Pattaya News

Pattaya news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s coastal entertainment hub. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Pattaya news source.

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    Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money

    Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...

  • Pattaya drug raid: Major dealer arrested, drugs seized | Thaiger

    Pattaya drug raid: Major dealer arrested, drugs seized

    In Banglamung District, Pattaya, on July 30, a significant drug bust led by District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon resulted in the arrest of a well-known drug dealer, Ratthaphong Phananuson, known by the alias Got Soi Noen. The operation successfully seized 438 methamphetamine pills and 62.61 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly referred to as ice. The investigation began after a tip-off from…

  • Cambodian man arrested for robbery of Russian tourist in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Cambodian man arrested for robbery of Russian tourist in Pattaya

    Pattaya police have detained a Cambodian man named Chid Jan in connection with the robbery of Daria Smirnova, a 28 year old Russian tourist. The incident unfolded on July 28 at 8.06pm in Soi Chalermphrakiat 14. The suspect, who was on a motorcycle, allegedly threatened Smirnova with a screwdriver and took her bag, which contained valuables worth roughly 5,000 baht…

  • Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach gets sandy makeover to woo tourists | Thaiger

    Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach gets sandy makeover to woo tourists

    Thailand’s Marine Department held a high-level seminar yesterday at the Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel and Resort to push forward Phase 2 of the Jomtien Beach Sand Replenishment Project — a multimillion-baht effort to combat coastal erosion and bring back beachgoers in droves. Deputy Director-General of the Marine Department Narinsak Sattaprasit presided over the event. He was joined by Deputy Governor…

  • Pattaya motorbike gang traps delivery driver in midnight road rage (video) | Thaiger

    Pattaya motorbike gang traps delivery driver in midnight road rage (video)

    A 26 year old delivery rider was left shaken after he claimed he was surrounded, threatened, and assaulted by a group of furious motorcycle taxi drivers in the early hours of Tuesday. The drama began around 11pm on Tuesday, July 29, when Narongchay Boonsom was pulling out from a parking spot on Second Road, near the Marine Plaza Hotel in…

  • Bag bump at Pattaya bar sparks bloody brawl | Thaiger

    Bag bump at Pattaya bar sparks bloody brawl

    A drunken bump turned bloody in the early hours of yesterday after a Thai woman was attacked near a South Pattaya bar in a row over a handbag. At around 3am yesterday, July 29, the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Centre received a report of a physical altercation outside a pharmacy near a well-known restaurant on South Pattaya Road. Responders arrived to…

  • CCTV busts trash dumpers in Pattaya green zone sting | Thaiger

    CCTV busts trash dumpers in Pattaya green zone sting

    Caught on camera and forced to clean up their mess. That’s the fate that met four litterbugs after Pattaya’s expanding CCTV network spotted them dumping garbage in a forest zone just hours after it had been cleaned. On Sunday, July 27, Pattaya City workers completed a public cleaning and trimming of a green zone. But the next day, officials were…

  • Pattaya fights back with bold new city health charter | Thaiger

    Pattaya fights back with bold new city health charter

    Pattaya is rewriting the rules as it prepares to launch a bold new health charter aimed at cleaning up the city’s image and improving the quality of life for its residents. At the heart of the plan is the use of constitutional authority to drive sweeping reforms across three key sectors: tattoo safety, nighttime worker welfare, and protecting children from…

  • Furious farangs slam Pattaya over ‘Thai price’ double standard | Thaiger

    Furious farangs slam Pattaya over ‘Thai price’ double standard

    As domestic tourism campaigns roll out across Pattaya, many foreign travellers are left feeling short-changed. While Thai nationals enjoy government-backed discounts and co-pay perks, expats and tourists say they’re being charged more for the same experiences, from hotel rooms to national park entries. “Should I get a local to book my hotel for October?” one frustrated tourist posted on a…

  • Nongprue police arrest drug dealer in undercover sting operation | Thaiger

    Nongprue police arrest drug dealer in undercover sting operation

    In a coordinated operation on July 27, 2025, led by Banglamung District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon, a 24 year old drug dealer, Thanawat Suksamai, known as Two, was arrested in Nongprue, Chon Buri. The sting operation took place in a rented room in Soi Khao Talo 8, where Thanawat was found with 37.3 grams of ketamine, 0.6 grams of crystal methamphetamine,…

  • Fire at Bangchak Oil Refinery contained after explosion | Thaiger

    Fire at Bangchak Oil Refinery contained after explosion

    A fire broke out at the Bangchak Oil Refinery in Sriracha, Chon Buri, yesterday, July 26, at roughly 12.30pm. This incident led to a loud explosion and sent thick smoke into the sky, surprising nearby residents. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries or fatalities. Police at Laem Chabang were quickly informed and coordinated efforts with over 10 fire trucks…

  • Topless woman rescued on Pattaya street in distress drama | Thaiger

    Topless woman rescued on Pattaya street in distress drama

    Pattaya officials sprang into action after a woman in visible mental distress was spotted wandering shirtless down a busy Jomtien street. The unsettling scene unfolded on Bun Kanchana Soi 2, where concerned residents alerted authorities after noticing the woman behaving erratically without a top on. Responding with speed and sensitivity, officers from the Jomtien municipal enforcement unit located the woman…

  • Baby monkey boom delights visitors at Chon Buri zoo | Thaiger

    Baby monkey boom delights visitors at Chon Buri zoo

    Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri has announced the successful birth of five healthy squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus), adding to its troop and bringing the total population of the species at the zoo to 23. Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy confirmed the good news this week, calling the multiple births a sign of the zoo’s high standards of animal care.…

  • Wrong-way rider causes crash near Sattahip | Thaiger

    Wrong-way rider causes crash near Sattahip

    A three-motorbike collision unfolded on Highway 331 near Sattahip late on Thursday, leaving one man seriously injured and another rider lucky to walk away. The accident occurred at around 10pm on July 24 when 49 year old Boonchalerm Singngoi, riding a white-and-red Honda Wave 125i, reportedly entered the highway from the Khao Mai Kaew market – but heading in the…

  • Cops bust Chon Buri grocery store fronting drug ring | Thaiger

    Cops bust Chon Buri grocery store fronting drug ring

    In a dramatic crackdown on drug trafficking in Chon Buri, Bang Lamung Police joined forces with local officials to raid a seemingly ordinary grocery store that was secretly operating as a hub for illegal narcotics. The bust, which took place in Village 5 of the Takhian Tia area, led to the arrest of five suspects and the seizure of a…

  • Pattaya slashes spaghetti wires in major city makeover | Thaiger

    Pattaya slashes spaghetti wires in major city makeover

    Pattaya is finally tackling one of its biggest eyesores—those tangled telecom cables hanging from power poles—by cutting them down in a citywide cleanup drive. Yesterday morning, July 24, Pattaya City Mayor Poramet Ngampichet led the launch of the 2025 Telecommunications Cable Organisation Project, aimed at removing disused wires and improving both public safety and visual appeal. The initiative, carried out…

  • Flashing zebra crossing turns heads in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Flashing zebra crossing turns heads in Pattaya

    Pattaya has rolled out a new traffic safety innovation that’s turning heads and slowing traffic. On Wednesday, July 23, the city launched a high-tech pedestrian crossing system on Second Road near Soi 6 in North Pattaya, designed to make road crossings significantly safer. The crossing features a push-button system that activates flashing lights, alerting oncoming vehicles to slow down or…

  • Mayor tackles illegal waste dumping by Chinese firm in Chon Buri | Thaiger

    Mayor tackles illegal waste dumping by Chinese firm in Chon Buri

    In Chon Buri, the mayor of the Nong Chak subdistrict is taking firm action against a Chinese company caught illegally dumping waste in a prohibited area. The waste was returned to the factory’s entrance, and legal proceedings are underway. Today, July 24, Doctor Chawinkraiwit Singthotong, Mayor of Nong Chak subdistrict municipality, inspected a large amount of waste after reports indicated…

  • Buffalo bust as Yaba duo in Chon Buri caught in the act | Thaiger

    Buffalo bust as Yaba duo in Chon Buri caught in the act

    A drug crackdown in rural Chon Buri left two suspected dealers out of luck, one of them nabbed hiding in a buffalo shed with a pocketful of Yaba. Police in Koh Chan district, Chon Buri, swooped on two alleged drug traffickers in a targeted operation yesterday, July 23, part of the Ministry of Interior’s hardline No Drugs – No Dealers…

  • Punch-up with Pattaya ladyboy leaves foreigner with bloody head | Thaiger

    Punch-up with Pattaya ladyboy leaves foreigner with bloody head

    A wild brawl in the heart of Pattaya left a foreign tourist with a bloody head wound after a drunken dispute with a ladyboy and some motorbike taxi drivers. The dramatic altercation was captured on video and is now under police scrutiny. The violent brawl broke out on Pattaya’s infamous Soi Buakhao at 4.06am yesterday, July 23, leaving the unnamed…

  • Motorcycle crash in Pattaya due to unsecured gate leaves two injured | Thaiger

    Motorcycle crash in Pattaya due to unsecured gate leaves two injured

    Strong winds caused a metal gate to swing open onto the road, leading to a motorcycle collision that injured two young people. The accident occurred in Soi Na Kluea 16, Pattaya, and while the injured have reported the incident, there has been no response from the landowner. The injured parties are identified as 20 year old Thanapon Thanathapsapanitch and 19…

  • Pole-axed! Trucker trapped in mangled cab after rain-slick smash | Thaiger

    Pole-axed! Trucker trapped in mangled cab after rain-slick smash

    A Thai truck driver was left trapped and bloodied after his six-wheeler spun out of control in heavy rain and slammed into an electric pole in Chon Buri. The crash happened at 9.45am yesterday, July 22 near the entrance to Ploy Yai Village along Highway 331 (Sattahip–Chachoengsao). The white Hino truck was returning from an auto parts delivery when it…

  • Nut job nabbed! Coconut crook caught hiding in cassava patch | Thaiger

    Nut job nabbed! Coconut crook caught hiding in cassava patch

    A coconut crook has been busted in a cassava field after being caught red-handed stealing fruit from a plantation in Chon Buri. Thanakorn Noondee was nabbed yesterday, July 22, at 4.36pm by 30 year old eagle-eyed village headman Phattharaphon Phiwanoi, and his trusty 48 year old sidekick Phaisan Srimanee, after days of coconut disappearances left locals stumped. The 39 year…

  • Crash test dim-sum! Car ploughs into Thai eatery in Pattaya, 2 injured | Thaiger

    Crash test dim-sum! Car ploughs into Thai eatery in Pattaya, 2 injured

    Diners at a bustling Isaan restaurant in Pattaya were left stunned after a runaway car smashed into the building, injuring a food vendor and a teenage girl in a chaotic rush-hour crash. The terrifying incident unfolded at 6.06pm yesterday, July 22, at the railway road intersection in Soi Nong Yai, where a bronze Honda Jazz sedan lost control after a…

  • Vape and raid! Thai customs puff out chest in black market bust | Thaiger

    Vape and raid! Thai customs puff out chest in black market bust

    Thai customs chiefs struck a major blow against the black market, seizing a mountain of illegal goods worth more than 88 million baht in a dramatic operation at one of the country’s busiest ports. Over 88 million baht (US$2.4 million) worth of contraband was nabbed at Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri, including e-cigarettes, fake designer bags, unlicensed cosmetics, and…

  • Big Brother hits the beach: AI policing slashes crime in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Big Brother hits the beach: AI policing slashes crime in Pattaya

    Pattaya’s not just a party town anymore — it’s now a high-tech crime-fighting zone with eyes everywhere. Thai police claim the latest artificial intelligence (AI)-powered surveillance system has cut physical assaults and property-related crimes in Pattaya by at least 40%. And if you’re walking the streets, chances are — you’re being watched. Region 2 Police Chief Lieutenant General Yingos Thepchamnong…

  • Zoom and gloom as woman biker slams van at red light in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Zoom and gloom as woman biker slams van at red light in Pattaya

    Thailand’s roads turned deadly again as a young woman was left fighting for her life after ploughing her motorbike into the back of a stationary van in Pattaya in the early hours of yesterday morning. The horror smash happened at 3.30am yesterday, July 21 on Sukhumvit Road near Soi Siam Country Club, when 24 year old Chanaphon Huadsi crashed her…

  • Curry con! Food delivery driver spices up with bogus food order | Thaiger

    Curry con! Food delivery driver spices up with bogus food order

    A slick scammer posing as a food delivery rider cooked up a brazen heist at a humble curry stall in Pattaya, vanishing with a bag of cash after placing a fake order for nearly 30 meals. The early-morning con unfolded at 5.06am yesterday, July 21, when 30 year old Anirut Thiamtha was manning his family’s Chef Basil Curry Rice Shop…

  • Chon Buri police arrest suspect with drugs and outstanding warrants | Thaiger

    Chon Buri police arrest suspect with drugs and outstanding warrants

    An operation led by Bang Lamung Police Station in Chon Buri, under the guidance of Police Colonel Sarawut Nuchanart, successfully targeted drug-related offences, leading to the arrest of a suspect involved in two drug cases. The operation today, July 21, was spearheaded by Police Lieutenant Colonel Kornphong Sukwisit, Deputy Superintendent of Investigations, along with Police Major Wuttipong Kasa, Investigation Inspector,…

  • Domestic blitz: Pattaya couple left battered in weekend bust-up | Thaiger

    Domestic blitz: Pattaya couple left battered in weekend bust-up

    A misunderstanding between a husband and wife at the weekend resulted in both sustaining injuries during a heated argument in Pattaya. The incident took place at 10.30pm, Saturday, July 19, in a residence on Soi Ban Lang 7. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation’s rescue team responded to the scene after receiving reports of the altercation. Upon arrival, the rescue team…

  • Japanese tourist dodges necklace-nicking trans gang in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Japanese tourist dodges necklace-nicking trans gang in Pattaya

    A Japanese tourist had a narrow escape in the early hours of this morning after a group of transgender sex workers allegedly tried to rob him during a flirty encounter on Pattaya’s notorious Walking Street. The incident, reported at 4.46am, today, July 21, unfolded right in the heart of the city’s raucous red-light district. The victim, a man in his…