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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    Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money

    Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...

  • Bangkok train ridership surges 60% amid free transport initiative | Thaiger

    Bangkok train ridership surges 60% amid free transport initiative

    Train ridership across Greater Bangkok experienced a significant 60% rise on January 26, marking the second day of the government’s week-long initiative of free public transport aimed at combating air pollution, as reported by the Department of Rail Transport (DRT) today, January 28. DRT director-general Pichet Kunathammarak noted that the city’s electric train network saw a 60.90% increase in ridership…

  • Thai motorcyclist hits South Korean man on zebra crossing | Thaiger

    Thai motorcyclist hits South Korean man on zebra crossing

    A Thai motorcyclist struck a South Korean pedestrian at a zebra crossing on a Bangkok road on Thursday, 23 January. The incident occurred at the same location as a case in 2022 when a Thai ophthalmologist was fatally struck by a motorcycle. The Facebook page เรารักด่านตรวจ (translating to “We Love Police Checkpoints”) shared dashcam footage of the accident on Phaya…

  • Critics slam 140m baht quick fix for Bangkok haze crisis | Thaiger

    Critics slam 140m baht quick fix for Bangkok haze crisis

    Critics have blasted the government for allocating 140 million baht to fund free public transport in Bangkok for one week, calling it a waste of taxpayers’ money that fails to tackle the root cause of the city’s haze pollution crisis. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra introduced the measure, which began last Saturday, January 25, to combat surging levels of hazardous PM2.5…

  • New haze directives to combat deadly pollution in Thailand | Thaiger

    New haze directives to combat deadly pollution in Thailand

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will provide additional directives at a Cabinet meeting today to address the ongoing haze issue, according to government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub. The meeting will prioritise PM2.5 pollution, following the prime minister’s return from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, over the weekend. She emphasised that the worsening pollution crisis extends beyond national boundaries. The 38…

  • 2 suspects at large after assaulting Thai doctor outside Bangkok clinic | Thaiger

    2 suspects at large after assaulting Thai doctor outside Bangkok clinic

    Police are searching for two suspects who physically assaulted a doctor outside his beauty clinic in Silom, Bangkok on Saturday, January 25. The 37 year old Thai doctor, Chanesd Srisukho, filed a complaint at Tung Mahamek Police Station after the incident, which occurred at 7.36am on Saturday. The physical assault took place outside Chanesd’s clinic, Mali Clinic, located in Silom…

  • Bangkok governor urged to enforce demolition of illegal condo | Thaiger

    Bangkok governor urged to enforce demolition of illegal condo

    Rosana Tositrakul, a former senator, is urging the Bangkok governor to enforce a 10 year old court order for the demolition of the Aetas condominium in Pathumwan district due to a breach of the Building Control Act. Through a Facebook post yesterday, January 26, Rosana called on Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to act on the Supreme Administrative Court’s directive to dismantle…

  • Bangkok fire leaves three injured, investigations underway | Thaiger

    Bangkok fire leaves three injured, investigations underway

    A fire broke out in a commercial building in Bang Khun Thian, Bangkok yesterday, January 26 at 2.15pm, resulting in three injuries. A 57 year old man sought refuge on the rooftop, using water from a tank to cool himself as firefighters battled the flames for over four hours. Police Lieutenant Colonel Sathorn Rabiabpho received a report of the incident…

  • Worker electrocuted in Bangkok tragedy cleaning building | Thaiger

    Worker electrocuted in Bangkok tragedy cleaning building

    A tragic accident occurred in Bangkok’s Bang Kho Laem district when a 32 year old Myanmar man, identified as Nim, fell to his death after being electrocuted while cleaning the exterior of a five-storey commercial building. The incident happened at 1pm yesterday, January 25, with emergency services responding swiftly to the scene. Police Lieutenant Colonel Nattawut Rodsoongnoen from Wat Phraya…

  • Transport ministry: Bangkok Port to host entertainment complex | Thaiger

    Transport ministry: Bangkok Port to host entertainment complex

    The Transport Ministry has approved a proposal for Bangkok Port to host an integrated entertainment complex. Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit referenced an instruction from his deputy, Manaporn Charoensri, to establish a committee to assess the feasibility of developing such complexes at locations like ports. Several potential sites are under consideration. Suriya highlighted the Khlong Toei area of Bangkok Port as a…

  • Singapore and Thailand mark 60 years of diplomatic ties | Thaiger

    Singapore and Thailand mark 60 years of diplomatic ties

    Singapore and Thailand celebrate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year. To honour this milestone, the Singaporean Embassy has unveiled a logo, which emerged as the winner of a competition held last year in collaboration with the foreign ministries of both nations and the Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore. During the logo launch event at Siam Paragon, Catherine…

  • Bangkok ranks 4th worst for air quality as haze chokes city | Thaiger

    Bangkok ranks 4th worst for air quality as haze chokes city

    Bangkok’s air quality took a nosedive today, earning it the grim title of the fourth worst city in the world for air pollution, according to Swiss-based monitoring platform IQAir. The capital’s air quality index (AQI) hit a hazardous 188 as of 9.40am, with toxic PM2.5 levels far exceeding safe thresholds. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) declared 48 out of 50…

  • Rock singer offers compensation after fatal Bangkok van crash | Thaiger

    Rock singer offers compensation after fatal Bangkok van crash

    Rock singer Manaswin Nuntasane, also known as Tik Shiro, and his family have expressed their willingness to compensate the family of two people who died in a van accident in Bangkok on October 10 last year. They offer to pay 4 to 5 million baht, although the victims’ family is seeking 24 million baht. Tik Shiro, aged 63, addressed the…

  • AMLO combats fraud by closing 680,000 mule accounts | Thaiger

    AMLO combats fraud by closing 680,000 mule accounts

    The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has listed 72,031 persons for electronic transaction monitoring and closed over 680,000 mule accounts. AMLO’s Assistant Secretary-General, Witya Neetitham, yesterday reported on the Transaction Committee’s actions from December 2024 to January under the leadership of AMLO Secretary-General Tepsu Bowonchodidara. The committee has targeted assets linked to drug offences, fraud, and online gambling. In drug-related offences,…

  • Bangkok fights smog with free public transport for a week | Thaiger

    Bangkok fights smog with free public transport for a week

    The Thai government is taking bold action to tackle Bangkok’s persistent smog problem by offering free rides on the BTS, MRT, and BMTA buses for seven days, starting tomorrow, January 25. The initiative aims to reduce vehicle usage and ease air pollution in the capital. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Suriya Juangroongruangkit announced the measure today. “From January…

  • Bangkok hospital confirms no elderly death in foreign man rampage | Thaiger

    Bangkok hospital confirms no elderly death in foreign man rampage

    A hospital in Bangkok confirmed that no elderly patient deaths were reported following a rampage caused by a foreign man on Wednesday, January 22. The identity of the foreigner remains under investigation. A video showing a foreign man going on a rampage at what was later confirmed to be Sirindhorn Hospital in Bangkok was shared on the Facebook page AggressiveDoctor. The…

  • Temperatures drop as cold air mass covers Thailand | Thaiger

    Temperatures drop as cold air mass covers Thailand

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued its first warning of a cold air mass that will result in significant temperature drops across upper Thailand. The southern region should also brace for heavy rainfall due to a monsoon. The notice outlines the impact from January 26 to 28. A new surge of high pressure or a cold air mass from China…

  • Thai couple arrested in Bangkok condominium raid for producing Pod K | Thaiger

    Thai couple arrested in Bangkok condominium raid for producing Pod K

    Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau raided a luxury condominium in Bangkok’s Thon Buri neighbourhood on Tuesday, January 21, and arrested a Thai couple for producing and distributing a new narcotic known as Pod K. Pod K, a substance similar in appearance to e-cigarettes, contains e-liquid laced with ketamine. This new drug gained popularity among Thai teenagers due to its accessibility,…

  • Drunk foreign man crawls on Bangkok road, causing traffic jam | Thaiger

    Drunk foreign man crawls on Bangkok road, causing traffic jam

    A viral video captured a drunk foreign man crawling along a road in the Town in Town neighbourhood of Wang Thong Lang district, Bangkok, causing a traffic jam during the morning rush hour. The news Facebook page Jmoi v+ shared pictures and a video of the foreign man, whose nationality remains unidentified, crawling in the middle of the road. Two…

  • Foreign man goes on rampage in Bangkok hospital, allegedly leaving 1 dead | Thaiger

    Foreign man goes on rampage in Bangkok hospital, allegedly leaving 1 dead

    A foreign man went on a rampage at a hospital in Bangkok, attacking medical workers and patients’ relatives, allegedly causing an elderly patient to die of shock. The Facebook page AggressiveDoctor shared security camera footage of the assault yesterday, January 22, with a caption that read… “Intentionally attacks medical workers, even if they are female. Should he have been shot…

  • DSI investigates possible tampering in Tangmo’s death case | Thaiger

    DSI investigates possible tampering in Tangmo’s death case

    The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has approved an inquiry into the case of late Thai actress Tangmo, following concerns about potential external and official involvement. Suspicions have been raised regarding possible manipulation of the justice process. Police Lieutenant Colonel Yutthana Phaedam, Director-General of the DSI, authorised the investigation yesterday, January 22. This decision came after a complaint was filed…

  • Thailand’s first LGBTQ+ couple registers marriage on historic day | Thaiger

    Thailand’s first LGBTQ+ couple registers marriage on historic day

    History was made in Bangkok as Thailand celebrated its first official day of equal marriage. Organised by Narumit Pride, alongside numerous government and civil society organisations, the event marked the start of marriage registration for LGBTQ+ couples nationwide, turning a long-awaited dream into reality. At 6.15am, the first couple, 33 year old Ploynapas Jirasukon and 32 year old Kwanporn Kongphet…

  • Election official faces legal action over Bhumjaithai Party decision | Thaiger

    Election official faces legal action over Bhumjaithai Party decision

    Election Commission (EC) secretary-general Sawang Boonmee may face legal action for his decision not to recommend the dissolution of the Bhumjaithai Party over allegations of unlawful donations. Lawyer Pattharapong Supaksorn has filed a petition with the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases against the senior EC official. Pattharapong accuses Sawang of dereliction of duty, based on his decision…

  • New Thai law lets LGBTQ+ couples sue for adultery compensation | Thaiger

    New Thai law lets LGBTQ+ couples sue for adultery compensation

    Thailand has made legal history by granting LGBTQ+ couples the right to sue adulterous spouses for compensation, marking a pivotal step towards equality under the law. The amendment, which came into effect today, ensure[s fair treatment for all couples, regardless of gender. The Civil and Commercial Code has been updated to allow LGBTQ+ spouses the same legal protections as heterosexual…

  • Thai driver released on 600,000 baht bail after killing motorcyclist | Thaiger

    Thai driver released on 600,000 baht bail after killing motorcyclist

    The Bangkok South Criminal Court released a Thai sedan driver on bail set at 600,000 baht this afternoon after he intentionally hit and killed a motorcyclist on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. The 30 year old suspect, Seree Srettheenamwong, was captured on a security camera deliberately crashing his white Toyota Altis sedan into a black electric motorcycle ridden by 49 year…

  • Bangkok: Blind woman sexually harassed by cousin seeks help | Thaiger

    Bangkok: Blind woman sexually harassed by cousin seeks help

    A blind woman has sought help from Panadda Wongphudee, president of the Foundation for Good Deeds after enduring a month-long ordeal of alleged sexual harassment by her cousin. The police are set to issue a summons yesterday, January 21. The incident was shared on Panadda’s personal Instagram account, a well-known beauty queen, actress, singer, and presenter, who also serves as the…

  • Frenchman detained in Thailand for explicit video scandal | Thaiger

    Frenchman detained in Thailand for explicit video scandal

    Thai immigration police yesterday detained a 26 year old Frenchman accused of posting explicit videos online without the knowledge of those involved. Following a tip-off, Police Colonel Jirapong Rujiradamrongchai, along with his team from Immigration Division 3, investigated a French national accused of sharing explicit content and boasting about his physique on social media. Believed to involve Thai women, these…

  • Thai sedan driver arrested for intentionally hitting and killing motorcyclist | Thaiger

    Thai sedan driver arrested for intentionally hitting and killing motorcyclist

    A Thai sedan car driver hit and killed an app-based motorcycle rider following a traffic dispute on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok yesterday. Officers from Lumpini Police Station were alerted to the fatal accident on Sukhumvit Road in the afternoon. They arrived at the scene accompanied by rescuers from the Por Teck Tung Foundation. They discovered the lifeless body of 48…

  • Five arrested in Bangkok drug bust, 1.65 tonnes of Ice seized | Thaiger

    Five arrested in Bangkok drug bust, 1.65 tonnes of Ice seized

    Police Lieutenant General Phanurat Lakboon, Secretary-General of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), announced the arrest of five individuals involved in cross-border drug trafficking. They were apprehended during a significant operation that led to the seizure of 1.65 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as Ice, which was hidden in 33 cotton rolls within a warehouse located in Bangkok’s Rat Burana…

  • Toxic air: Thailand considers work from home nationwide | Thaiger

    Toxic air: Thailand considers work from home nationwide

    The Ministry of Public Health is set to recommend a nationwide work from home directive next week after PM2.5 ultrafine dust pollution surpassed safe thresholds in nearly every province yesterday, January 21, with Greater Bangkok experiencing the highest levels. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin announced that a meeting would be held today to formulate strategies to address the escalating pollution…

  • Deadly crash in Bangkok’s Chatuchak leaves two women dead | Thaiger

    Deadly crash in Bangkok’s Chatuchak leaves two women dead

    A tragic accident occurred in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok early today, January 22, when a Mercedes-Benz CLS 220d collided with a motorcycle, resulting in the deaths of two women. The incident was reported to the Phaholyothin Police Station at 5am, following which police and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation arrived at the scene for investigation. The accident took place…