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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  • Court blocks Thaksin’s request to leave Thailand for Indonesia

    Court blocks Thaksin’s request to leave Thailand for Indonesia

    Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra faced a legal setback today after the Criminal Court denied his request to travel abroad. The court ruled that there was not sufficient reason to allow him to leave the country, blocking his planned trip to Indonesia for the upcoming ASEAN meeting. This morning, Thaksin arrived at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road in his…

  • Optimus Prime creator clashes with bar over new figure donation

    Optimus Prime creator clashes with bar over new figure donation

    A Thai Optimus Prime creator clashed with a coffee shop and cocktail bar after a refusal to support his donation campaign to build two new figures following the viral and allegedly sacred figure near Bangkok’s Chinatown. The coffee shop and cocktail bar, Hypnotized, made the Optimus Prime figure go viral after sharing videos of offerings, including cocktails, engine oil, and traditional…

  • Two firms sued after crane collapse kills 6 on Rama II Road

    Two firms sued after crane collapse kills 6 on Rama II Road

    Two companies face legal action after a construction crane collapsed on Rama II Road, Bangkok, resulting in six fatalities and nine injuries. Investigations are underway to determine the cause and responsibility, with experts being consulted for insights. A meeting was held at the conference room of the Provincial Police Region 7 headquarters yesterday, March 5 at 2.30pm to discuss the…

  • New 100 baht note marks Finance Ministry’s 150th anniversary

    New 100 baht note marks Finance Ministry’s 150th anniversary

    The Ministry of Finance announced the release of a commemorative 100 baht banknote to mark its 150th anniversary. The note, which can legally be used for transactions, will be issued on April 14. The announcement was published on the Royal Gazette’s website, detailing the characteristics, colour, and size of the commemorative note. Signed by Pichai Chunhavajira, the finance minister, the…

  • Bangkok man caught with meth pills during traffic stop

    Bangkok man caught with meth pills during traffic stop

    A Bangkok man’s suspicious behaviour at a traffic checkpoint led to his arrest after police found 60 methamphetamine (meth) pills hidden inside a cigarette pack. The operation took place yesterday, March 5 along the inbound Vibhavadi Road in Chatuchak district, where officers from the Vibhavadi Rangsit Traffic Control Centre were enforcing traffic rules, particularly targeting motorcyclists using the main lanes.…

  • Bangkok bust: Nigerian duo caught in a powder keg of trouble

    Bangkok bust: Nigerian duo caught in a powder keg of trouble

    Two Nigerian nationals were apprehended in Bangkok following the implication of their involvement in drug trafficking by a woman caught attempting to smuggle cocaine into Japan. Both men were identified as overstayers and are now facing immediate immigration charges, alongside being investigated for alleged drug-related offences. Immigration and narcotics control police conducted a raid on a condominium on Navamin-Ram Intra…

  • Karaoke crackdown: Illegal workers caught off-key in Bangkok raid

    Karaoke crackdown: Illegal workers caught off-key in Bangkok raid

    The Department of Employment, under the Ministry of Labour, conducted a raid on seven karaoke venues in Khlong San district, uncovering 28 illegal workers. The operation, yesterday, March 5, followed a tip-off about foreign workers lacking proper permits. The investigation identified 52 migrant workers, with 24 possessing valid documents, while 28 were found working illegally. Legal proceedings have been initiated…

  • Home for Thais registration ends soon, housing lottery set for April

    Home for Thais registration ends soon, housing lottery set for April

    Registration for the Home for Thais initiative will end this month, with a property owner lottery scheduled for next month, according to Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote. Since the project started on January 17, around 350,000 people have registered. However, fewer than half, approximately 140,000 applicants, have passed the initial qualification screening, making them eligible for housing loans from the…

  • Bet and busted: Poker faces flop in 51 million baht Bangkok bust

    Bet and busted: Poker faces flop in 51 million baht Bangkok bust

    Thai police made a full house of arrests on Tuesday, swooping down on a clandestine poker den tucked away in a Bangkok warehouse. The audacious raid on March 4, led by officers from Ladprao Police Station, captured 52 gamblers, both locals and foreigners, caught red-handed amidst a sea of chips worth a staggering 51.4 million baht. Tipped off about the…

  • Phuket Airport immigration chief transferred amid nepotism claims

    Phuket Airport immigration chief transferred amid nepotism claims

    Police Colonel Padthongtew Damapong, chief of Phuket Airport Immigration, has been promoted to head Nonthaburi Immigration, part of the Greater Bangkok area after only ten months. The move, which follows another fast-tracked promotion just 10 months earlier, raised eyebrows due to his high-profile family connections. Pol. Col. Padthongtew is the nephew of Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, the ex-wife of former…

  • Thai woman crashes car into boyfriend’s vehicle over jealousy

    Thai woman crashes car into boyfriend’s vehicle over jealousy

    A Thai woman crashed her car into her boyfriend’s vehicle on a road in the Romklao district of Bangkok last night, following a dispute driven by jealousy. The argument arose after her boyfriend had repeatedly sneaked out to party with his friends. The Facebook page ZOOM Rayong shared a video of the incident, with a caption reading, “The couple argued,…

  • Bangkok Airways suspends northern flights due to smog

    Bangkok Airways suspends northern flights due to smog

    Bangkok Airways announced the temporary suspension of all flights between Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the northern destinations of Lampang and Mae Hong Son, as thick smog and hazardous air pollution continue to engulf the region. The airline confirmed that services would be grounded from March 15 to April 20 due to dangerously low visibility caused by persistent haze, which has…

  • Digging trouble: Bangkok man arrested for shovelling blows at cops

    Digging trouble: Bangkok man arrested for shovelling blows at cops

    A 38 year old man was arrested in Bangkok after allegedly assaulting two police officers with a shovel. The incident occurred on March 3, when the man, Kamla, was reportedly found engaging in indecent behaviour in public. Subsequently, he fled into a construction building, where the confrontation ensued. At approximately 9.04pm, police received a report of a man undressing and engaging…

  • Man found dead in Bangkok tuk tuk with stab wound and drugs

    Man found dead in Bangkok tuk tuk with stab wound and drugs

    A 49 year old man from Roi Et was found dead with a stab wound in a tuk tuk in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok. Police discovered 10 methamphetamine pills at the scene. The police are currently investigating the incident to determine the cause of death. The incident occurred at noon yesterday, March 4, when Police Lieutenant Jeeranan Kaoeian, Deputy Inspector at…

  • Prawit to lead no-confidence debate against PM Paetongtarn

    Prawit to lead no-confidence debate against PM Paetongtarn

    Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader General Prawit Wongsuwan is set to lead party members of Parliament in a no-confidence debate against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on March 24, according to PPRP Secretary-General Paiboon Nititawan. Paiboon stated that the PPRP will have a two-hour slot to scrutinise the prime minister, with General Prawit actively participating in the proceedings. The debate will address several…

  • Fast and furious: Bangkok tuk tuk race ends in crash, 3 injured

    Fast and furious: Bangkok tuk tuk race ends in crash, 3 injured

    A high-speed tuk tuk race on a Bangkok road ended in a devastating crash, leaving three people seriously injured, including one driver with a severe head injury. The incident, which occurred late last night, March 3, sparked a police investigation, with officers awaiting blood alcohol test results. The collision happened around 10pm on Ratchadaphisek Road in Chong Nonsi, Yannawa district,…

  • Thailand upholds alcohol ban on Buddhist holidays with exceptions

    Thailand upholds alcohol ban on Buddhist holidays with exceptions

    Thailand’s Alcoholic Beverage Board has upheld the ban on alcohol sales during five major Buddhist holy days, with limited exceptions for specific locations. The decision, aimed at balancing religious observance with tourism promotion, is expected to take effect before Visakha Bucha Day on May 11. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Prasert Chantararuangthong, chaired the National…

  • Bangkok condo technician fatally shot near home

    Bangkok condo technician fatally shot near home

    A 29 year old maintenance technician from a condominium in Sathorn, Bangkok, was fatally shot while returning home from work. The incident occurred around 8pm,yesterday, March 3, near his residence in the Thawi Watthana district of Bangkok. He had recently enrolled in a well-known technical college for a month. Police Lieutenant Wiriyah Prathumsai from Thammasala Police Station, along with Police…

  • Thai plane shame: Pakistanis stranded in Bangkok bust-up (video)

    Thai plane shame: Pakistanis stranded in Bangkok bust-up (video)

    Chaos erupted for Pakistani travellers after they found themselves marooned in Bangkok for two long days after technical issue with a Thai Airways flight. In a maddening turn of events, passengers were left in suspense for six gruelling hours at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, clinging to the hope of an alternative flight. Those hopes were dashed, however, when Thai…

  • Khlong Toei street vendors must vacate by March 16

    Khlong Toei street vendors must vacate by March 16

    Street food vendors at Khlong Toei Market 1 have been instructed to vacate by March 16 to enhance the visual appeal and pedestrian pathways along Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei subdistrict. Deputy Bangkok Governor Jakkapan Phiewngam is leading the initiative and recently conducted an inspection of the area in preparation for the transition. On Saturday, March 2, Governor Jakkapan…

  • Bangkok revamps Bueng Si Kan Lake for flood control

    Bangkok revamps Bueng Si Kan Lake for flood control

    Bangkok is gearing up for a wetter future with a major transformation of Bueng Si Kan Lake in Lak Si district, turning it into a massive flood-control reservoir. The ambitious project is part of the city’s monkey cheek initiative to tackle increasing rainfall and prevent severe flooding in one of its most vulnerable neighbourhoods. Deputy Governor Wissanu Sabsomphon announced that…

  • Fortune turns sour: Fengshui master’s gambling scandal exposed

    Fortune turns sour: Fengshui master’s gambling scandal exposed

    Royal Thai Police (RTP) rounded up an unlucky 13 alleged masterminds behind a lucrative gambling website, reportedly raking in a staggering 1.6 billion baht annually. Assets amounting to 20 million baht have been seized in connection with the arrested gang. The case unravels the tangled web of 43 year old fengshui guru Thanawan Jiracharoenwes, infamously known as “Tili.” The smooth…

  • Boom to bust: Chinese investment in Thai property hits rock bottom

    Boom to bust: Chinese investment in Thai property hits rock bottom

    Once a beacon of opportunity, Thailand’s vibrant condo market for Chinese investors is now dimming, as economic clouds gather over China’s middle class. Stephen Yao, a former Chinese investments broker in Bangkok, and Pattaya, has seen his formerly bustling schedule dwindle. In 2017 and 2018, he made a staggering 32 trips from China’s Guangdong province to Thailand. But recent years…

  • Bangkok and Ratchaburi drug raids lead to two arrests

    Bangkok and Ratchaburi drug raids lead to two arrests

    The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) conducted raids in Bangkok and Ratchaburi, arresting two men allegedly selling drugs online with blatant disregard for the law. Yesterday, March 2, Police Major General Athip Phongsivapai directed the operation, which led to the arrest of 37 year old Peerawut and 24 year old Suphapat. The suspects were apprehended under separate charges. Peerawut was…

  • Chon Buri woman sexually assaulted by male masseur in Bangkok

    Chon Buri woman sexually assaulted by male masseur in Bangkok

    A 33 year old woman in Chon Buri reported being sexually assaulted by a male masseur at a renowned health massage parlour in Bangkok’s Bang Kapi district. Upon her complaint, the establishment promptly terminated the employee involved. Yesterday, March 2, a TikTok user posted a warning video after visiting a well-rated massage parlour in Bang Kapi, Bangkok, where she was…

  • Thai man with depression falls to his death near Chatuchak Market

    Thai man with depression falls to his death near Chatuchak Market

    A Thai man suffering from depression yesterday fell to his death from the car park of a shopping mall near Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok. The 47 year old man, Wanna, fell from the fourth floor of the car park, yesterday, March 2. He sustained a deep cut on his right hand, a broken left arm, and severe internal injuries…

  • Eagle talk to bogey walk: England putt Schmeichel’s hopes to rest

    Eagle talk to bogey walk: England putt Schmeichel’s hopes to rest

    Team World vice-captain Peter Schmeichel said his Team England counterparts “talked a good game” before the tournament teed off, adding that the Reignwood Icons of Football trophy would not be “Coming Home” at the weekend. Unfortunately, the former Manchester United legend was left in the rough and forced to eat his words as Team England shattered the Dane’s bunkered dreams…

  • Bangkok buses now accepts QR code and e-wallet payments

    Bangkok buses now accepts QR code and e-wallet payments

    Thai Smile Bus, operating primarily in Bangkok, has expanded its payment options, now allowing passengers to pay using QR codes via PromptPay across all routes. Additionally, the service will also support Digital E-Wallet payments, such as True Money Wallet, which came into effect on March 1. Kulpornphat Wongmacharapinya, Chief Executive Officer of Thai Smile Bus Company Limited, announced the expansion…

  • Thailand cracks down on illegal foreign makeup teachers

    Thailand cracks down on illegal foreign makeup teachers

    The Department of Employment intensified its crackdown on employers and foreign workers found engaging in reserved professions, specifically targeting unauthorised makeup teacher roles. Recently, two people have been prosecuted, reinforcing the protection of Thai citizens’ right to work. Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director General of the Department of Employment, stated that labour minister Pipat Ratkitprakarn has instructed officials to rigorously inspect, prevent,…

  • Bangkok police seize illegal e-cigarettes worth 30 million baht

    Bangkok police seize illegal e-cigarettes worth 30 million baht

    Bangkok Metropolitan police, in collaboration with officers from Phetkasem Police Station, yesterday conducted a raid on an illegal e-cigarette warehouse in Bang Khae district, Bangkok, confiscating contraband valued at over 30 million baht. Acting on a search warrant issued by the Thonburi Criminal Court, the police targeted a four-story commercial building after receiving information indicating the storage of illegal items…