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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Bomb blasts, arson attacks rock Narathiwat
Multiple bomb blasts and arson attacks struck Narathiwat and Yala yesterday, injuring two people and prompting a curfew across parts of the southern border provinces. Officials from the Narathiwat Special Task Force said the unrest hit 11 locations across the province, damaging vehicles, telecommunications infrastructure and government property. In Rangae district, an explosion struck a road connecting two villages at…
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Thailand’s Deep South hit by 51 disturbances overnight
Fifty-one disturbances were reported across Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala from 8pm yesterday, August 22, with two people injured in Narathiwat, according to the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command (ISOC 4 Forward). ISOC 4 Forward issued an update today, August 23, saying that as of midnight yesterday, it had recorded 22 disturbances in Narathiwat, 11 in Pattani and…
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Israeli fined, sentenced over death threats against Koh Samui zoo owners
Koh Samui Police have prosecuted an Israeli man for threatening to kill and physically harm a Thai zoo owner in Surat Thani, with Koh Samui Provincial Court fining him 5,000 baht and imposing a two-year suspended sentence. The case followed a dispute at Samui Exotic Park in Mae Nam, Koh Samui, where owner Jindarat and her French husband Kevin had…
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Thai man seeks understanding after hotel room mix-up incident in Songkhla
A Thai man defended himself after being charged with allegedly trying to open the door of a female guest’s hotel room in Hat Yai district of Songkhla, saying he had no ill intentions and was heavily intoxicated at the time. He also claimed that the woman’s boyfriend had threatened him. The incident came to light after the woman shared footage…
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Koh Tao nominee crackdown finds 2 tourism businesses in breach
Thailand’s Department of Business Development (DBD) launched a crackdown on nominee businesses in Koh Tao, Surat Thani, inspecting 12 tourism businesses and finding two of them violating laws. DBD Director-General Poonphong Naiyanapakorn stated yesterday, August 18, that the inspection took place on August 17 as part of a joint operation to tackle nominee businesses in Thailand’s tourism sector. The operation…
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Hat Yai traffic police denies Malaysian bikers’ claims of unfair treatment
A group of Malaysian bikers launched a boycott campaign against Thailand, alleging that Hat Yai traffic police treated them unfairly during a motorcycle inspection in Songkhla. Thai traffic police officer provided his account and denied the accusation. The campaign, called “Boikot Thailand”, was launched by Rider Malaysia under the slogan “Rider Malaysia Bukan Penjenayah!”, meaning “Malaysian riders are not criminals!”…
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Ambassador seeks tighter protection for Israeli nationals in Thailand
Israeli Ambassador met Surat Thani Provincial Police and Tourist Police to tighten safety for Israeli tourists in Thailand and boost cooperation across Koh Samui and nearby islands. Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Dr Alona Fisher-Kamm concluded an official visit to Surat Thani yesterday, August 17. During her visit, she held talks with senior police officials and provincial leadership to strengthen cooperation,…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat electricity worker fights for life after being stabbed on duty
A Thai man stabbed a Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) official for cutting off power at his home in Nakhon Si Thammarat over an unpaid bill, leaving the victim in critical condition. The attack happened on August 14 outside a residential area in Tha Ruea subdistrict, Mueang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat. The injured victim, 32 year old Chawanit, was reported to be an official…
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Indian tourists rescued after longtail boat capsizes off Krabi
Twelve people were rescued after a tour boat carrying Indian tourists capsized off Krabi yesterday, August 15. The group was travelling from Ao Nang Beach to Hong Island when a large wave struck the longtail boat. No deaths were reported. Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park received a report of the incident and sent a patrol boat to…
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Phatthalung police allegedly says officers using drugs is not serious issue
A police officer in Phatthalung is facing scrutiny after reportedly taking drugs on camera during an online training session with 259 other officers on Monday, August 10. Provincial Police Region 9 ran the training, an efficiency development course for ranks from squad commander to deputy superintendent for the 2026 fiscal year. Officers across Region 9 joined the session through a…
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South African ex-teacher apologises over alleged shooting threats
A former South African teacher at Hatyaiwittayalai School in Songkhla has apologised after allegedly posting messages threatening to shoot teachers and school administrators alongside an image of a firearm. The apology follows allegations that Pieter Johannes Dreyer posted messages and images of a firearm in a Line group chat after his contract as an English Program teacher at Hatyaiwittayalai School…
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South African ex-teacher allegedly posts gun threats against Songkhla school
A South African teacher allegedly posted threatening content and images of a firearm online following the termination of his contract with Hatyaiwittayalai School in Songkhla, prompting the school to switch to online learning on August 10 and 11. The school announced yesterday, August 8, saying the decision was made as a safety precaution while security measures are reviewed and strengthened.…
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Lightning strike kills footballer during tournament in Narathiwat
A footballer was killed and eight others injured after lightning struck during the Golok FA Cup 2026 semi-final at the Santipap Stadium in Su-ngai Golok district, Narathiwat, yesterday, August 4. The incident occurred during injury time as heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds swept across the area. Lightning struck the pitch while the match was still in progress. One of…
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2 police killed, 3 others injured during arrest of drug offenders in Narathiwat
Two police officers were killed and three others injured after officers came under gunfire while attempting to arrest drug offenders at a palm plantation in Narathiwat yesterday, August 2. The Narathiwat police shooting occurred when officers from Tak Bai Police Station raided a small cottage in a palm plantation in the Praiwan subdistrict of Tak Bai district following a tip-off…
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Children playing hide-and-seek find body in Yala
A building caretaker was found dead at a bungalow in Betong district, Yala, yesterday, July 30, after children playing hide-and-seek discovered him in the building. Police, medical staff and rescuers were called to the four-storey bungalow at around 8.30pm. The man, identified only as 34 year old Natthaworn, was found on the stairway leading to the rooftop. He was wearing…
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Chinese fugitive wanted in Taiwan arrested in Surat Thani
A Chinese national wanted by Taiwanese police was arrested in Surat Thani on July 28 after highway police stopped an SUV carrying an undocumented foreign national. Highway Police officers arrested two Chinese nationals on Highway 41 in Tha Chang district after stopping a grey SUV that was travelling slowly in the right-hand lane and obstructing traffic. Police identified the driver…
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Dead dugong found with both tusks removed in Krabi
Marine officials launched an investigation on July 24 after a dead dugong was found with both tusks removed in Krabi, with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) preparing legal action against those responsible if identified. The male dugong was reported washed ashore at Laem Son Na in Koh Sriboya subdistrict, Nuea Khlong district. It measured 296 centimetres in…
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Wat Phra Mahathat becomes Thailand’s ninth World Heritage Site
UNESCO has unanimously inscribed Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat as a World Heritage Site, making it Thailand’s ninth World Heritage Site and the first cultural World Heritage Site in southern Thailand. The decision was made during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, held from July 19 to 29 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre…
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New evidence reveals more than 10 attackers in Narathiwat checkpoint attack
Investigators now believe more than 10 attackers were involved in the Narathiwat checkpoint attack that killed five volunteer rangers on July 22, after reviewing CCTV footage and examining forensic evidence from the scene. Forensic officers recovered more than 100 spent shell casings at the scene, including M16, AK-pattern rifle and 11mm pistol ammunition. Investigators also recovered cartridges that had been…
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Malaysian boat caught supplying diesel to Thai fishing boat off Satun
Thai customs officers arrested seven people today, July 23, after intercepting a Malaysian-registered modified fishing vessel allegedly transferring smuggled diesel to a Thai trawler off the coast of Satun. The arrests were made during a maritime patrol by officers from the Customs Department and Satun Customs House aimed at preventing the illegal importation of fuel from Malaysia. While patrolling waters…
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Car bomb explodes outside Narathiwat police station, no injuries reported
A car bomb exploded outside Tanyong Police Station in Narathiwat at 7.20pm yesterday, July 21. Police said no injuries or fatalities were reported, although the blast damaged the area. According to the investigation, a suspect drove a car carrying an improvised explosive device (IED) to the station. After reaching the entrance, the suspect parked the car and pushed it into…
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3 Thai children rescued after attempting suicide to escape drug-addicted father
Three children were rescued after they attempted to commit suicide by walking into the sea in Nakhon Si Thammarat, telling witnesses that they wanted to escape from drug-addicted father. Witnesses intervened after seeing the three siblings, all under the age of 18, enter the sea together in Khanom district. The children were brought to safety before any injuries were reported.…
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SRT apologises after staff lose passenger’s cat from luggage compartment
A search is ongoing for a disabled pet cat that went missing during a train journey from Yala to Bangkok on June 28 after it was separated from its owner due to railway animal restrictions. The cat’s owner, Wanmareeyanee “Young” Hajimahmud, posted in a Facebook group seeking help to locate her six year old female ginger cat, Sisom, whose name…
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Israeli, Romanian arrested in Koh Pha Ngan childcare centre raid
Police searched an unlicensed childcare centre on Koh Pha Ngan yesterday, July 4, after receiving a tip-off that it was being operated by foreign nationals, finding 42 foreign children on the premises and arresting two foreign nationals. The operation formed part of an ongoing crackdown on foreigners allegedly operating businesses illegally in Surat Thani province. Immigration officers, district officials and…
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Monk denies involvement in death of mentally ill Thai man
A monk in Nakhon Si Thammarat province denied killing a mentally ill Thai man whose body was found around five metres away from the monk’s accommodation within the temple. The mentally ill Thai man, Sakchai “Sak” Jomrit, was found dead at Tarn Namcha Temple on June 27. He had a visible wound on his forehead. The body was first found…
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Narathiwat bomb attack injures 2 Malaysian tourists
Two Malaysian tourists were injured in a bomb attack on a road in Narathiwat province today, June 29, following increased insurgency patterns in southern Thailand. Officers from Tak Bai Police Station were notified of the explosion at around 11.45am on Sai Sapom Road in the Phraiwan subdistrict, Tak Bai district, Narathiwat. Explosive ordnance disposal teams, forensic officers, and military personnel…
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Thai mahout killed and Omani tourist injured in elephant attack in Phang Nga
A Thai mahout was killed and an Omani tourist was injured in an elephant attack during a riding activity in Phang Nga on Saturday, June 27. Officers from Thung Kha Ngok Police Station were alerted to the incident in Song Prak subdistrict at around 2.30pm. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found the body of a 32 year old Thai mahout,…
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Government recruitment exam fraud allegedly leads to shooting in Phatthalung
The house of the president of the subdistrict municipality council in Phattalung was damaged in a shooting, allegedly following a dispute over fraud in the local government recruitment exam. Several news outlets reported the incident, but police have not yet issued an official statement confirming details of the shooting. According to reports, gunfire struck the council president’s house in Srinakarin…
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Suspected nominee businesses in Phuket, Krabi found with 1bn baht assets
The Department of Business Development (DBD) expanded their crackdown on nominee businesses in Phuket and Krabi, uncovering suspected illegal assets worth almost 1 billion baht. The Director-General of the DBD, Phunpong Naiyanapakorn, said inspections carried out on June 20 were part of the government’s urgent campaign to tackle nominee arrangements in major tourism and investment hubs. In Phuket, investigators found…
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Policeman opens fire outside govt office, says he was threatened
A police officer opened fire at a sign outside a Bhumjaithai Party office in Surat Thani, claiming a party-linked politician had threatened a relative. The Surat Thani shooting took place on Saturday, June 20, outside the Bhumjaithai Party office in Tha Chang district. No injuries were reported. Police Captain Ekkachai, 37, was later arrested at an all-you-can-eat restaurant inside a…
