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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  • Crocodile turns up in an unusual location: the heart of Bangkok

    Crocodile turns up in an unusual location: the heart of Bangkok

    Visitors to Thailand are often amazed by the wildlife they can see: elephants, tigers, crocodiles, lizards, dolphins, whales and sharks, and so much more. There are areas – like nature reserves, marine parks, farms, and sanctuaries – where you can travel to meet these creatures, and downtown Bangkok is not usually one of them. But residents were stunned to run…

  • The Power of Resilience: Anna wins the Miss Universe Thailand crown by Mouawad

    The Power of Resilience: Anna wins the Miss Universe Thailand crown by Mouawad

    The daughter of two Bangkok garbage collectors now wears a dazzling crown adorned with peridot, topaz, and diamonds designed by luxury jewellery company Mouawad. Beauty queen Anna Sueangam-iam was born into a life of hardship yet grew up to become Miss Universe Thailand 2022, the well earned winner of a crown fittingly named ‘The Power of Resilience.’ Anna grew up…

  • 1 dead, 4 injured as gunmen rampage at a Bangkok wedding

    1 dead, 4 injured as gunmen rampage at a Bangkok wedding

    Police are on the lookout for rampaging gunmen on motorbikes who shot and killed one man and injured another four people yesterday at a marriage ceremony in Din Daeng district of Bangkok. The families of 25 year old groom, Fahlan, and 24 year old bride, Jinsujee, held a marriage ceremony at the bride’s home in Soi Sutthipong 1/1 on Sutthisan…

  • Tenant fined 140,000 baht for keeping dog in Bangkok condominium

    Tenant fined 140,000 baht for keeping dog in Bangkok condominium

    South Bangkok Criminal Court has ruled that a tenant who violated condominium rules by keeping a dog in the apartment must pay a 141,500 baht fine and interest of 5% per year until the sum is paid in full. The decision comes after the condo filed a lawsuit against the dog owner in December last year. On top of the…

  • Exiled Sri Lanka President warned to stay in his hotel in Bangkok

    Exiled Sri Lanka President warned to stay in his hotel in Bangkok

    With many opposing Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s arrival in Thailand, police are advising the ousted Sri Lanka president to stay in his hotel in central Bangkok for his safety. He arrived in Bangkok Thursday evening at about 8pm after diverting a flight planned to land in Phuket. Fearful of an information leak, the privately chartered plane carrying the exiled ex-president along with…

  • Daily trains begin between Malaysian border and Bangkok

    Daily trains begin between Malaysian border and Bangkok

    With Covid-19 policies winding down in Thailand, many expats may be faced once again with the dreaded border runs that many types of visas require. A little good news though – the State Railway of Thailand is adding two new trains running from Bangkok to the popular Malaysian border crossing town of Padang Besar. The route kicked off yesterday. Last…

  • Bangkok gets 20 new electric buses next week

    Bangkok gets 20 new electric buses next week

    Finally, some good news for commuters as the government delivers its promise to introduce electric buses in Bangkok a week tomorrow. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob yesterday announced that the department plans to introduce 20 electric buses for Line No 2-38, previously known as the No. 8 route from Memorial Bridge to Happy Land. Saksayam revealed the buses will start operating…

  • Woman escapes death after car hit by fallen debris in Bangkok

    Woman escapes death after car hit by fallen debris in Bangkok

    Contractors face a heavy compensation claim after a woman escaped death when some loose tarpaulin smashed into the car she was driving in Bangkok’s Bang Khunthien district. The woman, Thichakorn Photalay, was driving down Rama II Road to her home in Samut Sakhon’s Mahachai area last night when a large piece of tarpaulin full of rainwater fell off an expressway…

  • ‘Democracy Must Go On:’ Protestors have three demands for Thailand’s government

    ‘Democracy Must Go On:’ Protestors have three demands for Thailand’s government

    Hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators gathered at the Naga Courtyard at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani province, central Thailand, yesterday to join a peaceful rally hosted by the student council entitled ‘Democracy Must Go On.’ Protestors demand three things from the Thai government… Resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha A people’s constitution Reformation of the monarchy under a democratic…

  • Bangkok OAP arrested after slapstick armed robbery of gold shop

    Bangkok OAP arrested after slapstick armed robbery of gold shop

    An old-aged pensioner dramatically gasped “It’s the end of the road” after police arrested him for the armed robbery of a gold shop which was pure slapstick in the Bang Kae District of Bangkok. The 70 year old man stole 17 gold necklaces from the Yaowarat MGold store in what was arguably the slowest robbery and getaway in stickup history.…

  • Covid-19 “hospitel” isolation in Thailand to end September 1

    Covid-19 “hospitel” isolation in Thailand to end September 1

    One option for Covid-19 patients with no or mild symptoms in Thailand is to check into a hotel designated for Covid-19 isolation, known as a “hospitel,” but not for much longer. The remaining “hospitels” are set to change back to regular hotels on September 1, according to the Director-General of the Department of Health Service Support Dr Thares Krasaniyarawiwong. The…

  • Pre-op trans men’s anger after Bangkok breast removal broker scams them out 4 million baht

    Pre-op trans men’s anger after Bangkok breast removal broker scams them out 4 million baht

    Five pre-op transgender men approached a lawyer for help after a breast removal surgery broker scammed them out of 4 million baht. The born females who identify as men are just five of about 25 to have made complaints about the broker, a transgender man, who took their money, and booked surgery but did not pay the clinic for the…

  • Man caught taking drugs inside a Bangkok police booth didn’t give a crap

    Man caught taking drugs inside a Bangkok police booth didn’t give a crap

    You might think taking drugs inside a police booth toilet was a loo-dicrous idea. But a Thai man in the Tung Kru district in Bangkok didn’t give a crap and just rolled with it. A video of the man taking drugs in the police toilet went viral on Thai social media. It was posted on a local Facebook news page…

  • Swedish Embassy hailed for giving 6-month parental leave to Thai staff

    Swedish Embassy hailed for giving 6-month parental leave to Thai staff

    The Swedish Embassy in Bangkok was praised by Thai netizens after providing six months of parental leave with full salary to its Thai male staff. Yesterday, the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok posted a story of a Thai embassy driver, Somchart Sucheephet, on Facebook revealing he receives the same welfare privileges as his Swedish counterparts. The embassy said… “It’s time…

  • Blaze at US office near German Embassy in Bangkok

    Blaze at US office near German Embassy in Bangkok

    A fire broke out last night at the US Security Assistance Organisation, or JUSMAGTHAI, on Sathorn Tai Road in Bangkok. The building is located near the German Embassy, but the office was reported to be safe from the blaze. Firefighters from Bonkai Fire and Rescue and Tung Mahamek Fire Station rushed to the scene at 7.35pm to suppress the blaze…

  • Drunk driver in 2 hit-and-runs drags motorbike taxi 300 metres

    Drunk driver in 2 hit-and-runs drags motorbike taxi 300 metres

    A drunk driver smashed into a motorbike taxi whose driver managed to jump to safety before the inebriated man pushed the bike 300 metres down the road. Photos were captured of the remarkable accident that miraculously ended with no fatalities or serious injuries, but looked like a scene from a slapstick comedy. Eyewitnesses to the event in Samut Prakan reported…

  • BTS is offering a free ride… with your mom

    BTS is offering a free ride… with your mom

    The Bangkok Mass Transit System has announced a special promotion for National Mother’s Day on August 12 where you can get a free ride… if you bring your mom. The BTS system has announced that those who bring their mother to the Skytrain will be allowed to ride for free in celebration of the Queen Mother’s birthday. The promotion had…

  • Fire at Energy Ministry’s compound in Bangkok

    Fire at Energy Ministry’s compound in Bangkok

    A fire broke out at the Energy Ministry’s compound in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district today. The blaze broke out on the 33d floor of Building A, a 36-storey building, the headquarters of PTTEP Plc. Luckily, firefighters quickly rushed to the scene and no injuries were reported. The firefighters were able to get the blaze under control in 10 minutes. The fire…

  • Bangkok taxi driver who snapped himself raping teen gets jailed

    Bangkok taxi driver who snapped himself raping teen gets jailed

    A Bangkok taxi driver who photographed himself raping a Burmese teenager in April has now been sentenced to jail by the Criminal Court. The driver, 39 year old Adirek Sae Bae, was initially sentenced on August 2 to 15 years in prison, however, his sentence was reduced to 13 years and nine months after he pleaded guilty. The victim, a…

  • Bangkok bootleggers face jail after 2 million baht of booze seized

    Bangkok bootleggers face jail after 2 million baht of booze seized

    Two bootleggers in Bangkok were arrested yesterday and 2 million baht of smuggled booze was seized as part of a successful joint police and Excise Department operation. The smugglers face four years in jail and a fine of up to 400,000 baht Police officer Somboon Tienkhao revealed officers were tipped off that an illegal alcohol operation was being exercised on…

  • Thai university students to hold protest on August 10 despite government ban

    Thai university students to hold protest on August 10 despite government ban

    Students of Thammasat University will hold a protest on August 10 at the university’s Rangsit campus, just north of Bangkok in Pathum Thani province, despite the Thai government’s ban on protests. A new ban on public gatherings was published in the Royal Gazette on Monday to “prevent the spread of Covid-19.” The controversial ban on protests is permitted under the…

  • Survey names Lat Phrao as most desired district in Bangkok

    Survey names Lat Phrao as most desired district in Bangkok

    A recent survey by Kaidee Property makes interesting reading for those interested in Bangkok’s real estate market. The online buying and selling platform revealed that during the first six months of this year Lat Phrao district was the most searched residential area in the capital, followed by Chatuchak, Bang Khae, Suan Luang, and Lat Krabang. Turns out these five areas…

  • 5 slurp worthy bowls of ramen in Bangkok for 2022

    5 slurp worthy bowls of ramen in Bangkok for 2022

    Slurpable noodles, savoury broth, and flavourful toppings – nothing comforts the soul quite like a steaming bowl of ramen. Thankfully for those looking to slurp down delicious noodles in a flavourful soup, Bangkok is dotted with fantastic ramen restaurants. From high-end joints to chain restaurants, you’ll find lots of spots to enjoy this Japanese comfort food. Whether you like lean…

  • Details on Bangkok’s Green Line train contracts to be publicly disclosed

    Details on Bangkok’s Green Line train contracts to be publicly disclosed

    Details on contracts for Bangkok’s Green Line Train are set to be publicly disclosed, although it has not been announced when. Krungthep Thanakom has agreed to publicly disclose details of its contract and memorandum of understanding with Bangkok Mass Transit System PLC, more commonly known in the capital as BTS. The contracts are for the first and second extensions of…

  • Woman demands cash from Bangkok mall after being bitten by a venomous snake

    Woman demands cash from Bangkok mall after being bitten by a venomous snake

    A Thai woman complained on social media that a Bangkok shopping mall refuses to take responsibility after she got bitten by a venomous snake in the mall’s car park in the Bang Kae district. The woman posted her story on Facebook under the account name, Apple Samart, on July 31, where she uploaded pictures of the offending snake, a red…

  • New Bangkok tunnel closed on opening day due to flood

    New Bangkok tunnel closed on opening day due to flood

    You couldn’t make this up. Finally, after 13 years of construction, the new Fai Chai Tunnel in Bangkok officially opened yesterday only to close due to a flood. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt last month visited the unfinished Fai Chai Tunnel to talk with the Director of the Public Work Department, Taiwut Khankaew, about the project’s delay. Chadchart made a few…

  • Bangkok chief says 300 water pumps need changing to fix floods

    Bangkok chief says 300 water pumps need changing to fix floods

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt called upon the city’s private sector to help solve the capital’s age-old flooding conundrum. The 56 year old chief said he is determined to sort out Bangkok’s perpetual drainage system. He revealed that, after a thorough investigation, the city needs to replace about 300 water pumps that are over 15 years old. Last Friday, Chadchart inspected…

  • VIDEO: Rama II U-turn bridge collapses near Bangkok, killing 2

    VIDEO: Rama II U-turn bridge collapses near Bangkok, killing 2

    A U-turn bridge over the Rama II Road heading toward Bangkok collapsed yesterday at 8pm, falling onto four vehicles and killing two people. One passenger died at the scene and a construction worker who fell from the bridge later died in hospital from their injuries. Two more people were injured. The incident happened in front of Vibharam Hospital in Samut…

  • Bangkok learning centre to host award ceremony for board game competition

    Bangkok learning centre to host award ceremony for board game competition

    One Bangkok learning centre plans to host an awards ceremony for a recent competition it held. The ceremony will be held at TK Park, located on the eighth floor of Central World Bangkok on Rama I Road, from August 6-7. It will last from 10.30am to 5.30pm. TK Park, or The Knowledge Park, has libraries but it also has interactive…

  • Bangkok officials working to prevent river overflows

    Bangkok officials working to prevent river overflows

    Bangkok officials are working to prevent overflows from the Chao Phraya River. This news comes after the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation warned last week that Bangkok and the other 10 provinces along the river needed to prepare for floods from July 28 until August 1 (tomorrow). Now, Bangkok’s governor Chadchart Sittipunt says the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is working…