Here is a look at the top NATIONAL Thailand stories, chosen by our Pattaya News/TPN National team, from last week, Monday, August 31st to Sunday, September 6th.
They are not in any particular level of importance but are listed in the order of date of publication.
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Thailand’s official Royal Gazette published a set of Ministry of Interior announcements late on the night of August 31st, 2026, formally ending the special 60-day visa exemption that had applied to 93 countries and territories since mid-2024.
2. The anti-narcotics drive by Phang Nga Provincial Police has reached a dramatic new milestone, with officers uncovering a concealed compartment inside seized evidence storage and confiscating over two million additional methamphetamine tablets.
Phang Nga Police Seize Over 2 Million Meth Pills in Major Drug Bust
3. Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has signed an order to deport Mr. Yaacov Ohayon, an Israeli citizen, following his conviction by the Koh Samui Provincial Court for criminal intimidation under Section 392 of the Thai Penal Code.
4. A former volunteer who reportedly once worked with multiple official agencies opened fire with a gun after claiming his pickup was surrounded by a group of intimidating youths, wounding a man with whom he allegedly had a prior dispute with before accidentally shooting himself in the leg, Pattaya police said.
Shooting Outside South Pattaya Nightclub Injures Two Men, One Shot Himself Accidentally
5. Elements of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG), including Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), the embarked staffs of CSG-3, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21, and the nine squadrons of CVW-9 arrived in Laem Chabang, Thailand, while Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) docked in nearby Sriracha, for scheduled port visits, Sept. 2, 2026.
Pattaya City Mayor Poramese Ngampichet, together with Bang Lamung District Chief Anusak Phiriyamorn and Pattaya City Police Station Superintendent Pol. Col. Anek Srathongyu, on Wednesday afternoon welcomed personnel from the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group at Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya.
Pattaya Welcomes USS Abraham Lincoln Crew After Long Deployment
Pattaya’s beachfront and nightlife districts were packed late Wednesday as thousands of U.S. military personnel on a brief liberty call joined Thai and foreign tourists for shopping, dining and evening entertainment.
Pattaya Bustles as Thousands of U.S. Service Members Hit the Town for Shopping and Nightlife
Provincial and local officials joined a thank-you reception on September 4th, 2026, honoring those who helped welcome the USS Abraham Lincoln during its visit to Chonburi, an event organizers said further strengthened ties between Thailand and the United States.
6. An Indian tourist reported being robbed of 3,000 baht early Friday in Pattaya after a group of foreigners, one from Iran, approached him under the pretext of asking about foreign currency from India and what it looked like, police said.
7. A Pattaya taxi driver spent nearly three hours hunting down an Indian tourist who picked up his dropped wallet and did not return it, before finding the man’s motorcycle parked along the beachfront, leading to the Indian man being detained by Pattaya police.
Indian Tourist Detained After Picking up Dropped Pattaya Taxi Driver’s Wallet and Not Returning It
8. Phuket City Municipality is inviting residents and tourists alike to experience the Por Tor Festival 2026, a cherished cultural tradition of the island’s Chinese community.
9. Thai Immigration Police have arrested a South Korean national identified as Mr. Lim, a senior figure in the notorious “Lucky Nine” investment fraud syndicate, after months of investigation and surveillance.
High-Ranking Korean Fraud Suspect Arrested in Nonthaburi After Interpol Manhunt in Phuket
That’s all for this week, as always thanks for your support.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
