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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
-
200 policemen raid 6 entertainment venues in Bangkok
Over 200 police officers took advantage of the seasonal Halloween celebration to raid six entertainment venues in Bangkok to search for drugs, illegal guns, and underage partygoers. The raids weren’t as successful as they hoped with only two people testing positive for drugs. At the order of the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sookwimon, and Surachate…
-
Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend APEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand
Chinese President Xi Jinping has confirmed his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok next month, according to Thai government spokesperson Don Pramudwinai. Don told the media today that President Xi had officially confirmed his attendance as a “special guest” at the summit as China is not an APEC member state. Other “special guests” who have confirmed…
-
5 security guards on drugs arrested for robbing army residence
Five security guards were arrested yesterday after they robbed an army residence in Bangkok. The thieves stole four lightning rods worth 200,000 baht but only received 16,000 baht for the stolen goods. The group also tested positive for drugs. A soldier in charge of the security of army condominiums, inside the Royal Thai Armed Forces headquarters in the Don Mueng district…
-
Last Pakistani in Guantanamo Bay goes home
Saifullah Paracha has been in Guantanamo Bay detention centre since he was taken into custody in Bangkok in 2003. The 74 year old was never charged with anything, nor was he accused of any crime, merely “having links” with the al-Qaeda leadership. The oldest inmate at Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba and an innocent man by every legal definition, Paracha…
-
Gamblers allegedly cheated & attacked at casino in Bangkok
Two gamblers filed complaints to police saying that they were attacked at a casino in Bangkok run by a Chinese man. One of the gamblers reckons Bangkok has more than 100 gambling dens in the city despite gambling being illegal in Thailand, and that police insist there are zero casinos in the city. The founder of the non-profit organisation Saimai…
-
Thai police seize drug kingpin’s luxury Bangkok house on Facebook Live
Thai police from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) went live on Facebook this morning to seize a 21 million baht luxury home in Bangkok’s Saphan Sung district. The house belonged to an alleged transnational drug trafficker and money launderer who police suspect has already fled Thailand. In August, police seized 945 kilograms of “Ice” (methamphetamine) hidden in…
-
Police raid Bangkok clinic with unhealthy attitude to sex workers
A woman has been arrested on charges of operating a health clinic as a front for prostitution in a housing estate in Bangkok. The KL Health Clinic on Soi Nuanchan in Bung Kum was a front for sex services, according to police who raided the premises yesterday. Investigators arrested the owner of KL clinic Manthira Boonnipan, 35 years old, for…
-
Malaysian man arrested in Bangkok for smuggling liquor
A Malaysian man was arrested yesterday after police discovered he smuggled liquor from abroad and manufactured alcohol with fake brand-name labels to sell in Bangkok. Police from the Patrol and Special Operation Division discovered the illegal activities of a 55 year old Malaysian man named Chan when they raided his house in the Min Buri district of Bangkok yesterday at…
-
Two Singaporean men arrested in Bangkok for selling ‘Happy Water’ to nightclubs
Bangkok police arrested two men from Singapore yesterday for allegedly producing a drug known as ‘Happy Water‘ and selling it to entertainment venues around the capital. Happy Water is made by mixing various drugs with sweetened drinks. The drug cocktail is not for the faint-hearted: it typically contains ecstasy, methamphetamine, caffeine, diazepam, and tramadol all in one. Police arrested 63…
-
4 men arrested in connection with death of a Chinese woman
A Thai man, two Chinese men, and a Vanuatu man were arrested for covering up the death of a Chinese woman who died from a drug overdose after visiting a nightclub in Bangkok. The Chinese media reported on Saturday, September 17 that a 32 year old Chinese woman, You Zhue Hua, travelled to Thailand and disappeared. The media speculated that…
-
Bangkok man loses lots of weight after wife promises him PS5
One Bangkok man really, really wanted a PS5 so badly that he was willing to go on a grueling weight-loss journey in order to earn it. The man’s wife promised that she would buy him a PS5 if he lost 10 kilograms. Prab rose to his wife’s challenge and followed an intermittent fasting plan for four months to lose 10…
-
Hundreds of Chinese citizens arrested in Bangkok drug party raid
Thailand appears to be struggling a bit in its quest to draw in “high-quality tourists.” Bangkok police arrested hundreds of Chinese citizens at a raid on a drug party in the Sathorn area early this morning. The police busted a total of 266 people at a karaoke venue on Charoen Rat Road. 237 of the busted partiers were Chinese nationals,…
-
Bangkok police give motorists 30 days to fix up noisy, illegally modified vehicles
Bangkok police want to fight noise pollution in the capital by cracking down on loud, illegally modified vehicles. Police said they will give car and motorbike owners 30 days to ensure their cars are no louder than the legal limit before imposing fines. According to Thai law, exhaust pipes cannot produce a sound exceeding 95 decibels. Superintendent of Prachachuen Police…
-
Suvarnabhumi Airport calls for more taxis amid surging queues
While most are elated to see tourism returning to Thailand and international flights picking up, there’s one thing virtually everyone can agree they did not miss: taxi queues. As flight arrivals ramp up, there’s a shortage of available taxis for incoming travellers. Officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport are putting out the call for more taxis to register for pick-ups as the…
-
Thai MP to swim across Chao Phraya River for charity
A Member of Parliament from the Thai Civilized Party, Mongkolkit “Tae” Suksintharanon, will swim across the Chao Phraya River on Loy Kratong Day to raise money for the victims of floods in Thailand. On Saturday, October 22, Thai actor and singer, Pakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak swam across the Mekong River under his project named One Man and the River to raise…
-
No chance of parole for Bangkok’s imprisoned gorilla
After the latest round of public outcry, authorities claim for the umpteenth time that little can be done about gorilla Bua Noi, 33 years old, confined to a small cell in a Bangkok shopping mall. According to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa, the owners are free to continue doing as they please with the beast they have kept…
-
Man overpays taxi 253,000 baht, driver returns it
Rushing to transfer payment to a taxi driver, a Thai passenger hit a few extra buttons and didn’t notice he overpaid his cab fare. One thousand times more than the fare. After accidentally transferring 253,303 baht for a 253 baht taxi ride, the driver has been commended for returning the gargantuan erroneous tip. The Thai passenger hailed the taxi on…
-
Woman waits at BKK Airport for pick-up. For 2 months
You’ve probably felt like you waited forever for a friend or relative to pick you up at the airport. But two months? Authorities have been trying to figure out what to do with a woman who’s been waiting for her mother to pick her up at Suvarnabhumi Airport for two months now. The woman appeared gaunt and disoriented, unable to…
-
Police officer shot by pregnant 4th wife
In a wild story full of twists, a policeman was shot just outside his police station in Bangkok late last night. Even more shocking, the shooting was perpetrated by the police officer’s wife. Not his first wife though, she was just one of his four current wives. And she was pregnant. The bizarre story unfolded in the wee hours of…
-
Free trial of Pink and Yellow monorail lines in December
Though not fully finished and operational, the Thai government declared that the Pink Line and Yellow Line of the monorail system in Bangkok will be opened for a free trial in December. More progress on the construction has been made on the new lines of the rapid transit system and the government hopes to show the public the lines in…
-
Bangkok shopping mall will free Bua Noi the captive gorilla for 30 million baht
As famous gorilla Bua Noi nears the end of her expected lifespan inside a decrepit Bangkok shopping mall, Thai government officials are making renewed attempts for her to be released. However, the gorilla’s owner said he will only give her up for 30 million baht. Bua Noi (“Little Lotus”) was brought to Thailand from Germany as a one year old…
-
Jobs and shelter for Bangkok’s homeless an uphill battle
Providing shelter and jobs for Bangkok’s homeless population is being quoted as an “uphill battle.” According to Thai PBS World, Deputy Bangkok Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon made such comments after meeting with city officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations on Wednesday. The meeting was to discuss homelessness in Thailand’s capitol and to develop ways to find shelter and jobs for them.…
-
PM 2.5 pollution is on the rise in Thailand, warns health official
Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 pollution is on the rise in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, warns Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health Dr Opas Karnkawinpong. PM 2.5 particulates are tiny dust particles so small that thousands of them can fit into one full stop. Inhaling PM 2.5 is detrimental to human health as the minuscule particles travel deep into…
-
Luxury yacht halts Bangkok traffic as Krungthep Bridge opens
Drivers were understandably miffed as a huge traffic jam built up when the Krungthep Bridge in Bangkok opened to let a boat through. It is common for the bridge to open a handful of times each month, but usually to let through a big vessel belonging to the Royal Thai Navy. This time though, cars along Rama III Road were…
-
Change in plane direction surprises Bangkok residents
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… it’s… oh, wait, it *is* a plane. Residents in Bangkok have been complaining about a sudden increase in commercial planes buzzing low over their homes. Now they finally have an explanation for why they are seeing all these low planes – an airport direction change. The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (AEROTHAI), the agency…
-
Bangkok motorcycle taxi rider attacked by teenagers
A motorcycle taxi rider was brutally attacked by teenagers in the Thon Buri district of Bangkok. He says he had to pretend to die to save his own life, although that appears to be a bit of an exaggeration given the man is allegedly well-known for being a troublemaker. The teenagers who assaulted the man surrendered themselves to the police…
-
Bangkok could hit lows of 15°C by end of October
Time to invest in a woolly sweater or two as Bangkok is transitioning into ‘winter.’ By the end of the month, the temperature in the capital could hit lows of 15 degrees Celsius, according to the Meteorological Department. Yesterday, a chill was felt in the capital for the first time in a long time, reaching lows of 22 degrees Celsius.…
-
Man electrocuted while walking on Bangkok pavement
A Thai man warned pedestrians to watch their step while walking on a pavement in Bangkok after being electrocuted when he trod on a live, broken power cable left exposed to the elements. The man, Jarawi Rujirasawai, posted a video sharing his unexpected electrocution experience on TikTok account @jarawi_ yesterday. The video shows a picture of the broken power line,…
-
Thai AirAsia launches new routes from Bangkok to Bangladesh and India
Low-cost airline Thai AirAsia announced plans to launch direct routes from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh and to Lucknow in northern India. The airline’s Bangkok – Dhaka service will operate four times per week commencing November 24, 2022. The flight will depart from Don Mueang at 11pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and arrive…
-
Grieving mother calls for Dating App Killer’s execution
After being told her daughter had been seriously injured, a distraught mother relied on contact and details from her daughter’s new boyfriend. He said there had been a robbery and her daughter was in bad shape, in the hospital and needing money for treatment. She sent all her money and then sold her gold necklace to send more. Her daughter…
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.