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.

  • Nine suspects arrested for Pattani petrol station robbery | Thaiger

    Nine suspects arrested for Pattani petrol station robbery

    Police apprehended nine suspects involved in a brazen robbery at a petrol station in Panare district, Pattani province. The incident occurred when a group of men and women on motorcycles were ambushed by the suspects, who were armed with two guns. An alarming report emerged yesterday, September 24, of nine individuals robbing victims as they exited a PTT petrol station…

  • Phatthalung romance: Love-struck victim won’t ‘stick’ it to attacker | Thaiger

    Phatthalung romance: Love-struck victim won’t ‘stick’ it to attacker

    A love-struck Thai man in the southern province of Phatthalung has decided to forgive and forget, even after his boyfriend savagely attacked him with a wooden stick, leaving him unconscious. Remarkably, the victim has declared he still loves his assailant. Officers from Mueang Phatthalung Police Station were alerted to the assault at a house in the Mueang district of Phatthalung…

  • Durian dispute turns deadly: Vendor kills couple over prime location | Thaiger

    Durian dispute turns deadly: Vendor kills couple over prime location

    A 62 year old durian vendor killed a couple on a roadside in the Chana district of the southern province of Songkhla following a dispute over a prime location for their fruit stalls. Officers from Chana Police Station were called to arrest the suspect, 62 year old durian vendor named Huan Saetan on Ratsarat Road yesterday, September 23. Upon arrival,…

  • Nemo’s profit party: Clownfish breeding makes 1 million baht splash | Thaiger

    Nemo’s profit party: Clownfish breeding makes 1 million baht splash

    The Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Centre in Trang has successfully bred over 20 species of clownfish, commonly known as Nemo fish, this year, resulting in sales surpassing those of the previous year and generating nearly 1 million baht in revenue. Trang Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Centre director Patcharee Soonsan announced yesterday, September 23, the achievement of breeding 20…

  • Armed chaos: Gunmen turn Hala Bala into a fiery hostage jungle | Thaiger

    Armed chaos: Gunmen turn Hala Bala into a fiery hostage jungle

    In a chilling turn of events, police are on an urgent manhunt for approximately 20 armed men who took four officers hostage and torched four buildings in the Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, Waeng district. The harrowing incident, which unfolded yesterday, September 22, marks the first terror attack on the sanctuary in three decades, as confirmed by the Department of National…

  • Armed assailants raid Halabala Sanctuary, steal shotguns and torch homes | Thaiger

    Armed assailants raid Halabala Sanctuary, steal shotguns and torch homes

    Armed assailants, numbering more than 10, launched a brazen attack on the Halabala Wildlife Sanctuary in Narathiwat, Thailand. The incident, which occurred around 6.30pm yesterday, saw the group overpowering and restraining 10 sanctuary officers, looting 10 shotguns, and setting ablaze four staff residences. The armed group stormed the sanctuary, located in Bala Village, Moo 5, Lo Chut subdistrict, Waeng district.…

  • Pattani buffet restaurant slammed over ‘paper-thin’ meat slices | Thaiger

    Pattani buffet restaurant slammed over ‘paper-thin’ meat slices

    A buffet restaurant in the southern province of Pattani faced severe backlash after images of overly thinly sliced meat, described as “paper-thin,” were shared online, sparking widespread criticism. The incident highlighted significant dissatisfaction among customers who were disappointed by both the quality of the food and the service. A member of a consumer group posted the photos yesterday, showing the…

  • Sea surge devastates Trang village, leaving residents homeless | Thaiger

    Sea surge devastates Trang village, leaving residents homeless

    A powerful sea surge devastated the coastal village of Ban Mot Tanoi in Ko Libong, Kantang district, Trang province, rendering residents homeless and their properties in ruins. Waves reaching heights of 3 to 4 metres, combined with strong winds, caused extensive damage to 15 homes, with eight destroyed and seven partially damaged. Residents are now left to pick up the…

  • Thai doctor faces probe over private practice while on state pay | Thaiger

    Thai doctor faces probe over private practice while on state pay

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry launched an investigation into allegations concerning a doctor at a state-run hospital, who is reportedly practising at multiple private hospitals despite receiving extra pay for signing a non-competition clause in his contract. Dr Sawat Apiwachaneewong, the Public Health Ministry inspector at Participatory Health Region 12, confirmed that the Yala Provincial Public Health Office had set up…

  • Phatthalung unveils 71 billion baht airport plan to boost tourism | Thaiger

    Phatthalung unveils 71 billion baht airport plan to boost tourism

    A plot of land spanning 1,496 rai near Songkhla Lake in Phatthalung has been earmarked for constructing a new airport, aimed at boosting tourism and transport in the southern province and its neighbours. Anticipated to become a central hub for Phatthalung, Songkhla, and Nakhon Si Thammarat, the land in Khuan Maphrao subdistrict, Mueang district is owned by the Department of…

  • Cutting corners: Illegal barber snipped by cops on Koh Pha Ngan | Thaiger

    Cutting corners: Illegal barber snipped by cops on Koh Pha Ngan

    Thai police recently apprehended an illegal Burmese national working as a barber in Koh Pha Ngan, earning nearly 50,000 baht monthly. The arrest took place following reports of foreign workers taking jobs from locals. Police Lieutenant Colonel Winij Boonchit received a tip about an unauthorised foreign worker and led a team to arrest 20 year old Wai Yan Kyaw at…

  • Insurgents bomb ATM, set fire to Songkhla office, no injuries | Thaiger

    Insurgents bomb ATM, set fire to Songkhla office, no injuries

    Insurgents are believed to be behind the bombing of an ATM booth and a fire at a local government office in Saba Yoi district, Songkhla province, early yesterday. No injuries were reported. The ATM booth, located in front of the Ban Nod Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) office, was targeted by a bomb around 1.50am, yesterday, September 14, according to Police…

  • Thai couple loses over 11 million baht to trusted employee | Thaiger

    Thai couple loses over 11 million baht to trusted employee

    Frustrated by the police’s lack of action, a Thai couple in Bangkok sought assistance from an official at the Ministry of Public Health. They shared their ordeal involving an employee of their dowry rental business and gold shop, who had swindled over 11 million baht from them. The victims, 28 year old Atijittra and 34 year old Piyaphat, yesterday, September…

  • King cobra causes chaos: Serpent slithers into senior’s home | Thaiger

    King cobra causes chaos: Serpent slithers into senior’s home

    A large king cobra measuring 3.5 metres was found hiding in the kitchen of a 73 year old woman’s house, prompting her to call the Southern Venomous Snake Team for assistance. The incident occurred yesterday, September 12, when Taweesak Boonsed, an official from the Southern Venomous Snake Team, received a distress call from Yingdee Suwannarat, who resides in Moo 8,…

  • Australian man arrested on Koh Pha Ngan for 15 sexual assaults | Thaiger

    Australian man arrested on Koh Pha Ngan for 15 sexual assaults

    Immigration Bureau officers arrested an Australian man who had evaded justice for 15 sexual assault cases in his home country. He was found hiding on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in Surat Thani Province. The Commander of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sukvimol, instructed officers, particularly those from the Immigration Bureau, to intensify their efforts in investigating illegal foreigners in…

  • Century-old parkia speciosa tree generates 40,000 baht annually | Thaiger

    Century-old parkia speciosa tree generates 40,000 baht annually

    A century-old parkia speciosa tree in Trang province has captivated the market due to its large, long pods and superior taste, generating up to 40,000 baht annually from a single tree. At Suan Ta Chan Tonmai Panpi in Trang’s Na Yong district, 53 year old Satit Ramna hired locals to climb and harvest the pods from his four 100-year-old parkia…

  • Fisherman survives four days at sea off Satun | Thaiger

    Fisherman survives four days at sea off Satun

    A fisherman miraculously survived after floating in the sea off Satun in southern Thailand for four days. Despite exhausting his strength, he managed to stay alive by drinking from a floating bottle of sugarcane juice. His incredible ordeal concluded when waves carried him to Bulon Mai Phai Island. News emerged yesterday, September 6, of the incredible survival of Suntorn Khaosom,…

  • Canadian arrested for illegal work, ecstasy possession in Koh Pha Ngan | Thaiger

    Canadian arrested for illegal work, ecstasy possession in Koh Pha Ngan

    Police arrested a Canadian man after he was found working illegally as a masseur and in possession of ecstasy for sale on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Tourist Police and Immigration Police officers arrested the 48 year old Canadian, Ky Uwe Jablonowski, at a Thai traditional massage shop in Koh Pha Ngan yesterday,…

  • Man stabs ex-girlfriend in Trat, crashes motorcycle while fleeing | Thaiger

    Man stabs ex-girlfriend in Trat, crashes motorcycle while fleeing

    A man was apprehended in Trat province after stabbing his ex-girlfriend and attempting to flee on a motorcycle, only to crash 20 kilometres away. He claimed he intended to end his life to escape his wrongdoing. While receiving medical treatment, the injured woman confronted him. The incident occurred at 7.50pm yesterday, September 4, when a 41 year old man named…

  • Thai man arrested for assaulting elderly woman in Phatthalung | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested for assaulting elderly woman in Phatthalung

    A 64 year old Thai man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a 70 year old woman, sparking controversy due to his poor health and inability to walk unaided. The incident occurred yesterday, September 4, at 5pm, when police from Sri Banphot Police Station in Phatthalung province apprehended Wichian (last name withheld) on charges of rape. Despite his relatives’ efforts…

  • British man arrested for illegal beauty clinic, causing facial paralysis | Thaiger

    British man arrested for illegal beauty clinic, causing facial paralysis

    Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police in the southern province of Surat Thani raided an illegal beauty clinic and arrested its British owner today after a foreign client received services at the clinic and suffered facial paralysis. The foreign client, whose identity was not disclosed, experienced swelling and red bruises and was unable to control her facial muscles after receiving a…

  • Italian illegally detained by Burmese woman after visa dispute | Thaiger

    Italian illegally detained by Burmese woman after visa dispute

    An Italian man sought help from the Thai police after being detained by a Burmese woman following an argument over a visa fee in a company office on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Officers from Koh Pha Ngan Police Station and the Tourist Police rushed to the company office on the island after…

  • Foreign wheeled-dealers busted: Koh Pha Ngan car crackdown | Thaiger

    Foreign wheeled-dealers busted: Koh Pha Ngan car crackdown

    Police in Surat Thani nabbed two foreign nationals on Koh Pha Ngan for illegally renting out vehicles. The crackdown happened yesterday, September 1, with a 60 year old Russian man and an 18 year old Ukrainian man being detained. Tourist police and local officials swooped in on the Russian at an unregistered house in Moo 1 village, where they seized…

  • 2 Burmese wanted for killing 3, including pregnant woman and child | Thaiger

    2 Burmese wanted for killing 3, including pregnant woman and child

    Police officers in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan are searching for two Burmese men who allegedly killed a fellow countryman, his pregnant wife, and their seven year old daughter for 50,000 baht in cash. A Thai employer revealed how he hired a 40 year old Burmese man named Saw to work on his rubber plantation. However, Saw was…

  • Essex man’s Thai holiday night out ends in tragedy | Thaiger

    Essex man’s Thai holiday night out ends in tragedy

    A dream holiday in Thailand turned into a nightmare for an Essex couple when a 27 year old British national from Romford was tragically found dead in a body of water after a night out. Theo Morgan, a former Met Police officer, had been enjoying a 10-day getaway in Surat Thani with his girlfriend when disaster struck. The couple had…

  • Spanish star’s son sentenced to life for murder on Koh Pha Ngan | Thaiger

    Spanish star’s son sentenced to life for murder on Koh Pha Ngan

    In a chilling case that shocked both Spain and Thailand, Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, son of prominent Spanish actors Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre and Silvia Bronchalo, has been sentenced to life in prison for the premeditated murder of Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga. The gruesome crime took place last August on the idyllic Thai island of Koh Pha Ngan. Originally handed…

  • Phatthalung village head assaults woman over cattle dispute | Thaiger

    Phatthalung village head assaults woman over cattle dispute

    A 59 year old woman was brutally assaulted by a local village head in Phatthalung province following a heated argument over grazing cattle. The incident left her severely injured, leading to her hospitalisation. The woman’s 31 year old daughter Wannapa took her mother, Kasem, to Phatthalung Hospital at 5.45pm yesterday, August 27, after she was violently attacked. Kasem suffered severe…

  • Cat found abandoned at temple in Songkhla | Thaiger

    Cat found abandoned at temple in Songkhla

    A CCTV camera captured a man and a woman on a motorcycle with a sidecar abandoning a cat in a sack at a temple in Songkhla. The Hope Songkhla urges the owner to help find it, as abandoning animals is illegal. A report from Songkhla detailed footage from a surveillance camera showing two individuals on a three-wheeled motorcycle, likely scrap…

  • Going bananas: Songkhla’s top fritter vendor in a slippery situation | Thaiger

    Going bananas: Songkhla’s top fritter vendor in a slippery situation

    A well-known banana fritter vendor in Songkhla is facing difficulties due to a sharp increase in the price of bananas and a shortage of supply. Sales have dropped, and profits have dwindled, forcing some vendors to raise their prices. However, one vendor decided to keep her prices the same out of concern for her customers. At the entrance to the…

  • Southern Thailand court to hear Tak Bai massacre case | Thaiger

    Southern Thailand court to hear Tak Bai massacre case

    Narathiwat Provincial Court’s decision to hear a lawsuit against seven officials accused of murder and kidnapping during the 2004 Tak Bai massacre has been welcomed by activists. Srisompob Jitpiromsri, director of Deep South Watch, described the court’s move as a significant step toward justice and peace in the troubled region. He made these comments at a talk in Pattani‘s Mueang…