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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    How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?

    Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....

  • Man arrested in Nakhon Si Thammarat for machete threats

    Man arrested in Nakhon Si Thammarat for machete threats

    A notorious machete-wielding troublemaker was arrested while sleeping at his home in Nakhon Si Thammarat province after repeatedly threatening locals and rescue workers while under the influence of drugs. The arrest took place yesterday, March 6, when Police Colonel Sonthaya Panpaen of the Nopphitam Police Station, alongside officers from the Human Trafficking Suppression Division, tracked down 34 year old Sarawut…

  • Thailand’s Lawa Yai island wins top beach award

    Thailand’s Lawa Yai island wins top beach award

    Lawa Yai, an unspoiled tropical retreat in Ao Phang Nga National Park, has just landed a major international honour, securing ISO 13009:2015 certification for top-tier beach management and sustainable tourism. This recognition puts the island on the map as a world-class destination that blends environmental preservation with visitor-friendly services. Phob Toonsang, chief of the national park’s first conservation unit, hailed…

  • Thai diver stung by sea creatures but online critics take a bigger bite

    Thai diver stung by sea creatures but online critics take a bigger bite

    A Thai woman issued a warning to diving enthusiasts after sustaining injuries from sea anemones and sea urchins while diving in the southern province of Chumphon. The incident occurred due to strong waves, but instead of sympathy, she found herself facing online criticism over her choice of swimsuit. The victim, identified as Fon Nongnaphat, shared a video of the incident…

  • AIS wired to untangle Thailand’s messy power poles

    AIS wired to untangle Thailand’s messy power poles

    AIS is stepping up its game in supporting the government and public safety by tackling one of Thailand’s most notorious urban eyesores: tangled, overloaded power poles. In a major collaboration with the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), AIS dispatched a specialist team of engineers to Ban Chang district in Rayong province to dismantle and organise telecommunications cables and equipment attached to…

  • Koh Pha Ngan police accused of ignoring foreign cannabis thieves

    Koh Pha Ngan police accused of ignoring foreign cannabis thieves

    A Thai cannabis shop owner accused police officers on Koh Pha Ngan island, in the southern province of Surat Thani, of inaction after they allegedly ignored a cannabis theft committed by two foreigners on February 26. Jariya Kamonrat, the owner of the cannabis shop, Monkey’s Dispensary, posted in a Facebook group for business operators on Koh Pha Ngan to seek…

  • Nigerian dealer arrested on Koh Pha Ngan with 240,000 baht of cocaine

    Nigerian dealer arrested on Koh Pha Ngan with 240,000 baht of cocaine

    Police arrested a Nigerian drug dealer on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, at the weekend, and seized 240,000 baht worth of cocaine. Pha Ngan Tourist Police officers received a tip-off that a Nigerian man on the island was offering drugs to other foreign tourists in the area. He personally delivered the drugs to…

  • Potential lucky numbers predicted for March 1 lottery draw

    Potential lucky numbers predicted for March 1 lottery draw

    The lottery draw today, March 1, is generating significant interest, with several numbers being highlighted as potentially lucky. The draw, organised by the Government Lottery Office, is set to take place in Phang Nga province at the Le Erawan Hotel in Mueang Phang Nga district. The excitement is further fuelled by recent noteworthy events that have inspired popular number predictions.…

  • Myanmar nationals arrested for illegal business on Koh Phangan

    Myanmar nationals arrested for illegal business on Koh Phangan

    A Myanmar national operating a motorcycle rental business on Koh Phangan, earning 20,000 baht daily, was apprehended for engaging in a profession restricted to Thai citizens. His employee, also from Myanmar, faced arrest. Tourist police, immigration officers, and local officials conducted a raid at a motorcycle repair shop in Ban Hat Rin Village 6, Ban Tai subdistrict. They arrested the…

  • Deadly cobra snagged in Trang, residents eye lottery jackpot

    Deadly cobra snagged in Trang, residents eye lottery jackpot

    In the sleepy surroundings of Lamor subdistrict, in southern Thailand, a daring snake rescue played out in front of house number 95/2, where a 2-metre-long cobra took unwelcome refuge, throwing the local community into a hiss-terical frenzy. A team led by 20 year old “Benz” Suphat Iadchata from Benz Asorapith Trang, yesterday, February 27, responded to a homeowner’s SOS call:…

  • Top cop gunned down after mosque prayers in Pattani

    Top cop gunned down after mosque prayers in Pattani

    A senior police officer was shot dead as he returned from prayers at a mosque in Pattani province yesterday, February 27, marking another deadly attack in Thailand’s troubled southern region. The officer, 58 year old Police Lieutenant Muhammad Azan Jamae, Deputy Inspector of the 6th Investigation Division, Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, was ambushed outside his home in Ban…

  • Pregnant Thai teen refuses medical help, leading to baby’s death

    Pregnant Thai teen refuses medical help, leading to baby’s death

    A pregnant Thai teenager refused to go to hospital and declined medical help from a rescue team, leading to her baby’s death in a rented room in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, February 26. Neighbours called rescuers to a rented room in the Mueang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat at about 10am yesterday to transport the 16 year…

  • Thaksin vows to end Thai unrest, sparking strategy concerns

    Thaksin vows to end Thai unrest, sparking strategy concerns

    Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s commitment to ending the unrest in southern Thailand by next year has sparked concerns and led to inquiries regarding the government’s actual strategies to address the situation, according to a political scholar from Thammasat University. As an informal adviser to the ASEAN chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thaksin made a significant visit to the…

  • Thai van driver fined after schoolboy falls through back door

    Thai van driver fined after schoolboy falls through back door

    A Thai schoolboy survived after falling from a school van onto the road when the rear door accidentally opened while the vehicle was in motion in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. A Thai man, Supachai Saetuang, who was driving behind the school van and witnessed the incident, shared dashcam footage on Facebook to warn other school van drivers and…

  • Fatal nap: Passenger found dead on Rayong-Nakhon Phanom bus

    Fatal nap: Passenger found dead on Rayong-Nakhon Phanom bus

    A routine bus journey turned tragic when a passenger was found dead in his seat, having been mistaken for being asleep by fellow travellers. The chilling discovery was made when the bus driver attempted to wake him at his stop, only to find his body cold and unresponsive. The incident occurred on a tour bus travelling from Rayong to Nakhon…

  • Severe floods hit Phatthalung: Homes submerged, school closed

    Severe floods hit Phatthalung: Homes submerged, school closed

    Severe flooding has wreaked havoc across Phatthalung province, leaving hundreds of homes submerged, schools closed, and livestock in danger, despite the rain easing this morning, February 25. The deluge has impacted several districts, including Kong Ra, Srinakarin, Pa Bon, Tamode, and Pa Phayom, with Khuan Khanun among the hardest hit. Key areas such as the Pho Thong intersection and the…

  • Lao woman arrested in Hat Yai prostitution sting

    Lao woman arrested in Hat Yai prostitution sting

    In a dramatic undercover operation, Hat Yai Police busted a Lao woman running a covert prostitution ring through the LINE app, exposing a hidden world of illicit activity in the heart of Hat Yai, Songkhla province. The sting operation, led by Police Colonel Nattapong Koet-iem, Superintendent of the 6th Police Station, uncovered the scheme operating out of a resort on…

  • Thai woman stages fake wedding, refused to reveal her motive (video)

    Thai woman stages fake wedding, refused to reveal her motive (video)

    A Thai man took to social media to reveal that a Thai woman faked a wedding with him and tricked her friends into attending the ceremony at a resort in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Netizens took to social media saying they were suspicious of both of them, the fake bride and groom. The 34 year old Thai…

  • Bribery scandal sparks crackdown at Laem Chabang Port

    Bribery scandal sparks crackdown at Laem Chabang Port

    Thailand’s busiest deep-sea port, Laem Chabang, is under scrutiny as the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) launches an urgent investigation into severe traffic congestion and a bribery scandal involving queue-jumping fees. With over 6 million trucks passing through the port annually, the PAT is racing to implement solutions, including a crackdown on corruption, to restore order and efficiency, said PAT…

  • 200 Myanmar migrants sent home in Thai repatriation drive

    200 Myanmar migrants sent home in Thai repatriation drive

    In a significant crackdown on illegal immigration, 200 Myanmar migrants were deported from Ranong province yesterday, February 24 as part of Thailand’s ongoing efforts to address the influx of undocumented workers. The group, consisting of 198 men and two women, were repatriated after undergoing legal proceedings and voluntarily joining the government’s repatriation programme. The migrants were transported to the customs…

  • Thai father commits suicide to avoid penalty for daughter’s sexual abuse

    Thai father commits suicide to avoid penalty for daughter’s sexual abuse

    A Thai father committed suicide in a durian plantation in the southern province of Chum Phon today, February 24, to escape a legal punishment after his 15 year old daughter came forward to seek justice after years of sexual abuse. The community leader in the Phato district of Chum Phon revealed to MGR Online that the teenage victim’s 15 year…

  • Motorcycle gang shooting injures three in Phatthalung

    Motorcycle gang shooting injures three in Phatthalung

    Three people sustained injuries in a shooting involving a motorcycle gang in Phatthalung province. The assailant, who had no prior conflict with the group, returned to shoot a 12 year old girl after initially targeting others. At approximately 2.30am yesterday, February 23, Police Captain Wuttichai Saengchatree of Khuan Khanun Police Station was informed of a shooting on the Asian Highway…

  • Explosions in southern Thailand ahead of Thaksin’s visit

    Explosions in southern Thailand ahead of Thaksin’s visit

    Explosions erupted this morning in Thailand’s southern border provinces of Yala and Narathiwat ahead of the visit by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In Yala province, a civilian lost his life and seven police officers sustained injuries following a bomb explosion in front of a supermarket in Bannang Sata district yesterday night. The incident occurred on Highway 10, in front…

  • 3 year old Thai boy killed and 11 others injured in Phang Nga bus accident

    3 year old Thai boy killed and 11 others injured in Phang Nga bus accident

    A three year old Thai boy lost his life in a coach bus accident that also injured 11 others in the southern province of Phang Nga. Officers from Takua Thung Police Station were alerted to the accident on Phetchakasem Road in the Takua Thung district at around 6pm, yesterday, February 20. Upon investigation, they found the overturned coach on the left…

  • Phang Nga to host mobile lottery draw on March 1

    Phang Nga to host mobile lottery draw on March 1

    The upcoming lottery draw on March 1 will be a mobile draw held in Phang Nga province. The Government Lottery Office plans to conduct the draw at the Le Erawan Hotel’s Mai Fah Room in Mueang district, Phang Nga. Khaosod Online has compiled a decade’s worth of statistics from March 1 draws. This includes notable repeating numbers and popular numbers…

  • Gunmen ambush police in Pattani, killing two officers

    Gunmen ambush police in Pattani, killing two officers

    Gunfire erupted late last night when a group of assailants ambushed police officers in Yarang district, resulting in the immediate deaths of two officers at the scene. The incident occurred yesterday, February 19, at approximately 11.25pm, prompting an urgent investigation to track down the perpetrators. Residents alerted the police upon hearing gunshots in the middle of the night. The unidentified…

  • Thaksin Shinawatra to visit Narathiwat for security talks

    Thaksin Shinawatra to visit Narathiwat for security talks

    Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand, is set to visit Narathiwat on Sunday, February 23 as an informal adviser to the ASEAN chair, where he will discuss security matters with officials in Thailand’s Deep South. The visit, confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai yesterday, marks Thaksin’s first return to the region since his tenure…

  • Thai Union hosts PM in Songkhla to boost seafood industry

    Thai Union hosts PM in Songkhla to boost seafood industry

    Executives from the Thai Union Group Public Company Limited, a global leader in the seafood industry, hosted Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her Cabinet yesterday, February 18. The visit took place at the Thai Union Seafood Company’s frozen seafood processing plant in Songkhla province. The aim was to understand challenges and explore strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand’s fisheries…

  • Fire destroys Phatthalung home, residents escape unscathed

    Fire destroys Phatthalung home, residents escape unscathed

    A fire engulfed the home of an 83 year old former forestry official late at night in the Phatthalung area. The blaze destroyed the wooden house, though fortunately, all five residents escaped unharmed. The fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit. Police Captain Sorawit Rakjui, duty officer at Mueang Phatthalung Police Station, received a report…

  • PM urges fast-track completion of Songkhla-Malaysia border road

    PM urges fast-track completion of Songkhla-Malaysia border road

    Thailand’s long-delayed new border crossing in Songkhla is finally set to open, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordering urgent action to complete the missing road link to Malaysia. During a mobile Cabinet meeting in Songkhla yesterday, February 18, PM Paetongtarn inspected several development projects and was shocked to learn that the 2nd Sadao Border Checkpoint, built in 2019, remains closed…

  • Rohingya man allegedly commits suicide in Nakhon Si Thammarat canal

    Rohingya man allegedly commits suicide in Nakhon Si Thammarat canal

    A Rohingya man allegedly committed suicide in a canal in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. His body was discovered yesterday, February 18. Officers from Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat Police Station investigated the lifeless body of a foreign man found in the Tha Wang canal after being alerted at approximately 1.40pm. According to the police, the man was dressed…