Bangkok News

Bangkok news, politics, business, crime, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s capital. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Bangkok news source.

  • Sponsored

    Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained

    Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...

  • Lat Phrao shopping centres insist they are not the source of new Covid clusters

    Lat Phrao shopping centres insist they are not the source of new Covid clusters

    Central Plaza Lat Phrao, Imperial World, and Union Mall located (mostly) in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district, deny they are the shopping centres the CCSA was referring to on Wednesday when the CCSA said there was a “Covid cluster from a mall”. The confusion stems from the fact that the CCSA did not specify which mall was responsible for the cluster.…

  • Man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman during a live stream

    Man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman during a live stream

    Police arrested a 31 year old man for allegedly sexually assaulting a Canadian woman while she was recording a live stream video near Bangkok’s Lumpini Park. In the video, a man runs up from behind the woman and appears to reach his hand below her waist. The woman made a post on Twitter after the incident saying she was going…

  • American suspect in Bangkok kidnap for ransom case arrested at airport

    American suspect in Bangkok kidnap for ransom case arrested at airport

    Police arrested an American man, another suspect in the kidnap for ransom case in Bangkok, at the Suvarnabhumi Airport just as he was preparing to leave the country. 38 year old Matthew Wilson is the tenth suspect to be arrested for alleged involvement in the abduction of a Taiwanese businessman after a failed business deal. Other suspects include 2 other American…

  • Thai Brewers Association asks for reprieve from alcohol ban

    Thai Brewers Association asks for reprieve from alcohol ban

    Yesterday, the Thai Brewers Association delivered a petition to the CCSA and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration asking them to reverse the ban of alcohol sales in restaurants, bars as the ban has been harmful to their businesses and they have not been given any other options. The statement reads: The Thai Brewers Association truly understands the goodwill and purpose of…

  • Police officers arrested for alleged involvement in Bangkok kidnap

    Police officers arrested for alleged involvement in Bangkok kidnap

    Two high ranking police officers in Bangkok have been arrested for alleged involvement in the kidnap of a 60 year old Taiwanese businessman for a US$3 million ransom. Police say the man was abducted in broad daylight from a restaurant in the Thong Lor district over a failed business deal for rubber gloves. The March 28 incident where 60 year…

  • CCSA shuts down order to reopen 5 types of venues in Bangkok

    CCSA shuts down order to reopen 5 types of venues in Bangkok

    Just as Bangkok was about to reopen some venues and businesses, the order was shut down by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. After businesses went weeks under a strict closure order, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration agreed to loosen restrictions and decided to reopen 5 types of venues and businesses, with conditions to prevent the spread of Covid-19, but the…

  • Bangkok loosens restrictions, allows 5 types of places to reopen tomorrow

    Bangkok loosens restrictions, allows 5 types of places to reopen tomorrow

    Bangkok city officials are loosening restrictions in the capital and are allowing 5 types of venues to reopen tomorrow (May 1) while other venues under the closure order must remain closed at least until June 14. Bangkok remains the epicentre of infections with 1,356 cases reported today and 41,573 infections over the past couple months in the latest wave of…

  • DDC focus vaccines on 70% in Bangkok before provinces

    DDC focus vaccines on 70% in Bangkok before provinces

    The Department of Disease Control has set an ambitious goal to vaccinate at least 70% of Bangkok residents by July. The department will focus on the capital city and prioritise distribution of vaccines to other provinces based on how severe outbreaks are in the area. The DDC chief commented that the department will focus on Bangkok, speculating that if they…

  • Bangkok teenagers busted for party, drugs

    Bangkok teenagers busted for party, drugs

    Police have busted what Thai media is calling a “drug party” early yesterday morning in the Sai Mai district of Bangkok. They arrested 23 teenagers and “confirmed” 17 of them were using illicit narcotics. Locals had reported the teenager’s festivities citing fears that it could lead to a Covid-19 outbreak. When they arrived, police allegedly found almost 2 dozen teenagers…

  • Covid UPDATE Saturday: 4,803 cases and 34 deaths, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE Saturday: 4,803 cases and 34 deaths, provincial totals

    This morning Thailand’s public health department has announced another 34 deaths and 4,803 new Covid infections in the past 24 hours. A staggering 2,702 of the new cases have emerged from Thailand’s overcrowded prisons. More than 30 people have died each day from Covid-related causes over the past 4 days. Bangkok had 1,054 cases reported in the past 24 hours…

  • Covid UPDATE Saturday: 4,803 cases and 34 deaths

    Covid UPDATE Saturday: 4,803 cases and 34 deaths

    This morning Thailand’s public health department has announced another 34 deaths and 4,803 new Covid infections in the past 24 hours. A staggering 2,702 of the new cases have emerged from Thailand’s overcrowded prisons. More than 30 people have died each day from Covid-related causes over the past 4 days. A total of 120,916 people in Thailand have now been…

  • 100 million baht illegal online gambling bust in Bangkok

    100 million baht illegal online gambling bust in Bangkok

    Continuing their raids on illegal gambling sites and online scams, police have busted an internet gambling ring moving a 100 million baht per month. Today’s bust was in Bangkok following an investigation tracing the origins of a gambling website called PGSLOT889. Police raided a condominium in the Bangkok Noi district today and arrested 19 people allegedly involved in the online…

  • 93% of Covid samples from April test positive for variant found in the UK

    93% of Covid samples from April test positive for variant found in the UK

    The Covid-19 variant first detected in the United Kingdom is said to have been found in many of the cases detected in April. Out of 300 samples, 93% tested positive for the mutated strain, B.1.117, according to director general of the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Medical Sciences, Supakit Sirilak. The latest outbreak of Covid-19 started in clusters in Bangkok’s…

  • Police in Bangkok arrest 6 people on gambling and drug charges

    Police in Bangkok arrest 6 people on gambling and drug charges

    Six recent graduates have been arrested on charges of illegal gambling and using class 5 drugs. The graduates, between the ages of 23 and 25, allegedly used SIM cards to sign up for gambling sites to obtain bonuses from new players. According to media reports, they were allegedly earning between 1,000 to 10,000 baht a day on their gambling operation. Yesterday,…

  • Managers of Bangkok clubs blamed for third wave deny any wrongdoing

    Managers of Bangkok clubs blamed for third wave deny any wrongdoing

    The managers of 2 nightclubs in the Thong Lor district of Bangkok have denied any responsibility for causing a third wave of Covid-19. The Krystal and Emerald clubs have been widely blamed for sparking a resurgence of the virus that has now spread across the Kingdom, threatening tourism re-opening plans and further decimating an already-fragile economy. Both managers face charges…

  • 515 test positive for Covid at construction site in Nonthaburi, mostly migrant workers

    515 test positive for Covid at construction site in Nonthaburi, mostly migrant workers

    Another construction site, this time in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, has reported an outbreak of Covid-19 after active testing revealed 515 people infected with Covid-19, over half of the 959 total workers who were there and screened. The worksite, Sin0-Thai, has been ordered to close. The majority of those who tested positive were asymptomatic, according to provincial health officials who…

  • Man arrested for alleged involvement in 600 million baht lottery ticket scam

    Man arrested for alleged involvement in 600 million baht lottery ticket scam

    Police arrested a man for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent lottery ticket scam which generated an estimated 600 million baht. More than 50 people say they fell victim to the scheme with some claiming they lost thousands of baht after they purchased lottery tickets online, but the tickets were never delivered. Wutthipat Lerlob allegedly coaxed people into investing in…

  • Friso and Gregg have been working in Bangkok’s Klong Toey slums for a year

    Friso and Gregg have been working in Bangkok’s Klong Toey slums for a year

    If you would like to help, please send a message at either of these Facebook pages. Bangkok Community Help is a registered Foundation. https://www.facebook.com/BkkCommunityHelp https://www.facebook.com/dinnerfromthesky There are some amazing people helping out their local Thai communities to get through this Covid mess in Thailand; foreigners rolling up their sleeves to help communities hard hit by the Thai government’s restrictions and…

  • 1000+ Covid-19 infections and Indian variant in work camp

    1000+ Covid-19 infections and Indian variant in work camp

    A construction site camp in the Laksi district of Bangkok that had found a Covid-19 outbreak recently has spiralled out of control with over 1,000 Covid-19 infections including the dreaded Indian variant. 66% of the camp workers tested positive for Covid-19, with 36 of the 80 samples analyzed revealing the Indian variant, a strain much more contagious than the original.…

  • Covid UPDATE: 3,052 new cases, 24 Covid-related deaths, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE: 3,052 new cases, 24 Covid-related deaths, provincial totals

    This morning the public health ministry added another 3,052 infections and 24 new Covid-related deaths over the past 24 hours. Out of today’s new cases, 605 came from the country’s prisons where major clusters have emerged. The daily totals, even without the prison numbers, show a slow upward trend in new cases, the vast majority around Bangkok in high-density housing…

  • 15 workers in Bangkok test positive for Covid variant first found in India

    15 workers in Bangkok test positive for Covid variant first found in India

    Workers at a construction camp in Bangkok tested positive for the Covid-19 variant first detected in India. The only other cases reported in Thailand involving the B.1.617 strain were a mother and her 4 year old son who both tested positive for the virus while in quarantine after travelling from Pakistan. Many of the workers at the camp in the…

  • Labour Ministry to provide 9.2 million workers with vaccine

    Labour Ministry to provide 9.2 million workers with vaccine

    Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin announced that under Section 33 of the Social Security Act, over 9 million employees will receive a Covid-19 vaccine and don’t need to register on the Mor Prom Line account. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha posted on Facebook Wednesday that these 9.2 million workers would receive priority vaccines as at-risk essential workers. Insured employees that have to work…

  • Foreigners feeding thousands in Bangkok’s Klong Toey slums during Covid

    Foreigners feeding thousands in Bangkok’s Klong Toey slums during Covid

    https://www.facebook.com/BkkCommunityHelp https://www.facebook.com/dinnerfromthesky They’ve been doing it for a year now! There are some amazing people helping out their local Thai communities to get through this Covid mess in Thailand. Without much in the way of concrete day-to-day assistance from the Thai Government, free daily food, care packs and supplies are being acquired and distributed by volunteers. We salute you all!…

  • Man arrested in Bangkok accused of raping 30+ young women

    Man arrested in Bangkok accused of raping 30+ young women

    A man has been arrested in Bangkok, accused of raping many young women who he met through dating apps and then blackmailing them with videos of the sex. Ratchaphol Jinda, a 26 year old salesman from Samut Prakan was sought for 3 arrest warrants for rape, attempted rape, and extortion. At least 10 women have come forward so far with…

  • Bangkok planning to open 25 Covid-19 vaccination centres by end of May

    Bangkok planning to open 25 Covid-19 vaccination centres by end of May

    Bangkok authorities say they are teaming with private entities to open 25 vaccination centres by the end of May, with a goal of opening up vaccinations to the general public by June. The announcement comes as Thailand’s capital has seen new Covid-19 clusters, prompting updated goals of inoculating 5 million residents by the end of July. Now, health officials say…

  • Closure order in Bangkok set until May 31, restaurants can now offer dine-in services

    Closure order in Bangkok set until May 31, restaurants can now offer dine-in services

    To control the spread of Covid-19 in Bangkok, where more than 28,000 people have tested positive for the virus in the latest wave of infections, the closure order in the capital has been extended a second time, now set to be in place until May 31. While many entertainment and recreation businesses and venues are ordered to remain closed, some…

  • Active Covid-19 clusters reported in 16 Bangkok districts

    Active Covid-19 clusters reported in 16 Bangkok districts

    Bangkok residents living in any of the 16 districts in the capital with active Covid-19 clusters are being advised to strictly follow disease control measures. Spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin made the warning during today’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration briefing. In the latest wave of Covid-19 infections, more than 28,000 cases have been reported in Bangkok. Taweeslip says there have been…

  • Man arrested for allegedly exchanging fake US bills for 1.2 million baht

    Man arrested for allegedly exchanging fake US bills for 1.2 million baht

    A man was arrested in Bangkok for allegedly exchanging counterfeit foreign bank notes at a currency exchange kiosk, taking off with 1.2 million baht. Police say Thanat Amatawimut, a 42 year old building contractor, exchanged 360 fake $100 USD bills for 1.2 million baht at a kiosk in Bangkok back in 2019. The staff accepted the cash, but later realised…

  • UPDATE: 2 Americans and a Thai arrested over Bangkok kidnap attempt, Thai policeman involved | VIDEO

    UPDATE: 2 Americans and a Thai arrested over Bangkok kidnap attempt, Thai policeman involved | VIDEO

    Edited June 10 Screenshot: THAICRIME UPDATE: Following up from the earlier story involving 2 Americans, a Thai, a Taiwanese businessman, and an Israeli security goon, we have the following update (original story below)… Police have examined CCTV from the restaurant in Thong Lor where the Taiwanese businessman was allegedly kidnapped. It’s also been revealed that a “senior Thai policeman” was involved…

  • Covid-19 spreads to 12 Thailand prisons infecting 9,789 people

    Covid-19 spreads to 12 Thailand prisons infecting 9,789 people

    Over the past week, 12 prisons in Thailand have reported Covid-19 infections infecting thousands of inmates. Out of the 9,789 Covid-19 infections reported by the Department of Corrections, nearly 4,000 cases were reported at the Chiang Mai Central Prison. Outbreaks at the Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women’s Correctional Institution were first reported last week after a pro-democracy protest leader…