Pattaya News

Pattaya news, politics, business, tourism, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s coastal entertainment hub. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Pattaya news source.

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    Why long-term expats in Thailand say insurance is worth every baht

    Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...

  • Rainy wreck: Wild crash smashes noodle shop in Chon Buri | Thaiger

    Rainy wreck: Wild crash smashes noodle shop in Chon Buri

    What started as a rainy afternoon bowl of noodles turned into a high-speed horror show when a sedan slammed into a roadside shop in Chon Buri, sending bowls, broth, and chairs flying in every direction. The chaos unfolded at around 3pm yesterday, May 27, on Highway 331 in Khao Mai Kaew, heading towards Bowin. Officers from Huay Yai Police Station…

  • Fisherman rescued from Chon Buri rock after ignoring warnings | Thaiger

    Fisherman rescued from Chon Buri rock after ignoring warnings

    A dramatic rescue unfolded off the coast of Bang Saen in Chon Buri after a fisherman found himself trapped on a rocky outcrop, surrounded by rising tides and pounding waves, all because he refused to abandon his fishing gear. The man, believed to be around 50 years old, was spotted stranded about 150 metres from the shore around 6.30pm on…

  • Thai woman mysteriously falls to death at Pattaya luxury condo | Thaiger

    Thai woman mysteriously falls to death at Pattaya luxury condo

    A Thai woman mysteriously fell to her death at a luxury condominium in Pattaya today, May 27. Police officers are investigating the cause of the fatal fall. The death of the Thai woman, whose identity has yet to be confirmed, was reported this afternoon at a 59-storey condominium on Jomtien 2 Road in the Bang Lamung district. Officers from Mueang…

  • Pattaya’s new glow keeps tourists coming despite low season | Thaiger

    Pattaya’s new glow keeps tourists coming despite low season

    Pattaya is proving that even the so-called low season cannot dim its vibrant appeal. With fresh urban upgrades and the ever-popular nearby island of Koh Larn continuing to attract visitors, this bustling city remains a favourite destination for both Thai and international travellers year-round. On Sunday, May 25, reporters visited Khao Phra Tamnak, also known as Naval Radio Station Hill,…

  • Chon Buri restaurant assault leaves two Myanmar workers injured | Thaiger

    Chon Buri restaurant assault leaves two Myanmar workers injured

    In Chon Buri, a dispute between Myanmar employees at a local restaurant led to an assault involving a knife, resulting in injuries. The incident was reported to Pattaya City Police Station, where police are currently investigating the case. Today, May 27, two Myanmar nationals, 27 year old Aung Kyaw Thu and 25 year old Maunng Htan Bahardu, filed a complaint…

  • Pattaya transwoman strikes Indian tourist after alleged theft | Thaiger

    Pattaya transwoman strikes Indian tourist after alleged theft

    A Thai transwoman in Pattaya allegedly stole from an Indian man after engaging in sexual activities and struck him on the head with her handbag before fleeing the scene. The receptionist at a hotel in Pattaya’s Sai Song Soi 12, Jamjan, called the Sawang Borriboon Thammasathan Rescue Foundation to provide first aid to the 41 year old Indian guest, Hemant…

  • Cannabis lab fire erupts in Pattaya shop | Thaiger

    Cannabis lab fire erupts in Pattaya shop

    A fire broke out at a cannabis shop in Pattaya yesterday afternoon, May 25, sparking panic among tourists and damaging a rooftop grow lab. The blaze began around 4pm at a cannabis shop located on Soi 13/2 in central Pattaya. The fire originated on the fourth floor of a four-storey commercial building, where a cannabis cultivation lab was housed. Officials…

  • Chinese tourist stabbed in drunken altercation at Pattaya restaurant | Thaiger

    Chinese tourist stabbed in drunken altercation at Pattaya restaurant

    A Chinese tourist was rushed to the hospital after being stabbed in a drunken brawl at a restaurant in Pattaya early this morning, May 26. The incident occurred around 12.46am today, at a Chinese restaurant on Pattaya Second Road. Police and rescue workers responded to reports of a violent assault with injuries. Officers from Pattaya City Police Station, led by…

  • Pattaya woman fakes robbery to hide loss from foreign boyfriend | Thaiger

    Pattaya woman fakes robbery to hide loss from foreign boyfriend

    A Thai woman confessed to fabricating a robbery in Pattaya after losing cash and an engagement ring, in an attempt to hide the truth from her foreign boyfriend. The 37 year old woman, identified as Rattana, filed a complaint with officers at Bang Lamung Police Station on May 25, claiming she lost 32,000 baht in cash and a ring worth…

  • Chon Buri police arrest suspects in BMW cloning scam | Thaiger

    Chon Buri police arrest suspects in BMW cloning scam

    A slick car fraud ring has been smashed by Chon Buri highway police after a victim’s BMW was illegally cloned and used to rack up fines, prompting a high-stakes investigation and arrests. On Wednesday, May 21, officers led by Police Lieutenant General Jirabhop Bhuridej, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), swooped on suspects involved in a sophisticated car forgery…

  • Pattaya woman arrested in undercover Ice sting | Thaiger

    Pattaya woman arrested in undercover Ice sting

    A woman’s attempt to buy crystal meth in Pattaya’s Jomtien area backfired spectacularly when she unknowingly tried to purchase the drug from an undercover police officer during a targeted drug crackdown. Yesterday, May 23, officers from Pattaya City Police’s anti-drug unit, led by Deputy Inspector Prasit Boonprasit, were patrolling Jomtien Sois 2, 3, and 4 as part of a government…

  • Snake scare: Huge king cobra terrorises Pattaya backyard pond | Thaiger

    Snake scare: Huge king cobra terrorises Pattaya backyard pond

    Pattaya residents were left stunned after a gigantic 4.5-metre king cobra was discovered swimming in a garden pond, sparking fears for local safety. The rare and dangerous serpent was safely captured by authorities and is set to be released back into the wild, far away from homes. The drama unfolded in Soi Por Or Chieb, Khao Mai Kaew subdistrict, East…

  • Fake diploma scandal at Pattaya’s Nong Prue school resolved | Thaiger

    Fake diploma scandal at Pattaya’s Nong Prue school resolved

    A private school in Nong Prue, Pattaya, has finally resolved a scandal that rocked its reputation after 19 students were caught up in a fake diploma and fraud controversy. Parents and students accused the former deputy director, known only as “J,” of issuing counterfeit diplomas and receipts, and pocketing tuition fees. The explosive allegations triggered a high-profile mediation meeting chaired…

  • Burmese roti vendor arrested for series of sexual assaults in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Burmese roti vendor arrested for series of sexual assaults in Pattaya

    A Burmese roti vendor attempted to bribe police with 15,000 baht after he was arrested for a series of sexual assault cases in Pattaya yesterday, May 22. Two teenage women filed a complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station on Wednesday, May 21, stating that the suspect approached them while they were on Pattaya Beach. He tricked them into getting on his…

  • Chon Buri abbot saves starving gran and teen with kind act | Thaiger

    Chon Buri abbot saves starving gran and teen with kind act

    A touching story of survival has emerged from Chon Buri, where a 70 year old grandmother and her teenage granddaughter were forced to live off boiled rice water after falling into dire poverty. Now, thanks to a compassionate monk and viral video, they’ve finally received a lifeline. At 2.30pm yesterday, May 22, Phra Khru Thawornsatthakhun, abbot of Wat Woraprot Sangkhawat,…

  • Aussie drunk smashes rescue booth in Pattaya, caught on CCTV | Thaiger

    Aussie drunk smashes rescue booth in Pattaya, caught on CCTV

    A drunken Australian man caused a stir in Pattaya after smashing a rescue booth, mistaking radio chatter for people talking. Nathan James Webber, 51, was arrested yesterday, May 22, for damaging a Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation rescue booth near Soi Najomtien 8. The bizarre incident unfolded in the early hours of May 20 when volunteer rescue workers reported the booth…

  • Vape and cig racket busted at Pattaya weed shop | Thaiger

    Vape and cig racket busted at Pattaya weed shop

    A cannabis shop on Pattaya Beach Road has been exposed as a front for selling illegal vapes and foreign cigarettes, with cops seizing hundreds of illicit products in a dramatic police raid. Officers from Pattaya Police, in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), swooped on the Dr Weed cannabis store in the heart of the popular resort town, uncovering…

  • No sex on the beach: Cops go nuts for ‘coconut tree’ sex workers | Thaiger

    No sex on the beach: Cops go nuts for ‘coconut tree’ sex workers

    More than 50 alleged sex workers were rounded up along Pattaya Beach last night in a dramatic police sweep, just over a week after furious residents branded previous crackdowns a “PR stunt.” Officers stormed the beachfront at 9.06pm, yesterday, May 21, in a coordinated operation aimed at flushing out the illegal trade tarnishing the city’s tourist image. The move came…

  • High spirits: Russian tourist leaps to death fleeing ‘ghost’ in Pattaya | Thaiger

    High spirits: Russian tourist leaps to death fleeing ‘ghost’ in Pattaya

    A Russian tourist high on marijuana plunged to his death from a Pattaya condo after telling a security guard he was being hunted by a murderous ghost with “bulging eyes.” The 27 year old man, named only as Mikhail, had been smoking heavily when he became convinced a phantom was trying to murder him. He ran frantically around the building…

  • Thai bank workers in baht-tle: Dodgy staff ‘cashed in’ on scam | Thaiger

    Thai bank workers in baht-tle: Dodgy staff ‘cashed in’ on scam

    Three Thai bank workers have been cuffed after allegedly helping a Chinese-run scam gang launder a jaw-dropping 2.2 billion baht, through a web of fake accounts. The dodgy trio, who worked at a branch in Pattaya, are accused of turning a blind eye while 15 Chinese nationals, all posing as tourists, opened bank accounts and swiftly drained millions in cash…

  • Pattaya’s diners crisis boils over as costs soar | Thaiger

    Pattaya’s diners crisis boils over as costs soar

    Pattaya’s vibrant dining scene, once a culinary magnet for locals and tourists alike, is now being battered by a wave of soaring costs, and some restaurant owners say 2025 is shaping up to be even worse than the Covid-19 era. A toxic mix of rising gas prices, skyrocketing raw ingredient costs, labour shortages, and sluggish consumer spending is turning up…

  • Police links cases: 2 Thai teenagers sexually assaulted in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Police links cases: 2 Thai teenagers sexually assaulted in Pattaya

    Two Thai teenagers filed a sexual assault complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station at a similar time in the early hours of this morning. The perpetrator is suspected to be the same person. The first victim, 20 year old Dao, arrived at the police station with her colleague at 2.21am, today, May 21, to report the rape and theft. The…

  • Stark raving nude: Naked men run riot on Pattaya streets | Thaiger

    Stark raving nude: Naked men run riot on Pattaya streets

    Pattaya locals were left gobsmacked this week after not one, but two stark-naked men caused chaos on the streets, one reportedly defecating near schools, the other hurling furniture at cops in a midnight meltdown. Concerned residents in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, are calling for urgent action after a homeless man, believed to be around 50, was repeatedly spotted wandering…

  • Pattaya waitresses battered by foreigner in beach bar bust-up | Thaiger

    Pattaya waitresses battered by foreigner in beach bar bust-up

    Two Pattaya waitresses were left bloodied and bruised after a polite request to “keep it down” sparked a violent seaside scrap, with beer bottles flying and tourists looking on in horror. The two waitresses have gone public with shocking claims of a violent attack that broke out after they asked a rowdy group to lower their voices during a quiet…

  • Pattaya cracks top 10 safest cities in ASEAN | Thaiger

    Pattaya cracks top 10 safest cities in ASEAN

    In a surprising twist that’s turning heads across Southeast Asia, Pattaya, long known for its wild nightlife, has been named one of the Top 10 Safest Cities in ASEAN for 2025. The ranking, released by Numbeo, a global database that tracks cost of living and quality of life, placed Pattaya at 9th with a Safety Index score of 53.9. The…

  • Cops bust Pattaya branch linked to Chinese scam syndicate | Thaiger

    Cops bust Pattaya branch linked to Chinese scam syndicate

    Pattaya locals were left stunned yesterday when more than 20 police officers—some in uniform, others in plainclothes—stormed a bank on Sukhumvit Road in a dramatic midday raid. The operation, linked to an investigation into a massive Chinese call centre scam network, sent shockwaves through the city’s financial and expat communities. The surprise raid was spearheaded by Major General Thirachai Chamnan,…

  • Transwoman nicked after Pattaya Beach brawl with Israeli tourist | Thaiger

    Transwoman nicked after Pattaya Beach brawl with Israeli tourist

    A Thai transwoman who fled the scene of a violent late-night brawl with an Israeli tourist has been arrested by Pattaya police. The suspect vanished shortly after chaos erupted on Pattaya Beach Road during the early hours, where at least five transgender women were caught on video attacking an Israeli tourist in a black T-shirt. The row reportedly kicked off…

  • Dead tide: Mystery man washed up on Pattaya Beach | Thaiger

    Dead tide: Mystery man washed up on Pattaya Beach

    A chilling mystery is unfolding in Pattaya after the body of an unidentified man was found washed up on the sand late Sunday morning, just weeks after two similar tragedies struck Phuket. The victim, believed to be aged between 30 and 40, was discovered face down on Pattaya Beach opposite Soi 13, dressed in a black T-shirt with foreign writing…

  • Pattaya pushes ahead with Jomtien beachfront revamp | Thaiger

    Pattaya pushes ahead with Jomtien beachfront revamp

    Pattaya’s development plan is gaining momentum, with Mayor Poramet Ngampichet inspecting progress on the Jomtien Beachfront Landscape Improvement Project. The facelift aims to create a more tourist-friendly and organised coastline, with completion targeted for late 2025. A key feature of the upgrade is a significant increase in public parking, expanding from just over 300 spaces to between 700 and 800.…

  • 2 Israeli men and Pattaya transwomen fight over sex service deposit | Thaiger

    2 Israeli men and Pattaya transwomen fight over sex service deposit

    A group of Thai transwomen and two Israeli men are facing charges following a physical altercation over a deposit for a sex service at Pattaya Beach Road earlier today, May 19. The incident was caught on a viral video shared across Thai social media platforms. One of the foreign men was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, while the other…