September 2011
My favorites:
Me watching Thai tv news:
Northern Thailand has experienced tremendous rain and flooding for the past few months with no end in sight. One particular town is only half under water, the other half sealed off and protected by a wall of sandbags. After many weeks and many more arguments involving one half of the town against the other, the wet inhabitants decided to pull up their sandbags and share their troubles with the dry folks on the other side of town. Now the entire town is flooded. Simply genius! Its a good thing the problem was water and not fire.
Bangkok Post : Squabbling monks shock faithful
Phra Phit Papassaro, 26, is a monk at Wat Bang Khun Thian Nok in the Chom Thong area. He is accused of assaulting and threatening another monk at the same temple after an argument over an overlapping morning alms route. Phra Phit Papassaro denied the charge.
A dispute has broken out between one monk who regularly followed a particular route to collect alms and two others who he alleged scared him off, reportedly because adherents offer money.
It was possible the conflict erupted because many people make merit by giving money to monks.
Phra Jirawat claimed he collected morning alms on the same route from Wajjana Road leading to Rama II Road and received 300-600 baht every day and up to 1,000 baht on Buddhist holy days. He said Phra Jo and Phra Auan collected morning alms on the same route, resulting in the argument.
Toy helicopter full of mobile phones fails to make prison drop
A remote-controlled helicopter that crashed near a prison in Ratchaburi was being used to smuggle mobile phones and phone parts worth millions of baht to inmates, police said yesterday.
Seven mobile phones, four satellite mobile phones, a number of SIM cards, eight mobile phone batteries and three mobile phone screens were found among the wreckage of the helicopter.The smuggled phones and parts were worth a total of Bt2 million to Bt3 million, but could have fetched as much as Bt10 million on the prison's black market, police said.
Damn Farangs and other Drunken Folks:
Drunk Swede Taken For Dead Near TESCO Pattaya
A 70 plus old Swedish man with marital problems concerning his Thai wife, got drunk and went to sleep in the bushes beside the TESCO sidewalk in Pattaya. The passers by thought he was dead and called the unidentified corpse collection foundation.
Mentally Unstable German Found Walking Naked in Pattaya
A German left by his Thai girl friend when his money ran out lost his mind and started walking the streets naked. The tourists and the locals felt sorry for him and gave him 1,000 THB. The Chonburi Immigration Office was notified.
Boris aide's son dies after collapsing on notorious Full Moon Party island
The son of one of Boris Johnson’s key aides has died after collapsing on an island in Thailand renowned for staging drugs parties.
Andrew Lister, the middle son of Deputy London Mayor Sir Edward Lister, is believed to have suffered a heart attack after falling ill in his room at a guesthouse on the island of Koh Phangan last Tuesday.
Thai police claimed witnesses saw Mr Lister drinking with friends before he collapsed at around 6am after the island’s monthly Full Moon Party, attended by 30,000 revellers.
The well-known holiday destination is popular with thousands of young thrill-seeking British backpackers and has become infamous for drink and drug-fuelled full moon parties.
Andrew Lee Nash Raped Neighbor's Pigs, Gave Them Vaginal Infections
If sex offenders are the lowest species in the joint, hog rapists are at some subterranean level yet to be discovered. But that's where Andrew Lee Nash finds himself. It began when a hog farmer in Greenwood, Mississippi called in a vet for routine examinations...Four pigs had vaginal infections, and the vet concluded they'd been sexually assaulted. So the farmer contacted police, who set up a stake out at the farm.
Low and behold, into the trap came Nash, Greenwood's notorious pig rapist. He's now been charged with 12 counts of unnatural intercourse, which is a really cool name for a crime. If convicted, he's looking at a staggering 120 years in prison
Foreign Man found collapsed outside South Pattaya convenience store Police and Rescue Services assisted a foreign man who was found lying unconscious outside a 24-hour convenience store in the early hours of Friday.
It was reported the man was dropped at the store, located on Pattaya Second Road in front of Soi 13/3 by a motorbike taxi driver.
Police could not determine a name or nationality for the man who was carrying no identification, money or any other valuable items.
There was no indication the man had been drinking and the suspicion was he may have been drugged and then robbed.
The victim was taken to Hospital as a precaution and the Police will follow-up the case later on Friday.
Swiss man commits suicide in his South Pattaya apartment
A Swiss man reportedly killed himself as he was unable to purchase water due to a lack of funds.
Police and rescue services were called to the 2nd floor at the New Star Apartments in South Pattaya and were directed to a room occupied by Mr. Jurg Buchs aged 40.
He was lying, semi-naked on the balcony and according to his girlfriend of 4 months, Khun Jumleun aged 32, he hung himself, using a black leather belt which he attached to a metal safety cage surrounding his room balcony.
Khun Jumleun, woke up in the early part of Friday afternoon and discovered Mr. Buchs
Police detected evidence of drug taking in the room and a small amount of Marijuana and a device commonly used to ingest methamphetamine.
The body of Mr. Buchs has been sent to the Police Hospital in Bangkok for forensic examination and the Swiss Embassy in Bangkok are aware of the death.
Taxi's, Tuk Tuks, and other Mafia
Phuket Resort Blockaded: Police Mediate, Taxi Drivers Win Again
PHUKET: About 20 local taxi drivers blockaded the Evason Phuket and Bon Island resort in southern Phuket today for two hours in a dispute over access by non-approved vehicles, police said.
The dispute began at 10am and continued until after noon, officers said.
The blockade was over tour counter staff in the resort, isolated at the end of a long entry road in Rawai on Phuket's east coast, calling a vehicle that was not a local taxi.
Almost inevitably, the resort gave in to the demands of the local taxi drivers in talks mediated by Colonel Narang Laksanawimon, of Chalong police.
The colonel said resort management will allow local taxis to occupy two spaces in the resort car park, and receive priority.
If the tour operation desk calls an outside taxi again, the contract with the resort will be terminated, the colonel said.
In August, after four tuk-tuks blockaded a Patong street in a dispute with Dutch tourists and a policeman who drew a gun, Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong warned that future blockades anywhere on Phuket would not be tolerated.
However, local taxis and tuk-tuks continue to grow in numbers and power. Virtually every resort on Phuket is forced to offer concessions to the local drivers. Relationships vary from barely tolerable to awful.
Violent incident have increased with the power of local taxi and tuk-tuk drivers, who monopolise as much of Phuket's tourism traffic as possible and demand extortionate fares. Many of the taxis are unregulated.
Phuket taxi mob beats driver in broad daylight
PHUKET: A gang of taxi drivers encamped outside an upscale resort on Phuket's west coast today beat a local driver with an iron bar before causing a reported 50,000 baht in damage to his car.
Preecha Choowong, 38, filed a complaint at Kamala Police Station this afternoon, after receiving treatment for his head wound at Patong Hospital.
About six drivers outside the resort pulled Mr Preecha from his Honda Civic and started to beat him. One of the attackers hit him on the head with an iron bar.
"Considering the state he [Preecha] was in when he arrived to file the complaint, we told him to go to Patong Hospital for treatment first, then come back and file his complaint," said Kamala Police Duty Officer Anek Mongkol.
The attack today comes just days after the Austrian Ambassador to Thailand laid bare a caution for Phuket authorities to start taking serious steps to resolve the continual, brutal antics of lawless drivers on the island.
Phuket Tuk-Tuk Gang 'Bashed Irate German Senseless,' Says Police Report - Phuket Wan
PHUKET: A German man is in a coma at a Phuket hospital after allegedly being beaten senseless in a gang attack by tuk-tuk drivers in Patong on Thursday night.
The report alleges that the German, named as Kurt Trotnow, 53, was beaten by tuk-tuk drivers outside the Taipan nightclub in Rat-U-Tit 200 Pi Road, Patong, about 11.05pm on Thursday.
The police report says that Mr Trotnow was drunk and attacked the driver of the tuk-tuk first before he in turn was beaten and left senseless, lying in the roadway.
It is not known how it took four days for news of the alleged beating to emerge, but the fact that all emergency services on Phuket were stretched by a downpour that caused massive flooding may have led to notification being overlooked.
The condition of Mr Trotnow is reported to be very serious.
Tuk-tuk drivers in Patong were accused of beating up and stabbing two young Australians, one of them in the chest, in a case that Australian honorary consul Larry Cunningham later described as ''attempted murder.''
With the driver of a damaged tuk-tuk threatening a counter-suit, the two wounded Australians and three friends hurriedly caught a flight back to Sydney without making a statement to police.
More recently, tuk-tuk drivers blockaded Rat-U-Tit 200 Pi Road, part of central Patong's one-way street system, in a dispute with police. The blockade came because a policeman drew a gun in trying to bring peace as tuk-tuk drivers brawled with two young Dutchmen.
M.D.K. and various characters of malice.
Bangkok Post : Grandfather seeks justice
The grieving grandfather of a young boy allegedly shot dead after sneaking onto the property of a high-ranking Sakon Nakhon official to go fishing has come to Bangkok to seek justice.
Mr Sompong said two of his grandsons _ Anan, 10, and Nanthawat, 9 _ crept into the officials' housing compound at about 9pm on Aug 22 to catch fish in his pond. Nanthawat waited at the fence while Anan scouted the pond. Suddenly, he heard a gunshot and ran towards his brother who was holding a bloody thigh and shouting, "Tor [Nanthawat's nickname] help me, I'm shot."
Before he could reach his brother, he saw a man walk up to Anan and shoot him twice. Nanthawat rushed home to tell his other brother, grandfather and grandmother what had happened.
Mr Sompong went to the official's compound but could not find his grandson. Soon after midnight, neighbours in Wanon Niwat told him to go the local hospital. There he found the body of Anan who had been shot four times in the left thigh, neck and twice in the chest.
Police said later the official had gone to the police station to report he had shot dead a thief at his house. He was bailed out by local politicians that night.
Mr Sompong filed a complaint with police on Aug 23 but there has been no progress in the case, he said.
Thai man kills friend in Russian roulette
A 23-year-old Thai man has been arrested on murder charges after winning a game of Russian roulette with his friend, who was asleep at the time.
Pornthep Jaisangiam confessed to shooting his friend Sanchai Nawasnathee, 25, after a drinking binge at a karaoke bar in Uthai district, Ayutthaya province, 90km north of Bangkok, the Thai Rath newspaper reported.
Ponthep told police he was still drinking on Sunday morning while his two friends, Sanchai and Ton, slept.
Seeing a pistol in Sanchai's belt, Ponthep decided to play a game of Russian roulette with his sleeping friend. He removed all the bullets but one, held it to his own head and fired. Nothing happened.
Ponthep then held the gun to the sleeping Sanchai's head and fired, putting a bullet through his skull and killing him instantly.
International Women's headless corpse was found stranded Koh Chang.
(Hoof Hearted's nominee for best translation)
At 15:20 AM on September 12, Lt. Col. S. nerves can fate a pharmacist inspector. Koh Chang received notice from the city and its top resort island of Koh Chang Moo 4. Chang found that the deceased was a woman not to wear a big white head, no logs were floated into the waves lap the beach behind the hotel. Prompted police to coordinate volunteer rescue association for merit aid. Trat, Koh Chang District to jointly investigate the incident.
Arrived at the scene to walk down the stairs, climb down the cliff. 1 case was found dead lying face down in the nude on the beach head death was not expected to be no less than 6 days due to all parts of the body, the flesh begins to rot.
Col. nervous initially said that the deceased was a foreigner. I do not know exactly what is national. And found no traces of wounds on the body. Assumed that the reasons may have died from other areas. I was drafted into the waves lap the beach. The official cause was assigned to the volunteer rescue company. To send the body of the deceased. Wed island. For the physician to determine the diagnosis
September 15 ( Brief translation from Thai News article) [ link not prvd] Man’s body found in the sea at Klong Son, Koh Chang
On 15 September fishermen at Siam Royal View, Klong Son, Koh Chang discovered a body floating face down in the sea. Police and volunteer rescue workers attended the scene and the body was removed from the water at the pier on the Siam Royal View development.
A rope was used to bring the body ashore and it was quickly ascertained that this was most likely a murder, as the deceased had been shot several times in the neck and left eye. The right eye was also missing.
Seven Shots in the Back Kill 'Sunday Driver' With Suspected Drug Links - Phuket Wan
PHUKET: A man who took his wife and child for a Sunday drive on Phuket was murdered last night in what police believe was a drugs-related hit.
Seven bullets in the back killed Preecha Tengkeang, 30, at his home in Rawai, southern Phuket, in a soi not far from the traffic lights at the Viset Road intersection.
Police believe the killer or killers used a handmade gun known as a thai pradit that can fire up to nine bullets at once.
The killer or killers made their escape quickly into the scrub near Khun Preecha's house.
Phuket Security Guard Kills Maid at Apartment Block
PHUKET: A maid who reckoned the security guard at the Phuket apartment block where she worked was a bit young and deserved some ribbing paid with her life.
Police said yesterday that maid Sawee Sarating, 39, took to teasing security guard Narong Sripect, 23, at the block of apartments in Kalim where they both worked, north of Patong on Phuket's west coast.
Yesterday the ribbing became too much for the young security guard and he made some cracks about maids. Before much time had passed, the security guard and the maid were hurling abuse at each other.
The row ended when Khun Narong picked up an iron bar and battered Khun Sawee to death. He was talked into surrendering to police and now faces a murder charge.
Bangkok Post : Acid attack on foreigners at train station
A female foreign artist, Elizabeth Briel, reported on twitter on Friday that she and her husband had acid sprayed at their faces at the Asoke skytrain station last night.
She said the acid was directed at them from the stairway leading to the station near Robinson shopping mall.
Mrs Briel said her husband's eyes were damaged but would be okay, while she has a burnt scalp.
They were treated at Bumrungrad hospital.
The hospital said this is the third case they have seen lately.
Thai elephant steps on land mine in Myanmar
Pa Hae Po, a wounded 22-year-old male elephant holds a pole with trunk to support its balance while being treated at the Elephant Hospital in Lampang province, northern Thailand Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011. The elephant received an injury on the front left foot when it stepped on a landmine on Sunday while working in the forest near the Thai-Myanmar border. (AP Photo/Wichai Taprieu)
The Associated Press Bangkok
-- Thai veterinarians say a 22-year-old elephant was wounded after he wandered into neighboring Myanmar and stepped on a land mine.
Soraida Salwala of the Friends of the Asian Elephant conservation group in northern Thailand says the pachyderm's left foot was severely hurt in Sunday's blast in Myanmar's Kayin state.
Salwala said Tuesday that the elephant named Pa Hae Po was taken to the group's hospital in the Thai town of Lampang by truck and is expected to recover.
The elephant is the 14th such casualty to be treated at the hospital since it began operating in 1993. He joins three other elephant land mine victims who remain hospitalized at the facility.
Rights groups say both the Myanmar army and rebels have laid mines during decades of conflict.
Accounting for "One Time"
Police Involved in Illegal Logging Operation
After receiving a number of reports of illegal logging in Phitsanulok Province, forest officials raided a sawmill belonging to a police senior sergeant major.
After receiving reports about illegal logging in the area, Phitsanulok Governor Preecha Ruangjan ordered officials to raid the home of Police Senior Sergeant Major Somchai Pukasek.
The authorities found key evidence, including rubber wood, processed rubber logs, and other logging equipment.
