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.
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Thief makes off with over 500,000 baht in Bangkok bank robbery
A man who robbed a Bangkok branch of the Government Housing Bank at gunpoint has escaped with over 500,000 baht. Nation Thailand report that the robbery took place yesterday afternoon, at the bank’s Bangbon branch on Soi Ekachai 86 in the capital. A security guard at the branch told police that the thief jumped over the counter, before grabbing the…
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Ex-Thai Airways official gets fat prison sentence for failing to pay excess baggage fees
You’ll never complain about excess baggage charges after reading this… The former chairperson for Thai Airways has been sentenced to 2 years in jail because he didn’t pay for 300 kilograms of excess baggage back in 2009. The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases says Wallop Bhukkanasut abused his authority as chairperson by ordering airline staff to change…
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An explosion and gunshots fired at last night’s protest outside the Siam Commercial Bank HQ
More reports of shootings at anti-government protests last night. The venue for yesterday’s rally was switched on Tuesday night and police, all prepared for a large protest outside the the Crown Property Office, were thin on the ground at the new venue. 2 people were injured in last night’s incident. Shots were reportedly fired at anti-government protesters at the end…
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Traffic jams in Bangkok as police use containers to block protesters from Crown Property Bureau
The hashtag #รถติด, (traffic jam), was among Twitter’s top 3 trending hashtags this morning as Bangkok motorists battled congestion caused by the police’s attempts to block protesters from the Crown Property Bureau. First they used small portable metal barricades, then razor wire, then concrete blocks, then old buses. Now they’re going for the heavy “blockade” artillery – steel shipping containers.…
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UPDATE: Protesters flip the location of today’s protest. Counter protests planned.
UPDATE: The protesters have moved the location of today’s protests to the the headquarters of SCB (Siam Commercial Bank). SCB is a Thai bank that was set up under the auspices of the Crown Property Bureau. Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn is the largest single shareholder, owning 23.35% of SCB shares. ORIGINAL STORY: Stay away. That’s the orders from police as protesters are…
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9 underage girls rescued from brothel posing as spa in central Thailand
Police in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok, have arrested 12 people and rescued 9 underage girls in a pre-dawn raid on an un-licenced spa that was a front for prostitution. The Bangkok Post reports that the raid took place at a spa on the city’s Rattanathibet Road early yesterday morning. Torsak Sukwimol from the Central Investigation Bureau says the raid…
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Protesters target the Crown Property Bureau tomorrow, taking direct aim at the country’s Monarchy
Tomorrow the protest road show moves to the Crown Property Bureau, taking aim directly at the the management of the Thai monarch’s affairs. Protesters, who first brought up the issue of the role of the Thai Monarchy in July this year, say they have “a big surprise” in store. This will be the first time when the entire focus of…
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Protester slammed for dressing as schoolgirl to highlight sexual harassment in Thai schools
2 government MPs have criticised a member of the “Bad Students” protest movement after she dressed as a schoolgirl to highlight sexual harassment in Thai schools. In an online protest, the activist donned a school uniform and held up a sign condemning sexual harassment in the Thai education system. Nation Thailand reports that while her actions have generally been supported…
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Protests go west, up to 2,000 gather in Thonburi
Fit for the end of a 4 day long weekend, the protest road show headed west yesterday, to a far western district of Bangkok in Tawichai Wattana, an hour’s drive from the city centre. It turned into more of a festival than a political rally where up to 2,000 people gathered. A similar rally was held at the same location…
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#ByeByeDinosaurs – Jurassic Park comes to Bangkok’s streets
Jurassic Park meets Bangkok politics. Some students attending yesterday’s Bad Student protest in Bangkok dressed in dinosaur costumes to represent Thailand’s establishment. The high school-aged students are joining in the calls for the Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign and reform of the Thai monarchy. They are also demanding reform of Thailand’s education system and an end to sexual abuse…
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Grammy executive files lèse-majesté complaint against Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul
A lèse-majesté complaint has been officially filed against Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, one of the leaders of the Ratsadon ‘People’s Movement’. She was the first to read the, now infamous, 10 point manifesto at the Thammasat University in April, and then in a more public forum at a Democracy Monument protest in early August. Nitipong Hornak, a songwriter and judge on Thailand’s…
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The King to give royal land title deeds valued at 10 billion baht to universities
King Vajiralongkorn is set to give royal land title deeds worth 10 billion baht, to 2 universities and 2 schools today in a ceremony at Bangkok’s Dusit Palace. The title deeds cover more than 100 rai of land along the Ratchawithi Road in Dusit district. Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University will receive deeds that cover 60 rai, while Suan Dusit University…
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High school students summoned for violating emergency decree after joining banned protest
High school students in Bangkok are being summoned for violating the emergency decree after police found they had joined the banned anti-government protests last month. The 2 teens spoke at a rally on October 15, a day after PM Prayut announced that tougher actions would be taken against protesters. The students were directly targetted out of tens of thousands of…
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Only taxis travelling to and from Bangkok airports can charge for luggage
The Land Transport Department is clarifying the recent news that taxis in Bangkok can charge special handling fees for luggage after the announcement received public scrutiny. The department’s deputy director Tanee Suebrerk says this special fee only applies to metred taxis travelling to and from Bangkok’s two airports. He says that those taxis who do not deliver passengers or pick…
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PM thanks volunteers for graffiti cleanup after huge anti-government protest
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is thanking pro-government volunteers for their efforts in helping clean up graffiti and paint after last Wednesday’s massive anti-government protest in central Bangkok around the Ratchaprasong intersection. The People’s Movement rally was held that day from 4pm, near the police HQ, with a protest co-leader saying they had acted out of anger after police used water…
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Appeal Court upholds 20-year corruption sentence against former Buddhism chief
The former head of the National Office of Buddhism has had his appeal against a 20-year sentence in a corruption case rejected by the Appeal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. Phanom Sornsilp is currently serving a total of 94 years for the misappropriation of temple funds in multiple cases brought against him. The court also upheld the 20-year sentence…
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Over 5 million escape Bangkok by car and public transport as holiday begins
The Transport Ministry says just under 5.3 million Bangkok residents have left the capital as the long holiday gets underway. Anon Luangboriboon says the exodus began on Wednesday, a day before the holiday period began. The Bangkok Post reports that the figures include those travelling by car and public transport, with 2.25 million leaving by bus and van. Anon says…
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Man wearing pink raincoat wanted on suspicion of firing shots at Bangkok rally
The Metropolitan Police Bureau in Bangkok are hunting a man they suspect of firing gun shots at Tuesday’s rally outside the Parliament building. The Bangkok Post reports that the man was wearing a pink raincoat and a photo shows him pointing what appears to be a gun at protesters. The Erawan Medical Centre in the capital reported that it had…
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Filipino, Thai woman, arrested in Bangkok for running scam loan company
A woman originally from The Philippines, has been arrested in Bangkok alongside a Thai woman, for running a company that scammed people into parting with their money. The victims were persuaded to invest in a loan company called Filipino Cooperative Investment Loan, run by 30 year old Liny Paengkusan Camaono and 22 year old Thanyares Saiyanoi. Sompong Chingduang, from the…
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Bangkok police blame insufficient manpower for failure to control Parliament road clashes
Police in Bangkok have admitted they had insufficient manpower to handle clashes that erupted at protests on Tuesday. Anti-government activists clashed with pro-establishment groups at the Kiakkai intersection in the capital, leading to at least 55 people being injured, including 6 who were shot, according to medical officials at the Erawan Medical Centre who attended to the wounded. The police…
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Anti-government activists condemn rejection of iLaw draft, vow to fight on
Protests are set to continue following Parliament’s decision yesterday to reject a draft charter amendment submitted by human rights non-profit group iLaw, with the backing of over 100,000 signatures. Protest leader Jatupat Boonpattarasaksa says the rejection, which happened after the first reading of the bill, has left activists with no choice other than to continue the protests. He added that…
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6 protesters shot with live rounds in Bangkok, but police deny the claims
6 protesters were reportedly shot in yesterday’s chaos as police tried to repel advancing anti-government protesters as they attempted to march to the front of the Thai Parliament. They were shot with live rounds according to medical staff who attended to their injuries. Inside the parliament lawmakers debated proposals for possible constitutional reform. At this stage it is not clear…
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55 people injured in clashes at Bangkok protests
The Erawan Emergency Medical Service Centre in Bangkok says around 55 people have been injured following clashes during yesterday’s protests in the capital. Violence erupted as pro-democracy activists attempting to reach the Parliament building, clashed with police and rival yellow-shirt pro-establishment groups. A spokesperson for the medical centre says 32 people have been injured by tear gas, which police used…
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Police deploy water cannons and tear gas, Royalists throw bricks – the protests outside parliament
UPDATE: 6 people were shot with live rounds in yesterday’s scuffles. Read more HERE. The current spate of protests in Thailand took an ugly step forward yesterday when police resorted to using a high power water cannon truck with the water laced with a chemical irritant. They also fired tear gas and, according to protesters, used rubber bullets. Photos show…
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UPDATE: Riot police deploy water cannons and tear gas at protest outside Parliament
Police in riot gear and gas masks used high pressure water cannons and tear gas against pro-democracy protesters who attempted to remove a 3 layer concrete barricade set up to block passage to the Thai Parliament building in Bangkok. A police officer confirmed with the reporters on site that the water was laced with tear gas. Photos shared in social…
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Women’s rights activists gather at pro-democracy rallies to raise awareness about sexual harassment
While hundreds and thousands gather at pro-democracy protests to call on government, constitutional and monarchy reform, Thai women’s rights activists attending the Bangkok rallies are raising awareness about sexual harassment and rape. The activists say they want to end the “victim blaming” culture where women are said to bring harassment and even rape upon themselves by dressing a certain way.…
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Bangkok police urge drivers, pedestrians, to avoid Parliament area ahead of today’s protest
Police in Bangkok say motorists and pedestrians should steer clear of routes around the Parliament today or risk heavy congestion and road closures. The advice comes ahead of a planned rally in the capital, as Parliament begins a 2 day session to vote on draft charter amendments. Already this morning there has been a protest from Royalist groups, clad in…
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‘Mob Fest’ wraps up the Democracy Monument and turns backs on Thai King and Queen
In a peaceful but controversial gesture, protesters yesterday turned their backs on the royal motorcade as it carried the Thai King and Queen to the opening of a new railway line. As their backs were facing the passing cars, the mostly young Thai protesters raised their hands with the 3 finger salute and sang the Thai national anthem. The symbolic…
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Bank robber arrested after CCTV captures him counting money metres from the scene
A man accused of robbing a branch of the Thai Military Bank in Bangkok has been arrested after CCTV showed him counting the money just 300 metres from the scene of the crime. The Pattaya News reports that 35 year old Kanchanok Srisawat is accused of robbing 416,000 baht from the bank in the Vacharaphon area of the capital on…
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Protesters advise police of plan for today’s Bangkok rally, several routes affected
The pro-democracy group, “Bad Students”, has formally submitted details of today’s rally to officers at Chanasongkram Police Station in Bangkok. Posting on its Facebook page, the group says it has advised police of its plans to assemble in front of the Education Ministry on Ratchadamnoen Road at 1pm today, before marching to the Democracy Monument. There, the group will join…
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