Jaw, Skin Found at Park Where 12 Were Charged With Poaching

By

Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

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9 October 2018, 11:40

KANCHANABURI — Park rangers on Monday night discovered more severed animal parts inside a national park where a dozen people – among them a government official – were charged with poaching last week.

Following the Sunday arrest of 12 people found possessing severed bearcat limbs in Kanchanaburi province’s Sai Yok National Park, rangers discovered more animal body parts at a camping site near a Buddhist monastery the group claimed to visit. Among the arrested was Watcharachai Sameerak, permanent secretary of a provincial district, who was suspended from duty Monday.

Panatchakorn Phobandit, the park’s chief, and a troupe of rangers traveled for more than eight hours to Tao Dam Monastery and found animal jaws, black hair-covered skin, bullet shells and a machete at the compound.

Authorities are investigating whether the body parts belong to the same bearcat, whose paws – along with hunting gear – were found with the suspects.

Read: Govt Official Among 12 Charged With Poaching in Kanchanaburi

The monastery caretaker, an ethnic Mon identified only as Tata, told officers that at about 7pm on Saturday, the 12 suspects arrived at the venue with their off-road vehicles. He added that the group camped in tents in front of the monastery and brought the monks offerings of rice and dried food the next morning.

Tata said he hadn’t seen the group at the monastery before.

In addition to poaching, the 12 face charges such as illegal possession of a protected animal and taking a vehicle into an off-road area without authorization.

Bearcats are a protected species under the 1992 Wildlife Protection Act.

Airport Immigration Head Transferred for Demanding ‘Tips’

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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9 October 2018, 10:34

Maj. Gen. Surachet Hakpan poses by a “No tips please” sign at Don Mueang Airport on Thursday. — Surachate Hakparn poses by a “No tips please” sign at Don Mueang Airport on Oct. 4, 2018.

BANGKOK — The police officer in charge of border control at one of Bangkok’s international airports was removed and placed under investigation for allegedly extorting bribes from Chinese tourists, the immigration commander said Monday.

Col. Janchai Daengprasert was accused of ordering officers to request “tips” from inbound tourists at Don Mueang Airport, who would not be granted visas unless they paid up. Immigration police chief Surachet Hakpan said his office talked to one of the victims and established that the allegations appear to be true.

“I have already talked about this. As long as there’s wrongdoing, it’s considered a violation of our rules,” Surachet told reporters. “It’s like in sports. If you know the rules and still break them, you’ll be forced to sit outside the field.”

Janchai and three of his deputies were transferred to inactive posts while an investigation against them is ongoing, the police major general said.

The order came after a Thai complained on social media that his Chinese friend was held at immigration for six hours because he refused to pay 200 baht in “tips” for his visa on arrival.

On Surachet’s order, signs proclaiming “No Tips Please” were installed at Don Mueang Airport immigration queues.

It’s the latest scandal to hit Don Mueang Airport. On Oct. 1, the airport’s general manager and security chief were relieved from duty after a security guard was filmed assaulting a Chinese tourist.

One Championship Lands More Investment, Tops $250 Million

By

Associated Press

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8 October 2018, 18:22

One Championship MMA's Shannon "OneShin" Wiratchai, at left, and Rika "TinyDoll" Ishige.

One Championship says it has closed a USD$166 million financing round led by Sequoia Capital, pushing the Asian mixed martial arts promotion’s total capital base past $250 million.

The Singapore-based promotion announced its latest equity investment Monday.

One Championship claims to be the largest sports media property in Asia, staging regular live shows that are viewed on television across the region and worldwide online.

The promotion has added boxing and kickboxing matches to its busy slate of MMA shows in recent months, including a title defense by WBC super flyweight boxing champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai last weekend in Bangkok. The promotion also plans to add competition soon in sanda and wushu, two Chinese martial arts.

One Championship will debut in Japan and Vietnam in 2019.

Three Thai Tennis Chair Umpires Banned for Life

By

Associated Press

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8 October 2018, 18:16

LONDON — Three chair umpires from Thailand have been banned for life from tennis after being found guilty of match-fixing and betting offenses.

The Tennis Integrity Unit announced the sanctions Monday against Anucha Tongplew, Apisit Promchai and Chitchai Srililai, who were accused of betting on matches and manipulating scores in the official scoring system at ITF Futures tournaments in 2017.

In a statement, the integrity unit said all three umpires admitted the breaches. The case was adjudicated by independent anti-corruption hearing officer Charles Hollander.

The TIU says “the lifetime bans apply with immediate effect and prohibit each individual from ever officiating at, or attending, any sanctioned events organized or recognized by the governing bodies of the sport.”

The TIU is an initiative of the Grand Slam Board, the International Tennis Federation, the ATP and the WTA.

City Hall Pledges 88M Baht to Renovate Khaosan

By

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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8 October 2018, 17:46

Khaosan Road at night. Photo: Bfick / Flickr

BANGKOK — A Bangkok deputy governor said Sunday he would propose an 88 million baht budget to renovate Khaosan Road and make it more “pleasant” for visitors.

The latest bid from Deputy Gov. Sakoltee Phattiyakul to redevelop the world-famed street market – including paving a new road and building a roof – was cautiously welcomed today by a vendor representative following standoffs over sidewalk selling spaces in recent months.

“I still haven’t seen how it’s going to be,” Yada Pornpetrumpa said. “It sounds like a positive prospect, but I’m not sure how effective it will be.”

Sakoltee said the plan, which would be propose to the governor Monday, will modify the area to make it become “pleasant and serve as a Bangkok landmark.”

The project would see granite setts laid over the 400-meter street after it’s paved to level the road and the sidewalks. A “Thai-style” roof and arched entrances would also be built to ensure tourists can shop there conveniently despite heavy rain or blazing heat.

The new road would cost 44 million baht, while the other 44 million baht would be for the roof, he added. The construction design will first need approval from the conservation committee of the old capital.

The saga of conflicts over Khaosan Road began in July when City Hall said vendors must be cleared off of sidewalks and operate on the road instead. It didn’t budge when the new rules were met with strong resistance from the sellers, but had to back down when local police refused to enforce the policy, saying it contradicted traffic laws.

In August, Sakoltee said Khaosan sidewalks would be exempted for vendors only from 4pm to midnight, which was opposed by sellers who said the daytime ban would hurt their business.

Last month, the chief of the local code compliance office said it could not find enough designated space for vendors on the sidewalks as City Hall planned.

With the new idea to get rid of the sidewalks altogether, Sakoltee said it would provide extra space, enough for one-way traffic to be open on a limited time schedule as vendors remain in designated areas. He is considering whether they will be allowed to set up stalls on both sides of the street or just one.

Despite being closed to traffic for decades, Khaosan Road has never been officially exempted from traffic laws. Sakoltee said the exemption, making it legal for vendors to sell on the street, would be proposed to the metro police in two weeks.

But not all vendors will be allowed to sell at the same time, he said, as he plans a weekly draw to make the market “more diverse and not boring.”

Yada, president of the local vendors association, agreed that the design seemed to grant sellers more space, but said she did not understand the advantage of the weekly draw.

“What’s the purpose of that thing? Let’s say some vendors have regular customers. If they have a fixed area to sell, it would be easier for customers to remember,” she said. “I still don’t get the pros and cons of the draw, because it hasn’t been discussed with us.”

She then said authorities should communicate with her community to find an effective and sustainable solution together.

“We agree that the way we set up [stalls and carts] has to be regulated to minimize the impact to others,” she said. “The best way to do that is to talk to the community and vendors here, otherwise we will never be able to find a compromise.”

Street Wars: Bangkok Vendors Strike Back

Khaosan Future Remains in Limbo

Defeated, City Hall Again Agrees to Exempt Khaosan

Deal Struck For Khaosan Vendors to Submit Alternate Rules

Khaosan Goes Quiet After Police Ignore New City Rules

Khaosan Vendors to Defy City Hall’s New Rules

Feeling Spurned, Khaosan Sellers to March on City Hall

Police the Cops Before ‘Choking Us,’ Khaosan Vendors Say

In Reversal, City Won’t Spare Khaosan, Chinatown Vendors

Prawit Says He Was Cheered, Not Jeered After ‘MotoCP’ Remark

By

Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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8 October 2018, 16:59

Prawit Wongsuwan seen Sunday at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram province.

BURIRAM — Junta deputy Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan on Monday denied being jeered when he attended a Sunday motorcycle race, insisting that he was instead being welcomed.

Prawit visited the Chang International Circuit in Buriram province – home to the 15th race of the year’s MotoGP championship – accompanied by Newin Chidchob, a former influential politician behind the race track project.

The incident occurred when Prawit entered the track and made a short remark, mistakenly calling the event a “MotoCP” race – CP being the acronym of the Charoen Pokphand Group, the kingdom’s largest conglomerate – causing the crowd’s confusion and laughter.

“They cheered to welcome me, not jeered to chase me away… If they jeered, they would have thrown objects. Why would they chase me away when I work for them?” said Prawit, who is also a deputy prime minister.

Prawit made his response after reporters asked him if the near 1-minute noise was a reception or sign of disapproval, as alleged on social media.

While opinions differed on social media, some believe Prawit was in denial.

“This is ‘positive thinking.’ Locals would call this having a ‘thick-skinned face,’” prominent Facebook-based social media commentator Pipob Udomittipong wrote Monday.

Pipob compared the event to an incident involving United States President Donald Trump last month, in which he was laughed at before the United Nations General Assembly in New York while he addressed his counterparts.

Spain’s Marc Marquez won Sunday’s race after taking the lead in the last corner, further extending his lead atop of the leaderboard by 77 points.

‘Kin Jae’ Veggie Fest Returns in Full This Year (Photos)

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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8 October 2018, 16:02

Believers raise a sacred pole Monday to connect earth with heaven at a shrine in Trang province.

BANGKOK — The purifying rituals and ear-piercing celebrations of the Vegetarian Festival are set to return in full glory this year throughout Thailand.

After having to tone down for King Bhumibol’s death in 2016 and his funerary rites in 2017, the first stage of Tesagarn Kin Jae kicked off today in major Sino-Thai communities such as those in Phuket, where the nine-day festival is expected to generate 14 billion baht in cash.

At Zhou Shi Kong Shrine in Bangkok’s Chinatown, a dragon dance was performed to herald the first day of the Jae festival, while believers in Phuket flocked to Jui Tui Shrine to put gold papers on its sacred pole.

In restaurants and food stalls countrywide, vendors started selling dishes cooked in compliance with Jae beliefs: no use of meat or animal products.

Naturally, vegetable prices have risen. Lettuce sold at 10 baht more per kilogram, and mushrooms cost 10-20 baht more.

Originally rooted in the Taoist tradition of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, Jae observers believe refraining from meat will purify their bodies and souls. The festival runs through Oct. 17.

20181008 083424 — Kin Jae festival in Saraburi

กินแจ ๑๘๑๐๐๘ 0016 — Jae food sold in Bangkok

Police: Fish-Trap Robber Arrested in Udon Thani

By

Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

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8 October 2018, 15:12

Left: An undated image from CCTV footage shows a man donning a balaclava in Udon Thani province. Right: A fish trap with coins which police discovered Sunday in the suspect’s house.

UDON THANI — With a fish trap over one arm, machete in hand, and balaclava over his face, a man robbed four spots within one week – until police arrested him Sunday.

Authorities arrested Payon Kamsem last night and charged him with robbery after naming him the sole suspect in four robberies in Udon Thani province, mostly at convenience stores.

Payon was found in possession of a motorbike, camouflage trousers, a black balaclava, two caps, a fishing trap, two machetes and coins worth 29 baht.

Col. Phumwit Vejkarma, chief of Udon Thani police, said the first robbery occurred Sept. 26 at a 7-Eleven. The 39-year-old man was carrying a knife and slung a fish trap over his arm. He ran away with ฿7,400 in cash.

Police said a man with the same costume committed the next three crimes in other locations. The owner of a chopping board shop said he was robbed Sept. 29 by a man wielding a knife and fish trap, adding that he escaped with 600 baht.

Early morning on Oct. 1, the same suspect allegedly robbed two stores: first a 7-Eleven and then a Tesco Lotus Express.

Police said Payon confessed to all four incidents. They added that the building contractor said he had financial difficulties which pressured him into committing the crimes.

Payon allegedly told police he could not afford a gun for the robberies and so used a knife instead. Police said he used the trap to disguise himself by tricking people into thinking he went fish at night.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum of 5 years in prison and / or a ฿10,000 fine.

Slurp Bouncy Bua Loi Drinks at New Downtown Bangkok Cafe

By

Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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8 October 2018, 14:53

DSCF3591 — A cup of purple potato milk topped with purple potato and sweet potato balls (฿75). The bua loi on top are stuffed with black sesame, purple potato, sweet potato and salted egg custard.

BANGKOK — Taiwanese potato and taro ball desserts aren’t novel to Thailand, but a new cafe at the heart of the capital is plopping Thai desserts with generous stuffings onto them.

Dessert cafes serving shaved ice topped with potato and taro balls have opened citywide the past year – but Klom Dessert House is among the newer ones that also incorporates Thai desserts – specifically, bua loi, or stuffed glutinous rice balls.

“When I went to Taiwan and saw desserts there, I saw that they also had Thai herbs. I thought I could incorporate them,” 32-year-old shop owner Kanokporn Maythawee said.

Cups of Thai tea, green tea, milk or ginger tea are topped with chewy house-made balls, or tubes, with sweet and purple potato. The bua loi have four stuffings: traditional black sesame, sweet potato, purple potato and the delightfully gooey, runny salted egg custard (฿55 to ฿75).

The bua loi are stuffed to the brim – the sesame a fragrant and dry rub instead of a black goopy mess – with the balls stingy on the flour and generous on the filling.

DSCF3593 — Bua loi with purple potato, sweet potato and black sesame stuffings.

“The tubes have just a bit of flour to help them stick together. I would say they’re made of 90 percent potato. There are six people on my team making them every day,” Kanokporn said. “We grind and roast the sesame and boil the salted egg ourselves.”

Nothing is too sweet and the bua loi’s textures and balls are a delight with milk or ginger. Drinks aside, there are also bua loi served with dango (Japanese rice flour dumplings on a skewer), rolled in black sesame (฿69 to ฿89), with bingsu (฿99) or just the rice balls on their own (฿45 to ฿75.) To be accurate, the cafe serves a hybrid of Taiwanese, Thai, Korean and Japanese desserts.

DSCF3600 — A set with bua loi in ginger tea and dango (฿69).

However, drinks are heavy on the ice as well as single-use plastic straws and spoons.

In Taiwan, taro and potato ball desserts are usually served in hot ginger tea or baobing shaved ice with or without grass jelly. Thai cafes adapting the dessert usually serve the purple and sweet potato balls over ice with sweet, cold milk.

DSCF3599 — Thai tea topped with potato balls and bua loi (฿75).

Although prices are friendly and snacks are chewy, the dessert house – open for less than two weeks – is stuffed with food bloggers and curious cafe-hoppers. Wait until the hype dies down before heading over to avoid crowds. The new branch is located in Stadium One outdoor shopping complex, while the first, which opened in July 2017 is in Bang Na.

Klom Dessert House is located within Stadium One complex on Banthat Thong Road, or a walk from BTS National Stadium. It’s open Monday to Friday from 1pm to midnight, and 11:30am to midnight on weekends.

Mahidol Becomes Top Thai Uni in Times 2019 Global Rankings

By

Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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8 October 2018, 12:21

An undated photo of a Mahidol University sign. Photo: Matichon

BANGKOK — Five Thai universities are among the world’s top 1,000 according to this year’s Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Mahidol University ranked the highest in the country and was classed in the world’s top 601 to 800, while Chulalongkorn University, Suranari Technology University, Chiang Mai University and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi made the 801 to 1,000 bracket.

Thammasat University, Khon Kaen University, Srinakharinwirot University, Kasetsart University and six other Thai universities were ranked outside the top 1,000.

Mahidol received an overall score of 32.92 out of 100. It scored 29.1 percent for teaching quality, while Chulalongkorn University and Chiang Mai University received 28.9 points and 19.8 points respectively.

Chulalongkorn University topped Thai universities on research, with 20.5 percent, while Mahidol scored 18.2 compared to Chiang Mai University’s 13.6.

Mahidol’s academic papers were the most cited among Thai universities and received a score of 44.8 percent, while Chulalongkorn University scored 20.4 percent. Mahidol also topped the industrial income score.

Mahidol scored 45.6 percent on International Outlook, followed by Chulalongkorn University at 38.4 percent.

In Southeast Asia, the best university was National University of Singapore, or NUS, which ranked No. 23 worldwide.

In Asia, the report noted that Japan has overtaken the United Kingdom as the second most-represented nation in the world, with 103 institutions compared to 93.

At the top of the chart were the English universities of Oxford and Cambridge respectively. The rest were American, with Stanford University at No. 3, Massachusetts Institute of Technology at No. 4 and California Institute of Technology at No. 5. Harvard University came sixth, followed by Princeton University.

“This year’s list of the best universities in the world is led by the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge for the second year in a row. Yale University is the only newcomer to the top 10, joining at eight place. Tsinghua University is now the top university in Asia, after rising eight places to 22nd, becoming the first Chinese institution to lead the continent under the current methodology since 2010,” the online report said. The University of Tokyo came at No. 42 while Seoul National University ranked 63rd.

The report also noted the rapid rise of Chinese institutions.

“The data also shows that the average teaching reputation score for China’s 10 leading universities is now on par with the best higher education institutions in the UK and Germany, while China’s average research reputation score among this group is higher than that for the best-performing institutions in both France and Australia.”

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