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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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93% of Covid samples from April test positive for variant found in the UK
The Covid-19 variant first detected in the United Kingdom is said to have been found in many of the cases detected in April. Out of 300 samples, 93% tested positive for the mutated strain, B.1.117, according to director general of the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Medical Sciences, Supakit Sirilak. The latest outbreak of Covid-19 started in clusters in Bangkok’s…
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Police in Bangkok arrest 6 people on gambling and drug charges
Six recent graduates have been arrested on charges of illegal gambling and using class 5 drugs. The graduates, between the ages of 23 and 25, allegedly used SIM cards to sign up for gambling sites to obtain bonuses from new players. According to media reports, they were allegedly earning between 1,000 to 10,000 baht a day on their gambling operation. Yesterday,…
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Managers of Bangkok clubs blamed for third wave deny any wrongdoing
The managers of 2 nightclubs in the Thong Lor district of Bangkok have denied any responsibility for causing a third wave of Covid-19. The Krystal and Emerald clubs have been widely blamed for sparking a resurgence of the virus that has now spread across the Kingdom, threatening tourism re-opening plans and further decimating an already-fragile economy. Both managers face charges…
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515 test positive for Covid at construction site in Nonthaburi, mostly migrant workers
Another construction site, this time in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, has reported an outbreak of Covid-19 after active testing revealed 515 people infected with Covid-19, over half of the 959 total workers who were there and screened. The worksite, Sin0-Thai, has been ordered to close. The majority of those who tested positive were asymptomatic, according to provincial health officials who…
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Man arrested for alleged involvement in 600 million baht lottery ticket scam
Police arrested a man for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent lottery ticket scam which generated an estimated 600 million baht. More than 50 people say they fell victim to the scheme with some claiming they lost thousands of baht after they purchased lottery tickets online, but the tickets were never delivered. Wutthipat Lerlob allegedly coaxed people into investing in…
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Friso and Gregg have been working in Bangkok’s Klong Toey slums for a year
If you would like to help, please send a message at either of these Facebook pages. Bangkok Community Help is a registered Foundation. https://www.facebook.com/BkkCommunityHelp https://www.facebook.com/dinnerfromthesky There are some amazing people helping out their local Thai communities to get through this Covid mess in Thailand; foreigners rolling up their sleeves to help communities hard hit by the Thai government’s restrictions and…
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1000+ Covid-19 infections and Indian variant in work camp
A construction site camp in the Laksi district of Bangkok that had found a Covid-19 outbreak recently has spiralled out of control with over 1,000 Covid-19 infections including the dreaded Indian variant. 66% of the camp workers tested positive for Covid-19, with 36 of the 80 samples analyzed revealing the Indian variant, a strain much more contagious than the original.…
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Covid UPDATE: 3,052 new cases, 24 Covid-related deaths, provincial totals
This morning the public health ministry added another 3,052 infections and 24 new Covid-related deaths over the past 24 hours. Out of today’s new cases, 605 came from the country’s prisons where major clusters have emerged. The daily totals, even without the prison numbers, show a slow upward trend in new cases, the vast majority around Bangkok in high-density housing…
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15 workers in Bangkok test positive for Covid variant first found in India
Workers at a construction camp in Bangkok tested positive for the Covid-19 variant first detected in India. The only other cases reported in Thailand involving the B.1.617 strain were a mother and her 4 year old son who both tested positive for the virus while in quarantine after travelling from Pakistan. Many of the workers at the camp in the…
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Labour Ministry to provide 9.2 million workers with vaccine
Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin announced that under Section 33 of the Social Security Act, over 9 million employees will receive a Covid-19 vaccine and don’t need to register on the Mor Prom Line account. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha posted on Facebook Wednesday that these 9.2 million workers would receive priority vaccines as at-risk essential workers. Insured employees that have to work…
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Foreigners feeding thousands in Bangkok’s Klong Toey slums during Covid
https://www.facebook.com/BkkCommunityHelp https://www.facebook.com/dinnerfromthesky They’ve been doing it for a year now! There are some amazing people helping out their local Thai communities to get through this Covid mess in Thailand. Without much in the way of concrete day-to-day assistance from the Thai Government, free daily food, care packs and supplies are being acquired and distributed by volunteers. We salute you all!…
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Man arrested in Bangkok accused of raping 30+ young women
A man has been arrested in Bangkok, accused of raping many young women who he met through dating apps and then blackmailing them with videos of the sex. Ratchaphol Jinda, a 26 year old salesman from Samut Prakan was sought for 3 arrest warrants for rape, attempted rape, and extortion. At least 10 women have come forward so far with…
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Bangkok planning to open 25 Covid-19 vaccination centres by end of May
Bangkok authorities say they are teaming with private entities to open 25 vaccination centres by the end of May, with a goal of opening up vaccinations to the general public by June. The announcement comes as Thailand’s capital has seen new Covid-19 clusters, prompting updated goals of inoculating 5 million residents by the end of July. Now, health officials say…
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Closure order in Bangkok set until May 31, restaurants can now offer dine-in services
To control the spread of Covid-19 in Bangkok, where more than 28,000 people have tested positive for the virus in the latest wave of infections, the closure order in the capital has been extended a second time, now set to be in place until May 31. While many entertainment and recreation businesses and venues are ordered to remain closed, some…
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Active Covid-19 clusters reported in 16 Bangkok districts
Bangkok residents living in any of the 16 districts in the capital with active Covid-19 clusters are being advised to strictly follow disease control measures. Spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin made the warning during today’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration briefing. In the latest wave of Covid-19 infections, more than 28,000 cases have been reported in Bangkok. Taweeslip says there have been…
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Man arrested for allegedly exchanging fake US bills for 1.2 million baht
A man was arrested in Bangkok for allegedly exchanging counterfeit foreign bank notes at a currency exchange kiosk, taking off with 1.2 million baht. Police say Thanat Amatawimut, a 42 year old building contractor, exchanged 360 fake $100 USD bills for 1.2 million baht at a kiosk in Bangkok back in 2019. The staff accepted the cash, but later realised…
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UPDATE: 2 Americans and a Thai arrested over Bangkok kidnap attempt, Thai policeman involved | VIDEO
Edited June 10 Screenshot: THAICRIME UPDATE: Following up from the earlier story involving 2 Americans, a Thai, a Taiwanese businessman, and an Israeli security goon, we have the following update (original story below)… Police have examined CCTV from the restaurant in Thong Lor where the Taiwanese businessman was allegedly kidnapped. It’s also been revealed that a “senior Thai policeman” was involved…
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Covid-19 spreads to 12 Thailand prisons infecting 9,789 people
Over the past week, 12 prisons in Thailand have reported Covid-19 infections infecting thousands of inmates. Out of the 9,789 Covid-19 infections reported by the Department of Corrections, nearly 4,000 cases were reported at the Chiang Mai Central Prison. Outbreaks at the Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women’s Correctional Institution were first reported last week after a pro-democracy protest leader…
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Fourth prison Covid-19 outbreak: 1,725 inmates infected at Thonburi prison
Thailand’s Department of Corrections is now tackling Covid-19 outbreaks at 4 prisons. Over the weekend, more than 1,700 Covid-19 infections were detected at the Thonburi Remand Prison, adding to the more than 3,000 infections at the Klong Prem Central Prison, Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women’s Correctional Institution. Prior to the recent prison Covid-19 clusters, hundreds of inmates at prisons…
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Walk-in vaccination centre to open at Bangkok’s Bang Sue railway station
Thailand’s Transport Minister, Saksayam Chidchob, has confirmed that a walk-in vaccination centre will open at Bang Sue railway station in Bangkok, from next month. The centre will serve the capital’s residents and those in the surrounding provinces. The Bangkok Post reports that 13,500 square metres of space is being transformed into a Covid-19 vaccination centre, with the goal of administering…
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3 men arrested over Bangkok kidnap attempt
Thai police have arrested 2 US citizens and a Thai for the alleged kidnap of a Taiwanese businessman for ransom. 5 other arrest warrants are also waiting to be executed over the incident. Police allege a “business conflict” over the purchase of plastic ‘nitrile’ gloves as the motive. The 3 men have been identified as 41 year old Jeremy Hughes…
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Stricter Covid-19 rules for Bangkok area construction sites
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has set out instructions to large construction companies and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to implement stricter regulations to curb Covid-19 in worker housing facilities. The decree comes after clusters of outbreaks were found at housing facilities at construction sites in the Wattana and Laksi districts. The CCSA spokesmen cited cramped living conditions and a…
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1,000 to 6,000-patient field hospital opened at IMPACT complex
IMPACT Muang Thong Thani exhibition centre in Nonthaburi has just opened as a massive field hospital that will be supervised by the Public Health Ministry. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda were all in attendance for the launch yesterday. Situated in the northern suburb of Bangkok, the huge commercial complex has ample space…
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Man charged with rape of 36 women in Bangkok area
A serial rapist with complaints from 36 female victims from the end of 2020 until the beginning of this month has officially been charged with rape. Mr Denphum Wattanachotipinyo committed rape, theft, fraud, and deception in the Bangkok area and was arrested Wednesday in Sai Mai. He is 39 years old and is believed to be from Nontha Buri. Thonburi…
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Inmates in Thai prisons to get vaccinated against Covid-19 next month
All inmates in Thai prisons will be vaccinated against Covid-19 starting next month. The announcement of the nationwide prison vaccination campaign follows this week’s outbreaks infecting nearly 3,000 inmates at 2 Bangkok prisons. There have also been outbreaks at prisons in Chiang Mai and the southern province of Narathiwat. At the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok, more than 1,000…
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Covid UPDATE: 2,256 new infections and 30 deaths, provincial totals
2,256 new Covid-19 infections and 30 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 33,186 active Covid-19 cases with most patients are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 96,050 Covid-19 infections and 548 coronavirus-related deaths. Out…
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196 Chaeng Wattana Road construction camp workers test positive for Covid-19
A construction camp off Bangkok’s Chaeng Wattana Road, which also features the Immigration Office, is reporting that 196 out of 300 workers have tested positive for Covid-19. Palang Pracharat MP Sira Jenjaka made the announcement after an inspection of the camp ended in testing many for Covid. Tomorrow, another 500 workers at the camp are scheduled to take Covid tests.…
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Covid-19 vaccination hub opens at Central Plaza mall in Bangkok
A Covid-19 vaccination hub opened up at the Central Plaza Lardprao in Bangkok, making it the first immunisation centre outside a hospital. Yesterday, around 1,000 people were inoculated at the new centre after registering for a vaccine on the Mor Prom mobile application. Most of those vaccinated yesterday were government officers, volunteers or those who are at a high risk…
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Unvaccinated MPs must show negative Covid-19 result before each parliament session
Under new measures for Thai Cabinet sessions, members of parliament who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 must test negative for the coronavirus before each new meeting. The parliament president Chuan Leekpai says the new orders are to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among Cabinet members. If an MP has not been vaccinated and does not show a negative result…
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Human rights group calls for transparency on Covid outbreaks in Thai prisons
Yesterday, Thailand’s Department of Corrections announced that thousands of inmates in Bangkok prisons have tested positive for Covid-19. 1,795 inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison are infected, along with 1,040 at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution. The announcement comes after political activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, tested positive for Covid-19 shortly after her release on bail. According to a Coconuts report,…
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