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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  • Vietnamese woman arrested in Bangkok for Songkran thefts

    Vietnamese woman arrested in Bangkok for Songkran thefts

    A 42 year old Vietnamese woman was apprehended in Bangkok for allegedly cutting open bags of people praying during Songkran festivities. The arrest, made today, April 13, at 2.30am, followed surveillance footage capturing the act. The operation involved multiple high-ranking police officers, including Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom. Nguyen, charged with theft and disguising herself to avoid detection, was arrested in…

  • Maha Songkran World Water Festival splashes on Bangkok

    Maha Songkran World Water Festival splashes on Bangkok

    The Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 kicked off with a vibrant atmosphere at Sanam Luang, Bangkok, drawing large crowds to enjoy the festivities. Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the event will run until Tuesday, April 15, 3pm to 11.30pm daily. The festival features various highlight zones, including the Giant Maha Songkran zone, where visitors can capture…

  • Bangkok building collapse death toll rises to 32

    Bangkok building collapse death toll rises to 32

    The ongoing rescue operation at the collapsed State Audit Office building in Bangkok revealed five additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 32. Suriyachai Raviwan, director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, reported that emergency services have been working tirelessly to locate the missing. Information indicated that the area with flashing light signals was under a beam tilted…

  • Thaksin hospitalisation ethics probe to conclude by May

    Thaksin hospitalisation ethics probe to conclude by May

    An ethics investigation into the doctors involved in the hospitalisation of Thaksin Shinawatra at Police General Hospital is progressing on schedule, according to the Medical Council of Thailand. Professor Doctor Prasit Watanapa, Vice President of the Medical Council, addressed the media yesterday, April 11, clarifying that there has been no delay in the proceedings. He noted that a subcommittee is…

  • Bangkok unites in mass prayer for quake victims

    Bangkok unites in mass prayer for quake victims

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt led a solemn Buddhist chanting ceremony today in memory of the victims of the devastating building collapse in Chatuchak district, which was triggered by the powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake near Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 28. The collapse of the under-construction SAO building on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road has left the city shaken. As of today, April 11,…

  • Trash for cash: Bangkok offers bin discount for food waste sorting

    Trash for cash: Bangkok offers bin discount for food waste sorting

    Throwing out your leftovers could now save you money! Bangkok’s new sort and save scheme is giving households a reason to separate their scraps, with discounts on the horizon and rubbish fees on the rise. Bangkok residents in six districts are being offered a financial incentive to sort their waste as part of a new food scrap recycling initiative launching…

  • Digging for hope: 4 more bodies found at Bangkok audit office ruins

    Digging for hope: 4 more bodies found at Bangkok audit office ruins

    Rescue workers uncovered four more bodies buried beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building in Bangkok, as desperate efforts to reach possible survivors ramped up. At noon today, April 11, the scene on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, Chatuchak, in the capital was a flurry of action, with officials deploying more than half a dozen backhoes to dig…

  • Thai girl left blind and disabled after overdose at Bangkok hospital

    Thai girl left blind and disabled after overdose at Bangkok hospital

    A nine year old Thai girl visited a hospital in Bangkok for treatment of diarrhoea but disaster struck when the medical team allegedly administered an overdose of medication, resulting in blindness and cerebral palsy (CP). Renowned lawyer Ananchai Chaiyadej shared details of the case on his Facebook account on April 9. He began his post by stating, “#WrongMedicineChangeLife. A doctor…

  • Bangkok ramps up Songkran safety with AI and ‘Five-No’ rule

    Bangkok ramps up Songkran safety with AI and ‘Five-No’ rule

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has extended an invitation to the public for Songkran celebrations on Silom and Khao San roads from tomorrow, April 12, to Monday, April 14, with assurances of safety measures implemented throughout the city. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has established thorough safety protocols for all Songkran venues, including entrance checkpoints and CCTV installations, to ensure public…

  • Thai military police probed for escorting alleged fraudster

    Thai military police probed for escorting alleged fraudster

    Two military police officers have been detained and are set to face disciplinary action for leading the motorcade of an alleged fraudster who purportedly claimed close connections with several political figures, stated Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. The officers, in uniform, were observed escorting Thanyatep Sirithapsadechakul, a 32 year old, who has recently been criticised for asserting ties with numerous political…

  • Glimmer of hope as phone light found in Bangkok quake rubble

    Glimmer of hope as phone light found in Bangkok quake rubble

    Phetkasem Foundation rescue team is hoping for a miracle after spotting what could be a survivor’s mobile phone light blinking deep beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building, two weeks after the deadly earthquake hit Thailand’s capital Bangkok. Rescuers from the Phetkasem Foundation reported a potential breakthrough in the search for survivors after detecting what they believe…

  • Pheu Thai pushes bill to repeal 23 NCPO orders

    Pheu Thai pushes bill to repeal 23 NCPO orders

    Pheu Thai Party list member of Parliament Chaturon Chaisang advocates for a bill to revoke 23 orders issued by the disbanded National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). This proposed legislation is set to be introduced in the forthcoming Parliamentary session. As the chairperson of the Parliamentary committee responsible for reviewing outdated NCPO directives, Chaturon provided an update on the…

  • Bangkok State Audit Office to be rebuilt but not on the deadly ruins

    Bangkok State Audit Office to be rebuilt but not on the deadly ruins

    The Deputy Auditor General has confirmed plans to push ahead with building a new State Audit Office but it will be moved away from the exact spot where tragedy struck when an unfinished government complex came crashing down during a powerful earthquake last month, killing 23 workers and trapping dozens more beneath the rubble. The Auditor General’s Office, still under…

  • 23 dead, 71 missing in Bangkok high-rise collapse

    23 dead, 71 missing in Bangkok high-rise collapse

    A heartbreaking vigil continues in Bangkok, where the father of a 17 year old girl has stood outside a collapsed high-rise for nearly two weeks — still hoping for a miracle. The death toll from the catastrophic collapse of a 30-storey building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district has climbed to 23, with 71 people still unaccounted for, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration…

  • Man arrested at Bangkok bus terminal with firearm in backpack

    Man arrested at Bangkok bus terminal with firearm in backpack

    Police arrested a 44 year old man after he was found carrying a firearm and ammunition in his backpack inside the Mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok. The incident unfolded at around 11am, yesterday, April 9, after security staff alerted police to a suspicious individual loitering near a metal detector. Police Colonel Sanong Saengmanee, Superintendent of Bang Sue Police Station, quickly…

  • Thai police arrest foreigners with illegal cannabis and ketamine

    Thai police arrest foreigners with illegal cannabis and ketamine

    Thai police successfully apprehended three foreign nationals accused of selling illegal processed cannabis and ketamine, seizing over 300 kilogrammes of evidence. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, and Police Major General Noppasil Poolasawat, Deputy Commander, yesterday, April 9, instructed Police Colonel Santi Kornkasem and the crime suppression officers to carry out the arrest. The suspects,…

  • Thai police seize 1.9 billion baht in e-cigarette crackdown

    Thai police seize 1.9 billion baht in e-cigarette crackdown

    In the past six months, a money-laundering crackdown has resulted in the seizure of over 1.9 billion baht and the arrest of more than 2,300 people involved in offences related to e-cigarettes and laughing gas. This information comes from the Royal Thai Police. Deputy national police chief Prachuap Wongsuk, who serves as the director of the Anti-Money Laundering Centre, recently…

  • Malaysian armed robber arrested in Bangkok after gold heist

    Malaysian armed robber arrested in Bangkok after gold heist

    A notorious on-the-run Malaysian armed robber who stole gold accessories worth over 6.9 million baht from a shop in the southern province of Songkhla was arrested at a Bangkok bus terminal. The Malaysian national, 61 year old Yee Boon Long, stole 57 gold items from the Thai Udom Gold store on Montri 1 Road in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province,…

  • Air India in hot water again after Bangkok in-flight pee incident

    Air India in hot water again after Bangkok in-flight pee incident

    Business class on an Air India flight to Bangkok turned into a piddle palace after a sozzled passenger allegedly whipped it out to pee on a fellow traveller mid-flight, despite the loos being in full working order. The Air India high-flyer is now being probed by police after taking the pee, literally, on a fellow business class passenger just before…

  • Thai commuters must register for 20-baht electric rail fare in August

    Thai commuters must register for 20-baht electric rail fare in August

    Big news for Bangkok commuters! Starting September 30, Thai residents will be able to travel on the electric rail system for just 20 baht per trip. But don’t expect to pay cash or get the discount if you’re a tourist—here’s what you need to know. Thai commuters in Bangkok and surrounding provinces will soon be able to enjoy a massive…

  • Earthquake assessment reveals 60 buildings closed in Bangkok

    Earthquake assessment reveals 60 buildings closed in Bangkok

    Over the past 12 days, the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning assessed 7,649 buildings affected by the recent earthquake that hit Bangkok. Of these, 7,200 are safe for use, 389 have moderate damage, and 60 have been closed due to significant structural issues. Today, April 9, the Department’s Damage Assessment Centre, in conjunction with engineering organisations and…

  • Night fire near Bangkok mall causes chaos and power cuts

    Night fire near Bangkok mall causes chaos and power cuts

    A significant fire incident late last night near a popular shopping mall in Bangkok, caused widespread panic among residents and led to traffic congestion. The fire, which broke out in a large transformer at the Saen Saep substation in Din Daeng district yesterday, April 8, was quickly addressed by local fire crews. Emergency services from the Huai Khwang fire station…

  • Burmese woman finds husband’s mistress after building collapse

    Burmese woman finds husband’s mistress after building collapse

    A heartbroken Burmese woman walked for four days from Myanmar to Bangkok in a desperate search for her missing husband and son, following the collapse of a government building, only to discover her husband’s secret relationship with a Thai mistress. Locals said the woman was left “stunned and speechless” after discovering her husband had secretly started a new life behind…

  • It was a glitch: AirAsia explains price hike on Songkran flights

    It was a glitch: AirAsia explains price hike on Songkran flights

    AirAsia has addressed the recent uproar over skyrocketing ticket prices on flights from Don International Mueang to Sakon Nakhon during the Songkran festival. AirAsia responded to concerns over unusually high ticket prices on its Don Mueang-Sakon Nakhon route during the Songkran period, explaining that the issue was caused by a temporary glitch in its ticket booking system. The airline has…

  • Luxury village theft ring busted, assets worth 5 million baht seized

    Luxury village theft ring busted, assets worth 5 million baht seized

    Four foreign nationals from Colombia and Peru were apprehended for orchestrating a theft ring targeting luxury villages without security guards, stealing assets worth 5 million baht. Police suspect an organised operation with possible accomplices behind the scenes. The arrest took place at 7pm yesterday, April 8 at the Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station. Police Lieutenant General Surapol Prembutra, Police Major…

  • Miracle rescue: Young girl pulled from deep sewer in Bangkok

    Miracle rescue: Young girl pulled from deep sewer in Bangkok

    A young girl is lucky to be alive after falling into a deep sewer near Soi Sahakarnpramoon in Bangkok. The dramatic rescue unfolded yesterday, April 8, as emergency teams rushed to save her from the perilous depths. At 5.49pm yesterday, emergency services received a distress call via hotline 199 reporting a girl trapped in a sewer near Soi Sahakarnpramoon, located…

  • Warning: Deadly mushrooms on the rise this rainy season

    Warning: Deadly mushrooms on the rise this rainy season

    Health officials in Thailand have issued an urgent warning about the lethal dangers of wild mushrooms, as the rainy season spurs their rapid growth across the country. With both edible and toxic varieties sprouting, officials urge the public to exercise extreme caution when foraging, as misidentification could result in deadly consequences. Thailand’s recent rainy season has caused an explosion of…

  • Fowl play: Bangkok woman ruffled by cyber cops in cockfighting bust

    Fowl play: Bangkok woman ruffled by cyber cops in cockfighting bust

    Thai cyber police arrested a 41 year old woman suspected of running an illegal online cockfighting gambling operation with daily transactions reaching hundreds of thousands of baht. The arrest followed an investigation and search at her residence in Sai Mai, Bangkok yesterday, April 8. According to Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiewphun of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, the operation was…

  • No grounds for panic: No coffee shortage or price hike, says DIT

    No grounds for panic: No coffee shortage or price hike, says DIT

    The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has confirmed that there will be no shortage or price increase for a well-known coffee brand, despite rumours to the contrary. They are closely monitoring the market, ensuring retail outlets display prices clearly, with penalties for non-compliance. Witthayakorn Maneenate, Director-General of the DIT, addressed concerns over rumours suggesting a temporary halt in the supply…

  • Bangkok’s Wat Arun nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status

    Bangkok’s Wat Arun nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status

    Thailand’s iconic Wat Arun temple is one step closer to global recognition, as the Cabinet has just approved its nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. The move highlights the temple’s rich architectural history and its significance to the Rattanakosin Kingdom. In a pivotal Cabinet meeting yesterday, Culture Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol announced that the Phra Prang of Wat Arun…