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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‘Benz Racing’ jailed seven years over money laundering
PHOTO: ‘Benz’ surrender to police in 2017 over allegations of money laundering – The Nation Motorcycle racer Akarakit Benz Worarojcharoendet has been sentenced to eight years in prison for money laundering. Ratchadapisek Criminal Court acquitted him of abetting drug-related offences during this morning’s hearing. 21 year old Akarakit was found guilty of laundering money by leasing a 20 million baht…
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His Majesty honours 188 for their role in Tham Luang cave rescue
PHOTOS: The Nation Last night the government hosted a ‘thank-you reception’ for those who helped in the Tham Luang cave-rescue. Many others will also be getting special recognition for their contribution at government house today. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has granted the “Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn” honour to 114 foreigners and 74 Thais who were involved in…
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Mu Pa boys hope to lead Thailand to World Cup finals
The 12 Mu Pa rescued footballers and their 25 year old assistant coach have revealed their dream of leading Thailand’s national football team to the World Cup finals. The boys, aged between 11 and 16 (Ekkapon is 25), also expressed their gratitude to His Majesty the King and everybody else who contributed to their rescue. They were speaking at a…
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Sex-for-grades professor caught in elaborate sting
A Thai university student has revealed how she took part in a sting at a ‘short time hotel’ to catch a professor preying on young students in a sex-for-grades situation. The professor at a leading university was alleged to only give good grades to attractive women if they slept with him. The student, only known as ‘Neung’, had noticed that…
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1.3 billion baht of fakes destroyed, overseen by Army chiefs
by Jitraporn Senwong The Army has overseen the destruction of more than two million seized counterfeit items worth a combined street value of 1.3 billion baht. The ‘ceremony’ was held at an army base in Bangkok’s Don Mueang district today (Monday). Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwon oversaw the event and watched as fake “brand-name” clothing, bags, shoes, sunglasses, cell phones,…
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Bangkok laundry explosion – 8 injured
Eight people have been injured after gas leaking from tumble dryers in a 24 hour laundromat in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district exploded early today (Monday). Sutthisarn police station was alerted at 2.30am to the explosion at the laundromat, which is located in a shophouse at the front of Soi Inthamara 36. The eight injured were rushed to Paolo Memorial Hospital,…
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Men-only police academy riles rights groups
Rights advocates are raising concerns over the Royal Thai Police’s new policy of banning female applicants from the police cadet academy, saying the move undermines women’s rights and affects the prosecution of sex crimes. The women’s rights supporters said the national police office order of August 28 was backward and discriminatory. It didn’t only undermine women’s rights and violate the…
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Woman ploughs SUV into Bangkok police checkpoint
A 57 year old woman has ploughed her Toyota SUV into a police checkpoint in Bangkok’s Rat Burana district last night, injuring two officers and four motorcyclists. She was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. She couldn’t have chosen a worse target to crash her car into. The incident took place near the mouth of Soi Suksawat 35 around 11.30pm.…
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Big Bangkok Busts
The Metropolitan Police Bureau are crowing about their ‘protection operations’ during the past two months have resulted in the arrest of many suspects and huge drug seizures. Pol Maj Gen Ruchakorn Jornjewut, deputy commissioner of the bureau, held a press conference on the “Protecting People” operations from July 1 to August 30. He said the operations saw 6,392 alleged drug…
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Traditional motorbike taxis vs Grab rival
The old will always try and block the inevitable progress of the news. And so it is with the newer Grab and Uber-stye transport services vs the ‘old guard’. The latest battle in the war between traditional motorcycle-taxis and the upstart Grab service ended with no one getting a ride. A Facebook user posting as “Enfant Tunglamae” live-broadcast the Thursday…
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Cute dogs and a friendly smile – recipe for a 15 year scam
3cars, a pistol, 55 cell phones, 10 credit/ATM electronic cards, 20 wristwatches, 55 brand-name bags, 18 ID cards/driver’s licences (of the victims), 18 pawn-shop tickets as well as over 100 items of jewellery! Cute pets, an engaging conversation, making new friends on the street – a perfect scam! A married couple, who reportedly used their pet dog as a distraction…
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Police find 15 stalls selling illegal ‘libido booster’ drug in Khlong Toey Nua
Police, in an operation to search for an illegal “libido booster” drug in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area on Sunday night, found 15 law-breaking stalls although the vendors managed to escape arrest, deputy national police chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta said on Monday. Weerachai led the team that searched Soi Sukhumvit 7/1-13 in Khlong Toey Nua following a tip-off that a large…
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More Nigerian romance scammers rounded up
Crime-buster and deputy Tourist police chief, Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, held a media conference to proclaim the arrest of another three Nigerians and two Thai female accomplices involved in a set of multi-million baht romance scams. The Nigerians were named as Oli Ifaenyi, Samson Orgi and Orubor Kingsley Nosa. They have been charged with fraud and illegal entry into the…
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Time to take off the gag – PM to lift political ban
As an election firms up, somewhere between February 24 and May in 2019, the PM is under pressure to losses the strings – allowing political parties to carry out political activities, banned since the coup took place in May 2014. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to invoke his executive power under Article 44 of the interim Constitution to ease political…
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2,000 fake goods seized, 8 arrested in Chinatown raid
Police have searched Bangkok’s Sampheng (Chinatown) area and arrested six Thais and two foreigners for selling goods in violation of international IP laws. They seized over 2,000 counterfeit products last night (Wednesday). Pol Maj-General Surachete Hakparn, the deputy tourist police chief, held a press conference at 2.30am in front of the Grand China Hotel on Yaowarat Road to announce the…
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Mu Pa Mission Impossible – The interactive exhibition
You lived through the weeks hanging on every moment of the international rescue mission to get the 13 Mu Pa football team members out of the Tham Luang caves. Now you can visit the interactive exhibition. “Tham Luang Incredible Mission: the Global Agenda”, has opened at Siam Paragon in Bangkok. Hosted by the Culture Ministry, the mall’s Lifestyle Hall has…
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Deputy Tourist Police chief is now Prawit’s assistant spokesman
Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also defence minister, has made Tourist Police Deputy Chief Surachete Hakphan his assistant spokesman. The appointment has been effective since Sunday. Surachete Hakphan, aka ‘Big Joke’, has been the poster-boy for the government as they round up over-stayers, call-centre gangs, scammers and other trans-national crime gangs. The deputy PM’s Spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanich announced…
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Bangkok drug party busted
Bangkok police have called on the Office of the Narcotics Control Board to help find the source of the narcotics that the 28 suspects allegedly used at a party on Saturday, Wang Thong Lang deputy superintendent Pol Lt-Colonel Chaowarit Ngernchalard said on Sunday. The suspects are in police custody for further interrogation and will be escorted to Criminal Court on…
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Institute closed for seven days as police break up student gang brawls in BKK
By Khanathit Srihirundaj Bangkok police have held a meeting between representatives of Pathumwan and Uthenthawai colleges today. Yesterday students from their colleges fought on the skywalk near the National Stadium BTS station. Education Ministry officials attended the meeting to help find solutions to the issue of student brawls. The meeting at Pathumwan Police Station was brokered by the deputy chief of…
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DSI crackdown on foreigners using Thai nominees: Law firm raided in Bangkok, Phuket and Samui
Four offices of the same investment advisory firm have been raided in Bangkok, Phuket and Samui. Coordinated raids on the offices of what appears to be a single advisory firm were conducted by the DSI (Department of Special Investigations), police and Board of Investment representatives. Pictures showed that the company is DFDL Thailand Legal and Tax. This company offers “investment advisory…
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BKK Taxi driver fined 2,000 baht for watching porn whilst driving
PHOTOS: The Nation Yesterday a passenger filed an official complaint with the land office saying that a taxi driver was acting inappropriately by watching ‘porn’ whilst he was driving and taking his shirt off (which was a football shirt and not a proper uniform). Today, the taxi driver was fined 2,000 baht for watching a video disc and dressing improperly…
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Tourists give a thumbs-down to the ‘new’ Khao San Road
PHOTO: The Nation “You are destroying the life and soul of the city – and we are not coming back!” Take that BMA! as tourists give a big thumbs down and slap in the face to authorities who have tried to sanitise the trashy tourist magnet. For decades Khao San Road has been a mecca for back-packers and tourists looking for…
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BMA backs down to allow Khaosan traders, sort of…
by Kornrawee Panyasuppakun “From around 9pm to 3am, backpackers use Khaosan as “party central”, rather than a shopping fair. Electronic dance beats can be heard blaring from clubs and bars.” There’s been a back down in the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration yesterday after vendors from Khaosan Road convinced a committee that their stalls, whilst illegal in the past, were a huge…
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Former Thai actor arrested over Bitcoin scam
A once-popular actor has been charged with convincing foreigners to transfer to him more than 5,500 bitcoins as an investment. (5,500 Bitcoin are worth around 210,000 baht or US$6,300 each as of today) Police picked up 27 year old Jiratphisit Jarawitchit today at midday at a shopping mall in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. The Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for him…
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Online romance scam gang busted
Nigerian nationals are again being rounded up in a concerted effort to get rid of some of the Nigerian-based scams operating inside Thailand. In the latest sting, 8 Nigerians and 6 Thai suspects have been arrested for alleged collusion in an online romance scam, swindling nearly 2 million baht from Thai women in Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Phitsanulok, Chon Buri and…
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New VIP lane at Suvarnabhumi, as long as you’re Chinese
PHOTOS: Thai Tourist Police Arriving on an international flight at Suvarnabhumi airport? Long lines at Immigration? No problem – please use the new special VIP lane, as long as you’re Chinese. As the Ministry of Touristm and Sport and the Tourist Police go on a charm offensive to restore confidence in the Thai travel market, a new special Chinese Immigration…
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Stay 5 metres away and bow before and after a photo of the PM – new media guidelines
The Thai PM has issued new guidelines as how and when to photograph him. At the same time the PM’s spokesperson has set new ‘ethical’ guidelines for media pressers with the PM. New formalities issued by the 3rd division of the Special Branch police were distributed to members of the press at yesterday’s Impact Exhibition Centre event where the PM…
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Bangkok cat owner faces cruelty charges
WARNING: This story may be stressful for some readers The animal rights group Watchdog Thailand has filed a complaint with the police against a cat adopter for allegedly repeatedly abusing his pet by hanging it and beating it until it became “depressed”. Watchdog Thailand posted on Facebook that it has filed a complaint with Bueng Koom police, who had allowed…
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Australian travel media coming to BKK for annual conference
Thailand is hosting the AGM of the Australian Society of Travel Writers From August 16-19 , 2018. The ASTW has already held its AGM twice in Thailand (1999 and 2009). A total of 113 ASTW members have registered, to date, including writers, photographers, editors, bloggers, influencers, public relations officers, and representatives of various hotel groups and national tourism boards. The…
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Khao San Road vendors defy BMA’s ban on sidewalk trading
By Kornwaree Panyasuppakun “We will open and close our footpath stalls at the regular time.” Bangkok’s Khao San Road street vendors are defying the BMA’s ban on footpath stalls. City Hall has decided that the footpaths must be ‘returned to the people’ and that market traders are going to have to restrict their sales from 6pm – midnight, instead of…
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