Surat Thani
- Thailand News
Tragic end for British backpacker in Thailand waters (video)
A British backpacker met a heartbreaking fate after a kayaking mishap in Thailand, an inquest heard in Swansea. Shanghaman Gowribalan went missing on February 11, 2024, while kayaking in a canal near the Rajjaprabha Dam, also known as the Cheow Lan Dam, in the southern province of Surat Thani. The 24 year old drowned after his kayak overflowed, leading him to…
- Travel Guides
Getting from Bangkok to Khao Sok through Surat Thani
One of the most central points of travel that can be found in Thailand is Surat Thani. Providing travellers with the choice between the various natural wonders that Thailand has to offer. Surat Thani provides a midpoint between the Eastern infamous islands of Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Samui, and the Western jungles and beaches of both Khao…
- Thailand News
EV ferries set to recharge routes between Surat Thani-Koh Samui
Ferry services shuttling electric vehicles (EVs) between mainland Surat Thani and the idyllic shores of Koh Samui are set to resume on Tuesday, following a three-month hiatus prompted by safety concerns. Phutthapong Wimolphan, the Deputy Managing Director of Raja Ferry Port Plc, broke the news today, February 7, revealing that the company will offer this service twice a week, every…
- Thailand News
Disgraced monk shakes foundations of Buddhist faith in Thailand
In a scandal that’s rattled the pious halls of a renowned temple in Don Sak District, Surat Thani Province, a disgraced monk has brought shame once more to the Buddhist faith of Thailand. The abbot, once a spiritual leader, is now at the centre of a sordid tale involving indecent selfies sent to a laywoman, enveloping the temple in scandal…
- Thailand News
Fire at Surat Thani rubber plant causes 10 million baht damage
A fire at a rubber smoking plant in Baan Tha Hak, Mueang 3 subdistrict, Pha Wa district, Surat Thani province destroyed over 16 tonnes of rubber sheets and caused damage estimated at nearly 10 million baht (US$296,320). The blaze, which occurred at 9.30pm yesterday, January 29, was reported to Police Lieutenant Sarawut Kittiruengrayap, an investigator at Chaiya Police Station. Upon…
- Thailand News
Police sergeant’s final act: Traffic-stopping heroism ends in tragedy
A devoted Police Sergeant lost his life in a selfless moment of duty in a heart-wrenching tragedy in Surat Thani. On Monday, January 27, the 35 year old hero, Police Sergeant Charoenphon Niamniyom from the Surat Thani City Police, was tragically mowed down by a runaway pickup truck. The shocking incident unfolded as Sgt. Charoenphon was gallantly assisting a delivery…
- Crime News
Teen tragically shot near Surat Thani health centre
An 18 year old man was shot near a health centre in Surat Thani province, shocking his mother, who had recently spoken with him. Friends reported that the assailant drove a car against traffic, calling out to the victim before shooting him. The incident occurred at 3.39am today, January 27, when Police Lieutenant Chariyawut Thanchoen from Donsak Police Station received…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani aids residents hit by high seas and strong winds
The Marine Department in Surat Thani province is actively assisting residents in two districts affected by strong winds and high sea levels. Yesterday, January 13, the Second Naval Area Command, led by Captain Natthaphon Sinphunphon and Captain Sompop Srisuksai, visited Chon Kram subdistrict in Don Sak district and Phlai Wat subdistrict in Kanchanadit district. They distributed relief packages to those…
- Road deaths
Six dead in Surat Thani pickup truck collision
Tragedy struck when a pickup truck lost control and collided with a tree, leaving six people dead, including four children, on a highway in Surat Thani. The incident occurred today at 7.11am. Police were notified of a pickup truck crash on Asia Highway 41, near kilometre marker 124/500, opposite the Chaiya Transport Office in the Pa We sub-district of Chaiya…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani resident uncovers 14k meth pills in fertilizer sack
A resident found a mysterious sack placed in front of their home in Surat Thani province, which, upon inspection, revealed 14,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills. The incident prompted immediate action by local police to trace the origins of the drugs. At the office of the Narcotics Control Centre within Phunphin district, Surat Thani province, officials gathered to address a significant drug-related…
- South Thailand News
Deadly floods hit Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat
Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat have been hit hard by renewed flooding, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. Persistent heavy rain since December 12 has caused significant overflow from canals and other water sources, inundating agricultural areas, roads, and homes across these southern provinces. In Surat Thani, the districts of Mueang, Kanchanadit, and Don Sak experienced severe flooding…
- Thailand News
Former officer arrested after abducting wife in Surat Thani
A former police officer, under the influence of methamphetamine (meth), was apprehended after abducting his estranged wife in Surat Thani province. The dramatic chase unfolded over more than an hour, following a family dispute and divorce request. Police in Surat Thani arrested 27 year old Phasakorn Kheawphakdee after a tense highway pursuit. The incident began when Sutheemas, his 25 year…
- South Thailand News
French tourist missing after boat capsizes in Surat Thani
A French tourist has been reported missing following the capsizing of a tour boat in Surat Thani’s Rajjaprabha Dam reservoir. The incident occurred yesterday, November 23, when strong winds and high waves overturned the vessel carrying 13 people, including 10 French tourists, a tour guide, a caregiver, and the boat operator. Rene Mary Corre, whose age remains unknown, was part…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani police crack down on noisy modified motorcycles
Police in Surat Thani are intensifying efforts against young motorcyclists modifying their bikes to create loud noises. Today, orders were given to all local police stations to crack down on these activities, aiming to prevent public disturbances and ensure road safety. Niphon Chatree, head of Surat Thani’s city police, instructed his team, including Taweesil Laksana-Pheng, deputy head of the city…
- Thailand News
Interior ministry allocates 56 million baht for Surat Thani marshland
Thailand’s Ministry of Interior approved a budget of over 56 million baht for the fiscal year 2025 to develop the Khlong Khwai marshland, aiming to create a new green space for the people of Surat Thani province. Kanisini Opasrangsank, a Member of Parliament for Constituency 1 in Surat Thani and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Thai Nation Party, along with…
- Thailand News
Phanom district grows kitchen gardens for food security boost
Local cuisine serves as a captivating cultural heritage, embodying the essence of each community. A new initiative in Phanom district in the southern province of Surat Thani embodies this spirit by utilising the vacant space in front of the district office to cultivate kitchen gardens, promoting food security. The District Chief of Phanom, Suchau Tumosik, in collaboration with local leaders…
- Thailand News
Fire at Surat Thani car dealership damages five vehicles
The early hours of yesterday saw a fire engulf the Siam Charoen Yont car dealership located in Surat Thani, causing significant damage to five vehicles. The blaze was reported to the police, who promptly responded to the emergency. Police Lieutenant Phumiphat Jaiyen from the Surat Thani City Police Station, in collaboration with Police Colonel Nipon Chatri and local disaster relief…
- Thailand News
‘Fries’ for change: Waste Not, Want Not turns grease into green efforts
Surat Thani Municipality launched a notable initiative titled Waste Not, Want Not, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by recycling used cooking oil. The project, in collaboration with the New Biodiesel Company, encourages residents to exchange used cooking oil for fresh Rin Tip brand oil. The agreement was signed yesterday, October 30, at Surat Thani Municipality’s conference room by Prachert…
- Thailand News
Catch of the day: Surat Thani nets illegal fishing gear
Officials in Surat Thani have taken decisive action against illegal fishing activities, removing unlawful equipment from Ban Don Bay. Yesterday, October 15, Nattapol Sinpunpol, Deputy Director of the Naval Civil Affairs Department in Surat Thani, led a collaborative effort with multiple agencies to address the issue. The operation involved officials from the Provincial Fisheries Office, the 6th Police Division, legal…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani train tragedy claims life of mother and daughter
Tragedy struck in Surat Thani last night as a devastating railway accident claimed the lives of a mother and her young daughter, leaving a married couple fighting for their lives. The heart-wrenching incident unfolded at around 7pm, yesterday, September 29, at a railway crossing on the road to Ban Bang Por in tambon Tha Chang of Tha Chang district. Emergency…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani police initiate successful Ban Klang rehabilitation
The police in Surat Thani launched a sustainable community rehabilitation project to address drug problems comprehensively, in line with national strategy. Following successful implementation in the Islamic community of Santisuk, the project has now been introduced in another Islamic community, Ban Klang. Yesterday, August 25, a meeting was held at the Raotul Jannah Mosque in Ban Klang, Bang Kung subdistrict,…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani police seize 404,000 meth pills after car chase
Police in Surat Thani arrested two men and seized 404,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills following a dramatic car chase. The suspects, 31 year old Suriyen, and 25 year old Sitthipong, were apprehended after attempting to flee from the police. Surat Thani Governor Jetsada Jitrat, who also serves as the Director of the Provincial Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), directed the operation.…
- Thailand News
Khao Sok National Park to sue travel agency after fatal cave death
Khao Sok National Park in the southern province of Surat Thani plans to sue a travel agency after two Thai tour guides violated safety rules and took 22 foreign tourists to Nam Talu Cave during its closure, resulting in the death of one guide in the flash flood on Tuesday, August 6. National park rangers and rescuers saved the other…
- Thailand News
Nam Talu Cave flash flood: Thai guide dead, 22 foreigners saved
Khao Sok National Park rangers and rescuers saved a Thai tour guide and 22 foreign tourists from a flash flood while they were exploring Nam Talu Cave in the southern province of Surat Thani. Another Thai tour guide was initially reported missing but was later found dead in the cave. National park rangers were alerted to the flash flood on…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani marks king’s birthday with beach, underwater clean-up
Government officials in Surat Thani, in collaboration with the Koh Tao Subdistrict Municipality, organised a beach and underwater clean-up event to honour the birthday of King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua on July 28. Yesterday, July 18, at the Chulalongkorn Stone Court in Koh Tao, Pha Ngan district, Surat Thani province, several officials and local leaders, including the Deputy Director of the…
- Thailand News
Controversial sea bridge to Koh Samui stirs debate
The hotly-debated sea bridge connecting the Thai mainland to the paradise island of Koh Samui is one step closer to reality. The second phase of public hearings for this ambitious project kicked off in Surat Thani province yesterday, July 15, setting the stage for a project that promises to revolutionise travel to one of Thailand’s most beloved holiday spots. Set…
- Thailand News
Thai man arrested for raping Ukrainian woman in Koh Samui
A Thai man denied raping a Ukrainian woman at Thongson Beach on Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, claiming that the victim consented. The 32 year old Ukrainian victim filed a rape complaint at Bor Phud Police Station on July 13 after the incident took place on Thongson Beach in the Bor Phud sub-district at…
- Thailand News
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…
- Thailand News
Tourists rescued after speedboat sinks off Surat Thani coast
A speedboat carrying tourists on a fishing trip was hit by large waves, causing it to take on water and eventually sink. Five people were left stranded in the sea before being rescued by local fishing boats and the marine police. At 12.20am today, the marine police received a distress call from relatives of the speedboat’s driver, alerting them that…
- Crime News
Teen becomes officer to hunt grandfather’s killer of 16 years
A 15 year old boy, determined to become a police officer after his grandfather was murdered, spent the next 16 years hunting down the killer until he finally succeeded. This real-life story surpasses any drama. On October 26, 2008, 81 year old farmer Phrom Krodkaew was brutally murdered in Phanom, Surat Thani. That day, Phrom and his wife went to…
