Bangkok News
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UPDATE: Riot police deploy water cannons and tear gas at protest outside Parliament
Police in riot gear and gas masks used high pressure water cannons and tear gas against pro-democracy protesters who attempted to remove a 3 layer concrete barricade set up to block passage to the Thai Parliament building in Bangkok. A police officer confirmed with the reporters on site that the water was laced with tear gas. Photos shared in social…
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Women’s rights activists gather at pro-democracy rallies to raise awareness about sexual harassment
While hundreds and thousands gather at pro-democracy protests to call on government, constitutional and monarchy reform, Thai women’s rights activists attending the Bangkok rallies are raising awareness about sexual harassment and rape. The activists say they want to end the “victim blaming” culture where women are said to bring harassment and even rape upon themselves by dressing a certain way.…
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Bangkok police urge drivers, pedestrians, to avoid Parliament area ahead of today’s protest
Police in Bangkok say motorists and pedestrians should steer clear of routes around the Parliament today or risk heavy congestion and road closures. The advice comes ahead of a planned rally in the capital, as Parliament begins a 2 day session to vote on draft charter amendments. Already this morning there has been a protest from Royalist groups, clad in…
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‘Mob Fest’ wraps up the Democracy Monument and turns backs on Thai King and Queen
In a peaceful but controversial gesture, protesters yesterday turned their backs on the royal motorcade as it carried the Thai King and Queen to the opening of a new railway line. As their backs were facing the passing cars, the mostly young Thai protesters raised their hands with the 3 finger salute and sang the Thai national anthem. The symbolic…
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Bank robber arrested after CCTV captures him counting money metres from the scene
A man accused of robbing a branch of the Thai Military Bank in Bangkok has been arrested after CCTV showed him counting the money just 300 metres from the scene of the crime. The Pattaya News reports that 35 year old Kanchanok Srisawat is accused of robbing 416,000 baht from the bank in the Vacharaphon area of the capital on…
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Protesters advise police of plan for today’s Bangkok rally, several routes affected
The pro-democracy group, “Bad Students”, has formally submitted details of today’s rally to officers at Chanasongkram Police Station in Bangkok. Posting on its Facebook page, the group says it has advised police of its plans to assemble in front of the Education Ministry on Ratchadamnoen Road at 1pm today, before marching to the Democracy Monument. There, the group will join…
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Pork dyed with pig blood sold as expensive beef in Bangkok
Eaten at a barbecue restaurant in Bangkok? There’s a slight chance the beef may have actually been pork. Apparently, local meat suppliers steeped pork in pig blood to give it that red meat colour and sold it to Bangkok eateries as expensive beef, according to Thailand’s Department of Livestock. Meat and cattle carcasses were seized from a home in Nakhon…
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Who are these Thai student protesters, and what are they protesting about?
What’s behind all the protests in Thailand right now? What are the protesters demanding? Who are they? Since August, an organic – mostly young Thais – political movement has been building. It’s different from every other protest movement in the past. The people attending the rallies don’t really align themselves, or identify with, the past political factions. They’re not red…
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Student protesters to repeat calls for PM’s resignation at Bangkok rally tomorrow
A group of student activists going by the name, “Bad Students”, have confirmed plans for tomorrow’s anti-government protest in Bangkok, where they will once again call for the PM’s resignation. The pro-democracy activists will assemble outside the Ministry of Education building, before marching to the Democracy Monument. It’s understood the protesters will reiterate their 3 key demands: the resignation of…
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Flights grounded, Thai Airways pilot becomes Grab driver
Some pilots are spending more time on the ground these days due to the pandemic-induced travel restrictions. One Thai Airways pilot is using his time away from the air to get to know the traffic on the ground as a Grab driver. “The sky is closed,” pilot Mahesak Wongpa wrote on Facebook in a post sharing his story about becoming a…
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Police to deploy more female officers ahead of Saturday’s rally in Bangkok
Police in Bangkok say they plan to deploy more female officers to assist with crowd-control measures ahead of Saturday’s planned rally in the capital. The Royal Thai Police says most of those gathering at the Democracy Monument and the Education Ministry are expected to be students. RTP spokesman Yingyos Thepjamnong says that, while protesters have a right to voice their…
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Monks prohibited from participating in political protests
Monks and novices are banned from joining political protests and urgent notifications have been sent to temples advising them that monks could be expelled for participating. As the pro-democracy movement continues, some monks have already been seen at rallies calling on government and monarchy reformation as well as a rewrite of the 2017 Constitution. The National Office of Buddhism director…
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Bangkok motorbike taxi driver allegedly stabs another driver to death
A Bangkok motorbike taxi driver allegedly stabbed and killed another driver during an argument. Although the women picked up passengers from different areas, they often clashed. Motorbike taxi driver Thongthae Janmun is facing charges of intent to murder. The women got in a dispute yesterday. The victim slapped Thongthae on the head, then Thongthae allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed…
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PTT pays millions in compensation after Samut Prakan gas pipeline explosion
The Thai petrol company PTT paid millions of baht in compensation to those affected by the Samut Prakan natural gas pipeline explosion last month which killed 3 people and injured more 60 people. The explosion at an industrial estate in the Bang Bo district killed 3 people, including 2 elderly women, and severely injured 10 people. Another 21 people were…
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Bangkok woman allegedly stabs boyfriend to death
A Bangkok woman is facing charges for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend to death. 32 year old dental nurse, Thai media reports as Pemika, was found unconscious next to her boyfriend’s body. Police found 37 year old Prawet, an owner of a restaurant, stabbed to death at a Bangkok condominium. Prawet’s family believes the alleged attack was premeditated. According to Thai…
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1 killed, another severely injured in motorcycle collision in Bangkok
A person was killed and another severely injured in a motorcycle collision today in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district. The motorcycles collided while driving around a curve. One of the bikes flipped and exploded. Photos show the bike engulfed in flames. 32 year old Thanatthakorn Chareaonsuk was found dead at the scene. 25 year old Kritsada Wanpen was severely injured and broke…
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Sarasas teachers sentenced to jail for child abuse, parents want 120 million baht in damages
Parents of children allegedly abused by teachers at the Sarasas Witaed Ratchapruek school in Nonthaburi, a suburb outside Bangkok, are seeking compensation. A lawyer representing the parents made a post on Facebook saying that a group of 20 parents are seeking more than 120 million baht in damages. The parents have a meeting with the attorney general today, according to…
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Bangkok’s Chinatown to get a new look
Bangkok’s Chinatown is getting a makeover. A noticeable change will be to the food carts lining the main strip, Yaowarat Road, which are usually packed tightly along the street. In the revitalisation plan starting early next year, the food carts will be “more ordered” and “harmonised,” according to deputy governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul. “After January, people will see a noticeable change…
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Bangkok man arrested for selling e-cigarettes and vape liquid
Police raided a home in Bangkok, seizing 70 electronic cigarettes as well as refill liquid and other related products. While the products are legal in many countries, vape pens and e-cigarettes sales are illegal in Thailand. Police say the alleged dealer, 35 year old Chalitpon Saardrup, sold the e-cigarettes and vaping liquid through Facebook and used a private delivery service…
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Bangkok nightclub has special booth to vet and upcharge foreigners
A Bangkok nightclub has set up what resembles an immigration counter outside the venue to check foreigners’ IDs and make them pay up before entering. At BarBarBar in Thong Lor, Thais get in free, but foreigners are asked to step aside to the booth and either pay 500 baht or buy a bottle of alcohol before entering the venue. Bouncers…
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Protesters face water cannons as they deliver thousands of letters to HM the King – VIDEO
Police turned the water cannons on thousands of protesters again as they marched to the Grand Palace to symbolically deliver hand-written letters to the Thai King. Thai media reports the crowd numbers were up to 10,000 – 12,000. Police say the crowd was around 7,000. The protesters were again demanding the resignation of the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, a new…
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3 protesters injured as police turn on the water cannons again at last night’s protest
For a second time Thai police have turned their high pressure water cannons on protesters. This evening police aimed the water cannon at the anti-government protesters in an effort to stop them from continuing their march to the Royal Household Bureau at the Grand Palace. 3 protesters were injured in the exchange and were taken to hospital in an ambulance.…
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Police lockdown Royal Plaza as 9,000 police are deployed for today’s anti-establishment protest
Police have blocked access to the Royal Plaza in an effort to second guess protesters’ plans to march to the Royal Plaza this afternoon. Protesters announced this afternoon’s rally, scheduled to start at 4pm, with a proposed march to an unannounced location. Police have suspected it would ether be Sanam Luang, adjacent to the Grand Palace, the Royal Plaza, or…
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Bangkok Pride Parade demands reforms and rights for sex workers
The Thai LGBT community was joined by anti-government protesters in yesterday’s Pride Parade in Bangkok, which travelled from Sam Yan intersection to Silom. The parade took on a more political tone this year and was calling for democracy and equal rights, amid the usual demands for the resignation of Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and reforms to the role of the…
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Police say they’re well prepared for this afternoon’s anti-government protest
An anti-government rally is planned for today, scheduled to start around 4pm. Police say they have taken steps to ensure that no laws are broken and that the rally remains peaceful. Some 15 companies of what are reported to be crowd control police will be deployed at the Royal Plaza. Rally organisers have already foreshadowed they intend to march to an…
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Police brace for large anti-government rally at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument on Sunday
A protest rally planned for the Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Avenue tomorrow afternoon is shaping up to be the largest gathering up to date. Since July, anti-government rallies have been building, in number and frequency, with a consistent list of demands outlined in a 10 point manifesto. These, broadly, call for the resignation of Thailand’s PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, the dissolution…
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Alleged robber drops ID card while running off with 110,000 baht in gold
An alleged gold shop robber dropped his Thai identification card as he ran off with 2 gold necklaces worth more than 110,000 baht. The suspect, a food delivery driver, allegedly stole the jewelry from a gold store at a Tesco Lotus in Bangkok’s Phattanakarn district. Shop employees say a man wearing a hat and face mask asked to see 2…
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New rules at Bangkok police checkpoints after bribe complaints
Police at Bangkok’s Thong Lor station have set up what they say is a “new style” of checkpoints in response to complaints saying drivers were forced to pay police officers. Along with new rules to prevent corruption and bribery, the officers also need to be “polite.” The Thong Lor police station has accumulated a reputation over recent decades. It was…
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“We love them all the same” – His Majesty comments about the Thai protesters
In a rare moment, and certainly the first time commenting about the current political unrest, His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn has described Thailand as “the land of compromise”. The comment came in response from a question by Jonathan Miller, a correspondent of British broadcaster Channel 4, who was part of an audience of international media invited to sit among a crowd of royalist…
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2 protest leaders re-arrested while recuperating in hospital
3 protest leaders are recovering in hospital following skirmishes outside the Bangkok Remand Prison during their release on Friday night. 2 of the 3, Panupong Jadnok and Parit Chiwarak have been re-arrested, while still recovering at Praram 9 Hospital in Bangkok. Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul is also being treated at the hospital and it’s understood police are seeking a court order to…
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