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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Anutin tells Khao San Road operators to forego Songkran water-splashing events
Business operators on Bangkok’s Khao San Road have been told they should forget about holding water-splashing events this Songkran. So says Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, ahead of a meeting of Bangkok’s communicable disease control committee today. This looks set to be the third Songkran in a row during which water splashing is banned, with the government ever-wary of triggering…
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IKEA to open another store in Bangkok’s Phrom Phong area
Last week, IKEA, the famous Swedish furniture company, announced is set to open another store in Bangkok’s Phrom Phong in the Emsphere, Emporium and Emquatier shopping district. The IKEA complex is still under construction and there is no announcement on the planned opening date. This will be their fourth location in Thailand alongside Mega Bangna, Central Westgate, IKEA Phuket. Mega…
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Prayut pushes pre-Songkran Covid boosters, 6 walk-in centres open in Bangkok
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is encouraging people to get vaccinated against Covid-19 prior to the Songkran festival next month, according to a spokesperson. Many Thais will visit their families during the Songkran, which is the Thai New Year celebrated from April 13 to 15, and officials worry the gatherings could cause a spike in Covid-19 cases. The Public Health Ministry has…
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Oil tanker explosion on Chao Phraya River kills 1 crew member, injures 3
An explosion on an oil tanker on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok has killed 1 crew member and injured 3. According to a Thai PBS World report, the explosion occurred yesterday afternoon at the Bangchak depot in the district of Phra Khanong. The Ampar 8 Bangkok, which was carrying around 3 million litres of crude oil, was mooring when…
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BMA and CCSA will meet Monday, decide on Songkran water splashing in Bangkok
Thailand’s CCSA and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will meet on Monday to decide (again) if Bangkokians can splash water during Songkran. This news comes after officials announced last week that Songkran will be dry, for both alcohol and water splashing, for the third year in a row. That week, Thai officials said only traditional Songkran activities would be allowed. This…
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Officials debate Bangkok’s Sanam Luang public park
Thai officials are debating how much access the public should have to Sanam Luang, the historic public square in front of Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha. After a governor candidate running under the Move Forward Party advocated removing fences around Sanam Luang, another official has defended keeping them and restricting access to the ‘public’ park. The…
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Two southern men accused of killing police officer arrested in Bangkok
Police arrested two southern men in Bangkok today who are accused of killing a police officer. The two men are the prime suspects in the fatal shooting of a sergeant major in southern Phattalung province earlier this month. A police lieutenant general said the suspects were also linked to other cases involving drugs and attempted murder. The two men allegedly…
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Bangkok man arrested for allegedly luring boys into porn, believed to be part of ring
Today, police arrested a Bangkok man they believe is involved in a child pornography ring. The arrest was part of a raid in four spots today, which are Bangkok, Ang Thong, Chaiyaphum and Kanchanaburi. A police major general said police started investigating the ring when a child pornography suspect was arrested in the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom in February.…
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To splash or not to splash? Bangkok mulls Songkran parties on Khao San Road, after tourism industry rebuke
Fret not, splash happy expats. The tourism industry is fighting for your right to a Songkran water fight. Now the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is mulling whether to allow Songkran water splashing festivities to be held on Khao San Road, after the CCSA’s unpopular announcement banning water splashing activities for a third consecutive year sparked much backlash from local businesses last…
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Petrol station attendant in Bangkok loses leg after being hit by another car while servicing
A petrol station attendant in Bangkok had to get his leg amputated after a car slammed into him and another car while he was filling up the gas. A driver, who had little experience behind the wheel, lost control of her new car, crashing into another car and the attendant. She had just bought the car that day and Thai…
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Criminal Court acquits 6 over 2015 Bangkok terror plot, cites lack of evidence
Thailand’s Criminal Court acquitted six people yesterday over a Bangkok terrorism plot in 2015. The court cited a lack of evidence. The former suspects allegedly hired someone to bomb several spots including Lumpini Park, Chatuchak MRT station, and the Criminal Court. The person they allegedly hired didn’t go through with the attacks, according to prosecutors. The charges included running an…
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Talk of opening a casino in Bangkok with relaxed entry rules for foreigners
The future of casinos in Thailand might be marketed toward foreign tourists. A government committee discussing the legalisation of gambling, which has been long practised by Thais behind closed doors, are discussing the possibility of opening the first casino in Bangkok and then expanding to open casinos in other tourist destinations. Officials are considering making entry rules far more strict…
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Bangkok instant noodle shop draws thousands of teens
A Bangkok instant noodle shop that opened in October last year has drawn thousands of teenagers since its opening. The shop, called Good Noodle, is stocked with noodles from Indonesia, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Good Noodle doesn’t just sell noodles, though. It also allows customers to to prepare their meals and eat there, even though the noodles…
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Motorcycle event organisers apologise for allowing father to carry baby during big bike test drive
Organisers from a recent motorcycle event are apologising for allowing a man to test drive a big bike while his baby was still in a carrier strapped to his back. An official from the event said people were allowed to test drive the big bikes on the track, but no one noticed the man was carrying a baby. The official…
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Police order shutdown of 3 go-go bars, nightclubs in Bangkok’s Thonburi
Police are shutting down three bars for five years in the Thonburi area of Bangkok without much explanation. The three “satan borikan,” or “service places” (a Thai genteelism for prostitution venues) have been closed down for committing offences that violate Thailand’s “Entertainment Act” of 1966 and a government order from 2015. New Jazz, Lan-Lao and Poseidon Pub in Thonburi committed…
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Top Bangkok virologist compares not getting vaccinated to “walking into traffic”
In a Facebook post yesterday, Thailand’s most renowned virologist compared remaining unvaccinated from Covid-19 to walking into speeding Bangkok traffic. He commented on how elderly Thais have had reservations about being vaccinated, even though they are a high-risk group. “… like inviting an accident by stepping off the pavement into the busy traffic on Silom Road.” The virologist, Yong Poovorawan,…
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Burger chain closes its doors in Thailand, for good
Carl’s Jr. is planning to close all 6 of their locations in Thailand by the end of March. The local owners of the burger chain, R&R Restaurant Group, says they are no longer able to carry the losses and costs of operating the fast food chain. The chain first opened in Thailand in 2012 with its first store in Pattaya in…
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Young homeless man in Bangkok reunited with family after TikTok video goes viral
A young homeless man in Bangkok was reunited with his family after a motorbike taxi driver shared a video of the man on social media. The driver said the homeless man in the capital’s Asoke area was “handsome, just like a Chinese leading actor.” The video went viral on Thai social media, reaching the man’s family. His father travelled to…
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Bangkok governor may quit next week as he prepares to seek a second term
The governor of Bangkok may soon step down as he prepares to run for a second term. According to a Bangkok Post source, Aswin Kwanmuang is likely to resign as early as next week as his team work on his re-election campaign. It’s understood Aswin and his advisers met earlier this week to complete the incumbent’s registration. Bangkok residents go…
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Bar raided in Bangkok’s Nana, woman arrested for alleged child sex trafficking
Police raided a bar in Bangkok’s Nana area and found that at least three teenage girls were offering sexual services. Two are 15 years old, another is 14. A woman at the bar was arrested on child sex trafficking charges. Officers raided 789 Bar on Sukhumvit Soi 7 in the Nana area, a redlight district is known for its go-go…
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Esteemed Thai monk dies at the age of 85 after cancer battle
One of the most revered monks in the kingdom has died at the age of 85. The Bangkok Post reports that Somdet Phra Wannarat, who was abbot of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, a major Buddhist temple in Bangkok, died yesterday after losing his battle with gall bladder cancer. He had served as abbot at the temple since 2015. According to the…
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Fire breaks out at luxury hotel in Bangkok, no injuries reported
A fire broke out at the 18-storey luxury hotel in Bangkok early this morning. There were no reports of deaths and injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but firefighters say it may have started at a pile of trash outside the hotel and moved up the electricity pole to the wires connected to the eighth floor…
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Bangkok football player sacked after elbow strike to opponent
A Bangkok Football Club player was sacked after he left his opponent needing 24 stitches after an elbow strike to the face, knocking him to the ground during a Thai League 3 match on Sunday afternoon. The referee sent Aitesaret Noichaiboon off immediately and the club proceeded to terminate his contract. Bangkok FC were losing 3-0 against North Bangkok University…
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Bangkok eases alcohol restrictions, large events and shopping centres allowed to serve booze
Bangkok is loosening its rules on alcohol sales. Starting today, shopping centres and event venues can serve alcoholic beverages until 11pm, according to a document signed yesterday by Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang. The venues serving beer, wine, and cocktails will also need to be certified through SHA+ and Thai Stop Covid 2 Plus, which are both safety and health standards…
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Successful young writer dies after balcony plunge, allegedly over Tangmo rumours
The Tangmo saga has had far reaching consequences, beyond a drowning mystery of a Thai TV star that has sparked Thai social media into a frenzy. Now a 20 year old has died from injuries sustained on March 3 when he fell from a balcony at a condo in Lat Phrao. Pattarathida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong drowned in the Chao Phraya on February…
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Tangmo’s mum demands second autopsy, visits police in Bangkok
The mother of deceased actress ‘Tangmo’ is demanding a second autopsy on her daughter’s body by the Justice Ministry’s Central Institute of Forensic science. The mother, Panida Sirayuthyothin, went with a lawyer to the First Region Provincial Police Bureau in Bangkok yesterday to make her demand. Panida’s lawyer says Panida is suspicious about wounds on Tangmo’s body. While a forensic…
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Son of national police figure hits and kills Pakistani refugee with Porsche, Bangkok
The son of a former national police chief has allegedly struck and killed a Pakistani refugee whilst driving his Porsche, driving in Bangkok. The driver, 29 year old Pornmet, reported to police after he was treated for head and face injuries. He admitted that he carelessly changed lanes suddenly while driving near Thaksin Bridge at around 1am yesterday morning. A…
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Four Afghan women win scholarships to Bangkok university
Despite living under the Taliban’s grip, four Afghan women have won scholarships to study at Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok. The women were chosen based on their academic records, and determination to promote women’s participation in Afghan society. The executive director of the Thai Pipe Industry told the Bangkok Post the women will be role models and mentors to…
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Tangmo’s fans to rally “for justice” today in Bangkok
A crowd of fans of Thai actress “Tangmo”, who died last month under suspicious circumstances, will rally today in front of Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok. The rally will begin at 10am today (Saturday) at the police headquarters on Rama I Road. Tangmo’s fans claim the investigation into her death is not transparent. While a forensic doctor who examined…
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Health officials hurry to mail medicine to over 3,500 Bangkok Covid-19 patients
After over 3,500 Covid-19 patients in the Bangkok area couldn’t access home health services, health officials are rushing to mail them Favipiravir. The secretary-general of the National Health Security Office said it would take about five days for patients to receive the anti-viral drug in the mail, if their symptoms are not serious. The NHSO has been overwhelmed by the…
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