Bangkok News
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Bangkok’s SRT Red Line launches commercial service, fares 12 to 42 baht
After four months of trial operation, commercial services on the Red Line commenced yesterday, with fares ranging from 12 baht to 42 baht, with its operating hours extended until midnight every day. The director-general of SRT Electrified Train Co., Suthep Panpeng, said that with the termination of free services, ridership will initially drop by 20% to roughly 8,000 per day,…
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Foreigner claims Bangkok taxi pocketed 1,000 baht for ride down Sukhumvit
A foreigner in Bangkok claims he was ripped off by a taxi driver who drove him from Thong Lor to Sukhumvit Soi 11, saying the driver didn’t use a meter and pocketed 1,000 baht. Apparently, the driver claimed the passenger had handed him 100 baht. A Thai woman posted a video of the confrontation with the taxi driver on TikTok…
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PM asks for public to be consulted on plans for Hua Lamphong station
The Thai PM has asked the Transport Ministry to gauge the public’s view on the redevelopment of Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station. The Bangkok Post reports that the station is set to close in around 3 weeks’ time. A government spokesman says PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has tasked all relevant agencies to take public opinion into account in any commercial development proposals.…
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Bangkok’s Yellow Line skyrail starts test runs
The newest addition to Bangkok’s skyrail is here.The Yellow Line, which travels from Lat Phrao to Samrong in Samut Prakan, has reportedly begun its test run since last Thursday from the maintenance depot near Sri Iam station in Bang Na district. The Yellow Line, which is a joint venture worth 54,768.455 million baht between Thailand’s Mass Rapid Transit Authority and…
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Renovation of Hua Lamphong may wait another three years: BMA
It might be another two to three years until Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong station is developed for commercial use. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Office of Town Planning and Development has today put a hold to the State Railway of Thailand’s request to develop station and surrounding buildings for another two or three years. According to reports, the 120-rai site planned for…
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Alcohol sales at Bangkok restaurants allowed until 11pm starting Wednesday
The cutoff time for alcohol sales at restaurants in Bangkok will be pushed from 9pm to 11pm. Governor Aswin Kwanmuang reportedly signed a provincial order allowing restaurants to serve booze until 11pm starting Wednesday, according to Thai media. Under the order, entertainment venues, such as bars and nightclubs, must remain closed until the end of the year. The order still…
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Police seize 36,000 fake US$100 bills and printing machines in a series of raids
In a transnational investigation into a large counterfeit bill operation, Thailand’s Police Cyber Task Force teamed up with the US Secret Service in Bangkok, seizing offset printing machines and tens of thousands of counterfeit $100 bills in early November. The investigation was launched after authorities noticed an uptick in banknote forgeries in Thailand. A source also tipped off authorities, saying most…
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Bangkok police say restaurateurs could face jail time for serving alcohol after 9pm
Police in Bangkok are warning restaurant owners that if alcohol is served after 9pm, they will face legal action… possibly even up to a year in jail and a fine up to 100,000 baht. Restaurants in the capital are allowed to serve beer, wine and cocktails up until 9pm, if they have passed standards set under the Safety and Health…
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Hua Lamphong (Bangkok Train Station) – History and future | VIDEO
Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong is being closed down by the middle of December. Here’s a look at the legendary station’s past and future, plus a look at the local neighbourhood and working life at the station. The iconic station has been open for over 100 years and been the host of many happy, and sad, arrivals and departures. Please don’t…
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Bang Sue Grand Station to use only Pfizer and Moderna vaccine
The Vaccination Centre at Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok has announced that they will switch their operations to entirely use the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccine. The move will go into effect on November 26 and will replace the previously used vaccines in the main Bangkok vaccination centre, mainly Sinovac and AstraZeneca previously. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will…
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CCSA hints that some bars and nightclubs could reopen before January 16
The long awaited reopening of bars and nightclubs is still set for January 16, but a government spokesperson has hinted that they could reopen sooner. The deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nopakun Natapanu, says that the CCSA decided to stay with the plan to for January, but will allow relevant agencies to continue to work closely with…
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Thailand to buy 30 million booster Pfizer shots
Had your booster shot yet? According to Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Department of Disease Control has signed an agreement to buy another 30 million doses of Pfizer vaccines, which will be administered as booster shots in the first quarter of 2022. He added that Pfizer has given Thailand a special deal where the additional 20 million doses…
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Public Health Ministry drafts measures for reopening bars next month in 17 provinces
The Public Health Ministry has reportedly drafted measures for reopening bars and nightclubs in 17 provinces next month and will make a proposal to the CCSA. While entertainment venues nationwide are planned to reopen by mid-January, according to a report in Thai media, the ministry is proposing to open bars in “blue” zones a month earlier on December 16, but…
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2 Bangkok restaurants busted serving alcohol opposite police station
In the Pathumwan district of Bangkok, restaurants said to be opposite the Royal Thai Police Office in a well-known shopping centre were busted selling alcohol after hours. Police raided several food establishments and found 2 businesses with customers drinking after the 9 pm curfew on alcohol that restaurants are allowed. A video clip had circulated that showed restaurants in the…
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Covid test required to enter CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok
Shoppers entering CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok will need to take a rapid antigen test to enter the two-storey section in one of the Thailand’s largest shopping centres. Alcohol sales and consumption at the Groove zone, which has a variety of cafes, restaurants, and space to hang out, is still allowed. Customers who enter test negative in an ATK (antigen…
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40 million baht illegal online lending operation busted
An illegal lending business that raked in over 40 million baht in just 3 months by gouging people in desperate financial need with high-interest rates has been broken up. A Chinese man was arrested in Bangkok for running the loan shark operation online. The man identified by the Metropolitan Police Bureau as Jia Liew was arrested in Huai Khwang in…
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Bangkok’s Red Line starts fares at 12 baht, maximum at 42 baht
Fares for Bangkok’s Red Line electric commuter train will start at 12 baht and go up to a maximum fare of 42 baht. The Ministry of Transport announced that they will start issuing tickets on November 29 for the Red Line and the starting fare will be set for the first three years from 2022 to 2025. The new line,…
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Miss Universe Thailand sued over inappropriate use of national flag in promo photo
Miss Universe Thailand is being sued for inappropriate use of the Thai flag. On the pageant organiser’s website, the promo picture for Anchilee Scott-Kemmis shows the beauty queen dressed in red, wearing a crown, and striking a pose while holding the national flag, which appears to be a digital image. The red, white and blue stripes appeared beneath her feet…
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Too many wires: Prayut says he wants communication cables underground
Wires throughout Thailand’s urban areas, haphazardly bunched and looped on posts, look like an electrician’s nightmare. Now, according to Thai media, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he wants that to change and is proposing that the National Telecommunications Commission work with relevant agencies to get communication lines underground. Thai media points out that during actor Russell Crowe’s highly publicised trip to…
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Monty Python’s John Cleese is coming to Bangkok this January
John Cleese from the British comedy group Monty Python is coming to Bangkok in January as part of his “Why There Is No Hope” tour. Tickets start at 1,500 baht and go on sale on Friday. Live Nation Tero members can purchase pre-sale tickets on Thursday. To attend the show, patrons must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or test negative…
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Pro-democracy activist accuses Thai movie director of slapping, kicking her
A prominent pro-democracy activist has accused a Thai film director of assault following a cultural event in Bangkok on Sunday evening. According to a Coconuts report, Rukchanok Srinork, aka “Ice”, took to social media to accuse Yuthalert “Tom” Sippapak of slapping her in the face and kicking her in the stomach. Rukchanok says she has filed a complaint against the…
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Minister confirms all train services at Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station will end
Rail services to Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station will soon be no more, according to Thailand’s Transport Minister. Saksayam Chidchob says services to the station will initially be decreased from 118 a day to 22, before being phased out completely. No date has been confirmed for the termination of all services, but an earlier proposal has it pencilled in for December…
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Krathong cleanup: Prayers to the water goddess trash Thailand’s rivers
Under the full moon on Friday, Thais gathered by rivers and canals to float their intricately-made offerings, known as krathongs, to give thanks to the water goddess. But overnight garbage collectors in Bangkok quickly cleaned the waterways before sunrise, loading dump trucks with krathongs and other debris. The Loy Krathong festival is a known as a popular tradition where Thais…
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Wat Arsasongkhram used flood waters to celebrate Loy Krathong
For Wat Arsasongkhram in Samut Prakan, flooding seemed like the appropriate way to celebrate Loy Krathong, the festival offering worship to the water goddess Ganga. For a holiday that sees millions of Thai people floating krathong boats in bodies of water across Thailand, the temple took advantage of recent flooding to offer a unique venue for the boats to float.…
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US says free press integral to democracy, pledges support for Thai journalists
The Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Bangkok says the United States pledges to support a free press and independent journalism in Thailand. Michael Heath has described a free press as a vital component of democracy and freedom of expression. The Bangkok Post reports that he was addressing reporters who were attending a seminar at the embassy. The event…
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Emirates A380 to return to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to meet increased demand
The A380 is to return to the skies over Bangkok as Emirates upgrades capacity on flights to the capital to meet increased demand. TTR Weekly reports that Thailand’s recent re-opening to vaccinated tourists from approved countries has led to strong demand, with around 10,000 arrivals registered at Suvarnabhumi every day. In order to add capacity and frequency to its services,…
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Thai Red Cross offers free Moderna booster for those qualifying
For those that qualify, the Thai Red Cross Society will be offering free Moderna booster shots in late November at their headquarters in Bangkok. The booster shots of the mRNA vaccine long-awaited in Thailand will be given to people who are fully vaccinated and are over 70 years old. They will also offer the free shots to women over the…
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Flooding in Bangkok expected during Loy Krathong as Chao Phraya continues to rise
The Chao Phraya River is expected to continue rising as the Loy Krathong festival draws near. A Royal Thai Navy Hydrographic Department report said yesterday that sea levels are rising, which will cause the river to rise, too. Bangkok and other communities near the river have been experiencing flooding over the past few weeks, and the Chao Phraya has repeatedly…
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Proposal submitted to parliament for the legalisation of pornography and sex toys
A group, including the 19 year old OnlyFans content creator who had been arrested on pornography charges, went to parliament and submitted a proposal to the House Speaker’s office calling on the legalisation of sexually explicit videos as well as sex toys. The arrest of the OnlyFans content creator back in September drew criticism and sparked a renewed debate on…
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Police say no live ammunition was used against protesters in Bangkok yesterday
Bangkok police denied reports that live ammunition was used against pro-democracy protesters during a clash yesterday evening where at least two protesters were shot. Doctors have not made any detailed statements on the injuries, but police say only rubber bullets were fired at protesters. Officers say they are still investigating the incident. Yesterday evening, a large rally of Thai activists…
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