By Coconuts Bangkok
BANGKOK: -- At 3:30am this morning, former US Army paratrooper Andrew James Agnew was taken into custody after he was caught destroying more than 60 gubernatorial campaign billboards on Nawong Pracha Phatthana Road in the Don Muang District.
Upon arriving at the scene, Don Muang police found the 27-year-old Thai-American attacking the roadside advertisements in an intoxicated frenzy. The ads had been installed earlier and were due for removal after the March 3 Bangkok governor’s election. Andrew told police that he found the promotional signs irritating, which is why he pulled them out and threw them into a waterway.
Police said that of the 60 billboards one was for the No.10 candidate, two were for Pheu Thai candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen and many others were for Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...l-campaign-ads/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-01
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DSI blames storage, delivery of test papers
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai,
Chuleeporn Aramnet
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Investigators believe that the reported cheating at an examination for assistant teachers could be blamed on the process of storing and delivering test papers.
According to initial investigation by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), test-takers allegedly cheated using three methods: answers were provided to examinees via electronic tools; they were provided with answers before entering the examination hall; or they got other people to take the test on their behalf.
Thanin Prempree, director of DSI's corruption prevention and suppression centre, said yesterday that the investigation team was going to the Northeast to interrogate more witnesses because the highest number of cheating cases were reported there.
A source from the Justice Ministry said the DSI and the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission had released a blacklist of people involved in cheating at previous civil-servant examinations. Most of the people on the blacklist are those who have excellent academic records, are suspected of taking exams on behalf of someone else or those suspected of providing test answers to some tutors near Ramkhamhaeng University.
The source added that normally test-takers are not allowed to carry any electronics devices to the exam venue. They usually have to go through a metal detector, get their shoes checked and cannot use their mobile phones as the signal is cut off. However, this time the mobile-phone signal was not disabled and the invigilators were not storing the test papers properly.
DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said his agency was planning to propose that the Education Ministry invalidate the exam results.
However, Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said yesterday that he would deal with different areas separately, so that areas where there was no cheating do not get treated as problematic zones.
Chinnapat Bhumirat, secretary-general of the Office of Basic Education Commission, meanwhile, insisted that all invigilators had been told to follow regulations strictly to prevent cheating. Also, he said, test papers were delivered using the same system as ballot papers as it was the most secure method.
According to the Education Ministry, cheats reportedly paid up to Bt500,000 to a cheating gang, even though an assistant teachers' salary is about Bt9,000 a month.
-- The Nation 2013-03-02
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Demand in Thailand 'cause of African elephant poaching'
Noppatjak Attanon
The Nation
Cameroon
Savannah elephants in the Bouba Ndjida National Park
CAMEROON: -- More than 500 soldiers have been working hard in the Bouba Ndjida National Park on a mission to end a bloody business - elephant poaching. And though this operation is taking place thousands of miles away, it is very much related to the ivory trade in Thailand.
In February last year, poachers slaughtered more than 300 elephants in the national park for ivory and if this illegal hunting is not stopped, this species will most definitely disappear.
The authorities in Cameroon believe that the reason behind this poaching is Thailand - where ivory trade is legal. As per Thai law, the sale of tusks from domesticated elephants is allowed.
However, now that international pressure is rising, Thailand has recently pledged to take strict action against shops that sell smuggled ivory.
"We hope Thailand is aware of the problem because demand of ivory there is affecting us," Colonel Bouba Dobekreo, chief of Bouba Ndjida BIR, said.
The massacre of 300 elephants last February was the final straw for the Cameroon government, and even though it is four times poorer than Thailand, the country has already spent millions of dollars on protecting their elephants.
Since November, it has even deployed the Batallion d'Intervention Rapide (BIR or Rapid Intervention Battalion) at the Bouba Ndjida National Park.
In the park, several groups of a dozen soldiers go on 10-day long patrol treks. Helicopter patrols are also done twice a week. The Bouba Ndjida National Park covers approximately 11,000 square kilometres.
The soldiers are not just armed with guns and weapons, but also have modern technology like GPRS and satellite signals to gather information on the movement of elephants.
Since the BIR sprang into action, not a single elephant has been killed at the national park.
However, local resident Paul Bore, who witnessed up to 300 elephants being killed in the area last year, said he was not very optimistic about the operation or it having any long-term results.
"In my lifetime, I have seen villagers, soldiers and even poachers being killed due to elephant poaching. I believe there are only two ways to stop elephant poaching: the first is to stop the demand, and the second is to let all the elephants die. In the end, I hope we make the right choice," he said.
Colonel Dobekreo has also called on Thais to stop purchasing ivory products.
"Ivory trade is illegal in Cameroon, but still each and every elephant is under threat of slaughter, which is triggered by demand for ivory elsewhere," he said.
WWF has already called on citizens of Central Africa to sign a petition requesting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to change the law and ban ivory trade.
Central African Republic: The number of elephants has dropped from 80,000 about 30 years ago to a few thousand today.
Democratic Republic of Congo: The number of elephants has dropped from over 100,000 about 20 years ago to between 7,000 and 10,000,
Republic of Congo: The elephant population has dropped by 50 per cent over the past decade.
Gabon: Despite having Africa's largest wild elephant population, it's parks now average at one elephant per kilometre, down from up to four pachyderms per kilometre less than a decade ago.
Source: WWF Central Africa
-- The Nation 2013-03-02
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Seven dead in East Pattaya Minivan crash
PATTAYA:--Just before 9am on Saturday Nongprue Police and rescue services were called to Highway 36 close to the Bira International Racing Circuit to deal with a fatal road crash which left seven people dead.
Due to the seriousness of the incident Police Major General Katcha, the Provincial Police Commander, was in attendance to oversee the initial stages of the investigation.
A Toyota Commuter Minivan Taxi which runs from Bangkok to Map Ta Put in Rayong Province had come off the road and rolled over, coming to a stop when it slammed into a steel pylon.
A fire then took hold of the vehicle which contained a total of 10 people. Three were seriously injured and taken to the Queen Sirigit Hospital while seven were unable to exit the vehicle and were burnt alive. It took firefighters 30 minutes to extinguish the flames.
Full story:http://www.pattayaon...-minivan-crash/
-- Pattaya One 2013-03-02
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Thai airport officials linked to rhino trade: police
BANGKOK, March 5, 2013 (AFP) - Thai authorities said Tuesday they would seek arrest warrants for three police officers allegedly involved in trafficking rhino horn through Bangkok's main airport.
The horn was brought into Suvarnabhumi Airport in January by Vietnamese migrant workers paid $500 per trip, said Narasak Hemnithi, commander of the Natural Resources Environmental Crime Division.
"After arriving in Bangkok they were asked to put the rhino horn on a trolley and leave it somewhere nobody could see and then police would come and collect it," he told AFP.
"We have evidence, especially closed circuit television footage," he added.
In early January a Vietnamese man was arrested after leaving rhino horn worth more than half a million dollars in unattended luggage at Suvarnabhumi.
Illegal hunting of rhinos has risen in recent years to meet surging demand for their horns in parts of Asia, in particular Vietnam where they are highly prized for their supposed medicinal qualities.
A record 668 South African rhinos were slaughtered for their horns in 2012, an increase of nearly 50 percent compared with 2011, according to conservation group WWF.
Their plight is one of the issues topping the agenda at a major conference on endangered species in Bangkok this week, with wildlife groups urging Thailand to step up efforts to crack down on trade in ivory and rhino horn.
-- ©Copyright AFP 2013-03-05 | AFP News Sponsor
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Crazed Elephant Kills Thai Wife On Rayong Beach
A 56-year-old Thai wife of a farang was fatally gored by a 2-year-old elephant on Maerampung beach. She was buying sugar cane to feed the elephant when it attacked her. The mahout said the hot weather had crazed the normally docile beast. The mahout and the elephant’s owner will be prosecuted by police.
RAYONG – March 4, 2013 [PDN]; At 5:30 p.m., a report of an elephant killing a Thai female tourist was received by Pol. Lt. Capt. Thawatch Norsingha, Muangrayong police station, Rayong.
Rescuers from Sawangpornkusol foundation Rayong reported that a 2-year-old elephant went insane and used its tusk to gore a Thai tourist on Maerampung beach. The victim was severely injured and died in Rayong hospital.
Police officers arriving at the scene found the elephant, named Plai Boonchoo, 2 years old, was being chained on his front legs in Khaosap temple, Pae, Muang. The elephant was acting insane, whining loudly all the time and shocking tourists, who quickly fled because they were afraid the elephant would kill more people.
Officers went to the hospital emergency room to check on the victim, and discovered she had died from her injuries. Her collarbones were broken, and her lungs had been pierced, with blood shed inside her rib cage area. The victim was identified as Mrs. Sairung Kraja, 56 years old. Standing sadly near her body was her husband, Mr. Helmut Schoeler , 63 years old, nationality German.
Mr. Helmut told police that he and his wife were staying at the Rayong beach hotel on Maerampueng beach. He brought his wife to the beach, and they saw the mahout who came along with the elephant to beg for food, and was selling the sugar cane to feed the animal.
Full story: http://www.pattayada...n-rayong-beach/
-- Pattaya Daily News 2013-03-05
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Thailand set to oppose protection of sharks and manta rays
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Thailand will be juggling several hot-potato wildlife issues as it hosts the 16th Conference of the Parties to CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which starts on Sunday and runs through March 14 in Bangkok.
While Thailand struggles to defend its trade in ivory and crocodile skin, the CITES meeting will bring proposals to protect seven species of sharks and manta rays.
"If the proposal is accepted, the breeding of some ornamental fishes will be affected," said Theerapat Prayurasiddhi, deputy chief of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.
A farm-bred short-tail stingray can fetch up to Bt30,000.
Fisheries Department director-general Wimol Jantrarotai said Thailand would oppose the measure on manta rays. "The protection will hurt us. We have imported breeder fishes from Latin America and exported our bred fishes to the Middle East," he said.
Regarding sharks, Wimol expressed doubts about a report that Thailand was among the top shark-catching countries.
The Pew Environmental Group ranks Thailand in 12th place, based on reported shark catches between 2000 and 2009. Thailand reported catching 9,025 tonnes of sharks, rays and chimaeras to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2010. "I think there are some inaccuracies," Wimol said, explaining that the sharks might have been caught in fishing nets by accident.
Thai laws had already protect the great white and elephant sharks.
The shark trade is fuelled by demand for shark-fin soup, and while Hong Kong is the largest market, shark-fin soup is a delicacy found in many restaurants in Thailand.
-- The Nation 2013-03-06
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Russian murdered at Central Pattaya Hotel
A Russian was found dead in a Central Pattaya Hotel on Tuesday afternoon and Police suspect he was murdered.
PATTAYA: -- Just after 5pm Police were called to an apartment complex in Soi Baukao and were directed to a 2nd floor room. Lying on the floor, close to the bed was the body of Mr. Andrei Komarov aged 39, an architect from St. Petersburg.
He was wearing only trousers but no shirt. Blood was coming from his eyes and nose and bruising was seen across his throat and on his left arm. Evidence of a struggle inside the room was also seen but it appears that nothing of value was taken.
A forensic doctor was called to the scene and determined Mr. Komarov had been dead for between 8 and 10 hours and the probable cause of death was strangulation, pending the results of a postmortem examination.
A belt, thought to have been used to strangle the victim, was seen on the dressing table and the buckle had been ripped off, possibly during a violent struggle. Blood stains were seen on the walls and across the floor.
Hotel Staff confirmed that Mr. Komarov had checked into the Hotel on 16th February and was due to check-out on 5th March, the day of his murder.
By late afternoon on Tuesday he had failed to check-out and a Hotel Porter was sent to the room. The front door was unlocked and the body of the occupant was seen by the Porter who decided not to enter the room and called the Police instead.
Full story: http://www.pattayaon...-pattaya-hotel/
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Easing of protection for Thai crocodiles sought
Janjira Pongrai
The Nation
The CITES partners are expected to come to a resolution today on whether or not protection for Thai crocodiles should be lowered.
BANGKOK: -- Thai officials have been lobbying hard for protection regulations to be eased in the hope of expanding its export of crocodile products. At present, Thailand is exporting Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion worth of crocodile goods.
"This trade has not endangered crocodiles in the wild because we have so many crocodile farms," Fisheries Department's chief Wimol Jantrarotai explained yesterday.
He spoke after he and relevant officials held an informal meeting with representatives from several countries yesterday.
According to Wimol, Thailand had received good response from China, Croatia, Cambodia and several African countries, but representatives from the US did not attend the informal meeting and expressed concerns about the shrinking population of wild crocodiles.
"Though Thailand only has about 200 crocodiles in the wild, we are releasing more every year," Wimol said.
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ARMOURED TRUCK HEIST
Guard's story 'suspicious' : police
Varattaya Chailangka
The Nation
CHIANG MAI: -- Police investigating the disappearance of Bt9.2 million in cash from a Krungthai Bank (KTB) armoured truck on Wednesday in Chiang Mai say the story of one of the three guards forgetting his wallet is suspicious.
The guards, Chatpong Uthayan, 36, team leader Sudpreecha Thongpan, 46, and driver Nattawat Sai-udon, 26, all deny any wrongdoing.
They told police they arrived to deliver money to KTB's Mae Rim branch at 8.38am. But, bank officials weren't there yet, so the guards left their truck in the bank's carpark and went for breakfast - a stop not on the truck's schedule.
Chatpong told police that he forgot his wallet and asked Sudpreecha for the key chain, which held all three keys including the safe key. He then went to the truck alone to retrieve his wallet.
When the three guards returned to the truck, they found that three cash bags were gone.
The carpark under the bank has security cameras only at the entrances. Out of the 18 vehicles parked there, police suspect an Isuzu D-Max pickup might be involved.
Provincial Police Region 5 deputy chief Chamnan Ruadrew personally followed the investigation at Mae Rim precinct.
KTB General Services Co Ltd executive Pipop Srisukkho said the truck took nine cash bags from KTB's Chang Pheuk branch to deliver to nine other branches. The missing three bags held a total of Bt9.2 million.
As for insurance claims, Pipop said it was a complicated issue as to who is at fault - the armoured truck guards, the bank or other factors. Pipop also said the guards are not supposed to let the team leader hold all three keys.
-- The Nation 2013-03-08
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Thailand as an electricity hub
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Energy Ministry unveils the plan to turn the Kingdom into an electricity trade hub, citing the geographical advantage.
In his opening speech at the seminar on "Thailand’s strategy on power grid", Energy Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said that Thailand and China made the proposals to become the trade hub.
"I’m confident that Thailand has an advantage over China as we are connected with Asean countries like Myanma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. These countries are staging new investment in power plants," he said.
The Cabinet approved the electricity hub plan two weeks ago.
-- The Nation 2013-03-07
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Aussie life savers dive in to boost Phuket beach guard training
Phuket Gazette
The Phuket Lifeguard Club (PLC) has had a long association with Surf Life Saving in Australia. Photo: PLC
PHUKET: -- The Phuket Lifeguard Club (PLC) yesterday announced it has joined with the renowned Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) to develop world-class public education programs that aim to improve water safety and reduce the number of drownings on Phuket’s beaches.
This week, six senior lifeguard trainers from Phuket beaches and resorts worked with SLSA Community Education Manager Anthony Bradstreet to adapt the successful Australian Surf safety Program (“Surf Ed”) to local Phuket conditions, the PLC explained in a press release.
The program is one of a series of initiatives from the new Phuket Lifesaving Education Unit. The main objective is to provide a sustainable program with Thai people having ownership of the water safety initiatives.
Phuket Lifesaving Education Unit project manager Jayne MacDougall proposed the program be developed to educate school students about how to enjoy the ocean safely. An adult education program is also being developed.
“The Lifeguard Club will have six professional and volunteer trainers who will visit schools and teach a three-level water-safety program. The aim is to reach every school in Phuket over the next 12 months and for the program to become a regular part of the curriculum,” Ms MacDougall said.
The program will be launched at a well-known international school in Phuket with the Thai trainers delivering the course under supervision from the Australian trainers. Thai trainers will then roll the program out across the island at schools interested in participating, she added.
“Ignorance of dangerous conditions and a lack of water safety knowledge are both key factors that contribute to drowning. This program will equip students with the knowledge to minimize risk to themselves and to others in the ocean,” Ms MacDougall said.
Anthony Bradstreet believes the Lifesaving Education Unit will be very popular with students.
“I am also very impressed with the skills of the PLC trainers; they are very knowledgeable and skilled lifeguards who have a passion for drowning prevention and lifesaving education,” he said.
The Australia-Thailand Institute and Australian Sports Outreach Program have funded the project’s start-up costs – but it will now be up to local people to get behind the project and support it.
Anyone interested in supporting this project to make Phuket’s waters safe can contact Jayne MacDougall who will advise them how they can assist (email: jayneymac [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] au )
Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ning-20440.html
-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-09
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Hitler fashion statements confuse, offend tourists in Thailand
By Lindsay Jolivet
"Great Hitler T-Shirt, you look so cute!"
BANGKOK: -- Wait, what? Cute may not be a word anyone ever expected to hear associated with Adolf Hitler but a fashion trend in Thailand has muddled history, turning Hitler into a style icon, according to CNN.
Tourists and anyone with the most remote sense of history are baffled at a trend among youth in Bangkok to sport T-shirts that depict Adolf Hitler as Ronald McDonald, a cartoonish panda or a Teletubby.
Outside one of the stores that sell these Nazi-branded goods sometimes stand dummies with mustaches that resemble the Nazi Führer's. CNN even posted an image of a McHitler donation box for Thailand flood relief.
One of the owners tried to justify the merchandise by saying simply that Hitler looks funny and young people like the shirts.
Full story: http://ca.news.yahoo...-160709484.html
-- YAHOO! NEWS 2013-03-09
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World Bank urges action against tiger poaching
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- The World Bank is pressing Thailand to tighten its control over illegal poaching and trading in wildlife after finding that the country is a hub of the illicit tiger trade.
"We will ask the Thai prime minister and her government to take serious action against tiger poachers as she seemed interested in this subject, and with her leadership this could be achieved," Keshav Varma, director of the World Bank's Global Tiger Initiative, said yesterday.
A recent study by Traffic and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) showed that Thailand was the most significant location for the interdiction of the live tiger trade, followed by Laos, Indonesia and Vietnam.
"Given the low population estimates for wild tigers in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam combined with the presence of captive tiger facilities within these three countries, there are serious questions as to the source of these live tigers in trade," said Nick Cox, species programme manager for WWF Greater Mekong.
From 2000-12, 1,425 tiger parts were seized across 13 tiger range countries. A total of 654 seizures of body parts ranging from skin and bones to teeth, claws and skulls took place during this period. About 110 tigers were killed on average for trade per year or just over two per week. About 89 per cent of the seizures occurred outside protected areas.
-- The Nation 2013-03-11
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"Red light cameras" to be in use again
BANGKOK, 11 March 2013 (NNT) - The Traffic Police have announced that "red light cameras", or cameras capturing footage of traffic light breachers, will be in operation again soon.
The Traffic Police said the broken cameras at major intersections around Bangkok are now starting to be fixed, after they had been broken. The cameras have been in used since 2008.
The company that won the auction for the camera fixing will fix cameras in 30 intersections for the cost of 8 million baht, and is expected to finish the repairs in one year.
Cameras that have been fixed will be used by the Traffic Police straightaway, without waiting for the all the rest to be fixed.
The new cameras will be equipped with a new computer system, which will allow traffic law violators to pay fines at any of the fine collecting points, and will prevent the problem of repeated ticket issuing, as has occurred in the past.
According to the Traffic Police, "red light cameras" had been an effective tool in preventing traffic law breaches at intersections, before they broke down.
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Travel blogger tweets pic of allegedly corrupt Thai official
By Coconuts Bangkok on 11.03.2013
BANGKOK: -- Thai netizens have joined well-known travel blogger Richard Barrow in condemning an official at the Revenue Department who allegedly asked a bogusly inflated fee for tax documents.
This morning Barrow (@RichardBarrow) was updating the progress of his visa and work permit renewal to his 21,000 followers when he came across the allegedly corrupt officer.
“Unbelievable,” Richard tweeted, along with a photo of the officer. “This revenue officer wants me to pay him 1,000 Baht before he will release my tax documents. I’ve refused.”
Richard continued live-tweeting the situation, saying he was able to get the price down to a normal rate and that he was later asked to delete the photo.
“Success against corruption,” his tweet read. “Price for my tax documents has gone down from 1,000 Baht to 260 Baht with receipt.”
“He now wants me to delete the picture that I took of him,” Richard continued. “I said I will think about it.”
But before it could be deleted, the photo began circulating throughout the Thai online community with help of many Twitter celebrities. Among those who re-tweeted Richard’s message were Nation Channel Noppatjak Attanon (@noppatjak), who has over 103,000 followers, and online TV host John Winyu (@johnwinyu), who has over 201,000 followers. MThai and Kapook, famous Thai portal sites, also picked up the story.
In the comment section on Kapook.com, some comments so far include:
“This is not a true story. If it was true, the price would need to be higher.”
“They do this everywhere, but it’s just not news.”
“There may be more to this story. We can’t judge yet with only this information.”
Source: http://www.coconutsb...-thai-official/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-11
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Neizens angry after Parliament Facebook pulls amnesty survey
Budsarakham Sinlapalavan
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Neizens angry after Parliament Facebook pulls amnesty survey Parliament's Facebook team under House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont is facing howls of protest from the cyber-world for removing an online survey on an amnesty law after dislikes far outweighed likes.
"Why did you delete the voting results? Do you fear the real facts? You should accept the truth," posted Mossiam Mos.
In the three days from Thursday, when a question was posted on Parliament's Facebook page asking for comments, to Sunday night when the question and answers were pulled, there were 2,341 agreeing and 7,455 disagreeing with an amnesty law.
Social media users criticised the action.
Ploiiz Pyromancer Meowko: "You should show this poll at all times".
Joice Manukul: "You should show the poll to make people believe that you are sincere".
Arcom Thahong: "If you want a result like the result in your mind, you should do research in Red TV".
Mistertanom Pangpa: "Why did you delete the poll? This is a parliament that's always closed its eyes to people".
Rung Kha: "I already voted but now I cannot see my vote".
Auychai Kulpong: "Where is the other 29 poll on social media?"
Finally the admin page of the "Deep Search Team" posted an explanation: "A social media monitoring research house posted this question for more than 30 online media to collect 'deep' information from March 7-10 and then gather all information for data analysis."
Noppadon Kannika, director of Abac Poll, commented that this type of survey is called a "social mentions" survey and is mostly used by the business sector to gather marketing data or do deep analysis about how much a product is being mentioned on social media.
He added that when a social mentions survey was used to measure political opinion it was difficult to gather data because the majority of people do not use social media.
"The online survey was not scientific because it did not choose a representative sample" Noppadon said.
The admin post said researchers would analyse all posts called "Mention" by age, occupation, education and location.
-- The Nation 2013-03-12
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Crime 'gangs shot elephant'
The Nation
A group of 20 elephants that strayed from a larger herd in Ang Reu Nai Forest, Khao Chamao, Rayong were yesterday being tracked by forest conservation officials. The officials are seeking to guide the group away from local settlements, after the elephants
PHETCHABURI: -- At least three organised criminal gangs are suspected to be behind the illegal killing of a wild elephant in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province, investigators said yesterday.
The first suspected gang was previously sentenced for killing wild elephants and has eluded arrest. The second suspected gang is a group of local people who shoot at wild elephants; and the third is a group of officials who have guns and hunt wild animals for sport. According to the investigator, some police officers might be involved in these organised criminal groups.
Initial investigation into the death of the wild forest elephant was presented before provincial governor Montian Thongnit, Kaeng Krachan National Park's chief Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn, Pa Deng Local Administrative Organisation's chief Attaphon Changreung, investigators from Provincial Police Region 7 and Phetchaburi provincial police station.
The primary investigation also found the bullets in the dead elephant came from AK47 rifles or M16 rifles. The investigators are now examining the bullets embedded in the elephant's carcass.
Local officials and investigatorve has set up a working group to track the criminal gangs. There is concern among international and local environmentalists - now convening at the 16th CITES conference in Bangkok - over illegal killing of wild elephants and the ivory trade.
Thailand has been designated with other eight countries as a watch-list nation for the illegal killing of elephants and ivory trade. The country is also classed as a destination for illegal ivory.
Last week, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra vowed to end ivory trade in Thailand - and at the same time a wild elephant was killed in a national park. Three elephants were killed in Kaeng Krachan over the past year - some also involved the abduction of calves by groupskeen to sell them to tourist facilities in other parts of the country. Others were allegedly poached for tusks and parts.
-- The Nation 2013-03-13
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Posted 2013-03-13 11:07:25
Three arrested for trying to move 65.8 kgs of heroin to Malaysia
By Coconuts Bangkok
BANGKOK: -- Yesterday, police announced the arrest of three suspects (two Thais, one Malaysian) who allegedly planned to smuggle 65.8 kilograms of heroin into Malaysia.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told reporters at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok that Sakorn and Yanwattana Piasang, a husband and wife from Nan province, had been busted at 1am on Mar. 9 at a police checkpoint on Phetkasem Road in southern Chumphon province.
Police found the drugs in the trunk of their six wheelers. The pair told police that they had picked up the drugs from Chiang Mai’s Mae-eye district in February and were about to deliver them to a Malaysian man in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...in-to-malaysia/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-13
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3G mobile phone service to be launched in April
By English News
BANGKOK, March 13 – Thailand's long-awaited third-generation mobile phone service on the 2.1 GHz spectrum will be available in this country in April, according to a senior official of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
NBTC deputy secretary general Korkit Darnchaivichit said operators of the 3G-2.1 GHz service have imported 41,628 telecommunications radios for base stations and sought the NBTC’s permission to set up 1,208 additional stations.
He said the 3G-2.1 GHz service fee will be 15 per cent cheaper than the present mobile phone rates but users’ mobile phones must be compatible with 3G Sim cards, otherwise their mobile phones will run on the present 2G cellular telecom networks and their phone rates will not be lower.
He urged consumers to check if their mobile phones are applicable to 3G service.
Mr Korkit said the NBTC has instructed mobile phone operators to ensure that the quality of 2G service remains reliable.
Consumers who have problems with mobile phone service are requested to register their complaint to the NBTC’s Call Centre at Tel. 1200 or SMS 1200, free of charge, or telephone to 0.2271-3516 or via email at 1200@nbtc.go.th (MCOT online news)
-- TNA 2013-03-13
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Health Ministry considering plan to force tourists to buy insurance
By Coconuts Bangkok
BANGKOK: -- In a bid to reduce the financial costs of public hospitals operating within the Kingdom, the Ministry of Public Health is contemplating a measure which would, in effect, force foreign tourists to purchase travel and health insurance prior to entering the country.
According to Pradit Sinthawanarong, the Minister of Public Health, roughly 2.5 million foreign visitors make hospital trips during their time here every year.
With the number of tourists visiting Thailand expected to tip 30 million by 2015, the costs of providing emergency medical care, often to tourists incapable of paying, is placing a heavier burden on local hospitals. The problem is becoming particularly acute in the face of a rapidly aging population who will demand more and more costly government care as they grow old. Last year alone, the Thai government spent THB140 billion on care for the elderly.
Over the long term, the Ministry is considering moves which would force tourists to buy insurance by imposing additional fees on air fare or a hotel tax.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...-buy-insurance/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-13
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Russian couple caught touting monkeys in Phuket
Naraporn Tuarob
Andrey Olegovich Belov, 31, and Ekaterina Nikolaevna Denisovich, 22 were found in possession of the monkeys.
PHUKET: -- A Russian couple were arrested on Koh Khai Nok yesterday afternoon (March 14), accused of possession of three baby macaques – a protected species.
Officers of the Natural Resources and Environment Department’s Crime Suppression Division visited the island after receiving information that the couple were offering tourists on the island the chance to be photographed with the monkeys.
The officers were told that the couple – Andrey Olegovich Belov, 31, and Ekaterina Nikolaevna Denisovich, 22 – had been visiting the island daily for several weeks, charging tourists B200 to be photographed with two of the monkeys, or B300 with all three.
Although Koh Kai Nok is in Phang Nga Province, it was getting late by the time they had been arrested, so they were taken to Phuket City Police Station for initial processing.
At first, the couple told police that the monkeys belonged to them, and Belov produced paperwork which he said confirmed this.
However, officers discovered the paperwork consisted only of health records, and the names of an animal hospital in Chalong and of a microchip installation company.
The couple then told the police that the macaques belonged to a friend called Alex, but that he had gone back to Russia so they were looking after the animals for him.
All three monkeys – named Anthony, Sam and Sonya – had microchips in their bodies and appeared to be in good health.
Police concluded that the couple had no government paperwork confirming their right to be in possession of a protected species. The macaques have therefore been seized and will be given into the care of Awat Nithikul, Senior Forest Academic at Khao Phra Taew Forest Preserve, before eventually being released into the wild.
Belov and Denisovich are due to appear at the police station on Koh Yao Noi today, to be formally charged. They are expected to receive bail.
Source: http://www.thephuket...huket-37857.php
-- Phuket News 2013-03-15
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Nutty German Turns Into Nudist At Chiang Rai
Residents of the Banmai market area in Muang Chiang Rai alerted police that a white man was standing bare bottomed and showing his body at the roadside. When officers arrived, the German put his pants back on, but appeared to be insane or high on drugs. He was taken to the police station.
MUANG CHIANG RAI – March 14, 2013 [PDN]; Police went to investigate a report of a middle-aged white man who had taken off his pants to show his lower body, and was shaking his hips at the roadside like he was drunk.
Officers arrived at the scene on Klangwiang Road, opposite of a hotel. They saw a skinny and tall foreigner with pale skin wearing only a green polo shirt and no pants. However, right after the man saw the police, he acted shocked and suddenly put his pants back on. He then laid down on the ground.
So the police went to question him. But the man talked incoherently, like he was drunk or high from drugs. Officers searched the man, and found a passport showing he was German.
So they took the cuckoo German to the police station to calm him down and investigate further.
Source: http://www.pattayada...-at-chiang-rai/
-- Pattaya Daily News 2013-03-15
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Prisoners riot after inmate 'left to die' of heart attack
The Nation
SAMUT SAKHON: -- A riot broke out briefly yesterday morning at a prison in Samut Sakhon after an inmate was refused emergency treatment for chest pain and died of apparent cardiac arrest.
Angered at guards for ignoring their calls for help when Somchai Pheeranuwat collapsed at 2.30am and for leaving him in his cell unattended for four hours, some 50 occupants of Somchai's block in Zone 4 were the first to cause a disturbance.
They covered their faces with clothes and shirts before destroying several surveillance cameras and a door.
This group, led by Kittisak Yordwong, also demanded the immediate transfer of a guard, Wiroj Chumchuenjit.
A team of 400 police and prison guards was mobilised and 50 of them remained on site even after the rioters negotiated with a group of guards they trusted and agreed to disperse.
Chief warden Sophon Yimpreecha said Kittisak was convicted for drug-related crimes and was unhappy with Wiroj's strict discipline and constant monitoring of drug-dealing activities at the facility.
The prison and the Corrections Department would jointly decide on whether to punish Kittisak and the other protesters and how.
Somchai, 25, was serving a sentence of seven years and 15 months for drugs and firearms-related crimes. He was complaining about chest pain but the guards on duty did not immediately follow guidelines for health emergencies after hearing the cellmates' calls.
The guards declined to take the sick man out of the Zone 4 cell until dawn, citing safety concerns and insufficient manpower during their night shift.
An autopsy will be ordered to determine the cause of death.
-- The Nation 2013-03-18
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Dutchman beaten for no apparent reason in Pathum Thani
By Coconuts Bangkok
Dijk Nicolaas
PATHUM THANI: -- Late last night, a group of Thai teens attacked an intoxicated, 48-year-old Dutchman in front of an Internet café near Manhattan Hotel in Pathum Thani.
The teens, who launched their attack for no apparent reason, fled the scene soon afterwards.
Dijk Nicolaas was walking toward the other end of Soi Manhattan Hotel when six teens pulled up in front of him on motorcycles and began to beat him.
Khlong Luang police said that bruises and cuts were found all over Dijk’s body.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...n-pathum-thani/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-18
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Most Thais 'approve' of bribery: poll
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- The Abac Poll yesterday released results of a survey showing that an overwhelming majority of people approve of bribery and had bribed officials themselves.
The survey was conducted on 1,561 respondents aged over 10 in Bangkok from March 12-16 (with an error margin of 7 per cent).
Of the total, 87 per cent approved of lying for survival and had lied at some point over the past 12 months; 87.5 per cent believed pampering state procuring committees with special treats was normal; 87 per cent said they had jumped queues to buy goods and services; and 80 per cent said they had bribed officials in return for convenience and self-interest.
Of students, 92 per cent said they had copied homework in the past 12 months; and 74 per cent had taken a peek at friends' answers during exams. Some 85 per cent believed the questions in teachers' exams had been leaked.
Of respondents who are state officials and company staff, 81 per cent said they had used office time to conduct private business; 83 per cent said they had acted out of self-interest; and 88 per cent believed there was graft in all state agencies.
-- The Nation 2013-03-18
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Corrupt Police extort cash from Japanese Tourist at North Pattaya Hotel
PATTAYA: -- On Monday a Japanese Tourist contacted the local media to report a case of alleged extortion by corrupt Police Officers which occurred on 15th March, Mr. Takaya Olano aged 49 explained to us that back on 15th March in the evening, he met a prostitute on Pattaya Beach and took her back to his North Pattaya Hotel Room where the pair engaged in sexual intercourse.
When they had finished there was a knock on the door and 3 Thai men and a Middle-Eastern Man were there and explained they worked for the Child and Women Protection Unit, which is a division of the Royal Thai Police specializing in crimes involving human trafficking and prostitution.
The men claimed Mr. Olano had broken the law by paying for sex and he was now under arrest and would be taken to Pattaya Police Station. Mr. Olano was escorted to a car and was on his way to the Police Station when the group gave him the option of paying them 10,000 Baht to clear the case and avoid prosecution.
He decided to take this option and stopped at an ATM where he withdrew the cash and gave it to the men who then took Mr. Olano back to his Hotel and then left.
Full story: http://www.pattayaon...-pattaya-hotel/
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Ex-girlfriend a suspect in fatal blast
Khanathit Srihirundaj
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Police are trying to determine if the ex-girlfriend of a man, killed in an explosion in Bangkok yesterday morning, was behind the fatal attack.
The victim, Wanchai Noomdee, broke up with his girlfriend a few months ago after he met a new lady at the Ua Arthon Lat Krabang 2 housing project.
He was threatened when he sought to break up. Then, on February 15, he was beaten up on his way to work.
Jarakhe Noi police chief Colonel Paponpat Tangjitjarupat said he would summon the victim's ex-girlfriend as well as his new lady's former partner for questioning.
Wanchai's new girlfriend said the couple noticed a plastic bag near a rear wheel of their pickup while they were preparing to leave the housing estate for work. The bag appeared to contain something, which was later thought to be a hand grenade.
"The safety pin may have already been removed when the bag was put there," a policeman said.
Seconds after Wanchai removed the bag, a blast erupted causing him critical injuries.
Wanchai, an employee of King Power, died on his way to hospital.
The police investigation has not yet ruled out Wanchai's quarrel with neighbours over parking spaces as a possible motive, but Paponpat said the parking-space quarrel seemed too trivial to spur a murder.
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By Coconuts Bangkok
BANGKOK: -- Yesterday, police announced the arrest of three suspects (two Thais, one Malaysian) who allegedly planned to smuggle 65.8 kilograms of heroin into Malaysia.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told reporters at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok that Sakorn and Yanwattana Piasang, a husband and wife from Nan province, had been busted at 1am on Mar. 9 at a police checkpoint on Phetkasem Road in southern Chumphon province.
Police found the drugs in the trunk of their six wheelers. The pair told police that they had picked up the drugs from Chiang Mai’s Mae-eye district in February and were about to deliver them to a Malaysian man in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...in-to-malaysia/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-13
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3G mobile phone service to be launched in April
By English News
BANGKOK, March 13 – Thailand's long-awaited third-generation mobile phone service on the 2.1 GHz spectrum will be available in this country in April, according to a senior official of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
NBTC deputy secretary general Korkit Darnchaivichit said operators of the 3G-2.1 GHz service have imported 41,628 telecommunications radios for base stations and sought the NBTC’s permission to set up 1,208 additional stations.
He said the 3G-2.1 GHz service fee will be 15 per cent cheaper than the present mobile phone rates but users’ mobile phones must be compatible with 3G Sim cards, otherwise their mobile phones will run on the present 2G cellular telecom networks and their phone rates will not be lower.
He urged consumers to check if their mobile phones are applicable to 3G service.
Mr Korkit said the NBTC has instructed mobile phone operators to ensure that the quality of 2G service remains reliable.
Consumers who have problems with mobile phone service are requested to register their complaint to the NBTC’s Call Centre at Tel. 1200 or SMS 1200, free of charge, or telephone to 0.2271-3516 or via email at 1200@nbtc.go.th (MCOT online news)
-- TNA 2013-03-13
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Health Ministry considering plan to force tourists to buy insurance
By Coconuts Bangkok
BANGKOK: -- In a bid to reduce the financial costs of public hospitals operating within the Kingdom, the Ministry of Public Health is contemplating a measure which would, in effect, force foreign tourists to purchase travel and health insurance prior to entering the country.
According to Pradit Sinthawanarong, the Minister of Public Health, roughly 2.5 million foreign visitors make hospital trips during their time here every year.
With the number of tourists visiting Thailand expected to tip 30 million by 2015, the costs of providing emergency medical care, often to tourists incapable of paying, is placing a heavier burden on local hospitals. The problem is becoming particularly acute in the face of a rapidly aging population who will demand more and more costly government care as they grow old. Last year alone, the Thai government spent THB140 billion on care for the elderly.
Over the long term, the Ministry is considering moves which would force tourists to buy insurance by imposing additional fees on air fare or a hotel tax.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...-buy-insurance/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-13
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Russian couple caught touting monkeys in Phuket
Naraporn Tuarob
Andrey Olegovich Belov, 31, and Ekaterina Nikolaevna Denisovich, 22 were found in possession of the monkeys.
PHUKET: -- A Russian couple were arrested on Koh Khai Nok yesterday afternoon (March 14), accused of possession of three baby macaques – a protected species.
Officers of the Natural Resources and Environment Department’s Crime Suppression Division visited the island after receiving information that the couple were offering tourists on the island the chance to be photographed with the monkeys.
The officers were told that the couple – Andrey Olegovich Belov, 31, and Ekaterina Nikolaevna Denisovich, 22 – had been visiting the island daily for several weeks, charging tourists B200 to be photographed with two of the monkeys, or B300 with all three.
Although Koh Kai Nok is in Phang Nga Province, it was getting late by the time they had been arrested, so they were taken to Phuket City Police Station for initial processing.
At first, the couple told police that the monkeys belonged to them, and Belov produced paperwork which he said confirmed this.
However, officers discovered the paperwork consisted only of health records, and the names of an animal hospital in Chalong and of a microchip installation company.
The couple then told the police that the macaques belonged to a friend called Alex, but that he had gone back to Russia so they were looking after the animals for him.
All three monkeys – named Anthony, Sam and Sonya – had microchips in their bodies and appeared to be in good health.
Police concluded that the couple had no government paperwork confirming their right to be in possession of a protected species. The macaques have therefore been seized and will be given into the care of Awat Nithikul, Senior Forest Academic at Khao Phra Taew Forest Preserve, before eventually being released into the wild.
Belov and Denisovich are due to appear at the police station on Koh Yao Noi today, to be formally charged. They are expected to receive bail.
Source: http://www.thephuket...huket-37857.php
-- Phuket News 2013-03-15
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Nutty German Turns Into Nudist At Chiang Rai
Residents of the Banmai market area in Muang Chiang Rai alerted police that a white man was standing bare bottomed and showing his body at the roadside. When officers arrived, the German put his pants back on, but appeared to be insane or high on drugs. He was taken to the police station.
MUANG CHIANG RAI – March 14, 2013 [PDN]; Police went to investigate a report of a middle-aged white man who had taken off his pants to show his lower body, and was shaking his hips at the roadside like he was drunk.
Officers arrived at the scene on Klangwiang Road, opposite of a hotel. They saw a skinny and tall foreigner with pale skin wearing only a green polo shirt and no pants. However, right after the man saw the police, he acted shocked and suddenly put his pants back on. He then laid down on the ground.
So the police went to question him. But the man talked incoherently, like he was drunk or high from drugs. Officers searched the man, and found a passport showing he was German.
So they took the cuckoo German to the police station to calm him down and investigate further.
Source: http://www.pattayada...-at-chiang-rai/
-- Pattaya Daily News 2013-03-15
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Prisoners riot after inmate 'left to die' of heart attack
The Nation
SAMUT SAKHON: -- A riot broke out briefly yesterday morning at a prison in Samut Sakhon after an inmate was refused emergency treatment for chest pain and died of apparent cardiac arrest.
Angered at guards for ignoring their calls for help when Somchai Pheeranuwat collapsed at 2.30am and for leaving him in his cell unattended for four hours, some 50 occupants of Somchai's block in Zone 4 were the first to cause a disturbance.
They covered their faces with clothes and shirts before destroying several surveillance cameras and a door.
This group, led by Kittisak Yordwong, also demanded the immediate transfer of a guard, Wiroj Chumchuenjit.
A team of 400 police and prison guards was mobilised and 50 of them remained on site even after the rioters negotiated with a group of guards they trusted and agreed to disperse.
Chief warden Sophon Yimpreecha said Kittisak was convicted for drug-related crimes and was unhappy with Wiroj's strict discipline and constant monitoring of drug-dealing activities at the facility.
The prison and the Corrections Department would jointly decide on whether to punish Kittisak and the other protesters and how.
Somchai, 25, was serving a sentence of seven years and 15 months for drugs and firearms-related crimes. He was complaining about chest pain but the guards on duty did not immediately follow guidelines for health emergencies after hearing the cellmates' calls.
The guards declined to take the sick man out of the Zone 4 cell until dawn, citing safety concerns and insufficient manpower during their night shift.
An autopsy will be ordered to determine the cause of death.
-- The Nation 2013-03-18
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Dutchman beaten for no apparent reason in Pathum Thani
By Coconuts Bangkok
Dijk Nicolaas
PATHUM THANI: -- Late last night, a group of Thai teens attacked an intoxicated, 48-year-old Dutchman in front of an Internet café near Manhattan Hotel in Pathum Thani.
The teens, who launched their attack for no apparent reason, fled the scene soon afterwards.
Dijk Nicolaas was walking toward the other end of Soi Manhattan Hotel when six teens pulled up in front of him on motorcycles and began to beat him.
Khlong Luang police said that bruises and cuts were found all over Dijk’s body.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...n-pathum-thani/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-18
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Most Thais 'approve' of bribery: poll
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- The Abac Poll yesterday released results of a survey showing that an overwhelming majority of people approve of bribery and had bribed officials themselves.
The survey was conducted on 1,561 respondents aged over 10 in Bangkok from March 12-16 (with an error margin of 7 per cent).
Of the total, 87 per cent approved of lying for survival and had lied at some point over the past 12 months; 87.5 per cent believed pampering state procuring committees with special treats was normal; 87 per cent said they had jumped queues to buy goods and services; and 80 per cent said they had bribed officials in return for convenience and self-interest.
Of students, 92 per cent said they had copied homework in the past 12 months; and 74 per cent had taken a peek at friends' answers during exams. Some 85 per cent believed the questions in teachers' exams had been leaked.
Of respondents who are state officials and company staff, 81 per cent said they had used office time to conduct private business; 83 per cent said they had acted out of self-interest; and 88 per cent believed there was graft in all state agencies.
-- The Nation 2013-03-18
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Corrupt Police extort cash from Japanese Tourist at North Pattaya Hotel
PATTAYA: -- On Monday a Japanese Tourist contacted the local media to report a case of alleged extortion by corrupt Police Officers which occurred on 15th March, Mr. Takaya Olano aged 49 explained to us that back on 15th March in the evening, he met a prostitute on Pattaya Beach and took her back to his North Pattaya Hotel Room where the pair engaged in sexual intercourse.
When they had finished there was a knock on the door and 3 Thai men and a Middle-Eastern Man were there and explained they worked for the Child and Women Protection Unit, which is a division of the Royal Thai Police specializing in crimes involving human trafficking and prostitution.
The men claimed Mr. Olano had broken the law by paying for sex and he was now under arrest and would be taken to Pattaya Police Station. Mr. Olano was escorted to a car and was on his way to the Police Station when the group gave him the option of paying them 10,000 Baht to clear the case and avoid prosecution.
He decided to take this option and stopped at an ATM where he withdrew the cash and gave it to the men who then took Mr. Olano back to his Hotel and then left.
Full story: http://www.pattayaon...-pattaya-hotel/
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Ex-girlfriend a suspect in fatal blast
Khanathit Srihirundaj
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Police are trying to determine if the ex-girlfriend of a man, killed in an explosion in Bangkok yesterday morning, was behind the fatal attack.
The victim, Wanchai Noomdee, broke up with his girlfriend a few months ago after he met a new lady at the Ua Arthon Lat Krabang 2 housing project.
He was threatened when he sought to break up. Then, on February 15, he was beaten up on his way to work.
Jarakhe Noi police chief Colonel Paponpat Tangjitjarupat said he would summon the victim's ex-girlfriend as well as his new lady's former partner for questioning.
Wanchai's new girlfriend said the couple noticed a plastic bag near a rear wheel of their pickup while they were preparing to leave the housing estate for work. The bag appeared to contain something, which was later thought to be a hand grenade.
"The safety pin may have already been removed when the bag was put there," a policeman said.
Seconds after Wanchai removed the bag, a blast erupted causing him critical injuries.
Wanchai, an employee of King Power, died on his way to hospital.
The police investigation has not yet ruled out Wanchai's quarrel with neighbours over parking spaces as a possible motive, but Paponpat said the parking-space quarrel seemed too trivial to spur a murder.
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Posted 2013-03-19 09:34:11
Video of men brutally beating women draws ire of Thai netizens
By Coconuts Bangkok
BANGKOK: -- A video clip surfaced last week showing four men brutally attacking several women, even knocking one of them unconscious.
The original video was uploaded by YouTube user Nattawut Buathong but was later removed as it violated YouTube’s policy prohibiting content designed to harass, bully or threaten.
Warning!! this video contains physical violence
An MCOT news program later broadcasted the clip but did not give further information about who the men and women portrayed in the video were.
One of the top comments reads, “The women came from Myanmar to work as prostitutes in Thailand. [more...]
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...-thai-netizens/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-19
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Fear of attacks on Phuket's new airport buses delays launch date
Phuket Gazette -
Airport Express 1, 2 and 3 ready for launch, but fear of violent attacks by tuk-tuk and taxi drivers has given leading
Phuket officials a moment of pause. Photo: Chutharat Plerin
PHUKET: The long-awaited and much supported Phuket Airport Bus Express – marking Phuket’s first 'hop on-hop off' bus service from the airport to major tourist beaches along the west coast (story here) – will not be launched this month.
The news came at a provincial transport committee meeting at the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) this afternoon led by ardent supporter of the new service, PLTO chief Teerayut Presertpol.
The committee agreed “in principle” to approve the new service, but vetoed the launch on the condition that tuk-tuk and taxi drivers be consulted first on whether or not they would accept it.
A gravely disappointed Mr Teerayut told the Phuket Gazette, “Actually, today I expected the committee to approve the PLTO's issuance of the needed permit to the bus operator, OS Car Rent & Tour, but they didn’t.”
Instead, the committee supported the suggestion by its chairman, Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, that local tuk-tuk and taxi drivers be consulted first before approving any official steps toward launching the new service.
“I am worried that there will be attacks [on the bus drivers],” V/Gov Chamroen explained to the meeting.
“I am especially worried about the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers in Kata-Karon,” he added.
Asked whether the provincial government would allow the local tuk-tuk and taxi drivers to decide whether or not Phuket will have the bus service, V/Gov Chamroen dodged the question, saying only that, “Phuket is still moving forward, but we will move forward cautiously.”
Dates and venues for the public feedback meetings have yet to be set, but it was agreed that such meetings were to be held before May 15, Mr Teerayut said.
The committee will not meet again before that date, he added.
Source: http://www.phuketgaz...date-20549.html
-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-19
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Danish businessman attacked and robbed in Thailand
BY ANDERS HOLM NIELSEN
PATTAYA: -- A businessman from Denmark was Monday last week severely injured and hospitalized in Pattaya with two broken heal bones and severe back injury. According to his own account of the incident, the injuries were sustained when he tried to flee a business meeting in Pattaya where he was also robbed of 420.000 Thai baht.
The Dane explains that the attack was ordered by the owner of a property that he was leasing from her and carried out by her staff and her husband. The money was brought into the meeting to pay for a renewal of the lease.
Talking to ScandAsia, the Dane explains that he had already been leasing the Pattaya property for the past two years and that the signing should have been a formality. In fact the contract was agreed upon before the meeting where he was attacked.
The Dane has written a long post on his Facebook profile explaining the incident to friends and family identifying his attackers but does not wish to appear by name in this article. Recalling the dramatic events that morning, the Dane adds that the woman is the daughter of a very wealthy family from Pattaya who owns several hotels, including the LK Metropole where the attack and robbery allegedly took place. The Dane says that this only adds to his confusion and anger seeing as the money they took from him must be a small amount to them.
They asked for cash payment
Before the meeting he had been asked to bring cash payment of THB 300.000 for the lease. He explains to ScandAsia that as he had been leasing the property for the last two years and knowing who he was dealing with, he did not suspect anything.
When he showed up at the meeting, the woman asked for an additional THB 120.000 before she would sign the contract. Eager to renew the lease, the businessman agreed and went to the bank where he withdrew the amount and then brought it back to the meeting.
At some point during the meeting he noticed that something seemed off.
“Her hands were shaking but I moved on, as I thought she just had too much coffee. In hindsight I know it was because she knew what was about to happen,” he writes on his Facebook.
“I signed all the contracts as agreed and started putting cash on the table, but she did not sign the contracts. They reached for the money and started counting it and I explained that I wanted them to sign before they could have the money.”
Caught the attack on video
Sensing that he was about to be robbed as they became threatening, he started filming the incident with his iPhone but only had the chance to film a little while before the woman sent her guards after him.
“I tried to escape but in the process I got pushed and fell down a ledge where I broke both my heel bones and a toe. After I fell down two-three meters on concrete floor, one of her guards jumped from the same height and landed on my back, causing further injury. Then two guards and the husband held me down while they stole the rest of my money and my iPhone.”
“There were 15-20 witnesses overseeing the whole incident, and luckily one of them called for the police.”
When the police arrived he managed to get his phone back in exchange for the husband’s watch which he had dropped when putting the Dane in a headlock. The phone was smashed up and the sim-card removed but he managed to retrieve the video after hooking it up to his laptop.
“The most important part of the video is of (the name of the woman) ordering her guards to chase me down – giving very clear evidence of who’s behind the assault. The video and the case is at the police station and the Danish Embassy and I hope for a quick resolution.”
He explains that his lawyer is handling the case feeling that he himself needs some distance from the incident, and that he actually does not know how far investigations are.
When asked if the incident has scarred him from doing business in Thailand he replies:
“I live in Bangkok, this is my home. But I will seriously consider how I do my business in the future and who I do them with.”
He has now been discharged from the hospital but will be spending the next six to eight weeks in a wheelchair.
Still investigating
The Pattaya police confirms to ScandAsia that there was an incident last Monday involving the Dane and several persons on the location where the assault took place and that they are investigation the case. ScandAsia has not been able to get in touch with the Police Officer in charge of preparing the case for prosecution to ask for more details.
Source: http://scandasia.com...siness-meeting/
-- ScandAsia 2013-03-20
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University produces first amphibious vehicle for flood use
By English News
BANGKOK, March 21 – Thailand’s first amphibious vehicle to brace for floods was unveiled by a leading university in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Nine students of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang jointly built the prototype amphibious vehicle after the 2010 massive floods that severely affected Thailand.
Suchatvee Suwansawat, dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said the vehicle, named “Matchanu”, can transport two persons at a maximum weight of 250 kg and move through floods at a speed of 18 km/hour for a distance of 25 km.
The three-wheeled vehicle can also run against the tide at a speed of 5-8 km/hour. It can move forward and backward.
The assembly cost for each unit is Bt200,000. It can be made for recreational or tourism use.
The dean said the university has an ambitious plan to produce the amphibious vehicle for commercial purposes. (MCOT online news)
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Vietnamese man killed and stuffed in garbage container in Bangkok
BANGKOK, 21 March 2013 (NNT) – The corpse of a Vietnamese man has been found bound and left inside a black garbage bag in Charansanitwong 40, Bangkok. Police believe he was murdered due to conflict of interest involving a prostitution business.
Metropolitan Police inspected the body that was bagged and stuffed inside a large garbage container in a room in Phatthara Apartment. Police said the dead was a 30-40 years old Vietnamese man who had 6 stab wounds in the chest and abdomen. There were also many cuts on his face and legs.
Police said the room was being rented to 3-4 Vietnamese by its Thai owner.
A man and a woman that lived in the room apparently took the apartment's garbage container into their room, before they disappeared and left the body behind.
Police believe the killers were in the same circle as the deceased, and the motive may have stemmed from conflicts of interest in prostitution.
-- NNT 2013-03-21
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Posted 2013-03-21 17:38:29
By Coconuts Bangkok
BANGKOK: -- A video clip surfaced last week showing four men brutally attacking several women, even knocking one of them unconscious.
The original video was uploaded by YouTube user Nattawut Buathong but was later removed as it violated YouTube’s policy prohibiting content designed to harass, bully or threaten.
Warning!! this video contains physical violence
An MCOT news program later broadcasted the clip but did not give further information about who the men and women portrayed in the video were.
One of the top comments reads, “The women came from Myanmar to work as prostitutes in Thailand. [more...]
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...-thai-netizens/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-19
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Fear of attacks on Phuket's new airport buses delays launch date
Phuket Gazette -
Airport Express 1, 2 and 3 ready for launch, but fear of violent attacks by tuk-tuk and taxi drivers has given leading
Phuket officials a moment of pause. Photo: Chutharat Plerin
PHUKET: The long-awaited and much supported Phuket Airport Bus Express – marking Phuket’s first 'hop on-hop off' bus service from the airport to major tourist beaches along the west coast (story here) – will not be launched this month.
The news came at a provincial transport committee meeting at the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) this afternoon led by ardent supporter of the new service, PLTO chief Teerayut Presertpol.
The committee agreed “in principle” to approve the new service, but vetoed the launch on the condition that tuk-tuk and taxi drivers be consulted first on whether or not they would accept it.
A gravely disappointed Mr Teerayut told the Phuket Gazette, “Actually, today I expected the committee to approve the PLTO's issuance of the needed permit to the bus operator, OS Car Rent & Tour, but they didn’t.”
Instead, the committee supported the suggestion by its chairman, Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, that local tuk-tuk and taxi drivers be consulted first before approving any official steps toward launching the new service.
“I am worried that there will be attacks [on the bus drivers],” V/Gov Chamroen explained to the meeting.
“I am especially worried about the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers in Kata-Karon,” he added.
Asked whether the provincial government would allow the local tuk-tuk and taxi drivers to decide whether or not Phuket will have the bus service, V/Gov Chamroen dodged the question, saying only that, “Phuket is still moving forward, but we will move forward cautiously.”
Dates and venues for the public feedback meetings have yet to be set, but it was agreed that such meetings were to be held before May 15, Mr Teerayut said.
The committee will not meet again before that date, he added.
Source: http://www.phuketgaz...date-20549.html
-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-19
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Danish businessman attacked and robbed in Thailand
BY ANDERS HOLM NIELSEN
PATTAYA: -- A businessman from Denmark was Monday last week severely injured and hospitalized in Pattaya with two broken heal bones and severe back injury. According to his own account of the incident, the injuries were sustained when he tried to flee a business meeting in Pattaya where he was also robbed of 420.000 Thai baht.
The Dane explains that the attack was ordered by the owner of a property that he was leasing from her and carried out by her staff and her husband. The money was brought into the meeting to pay for a renewal of the lease.
Talking to ScandAsia, the Dane explains that he had already been leasing the Pattaya property for the past two years and that the signing should have been a formality. In fact the contract was agreed upon before the meeting where he was attacked.
The Dane has written a long post on his Facebook profile explaining the incident to friends and family identifying his attackers but does not wish to appear by name in this article. Recalling the dramatic events that morning, the Dane adds that the woman is the daughter of a very wealthy family from Pattaya who owns several hotels, including the LK Metropole where the attack and robbery allegedly took place. The Dane says that this only adds to his confusion and anger seeing as the money they took from him must be a small amount to them.
They asked for cash payment
Before the meeting he had been asked to bring cash payment of THB 300.000 for the lease. He explains to ScandAsia that as he had been leasing the property for the last two years and knowing who he was dealing with, he did not suspect anything.
When he showed up at the meeting, the woman asked for an additional THB 120.000 before she would sign the contract. Eager to renew the lease, the businessman agreed and went to the bank where he withdrew the amount and then brought it back to the meeting.
At some point during the meeting he noticed that something seemed off.
“Her hands were shaking but I moved on, as I thought she just had too much coffee. In hindsight I know it was because she knew what was about to happen,” he writes on his Facebook.
“I signed all the contracts as agreed and started putting cash on the table, but she did not sign the contracts. They reached for the money and started counting it and I explained that I wanted them to sign before they could have the money.”
Caught the attack on video
Sensing that he was about to be robbed as they became threatening, he started filming the incident with his iPhone but only had the chance to film a little while before the woman sent her guards after him.
“I tried to escape but in the process I got pushed and fell down a ledge where I broke both my heel bones and a toe. After I fell down two-three meters on concrete floor, one of her guards jumped from the same height and landed on my back, causing further injury. Then two guards and the husband held me down while they stole the rest of my money and my iPhone.”
“There were 15-20 witnesses overseeing the whole incident, and luckily one of them called for the police.”
When the police arrived he managed to get his phone back in exchange for the husband’s watch which he had dropped when putting the Dane in a headlock. The phone was smashed up and the sim-card removed but he managed to retrieve the video after hooking it up to his laptop.
“The most important part of the video is of (the name of the woman) ordering her guards to chase me down – giving very clear evidence of who’s behind the assault. The video and the case is at the police station and the Danish Embassy and I hope for a quick resolution.”
He explains that his lawyer is handling the case feeling that he himself needs some distance from the incident, and that he actually does not know how far investigations are.
When asked if the incident has scarred him from doing business in Thailand he replies:
“I live in Bangkok, this is my home. But I will seriously consider how I do my business in the future and who I do them with.”
He has now been discharged from the hospital but will be spending the next six to eight weeks in a wheelchair.
Still investigating
The Pattaya police confirms to ScandAsia that there was an incident last Monday involving the Dane and several persons on the location where the assault took place and that they are investigation the case. ScandAsia has not been able to get in touch with the Police Officer in charge of preparing the case for prosecution to ask for more details.
Source: http://scandasia.com...siness-meeting/
-- ScandAsia 2013-03-20
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University produces first amphibious vehicle for flood use
By English News
BANGKOK, March 21 – Thailand’s first amphibious vehicle to brace for floods was unveiled by a leading university in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Nine students of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang jointly built the prototype amphibious vehicle after the 2010 massive floods that severely affected Thailand.
Suchatvee Suwansawat, dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said the vehicle, named “Matchanu”, can transport two persons at a maximum weight of 250 kg and move through floods at a speed of 18 km/hour for a distance of 25 km.
The three-wheeled vehicle can also run against the tide at a speed of 5-8 km/hour. It can move forward and backward.
The assembly cost for each unit is Bt200,000. It can be made for recreational or tourism use.
The dean said the university has an ambitious plan to produce the amphibious vehicle for commercial purposes. (MCOT online news)
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Vietnamese man killed and stuffed in garbage container in Bangkok
BANGKOK, 21 March 2013 (NNT) – The corpse of a Vietnamese man has been found bound and left inside a black garbage bag in Charansanitwong 40, Bangkok. Police believe he was murdered due to conflict of interest involving a prostitution business.
Metropolitan Police inspected the body that was bagged and stuffed inside a large garbage container in a room in Phatthara Apartment. Police said the dead was a 30-40 years old Vietnamese man who had 6 stab wounds in the chest and abdomen. There were also many cuts on his face and legs.
Police said the room was being rented to 3-4 Vietnamese by its Thai owner.
A man and a woman that lived in the room apparently took the apartment's garbage container into their room, before they disappeared and left the body behind.
Police believe the killers were in the same circle as the deceased, and the motive may have stemmed from conflicts of interest in prostitution.
-- NNT 2013-03-21
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Posted 2013-03-21 17:38:29
Thai students set for mass tablet computer handout
BANGKOK, March 21, 2013 (AFP) - Thailand plans to distribute about 1.7 million handheld computers to students and teachers this year in the world's largest handout of the devices for education, officials said Thursday.
Nine firms from countries including China, India, Germany and the Netherlands are set to join an online tender in April to supply the tablet computers, according to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
"This will be the world's largest amount of tablets given away by a government for education," said Surapol Navamavadhana, a government advisor involved in the "One Tablet Per Child" scheme.
With each tablet expected to cost roughly $100, the total value of the orders looks set to be worth more than four billion baht ($140 million).
They will be given to primary students aged about six years old as well as to middle-school students aged between 12 and 13, along with 54,000 tablets that will be given to teachers.
The ruling Puea Thai party, linked to fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, pledged to issue free handheld computers to students as one of a raft of pledges that helped it to election victory in 2011.
The party -- led by Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra -- has been accused by the opposition of populism over its election promises.
About 850,000 tablets were already given to students last year, supplied by China's Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development Co. at a cost of about about 2.2 billion baht ($75 million).
Next year the government aims to distribute a further seven million tablets, according to the ICT ministry.
The tablets will remain the property of the schools for three years, during which time the students can take them home each day. After that the students will own them.
But the authorities are calling on teachers and parents to ensure that students do not stay glued to the screens for too long.
"Students should not use the tablets for more than two hours per day otherwise they won't be able to differentiate between textbooks and tablets," said Soratda Phumwiphat, another advisor involved in the scheme.
-- ©Copyright AFP 2013-03-21 | AFP News Sponsor
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Thailand implicated in Chinese 'honey laundering' scheme
By Coconuts Bangkok
Bees and honeycomb: two items absent from the manufacture of Chinese honey
BANGKOK: -- According to Business Insider, Thailand is being used by China for purposes of illicit “honey laundering.”
Yeah, we thought that was a typo too when we first saw it, but apparently China really is using Thailand to pass off fake honey as the genuine article.
Accusations of fake honey shenanigans first came from the US Department of Justice, which pointed out that lots of honey imported to the States from Asia isn’t honey at all, but rather corn sweetner, artificial flavoring an food coloring, mislabeled as an organic product.
What’s worse, these suspicious sweets often contain high levels of lead, toxins and antibiotics.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...ndering-scheme/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-22
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2,000 litre oil spill in Phuket waters
Nattha Thepbamrung
PHUKET: -- Around 2,000 litres of fuel has spilled into the harbour off Koh Sirae after a fishing boat sank last night (March 21), but officials say the spill is “under control”.
The Pemika sank last night, spilling fuel into the harbour off Koh Sirae.
Phuket Marine Police Deputy Superintendent Lt Jeerayuth Onthong said he was first informed of the situation this morning around 7am. So far it is not known who the boat, named Pemika, belongs to, but Mr Jeerayuth confirmed it was carrying around 20,000 litres of fuel.
The oil spill is around 200 metres by 20 metres in size.
Puripat Teerakulpipat, Phuket Marine Office Director confirmed that the situation was “under control” and the leaking fuel would not flow to the beaches on Koh Sirae. The Marine Police had set up a boom which was controlling the fuel, and was using dispersant as well, he said.
“We haven’t seen any affected fish or birds so far, and there aren’t a lot of fish in these waters,” said Mr Puripat.
“We have had good co-operation between the Phuket Marine Office, Royal Thai Navy, Marine Police and the PTT fuel company. The PTT gave us the boom and the dispersant, and private boats have helped us. The Navy and the Marine Police are now using the dispersant to break up the fuel.”
Lt Jeerayuth said that the staff of Asian Marine, whose office is in front of the boat, noticed the boat last night as there were crew on board trying to fix the boat.
“Then they left the boat and never came back again. We are still searching for the owner of the boat, as we don’t know who is responsible for this event. We also are trying to find the cause of the sinking.”
Source: http://www.thephuket...aters-38057.php
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Drug trader gets life for running over two police officers
ANUPHAN CHANTANA
THE NATION
BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a drug trafficker to life in prison for crashing his car into two policemen - killing one and seriously injuring the other - during a sting operation.
Alongkorn Rermprachathi-patai, 26, was also ordered to pay Bt1.64 million in compensation to the dead policeman's parents. In addition, he was sentenced to seven years in jail and fined Bt375,000 for drug trafficking.
His common-law wife, Preeyanuch Puttikorn, was also given seven years in jail and fined Bt375,000 for drug trafficking. She was in the car when Alongkorn ran into a motorcycle being driven by Pol Corporal Sirawit Ruamjit and Pol Captain Taweesak Daoruang on January 11 last year on a road linking Bangkok and Nonthaburi.
Sirawit and Taweesak were on a sting operation to nab drug traffickers at the time of the crash.
After Alongkorn discovered that he was the focus of the sting operation, he turned his car around and crashed into the motorcycle ridden by the two policemen.
Sirawit, who was driving the motorbike, sustained serious injuries, while Taweesak, who was riding pillion, was knocked down and his body was dragged for 15 metres. The police captain, a deputy inspector at the Suttisarn Police Station, succumbed to his injuries later.
Alongkorn's car was found to have 200 methamphetamine tablets and 4 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penis erected against ‘widow ghost’
Phuket Gazette
Visitors to Nong Yai in Rayong, on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard, might wonder why residents have set up a shrine featuring a large wooden penis in the middle of their village.
The answer? A so-called “widow ghost”, which the women of Nong Yai believe has been mysteriously killing married men in their village for 20 years.
The spirit has killed so many local men that Nong Yai has earned the nickname “The Widow Village,” villagers told the Daily News.
The monumental penis is thus an offering to the malevolent spirit.
Each year the women perform a ceremony, sprinkling holy water on the item, which is about 60 centimeters long with a red shaft and a golden head.
Nattacha Butchali, 47, insisted the story was true and not just a case of “naive villagers” believing strange tales.
Mrs Nattacha said that for at least 20 years men had been mysteriously dying in the middle of the night.
Some families had even fled the village, lest the same fate befall the men of their households.
Mrs Nattacha said villagers had gone to fortune tellers and spirit mediums to ask them what was going on in the village.
They had all received the same answer: the ghost of a widow was haunting the village.
The spirit apparently makes men feel weak and exhausted.
The night before they die, they dream they are having sex with a beautiful woman. In fact, the woman is the widow spirit, and the ghost takes their souls.
When their wives wake up, they find their husbands are dead, the villagers explained.
-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BANGKOK, March 21, 2013 (AFP) - Thailand plans to distribute about 1.7 million handheld computers to students and teachers this year in the world's largest handout of the devices for education, officials said Thursday.
Nine firms from countries including China, India, Germany and the Netherlands are set to join an online tender in April to supply the tablet computers, according to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
"This will be the world's largest amount of tablets given away by a government for education," said Surapol Navamavadhana, a government advisor involved in the "One Tablet Per Child" scheme.
With each tablet expected to cost roughly $100, the total value of the orders looks set to be worth more than four billion baht ($140 million).
They will be given to primary students aged about six years old as well as to middle-school students aged between 12 and 13, along with 54,000 tablets that will be given to teachers.
The ruling Puea Thai party, linked to fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, pledged to issue free handheld computers to students as one of a raft of pledges that helped it to election victory in 2011.
The party -- led by Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra -- has been accused by the opposition of populism over its election promises.
About 850,000 tablets were already given to students last year, supplied by China's Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development Co. at a cost of about about 2.2 billion baht ($75 million).
Next year the government aims to distribute a further seven million tablets, according to the ICT ministry.
The tablets will remain the property of the schools for three years, during which time the students can take them home each day. After that the students will own them.
But the authorities are calling on teachers and parents to ensure that students do not stay glued to the screens for too long.
"Students should not use the tablets for more than two hours per day otherwise they won't be able to differentiate between textbooks and tablets," said Soratda Phumwiphat, another advisor involved in the scheme.
-- ©Copyright AFP 2013-03-21 | AFP News Sponsor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thailand implicated in Chinese 'honey laundering' scheme
By Coconuts Bangkok
Bees and honeycomb: two items absent from the manufacture of Chinese honey
BANGKOK: -- According to Business Insider, Thailand is being used by China for purposes of illicit “honey laundering.”
Yeah, we thought that was a typo too when we first saw it, but apparently China really is using Thailand to pass off fake honey as the genuine article.
Accusations of fake honey shenanigans first came from the US Department of Justice, which pointed out that lots of honey imported to the States from Asia isn’t honey at all, but rather corn sweetner, artificial flavoring an food coloring, mislabeled as an organic product.
What’s worse, these suspicious sweets often contain high levels of lead, toxins and antibiotics.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...ndering-scheme/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2,000 litre oil spill in Phuket waters
Nattha Thepbamrung
PHUKET: -- Around 2,000 litres of fuel has spilled into the harbour off Koh Sirae after a fishing boat sank last night (March 21), but officials say the spill is “under control”.
The Pemika sank last night, spilling fuel into the harbour off Koh Sirae.
Phuket Marine Police Deputy Superintendent Lt Jeerayuth Onthong said he was first informed of the situation this morning around 7am. So far it is not known who the boat, named Pemika, belongs to, but Mr Jeerayuth confirmed it was carrying around 20,000 litres of fuel.
The oil spill is around 200 metres by 20 metres in size.
Puripat Teerakulpipat, Phuket Marine Office Director confirmed that the situation was “under control” and the leaking fuel would not flow to the beaches on Koh Sirae. The Marine Police had set up a boom which was controlling the fuel, and was using dispersant as well, he said.
“We haven’t seen any affected fish or birds so far, and there aren’t a lot of fish in these waters,” said Mr Puripat.
“We have had good co-operation between the Phuket Marine Office, Royal Thai Navy, Marine Police and the PTT fuel company. The PTT gave us the boom and the dispersant, and private boats have helped us. The Navy and the Marine Police are now using the dispersant to break up the fuel.”
Lt Jeerayuth said that the staff of Asian Marine, whose office is in front of the boat, noticed the boat last night as there were crew on board trying to fix the boat.
“Then they left the boat and never came back again. We are still searching for the owner of the boat, as we don’t know who is responsible for this event. We also are trying to find the cause of the sinking.”
Source: http://www.thephuket...aters-38057.php
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drug trader gets life for running over two police officers
ANUPHAN CHANTANA
THE NATION
BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a drug trafficker to life in prison for crashing his car into two policemen - killing one and seriously injuring the other - during a sting operation.
Alongkorn Rermprachathi-patai, 26, was also ordered to pay Bt1.64 million in compensation to the dead policeman's parents. In addition, he was sentenced to seven years in jail and fined Bt375,000 for drug trafficking.
His common-law wife, Preeyanuch Puttikorn, was also given seven years in jail and fined Bt375,000 for drug trafficking. She was in the car when Alongkorn ran into a motorcycle being driven by Pol Corporal Sirawit Ruamjit and Pol Captain Taweesak Daoruang on January 11 last year on a road linking Bangkok and Nonthaburi.
Sirawit and Taweesak were on a sting operation to nab drug traffickers at the time of the crash.
After Alongkorn discovered that he was the focus of the sting operation, he turned his car around and crashed into the motorcycle ridden by the two policemen.
Sirawit, who was driving the motorbike, sustained serious injuries, while Taweesak, who was riding pillion, was knocked down and his body was dragged for 15 metres. The police captain, a deputy inspector at the Suttisarn Police Station, succumbed to his injuries later.
Alongkorn's car was found to have 200 methamphetamine tablets and 4 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penis erected against ‘widow ghost’
Phuket Gazette
Visitors to Nong Yai in Rayong, on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard, might wonder why residents have set up a shrine featuring a large wooden penis in the middle of their village.
The answer? A so-called “widow ghost”, which the women of Nong Yai believe has been mysteriously killing married men in their village for 20 years.
The spirit has killed so many local men that Nong Yai has earned the nickname “The Widow Village,” villagers told the Daily News.
The monumental penis is thus an offering to the malevolent spirit.
Each year the women perform a ceremony, sprinkling holy water on the item, which is about 60 centimeters long with a red shaft and a golden head.
Nattacha Butchali, 47, insisted the story was true and not just a case of “naive villagers” believing strange tales.
Mrs Nattacha said that for at least 20 years men had been mysteriously dying in the middle of the night.
Some families had even fled the village, lest the same fate befall the men of their households.
Mrs Nattacha said villagers had gone to fortune tellers and spirit mediums to ask them what was going on in the village.
They had all received the same answer: the ghost of a widow was haunting the village.
The spirit apparently makes men feel weak and exhausted.
The night before they die, they dream they are having sex with a beautiful woman. In fact, the woman is the widow spirit, and the ghost takes their souls.
When their wives wake up, they find their husbands are dead, the villagers explained.
-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted 2013-03-25 07:21:45
Five senior police transferred
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Five senior police have been abruptly transferred from two stations in Bangkok after more than 100 commandos rounded up over 300 gamblers from dens in Phra Khanong and Watthana districts on Saturday night.
Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrachang, commissioner of Metropolitan Police, said yesterday that officers from Klong Tan and Bang Na stations were sent on temporary duty outside their precincts for 30 days to facilitate investigations.
He is also considering punishing Pol Maj Gen Krit Piakaew, head of Metropolitan Police Division 5, which oversees the two police stations, for failing to comply with National Police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew's order to bust all underground casinos.
The three dens were Mae Ho on Soi Pridi Panomyong off Sukhumvit 71, an unnamed den on Soi Pho Kaew and Uan in Bang Na.
The suspects were detained at Klong Tan and Thong Lor police stations and would be charged at Phra Khanong District Court today. Police seized several million baht in cash, gambling paraphernalia, cards and chips from Mae Ho den.
Amnuay Termsri, 45, allegedly owns the house used to operate a den and Chalong Thaiulek, 54, is allegedly a punter.
Pol Col Kanchon Intararom, superintendent of Bang Na Police Station, said his police raided three dens and nabbed 117 gamblers, consisting of 92 gamblers from Udom Suk Soi 23, 10 from Soi Chalermprakiat 14 and 17 from Soi La Salle.
None of them was allowed to be released on bail.
-- The Nation 2013-03-25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Nation
BANGKOK: -- Five senior police have been abruptly transferred from two stations in Bangkok after more than 100 commandos rounded up over 300 gamblers from dens in Phra Khanong and Watthana districts on Saturday night.
Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrachang, commissioner of Metropolitan Police, said yesterday that officers from Klong Tan and Bang Na stations were sent on temporary duty outside their precincts for 30 days to facilitate investigations.
He is also considering punishing Pol Maj Gen Krit Piakaew, head of Metropolitan Police Division 5, which oversees the two police stations, for failing to comply with National Police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew's order to bust all underground casinos.
The three dens were Mae Ho on Soi Pridi Panomyong off Sukhumvit 71, an unnamed den on Soi Pho Kaew and Uan in Bang Na.
The suspects were detained at Klong Tan and Thong Lor police stations and would be charged at Phra Khanong District Court today. Police seized several million baht in cash, gambling paraphernalia, cards and chips from Mae Ho den.
Amnuay Termsri, 45, allegedly owns the house used to operate a den and Chalong Thaiulek, 54, is allegedly a punter.
Pol Col Kanchon Intararom, superintendent of Bang Na Police Station, said his police raided three dens and nabbed 117 gamblers, consisting of 92 gamblers from Udom Suk Soi 23, 10 from Soi Chalermprakiat 14 and 17 from Soi La Salle.
None of them was allowed to be released on bail.
-- The Nation 2013-03-25
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Posted 2013-03-25 07:52:29
Man trapped in Thailand for four years is back home
PILLING: -- A MAN locked in a legal battle trapping him in Thailand for nearly four years is back on British soil.
Lee Chestnutt has returned to his Pilling home after a year-long trial and an appeal hearing as his former landlord accused him and his partner, Jaffrey Maharan, of criminal damage and theft.
After so many immigration blocks, preventing the couple from leaving the country or being allowed to work there, Lee is still looking over his shoulder.
He said: “It’s been four years since we were in control of our own lives.
“What kept is going was that we knew we weren’t guilty. We just had to trust the justice system.”
Lee’s mum, Pat, breathed a huge sigh of relieve when she saw her son at Manchester Airport early on Sunday morning.
She said: “It’s amazing.
“We did start to believe it was never going to happen.”
Source: http://www.blackpool...-home-1-5525820
-- The Gazette 2013-03-25
PILLING: -- A MAN locked in a legal battle trapping him in Thailand for nearly four years is back on British soil.
Lee Chestnutt has returned to his Pilling home after a year-long trial and an appeal hearing as his former landlord accused him and his partner, Jaffrey Maharan, of criminal damage and theft.
After so many immigration blocks, preventing the couple from leaving the country or being allowed to work there, Lee is still looking over his shoulder.
He said: “It’s been four years since we were in control of our own lives.
“What kept is going was that we knew we weren’t guilty. We just had to trust the justice system.”
Lee’s mum, Pat, breathed a huge sigh of relieve when she saw her son at Manchester Airport early on Sunday morning.
She said: “It’s amazing.
“We did start to believe it was never going to happen.”
Source: http://www.blackpool...-home-1-5525820
-- The Gazette 2013-03-25
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Two walking British tourists killed by crash in Koh Samui
By Coconuts Bangkok
Roads in Koh Samui are some of the most dangerous in Thailand. Photo: Coconuts Bangkok
KOH SAMUI: -- Two British men were reportedly hit and killed by an out of control truck while walking along a road in Koh Samui on March 23.
At 5:30pm on Mar. 23, Samui police and paramedics were called to a two-car pileup at a tea shop on Thaweerat Pakdee Road on the popular vacation island.
Upon their arrival, police found a silver bronze pickup truck and a Toyota Corolla Altis sedan. They said that both drivers abruptly turned their steering wheel to run off the road, which caused the crash. The truck hit the teashop and two British citizens who were walking nearby.
Michael Holmes, 68, and Derek Rodney Gent, 69, reportedly died instantly. They were tourists who were holidaying at a hotel near the accident spot.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...h-in-koh-samui/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-25
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By Coconuts Bangkok
Roads in Koh Samui are some of the most dangerous in Thailand. Photo: Coconuts Bangkok
KOH SAMUI: -- Two British men were reportedly hit and killed by an out of control truck while walking along a road in Koh Samui on March 23.
At 5:30pm on Mar. 23, Samui police and paramedics were called to a two-car pileup at a tea shop on Thaweerat Pakdee Road on the popular vacation island.
Upon their arrival, police found a silver bronze pickup truck and a Toyota Corolla Altis sedan. They said that both drivers abruptly turned their steering wheel to run off the road, which caused the crash. The truck hit the teashop and two British citizens who were walking nearby.
Michael Holmes, 68, and Derek Rodney Gent, 69, reportedly died instantly. They were tourists who were holidaying at a hotel near the accident spot.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...h-in-koh-samui/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-25
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Posted 2013-03-26 09:37:34
Rescued pygmy killer whales recovering from pneumonia in Koh Chang
By Praj Kiatpongsan
Photos: Eastern Gulf of Thailand Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center
KOH CHANG: -- Two pygmy killer whales that were recently rescued from the sea near Koh Chang are gradually recovering from pneumonia under special care of marine veterinarians. One of them is expected to return to the sea in one month.
Both whales were found injured and unable to move on the shore at the Bann Jek Bae beach on Koh Chang. On March 18, tourists reported the first whale at around 7am and the other one at 10am.
Earlier reports said that the whales were found in fishing nets, but that seems not to be the case. Earlier reports also said that the whales were killer whales (orcinus orca), when they are actually pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata). Pygmy killer whales are a member of the dolphin family and named so because they look like killer whales.
Helmet padding to be given out
THE NATION
BANGKOK: -- Some 500,000 units of inner padding for helmets will be handed over to motorcycle drivers and passengers in Bangkok to boost road safety during the upcoming Songkran celebration.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau has instructed all police stations to distribute the padding to motorcyclists and passengers, especially those who take motorcycle taxis, in a move to encourage them to wear helmets as part of the safety campaign. The Road Accident Victims Protection Co will provide the padding.
Previous records show that most road fatalities involve motorcycle drivers and passengers who did not wear helmets.
Songkran Pakchokdee, director of the Anti-Alcohol Organisations Network, said the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee was concerned that revellers who get drunk will ride motorcycles on secondary roads while going on errands to buy more booze. He said this caused many accidents.
"The committee is looking for ways to stop revellers from doing this, which will include a ban on the sale of alcohol during the Songkran holiday period." He said the ban should be enforced for all three days of the holiday, so drunken revellers do not go out on motorbikes to buy more alcohol.
The proposal for the ban will be submitted to the National Alcohol Beverage Policy Committee, which is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, for final approval.
-- The Nation 2013-03-26
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Comptroller-General short of funds to pay for car rebates in April
File photo
BANGKOK, 26 March 2013 (NNT) - Comptroller-General Manas Jamveha has revealed that the government does not have enough budget to pay those scheduled to receive their rebates under the government's first-car buyer scheme, for the month of April.
Mr. Manas said the Comptroller General's Department does not know where it could get the budget from as it does not have sufficient funds to pay for the rebates scheduled in April.
However, he said the department is looking to borrow money from other government agencies whose budgets have not been disbursed.
According to the Finance Ministry, the government set aside just over 7 billion baht for the rebates in 2556, but the Department has an obligation to pay up to 38 billion baht for the scheme.
The Comptroller General's Department has so far this year delivered nearly 7 billion baht worth of refunds to 99,000 buyers, leaving it with only 361 million baht, which is far less than what it needs in April to pay for refunds.
He further said the Department needed another 30 billion baht to fund the scheme this year. He also assured that the government will fulfill its obligations.
-- NNT 2013-03-26
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16 year old worker falls 33 floors to his death at North Pattaya Construction Site
PATTAYA:--On Sunday Afternoon Police were called to a construction site in North Pattaya to investigate reports of a 16 year old construction worker who fell 33 floors to his death.
At the scene Police inspected the body of Khun Saram who sustained major head trauma consistent with a fall from a high floor. The incident occurred at the site of the Wongamat Tower which is a new 40-storey condominium.
The victim and a friend, Khun Gitishai aged 23, were working on the 33rd floor.
Full story:http://www.pattayaon...struction-site/
-- Pattaya One 2013-03-26
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Cheating German Scammed By Thieving Thai Mistress
A 70-year-old German with a Thai wife reported to Udon Thani police that his missing credit card was used to purchase 10,000 THB of goods. Police caught the 23-year-old female suspect, who was having an affair with the German. They had met through an online dating site. She confessed to the theft.
UDON THANI – March 26, 2013 [PDN]; A man reported to police that someone had used his missing credit card to purchase 10,000 THB worth of goods. The victim was identified as Mr. Hyde Fleebrand, 70 years old, German. He was accompanied by his Thai wife when he went to the police in Udon Thani. He reported that his credit card has been missing since March 19.
The police then investigated and discovered that the person who took it was Ms. Piyamas Phajanda, 23 years old, who was his mistress. Police tracked down and detained Ms. Piyamas, who confessed that she had stolen it.
She told officers that she had met Mr. Hyde a year ago through an online matching-making site called “Thailovelink.” They eventually had a first meeting four months ago, and have seen each other for a total of three times.
Then on March 19, she found Mr. Hyde’s credit card on a desk in the bedroom, so she took it. Then she rode her motorcycle to a department store and tried to withdraw some money, but she did not have the card’s password.
Full story: http://www.pattayada...-thai-mistress/
-- Pattaya Daily News 2013-03-27
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People not allowed to splash water down from pickup trucks during Songkran
File photo. Source: Wikipedia.org
BANGKOK, 29 March 2013 (NNT) – The Ministry of Interior aims to ban the practice of carrying water containers on pickup trucks and splashing water down from the trucks, for the upcoming Songkran water festival.
An Interior Ministry meeting to discuss reducing road accidents and casualties during Songkran holiday has set April 11-17 as days when tight control on the road will be implemented.
Aiming to increase road safety during the period of water play, the meeting agreed to switch from the previous model of using a central command center that issued guidelines to provincial officials to a model that allows provincial administrators to adjust their methods to best fit their localities.
Under the new model, provincial governors must lay down measures and guidelines for districts, municipalities and other local administrative bodies to follow and implement.
Every province must establish zoning for Songkran water play.
People on pickup trucks will be banned from splashing water on public roads, in order to reduce the risk of accident occurring.
-- NNT 2013-03-29
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Praj Kiatpongsan
Photos: Eastern Gulf of Thailand Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center
KOH CHANG: -- Two pygmy killer whales that were recently rescued from the sea near Koh Chang are gradually recovering from pneumonia under special care of marine veterinarians. One of them is expected to return to the sea in one month.
Both whales were found injured and unable to move on the shore at the Bann Jek Bae beach on Koh Chang. On March 18, tourists reported the first whale at around 7am and the other one at 10am.
Earlier reports said that the whales were found in fishing nets, but that seems not to be the case. Earlier reports also said that the whales were killer whales (orcinus orca), when they are actually pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata). Pygmy killer whales are a member of the dolphin family and named so because they look like killer whales.
Veterinarians from the Eastern Gulf of Thailand’s Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center and Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science, have teamed up to provide them with physical therapy to cure their pneumonia, which partially, if not absolutely, caused their symptoms. The mammals are both female and similar in size with one measuring up to two meters long and the other 2.15 meters.
Full story: http://www.coconutsb...a-in-koh-chang/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-26
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Full story: http://www.coconutsb...a-in-koh-chang/
-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-26
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Helmet padding to be given out
THE NATION
BANGKOK: -- Some 500,000 units of inner padding for helmets will be handed over to motorcycle drivers and passengers in Bangkok to boost road safety during the upcoming Songkran celebration.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau has instructed all police stations to distribute the padding to motorcyclists and passengers, especially those who take motorcycle taxis, in a move to encourage them to wear helmets as part of the safety campaign. The Road Accident Victims Protection Co will provide the padding.
Previous records show that most road fatalities involve motorcycle drivers and passengers who did not wear helmets.
Songkran Pakchokdee, director of the Anti-Alcohol Organisations Network, said the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee was concerned that revellers who get drunk will ride motorcycles on secondary roads while going on errands to buy more booze. He said this caused many accidents.
"The committee is looking for ways to stop revellers from doing this, which will include a ban on the sale of alcohol during the Songkran holiday period." He said the ban should be enforced for all three days of the holiday, so drunken revellers do not go out on motorbikes to buy more alcohol.
The proposal for the ban will be submitted to the National Alcohol Beverage Policy Committee, which is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, for final approval.
-- The Nation 2013-03-26
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Comptroller-General short of funds to pay for car rebates in April
File photo
BANGKOK, 26 March 2013 (NNT) - Comptroller-General Manas Jamveha has revealed that the government does not have enough budget to pay those scheduled to receive their rebates under the government's first-car buyer scheme, for the month of April.
Mr. Manas said the Comptroller General's Department does not know where it could get the budget from as it does not have sufficient funds to pay for the rebates scheduled in April.
However, he said the department is looking to borrow money from other government agencies whose budgets have not been disbursed.
According to the Finance Ministry, the government set aside just over 7 billion baht for the rebates in 2556, but the Department has an obligation to pay up to 38 billion baht for the scheme.
The Comptroller General's Department has so far this year delivered nearly 7 billion baht worth of refunds to 99,000 buyers, leaving it with only 361 million baht, which is far less than what it needs in April to pay for refunds.
He further said the Department needed another 30 billion baht to fund the scheme this year. He also assured that the government will fulfill its obligations.
-- NNT 2013-03-26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 year old worker falls 33 floors to his death at North Pattaya Construction Site
PATTAYA:--On Sunday Afternoon Police were called to a construction site in North Pattaya to investigate reports of a 16 year old construction worker who fell 33 floors to his death.
At the scene Police inspected the body of Khun Saram who sustained major head trauma consistent with a fall from a high floor. The incident occurred at the site of the Wongamat Tower which is a new 40-storey condominium.
The victim and a friend, Khun Gitishai aged 23, were working on the 33rd floor.
Full story:http://www.pattayaon...struction-site/
-- Pattaya One 2013-03-26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cheating German Scammed By Thieving Thai Mistress
A 70-year-old German with a Thai wife reported to Udon Thani police that his missing credit card was used to purchase 10,000 THB of goods. Police caught the 23-year-old female suspect, who was having an affair with the German. They had met through an online dating site. She confessed to the theft.
UDON THANI – March 26, 2013 [PDN]; A man reported to police that someone had used his missing credit card to purchase 10,000 THB worth of goods. The victim was identified as Mr. Hyde Fleebrand, 70 years old, German. He was accompanied by his Thai wife when he went to the police in Udon Thani. He reported that his credit card has been missing since March 19.
The police then investigated and discovered that the person who took it was Ms. Piyamas Phajanda, 23 years old, who was his mistress. Police tracked down and detained Ms. Piyamas, who confessed that she had stolen it.
She told officers that she had met Mr. Hyde a year ago through an online matching-making site called “Thailovelink.” They eventually had a first meeting four months ago, and have seen each other for a total of three times.
Then on March 19, she found Mr. Hyde’s credit card on a desk in the bedroom, so she took it. Then she rode her motorcycle to a department store and tried to withdraw some money, but she did not have the card’s password.
Full story: http://www.pattayada...-thai-mistress/
-- Pattaya Daily News 2013-03-27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People not allowed to splash water down from pickup trucks during Songkran
File photo. Source: Wikipedia.org
BANGKOK, 29 March 2013 (NNT) – The Ministry of Interior aims to ban the practice of carrying water containers on pickup trucks and splashing water down from the trucks, for the upcoming Songkran water festival.
An Interior Ministry meeting to discuss reducing road accidents and casualties during Songkran holiday has set April 11-17 as days when tight control on the road will be implemented.
Aiming to increase road safety during the period of water play, the meeting agreed to switch from the previous model of using a central command center that issued guidelines to provincial officials to a model that allows provincial administrators to adjust their methods to best fit their localities.
Under the new model, provincial governors must lay down measures and guidelines for districts, municipalities and other local administrative bodies to follow and implement.
Every province must establish zoning for Songkran water play.
People on pickup trucks will be banned from splashing water on public roads, in order to reduce the risk of accident occurring.
-- NNT 2013-03-29
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted 2013-03-29 14:00:46
Tortoise Smugglers Caught With 10 Percent Of Entire Species At Thailand Airport
The Huffington Post | By Ryan Grenoble
Two smugglers are facing charges in Thailand after authorities caught them attempting to sneak more than 10 percent of the remaining population of a critically endangered species into the country.
Among the contraband: 54 live ploughshare tortoises (also known as angonoka tortoises), of which there are an estimated 200 to 400 left in the wild.
“The criminals behind this shipment of Ploughshare Tortoises have effectively stolen over 10% of the estimated population in the wild," said Dr. Chris R. Shepherd, deputy director of wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic, per a statement released by the organization. “We urge authorities to go after the criminal masterminds behind these shipments and break the trade chains that threaten these incredibly rare animals."
Full Story: http://www.huffingto...kusaolp00000003
--Huffington Post 2013-03-29
The Huffington Post | By Ryan Grenoble
Two smugglers are facing charges in Thailand after authorities caught them attempting to sneak more than 10 percent of the remaining population of a critically endangered species into the country.
Among the contraband: 54 live ploughshare tortoises (also known as angonoka tortoises), of which there are an estimated 200 to 400 left in the wild.
“The criminals behind this shipment of Ploughshare Tortoises have effectively stolen over 10% of the estimated population in the wild," said Dr. Chris R. Shepherd, deputy director of wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic, per a statement released by the organization. “We urge authorities to go after the criminal masterminds behind these shipments and break the trade chains that threaten these incredibly rare animals."
Full Story: http://www.huffingto...kusaolp00000003
--Huffington Post 2013-03-29
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