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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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...
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Thailand to celebrate marriage equality at UN event in Bangkok
The Thai Interior Ministry will hold an event at the United Nations Convention Centre in Bangkok next Monday, January 13, to celebrate the forthcoming implementation of the Marriage Equality Act on January 23. This will mark a significant milestone as Thailand prepares to enact this legislation for the first time. According to Traisulee Taisaranakul, spokesperson for the ministry, the event…
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Counterfeit cough syrup worth 100 million baht seized in Thailand
Police and health officials conducted raids in Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, and Bangkok on sites associated with the production and sale of counterfeit cough syrup, seizing items valued at over 100 million baht on the retail market. This operation involved collaboration between the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Nakhon Pathom provincial public health…
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Hippo star Moo Deng steals spotlight as election mascot (video)
The Election Commission (EC) has pulled out all the stops to boost voter enthusiasm for the upcoming provincial administrative organisation (PAO) elections, introducing an unlikely but adorable mascot—Moo Deng, the famous pygmy hippo calf. EC chairperson Ittiporn Boonprakong proudly presented Moo Deng during a lively ceremony at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road. Speaking to a captivated audience, he…
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Boxer shorts-clad man blocks Bangkok traffic with Mercedes (video)
Traffic congestion is a common issue in Bangkok, often caused by the sheer volume of vehicles on the roads and accidents and unforeseen incidents which further exacerbates the situation. However, traffic was held up yesterday, January 7, by an unusual cause when a man clad only in boxer shorts parked his convertible Mercedes in the middle of the road and…
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Orange Line construction closes Bangkok flyover for two years
The flyover on Bangkok’s Charan Sanit Wong Road has been closed to facilitate the construction of the Orange Line electric railway. Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes to alleviate traffic congestion. Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) Deputy Governor Kittikorn Tanpao announced the closure to accommodate the development of the Orange Line, specifically the Bang Khun Non-underground station. This station…
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Thailand’s Children’s Day logo sparks joy and vitality
Thailand’s Ministry of Education has unveiled the heartwarming story behind the Children’s Day logo set to represent the nation from 2023 to 2027. The spotlight falls on Wikawee Rattamanee, a talented Silpakorn University student whose design won a nationwide competition last year. Her creation, centred on the theme of a child’s smile, earned her the top prize of 35,000 baht.…
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Thai woman arrested in onsen credit card theft, Chinese suspects involved
Police arrested a Thai woman at her condominium yesterday, January 7, for conspiring with Chinese suspects to commit credit card theft at several onsen establishments in Bangkok. Numerous onsen patrons came forward to issue warnings and seek justice after their credit cards were stolen following visits to various onsens in Bangkok. The stolen cards were used by the thieves, resulting…
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Suspects caught in theft of iPhone 14 Pro Max in Bangkok
Two suspects have been apprehended in connection with the theft of an iPhone from a 17 year old boy, the son of a department director, during a planned transaction near a prominent shopping mall on Rama IV Road. The incident occurred when the victim, known as A, arranged to sell the iPhone 14 Pro Max, blue in colour, and was…
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Thailand’s N3 lottery might be scrapped due to poor sales
The Finance Ministry is evaluating the future of the N3 lottery due to its lacklustre public response since its introduction last November. Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat announced yesterday, January 7, that the three-digit lottery (N3), designed to rival illegal lotteries and expensive six-digit tickets (L6), has not met expectations during its trial phase. Introduced on November 1 as part…
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Cyber police dismantle major Bangkok gambling network
Cyber police swooped on the Bangkok 198 online gambling network, arresting its financial executive and seizing luxury cars, along with over 9 million baht in cash, and uncovering a monthly turnover exceeding 10 million baht. Yesterday, January 7, Police Lieutenant General Trirong Phivphan, head of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, instructed Police Colonel Surapong Thaiprasert and Police Colonel Apirak Champasri,…
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No luck for Yingluck: Former PM ineligible for prison programme
Yingluck Shinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand, will not qualify for release under the forthcoming alternative prison detention programme if she returns to Thailand, as she does not meet the new eligibility criteria, stated Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong. Yingluck was sentenced to five years imprisonment in August 2017. New regulations by the Department of Corrections (DoC) allow only those with…
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PM Paetongtarn defends Thaksin amid racist remark controversy
Stepping out from a Cabinet lunch today, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra launched into a defence of her father, Thaksin, after he was caught in making controversial racist comments during a rally speech. Thaksin’s remarks yesterday, January 6, criticised as discriminatory, sparked a backlash and calls from Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit for Paetongtarn to reprimand him. Initially caught off-guard by the journalists’ pressing…
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Bangkok: Iranians nabbed in Yaowarat robbery drama
Two Iranian nationals were arrested after allegedly robbing a Vietnamese tourist of 150,000 baht in a brazen street-side theft in Bangkok’s bustling Yaowarat district. The drama unfolded yesterday evening, January 6, when a 27 year old Vietnamese tourist approached police near the Hotel Royal Bangkok, claiming she had been attacked and robbed. According to her account, she had just withdrawn…
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Thai health minister reassures public over hMPV concerns
Thai Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin addressed concerns about the spread of the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in China yesterday, January 6 at the Department of Health Service Support. The minister explained that hMPV is a seasonal virus that occurs annually and is self-limiting, often resolving without medical intervention. In previous years, such common illnesses were not highlighted, as they typically…
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Japanese man pickpocketed on Bangkok MRT, credit cards used in Isaan
A Japanese man became another victim of credit card fraud in Bangkok while travelling on the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) train. This incident comes hot on the heels of another credit card fraud victim yesterday. The Facebook page Drama-addict shared details of a Thai woman who lost her credit cards after visiting an onsen in Bangkok yesterday, January 6. Her…
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Government House open this Saturday for National Children’s Day
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will open the Government House on Saturday, January 11, for children and their families in celebration of National Children’s Day. Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub announced that the 38 year old Thai premier will participate in the festivities, which include various activities hosted by the Prime Minister’s Office. One highlight will allow children to sit in the…
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Bangkok braces for rising PM2.5 pollution levels
The Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation issued a warning about increasing PM2.5 pollution levels in Bangkok and its vicinity from January 6 to 10. This rise is due to cold air masses from northeastern Thailand, causing stagnant air that traps pollutants. Information from the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) on January 5 identified 490 hotspots across Thailand. These…
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Monkey business: 100 macaques to be neutered in south Bangkok
Bang Khun Thian district chief Passara Natheethong announced that up to 100 macaques in the south Bangkok district will be neutered this month as part of an ongoing initiative to control their population in the district. Last year, 122 macaques underwent the procedure. Around 330 macaques are estimated to roam freely in three locations: the Khun Kala Monument, the Thian…
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SRT Red lines to get 319 billion baht upgrades: Transport Ministry
The Transport Ministry is planning to initiate several significant public transportation projects early this year, pending approval from the Cabinet, to enhance national connectivity. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit stated that the projects involve extending the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) Dark Red and Light Red lines and advancing the second phase of double-track upgrades in the north, northeast, and south.…
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Bangkok cleans up act: Street vendors get the boot in Pathumwan
In a bid to spruce up the bustling streets of Bangkok and make them safer for pedestrians, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has given street vendors the boot from two major hotspots in the Pathumwan district. Ploenchit Road in Ton Son and the bustling area outside the Siam Scape building are the targets. Gone are the days when 17 vendors…
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Sole offender: Thai man nabbed for Bangkok temple shoe theft spree
Police arrested a Thai man for stealing shoes, some valued as high as 50,000 baht, from multiple temples in Bangkok. The man reportedly committed the thefts not for resale but to satisfy personal urges linked to his mental illness. Officers from Samran Rat Police Station investigated the incidents after receiving repeated complaints about shoe thefts from temples across Bangkok. Security…
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Kind foreign man praised for assisting Thai rescue team in traffic jam
A Thai rescue team expressed their gratitude towards a kind foreign man who assisted their operation by clearing a path for their emergency van on Phahurat Road in Bangkok on Saturday, January 4. A member of the rescue team, Chaiyapon Chanchua, shared a video of the foreigner on social media to commend his support. In the footage, the foreigner, dressed…
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Liberian duo arrested in Bangkok for US$90,000 gold scam
Two Liberian nationals have been detained in connection with a gold-selling scam in Bangkok that resulted in the theft of US$90,000, equivalent to around 3 million baht, from a Thai businessman. The scam involved swapping counterfeit banknotes for genuine ones. Police Colonel Pansa Amarapitak, the chief of Thong Lor Police Station, announced the arrest of 32 year old Solomon Varney…
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Thai university student crashes car, damages 12 electricity poles
A 20 year old university student crashed his car into electricity poles along Kanchanaphisek Road, damaging 12 poles and three cars, due to drowsiness caused by antihistamines, a medicine used to treat allergy symptoms. Officers from Phetchakasem Police Station were alerted to the accident at a curve on Kanchanaphisek Road yesterday, January 5. Upon arrival, officers found a damaged blue…
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Blue Suzuki Swift’s shocking turn leaves Bangkok in the dark
Bangkok was thrown into chaos yesterday after a blue Suzuki Swift crash led to a major power outage. The scene of destruction unfolded early yesterday morning, as 12 power poles came crashing down like dominoes. The spectacle began at around 8am, January 5, at the notorious Wee Liam bend on Kanchanaphisek Road, right in the heart of the Bang Khae…
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Bangkok intensifies efforts to combat severe dust pollution
Bangkok‘s ongoing struggle with dust pollution has prompted the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to intensify its efforts to tackle the issue. The capital is set to endure high dust levels, with relief not expected until next month. Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok’s governor, revealed that discussions took place at the Hua Hin Royal Rainmaking Centre earlier this week, focusing on strategies to…
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Officer down: Cop shot dead outside Bangkok barbershop
A tragic event unfolded when a police officer was fatally shot outside a barbershop in Saimai, Bangkok, following a heated altercation with another individual. The incident occurred yesterday, January 3 at around 8pm on Chalerm Phong Road in the Saimai district. The victim, Burang Kasapon, a Deputy Inspector at Saimai Police Station, was shot multiple times and was in critical…
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Same-sex marriage to gain legal status in Thailand
Thailand’s Interior Ministry is set to enforce the Marriage Equality Bill, expected to become law later this month, according to a statement from ministry spokesperson Traisulee Taisaranakul. The Department of Provincial Administration (DoPA) has aligned its regulations with the new law and established guidelines to streamline the registration process. The department has also upgraded its computer systems and marriage registration…
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Bangkok drug party raid sparks debate over privacy and policy
A recent police raid on an exclusive gay party in Bangkok’s Watthana district has sparked significant debate over privacy concerns and the effectiveness of drug policies. During the raid, which took place on December 8, officers discovered that more than half of the 124 attendees tested positive for drugs, leading to their mandatory rehabilitation. The incident has drawn criticism from…
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MP demands answers on income and legality of Chinese police training
A Member of Parliament (MP) from the People’s Party raised questions to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) regarding the income generated from a special training programme for Chinese volunteer police, as well as the legality and effectiveness of the training, which took only three days to complete. The MP, Sasinan Thamnithinan, shared her concerns on her Twitter account yesterday, January…
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