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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10 million baht kidnapping of businessman by Chinese crooks is comedy of errors
The botched 10 million baht kidnapping of a Vanuatu businessman by three Chinese gangsters had the hallmarks of a blockbuster comedy movie stamped all over it. The hostage and ransom demand situation may not have been funny to the businessman and his girlfriend but the situation was pure slapstick and would not look out of place on the silver screen.…
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Thailand’s second case of monkeypox recorded in Bangkok
A Thai man in Bangkok has tested positive for monkeypox, becoming Thailand’s second recorded case of the virus since the global outbreak began in May this year. At 2.30pm today, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul revealed that the positive result from Wachira Hospital in Bangkok had been confirmed by the Ministry of Health. The 47 year old Thai man started…
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Bangkok film festival urged to avoid deep south torture movies
The Internal Security Operation Command urged Bangkok’s open-air film festival to avoid screening movies or documentaries related to torture in the deep south provinces of Thailand. The military department said the event should only bring happiness and smiles to residents. Bangkok’s open-air film festival, which rolled out the red carpet on July 7 at Laan Kon Mueng space in front…
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Flood warning to Bangkok & 10 provinces along Chao Phraya River
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation last night warned that Bangkok and the other 10 provinces along the Chao Phraya River need to prepare for the possibility of floods because of rising sea levels predicted from tomorrow until August 1. The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported at 10pm that the water level of the Chao Phraya River was…
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Thai couple killed in drink driving incident in Bangkok
A Thai couple selling food on a footpath along Rama 3 Road in Bangkok were killed yesterday in a drink driving incident. The drunk driver was caught by residents while trying to flee the scene. The two deaths happened in front of a food court named I SEE SEE on Rama 3 Road at about 5pm yesterday. The couple who…
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Thai university researchers test wastewater for monkeypox at Bangkok airport
Sewage at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is being tested for the monkeypox virus by researchers from Naresuan University in the northern province of Phitsanulok. The tests can detect traces of the virus in wastewater immediately – even before the infected person begins to show symptoms – and could be used as a “budget surveillance measure” to catch and control local outbreaks…
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Chinese kingpin of transnational call centre gang arrested at Bangkok airport
A Chinese man wanted for trafficking Chinese people across borders to work in call centre gangs in Laos and Cambodia was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on Saturday. Chief of Police Suwat Chaengyordsook received a call on Friday, July 22, warning him that a Chinese fugitive wanted on an Interpol ‘Red Notice’ would be travelling to Suvarnabhumi Airport in…
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Pathum Thani Police nab 17 teen gang members after explosions
Gang violence in the Greater Bangkok province of Pathum Thani has escalated with 17 teenagers being arrested by police after throwing small bombs at each other. Thai news media reported that in the province to the north of Bangkok, on Soi Thammasuthee 23, Moo 5, in Muang district, explosions were heard three separate times related to gang wars. The first…
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Bangkok police shoot out tyres in dramatic car chase
A video is going viral of Bangkok police officers shooting out the tyres of a fleeing car that did a runner at a checkpoint in Ekkamai. The incident took place last night when Thong Lor police attempted to stop a red Mitsubishi Mirage at a checkpoint, but the driver refused and tried to speed off. At around 8pm yesterday, officers…
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Bangkok surges back above 10,000 Covid infections per day
Covid-19 infections have surged back to over 10,000 infections per day, in Bangkok alone. This time driven by the BA.5 sub-variant, and mostly identified through community testing and ATK results. Health officials also admit that many people are testing themselves at home, taking days off work and not registering their results with the health care system. Thailand’s last wave, driven…
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Who is growing cannabis on Parliament grounds?
The legalisation of marijuana in Thailand came with very little oversight or restrictions, but one of the few rules quickly established was that no government officials or locations could grow, sell, or consume the plant. But over 100 cannabis plants have been discovered on the grounds of the Parliament in Bangkok this weekend. On Friday, furious winds tore down a…
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Magnanimous governor accepts blame for Bangkok’s floods
It makes a refreshing change to hear a politician or a man in authority accept the blame for something which isn’t necessarily his fault. The rest of the world should sit up, listen, and take a leaf out of Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s book! The magnanimous 56 year old city chief absolved previous Bangkok governors and accepted the blame for…
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Bangkok restaurant ranked 39th best in the world
A restaurant in Bangkok has been ranked 39th in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022. The restaurant, Sorn, has won two Michelin stars. A hotspot for fine dining, Sorn serves traditional southern Thai cuisine. Sorn’s head chef, known as ‘Chef Ice,’ received the award at a ceremony in London earlier this week. Chef Ice expressed his honour over winning the…
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Wednesday’s record rains in Bangkok cripple the centre of the city
Wednesday night’s downpour wasn’t just torrential, it was record-breaking! It was the highest rainfall recorded in 67 years in some areas of the centre of the Thai capital. Even the 20 baht convenience store raincoats were no match for the downpour. Rainfall measured at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre in Khlong Toei district on Wednesday night was 132.5mm, surpassing the…
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Bedraggled rats can’t cope in Bangkok floods
Even rats couldn’t cope with the treacherous knee-deep flash floods which struck several areas of Bangkok last night. Bedraggled rats piled up on top of each other on the side of Sukhumvit Road, which was hit particularly badly by the floods after hours of continuous and heavy rainfall. Rats are excellent swimmers and can tread water for up to three…
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ICONSIAM to unveil ICS, a ‘Mixed-Use Lifestyle Town,’ featuring retail, office and hotel facilities linked to the BTS Gold Line
Press Release ICONSIAM, a world-class landmark located on the majestic Chao Phraya River – a joint-venture between three leading retail and real-estate developers: “Siam Piwat, Magnolia and CP,” is set to unveil ICS, a ‘Mixed-Use Lifestyle Town’ developed to amplify the thriving potential of the Thonburi area. ICS fosters an integration of urbanity and community that truly reflects today’s lifestyle…
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Heavy rains cause disruption around Thailand, Bangkok commuters deluged
Yes, it is the wet season. And, just in case you doubted it, Mother Nature has thrown down the rain in buckets to make sure you don’t forget, including Bangkok overnight. The Thai Meteorological Department has issued warnings of “isolated heavy to very heavy rain in most parts of the country” up to July 24. Some parts of the country,…
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Several roads flooded as heavy rain hits Bangkok
Bangkok suffered from heavy rainfall last night. Several communities and roads were swamped due to the high water levels, which reached more than 30 centimetres. The Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt visited several different flood areas last night to find solutions to prevent and solve future floods in the capital. At 1am today, the media reported that more than five roads…
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UPDATE: Poisonous gas another cause of death in Bangkok sewer tragedy
UPDATE Another worker from the Bangkok sewer tragedy died in hospital this afternoon. Officials said the cause of death could be a combination of electrocution, a lack of air, and poisonous gas in the sewer. In total, three electrical workers died, 26 year old Thosapol Faksawat, 23 year old Warawut U-Nath, and 37 year old Direk Intarangsee who lost his…
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Driver surrenders to police after dumping injured 5 year old boy in front of hospital
The pickup truck driver who fled the scene after dumping an injured 5 year old boy outside a Bangkok hospital has finally surrendered himself to police. The 5 year old boy was dropped in front of Suksawat Hospital in Rat Burana district at about 3pm yesterday by pickup driver Arnon Nantra. The boy was suffering from a broken hip, wounds,…
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2 workers die, 2 injured in Bangkok electrocution tragedy
Police have launched an investigation into the death of two electrical workers and serious injury to two other men who were electrocuted in a sewer near Wat Bang Nai Temple. The three electrical workers, 37 year old Direk Intarangsee, 23 year old Warawut U-Nath, and 26 year old Thosapol Faksawat, yesterday were installing an electrical system inside the sewer in…
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UPDATE: Couple narrowly escapes death as steel beam falls onto Bangkok expressway
UPDATE: The construction company responsible for the steel beam which fell onto a busy Bangkok expressway has agreed to pay 300,000 baht in compensation to the couple inside the pickup truck, which was flung into the air when it collided with the beam, as seen in the dashcam footage below. The couple – Sarawut Warapieng and Moree Warapieng – went…
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Police superintendent and 4 others charged in 6 million baht corruption
A British man desperate to get out of jail was cheated out of 6 million baht which he used to try and buy his freedom, with five people charged in the scheme. A Mae Hong Son police superintendent claimed to be using his connection to the assistant national police chief to curry favour and was the highest ranking officer charged.…
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Bangkok CCTV footage can now be accessed online
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced yesterday that accessing the capital’s CCTV footage is now easier than ever. CCTV footage can now be requested through two online channels – the CCTV Bangkok website and the Line account @CCTVBANGKOK. If you are involved in an accident or a crime victim in Bangkok, you are entitled to and may want to request public…
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Cash-strapped BMTA gets green light for 7.5 billion baht loan
The Thai Cabinet approved a more than 7.5 billion baht loan to the debt-ridden Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. Deputy Government Spokesperson, Trisuree Trisaranakul, yesterday reported that the cash-strapped BMTA would borrow 7.516 billion baht from the next year’s budget because it lacked financial liquidity. Trisuree added that BMTA has been facing cash-flow problems due to operational losses and lack of…
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Bangkok chief insists no entertainment events will be cancelled
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt insists that no public entertainment events will be cancelled in the city despite pleas from the Ministry of Public Health. The 56 year old city chief said that cancelling any upcoming events without reason would cause panic among the people. The Public Health Permanent Secretary, Kiattiphum Wongrajit, informed the media that he wanted to meet Chadchart…
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Freshmen forced to dance naked at university hazing ritual in Thailand
Electrical engineering students from a private university in Bangkok’s Nong Khaem district were allegedly forced to dance naked in front of women during an off-campus “hazing” ritual. Twitter user @RedSkullxxx posted a video of the incident online on Saturday with the caption… “This is an off campus hazing ceremony for fourth-year electrical engineering students from Southeast Asia University. In which…
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Thailand aims to complete high-speed rail link with China by 2028
Thailand aims to finish constructing the high-speed rail link which will connect China with the Land of Smiles by 2028, according to the Transport and Foreign Affairs ministries. As it stands, the project is only 5% complete – casting doubts on Thailand’s ability to fulfil their recent pledge to get the job done in the next six years. Beijing plans…
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UPDATE: Bangkok taxi driver pulls out knife on Singaporean tourists
UPDATE: Police punish Bangkok taxi driver who intimidated Singaporean tourists The Bangkok taxi driver who intimidated two Singaporean tourists has been ordered to pay 3,000 baht in fines, had his driving license suspended for three months, and must attend a three-hour training course about taxi rules and regulations in Thailand. Thailand’s Department of Land Transport and officers from Suvarnabhumi Airport…
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Thai Health Ministry urges Bangkok to reduce activities to curb Covid spread
The Ministry of Public Health will meet with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt today to discuss a new Covid-19 prevention plan and whether public gatherings should be reduced to curb the recent spike in coronavirus cases in the city. The Public Health Permanent Secretary, Kiattiphum Wongrajit, and Chadchart will meet this afternoon and discuss a strategy to prevent the spread of…
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