Bangkok News
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Bars are closed in Bangkok… but not on Khao San Road
The Thai government says bars are closed, and will be until mid-January, but if you look hard enough you’ll find many are open… and packed. Over the weekend, the entrance to Bangkok’s notorious Khao San Road was blocked with a Covid-19 checkpoint. To get on the street to party, people needed to show proof of vaccination or test negative for…
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2 anti-government protesters shot in Bangkok as German embassy accepts letter from activists
At least 2 anti-government protesters were shot during yesterday’s rally in Bangkok, which culminated with activists delivering a letter to the German Embassy. (Some reports in Thai media say 3 protesters were shot.) Protest leader Thatchapong Kaedam said the letter informed the embassy of a recent Constitutional Court verdict that ruled that 3 activists were guilty of plotting to overthrow…
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Protesters march to German embassy, present statement against monarchy
Today saw a large and intense pro-democracy demonstration that culminated in a march to the German embassy where protesters submitted a statement against absolute monarchy. When they arrived, 3 representatives of the protesters were allowed to enter the embassy and officially present the declaration which stated that they were calling for a protection of democracy and an opposition to a…
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Hospital in Bangkok catches fire, no injuries reported
A fire broke out at Mongkutwattana Hospital in Bangkok yesterday morning, though it appears everyone was evacuated and no one was harmed. The hospital, on Chaeng Wattana Road in the Laksi district of northern Bangkok, was reported to have gone up in flames around 7 am yesterday. Thai media published photos of crowds outside the hospital in what appears to…
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Flooding in Bangkok, Samut Prakan along Chao Phraya river during high tide
Bangkok residents who live near the Chao Phraya river are being warned to watch out for rising water levels after the river overflowed in areas in Bangkok and the neighbouring province Samut Prakan. The water is expected to rise this evening and tomorrow morning. Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang visited a road in Samphanthawong district today where there was heavy flooding…
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Wat Po and the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine win SHA+ certification
Wat Po and the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine now join the thousands of hotels and restaurants that can proudly display their SHA+ logos. The two famous Bangkok landmarks have been granted SHA+ certification that assures visitors that all Covid-19 health and safety regulations are being strictly followed. The Deputy Governor for the domestic market at the Tourism Authority of Thailand…
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Nonthaburi man arrested with stolen women’s underwear
In the Bangkok suburb of Nonthaburi, a local man has been apprehended by police for stealing women’s underwear, telling police that the 39 pairs that he had stolen he would wear himself. The 37-year old man was arrested on a warrant for burglary. The man admitted to a string of thefts at night in a housing estate in Nonthaburi called…
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Police bust counterfeiters selling fake US $100 bills on Facebook
A police raid led to uncovering an alleged counterfeiting ring that is suspected of producing 50,000 fake American banknotes in the Bangkok suburb of Nakhon Pathom. The criminal masterminds were discovered by police as they attempted the move the counterfeit bills in a not so sneaky way: advertising them for sale on Facebook. Police opened an investigation on the operation…
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Bangkok Governor warns of stiff penalty for Loy Krathong fireworks
The celebration of the national holiday Loy Krathong is coming up on November 19, but Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang warns people to avoid the sale and use of fireworks, firecrackers and lanterns this year. The holiday is a modern take on a tradition dating to the 13th-century Sukhothai kingdom where people launch little boats called Krathong on waterways as a…
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Thailand ranks ninth on Global Climate Risk Index for “extreme weather events”
When it rains, it pours in Thailand… and torrential downpours during the country’s monsoon season is known to cause severe flooding, damaging property and leading to injuries, sometimes deaths. The weather in Thailand is considered so intense that the country is ranked ninth on the Global Climate Risk Index 2021 on nations most affected by “extreme weather events” between 2010…
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Bang Sue Station offers teenagers vaccination this week
Walk-in vaccination is available for teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18 to receive a Pfizer vaccine at the Central Vaccination Centre at Bang Sue Grand Station. The program opened yesterday and will operate until November 10, administering first vaccines to any teenagers from 12 to 18 years old. There are few restrictions on the vaccine drive, welcoming Thai…
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Bangkok landmarks like Wat Po are not seeing many tourists
The doors are open, flights are landing, international tourists are finally allowed back in the country as of Monday. But popular tourist attractions like Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew are so far not seeing an increase in foreign visitors. The temple complex by the Grand Palace that holds such national treasures as the Reclining Buddha and the Emerald Buddha…
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Bangkok governor says no to extending alcohol sales to 11pm
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang is refusing to budge on the law that bans restaurant alcohol sales after 9pm, at least for now. He was responding to a call from Thanakorn Kuptajit of the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association, who has called for sales to be extended to 11pm. According to a Bangkok Post report, Thanakorn believes allowing eateries to sell…
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Bangkok hospital director summoned for allegedly smuggling Favipiravir
The Bangkok hospital director who allegedly smuggled hundreds of boxes of Favipiravir antiviral pills, which are used to treat Covid-19, has been summoned by police. Last week, officers seized 390 boxes of Favipiravir and arrested nine people who were allegedly involved in selling the pills on social media at five times higher than the standard price. Officers from the Consumer…
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Bangkok officials push hospitality sector to get health and safety certificates
With the country reopening and Bangkok lifting restrictions, city officials are pushing for businesses in the hospitality industry to apply for Safety and Health Administration (SHA) certificates. The move, which is part of a project by tourism and health officials, is intended to boost safety confidence among tourists, according to the Bangkok Post. Another key detail… restaurants in Bangkok with…
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Protesters rally in Bangkok, call for lèse majesté law to be abolished
Pro-democracy activists gathered in Bangkok yesterday, demanding an end to Thailand’s strict lèse majesté law. The law, officially section 112 of the Criminal Code, prohibits criticising, defaming, or otherwise insulting the monarchy. The authorities have used the law on numerous occasions to levy charges against anti-government protesters, many of whom are now behind bars. Thai PBS World reports that yesterday’s…
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Reopening Monday: AoT ready for 30k at Suvarnabhumi Airport
With the November 1 reopening just around the corner, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is gearing up and expects to see 30,000 passenger arrivals on Monday for the first day of reopening. The Airports of Thailand say that they are ready at all 6 of their international airports for the arrival of international tourists again. Current Suvarnabhumi air traffic data shows a…
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Teenager shot at August protest in Bangkok dies after months in a coma
The teenager who was shot in the neck at a protest outside Bangkok’s Din Daeng police station back in August died. According to the Bangkok Post, Amnesty International Thailand confirmed that the 15 year old died yesterday morning after being in a coma for several months. There have been several violent clashes at Din Daeng intersection involving young anti-government protesters…
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Bangkok public transport back to normal capacity on Monday
Bangkok’s BTS, BRT and Gold Line public transport systems will resume normal operating hours from Monday alongside the government’s move to reopen Thailand’s international borders and lift the nightly curfew in the capital. According to Nation Thailand, Bangkok Mass Transit System director Surapong Laoha-Unya said the resumption of regular services comes with all employees having been fully vaccinated and required…
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Khao San Road expects very slow recovery, even after reopening
Though it’s technically a long, flat stretch, the recovery for Bangkok’s backpacker tourist hub of Khao San Road will be a steep uphill battle. While the government plans the November 1 reopening, entertainment venues, clubs and bars that are a mainstay on the previously vibrant, cacophony of a strip are unlikely to reopen then, and businesses along the infamous road…
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Private sector expresses fear over Covid surge if alcohol ban lifted in Bangkok
Some members of the private sector have expressed concern about a spike in Bangkok’s infections if the alcohol ban is lifted from December, as planned. According to a Bangkok Post report, the TAT is expecting 300,000 visitors to Bangkok during the last 2 months of the year. This has prompted some to voice concern about the Covid-19 risks, particularly if…
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Woman who cut safety rope of workers offers feeble excuse
People have been shocked with the continuing story of workers doing repairs on the outside of a condo building in Nonthaburi on October 12 when their safety ropes were cut, leaving them dangling 26 floors above the street below until they were luckily rescued. Now the woman who stands accused of cutting the rope of the workers has allegedly confessed…
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Police bust Bangkok pub serving alcohol, 61 arrested
After receiving complaints that alcohol was being illegally served in violation of Covid-19 restrictions, Thong Lo Police raided a pub serving alcohol illegally on Soi Sukhumvit 23 in the Wattana district of Bangkok. The raid that took place last night led to the arrest of 61 guests found drinking alcohol without social distancing. 35 women and 26 males were taken…
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Russell Crowe bids Bangkok goodbye after much-praised tweets
Hollywood movie star Russell Crowe has been causing a sensation among Thai social media, first visiting and praising the Phuket Sandbox, and later travelling around Bangkok. Now his much-celebrated trip is coming to an end as he posts a goodbye message to Bangkok on Twitter. Crowe first got attention as he arrived in Phuket on September 18 to do his…
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Chulalongkorn students drop royal parade on grounds it promotes “authoritarianism”
The Student Union of Chulalongkorn University has controversially ditched its tradition of holding a royal parade ahead of its annual football match with Thammasat University. The decision to scrap the Phra Kiew parade, which students say promotes authoritarianism and inequality, has sparked fierce debate between Thailand’s progressive thinkers and its traditional conservatives. The Chulalongkorn student body has issued a statement…
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Thai man takes grandfather hostage in Bangkok standoff
A 70 year old Thai grandfather was taken hostage by his 35 year old grandson in a Bangkok hotel leading to a standoff that ended when police tased the man. The incident took place in the Charoen Krung area of Bang Rak in the capital city. The grandson had recently been released from prison one month prior after serving a…
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Bangkok’s 2 airports prepared to welcome international travellers
As the November 1 reopening nears, Bangkok’s two airports are finalizing their plans on how to welcome and process international travellers for the first time since Covid-19 closed the borders. Suvarnabhumi Airport and the secondary Don Mueang International Airport, which traditionally caters to budget airlines and short-haul flights, are adopting an arrival style similar to that in place for the…
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Woman arrested for alleged social media accounts hack scam
A 21 year old Thai woman was arrested by the Economic Crime Division for fraud, accused of hacking Facebook and Line accounts. The woman was arrested at Nornee Apartment building in Minburi in northern Bangkok after an arrest warrant was issued. Police from the Economic Crime Division took the woman into custody at her apartment, accused of gaining access to…
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Fire at Samut Prakan shoe factory rages for 3 hours
Fires raged at Watana Footwear, a large shoe factory in Samut Prakan which caught fire and burned for 3 hours causing an estimated 100 million baht of damage. The blaze took place last night around 9 pm on King Keaw Road in Bang Plee, Samut Prakan, a sub-province of Bangkok. Two people were reported injured in the incident. Bang Keaw…
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Bangkok authorities and hotels prepare for returning travellers
Bangkok authorities and hotels are gearing up to welcome back international tourists on November 1, setting up swab hubs and preparing for an influx of travellers. The Tourism Authority of Thailand said they will set up testing stations outside the airport and are strategising to avoid congestion and bottlenecking as international travellers arrive into Thailand. The plan is instead to…
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