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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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Director and security chief of Don Mueang suspended over assault of Chinese tourist
“Immigration police dismissed the tourist’s claim that immigration officials had demanded 2,000 baht from him for a visa on arrival in addition to the normal fee of 2,000 baht.” The Director of Bangkok’s Don Mueang international airport, as well as the director for security, have been suspended from active duty for at least 30 days pending an investigation into an…
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Bangkok and Phuket on the list of the World’s ‘Top City For Visitor Spending’
According to Mastercard’s annual Destination Cities Index, Bangkok has earned the position as the world’s most visited tourist destination once again in 2017. Phuket also got into the Top 10 list of tourist money magnets. The Thai capital attracted over 20 million visitors over the past year, more than both London (19.83 million) and Paris (17.44 million). But despite scoring…
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Airbnb partners with Thailand Boutique Accommodation Trade Association
PHOTO: Mike Orgill, Airbnb Country Manager for Southeast Asia (left) and Suparerk Soorangura, President of TBAA and Advisor to the Thai Travel Agents Association (right) signing the MoU. Airbnb, the world’s leading community-driven hospitality company has announced its industry-first partnership with the Thailand Boutique Accommodation Trade Association (TBAA) to promote creative, people-powered Thai hospitality. Through the partnership, Airbnb and the TBAA…
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Welcome home, now off to jail
PHOTOS: Tourist Police Bureau Thailand’s roving crime-buster Pol Maj-Gen Surachate Hakparn was part of the welcoming committee as a group of Thais, he helped to bust in The Philippines, arrived back at Suvarabhumi Airport in Bangkok. They were immediately taken away to the police station after Big Joke introduced himself. Back in June the deputy chief of the Tourist Police…
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Bangkok’s gone to the dogs
by Wong Chun Wai, The Star, Malaysia PHOTOS: TrueLove at Neverland The routine holiday to Bangkok, Thailand, for seasoned Malaysian tourists (like me) will probably include eating, massages and shopping. We have visited most of the tourist spots, and they are no longer appealing. Yes, we’ve been there, done that… you know the drill. It’s become obvious to us that there…
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A man who really likes his coffee – Amazon thief surrenders to police
A former construction contractor has surrendered to police today to face charges of burglary after he allegedly broke into 30 Amazon coffee shops in petrol stations since April. 37 year old Kiartkarisorn Srikrailod from Buri Ram surrendered at Taling Chan police station at 10am this morning after police summoned him to face theft charges. Taling Chan is just west of…
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‘Golden-tongued Keng’ arrested along with four other call centre scammers
Police have arrested the alleged leader of a notorious call-centre gang, known as “Golden-tongued Keng”, and four members of the gang that operated in several countries. Again, the deputy tourist police chief Pol Maj Gen Surachete Hakparn was behind the major arrest. Surachete says police tracked down and arrested 41 year old Natthawat Simbida, alias ‘Keng the Golden Tongue’, in…
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Thailand’s air quality measurement standards raise concerns
by Chularat Saengpassa From next month, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) will set PM2.5 particles as an indicator of Thailand’s air quality, but the move does not ease the concerns of people in the know. “I must tell you that the PCD intend to use the ‘24-hour mean’ as the indicator and that may be misleading,” said Tara Buakamsri, the…
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Woman faints and falls, hitting Bangkok BTS train this morning
A woman in Bangkok has fainted, briefly disrupting services at the Morchit BTS station in the capital. The Nation reports that a woman fainted as a the skytrain service was approaching the Morchit station this morning, falling over and hitting the train as it came into the station, causing services to be temporarily disrupted. According to the Facebook page “What’s…
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67 year old and grand-daughter murdered in Samut Prakan
Police are looking for a Lao welder after a burglary at a private residence in Samut Prakan, south-east of Bangkok, ended in a double homicide. Officers were summoned by neighbours at 7.30am this morning to a house on Soi Phetch Heung 23 in Tambon Bang Yor, Phra Pradaeng district. They found the bodies of homeowner 67 year old Mali Imsawat in…
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Focus still on Nigerians from Tourist Police – Romance scams
Tourist police are set to wrap up their focus on all 1,400 Nigerians living in Thailand. This has come from the deputy tourist police chief Pol Maj-General Surachete Hakparn. Surachete says police would recheck Nigerians living in Thailand to ensure they are living in accordance with the purposes they stated in their entry visa applications or work permits. Surachete said…
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Crane topples in Bangkok soi injuring three
Police say that three people were injured this morning after a crane pulled down power wires, causing seven poles to topple in Soi Saldaeng 2 in the Bang Rak district in Bangkok. A female driver and two male bystanders were injured in the incident. 60 year old Pongpan Chai-anan sustained nose and neck injuries when her car’s airbag activated as one…
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Pathum Thani street racers arrested for modifying bikes
PHOTO: Facebook/Surachet Hakpal Police have arrested 155 motorcyclists for illegally modifying their bikes for road racing in a joint forces operation in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, last night (Thursday). Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, deputy tourist police chief, held one of his early morning media-fests at 1am this morning at the Klong Lung district office. He reported that…
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February 24 election date official – probably
PHOTO: A pro-election protest earlier this year. Looks like protesters’ demands are being answered – Kyodo News Put it in your calendar. As far as the Government’s main voices are concerned February 24 is THE date for the next Thai general election. Government leaders are reiterating that the national elections will be held on February 24, now that the last two…
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Thammasat University cheerleader billboards send mixed messages
PHOTO: amarin tv hd Billboards adorning the boundaries of the Thammasat University are causing uproar in academic circles and social media. The billboards depict 15 former university cheer leaders – just head and shoulder shots – promoting to students to apply for cheerleader positions for the next academic year. Whilst only head and shoulder photos, the controversy seems to be…
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Election between December 11 and May 9
The forecast for two typhoons is relatively easy and accurate to predict. Predicting the next Thai election, less so. Place your bets (except that gambling in Thailand is illegal). Thailand’s Election Commission has outlined a tentative time frame for the next election vote, starting from December 11, at the earliest, to May 9 next year, at the latest. The timeframe…
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Habitat Group launch Walden Sukhumvit 39
ADVERTISEMENT Following the success of Walden Asoke launched in March this year, and now 90% sold, the Habitat Group is launching its second city centre luxury low rise condominium under the Walden brand – Walden Sukhumvit 39. Developed under the concept of “Low Rise, High Living”, the 950 million baht development embraces nature in its design. With end-users and investors…
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BNK 48 pop idol under fire for hosting pro-junta programs
by Kittipong Thavevong of The Nation A young Thai pop star has become the subject of a heated political debate and the target of attack for hosting a television show publicising the government’s achievements. Anti-junta activists are calling the show ‘political propaganda’ and called out Cherprang Areekul, ‘captain’ of the popular girl pop band BNK 48 for “serving the dictatorship” and “helping…
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Thailand’s winners in the Conde Nast Traveller awards
PHOTO: Conde Nast Thailand has been voted the world’s Best Country for People by readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine in the 2018 Readers’ Travel Awards. Thailand was voted into third spot in the ‘Best Country’ category behind European winners Italy and Greece. But Thailand scored Number One in the ‘Best Country For People‘ category. But the Conde Nast love continues…
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Victims say they’ve lost 40 million baht in a Facebook gold scam
30 people have filed complaints with police that they’ve been scammed into transferring over 40 million baht to a woman who promised to sell them bargain gold ornaments. The group, led by 38 year old Atipong Nakrod, has filed the complaints with the Technology Crime Suppression Division. They’re pointing the finger at a Facebook user with the account name of…
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His Majesty honours 188 for their role in Tham Luang cave rescue
PHOTOS: The Nation Last night the government hosted a ‘thank-you reception’ for those who helped in the Tham Luang cave-rescue. Many others will also be getting special recognition for their contribution at government house today. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has granted the “Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn” honour to 114 foreigners and 74 Thais who were involved in…
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Mu Pa boys hope to lead Thailand to World Cup finals
The 12 Mu Pa rescued footballers and their 25 year old assistant coach have revealed their dream of leading Thailand’s national football team to the World Cup finals. The boys, aged between 11 and 16 (Ekkapon is 25), also expressed their gratitude to His Majesty the King and everybody else who contributed to their rescue. They were speaking at a…
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Sex-for-grades professor caught in elaborate sting
A Thai university student has revealed how she took part in a sting at a ‘short time hotel’ to catch a professor preying on young students in a sex-for-grades situation. The professor at a leading university was alleged to only give good grades to attractive women if they slept with him. The student, only known as ‘Neung’, had noticed that…
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Woman drowns in underpass nearby her home
A Bangkok motorist has drowned this morning after her pickup stalled in rapidly rising floodwaters in an underpass leading to her housing estate, engulfing the vehicle. Rescue workers from the Por Tek Tueng Foundation arrived soon after 2am near the Airport Rail Link’s Ban Thap Chang station. Police say 41 year old Panumat Sae-tsae drowned inside the pickup in about…
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Bangkok laundry explosion – 8 injured
Eight people have been injured after gas leaking from tumble dryers in a 24 hour laundromat in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district exploded early today (Monday). Sutthisarn police station was alerted at 2.30am to the explosion at the laundromat, which is located in a shophouse at the front of Soi Inthamara 36. The eight injured were rushed to Paolo Memorial Hospital,…
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Men-only police academy riles rights groups
Rights advocates are raising concerns over the Royal Thai Police’s new policy of banning female applicants from the police cadet academy, saying the move undermines women’s rights and affects the prosecution of sex crimes. The women’s rights supporters said the national police office order of August 28 was backward and discriminatory. It didn’t only undermine women’s rights and violate the…
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Woman ploughs SUV into Bangkok police checkpoint
A 57 year old woman has ploughed her Toyota SUV into a police checkpoint in Bangkok’s Rat Burana district last night, injuring two officers and four motorcyclists. She was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. She couldn’t have chosen a worse target to crash her car into. The incident took place near the mouth of Soi Suksawat 35 around 11.30pm.…
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Is the new Suvarnabhumi T2 design copied?
by Phatarawadee Phataranawik The new Suvarnabhumi Airport, much-needed, T2 project has become embroiled in claims of plagiarism and dodgy tender processes. Renowned Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag’s winning “forest” design for Suvarnabhumi Airport’s new 35 billion baht passenger terminal is embroiled in a plagiarism controversy as well as added scepticism about the transparency of the design contest organised by Airports of Thailand…
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Traditional motorbike taxis vs Grab rival
The old will always try and block the inevitable progress of the news. And so it is with the newer Grab and Uber-stye transport services vs the ‘old guard’. The latest battle in the war between traditional motorcycle-taxis and the upstart Grab service ended with no one getting a ride. A Facebook user posting as “Enfant Tunglamae” live-broadcast the Thursday…
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Cute dogs and a friendly smile – recipe for a 15 year scam
3cars, a pistol, 55 cell phones, 10 credit/ATM electronic cards, 20 wristwatches, 55 brand-name bags, 18 ID cards/driver’s licences (of the victims), 18 pawn-shop tickets as well as over 100 items of jewellery! Cute pets, an engaging conversation, making new friends on the street – a perfect scam! A married couple, who reportedly used their pet dog as a distraction…
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