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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    Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you

    Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...

  • Lorry crash in Surat Thani leaves two hospitalised

    Lorry crash in Surat Thani leaves two hospitalised

    A lorry carrying palm oil waste experienced brake failure and crashed into a car, dragged it for 100 metres, and collided with a pickup truck, causing severe damage. Rescue teams extracted two individuals from the wreckage and transported them to the hospital. The incident occurred at 5.50pm yesterday, July 10 when police from Chaiya Police Station in Surat Thani were…

  • New tree species unearthed in Thai Geopark

    New tree species unearthed in Thai Geopark

    Researchers from Chiang Mai University have uncovered a brand-new species of Ylang Ylang, or cananga tree, at the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark. Dubbed “Chalermprakiat” in honour of His Majesty the King’s 72nd birthday, this discovery is set to shake the botanical world. Ylang Ylang, a tropical tree known for its fragrant flowers, is typically found in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia,…

  • Russian man arrested for illegal business, bribe attempt

    Russian man arrested for illegal business, bribe attempt

    A Russian man attempted to secure his freedom by offering a 1 million baht bribe to Thai police after being arrested for illegally operating a motorcycle rental service in Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Pha Ngan Tourist Police received a tip-off about a foreigner working illegally in Thailand. Following further investigation, the man…

  • No plastics allowed: Koh Nang Yuan protects coral reefs

    No plastics allowed: Koh Nang Yuan protects coral reefs

    Visitors to the stunning island of Koh Nang Yuan in southern Thailand are facing a surprising restriction: no plastic items or styrofoam boxes are allowed. Koh Nang Yuan, renowned for its three interconnected islets with pristine white sands, has long upheld a strict no-plastic policy. This rule extends to the thousands of tourists who flock to its shores each day,…

  • PM Srettha to meet Malaysian PM for peace talks

    PM Srettha to meet Malaysian PM for peace talks

    Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced a high-stakes meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in a southern border province on August 3, though the exact location remains undecided. The Thai premier hinted that Yala, Pattani, or Narathiwat could be the chosen venue. “My team is making arrangements.” While the specifics of the agenda are under wraps, the Bangkok-born PM…

  • Teenagers on motorbikes open fire near Yala police flat, injuring girl

    Teenagers on motorbikes open fire near Yala police flat, injuring girl

    A group of teenagers riding motorbikes yesterday opened fire near a police flat in Yala, inadvertently wounding a teenage girl. Police are actively pursuing the suspects involved in the shooting. Yala City Police Station received reports of a violent altercation involving firearms at 8pm, yesterday, July 9. The incident took place at the Ber Serng intersection, near the police flats…

  • New Malaysian mediator appointed for Thai peace talks

    New Malaysian mediator appointed for Thai peace talks

    The Malaysian government has appointed a new mediator for the peace process in southern Thailand. This comes amid urgent calls for a reassessment of the peace roadmap following a surge in violence that has shattered public confidence. A devastating car bomb exploded outside a police flat in Yala on June 30, claiming the life of a school teacher and injuring…

  • Sleepy driver kills 3 and injures 2 in Songkhla accident

    Sleepy driver kills 3 and injures 2 in Songkhla accident

    A Thai woman, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, crashed her pickup into another vehicle on the Songkhla-Natawee Road in southern Thailand. The tragic incident resulted in her death, along with two others, while two more sustained serious injuries. Officers from Khuanmeed Police Station and rescuers from the Chanong Sub-district and Nitimittaparb Rescue Foundations arrived at the scene at…

  • Parcel worker shot dead in Ranong over alleged affair

    Parcel worker shot dead in Ranong over alleged affair

    A shooting incident occurred yesterday evening, July 5, behind a market in Ranong, leaving a private parcel delivery employee dead and his family in mourning. Witnesses reported a physical altercation between the victim and a man in black before shots were fired. Police received the distress call around 6.42pm and immediately dispatched officers and medical personnel to the scene. The…

  • Thai police arrest man for stealing motorcycles to fund drug use

    Thai police arrest man for stealing motorcycles to fund drug use

    Police officers from Division 5 of the Crime Suppression Division raided a house and arrested a 25 year old Thai man for stealing motorcycles over three consecutive nights. The stolen motorcycles were sold to buy methamphetamine and for leisure activities. On July 5, police officers led by Phattawut Onchuay, Hatthaphon Thongkham, and Kitiphum Sriphaeo executed a warrant issued by the…

  • Police reshuffle in Yala after car bomb kills one, injures 34

    Police reshuffle in Yala after car bomb kills one, injures 34

    A significant reshuffling of police personnel followed a devastating car bomb attack on the Bannang Sata police flats in Yala province, which resulted in one fatality and injured 34 others. This incident occurred yesterday and led to a series of transfers within the police force. Police Colonel Ranon Surawit has been reassigned to the Southern Border Provinces Investigation Division as…

  • Vietnamese trawler detained for illegal fishing in Thai waters

    Vietnamese trawler detained for illegal fishing in Thai waters

    A Vietnamese trawler with four crewmen was detained yesterday for illegally fishing in Thai territorial waters, according to the Thai navy. The incident took place south of Koh Kra, yesterday, July 4, where the Second Naval Area Command, led by deputy commander Phichit Srirungruang, ordered the HTMS Sattahip to conduct a patrol following intelligence reports of unauthorised fishing activities. The…

  • Songkhla police arrest illegal workers in Koh Pha Ngan crackdown

    Songkhla police arrest illegal workers in Koh Pha Ngan crackdown

    Police in Songkhla launched an operation targeting illegal foreign workers, arresting six Myanmar nationals and one Thai employer for working outside their permitted rights in Koh Pha Ngan. This action follows complaints from local leaders and residents. The operation was ordered by Sak Sira, the Commissioner of Tourist Police, and executed by Winich Boonchit, a senior officer in the Tourist…

  • Teen dies, two injured in Songkhla knife attack leading to crash

    Teen dies, two injured in Songkhla knife attack leading to crash

    A 15 year old boy riding with two friends was attacked by three 14 year olds armed with knives, resulting in a crash that left one dead and two seriously injured. Police are coordinating with the guardians for the suspects to surrender. Investigators at Hat Yai Police Station, Songkhla province, led by Phum Balthip and Dusit Phromsin detained three 14…

  • Blackchin tilapia fish threatens Songkhla Lake

    Blackchin tilapia fish threatens Songkhla Lake

    The Songkhla provincial fisheries office is urging the public to report any sightings of the invasive blackchin tilapia in local waterways. This predatory fish, originally from Africa, poses a severe threat to the delicate balance of Songkhla’s aquatic ecosystems. Sightings of the blackchin tilapia have been confirmed in several canals within the Ranot district, which are directly connected to Songkhla…

  • Woman arrested for selling kratom tea to teens in Songkhla

    Woman arrested for selling kratom tea to teens in Songkhla

    Police in Rattaphum, Songkhla, arrested a woman for openly selling kratom leaf tea, with teenagers reportedly becoming addicted. The operation seized 500 bottled kratom teas, sold around the clock. Rattaphum District Chief Wilailak Rueangphon ordered Sub-Lieutenant Surasak Chanakit to lead a team, including local health officers, to apprehend a vendor selling kratom leaf tea from a rented house. The house,…

  • 26 drug addicts escape Krabi rehab, 11 recaptured by police

    26 drug addicts escape Krabi rehab, 11 recaptured by police

    Royal Thai Police (RTP) reported yesterday that 26 recovering drug addicts escaped from a rehabilitation foundation in Mueang, Krabi. The group allegedly stole a long-tail boat to make their way to Mueang Krabi, with some escapees later seen walking along Hemthanon Road. After nearly an hour, police managed to capture 11 of the escapees. The police negotiated with the 11…

  • Car bomb near Yala police flat kills one, injures several (video)

    Car bomb near Yala police flat kills one, injures several (video)

    A car bomb detonated near a police flat in Bannang Sata, Yala, causing multiple injuries and one fatality. The explosion occurred around 10.30am today, close to the district office and only a few hundred metres from the local police station. The powerful blast happened in front of the police officers’ residential building, situated within the Bannang Sata Municipality. Initial reports…

  • Python surprise: Slippery situation at Phang Nga Police Station

    Python surprise: Slippery situation at Phang Nga Police Station

    A large python was found in the engine compartment of a confiscated pickup truck at the Thap Put Police Station in Phang Nga, causing quite a commotion. Police officers managed to safely extract the snake after a resident discovered it and reported the incident. The discovery of a sizable python in a confiscated Isuzu pickup truck disrupted the routine training…

  • Volcanic durian from southern Thailand creates year-long waitlist

    Volcanic durian from southern Thailand creates year-long waitlist

    A surge in demand has led to a year-long waitlist for the unique volcanic durian grown exclusively in southern Thailand, which boasts a GAP certification ensuring its safety and quality. This particular variety is reported to be twice as delicious as the commonly known Monthong durian. At the heart of this phenomenon is Saiyut Jannsawang’s orchard in Na Khao Sia…

  • Stinging situation as Bluebottles sighted around Racha Islands

    Stinging situation as Bluebottles sighted around Racha Islands

    The Thai authorities issued a warning about the presence of Portuguese Man o’ War, also known as bluebottles, at the Racha Islands, located south of Phuket, following an incident where a tour boat staff member was stung yesterday. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has identified bluebottles at Ao La, Ao Tu, and Racha Yai Islands. Tourists and…

  • Fire at Hat Yai hotel sparks chaos, guests evacuated

    Fire at Hat Yai hotel sparks chaos, guests evacuated

    A fire erupted in the ventilation shaft of a prominent hotel in downtown Hat Yai, leading to chaotic scenes as staff and guests scrambled to evacuate. Officials are investigating the incident, initially suspected to be caused by an electrical short circuit. At 7.30pm yesterday, emergency services were alerted to a fire at a well-known hotel on Sanehanusorn Road, within the…

  • Minor earthquake in Phang Nga prompts safety inspections

    Minor earthquake in Phang Nga prompts safety inspections

    An earthquake with a magnitude of 2.2 struck the Bang Toei area in Phang Nga Province, prompting officials to inspect for potential damage. It was confirmed that an earthquake occurred in Bang Toei, Mueang District, Phang Nga Province. The incident occurred in the early hours of today, June 26, as reported by the Earthquake Surveillance Division of the Thai Meteorological…

  • Police officer accused of assaulting man in Phatthalung

    Police officer accused of assaulting man in Phatthalung

    A 23 year old man from Khuan Khanun District, Phatthalung Province, filed a complaint against a police officer who allegedly assaulted him in his home. The incident occurred at 6.46pm yesterday while the man was cleaning his dog’s kennel. Yanason (surname withheld) reported that while he was cleaning, Chakraphan (surname withheld), a police sergeant from Raman Police Station in Yala,…

  • Italian arrested for cocaine sales and illegal business on Samui

    Italian arrested for cocaine sales and illegal business on Samui

    Police in Surat Thani arrested an Italian man allegedly involved in selling cocaine and operating a motorbike rental business illegally on Samui Island. The arrest, made on June 18, followed an investigation by Surat Thani Immigration based on tips from concerned locals. Officers identified the suspect as 39 year old Mattio who was apprehended on Lamai Beach Road in the…

  • Southern Thailand popular for Malaysian polygamous marriages

    Southern Thailand popular for Malaysian polygamous marriages

    Southern Thailand has emerged as a preferred destination for Malaysian men seeking ceremonial polygamous marriages. Each month, at least 30 couples from Malaysia undergo marriage ceremonies at the Narathiwat Islamic Religious Council, according to a report by the Bernama news agency. These couples primarily hail from the neighbouring states of Kelantan and Terengganu, though some travel from as far as…

  • Missing contraband diesel vessels found near Malaysian waters

    Missing contraband diesel vessels found near Malaysian waters

    Three vessels carrying 330,000 litres of contraband diesel that vanished from a police pier in Chon Buri have been located near Malaysian waters, police confirmed. Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew, Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, announced that the three boats disappeared from the marine police pier in Sattahip district of Chon Buri last week. After travelling through Cambodian…

  • Koh Samui steals spotlight: Readers rave over four island getaways

    Koh Samui steals spotlight: Readers rave over four island getaways

    Readers of the popular American travel magazine Travel+Leisure voted four accommodations in Koh Samui as winners in the Beach+Island Resort category. Travel+Leisure released its 2024 Luxury Awards Asia Pacific ranking, allowing readers to nominate and vote for outstanding accommodations in various categories, including five-star urban escapes, private-island beach resorts, innovative spas, Instagram-worthy swimming pools, awesome airlines and airports, cruises, and…

  • Twinning triumph: Thailand to launch second border bridge to Malaysia

    Twinning triumph: Thailand to launch second border bridge to Malaysia

    Thailand is set to break ground on a monumental project that will transform the region. The Twin Bridge, a massive construction project in Rantau Panjang-Sungai Golok, is expected to begin in April 2025. Narathiwat Province Governor Trakul Thotham announced that before construction starts, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) must be conducted. The EIA survey is scheduled to kick off next…

  • Fake police officer causes uproar in Songkhla snooker hall

    Fake police officer causes uproar in Songkhla snooker hall

    A man claiming to be a police officer caused a scene after parking his car in the middle of the road in Songkhla Province, boasting about his rank and causing a disturbance in a snooker hall. The incident led to a formal complaint against him. The incident occurred yesterday when a Facebook user posted about a troubling encounter in the…