rate in vaccinating target group

    Koh Samet, in the eastern province of Rayong, has been hailed by the Public Health Ministry after achieving a 100% success rate in vaccinating the target group on the island. Everyone living on the island, including locals, foreign workers, and officials working in the national park, have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine – 1,800 people in total.…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today | Releasing 50,000 prisoners, Covid sniffer dogs, bungled kidnap | May 18

    Following an abortive attempt at a kidnap for ransom at the end of March, 3 people are currently under arrest, National vaccine rollout could finally get underway next week, pecially trained sniffer dogs will soon be deployed on the streets of Bangkok to sniff out cases of Covid-19 infection, Koh Samet reopening to visitors after being closed for 3 weeks…

  • Thailand News

    Koh Samet reopens after being closed for 3 weeks due to Covid-19

    Koh Samet off the coast of Rayong has reopened to visitors after being closed for 3 weeks. The Gulf of Thailand island is safe to visit and disease control measures are being enforced, according to the Koh Samet tourism association chairperson told the Bangkok Post. On April 27, the Rayong governor ordered for Koh Samet to be closed to visitors…

  • Tourism News

    Koh Samet to close from today for at least 2 weeks, Koh Chang may follow

    The island of Koh Samet, in Thailand’s eastern Rayong province, is closing to visitors and non-residents for at least 14 days to help stop the spread of Covid-19. The province saw 21 new infections yesterday, with at least 1 being linked to Koh Samet. The shuttering is effective as of today with another popular island, Koh Chang, also possibly following…

  • Crime News

    Koh Samet park official allegedly attacked “for no reason” in Chon Buri

    A national park officer has suffered head injuries after he was allegedly attacked last night by a group of teenagers in Chon Buri. He told Banglamung police there was no apparent reason for the assault. Police were notified of the incident,at a house in Baan Phuthai, at around 10:30pm. Police, emergency responders and reporters arrived to find Phonsuwan Arunsri, a…

  • Tourism News

    Koh Samet will reopen next month

    The eastern Rayong province’s Koh Samet will reopen to the public on July 1, after being closed since the enactment of the Emergency Decree to halt the spread of Covid-19. The reopening follows with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s policy to reopen all national parks nationwide. Koh Samet is a part of the Khao Laemya – Koh Samet…

  • Pattaya News

    Chinese tourist drowns off Koh Samet

    by Achara Wisetsri A 58 year old Chinese tourist, who got into difficulty whilst swimming off Koh Samet on Saturday, has died while being transported to a district hospital. Koh Samet is off the coast of Rayong province, east of Bangkok. Witnesses say he was “battered by waves” in the sea off Sai Kaew Beach. The victim was swimming with a…