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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Former massage parlour boss arrested on sex trafficking charges after 5 years on the run
A massage parlour boss has been arrested on charges of sex trafficking and child prostitution, after evading police for 5 years. Nation Thailand reports that 63 year old Prasert Sukkhee, the former owner of the Nataree massage parlour, was arrested by anti-people trafficking officers in the Bangkok Noi district of the capital. The case against Prasert dates back to 2016,…
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Widespread flooding easing across affected provinces
Officials say the widespread flooding that has affected Bangkok and several other provinces is showing signs of easing. However, there are already forecasts of another storm that could affect Thailand from next week. AP News reports that so far, 8 people have been killed by the floods, with 1 woman still missing. Thousands of homes have been affected, across 32…
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Taxi hailing apps legalised, fares from 40 baht, 10,000 in Bangkok
Taxi hailing apps, with fares starting at 40 baht, have now been officially approved for use in Thailand, having received the sign off by Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob. The new ruling allows companies to apply for permissions to operate using mobile apps, subject to a 30-day trial period. The Minister expects 10,000 taxis of up to 7 passenger capacity…
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American man arrested over alleged rape of massuese, attack of young girl
A 37 year old man was taken into custody, accused of brutally beating and raping a masseuse as well as assaulting and attempting to rape a 12 year old girl in an attack shortly after. The man, who was originally suspected to be Australian, has now been identified only as an American named ‘Robert’. He was arrested today on Soi…
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Police arrest man believed to have shot teenager at protest
In Kanchanaburi province, police have arrested a suspect that they believe may have shot a 15 year old boy during protests in front of the Din Daeng Police Station in August. The shooting caused huge controversy with many accusing the police of using live ammunition and firing into the crowd of protesters. Police have always maintained that they used only…
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Police arrest protesters yesterday including naked woman
Anti-government protests have escalated in recent weeks and have begun to resemble a Hollywood movie, full of conflict and drama and explosions, and now… nudity? Among the arrests and charges of protesters stemming from yesterday’s demonstrations at Nang Lerng intersection orchestrated by the Talufah group, police say one woman faces charges of indecent exposure for stripping naked in protest. The…
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Bangkok braces for flooding, 70,000 homes damaged in Thailand
With nearly 70,000 homes now reported flooded across 30 provinces in Thailand, authorities are bracing and preparing Bangkok for flooding. Tropical Storm Dianmu has pounded Thailand with heavy rains and 6 people have been reported to have lost their lives in the widespread flooding across the Northern and Central provinces. The Thai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reports that the…
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Central Thailand told to prepare for possible flooding
Officials from Bangkok and the nearby provinces of Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani are being told to prepare for possible flooding, following the Royal Irrigation Department’s decision to accelerate the discharge rate of water from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat in expectation of more rain. Thanakorn Tantikul, director of the Ayutthaya irrigation projects says the move was made to…
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Partitions to be added to 3,000 taxis to fight Covid-19
A pilot project is underway, launched by the Department of Land Transport, to install 3,000 partitions in taxis for Covid-19 safety throughout the month of October. The Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob stated they hope the move instils confidence in hired transportation services and increases public safety against the spread of Covid-19. The acrylic partitions will be installed in taxies…
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Bang Sue Station begins 150k vaccine booster shots tomorrow
Bang Sue Grand Station will begin the rollout of Thailand’s booster shot program, a third vaccine to bolster the effectiveness of those that received 2 Sinovac vaccines previously. The director of the Bang Sue central vaccination centre confirmed the rollout will begin at 11 am tomorrow. The first round of injections will be for 150,000 people who initially were vaccinated…
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5 police kiosks set on fire in Bangkok, no injuries reported
At least 5 police kiosks were set ablaze early this morning in Bangkok. The Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the fires. Police discovered the kiosks had been set on fire sometime during last night’s curfew. The Central Police Forensic Division sent teams to the various kiosks, which had already had their fires put out…
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Officials say Bangkok could re-open from November 1, if 70% are vaccinated
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has indicated that Bangkok could re-open to international tourism from November 1, provided 70% of the population are fully vaccinated. The Bangkok Post reports that this is the first time the CCSA has used the November 1 date when discussing the re-opening of the capital. The original date given by the tourism ministry for…
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Governor says Bangkok will only re-open when safe to do so
The governor of Bangkok says 3 criteria need to be met before the capital can re-open, in order to protect the health and safety of residents. Aswin Kwanmuang says while Bangkok is anxious to re-open and reboot its economy, it can only do so when it’s safe. This means the re-opening could be pushed out to mid-November, according to a…
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Bangkok residents warned of flooding risk as torrential rain forecast this week
The Meteorological Department has warned of the risk of flooding in Bangkok as a result of torrential rainfall forecast for this week. The capital has been experiencing wet weather for 3 weeks in a row now, meaning the water level in eastern Bangkok canals is already high. Bangkok governor, Aswin Kwanmuang, says water pumps need to be deployed to drain…
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Unemployed Bangkok chef arrested after allegedly trying to sell rare butterflies to undercover agents
An out of work Thai chef was arrested for allegedly trying to sell 8 preserved butterflies, all of which are rare species, to undercover officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation at a shopping centre in Bangkok. The unidentified 29 year old unemployed chef, who previously worked at a Japanese restaurant in a Sukhumvit hotel, allegedly…
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Bangkok Governor: NO reopening October 15 despite PM plans
As any well-informed reader of the news in Thailand knows, Bangkok will definitely be reopening on October 1. Also, it won’t be. It will be pushed back 2 weeks to October 15, the definitive date of Bangkok’s reopening for sure. Or… not. The Governor of Bangkok avowed today that despite the national government’s ever-changing and lofty plans, Bangkok will NOT…
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Re-opening of Bangkok pushed back 2 weeks to reach 70% vaccination goal
Following a meeting between the Bangkok governor and the tourism minister, officials have decided to delay the re-opening of the capital by 2 weeks. Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says the capital’s re-opening will be pushed back to October 15, as most residents are still waiting for their second vaccination. Currently, just 37% of residents are fully vaccinated. The Bangkok Post…
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Bangkok police arrest 12 year old and others at Din Daeng intersection for violating curfew
Bangkok police continue to wield the merciless hammer of law and order. They brought it down last night on a 12 year old, arresting the child for allegedly violating curfew at the Din Daeng intersection. The minor was riding his bike to observe a protest, says a group of lawyers and activists. At least 11 other people were also arrested.…
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Police claim that officer didn’t commit a hit and run, admit the driver hit someone and left
The Metropolitan Police Bureau is claiming that the officer who allegedly plowed his truck through a group of pro-democracy protesters over the weekend did not commit a hit and run. 1 protester was injured as a result of the incident. Pol Lt Gen Phukphong Phongpetra concedes that a prisoner transport vehicle was involved in the incident but claims that it…
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Police say Din Daeng protests will end by next month
The daily protests at the Din Daeng intersection will end by October, says the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau. The police did not specify how the protests would end. The daily demonstrations have been held since last month. They have been organised by locals, who call themselves “ThaluGas”, as well as protests by Ratsadorn Taliban, and Ramkhamhaeng for Democracy. There have…
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Police arrest 78 protesters, bystanders, medics and minors
Last night, protesters and crowd control police met at Din Daeng in a heated confrontation that resulted in 78 people being arrested including bystanders, volunteer medics, and even underage people. Those who were taken into custody were held in several different police facilities, and the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights observed and reported on the arrests. They said 20 people…
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Study shows 99.7% of Bangkok wearing masks properly
While anti-mask sentiment can seem widespread and popular on social media, a new survey shows that, in Bangkok at least, almost 100% of people are wearing their masks. The surprising “AI Mask” project by the Ministry of Higher Education Science Research and Innovation found that 99.7% of Bangkok residents were not only wearing their masks but wearing them correctly. The…
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Police launch mobile Covid-19 testing for officers and families
Considered high-risk for contracting Covid-19 due to their frequent close interaction with the public, the Royal Thai Police launched a proactive screening campaign for officers and their family members to be tested for Covid-19. Mobile testing units have been dispatched from police headquarters to provide antigen tests to stations, starting with Bangkok. The national police force has created 10 mobile…
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“Dark red” zone curfew, other rules remain until the end of the month
The nightly curfew for the 29 provinces classified as “dark red” zones for high Covid-19 infection rates will remain in place, at least until the end of the month. Those in Bangkok and other “dark red” provinces must stay home from 9pm to 4am, unless travel is essential. In a Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting today chaired by PM Prayut…
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Vulnerable Bangkok students to receive Pfizer vaccines later this month
Adolescents, notably vulnerable students, in Bangkok will receive Pfizer vaccines later this month. The students, between the ages of 12 and 18, should get their vaccine at Navamindradhiraj University starting September 21, said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration yesterday. The eligible students, who’ve been assessed by a doctor, must provide proof of having a disability, illness, or a chronic condition. The…
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Protesters at Bangkok’s Asok intersection call on PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign
Protesters gathered at Bangkok’s Asok interaction yesterday, calling on PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign. For the past year, pro-democracy groups have been pushing for the prime minister to step down, but with the latest wave of Covid-19 surpassing more than 1 million infections, along with a limited supply of vaccines, protesters now say Prayut should resign due to mismanagement during…
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New project aims to mass test vulnerable populations in Bangkok neighbourhood
A new project, involving mass-testing for Covid, is being launched to help look after the homeless and other vulnerable people in Phra Nakhon, a district in Bangkok. The project, “Klong Lod Covid-free”, was started by a group of civil society organisations that are working with the government. The project gets its name from Klong Lod in the Phra Nakhon district.…
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More protests planned for Bangkok today as activists continue fight to remove PM
Anti-government protesters are planning another “car mob” rally in Bangkok today, as they continue their bid to remove the Thai PM from office. The Bangkok Post reports that yesterday, Red Shirt activist Nattawut Saikuar addressed a rally at the Asoke intersection in the capital, vowing to lead a bigger protest from the Ratchaprasong intersection to Asoke today. According to the…
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Department stores follow strict Covid-19 safety to remain open
In Bangkok and other dark red provinces across Thailand, department stores have finally been allowed to reopen and it seems that many are bending over backwards to follow Covid-19 safety measures in an attempt to assure they remain open. Department stores have been closed or severely restricted for months due to the Emergency decree and protective measures the government has…
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The future of Covid vaccine ‘passports’ in access to services | VIDEO
Tim Newton speaks to Bangkok lawyer Benjamin Hart from Integrity Legal (link below). Ben is concerned at recent mutterings from the Thai government which may have insisted on proof of covid vaccines for any number of services, from simply eating to domestic travel. There is currently an instance on proof of vaccines for any provincial travel in Thailand in and…
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