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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    Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?

    Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...

  • Bangkok officials embezzlement charges for fake bus repairs

    Bangkok officials embezzlement charges for fake bus repairs

    Police General Adisorn Ngamjitsuksrisuk, an advisor to the Governor of Bangkok, revealed details of a major corruption case involving the alleged embezzlement of funds intended for the repair of large buses under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The case was uncovered by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), which discovered irregularities in the disbursement of repair budgets. The investigation…

  • Xin Ke Yuan Steel’s licences revoked after legal violations

    Xin Ke Yuan Steel’s licences revoked after legal violations

    Industry Minister Akanat Promphan announced today that Xin Ke Yuan Steel Co Ltd will have its operating licences permanently revoked, alongside a nationwide ban on its use of induction furnace (IF) technology, following multiple legal violations on the State Audit Office (SAO) building. Akanat explained that Xin Ke Yuan Steel had violated several legal regulations and would face an investigation…

  • Chinese national arrested in Bangkok for counterfeit goods

    Chinese national arrested in Bangkok for counterfeit goods

    Police apprehended a 48 year old Chinese national at a well-known shopping mall in the Pratunam area of Bangkok, today, April 28. The suspect, Yang Jin, was caught smuggling and selling counterfeit goods, with over 27,856 items seized from his store. The operation was led by Police Major General Tasnaphum Charupraphan, with Police Colonel Phuwadech Julkasevi and Police Lieutenant Visarut…

  • Foreign Instagrammer slammed for climbing Bangkok’s ghost tower

    Foreign Instagrammer slammed for climbing Bangkok’s ghost tower

    Both Thai and international netizens criticised a foreign Instagrammer and his friend for breaking into and climbing the renowned ghost tower in Bangkok. The Instagram user, @ryan_rrobertson, shared a video of himself and his friend climbing multiple skyscrapers in various countries. His most recent video showed them at the top of the famous Sathorn Unique Tower in Bangkok. The property…

  • Crane accident in Bangkok injures two construction workers

    Crane accident in Bangkok injures two construction workers

    Two construction workers sustained injuries when a crane basket cable snapped, causing them to fall onto Pracharat Bamphen Road in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok. The incident yesterday, April 27, occurred near the Huai Khwang intersection. Police Colonel Prasopchok Iampinit, chief of Huai Khwang Police Station, along with Deputy Police Superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekachai Malawanno, instructed Police Lieutenant Chaiya Weluwanarak…

  • Protest planned against SEC and land bridge projects in Thailand

    Protest planned against SEC and land bridge projects in Thailand

    Opponents of the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) and the land bridge megaproject, which aims to connect the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, have pledged to protest on July 1 if the government moves forward with this plan. Prasitchai Nunuan, an activist and leader of the SEC Watch group, one of 94 groups opposing the SEC, stated that the…

  • Collapsed Bangkok building death toll rises to 60

    Collapsed Bangkok building death toll rises to 60

    Rescue teams in Bangkok have uncovered three more bodies from the rubble of a 30-story building that collapsed last month, bringing the death toll to a devastating 60. The bodies were found in the fire escape stairwell area of the under-construction State Audit Office (SAO) building in Chatuchak district. Officials fear that more victims may be discovered as search and…

  • PM Paetongtarn leaves hospital after fever recovery

    PM Paetongtarn leaves hospital after fever recovery

    Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was discharged from hospital after recovering from a high fever, according to government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub yesterday, April 25. The 38 year old PM was admitted to hospital on Thursday evening, April 24, following her return from a two-day official visit to Cambodia. After a medical examination yesterday, doctors found her condition had improved and…

  • Tour de theft: Israeli’s bike swiped in Bangkok, found on Facebook

    Tour de theft: Israeli’s bike swiped in Bangkok, found on Facebook

    A cheeky thief tried to cash in on a stolen bike belonging to an Israeli tourist by flogging it on Facebook but got caught peddling his crime to an undercover cop. Bangkok police nabbed the suspect who allegedly nicked a pricey bike from a visiting tourist in Yaowarat, Chinatown’s bustling food and shopping district, before listing it online for a…

  • Down with fever: PM Paetongtarn hospitalised after Cambodia trip

    Down with fever: PM Paetongtarn hospitalised after Cambodia trip

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was rushed to the hospital last night after returning from an official trip to Cambodia, according to Government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap. “Paetongtarn had a packed schedule in Cambodia from Wednesday to Thursday, meeting with officials and discussing important issues,” Jirayu explained. After departing Cambodia around 2pm yesterday, April 24, she arrived back in Thailand at approximately…

  • Thai transwoman commits suicide after losing 7 million baht in scam

    Thai transwoman commits suicide after losing 7 million baht in scam

    A Thai transwoman committed suicide in her parked car outside her barbecue restaurant in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, after reportedly losing over 7 million baht in an investment scam. A worker at the restaurant in Bang Kruai district noticed the vehicle belonging to his transgender employer, Sarut, parked outside unusually early on the morning of April 24. He became suspicious,…

  • Thai police defend probe into Chulalongkorn exam leak scandal

    Thai police defend probe into Chulalongkorn exam leak scandal

    Thailand’s Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) defended its involvement in the investigation of a 2023 exam paper leak at Chulalongkorn University. The case allegedly implicates a former senior police officer who was then enrolled in a special undergraduate law programme. On Wednesday, April 23, the TCSD commissioner, Police Major General Siriwat Dipho, stressed that the investigation is being conducted impartially…

  • SUV crushed between 2 trucks causes 8 deaths, 3 injuries

    SUV crushed between 2 trucks causes 8 deaths, 3 injuries

    In a heart-wrenching accident, eight lives, including those of young children, were tragically cut short when a colossal 22-wheel truck slammed into a parked SUV and another lorry in an emergency parling area. The crash, which left three others injured, occurred on a motorway heading towards Chon Buri province. Officials from the Phranakhon Radio Centre were alerted to the fatal…

  • Second storm warning for upper Thailand this summer

    Second storm warning for upper Thailand this summer

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a second warning regarding summer storms expected to affect upper Thailand from tomorrow, April 26 to Thursday, May 1. This announcement highlights the potential for thunderstorms, strong winds, hail, and heavy rainfall in some areas. The storms are anticipated due to a moderate high-pressure system from China moving over Vietnam and the South China…

  • 4 Indians caught smuggling hydroponic weed from Bangkok

    4 Indians caught smuggling hydroponic weed from Bangkok

    It was anything but a smooth landing for four passengers flying in from Bangkok, as Indian Customs officials at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport uncovered a staggering 20 Indian crores (around 78.4 million baht) worth of hydroponic weed in a series of busts that spanned three separate cases. Acting on specific intelligence, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs…

  • Chinese steel fails second safety test in Thai collapse probe

    Chinese steel fails second safety test in Thai collapse probe

    The steel scandal behind the collapse of Thailand’s State Audit Office (SAO) building has deepened after fresh test results revealed another failure by Chinese manufacturer Xin Ke Yuan Steel — marking the second time its materials have failed to meet Thai industrial standards. Yesterday, April 23, Industry Minister Akanat Promphan confirmed the findings, citing results from the Iron and Steel…

  • Man arrested in Bangkok for child pornography ring

    Man arrested in Bangkok for child pornography ring

    The Combating Human Trafficking Division arrested a 22 year old man accused of producing and distributing child pornography and enticing minors into inappropriate behaviour. The arrest of the suspect, Nakharin, took place yesterday, April 23, in the Pravet district of Bangkok. Police were alerted by an account named S0PIDA_Nam with over 44,000 followers, which was posting advertisements for more than 100…

  • Busted! Pakistani man lived ‘life after death’ with dead Thai’s ID

    Busted! Pakistani man lived ‘life after death’ with dead Thai’s ID

    A crafty Pakistani conman has been cuffed after living in Thailand for over a decade, using the stolen identity of a dead man to travel in and out of the country more than 100 times. The 41 year old Pakistan national has been arrested in Bangkok for living a double life, quite literally, after police uncovered a jaw-dropping identity scam…

  • Foreign man causes scene at Bangkok hotel over deposit dispute

    Foreign man causes scene at Bangkok hotel over deposit dispute

    A foreign man caused a commotion at a hotel in Bangkok, accusing the Thai staff of cheating him and his family by charging them extra. The bedlam was caused after the staff requested a deposit for the rooms they had booked. The TikTok user Stantheman705 shared a video of the foreign family arguing with Thai hotel staff on Sunday, April…

  • Search is on for Thailand’s next global goodwill heroes

    Search is on for Thailand’s next global goodwill heroes

    Think you, or someone you know, has what it takes to put Thailand on the global map? The search is on for the next generation of Thailand’s goodwill ambassadors, as nominations open for the fourth annual Thailand Public Diplomacy Awards. Launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Thailand Foundation, the prestigious awards recognise individuals, groups, and organisations whose efforts have…

  • Panic button: Thailand to blast phones with emergency alert tests

    Panic button: Thailand to blast phones with emergency alert tests

    Don’t panic if your phone suddenly screams at you in May — it’s not the end of the world, just a test. Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has announced a nationwide test of its emergency Cell Broadcast alert system, with thousands of phones set to blare warnings across selected locations. The staged tests are scheduled for May…

  • Siriraj Hospital urges use of advanced radiology technology

    Siriraj Hospital urges use of advanced radiology technology

    Siriraj Hospital is advocating for the use of advanced technology in interventional radiology, a minimally invasive procedure that targets specific medical treatments. The hospital emphasised that investing in this technology could save more lives and has called on the government to consider its importance. Doctor Yongyut Sirivatanauksorn, director of Siriraj Hospital, highlighted the establishment of the Siriraj Centre of Interventional…

  • Gambling site link to academic scandal uncovered in Bangkok

    Gambling site link to academic scandal uncovered in Bangkok

    Evidence, consisting of secret chat logs and money transfer slips, has emerged linking a notorious gambling website operator to an academic scandal involving a police general. Yesterday, April 23, at the Technology Crime Suppression Division 1, Police Major General Siriwat Deephor, head of the division, announced the arrest of 53 year old Kanittha. She was apprehended at her residence in…

  • Bangkok man arrested after deadly dispute over motorcycle noise

    Bangkok man arrested after deadly dispute over motorcycle noise

    A 29 year old man was apprehended at the emergency room of Bhumibol Hospital in Bangkok after fatally stabbing his 64 year old neighbour. The incident stemmed from a heated argument over motorcycle noise. The suspect, Jeerapat also known as Beer, claimed the engine was stalling, necessitating constant revving. Yesterday, April 23, around 8pm, police received reports of a violent…

  • 14 million baht vanishes from Thai Parliament savings co-op

    14 million baht vanishes from Thai Parliament savings co-op

    A scandal is brewing at Parliament’s doorstep after a whopping 14 million baht mysteriously vanished from the Parliamentary Official Saving and Credit Cooperative. But despite the jaw-dropping fraud, House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha insists there’s no need to panic. According to Wan, the massive embezzlement won’t affect the cooperative’s members or its day-to-day operations. “It was fortunate that we…

  • Thailand’s 3.78 trillion baht budget faces US tariff concerns

    Thailand’s 3.78 trillion baht budget faces US tariff concerns

    The Thai Parliament will hold a special session next month to debate the government’s proposed 3.78-trillion-baht budget for the 2026 fiscal year, as concerns over a potential trade war with the United States loom large. With Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government seeking to minimise the economic impact of looming US tariffs, the upcoming session promises to be a pivotal moment…

  • Thaksin’s hospitalisation defended amid ombudsman review

    Thaksin’s hospitalisation defended amid ombudsman review

    Justice Minister Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong has downplayed concerns surrounding the Ombudsman’s review of Thaksin Shinawatra’s hospitalisation, calling it legally justified. The former prime minister’s six-month stay at Police General Hospital (PGH) sparked controversy, with critics questioning whether it constituted privileged treatment. However, the justice minister remains unfazed, stating the arrangement complied with legal standards. In a statement yesterday, April…

  • 120 million baht compensation for SAO building collapse victims

    120 million baht compensation for SAO building collapse victims

    In a step towards addressing the devastating collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building, China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) has pledged 120 million baht in compensation for the victims, as confirmed by Justice Minister Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong. The move comes amidst ongoing investigations into the tragedy, with no impact on the criminal proceedings. Minister Tawee confirmed yesterday, April…

  • Pork chop: Police sizzle illegal slaughterhouse in Bangkok bust

    Pork chop: Police sizzle illegal slaughterhouse in Bangkok bust

    Police and the Department of Livestock Development launched an operation to dismantle an illegal pig slaughterhouse in Bangkok’s Bang Sue district. The operation resulted in the seizure of 1.8 tonnes of unapproved pig carcasses. Police Major General Wacharin Poosit, commander of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division, directed the operation yesterday, April 22, along with other officials. They arrested…

  • Foodpanda to bow out of Thailand next month

    Foodpanda to bow out of Thailand next month

    Foodpanda announced it will cease operations in Thailand, with the delivery giant confirming that its services will end on May 23. The shocking decision marks the end of an era for the popular food delivery platform, which has served millions of Thai customers since its launch. In a statement released today, April 23, via their official fan page, Foodpanda Thailand…