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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
-
Phuket lifts mandatory quarantine restrictions for ‘high risk’ arrivals. But were they ever applied?
Culminating 2 weeks of mass confusion over the apparent mandatory self-quarantine for arrivals to Phuket from Bangkok and other high risk provinces, Phuket’s provincial communicable disease committee has agreed to lift the mandatory 14 day quarantine “to help boost the local economy hit by the Covid-19 pandemic”. But for the vast majority of arrivals from Bangkok (DMK and BKK) to…
-
Courteous thief apologises to Bangkok convenience store: Sorry I’ve a kid
A young man armed with a knife allegedly robbed a convenience store in Ladprao district of Bangkok, stealing 1,800 baht. Before fleeing on a motorcycle, he apologised to the staff, saying “Sorry. I’ve a kid”. It’s really hard to find a thief with good manners these days. The female staff who was in the store when the man came in…
-
Education minister’s wife plans to run for governor of Bangkok
The education minister of Thailand’s wife is planning to run for the governor of Bangkok when the city poll is called, in a move that puts her in direct competition with others for the backing of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party. Nataphol Teepsuwan confirmed on Friday that his wife Taya Teepsuwan, a former core member of the now-defunct Peoples’ Democratic…
-
CCSA Update: 309 new Covid-19 infections in Thailand
The CCSA’s daily briefing today started with an update about a NBT news presenter who has attended the daily briefings at the CCSA studio and testing positive for Covid-19. The CCSA spokesman then announced that all people working in the CCSA studio, including himself, are defined as a “low risk” group for infections. The CCSA spokesman says he, together with…
-
13 Bangkok businesses allowed to reopen tomorrow
Tomorrow, 13 types of businesses in Bangkok are being allowed to reopen but must have strict disease control measures in place. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration made the decision which would undoubtedly give many businesses some relief as well as potential customers. Such businesses with restrictions include: Banquet venues, which will need authorisation from BMA for events with over 300 participants…
-
Man arrested for allegedly importing millions of fake designer sunglasses
A 42 year old Chinese man was arrested for allegedly importing fake designer sunglasses after police raided 2 locations in Bangkok’s Thonburi area and seized 3 million pairs of fake designer sunglasses worth around 300 million baht. Officers from the Department of Special Investigation raided multiple rooms at the Dao Khanong Condominium and the BMC Dao Khanong Cinema. The department…
-
Woman sentenced to 43 years in prison for violating lèse majesté law
The Bangkok Criminal Court sentenced a former public official to more than 4 decades in prison for violating the country’s strict lèse majesté law on insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy. The woman, a former Revenue Department official known as Anchan, was found guilty on 29 counts of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lèse majesté…
-
BTS Skytrain’s Green Line maximum fare to rise, Rail Transport Department disagrees with the move
After the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration agreed to raise the maximum fare on the BTS Skytrain’s Green Line from 59 baht to 158 baht, the Rail Transport Department is calling on city officials to suspend the maximum fare ceiling, saying it would put an unfair burden on passengers. Bangkok Governor Aswin announced earlier that the maximum fare of 158 baht is…
-
Police to issue arrest warrants for 2 people allegedly involved in bombing outside Bangkok shopping centre
Police say arrest warrants will be issued for 2 people allegedly involved in the bombing outside Bangkok’s Chamchuri Square shopping centre following a rally protesting Thailand’s draconian lèse majesté law. The suspects allegedly drove together on a motorcycle on the Thai-Japanese Bridge and threw a “ping pong bomb” down on a group of police officers Saturday evening. The smoky handmade…
-
Police raid Bangkok restaurant, more than 80 people face charges for violating Emergency Decree
More than 80 people face jail time and fines for allegedly violating disease control measures under the Emergency Decree after police raided a Bangkok pub and restaurant. The Indian restaurant Taj Café off Sukhumvit Road in the Watthana district was raided over the weekend after a complaint reporting that customers were smoking hookah, which is illegal in Thailand, and that…
-
BTS skytrain maximum fare rate increasing to 158 baht despite backlash
Bangkok’s BTS skytrain maximum fare rate is being raised to 158 baht despite receiving backlash over the hike. The Transport Ministry is behind the calls for City Hall to stop the increase as it says it is too expensive for the average commuter who takes the BTS 2 times a day. Saksayam Chidchob, the Transport Minister, says other routes should…
-
40 arrested in a suspected gambling house in Nonthaburi
Last night, police raided a house in Nonthaburi and arrested 40 people for allegedly gambling. According to the deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, 33 are Thais and 7 are migrant workers of the casino. The officials also confiscated decks of cards of the Dragon-Tiger game, plastic chips and some cash as evidence. During the raid, the migrant workers…
-
Man drives car onto Bangkok airport runway while allegedly under the influence of drugs
A man drove his car onto the runway at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday afternoon while allegedly under the influence of drugs. The airline officials are now trying to figure out how the man was able to breach airport security and drive onto the airport runway. Airport security vehicles were seen escorting the car off the runway, passing by an airplane.…
-
Do you want to be a full-time video vlogger with The Thaiger?
You’re a budding vlogger. You have skills in writing, presenting and maybe even shooting videos. You look good in front of a camera and are comfortable being there. You may have graduated from a video-making course or even started your own channel. Come and work for The Thaiger and we’ll train you to produce amazing and quality content. This is…
-
Price control on 55 items, face masks and alcohol included
The government decided to maintain the price control list for 55 product items including face masks, raw materials for medical face mask production, alcohol (not the stuff you drink!) and alcohol-based hand sanitiser, and recyclable paper. According to the Commerce Minister Jurin Lakanawisit, price controls on 55 items for daily use will continue, especially the price for face masks. A…
-
Health officials concerned with “family clusters” after baby tests positive for Covid-19
Health officials are concerned about the increasing cluster infections among family members, friends and colleagues after a 3 month old baby in Bangkok tested positive for Covid-19 after coming in contact with an infected family friend. The baby’s mother and 7 year old brother also tested positive for Covid-19, according to the director-general of the Institute for the Prevention and…
-
Bangkok condo prices expected to continue to fall this year
Condo prices in Bangkok are falling and are expected to continue to fall throughout the year. The real estate market isn’t anticipated to pick back up again until the Covid-19 pandemic eases. The average prices of new condos in Bangkok are expected to fall by 5%, according to Nexus Property Marketing. The real estate marketing firm Juwai IQI Group says the average…
-
DDC eases concerns about cool weather affecting the spread of Covid-19
The Department of Disease Control is easing people’s worries about the spread of Covid-19, saying that low temperature won’t make the virus more transmissible. They say disinfectants and sunlight are still effective to kill the virus. With cool weather in Central and Northern Thailand in recent days, some have been concerned that the low temperatures could impact the spread of…
-
Bangkok Covid-19 Update: 3 month old infected; market closes after vendor tests positive
A 3 month old baby in Bangkok tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday, the youngest case in the new wave of infections, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin says local health officials are investigating to determine how the baby was infected. A major wet market in Bangkok, Klong Toey Market, has closed for cleaning after a…
-
PM announces the distribution of 3,500 baht to help during Covid outbreak
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announces the 3,500 Baht distribution to help people financially affected during this second major outbreak of Covid-19, including informal workers, freelancers, and the unemployed. At the same time, the government will also help reduce the cost of living expenses of all households nationwide including electricity and water bills in February and March. Special internet packages will also…
-
Bangkok officials to consider easing Covid restrictions
Officials in Bangkok say they may look at lifting some restrictions in the capital, despite yesterday’s cases going up by 37, to a total of 1,989. The Bangkok Post reports that officials are optimistic the overall situation will improve. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, says provided the capital avoids any further “super-spreader” events, officials may consider lifting…
-
Thai labour market bounces back despite the pandemic
Despite Covid-19 pandemic’s negative impact on the economy with numerous layoffs and business closures, the Thai labour market survived and is experiencing an unemployment rate that is lower than expected, according to the Deputy Chairman of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, Chalee Loysoong. While the unemployment rate is lower than expected at 2% or 700,000 individuals, Thammasat University associate professor…
-
Police raid 5 homes and businesses suspected of gambling, arrest 21 people
Police arrested 21 people on gambling charges after 5 raids in Bangkok over the weekend. While deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, Jiraphop Phuridet, says the raids on January 8 and 9 are part of a nationwide crackdown initiated by the national police chief after a Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den, the raids busted what seems like…
-
Thai Red Cross Society calls for urgent blood donations, reserves run critically low
The Thai Red Cross is urging people to donate blood as Thailand hospitals are in “critical condition.” Blood reserves have run low and the number of blood donors has dropped by 50%, according to the Thai Red Cross Society. The Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to the dwindling blood supply. Many people are worried about Covid-19 and less likely to donate blood,…
-
BTS Skytrain headquarters employee tests positive for Covid-19
A BTS Skytrain staff member tested positive for Covid-19, the Bangkok mass transit company announced on their Facebook page. The employee worked at the BTS head office in the Chatuchak district and didn’t work at the BTS stations. Staff that came in close contact with the infected employee will undergo a Covid-19 swab test and are told to self-quarantine for…
-
Royal Thai Army’s Children’s Day activities go online due to Covid-19
Due to the new outbreak of Covid-19, the armed forces is suspending the upcoming national Children’s Day events to be held at Royal Thai Army units across the country tomorrow and will go online instead. All regular activities will broadcast on social media and online platforms including Facebook Live and YouTube, while additional interactive quizzes and prizes for children are…
-
Leaders of German Embassy rally meet with police, prosecutors
13 political activists who led thousands of protesters to the German Embassy in Bangkok last October have met with police and prosecutors in the capital. They face charges of violating section 112 of the Criminal Code for the October 26 rally at the embassy. The aim of the gathering was to submit a petition calling on the German government to…
-
Men arrested for dumping dead body on the side of a Bangkok road
Bangkok police arrested 2 men who allegedly dumped a dead man’s body on the side of the road in the Nong Khaem district. The suspects allegedly told police that they had invited 33 year old Chalit Nensap to a party, but he then overdosed on methamphetamine and died. To avoid potential drug charges from police, the men decided to get…
-
Protesters call rally in Bangkok to support activists charged over German Embassy petition
Pro-democracy activists have called a protest at Thung Mahamek police station in Bangkok, in a show of solidarity with 13 protesters arrested for delivering a petition to the German Embassy. Last October, members of the pro-democracy Ratsadon group led a march of thousands of people to the German Embassy on Sathorn Road. The protesters’ plan was to submit a petition…
-
Deputy PM Prawit backtracks after denying existence of Bangkok gambling dens
Whoops. Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon says his recent claim that there are no illegal gambling dens in Bangkok was all a misunderstanding. The nation’s favourite watch collector and Minister of Misunderstanding was forced to backtrack after the public scoffed and mocked his claims. “I didn’t mean that gambling dens do not exist. We all know that there are gambling dens,…
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.