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 Answers to the most common questions about international health insurance
If you’ve been thinking of staying in Thailand long-term, you’ve probably already asked the big question, “Do I actually need international health insurance?” It’s a question that often comes up among expats, digital nomads, retirees, and even frequent travellers. Sure,...
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
World’s best hotel: Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental steals the show
Bangkok’s iconic Mandarin Oriental Hotel has officially snagged the prestigious title of the Best Hotel in Asia and the World, according to The Telegraph’s Hotel Awards. The British media giant, known for its high standards, placed the luxurious Thai retreat at the top of its 2024 list, beating fierce global competition. This award comes after The Telegraph’s hotel and destination…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Cambodian fatally stabbed in Bangkok during teen altercation
A violent altercation between two groups of teenagers led to a tragic fatality when a young man was fatally stabbed and later succumbed to his injuries. The incident occurred in the Bang Khen district of Bangkok. Police received a report at 9.30pm yesterday, September 11, about a fatal stabbing near Phahonyothin 48 Alley, specifically in front of the U4 building…
-
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,…
-
Thai supermarket Big C to launch four new branches
Big C Supercenter Plc, one of Thailand’s biggest supermarket and convenience store chains, is set to expand with the launch of four additional branches by the end of 2025. Company Chief Executive and President Aswin Techajareonvikul announced plans to renovate 18 existing stores and open one new store this year, with a total investment of 5 billion baht. “Moreover, the…
-
Police seize illegal vaping devices worth 2m baht in Bangkok raid
Police apprehended a woman and confiscated illegal vaping and heated tobacco devices valued at approximately 2 million baht during a raid at a condominium in Bangkok. The woman, 30 year old Panarak Kwangsawat, was detained in a condominium room on Sathu Pradit Soi 19 in Yan Nawa district yesterday, confirmed Police Major General Withaya Sriprasertparp, commander of the police consumer…
-
New deputy House Speakers elected in Thai Parliament shake-up
In a dramatic power shift today, Pichet Chuamuangphan of the Pheu Thai Party has clinched the role of first deputy House Speaker, while Paradorn Prissananantakul from Bhumjaithai took the position of second deputy. Both MPs sailed through unopposed, but their appointments come amid growing political turbulence. Pichet, who was nominated by Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul, had previously served as the…
-
Bangkok Port set for a glamorous makeover: Transport ministry
Bangkok’s iconic port is about to get a dazzling transformation. The Thai Transport Ministry has unveiled plans to turn parts of the port into a buzzing entertainment complex – but there’s a catch. Officials are calling for clearer government regulations before the project can truly set sail. Speaking at a media briefing, Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri made it clear…
-
Bangkok police arrest man with 10,000 meth pills and ammunition
Police in Sai Mai district, Bangkok, arrested a young man for dealing methamphetamine (meth), seizing a significant quantity of drugs and ammunition. The suspect confessed to distributing drugs for over eight years, starting at the age of 17. Police Major General Attapol Anusit, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2, along with Deputy Commander Sakdit Sitthisawat and other senior officers, successfully…
-
Cambodian woman caught begging in Bangkok with three children
Immigration officials have apprehended a Cambodian woman again for begging in central Bangkok, this time with her three children. Last year, she was deported with two children for similar offences but returned, citing the generosity of Thai citizens. Police Colonel Kachapon Pathomang, the Investigation Superintendent of Immigration Division 1, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Suriya Puangsomboon, Deputy Superintendent of Investigations, along…
-
Tourist confronts teen pickpocket in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 11 (video)
A foreign tourist confronted a Thai teenager in Sukhumvit Soi 11 in Bangkok after catching him pickpocketing £400 (approximately 17,700 baht). The incident turned heated as the tourist demanded the return of his money, assisted by a local Thai woman. A widely shared 23-second video on the popular Facebook page เจ๊ม้อย v+ shows the intense exchange. Captured on Sukhumvit Soi…
-
Tuk tuk theft: driver steals American tourist’s money and valuables
Police arrested a tuk tuk driver who stole money and belongings from an American tourist last month. The thief sped away from the scene with the victim’s possessions, worth over 40,000 baht. The American victim, James Anthony Viafore, filed a complaint at Chakkrawat Police Station on August 30, reporting that he lost all his money and belongings to the Thai…
-
PM Paetongtarn faces ethics probe over mini-heart gesture
Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces a new accusation by serial petitioner Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, who claims she committed a serious offence by making a mini-heart gesture while in her civil service dress uniform. Ruangkrai, known for seeking the dissolution of the Pheu Thai Party for alleged domination by Paetongtarn’s father Thaksin, has focused his efforts on the ethics section of…
-
Thamanat Prompow sues for defamation over ministry interference
Former Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow is suing three public figures for defamation, accusing them of alleging his interference in his successor’s duties. Thamanat has engaged lawyer Thanadon Suwannarit to file these defamation lawsuits against legal scholar Jade Donavanik, former Bangkok MP Boonyod Sukthinthai, and Thai Pakdee Party leader Warong Dechgitvigrom. The complaints were lodged with the Nang Loeng police in…
-
Bangkok opens 50th food bank, delivering 2 million meals to needy
Bangkok’s 50th food bank centre opened on Monday, September 9, in Saphan Sung district, marking a significant milestone for the Bangkok Food Bank initiative, which has already delivered over 2 million meals to those in need. City governor Chadchart Sittipunt led the inauguration at the Saphan Sung district office, fulfilling the project’s objective of establishing a food bank in each…
-
Tang Hua Seng staff protest for 15 months of unpaid salaries (video)
A significant group of employees from the Tang Hua Seng department store in Thonburi, Bangkok, gathered to demand overdue salaries, some of which have been delayed for up to 15 months, following a sudden closure announcement. Over 50 current and former employees of Tang Hua Seng department store assembled yesterday outside the Thonburi branch, holding signs to demand justice from…
-
Activist urges EC to dissolve Pheu Thai and five other parties
An activist has called on the Election Commission (EC) to dissolve coalition leader Pheu Thai Party and five other parties, accusing them of being influenced by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Noparuj Worachitwuthikul submitted a petition to the EC yesterday, urging the disbandment of Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai, Chart Thai Pattana, Prachachat, United Thai Nation, and Palang Pracharath parties. All parties, except…
-
Thailand to speed up 145 billion baht digital wallet handout
Thailand will advance the distribution of 145 billion baht from its digital wallet handout programme to support vulnerable groups, announced by the deputy finance minister yesterday. The decision aims to provide immediate economic stimulus in the short term. During a budget debate in the senate, Julapun Amornvivat revealed that the government has allocated 450 billion baht for this flagship handout…
-
Thai woman left blind and disfigured after misdiagnosis
A Thai woman is demanding accountability and compensation from doctors and a hospital in the Phahonyothin neighbourhood of Bangkok after a misdiagnosis and medicine allergy left her blind and disfigured. The victim, Sasinan, and her husband sought assistance from non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after she lost her sight and suffered facial disfigurement due to the recklessness of a doctor at…
-
River runs deep: Thai minister dives into Chao Phraya water woes
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat took centre stage yesterday as she inspected water management in the Chao Phraya River basin. In a high-stakes visit, she was joined yesterday, September 8, by her no-nonsense predecessor Thamanat Prompow, Deputy Minister Akara Prompow, and Deputy Minister Itthi Sirilattthayakorn. The power-packed team first swooped into Chai Nat, where they meticulously reviewed operations at…
-
Fire destroys 15 shops in Bangkok, one fatality reported
A devastating fire in Bangkok engulfed 15 shops, destroying motorcycles and cars, and tragically claiming the life of a bedridden man. Witnesses recounted the harrowing moments as a husband led his wife and child to safety. At 2.45am yesterday, September 8, the Deputy Inspector of Wang Thong Lang Police Station, Pakapol Paiboonsombat, received a report about a fire in a…
-
Bangkok hospital’s Nazi ‘gas chambers’ plan sparks fury
The director of Mongkutwattana Hospital in Bangkok sparked a storm of controversy with a plan to punish smokers who defy his anti-smoking ban, drawing comparisons to Nazi Germany’s grim practices. Rienthong Nanna, the director of the private hospital located in the Laksi district, declared on Facebook that he would confine defiant smokers in ‘gas chambers’ made from old telephone booths…
-
Drug-fuelled chase in Bangkok ends in fatal mob beating
A man under the influence of drugs stole a farm tractor, leading police on a wild chase through Bangkok before collapsing and being fatally beaten by a mob. At 12.40am yesterday, September 7, Damrongsak Jaisawang, a deputy investigator at Hua Mak Police Station, received reports of locals apprehending a thief who had stolen a vehicle in front of the Siam…
-
Ex-navy officer arrested in Bangkok for 20 years of unlicensed medical practice
A 55 year old former navy officer has been apprehended in Bangkok for practicing medicine without a valid licence for the past two decades. Thanaboon was detained at a clinic on Phetchaburi Soi 31 in the Ratchathewi district on September 6, according to the Metropolitan Police Bureau. This arrest stemmed from a complaint by a local regarding a group of…
-
Manhunt underway after wife found dead with severe head injury
Police are searching for a man suspected of brutally killing his wife with a hammer, leaving her body in their apartment for five days before neighbours discovered it. The incident occurred in an unnamed apartment complex in Bangkok’s Bang Bon district. Police received a report at 7pm yesterday, September 7, and Deputy Inspector Sarayut Santat of Bang Khun Thian Police…
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.