Bangkok News
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Political activist tries to derail Chadchart’s Governor election victory
A political activist is trying to derail Chadchart Sittipunt’s Bangkok Governor election victory. The 56 year old politician claimed a landslide victory in the first gubernational election held in the city since 2013, winning almost 52% of the vote. But, following a complaint by Srisuwan Janya, the Election Commission has postponed the endorsement of the election result until this afternoon…
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Demonstrators storm UN building to protest NPO law
Demonstrators swarmed around the United Nations Building to the Government House this morning to denounce a government bill on non-profit organizations. Hundreds of vociferous anti-NPO demonstrators avoided a number of barriers, including barbed wire on different sections of Ratchadamnoen Road leading to government house in Bangkok, but still managed to voice their opposition to a law that will affect the…
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Bangkok’s Bang Khun Tien district offers free sanitary pads to students
The Bang Khun Tien District Office, near the mouth of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, has given away 20,000 sanitary pads to female students in 16 public schools, in line with the policies promised by the incoming Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittphun. Last Sunday, the Director of the Bang Khun Tien District Office, Pongjakarin Thawonpong, told the media that the district office…
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Chadchart’s commitment to purging the metropolis of corruption
Newly elected governor Chadchart Sittipunt revealed he plans to stamp out corruption as part of his flagship “Bangkok’s Nine Good” policy. Corruption in Thailand has been a national issue for decades. The kingdom is ranked 110th out of 180 countries evaluated in Transparency International‘s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index. The index examines public sector corruption, countries whose public sectors are perceived to be…
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Thailand’s annual silk fair in Bangkok helps with ‘soft power’ scheme
The word ‘soft power’ has exploded into Thailand’s lexicon ever since young rapper ‘Milli’ promoted the country’s signature sticky rice and mango dish last month. In its soft power scheme, Thai authorities aim to promote the ‘5 Fs’ to the rest of the world. The 5 Fs are: food, films, fashion, fighting, and festivals. Now, Thai authorities say they will…
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Bangkok’s first ‘real’ Pride parade coming up June 5
Pride month is approaching cities across the globe, including Bangkok! On June 5, the city is expected to host its first ‘real’ pride parade. Feminist activist Siri “Tata” Nilphruek said at a press conference yesterday that in the past, Bangkok’s pride parades were just street demonstrations. But this year, the organisers hope to make pride parade “an imporant event on…
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Governor to drain the swamp with Bangkok’s criminal fraternity
Chadchart Sittipunt made over 200 pledges prior to his landslide election victory last Sunday with the economy, environment, and health, high on his list of priorities. And when the Bangkok governor-elect vowed to clean up the metropolis, he wasn’t kidding. The 56 year old’s four-year term as governor began in earnest this week and, his agreement to use criminals to…
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Taxi’s brakes fail causing 10 vehicle accident in Bangkok
A taxi driver’s brakes failed as he pulled up to a queue of traffic at a red light in Bangkok earlier today, causing a crash involving 10 vehicles. Four people are injured including a motorbike driver who is in a critical condition. Today, May 26, Pol. Col. Jeerasak Boonyuennan from Phaya Thai Police Station received a report of an accident…
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Former Thai PM issues death penalty warning to coup-makers
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last night fired a warning to the nation’s coup-makers that they could still face the death sentence in the future. Thaksin, who also turned his ire on current PM Prayut Chan-o-cha labelling him “a dictator” and someone “increasingly disconnected from reality,” says he hopes he will receive justice for the wrongs against him and punishment…
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Disability rights activist jailed for shaming a motorist parked in a disabled bay
A disability rights activist was jailed after posting a picture of a motorist occupying a parking spot reserved for disabled drivers and now faces up to two years in prison for libeling the man. Manit Intharapim uploaded a picture on his Facebook page of a Toyota Hilux Revo of what he thought was someone illegally occupying a disabled parking space…
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Former air force officer murders ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend in Bangkok
A former Royal Thai Air Force officer murdered his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend at a house in Ratchathewi district in Bangkok yesterday morning. The perpetrator broke into the couple’s home and shot dead 24 year old Fah and 25 year old Korakot before fleeing the house. Fah was shot twice in the head and body and Korakot was shot…
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Thai nurse arrested for conning the public out of millions of baht in flu vaccine scam
A Thai nurse has been arrested, accused of defrauding the public in a flu vaccine scam that netted millions of baht. According to media reports, 38-year-old Thonglim Jitpeng was arrested in the Bang Na district of Bangkok. She has denied the charges against her. According to reports, Thonglim ran a business selling hand sanitiser during the pandemic, which enabled her…
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Woman suffers burns as bus bursts into flames after brake failure
A woman suffered burns to her arm as passengers fled a blazing bus outside a busy shoppin mall yesterday evening. The airconditioned and gas-fuelled bus caught fire in Nonthaburi, northwest of Bangkok, due to a failed brake system which lead to it overheating, according to the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. Around 30 passengers fled the blaze but, unfortunately, one female…
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AirAsia plane lands on wrong runway in Bangkok
Today, Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority – or CAAT – reported a “serious incident” which took place earlier this month. On May 4, an AirAsia Airbus A320-200 landed on the wrong runway at Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport. The Thai AirAsia aircraft departed Ranong city at 12:43 and landed on Don Muang’s unassigned 21L runway at 13:36, instead of the 21R runway…
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Luxury Parliamentary Club open for Thai MPs with spa, karaoke and massage rooms
The recently opened Parliament House of Thailand will have a new luxury Parliamentary Club for House of Representatives MPs and Senators to relax, with a spa, massage, karaoke room, fitness, gyms, ballroom dance and other recreation activities. Yesterday, the Chairman of the Senate committee to Organise Activities for Social Benefit and Recreational Activities of the Senate, Peerasak Porchit, took Thai…
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Bryde’s whale found dead at Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thian coast
The death of bruised Bryde’s whale washed ashore at the Bang Khun Thian coast in Bangkok, near the mouth of the Chao Phraya river on Friday, still remains a mystery. Investigating officers spotted a bruise on the mammal’s belly but couldn’t conclude the cause of death. The owner of a nearby restaurant informed Thai media that local fishermen saw the…
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Landslide victory for elected Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt
Yesterday, Bangkok held its first governor election in eight years. Independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt won the vote by a landslide, gaining almost 1.4 million votes, breaking the record for the highest number of votes ever in a Bangkok gubernatorial election. Of the 4.36 million people eligible to vote in the election, a total of 2,635,283 people voted yesterday, or 60.48%.…
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Political fallout from the Bangkok governor election – OPINION
The winner of the Bangkok Governor election wouldn’t normally get so many headlines except that this election did, and there’s a few reasons why, and some take aways for everyone after the results became apparent yesterday. Really, the polls have been so clear on this election, the actual poll ended up a mere formality. Although the Election Commission has not…
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Alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok today until 6pm
There’s an alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok today. It will last until 6pm tonight. Alcohol sales will be banned in Pattaya and Bangkok due to the Pattaya mayoral election, and the Bangkok governor election. Polling for both is being held today. In Bangkok voting is across 50 districts where 31 candidates are vying for the position of Governor –…
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Bangkok virologist says Thais should stay calm over monkeypox
Amidst a recent global outbreak of monkeypox, which is usually only found in Africa, an acclaimed virologist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University is saying Thais should stay calm, or jai yen. Last week, a handful of European countries, the US and Australia, reported their first cases of monkeypox, a viral infection similar to smallpox. But the virologist, Dr. Yong Poovorowan, wrote…
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Alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok from 6pm Saturday
We know you just can’t get enough of Thailand’s alcohol bans, so here’s another one coming up tonight for you in Pattaya and Bangkok! From 6pm tonight (Saturday) until 6pm tomorrow night, alcohol sales will be banned in Pattaya and Bangkok due to the Pattaya mayoral election, and the Bangkok governor election, both of which are tomorrow. Those who break…
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Deputy PM demands officals to avoid being rude and offensive to residents
The Deputy PM, Wissanu Krea-Ngam, today demanded government officials to stop being rude and offensive to residents and avoid violating their privacy. Wissanu was speaking at the country’s first ever national forum, Better Thailand Open Dialogue, to openly share constructive ideas leading to a better Thailand. The deputy PM acknowledged the government system has changed in the modern era and…
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UPDATE: Bangkok governor candidates answer Russell Crowe’s questions on TV
UPDATE: Bangkok governor candidates answer Russell Crowe’s questions on Thai TV Russell Crowe’s pre-recorded questions for Bangkok governor candidates were streamed on Channel 7HD’s live programme “22 May: Deciding Bangkok’s Fate” this afternoon, prior to the election coming up this Sunday. Crowe asked the questions in English, and three Bangkok governor candidates answered in Thai. Each candidate was given 2…
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Thai man injured in turbulence demands airline to take responsibility
A Thai man demands an airline to take responsibility for injuries that he said were caused by turbulence during a flight from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok yesterday evening. He said his lower back and coccyx were in “agony,” but when he expressed the wish to go to hospital, he was allegedly told to pay for the expenses himself. The…
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Bangkok University to stream classes by Bill Clinton, Natalie Portman, Gordon Ramsay
Bangkok University is the first in the world to collaborate with MasterClass to provide over 150 streamed online classes by internationally renowned celebrities and experts in various fields. The university hopes the unconventional learning style will inspire students to develop their own skills, foster their creativity, improve their performance and set them up for success. Students will get the chance…
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Alcohol sales ban planned for Pattaya and Bangkok elections
Following Thailand’s alcohol ban for the Buddhist holiday of Visakha Bucha Day, Pattaya and Bangkok dwellers can prepare for yet another alcohol ban coming just a week later! The upcoming alcohol sales ban will begin on Saturday, May 21, at 6pm, and last for 24 hours until Sunday, May 22, at 6pm. The ban is in light of Pattaya’s Mayoral…
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Foreigner claims Bangkok taxi driver overcharged on a Thai holy day
A Reddit user has posted about an experience of using a Taxi service in Bangkok… “Bangkok Scam on Vesak Day” (the Visakha Bucha Day Buddhist holiday). The user claimed the driver overcharged him and asked for a toll fee for the highway even though the toll was waived on the day. On Monday the aggrieved passenger posted pictures of the…
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Health and safety a priority as kids return to Bangkok schools after two turbulent years
The Thailand Ministry of Education yesterday allowed schools to reopen their doors for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the nation in 2020 in line with the government’s transition to living with Covid as an endemic disease. Some children celebrated their return to school in style in Tak province, northern Thailand, taxied in by elephants, as reported in…
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Russell Crowe to question Bangkok governor candidates live on TV
On Thursday May 19, Russell Crowe and six other celebrities will ask questions to seven Bangkok governor candidates live on TV prior to the election which will be held on Sunday, May 22. From 4:15pm – 6pm on Thursday, Channel 7HD will air the live programme “22 May: Deciding Bangkok’s Fate” hosted by Tin Chokkamolkij. Seven Bangkok governor candidates will…
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Newest and widest Chao Phraya cable-stayed bridge to open in 2022
The Expressway Authority of Thailand has provided an update on the development of the newest and widest Chao Phraya cable-stayed bridge, saying the new bridge is expected to open for use sometime later this year. The department would ask HM King Vachiralongkorn to officiate at the opening and provide his auspicious name to the bridge, Rama 10. EXAT says that…
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