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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BMA introduces proper pavement stops for motorcycle taxis in Bangkok
As Bangkok becomes busier, limited space for motorcycle taxi stands is becoming a critical problem with many of the crews taking up road space or spreading themselves randomly out around public pavement areas. The boys in the orange vests provide an important part of the Bangkok public transport mix but the BMA were getting many complaints. Now the BMA (Bangkok…
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Police looking for Burmese driver after two alleged hit-and-runs in Pathum Thani
Police say they’re searching for a hit-and-run SUV driver, believed to be Burmese, who allegedly killed two people in separate incidents only 500 metres apart in Pathum Thani’s Klong Luang district. The incident happened in the early hours this morning. The first victim was identified as 40 year old Prasit Kladkhemphet from Chanthaburi. He was hit after he parked his pickup…
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Saudi teen seeks asylum as Australian foreign minister visits Thailand – Thaiger Bites
Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne is in Bangkok today after the Australian Government says it would consider giving asylum to the 18 year old Saudi woman who fled to Thailand from Kuwait, saying she feared her family, which she accused of abuse. Reuters reports that Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun refused to meet her father and brother, who arrived in Bangkok yesterday…
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Foreign man crushed under Bangkok bus in apparent suicide
“The man was wearing a T-shirt and shorts and had no identification documents.” A western man, at this stage unidentified, was hit and killed by a bus in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. Police say it appears it was a suicide. Police say the man was hit by the bus on Phra Sumen Road in front of Wat Borworniwet. The man…
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Saudi woman refuses to meet her father
PHOTO: Immigration chief Surachate Hakparn and other senior immigration police officers meet Saudi Arabia’s charge d’affaires in Bangkok. The 18 year old Saudi young woman who fled her family in Saudi Arabia has refused to meet her father. The father, who flew in today and is taking the evening flight back to Riyadh, met with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) officials…
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Truck pulls down electric poll, damaging cars in Bangkok
A truck carrying an excavator accidentally pulled down an electricity pole in Bangkok this morning (Wednesday). The Nation reports that the truck , with an excavator loaded on its tray, got tangled on above-ground wires causing them to fall on top of the truck as well as two parked cars nearby. The accident, where no one was injured, disrupted electricity…
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Saudi: Time to update 40 year old immigration laws – Surachete
by Suriya Patatayo Immigration Chief Surachate Hakparn says he planned to update immigration laws that have been in force for at least 40 years. He says the Thai immigration police bureau are poised to issue a warning to Kuwait Airways for allowing Saudi teen Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun to board a flight to Bangkok, although they claim she had insufficient travel…
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Australian minister says Saudi teen will get “very serious consideration”: Thaiger Bite
The Australian Government has given its strongest hint yet that the 18 year old Saudi woman in Bangkok would be granted humanitarian asylum. This is despite efforts by Riyadh and her family to force her return home. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun has documented her bid to flee her allegedly abusive family with minute-by-minute Twitter updates, intensifying the global spotlight on Saudi…
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UPDATE: Saudi embassy in Bangkok distances itself from al-Qunun story
“Al-Qunun says she doesn’t want to meet with her father or brother.” The Thai immigration police chief yesterday met with Saudi Embassy officials in Bangkok as Saudi Arabia tried to distance itself from accusations that it tried to block a young woman trying to flee her family and seek asylum in Australia. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport from…
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Man shoots self at Bangkok bus stop. Sends message to friend and daughter.
PHOTO: The Nation The Min Buri police station was alerted to an apparent suicide at 3am today at a bus stop in Bangkok’s Bang Chan district. A man had shot himself at the Bangkok bus stop after sending Line messages to his friend and daughter. Police say 50 year old Pramote Iam-aram, a local factory worker, died inside the bus…
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UPDATE: Father and brother traveling to Thailand to speak to Saudi 18 year old
The father and brother of a the Saudi 18 year old, whose plea for asylum is making international headlines, are travelling to Thailand later today to give their accounts to the UN refugee agency, the Thai Immigration police chief said on Tuesday. But Immigration Chief, Surachet Hakparn says, if they wished to speak to Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, who ran away…
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Saudi woman remains under UN care in Thailand
From VOA News reporters Thai authorities say a young Saudi woman, stopped in Thailand as she tried to flee to Australia to seek asylum, has now left the Suvarnabhumi Airport and is under the care of the local UN refugee agency. “She is under the care of the UNHCR now but we also sent Thai security to help take care…
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Allegedly negligent bus driver fined 5,000 baht, six dead get 30K compensation
Daily news has reported on the aftermath of a tour bus that crashed in Pathum Thani over the weekend. Pathum Thani is the province neighboring Bangkok to the west. As relatives of the six dead came to collect the bodies of their loved ones at Thammasat Chalermprakiat Hospital news arrived that the Department of Land Transport was likely to fine…
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Saudi teenager allowed to stay in Thailand, for now
A Saudi teenager who flew to Thailand to escape her family in Kuwait will be allowed to stay in the country for now. Thai officials ended up in diplomatic hot water yesterday after government officials initially said they planned to deport a Saudi teenager who was stopped in Bangkok, en route to Australia to seek asylum, drawing objections from the…
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UPDATE: Standoff at Suvarnabhumi – Thai Immigration reverse decision
Speaking at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport where Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun is refusing to board a flight back to her family that she fled in Saudi Arabi, Lt. Gen. Surachate Hakparn says now that Thailand has reversed it’s thinking on the matter and will not deport her against her will. “If deporting would result in her death we definitely won’t do…
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UPDATE: Saudi teen barricades herself in Bangkok airport room to avoid deportation
PHOTO: Sophie McNeill A detained Saudi 18 year old Rahaf Mohhammed al-Qunun remains barricaded in her room at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. She has locked herself in her room to avoid being deported, as earlier today as she was supposed to leave on a 11.15 am flight back to Kuwait this morning. Now she refuses to leave her room until…
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Saudi teen fleeing family abuse seeking asylum in Australia, detained in Bangkok airport.
PHOTO: Sophie McNeill (Twitter) A young Saudi woman is being held at Bangkok’s main international airport after she fled from her family and attempted to make it to Australia. The girl, 18 year old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, was on a family holiday in Kuwait when she decided to run away. She was on her way to Australia but has been…
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Six people, including a baby, killed in Pathum Thani bus accident
Six people, including a five month old baby, have died after their double-decker bus went out of control on a slippery road in Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok. The bus overturned and ended up in a ditch early today. 50 other people have been injured in the incident. Polcie from the Khlong Luang precinct received a call at 3.30am. Officers and emergency…
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Taxis are leading concern for tourists visiting Thailand
Tourist police say that Taxi’s continue to be one of the most pressing issues for tourists visiting Thailand. In 2018, 12,679 taxi drivers were arrested by police, of which 5,668 drivers refused to pick up passengers, compared to 1,681 last year. 3,408 drivers refused to use their fare meter, compared to 255 last year and 1,659 who were overcharging, where…
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English teacher arrested after inner city organic marijuana farm raid
A 46 year old English language teacher has been arrested for allegedly operating an organic marijuana farm and selling the produce online. He was arrested today after a raid on a four level building in Bangkok’s Phayathai inner city district. Police say that on the third floor of the building, officers found five litres of cannabis oil, 50 plastic pots…
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“Don’t go to Thailand” – another Chinese social media firestorm
PHOTO: Thai Rath Thai Rath is reporting that officials from the Tourist Assistance Centre have made a visit to the female Chinese blogger who lost her left arm in a road accident on the way from Bangkok to Koh Chang. The story has produced another firestorm of criticism in Chinese social media with headlines like “Don’t go to Thailand”. The…
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Happy New Year Thailand!
PHOTO: The Nation The Amazing Thailand Countdown 2019 was held at the new riverside shopping hub Iconsiam last night as a “New Year present” for Thais and tourists. It was a joint venture between the capital’s newest luxury shopping mall and the TAT. Large countdown crowds and fireworks kicked off 2019 at dozens of venues around Thailand, and a bright…
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National death toll rises to 236 – Day Four in the “seven dangerous days”
A total of 236 people have killed and 2,265 others injured in 2,194 road accidents after number were released for the first four days of the New Year holiday period’s “seven dangerous days”. The tally includes deaths and injuries from last Thursday up to Sunday night. Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima had the highest cumulative fatalities of 12 deaths each,…
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New Year weather around Thailand
It might be the middle of the annual high season but the ‘high season’ weather isn’t co-operating. Although generally fine weather has been the trend in the past few days there are a few unseasonal fronts coming to different parts of the country, according to the Thai Meteorological Department. In the central/southern provinces, including around Hua Hun and Gulf islands…
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Thai authorities visit airports following reports of thefts and food overpricing
PHOTO: King Power With over 3 million people expected to pass through Thailand’s airports during the new year, authorities are focused on ensuring safe and ‘fair’ travel conditions. A report by Channel 3 tv news says Thailand ombudsman, General Withawat Ratchatanan and airport authorities were seen inspecting Suvarnabhumi airport. The number of CCTV cameras at the airport has been increased…
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Ice-cream promotion ‘For Thai Customers Only’ – Huh?!
PHOTO: Thai Visa An ice cream company outlet in the new Icon Siam mall on the banks of the Chao Phraya in Bangkok, has received backlash after a ‘locals’ promotion was misunderstood by staff resulting in a ‘50% off For Thai Customers only’ sign which sparked great criticism on social media. Stick House (specialising in Italian gelato on a stick) …
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Buddhist blessings ring in the new year for ASEAN
by Phatarawadee Phataranawik With Thailand chairing ASEAN throughout 2019, the Culture Ministry is fostering unity among the bloc’s 10 members by bringing to Bangkok relics and statues of the Buddha from around Asia to be ritually blessed. “Thailand is for the first time hosting this grand annual New Year blessing ceremony,” said Kittiphan Phansuwan, director of the ministry’s Religious Affairs…
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Hundreds of diseased cats & dogs living in Bangkok animal shelter
PHOTOS: Watchdog Thailand Animal rights group Watchdog Thailand have shared photos of dismaying condition in Bangkok’s Prawet animal shelter. The images and video show diseased and distressed animals crammed into metal cages, with the few healthy ones living in small dens. Khaosod English is reporting that ‘Watchdogs Thailand’ say that around 400 cats and dogs have died in their two weeks…
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Thailand shopping for Russian helicopters
PHOTO: forceindia.net Thailand has shown interest in Russian helicopter brand Ansat and their Mi171A2 and Ka-32 models, the CEO of the holding company Helicopters of Russia, Andrei Boginsky, told Russian news agency TASS yesterday. “As far as Thailand is concerned, the helicopters Ansat and Mi-171A2 have aroused great interest. Thailand’s police are interested in purchasing Ansats. Also, there has been…
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NACC wearing backlash on social media over Prawit luxury watch case
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is finding itself in the hot seat after it cleared Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon of wrongdoing in the luxury watch scandal, ruling by a majority vote that he did not make a false asset declaration. The Bangkok Post reports that the NACC secretary-general Worawit Sookboon said the commission ruled 5:3 there were no grounds to accusations…
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