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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  • Bangkok swipes right: Tinder crowns it top love hotspot in 2024

    Bangkok swipes right: Tinder crowns it top love hotspot in 2024

    Tinder released a ranking based on its passport feature, revealing that Bangkok is the top location in 2024 where Tinder users in the Asia-Pacific region pin and search for friends and partners the most. The popular Tinder dating app connects single people in the same area. Users can view other Tinder users near their location and swipe right on those they…

  • Thailand rejects call to abolish death penalty

    Thailand rejects call to abolish death penalty

    Thailand’s Cabinet dismissed the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) proposal to abolish the death penalty. This decision, announced by deputy government spokesperson Kharom Polpornklang, underscores the government’s alignment with the courts of justice, which deem capital punishment necessary for certain grave offences. The NHRC had pushed for the abolition, citing the global trend of eliminating what they consider an excessively…

  • Thai motorists enjoy free expressway during new year holidays

    Thai motorists enjoy free expressway during new year holidays

    The Government of Thailand has announced that motorists will enjoy free access to two expressways and two motorways during the new year holidays. The initiative aims to ease travel and encourage economic activity during the festive period. According to deputy government spokesperson Anukul Prueksanusak, the fee waiver applies to the Burapha Withi Expressway, the Kanchanaphisek (Bang Phli-Suk Sawat) Expressway, the…

  • Pheu Thai: Panthongtae Shinawatra plays no role in govt

    Pheu Thai: Panthongtae Shinawatra plays no role in govt

    The Pheu Thai Party swiftly quashed rumours spreading across social media about Panthongtae Shinawatra’s alleged appointment as chief of strategy and national economy. Chayapa Sindhuprai, serving as the party’s deputy spokesperson, made an emphatic statement on X, clarifying that these reports were unfounded and likely intended to sow confusion and damage the coalition government’s reputation. Chayapa asserted that during the…

  • 20 expelled PPRP MPs to join Thailand’s Kla Party

    20 expelled PPRP MPs to join Thailand’s Kla Party

    Narumon Pinyosinwat, leader of the Kla Party, announced that the 20 MPs recently expelled from the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) are set to join her party soon. The confirmation came following their ejection last week due to their association with Thamanat Prompow, a former influential figure in the PPRP. Thamanat is anticipated to take on a significant role within the…

  • Malaysian man and Thai wife arrested in Bangkok for money laundering

    Malaysian man and Thai wife arrested in Bangkok for money laundering

    Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers arrested a Malaysian man and his Thai wife today at a luxury house in Bangkok for running a money laundering operation for a gambling website. The assistant to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Commissioner, Thatchai Pitaneerabut, and the acting Commissioner of the CCIB, Trairong Phewphan, along with 20 other officers today, , December 17,…

  • Child smacking ban in Thailand gets Senate green light

    Child smacking ban in Thailand gets Senate green light

    In a landmark move for children’s rights, the Senate yesterday unanimously approved a draft amendment to Section 1567 of the Civil and Commercial Code, redefining the boundaries of parental discipline. The amendment, which had earlier sailed through the lower house, was deliberated and passed in all three readings in one day. It proposes a crucial update to the clause that…

  • Former PM Srettha cleared in police chief appointment scandal

    Former PM Srettha cleared in police chief appointment scandal

    The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) cleared former Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the Police Commission of any wrongdoing in the controversial appointment of Police General Torsak Sukvimol as National Police Chief. NACC spokesperson Saroj Phuengramphan announced the findings yesterday, December 16. “The commission found no evidence of misconduct or undue influence in the selection process.” The ruling puts to…

  • Ministry and LINE MAN offer free delivery for Thai SELECT dining

    Ministry and LINE MAN offer free delivery for Thai SELECT dining

    The Ministry of Commerce has joined forces with food delivery app LINE MAN to launch a special promotion for Thai SELECT restaurants, offering free delivery from December 16 until January 31, 2025. The initiative, announced by Oramon Supthaweetham, Director General of the Department of Business Development, aims to boost awareness and encourage locals and tourists to explore Thai SELECT certified…

  • Bangkok gets ready to get a taste of the Jurassic era

    Bangkok gets ready to get a taste of the Jurassic era

    Bangkok’s iconic Asiatique night market is undergoing a jaw-dropping transformation. A massive 6,000-square-metre section of the bustling riverside hotspot will soon transport visitors back 145 million years to the Jurassic era, complete with roaring dinosaurs and thrilling attractions. Wallapa Traisorat, CEO of Asset World Corporation (AWC), revealed that The World’s Largest Immersive Experience of Its Kind will open by the second…

  • Thailand aims to boost trade with Mongolia to 2027 goals

    Thailand aims to boost trade with Mongolia to 2027 goals

    Thailand is gearing up to expand its trade relations with Mongolia, aiming to surpass the 100 million US dollar mark in trade value by 2027. Following discussions with Amarsanaa Tumur, Mongolia’s Ambassador to Thailand, the Minister of Commerce, Phichai Naripthaphan, highlighted efforts to bolster economic cooperation through the Thailand-Mongolia Joint Trade Committee. This initiative aims to open new markets for…

  • Thai AirAsia X expands Bangkok-Delhi route with 4 weekly flights

    Thai AirAsia X expands Bangkok-Delhi route with 4 weekly flights

    Budget travellers, rejoice! Thai AirAsia X is ramping up its services, connecting Bangkok and Delhi with four weekly flights starting January 15, 2025. The move comes as the airline capitalises on surging demand from Indian flyers, driven by visa-free travel perks and enhanced connectivity. The carrier, which operates A330 planes, marked its return to the Indian capital on Sunday, December…

  • Thaksin scandal: Officials probed over cushy hospital stay

    Thaksin scandal: Officials probed over cushy hospital stay

    A corruption storm is brewing as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) launches a probe into 12 government officials accused of giving former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra a luxurious loophole to avoid prison. NACC Secretary General Sarote Phuengramphan revealed yesterday, December 16, that the commission is investigating claims that officials from the Department of Corrections and Police General Hospital granted Thaksin…

  • Bangkok’s air pollution costs 400 billion baht annually

    Bangkok’s air pollution costs 400 billion baht annually

    Bangkok is grappling with significant economic repercussions due to persistent air pollution, particularly from fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, leading to annual losses exceeding 400 billion baht. The revelation emerged during a seminar organised by the National Health Commission Office in conjunction with the 17th National Health Assembly, where the financial toll of pollution was a focal point of…

  • Homeless Thai man bludgeons boyfriend to death on Friday the 13th

    Homeless Thai man bludgeons boyfriend to death on Friday the 13th

    A Thai homeless man allegedly bludgeoned his homeless boyfriend to death with a hammer at an abandoned house on Friday, December 13, before fleeing the scene naked. The lifeless body of the victim, believed to be around 50 years old, was discovered at the abandoned house on Sukhaphiban 5 Road in the Sai Mai district of Bangkok on Saturday, December 14.…

  • Family feud in Samut Sakhon ends in fatal shooting

    Family feud in Samut Sakhon ends in fatal shooting

    A shocking incident unfolded in Samut Sakhon yesterday where a heated family dispute ended tragically. A woman was killed and her husband severely injured in a shooting yesterday, December 16, at their home in Om Noi, Krathum Baen district. The alleged gunman who lived next door and was a cousin of the deceased woman, is now on the run. Police received…

  • Thai man stabbed to death after traffic dispute in Bangkok (video)

    Thai man stabbed to death after traffic dispute in Bangkok (video)

    A 23 year old man lost his life in a stabbing outside a condominium on Rama II Soi 54 in the Bang Khun Thian district of Bangkok following a traffic dispute with a suspect who remains at large. A witness reported the death of the 23 year old Thai man, named Apiwit, outside the condominium, at Tha Kham Police Station…

  • Bangkok man caught stealing 1,100-litre water tank

    Bangkok man caught stealing 1,100-litre water tank

    A man was caught attempting to steal a 1,100-litre stainless steel water tank in Taling Chan, Bangkok, with plans to sell it to a junk shop. Police received a report about the incident early yesterday morning, December 15, leading to the arrest of 62 year old Prasert Jitthamphong, who was found with the stolen tank and a blue tricycle cart…

  • Fire engulfs Bangkok factory, emergency services contain blaze

    Fire engulfs Bangkok factory, emergency services contain blaze

    A massive fire broke out at a large plastic bag manufacturing factory in Bangkok, causing chaos as firefighters rushed to control the blaze. The incident occurred yesterday, December 15, at 1.50pm in the Samdam area, Bang Khun Thian district. Bangkok police and fire services were promptly dispatched to the scene after being alerted by Prasert Phunkaew, an investigator at Samdam…

  • Building trouble: Chinese workers nailed for illegal jobs in Bangkok

    Building trouble: Chinese workers nailed for illegal jobs in Bangkok

    Bangkok police officers arrested five Chinese nationals for working illegally as construction workers. They were earning 2,200 baht per day, significantly higher than Thailand’s minimum wage and the standard pay rate for legal construction workers. Officers from Huay Kwang Police Station received a complaint about illegal Chinese workers at a construction site in the Huay Kwang neighbourhood of Bangkok on…

  • Crane calamity wreaks havoc on Rama IV Road, Bangkok chief probes

    Crane calamity wreaks havoc on Rama IV Road, Bangkok chief probes

    Panic struck Bangkok’s bustling Rama IV Road as a concrete beam came crashing down from a crane, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and prompting an immediate suspension of demolition work at the Srifuengfung Building. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt swiftly halted all demolition activities at the site to prioritise public safety. Alongside Bangkok Deputy Governor Wissanu Sabsomphon and…

  • Bangkok’s Purple Line extension nears halfway mark

    Bangkok’s Purple Line extension nears halfway mark

    The construction of the Purple Line’s southern extension, a crucial link between Tao Poon in the Bang Sue district and Rat Burana in southern Bangkok, is making significant progress. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) reported that the project is nearly halfway finished. During an inspection conducted yesterday, December 15, Montri Dechasakulsom, alongside board members and executives, assessed…

  • Bangkok app-based rider steals 15,000 baht from Russian woman

    Bangkok app-based rider steals 15,000 baht from Russian woman

    Police arrested a Thai app-based motorcycle taxi rider for stealing 15,000 baht from a Russian woman in Bangkok and spending all the money on gambling. The Russian victim, 25 year old Anna Petrova Andreevna, filed a complaint at the Royal Palace Police Station on Friday, December 13, stating that she lost 15,000 baht in cash to the app-based motorcycle taxi…

  • Police arrest loan shark gang at Ministry of Culture

    Police arrest loan shark gang at Ministry of Culture

    A dramatic arrest unfolded at the Ministry of Culture when police apprehended members of a loan shark gang accused of charging extortionate interest rates and intimidating debtors. The operation, led by Montri Teshakun, targeted 30 year old Veeraphat, and 23 year old Meentada, who were charged with operating an unauthorised personal loan business and lending money at rates exceeding legal…

  • Bangkok police dismantle begging ring, uncover 300k baht cash

    Bangkok police dismantle begging ring, uncover 300k baht cash

    Thai police dismantled a begging ring in the heart of Bangkok, discovering 300,000 baht in cash and an astonishing bank account balance. The generosity of the Thai people was evident in the amassed funds. Deputy Superintendent Suriya Puangsomboon led a team of Immigration Police Division 1 investigators, working alongside the Bangkok Homeless Protection Centre and Lumphini Police Station on Thursday,…

  • Krungthai Bank warns customers of scam letters

    Krungthai Bank warns customers of scam letters

    Krungthai Bank has issued a cautionary notice urging its customers to remain vigilant against scammers impersonating both the bank and police. These fraudsters have been distributing counterfeit letters alleging irregularities in bank accounts that necessitate financial scrutiny. Customers are advised to directly contact the bank or law enforcement if they have any doubts. Krungthai Bank took to their Facebook page,…

  • Hong Kong master’s student duped into Thai nightmare

    Hong Kong master’s student duped into Thai nightmare

    A Hong Kong master’s student was swept into an international scam that cost her over HK$500,000 (approximately 2.2 million baht) and led her to an alarming detour to Thailand. This unprecedented case pushed Hong Kong police to seek Interpol’s help, marking the first time a victim was lured overseas. The victim, identified as K, a 22 year old student from…

  • UN urges Thailand to decriminalise sex work for healthcare access

    UN urges Thailand to decriminalise sex work for healthcare access

    The United Nations (UN) has recommended that Thailand should decriminalise sex work to ensure equal access to healthcare services and integrate victim support. This announcement was made during a press conference at the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel, where the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls discussed the state of women’s and girls’ rights in Thailand. This marks the UN’s…

  • Bangkok’s new ‘Health Stations’ promise quick, hassle-free care

    Bangkok’s new ‘Health Stations’ promise quick, hassle-free care

    Say goodbye to endless queues and tedious hospital visits. The Ministry of Public Health has unveiled its game-changing Health Station initiative, a telemedicine service designed to supercharge universal healthcare in Thailand. Debuting at the Charoenchai Housing Cooperative Community in Bangkok, these futuristic kiosks let residents consult doctors via video calls for 42 medical conditions, dramatically cutting waiting times and hospital…

  • Ex-boxer arrested in Bangkok for violent revenge attack

    Ex-boxer arrested in Bangkok for violent revenge attack

    A well-known ex-boxer and his group of friends were arrested for abducting and assaulting a rival in a violent act of revenge. The incident involved shooting and stabbing, leaving the victim seriously injured, and was sparked by a dispute over a friend’s girlfriend. Police, led by Montri Teskan, ordered the arrest of 23 year old Parinya in Bangkok. The arrest…