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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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Jirayu Houngsub to become new Thailand govt spokesperson
Jirayu Houngsub, previously a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, is on course to become the new government spokesperson next week. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra appointed Jirayu as her public relations adviser yesterday while his credentials are further scrutinised. The screening process for political appointees intensified due to a surge in ethics-related complaints. The Pheu Thai Party and PM Paetongtarn are…
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Green Day announces first Thailand concert in 14 years
Green Day fans are in for a treat as the legendary post-punk rock band announced a concert in Thailand after a 14-year hiatus. Scheduled for February 12, 2025, the event will take place at Impact Arena, Mueang Thong Thani, and is organised by Live Nation Tero. The announcement, made yesterday, September 16, has thrilled rock enthusiasts across the country. Green…
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Two Bangkok districts to become pedestrian paradise
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is shaking things up with a plan to transform the eastern districts of Phra Khanong and Bang Na into a pedestrian’s dream. In a move that will have locals leaving their cars at home, the new zones will encourage walking, running, and biking as part of a healthier, greener lifestyle. Deputy Bangkok Governor Tavida Kamolvej…
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Wired up: Jobless man arrested for stealing 208 metres of copper in Bangkok
Police arrested a man suspected of stealing copper wire totalling over 208 metres from the Ong Ang canal in Bangkok, valued at more than 180,000 baht. The suspect claimed he resorted to theft after losing his job. Police Major General Samart Promchat, Deputy Police Major General Narit Pratthanaporn, and Police Colonel Pawat Watsupattra from the Phra Ratchawang Police Station yesterday,…
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Ex-British PM Tony Blair joins Bangkok’s AI revolution
In a high-stakes meeting at Bangkok City Hall, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair sat down with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) could revolutionise public management. The duo’s discussions centred on one burning question: Can AI make Bangkok a more liveable city? Blair, executive chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), shared…
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Police quickly nab suspects in Bang Phli market burglary
Police in Bang Phli swiftly arrested two suspects less than 24 hours after a late-night burglary at a local market office. The suspects, 18 year old Anuwat, and 42 year old Natthapimon, were apprehended with stolen gold and cash worth nearly 1 million baht. Today, September 17, Police Colonel Pairoj Phetploy and Investigation Chief Santirat Ngernmun, along with a team…
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Ruling party loyalist set to chair Bank of Thailand amid rate dispute
A ruling party loyalist and critic of the central bank governor is set to be nominated as the chair of the Bank of Thailand (BoT), as the government seeks to assert influence over the institution amid ongoing disputes over interest rates. The Pheu Thai Party-led government plans to back 66 year old former deputy premier and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na…
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Less than 40 million Thais expected to join digital wallet scheme
The Government of Thailand anticipates fewer than 40 million participants in its flagship digital wallet handout scheme, with the initial phase set to benefit 14.5 million vulnerable individuals starting yesterday, according to a Finance Ministry official. Under this stimulus programme, the government plans to distribute 450 billion baht to 45 million people, with each registered participant receiving 10,000 baht to…
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Spirit sale: Haunted bed gives netizens ghost bumps in Bangkok
A Facebook user today posted a spine-tingling advert in a second-hand furniture group, offering a “spirit-confining wooden bed” for a mere 500 baht. The bed in question, an unassuming three-foot wooden frame, is allegedly haunted, though it no longer contains the talisman that previously kept any restless spirits in check. Describing the bed as fully functional and in good condition,…
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Samyan Smart City buries cables to enhance energy solutions
The Samyan Smart City project in central Bangkok is advancing, with significant efforts focused on relocating overhead power and communication cables underground, according to the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA). Last month, overhead cables along Chulalongkorn Soi 12 leading to Banthat Thong Road, and near the King Rama VI Monument close to Lumpini Park, were removed. This initiative aims to eliminate…
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Thailand’s plan to ‘track’ down train costs with 20 baht fare cap
The Government of Thailand is considering taking over seven electric train lines, worth around 500 billion baht, to fulfil a campaign promise from the Pheu Thai Party to cap fares at a mere 20 baht per route. Finance Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit revealed that the Finance Ministry has been approached by the Transport Ministry, through the State Enterprise Policy Office,…
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Chinese men arrested for using remote jammer to steal from cars
Police apprehended two Chinese nationals accused of using a remote jammer to unlock newly parked cars and steal valuables from them. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) detained 38 year old Zhangjin, and 31 year old Zhenghong, at a rest area on the Bangkok-Chon Buri Motorway in Bang Pakong district, on Saturday, September 14. Police caught the pair attempting to open…
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Maldivian gangsters nabbed in Bangkok for overstaying visas
Thai police arrested three Maldivian nationals linked to a notorious gang, wanted for attempted murder, and overstaying their visas. The men were captured in Bangkok following a high-stakes operation on Ramkhamhaeng Road. Police Major General Phantana Nuchanart, Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, led the press conference yesterday, September 13, revealing details of the bust. The suspects, all members of…
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Opposition calls for Pheu Thai’s pledged 600-baht minimum wage
The opposition urged the implementation of the Pheu Thai Party’s promised 600-baht minimum wage while criticising the government’s labour policy for a perceived lack of initiatives to enhance labour skills. Sia Jampathong, an MP from the People’s Party, highlighted these concerns during yesterday’s final day of a joint Parliament sitting. He noted that labour policy was conspicuously absent from the…
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Thai defence minister appoints ex-RTA expert as secretary
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai appointed General Trisak Indararusmi, a former expert with the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and a former classmate of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as his secretary. This appointment precedes Phumtham’s official commencement at the ministry, set for Monday. Gen. Trisak, an alumnus of Class 10 from the armed forces preparatory school, is expected to bring significant experience…
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People’s Party urges urgent rewrite of 2017 constitution
The opposition People’s Party (PP) called on the government to prioritise the rewrite of the 2017 constitution as an urgent policy. The party, formerly known as the Move Forward Party, expressed doubts about the promised changes, citing the minimal mention and low priority given to the charter rewrite in the government’s recent policy statement. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, PP leader, criticised the…
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Thai woman falls from Nonthaburi bridge and lands on car below
A Thai woman was riding her motorcycle at high speed on the Rama IV Bridge in Nonthaburi province, Bangkok, when she reportedly crashed into the edge of the bridge and fell onto the bonnet of a sedan below. The owner of the sedan, 23 year old Naphat Sookmak, visited Pak Kret Police Station yesterday afternoon, September 12, to report the shocking…
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Crane collapses in Bangkok, injuring motorcyclist
A crane unexpectedly toppled in Thonburi, injuring a motorcyclist who was passing by. The incident left one person injured. It is suspected that the crane’s collapse was due to soil subsidence. Police are urgently investigating the cause. A crane collapsed at around 2pm yesterday, September 12, at a construction site for an underground railway near Soi Taksin 9/3 on Somdet…
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Fallen tree crushes cars on Banthat Thong Road in Bangkok storm (video)
A large tree fell on Banthat Thong Road, crushing parked cars during a heavy storm. CCTV footage captured the dramatic incident, which occurred yesterday evening. Strong winds and rain swept through multiple areas of Bangkok, causing significant disruptions. A powerful storm hit several parts of Bangkok yesterday evening, September 12, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. In the Pathumwan district,…
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Scammers arrested in Bangkok for conning elderly woman
Thai police arrested a group involved in a romance scam targeting an elderly woman. The scammer, posing as a discharged soldier from Yemen, promised to transfer her US dollars but asked if she could pay currency tax on the money first, leading to the victim losing 23,000 baht. Police Major General Theeradej Thammasuthee, along with his team, yesterday, September 12, ordered…
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Thailand’s economy to see 2.5% growth in 2024, EIC forecasts
Thailand is projected to experience a soft economic landing next year, according to the Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre (SCB EIC). The research centre has maintained its 2024 economic growth forecast for Thailand at 2.5% but has downgraded its 2025 outlook to 2.6%, down from previous forecasts of 2.9 to 3%. EIC chief economist Somprawin Manprasert explained that the downward…
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PM Paetongtarn unveils 10 policies on economic and social welfare
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra delivered the government’s policy statement to Parliament yesterday, outlining 10 urgent policies to address pressing national issues. The policies cover a broad spectrum of areas, with a focus on economic stability, social welfare, and national development. The government intends to undertake comprehensive debt restructuring, focusing particularly on housing and auto loans. Both formal and informal…
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AI scandal: PPRP slams fake Prawit leadership ambition audio clip
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) vehemently denied the authenticity of an explosive audio clip, which allegedly features its leader, General Prawit Wongsuwan expressing his desire to lead the country. The party insists the clip is an AI-generated fake. The controversial recording was aired on the popular programme Inside Thailand, alongside three other voice clips supposedly involving Prawit. In the first…
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Tanzanian conman busted in Thai Immigration sting
A Tanzanian national who posed as an influential figure in Thailand has been caught red-handed in an illegal business operation by immigration officers after attempting to boost his image by snapping photos with VIPs and foreign dignitaries. Thai Immigration Police led by Police Colonel Kajaphon Pathamang and the Thonburi Task Force arrested Mohamed, a 41 year old Tanzanian national, along…
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Bangkok’s 14 billion baht bailout for BTS debt moves forward
Bangkok is scrambling to settle a colossal 14-billion-baht debt to the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC). The Bangkok Council has taken a crucial step, setting up a special committee to scrutinise a draft ordinance allowing the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to access emergency funds. Council president Surajit Pongsingwitthaya convened an extraordinary meeting today, putting the spotlight on the hefty repayment…
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Langham’s latest hotel to transform Bangkok’s Customs House
Langham Hospitality Group is set to turn heads in Bangkok with its latest luxury venture, The Langham, Customs House, Bangkok. Set in the vibrant Bang Rak district, this glamorous new hotel will breathe new life into the city’s iconic Customs House, perched along the Chao Phraya River. At the heart of this project is the magnificent 1888-built Customs House, a…
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Massage parlour scandal sparks Thai Highways Department probe
The Thai Highways Department is scrambling to investigate claims that Wirtgen Thailand Ltd, a subsidiary of John Deere’s parent company, made improper payments to its officials and the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). The shocking allegations suggest that massage parlours, cash, and luxury trips were used to sweeten government deals. Director-General Sarawut Songsivilai announced yesterday, September 11, that he has…
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Pheu Thai MP urged to face trial over 2004 Tak Bai massacre
A list MP from the ruling Pheu Thai Party is under pressure to relinquish his parliamentary immunity and face trial over the 2004 Tak Bai massacre, with the statute of limitations set to expire in 44 days. Parliament convened yesterday, September 11, to discuss whether to allow General Pisal Wattanawongkiri, former Army Region 4 Commander and Pheu Thai Party list…
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Thai Transport ministry to upgrade 29 piers with billion-baht budget
The Thai Ministry of Transport has initiated a comprehensive plan to upgrade 29 piers across the nation into Smart Piers with a budget of 1.214 billion baht. This initiative aims to enhance tourism and support the efficient transport of goods and passengers. Under the directive of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, the Ministry of Transport is…
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Thai police arrest tuk tuk driver for tourist scam and fake plates
Thai police apprehended a tuk tuk driver accused of using fake license plates and absconding with over US$1,200 (40,500 baht) of a foreign tourist’s money and belongings. The arrest occurred following a detailed investigation, highlighting the challenges of tracking the suspect. Police, led by Police Major General Samart Promchat, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 6, arrested 66 year old Boonlert,…
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