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.
-
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....
-
Police dogs bring paws of comfort after SAO building collapse
Police dogs were introduced to provide emotional support to families affected by the Office of the Auditor General’s building collapse on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, opposite Chatuchak Market. Yesterday, April 2, at 3pm, Alongkot Chukaew, deputy director of the National Rescue Dog Organisation, known as K9 USAR Thailand, instructed handlers to prepare their dogs for the mission upon receiving signals…
-
Thai man caught sexually abusing boy in mall bathroom
Security guards at a shopping mall in the Thapha area of Bangkok caught a Thai man and handed him over to the police after he lured a young boy into a bathroom and sexually abused him. Officers from Bukkhalo Police Station escorted the 56 year old suspect, Koson, from the shopping mall to the police station for questioning at 2.30pm…
-
Rider arrested for stealing over 30,000 baht in foreign currency
Police apprehended a rider accused of stealing over 30,000 baht in foreign currency entrusted to him for delivery. The suspect, 24 year old Poramet, allegedly blocked all contact with the sender after taking the package containing the money. The arrest occurred on April 1 at around 4pm in a house located on Soi Phahon Yothin 58, Intersection 61, Sai Mai…
-
Bangkok building collapse sets records, raises safety concerns
Thailand has made world headlines for all the wrong reasons as experts reveal the collapse of the new State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok has set two disconcerting world records: it is the tallest building to collapse in an earthquake and the furthest building from an epicentre to suffer such a fate. The tragedy occurred following the March 28…
-
Thailand sends medical aid to Myanmar after earthquake
In the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake, the Public Health Ministry has launched a series of inspections on hospital buildings across Thailand while preparing to send urgent medical aid to Myanmar, which was hit particularly hard. During an executive meeting yesterday, April 2, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin praised the ministry’s swift response, especially in caring for patients affected…
-
Bangkok motor show sees 29% rise in car reservations
The 46th Bangkok International Motor Show has revved up excitement, attracting a wave of car enthusiasts and driving a major spike in vehicle reservations, especially for new xEV (electric) models. With the show now at its midway point, organisers are reporting impressive results, particularly from eco-conscious consumers keen on the future of electric vehicles (EVs). Jaturon Komolmit, deputy chairman and…
-
Dog chooses nap over escape during Bangkok earthquake (video)
While many animals are believed to have a sixth sense for impending natural disasters, one dog in Thailand hilariously defied that notion during the recent Bangkok earthquake. As her owner frantically attempted to evacuate during the quake, Echo, a fluffy Samoyed, had different plans — choosing to nap peacefully instead of fleeing to safety. A TikTok video of the comical…
-
Sweeping success: Bangkok road cleaner gets devilish makeover
A leading Thai make-up artist offered a road sweeper in Bangkok, who previously went viral for her photoshoot by a Russian photographer, a new makeover as a character from a famous Thai film, Art of the Devil 2. The Russian photographer, Semyon Rezchikov, shared a video of himself taking a portrait of a road sweeper on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok…
-
Protesters rally against entertainment complex and gambling bills
Demonstrators gathered outside the prime minister’s residence yesterday to protest against the government’s proposed entertainment complex bill and the online gambling bill, which was under Cabinet review the same day. A few hundred people converged at the Phitsanulok Mansion residence yesterday, April 1, intensifying their opposition to the draft bills, which they argued would destroy the country by undermining societal…
-
Chinese embassy pledges cooperation in SAO building probe
The Chinese Embassy in Thailand issued a statement addressing media concerns regarding the involvement of China Railway No.10 Engineering Group in the construction of the Office of the Auditor-General (SAO) building, which tragically collapsed during the March 28 earthquake. In a statement released late yesterday, April 1, the embassy expressed its commitment to fully cooperate with the Thai authorities and…
-
Truck collision on Kanchanaphisek Expressway causes fatality, traffic chaos
A collision between two trucks on the Kanchanaphisek Expressway in Bangkok led to a 10-kilometre traffic jam, resulting in one fatality and one injury. The incident occurred at 5.20am today, April 2, when a trailer truck crashed into the back of a 10-wheel truck, causing severe damage and scattering soybean waste across the road. Officers from Phra Pradaeng Police Station…
-
15 dead, 72 missing amidst quake rubble in Bangkok
Rescue teams continue their search for 72 missing workers after a catastrophic building collapse in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. The under-construction 30-story State Audit Office (SAO) building crumbled last Friday afternoon, March 28, following a powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake near Mandalay, Myanmar, which was felt across the region, including Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province. As of this morning, April 2, the death…
-
Laotian man arrested for illegal motorcycle taxi work in Bangkok
Thai police apprehended a 32 year old Laotian man for illegally working as a motorcycle taxi driver in the Huai Khwang district of Bangkok. The suspect, Leklai, was caught after police devised a plan to have him take them to a police station, where he was then arrested. The arrest followed a tip-off from an informant who reported seeing a foreign-looking…
-
Man arrested for indecency and deceiving job seekers in Bangkok
A 29 year old man has been arrested for allegedly deceiving job seekers before committing acts of indecency against four victims in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district. Police tracked the suspect using CCTV footage, leading to his arrest while he was using the same motorcycle. At 12.30am today, April 2, Phinyoh Wiangkum, Deputy Inspector of Investigation at Chokchai Police Station, along…
-
Drunk caught sexually assaulting Bangkok quake victim’s relative
A Thai social media influencer condemned a drunk Thai man for sexually assaulting a relative of an earthquake victim at a shelter in Bangkok today. Following the effects of the earthquake in Myanmar on an under-construction building in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, 15 construction workers at the site were killed, and at least 72 remain missing. The victims’ relatives gathered…
-
Hungarian man causes ruckus at quake-hit audit office in Bangkok
Bangkok was already reeling from chaos after the Myanmar earthquake triggered the collapse of the State Audit Office in the capital city but things took a bizarre turn yesterday when a Hungarian man stormed the site, claiming his friends were trapped in the rubble. Flying straight from Hungary to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the man splurged 4,000 baht on a…
-
No boots for blisters: Thai military service exemptions updated
In a move that’s shaking up the conscription rules, Thailand’s Defence Ministry added three more medical conditions to the list of diseases that exempt young men from compulsory military service — and they’re anything but ordinary. A directive signed by Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was published in the Royal Gazette on March 25 and took…
-
TV blackout fears rise over NBTC frequency plan
A storm is brewing in Thailand’s media industry as leading digital TV broadcasters warn that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission’s (NBTC) latest move could trigger mass TV blackouts and potentially collapse the nation’s digital television industry. The controversy erupted after the NBTC held a public hearing on its proposal to auction off the 3500 MHz frequency band, a spectrum…
-
Bangkok and Airbnb team up for free quake accommodation
Bangkok is collaborating with Airbnb.org to provide free accommodation for those affected by an earthquake in the city, including rescue workers and volunteers. According to a Facebook post by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday, March 31, the initiative aims to assist those unable to return to their homes due to the earthquake. The partnership offers temporary housing at no…
-
King Charles sends condolences after deadly quake in Myanmar
King Charles III of England has sent a message of condolence to the people of Thailand following the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday, March 28 and was felt across the region, particularly Bangkok. In a royal message released by the British Embassy in Thailand, the monarch expressed his “heartfelt sympathy” to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn and…
-
Hero dogs sniff for life after Bangkok skyscraper collapse (videos)
Amid the twisted wreckage of a collapsed 33-storey skyscraper in quake-struck Bangkok, a brave dogged team of four-legged heroes is stealing hearts and saving lives. As rescue workers race against time to find survivors, Thailand’s K9 USAR rescue dogs are tirelessly sniffing through the rubble, bringing hope to a city gripped by tragedy. At least 13 people have been confirmed…
-
Casino bill faces backlash over rushed approval without study
Opponents of the casino-entertainment complex have raised concerns about the government’s approach to advancing the project, suggesting it is being expedited without adequate public examination or a comprehensive feasibility study. Their comments yesterday followed remarks by chief government whip Wisut Chainarun, who indicated that the entertainment complex bill, which received Cabinet approval on March 27, is expected to be reviewed…
-
4 Chinese nationals suspiciously remove documents from Bangkok collapsed building
Police summoned four Chinese nationals to acknowledge legal offences after they suspiciously removed documents from the collapsed building in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok without permission on March 29. The impact of the earthquake in Myanmar on Friday, March 28, shook multiple buildings and residences in Thailand and continues to spread panic among people in the country. The most affected…
-
Street vendor loses bag with 100,000 baht near Mo Chit, Bangkok
A street vendor reported a theft after forgetting a bag containing over 100,000 baht at her shop. Upon realising and returning, the bag was gone. The incident occurred yesterday, March 31, at 3pm, according to 29 year old Jeeranan (surname withheld), who sells fried pork rice. She reported the theft to Police Lieutenant Suphat Hemachinda, an investigator at Bang Sue…
-
Bangkok governor lifts disaster status after quake chaos eases
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has officially called off the city’s disaster zone status following last Friday’s quake scare, declaring the situation “back to normal” just days after panic swept through the capital. Yesterday, March 31, the 58 year old city chief signed an order cancelling the March 28 declaration by the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command Centre, which had…
-
Steel samples fail tests after building collapse in Thailand
The investigation into the collapsed State Audit Office building revealed that two steel samples did not meet the required standards, leading to discrepancies in other measurements. Thitiphats Chotidechachainan, head of the working group, yesterday, March 31, announced that the examination of steel samples from the collapsed building identified two non-compliant samples. The first was a 32-millimetre deformed bar from one…
-
Death toll rises to 14 in Bangkok building collapse
The grim scene continues to unfold in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district as rescue workers recover more bodies from the rubble of a collapsed government office building, three days after a deadly earthquake triggered the disaster. What began as a desperate race against time has now become a painstaking recovery operation, as the death toll climbed to 14 following Friday’s structural collapse of…
-
Man arrested for false claim of wife trapped in building collapse
Police apprehended a 50 year old man at Mo Chit Bus Terminal after he fabricated a story about his supposed pregnant wife being trapped under the collapsed State Audit Office building. Somnitch Duangnet had previously claimed that his 23 year old wife, Korwipha Sonbubpha, who was four months pregnant and working as a clerk on the fourth floor, was unreachable…
-
Minor Myanmar aftershock causes evacuations in Bangkok
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today confirmed that a minor aftershock from an earthquake in Myanmar will not affect Thailand. Today, March 31, at 11.08am, tremors were felt in several tall buildings across Bangkok, causing temporary evacuations. The TMD reported that the aftershock was minor and would not impact Thailand. Earlier that day, residents in various parts of Bangkok experienced…
-
Thai me down: Bangkok opens new visa expat and investor hub
Thailand is making moves to woo foreign investors and expats, rolling out a brand-new one-stop shop for investment and visa services in the heart of Bangkok. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra cut the ribbon on Monday at the grand opening of the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Centre (TIESC), housed in the sleek One Bangkok building in Pathum Wan. Located on…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.